dimmers

i use the forcefield tube knee protectors, and they are very comfortable, and will stay in place in the event of an off. But... to me, it sounds as though you're after something more like a knee brace, for which i really doubt you will ever get something half decent for £100 or under. The aplinestars that you linked offer similar protection to the forcefields, but although they look like a knee brace, they are not. If you really do require something to support your knee, as well as offer protection, then this brand seem to be the one to go with: Google 'asterisk knee brace' - prices from around £250

i've already got one of those... my finger!

sorry for late reply! bought off sportsbikeshop... around 40 i think

Your welcome. I have made a small modification to mine to keep them more open and in place. I cut a small hole so the bar end weight could go on the outside. On the throttle side I used some large washers as spacers so the muff did not rest on the throttle, which means it still springs back when I let go. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8504/8271761653_182e49470a_c.jpg cheers for the update, i'm tempted to modify them, but at the same time i might just sell them on ebay... Winter's over now anyway??

and i have the exact same journey distance as you! you don't ride a cb600f as well do you?

i use the exact same gloves, hein gericke pathan (lobster style), and use inners as well... the muffs this morning i think made it worse! now that's probably because i couldn't completely seal them up due to the barkbuster hand guards, and it felt like they were sucking in the cold air. bl00dy hell, i reckon i'm just going to splash out on some heated gear now, fed up of the pain in my hands on these cold mornings. If i can get the hands nice and warm then riding all year round would be absolutely fine. (anyone want these muffs? used only once, but happy to sell them for cheaper than what i paid as obviously they aren't 'new' anymore, PM me if interested, otherwise they'll be going on flea bay)

I was hoping my recent purchase of some barkbuster hand guards would see me through the cold weather this year, but my hands have been in absolute agony recently with temps of -5 when i leave for work, so i decided to get some muffs! i think it was due to a thread on another website where someone posted that these were quite good, and they fitted over his handguards, so i was sold. think the guy who posted the thread is on here as well... username 'throttled', so thanks for that. i'll let you know how well they work. if they fail, it will be heated grips next, then failing that, working from home!!! Google 'autokicker muffs' if you're interested in which ones i bought.

Fair play to you! i've done the same (although not quite as good a job) on a pair of RST leather summer gloves i got a while back. I got them really cheap on ebay (new) but they turned up with one of the seams coming apart slightly. So i got out the needle and thread and fixed them myself.

Yes, i've got a pair of these for those really cold winter mornings. They are an excellent glove, warm, waterproof, and comfortable. But the lack of armour is a bit of a concern, but normally when i'm riding with these on it's so wet and cold that i'm riding very slow and steady. Having said that, they are a must for those really cold mornings, especially with an inner glove. The 3 finger design definately keeps your hand warmer for longer compared to the usual 5 finger gloves.

bargain! glad to hear good things from other people about them. That's part of the reason i've wanted a pair for so long, as there are so many good reviews.

Alpinestars 365 gore-tex gloves Now i've always been a bit of a bargain hunter when it comes to motorcycle clothing, and good value for money is something i always strive for (hence why i really like the RST range), but i've been wanting a good pair of gloves for a while now, and some that i can wear most of the year round, have good protection and are waterproof. Although i love my hein gerick lobster style gloves, they have hardly any protection on them and it's always been a bit of a worry for me. So, i decided to splash out and buy a pair of gloves i've had my eye on for a long time now. The Alpinestars 365 gore-tex gloves (in red). First impressions so far, they fit so well, albeit a little tight at the moment but i'm sure they will break in. If you like to wear a silk inner glove then i'd recommend going up 1 size, as they do come up quite tight. This is the first time i've worn a glove where the cuff and wrist adjustments actually do what they're supposed to do, keep the glove firmly attached to your hand in the event of an off. Most of the other gloves i've tried, even if they fit well in the hand/fingers, have such large wrist straps that i can still pull the glove off when everything is done up (not good!). Protection looks really good, with knuckle protection and the pinky finger attached to the third finger, double layered leather in all the right places, additional foam padding in the impact areas, and the whole glove is full leather. Waterproofing, Gore-Tex liner, need i say more. I've not tested them yet, but i own other gore-tex products and i know it works very well. The slight difference with this glove is that the gore-tex is the xtrafit technology, so there is no gap between the gore-tex liner and the outer glove, something that gives the glove more feel and stops any water getting in between the gore-tex liner and the outer leather. Anyway, i'm really pleased with these gloves, and the added bonus is that as the red colour is now discontinued there is limited stock available on the internet for reduced prices. I got mine for 119 (reduced from 169) and there are a few other websites selling the red and blue versions of this glove for 99 quid! I'll get some pics uploaded when i get a chance, but there's plenty of pics/ other reviews on the net. Cheers

what you could do is buy a cheap waterproof over jacket, which you can then wear the sleeves over your gloves. This is what i do. Also, i've got those hein gericke gloves (the lobster hand style) and they keep my hands dry. Gore-tex is the way to go if you've got a lot of spare cash, otherwise some of the cheaper alternatives are still very good: shell-tech (hein gericke) d-dry (dainese) drystar (alpinestars) hippora (not sure?? not quite as good as the others) read something in the Ride magazine this month saying that these technologies are very similar to gore-tex (as the gore-tex patent has ended now), but a lot cheaper as it's the companies own technology so they can produce it cheaper than using gore-tex. one last thing, for leather gloves anyway, is buying some nikwax leather waterproofing wax. Works wonders, and does actually work!

What was the incident of putting your hands on engine when traffic lights were on? i meant that when stationary at a red light, i'd sometimes warm my hands up by placing them on the bikes engine casing (obviously i had gloves on at the time

i use scottoiler fs365 for that has seen me through 2 winters so far, and no rust on my bike yet.

Yep, they worked well on my commute in to work this morning, i could still feel my fingers by the time i parked up.

I wish i had the skills to make my own, but i'm useless at that sort of thing!

They were quite expensive, part of the reason I was put off buying them, but i couldn't face another cold winter. Cost £80 from Chainspeed. I'm in Frimley...

I really wish i'd bought some of these a couple of years ago, as they truly make riding in the cold that much more comfortable. I know most people fit heated grips to their bike if they ride through the winter, and i know it's supposed to be easy to fit a pair, but i just couldn't be bothered, so i've suffered with cold hands (understatement) for the past 2 years during my winter commute. Up until i bought some Barkbusters S1 handguards, cutting out the wind blast on your hands makes such a massive difference... full review here: viewtopic.php?f=83&t=46189

I bought some of these a while back, very good, surprised how reflective they were. Lots of different types of stickers sold as well.

Barkbusters S1 hand guards Right, i don't normally post really long reviews with lots of pics, but i really think this is worth it. These hand guards are brilliant, and i really wish i'd bought them a couple of years ago! First off, let me say that Chainspeed (the company i bought these from) are brilliant. They packaged the hand guards really well, delivery was next day, and they also threw in a few ear plugs for free, and a 3 pack of Oxford neck tubes, nice one Chainspeed!!! I will be using those guys again for sure. Anyway, these hand guards are supposed to fit most naked bikes, but i'd always check with the company first before buying. However, they fit my 2010 Hornet perfectly. Went out for a ride this afternoon (it was around 6 degrees) and wore my leather summer gloves on purpose, and managed the whole ride without frost bite on my hands... they are going to save my hands this winter, no more putting my hands on the engine for warmth at traffic lights again! (i hope I'll let the pics speak for themselves... (one final thing, the instructions are first class as well, not that you really need them because they're so easy to assemble and fit, but it's nice to see some decent instructions for a change).

Forcefield chest protector I've got a few forcefield products, pro sub 4 back protector, and the leg tubes, and i've been considering a chest protector for some time now, so obviously if i was going to buy one it would be by forcefield, i think their body armour is the best around. Anyway, it arrived a few days ago and i just thought i'd give some first impressions. pro - very light weight - works with the pro sub 4 back protector as it comes with some velcro straps that work in conjunction with the pro sub 4 (if you don't have a forcefield back protector then you have to purchase a separate harness to use the chest protector) - very comfortable, and after your body heat has managed to warm up the chest protector it moulds itself to you for a perfect fit. - keeps you nice and warm (probably won't be a good thing next summer... but we hardly get summers here in the UK so no big deal) con - bit of a fiddle to get set up right, bit too much velcro for my liking, but once strapped in everything is ok. - probably be a bit too warm in the summer overall, i think this is something that will become part of my normal every day riding gear from now on, much like the pro sub 4 did a couple of years back.

Horse is better and kangaroo is best. Kangaroo gloves and a hide jacket is my choice. I only wear bottoms if it's cold. Cow for comfort. It may be bullocks but who can tell? and stingray is better still, but is there a full stingray jacket around... probably not

I have Heine Gericke 3 finger gloves and they do a good job at keeping my hands warm. I did a review of them in the tried and tested section http://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/view ... 75&t=43896 yep, i use these, great gloves and good at keeping you hands warm for around 30 mins in very low temps, especially if you wear an inner glove as well.

you've summed it up nicely there, i think it is all down to pure luck as to how you land, where you land, and what you hit! you could be wearing the best gear in the world, but if you fall off on to a patch of road with a load of sharp gravel/glass on the road then it's just going to shred your gear. saying that, i always wear as much gear protection as possible, and am a big fan of strap on (please, no silly coments armour, as it is more likely to stay in place and protect what it's supposed to protect. can be a bit of a pain putting it all on in the morning before the ride to work, but you soon get used to it. Forcefield armour for me, there stuff is brilliant!

after a lot of research a few years back, check these guys out... http://securityforbikes.com/torc-ground-anchor.php http://www.elitesecuritysupplies.com/ground-anchors-2.html