I find myself in this off-season thinking about getting some gear for the upcoming riding season. I usually ride in jeans, t-shirt, motorcycle-specific glasses and about 80% of the time with a DOT half-helmet - for some reason I have the urge to ride a little more protected.

So, WITHOUT TURNING THIS INTO a thread flaming others about what they should or should not wear, and, in the interest of learning what is good and what is crap from first-hand users, can you tell me what gear/brands you ride in and why you like it or you don't....specifically in the summer.

One thing I am considering is some draggin' jeans MAYBE with the knee and hip armor?

Thanks.

 

Dragging jeans are good, carhart double knees are excellent as well

 

If I'm going to overnight or longer...I wear a 3/4 Nolan N42E OR a H-D Classic FF. You never know what the weather is gonna do and either one of those will handle whatever comes up. If leaving the house and coming back home I wear a half-helmet...a Scorpion, Skid Lid DOT, or a RDX DOT... If riding in Florida I wear a bandana!

 

I always wear a helmet, usually FF but sometimes 1/2. Gloves are going to be a full time thing from now on and I'll probably grab a summer coat to ride in. Not sure if I'll go with leather or synthetic. The coat will be the hard part b/c I hate riding with all that on in the summer months. I definitely need to get some different jeans for riding.

 

A good jacket with armor and quality gloves are a good idea, besides the obvious helmet. Boots with ankle protection may save you from crutching around after a slide. I like fxrg jackets and have lee parks gloves. I also have motorcycle specific boots and usually ride with a 3/4 or ff nolan. Works for me. Kinda takes some trying to find out what you are comfortable with.

 

501 blues standard issue, over 100 mile trip or lots of freeway, chaps. fingerless gloves summer and guantlet winter goves when cold. layered clothing with t shirt and hoody,. changed from full leather foot wear to SWAT boots, light weight, good soles and comfortable to walk in, very light weight. Oh, and sprinfield xd 40 with hydroshot hollow points, cocked and loaded.

 

I like my prison blues jeans, leather jacket, fingerless gloves and my half helmet. Got a couple jackets, my wife bought me a HD jacket last year for my birthday, and I have to admit I like it best.

 

DOT helmet (always), mesh or leather jacket, leather gloves, boots & solid pants (jeans are OK). Pretty much the standard...unless you're a sportbike rider - then it's tanktop, shorts & flip flops...

 

Levi jeans, some form of H-D t-shirt (usually black), H-D Faded Glory boots and sometimes leather frisker gloves. Optional wear is a black Sturgis head wrap bandana thing to keep my thinning hair head from burning or my H-D full faced black helmet when going distances. Also can throw on my classic black leather motorcycle jacket and/or black leather chaps and black leather neck wrap and H-D black leather gloves. For glasses I used to use the dark lensed KD's but now use either my dark tinted wrap around H-D glasses or my wrap around day/night H-D glasses/goggles.

Black makes you go faster.

 

Olympia make some of the best textile gear for the money. 1000 denier Dupont Cordura has equivalent abrasion resistance rating to 1.3mm leather and more than twice what nylon has.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO23VAQlZ90

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBaPTqYtJfs

Check out Bohn body armor for wear under jeans (best but most expensive option), also Dainese and Icon make knee shin pads for use under jeans. Skip the optional armor draggin jeans sells as it is useless and they charge as much as a good set of knee shin pads would cost. Armor is just as important as abrasion resistance if you end up tumbling or hit the pavement hard plus it adds an extra layer between you and the road if you slide. Competition Accessories is selling motorcycle jeans for $69 right now. Diamond Gusset motorcycle jeans got great reviews on WebBikeWorld.com