Well i got my learners and i'm registered for Leasons. I need Gear.

petei

petei

XS400 Addict
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Hey guys, i recently posted that i'm going to be buying an 83 xs400 maxim and will be driving it from BC to Quebec.

The Update:
I got my learners permit and i have decided to take lessons to become more comfortable and learn proper technique. I will be picking up my bike once I'm done the lessons :D.

What I need from you wonderful people:
GEAR, I need gear for my test. They require helmet, jacket, gloves and boots. this is the statement:
This gear includes at minimum a D.O.T Approved Helmet, foot wear (that covers the ankle), Protective Jacket and Gloves.
Click to expand...

So what do you guys recommend i want stuff that will last me and that will protect me during my trans-canadian trip. But at the same time i don't want to bust the bank. I want a full face/modular helmet, preferably white.

i really like this jacket but it is a little pricy (i could afford it but i'd rather spend less)
http://www.tourmaster.com/xcart/product.php?productid=62&cat=5

And i would like pants that look fairly normal (ie not chaps nor a race suit)

I have steal toe boots would these work or should i get motorcycle boots?

Please if you have any advice or suggestion let me know (i can have things shipped to the states so that is not an issue)
 
Good move on the lessons first. Shop for helmets twice. The first time go to a store and try on a bunch in your price range. Then go home and read all the reviews you can. They can give you good info on how well the face shield works, how noisy it is at highway speeds, whether or not the padding settles, etc.
 
sounds like a hell of a trip there petei:bike:
I have a Lazer modular helmet http://www.lazerhelmets.com and a Nexo jacket and gloves. No complaints at all from any of the gear.
Keep us posted on the trip, and if you need anything while going through ON, GTA area, LMK..:thumbsup:
 
I would use ear plugs anyway, wind noise is a bugger in helmets.

I bought stuff from Aldi, which is a German supermarket chain and all their stuff is TUV approved (the most draconian safety standards in Europe)

helmets, boots and jacket/trousers. for about £100. trouble is you look like a newbie and stand out a bit because of it!
 
If you are on a bit of a budget check out KIJIJI for some of the clothing. Think about what you might want for rain gear as well.

Buy a new helmet, not used. Even though you see helmets advertised as "Never dropped" you just never know for sure unless you have owned it from new.

I know some of you purists will be horrified by this last comment :eek: but one other thing you might want to consider based on your experience and the length of the trip is an inexpensive windshield. If you don't like the looks of it you can always take it off when you get there.
 
G'day Petei, that sounds like a great trip.
I have bought gear from here, good pricing, sizing videos were really helpful and delivery cost was reasonable.
Someone told me that the problem with steel cap boots is that they can cut your toes off in a crash that otherwise would of just broken a few.
 
Helmets: I have a Shoei shaped head. Haven't found many other helmets that feel comfortable (and I've tried many.)

Thanks to DOT, any DOT rated helmet has the same minimum safety level. That said, there's still some variety, between a skull cap, open face helmet, or full face helmet. I used to think "I like my jaw, so I'll get a full face helmet," but as I get older and uglier, I keep thinking an open face helmet may be in my future. For a long trip like yours, you may prefer a full face helmet, as there are lots of bugs on the highways, and if you don't have full coverage, you will taste most of them.

Most of the cost of a helmet goes into weight, decals, and venting features. So pick a price range, try on many, and read reviews. FWIW, I really like my Shoei.

Oh, and black goes with everything, but white shows off your artwork better if you want to paint or decorate your helmet. Here's my favourite Motorcycle Helmet blog. Possibly the only Motorcycle Helmet blog. Not Always Safe for Work:

http://www.casquedemoto.net/
 
Awesome Help guys
bentwrench that is a really neat site (lucky i speak french)

well it looks like i'm going to check out some stores when i go down to Vancouver this weekend to try things on.

what kind of pants do you guys where when riding?
 
I'd stick to textile gear over leathers for what you're looking for. It's somewhat water resistant (and doesn't matter if it gets wet), plus is significantly cheaper and breathes better if it's hot out.

As far as helmets go, I personally only purchase SNELL certified full-faces. Having looked into what they do for crash testing, it is above and beyond what is required for DOT certification and in my opinion the peace of mind is worth the extra expense. Although I'm not sure if any modular helmets have passed SNELL certification?

When I was buying gear I bought the helmet first, and got the best fit/protection I could afford, then I bought jacket/gloves/etc with my remaining budget. That's just my method. Broken bones and road rash heals, head injuries don't.
 
bcXS400-81 you bring up a good point, I've been neglecting textile jackets because i like the look of leather but now that I've checked a couple of sites they are much cheaper and would leave me more room in my budget.
 
Pork Chop said:
I've got Draggin jeans.
Click to expand...

Me too. Have had a pair for a few years and think they are worth the extra $. No steel in toes of boots - can be a safety problem, as mentioned previously. My current boots are the cheap sears work boots - about $40 U.S., IIRC. Have had them for about 3 years and they do the job without high cost. More comfortable on my feet than many expensive boots.
 
Pork Chop, I was actually looking at that jacket but do you think it would be good for high way driving? and it can't be water proof...

Oh and do you have the armour in your draggin jeans?
 
Last edited:
No armour in the jeans besides the kevlar. The icon jeans have bigger areas of kevlar but not sure if it would make much difference. The jacket is just thick denim with armour and not waterproof, also you might want something like this. I am sure there are others on the forum that will be able to help you much more than me as I have only been riding a short time.
 
Pork Chop said:
I've got Draggin jeans - for a laugh watch this video and icon shift jeans. Icon is pretty good for the price - i just foundthese.
Click to expand...

we had a discussion on kevlar jeans over at the YOC and the problem with those is that the bottoms ride up and expose your calves:eek:
still better than the combats I wear with the tracker.

If you have an open face, always have something covering your face too, those bugs really hurt when your moving and car tyres spin off stones on you too, so keep a safe distance from them in front.
 
Pork Chop said:
It might be interesting to see what kind toolkit/spares people take on long rides. Or maybe ask what they wish they had taken. :laugh:
Click to expand...

I tool a mult-itool, original yam tools and a 1/2 litre of oil.

The best tool which I use all the time is a charged mobile phone :D
 
This entire setup cost me about $650 new.
 

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