Getting biking gear, £200ish budget

[Petarded]

I need:

 

• Helmet
  
• Gloves
  
• Jacket (Textile or Leather)
  
• Dragging Jeans preferably?

 

I might hold out on the boots, I've got a pair of military boots, it depends what you guys think.

I'll be riding through winter but I already have some thermals and stuff like that so that's not a problem.

Should I get winter gloves straight away if I'm getting the bike within the next month or two? Or just get summer gloves and hold out on the winter ones until it gets cooler around October time?

Also what's the best way to shop for all this, with a helmet especially I know that the fit can vary greatly even on helmets of the same size from different companies (I can get my head comfortably in a XS but I put on a L and it pinched at the top of my head).

I'll be riding a sports tourer of some description if that's relevant, probably a gs500 or sv650, money permitting.

Advice, thoughts, opinions and critisism welcome!

[Guest]

go to a bike shop and get a lid, needs to fit properly, so no cutting corners..

aldi and lidl often do bike gear in there specials, would suffice as a starter suit.. and i'd go with winter gloves, you'll get more use out of these, unlike summers ones.. until next summer..

[Gem]

You'll be lucky if you get all that for your budget!! My jacket alone cost that. Everything would have to be really cheap and then, well personally, I wouldn't trust say... a £50 helmet to protect me in a crash, but just get the best you can afford.

If you did get summer gloves you could always put those thermal type gloves underneath for winter, I don't know whether that'd keep your hands warm enough though, I guess it depends on how cold this winters going to be. Although I agree with WalneyFrankie, with the weather how it is here in the UK you'd definitely get more use out of winter ones.

Always try on your helmet before you buy it, you could try one on in a shop to get the right fit but if its cheaper online then go for it providing you've tried one on first.

Try checking out http://www.topgearsuperstore.com/ or similar online shops.

[MonkeyKnuckle]

It is possible, sort of.

My textile trousers were £20 and my winter gloves were also £20. I got them from the discount bargain rail at my local Honda place.

Although, I have a set of leathers which were £150, a textile jacket which was £99. Summer gloves were ~£60 and boots were ~£140. I also have two helmets which were £200 and £99. Back protector was £79.

So you might be able to get the odd thing cheaply but decent jackets and helmets do cost a fair bit unfortunately.

I've heard these gloves are quite good, only £20: http://www.gpleathers.com/component/vir ... 4&vmcchk=1

[Stu]

200ish quid!!!!

is that for each item

personally i wouldnt pay any less then £200 for just an helmet!!!

as they say you cant put a value on safety

[Colin the Bear]

http://www.silvermans.co.uk/Products/ta ... fault.aspx

Helmets are rated by a labeling system. Used to be silver and gold for racing standard. The helmet is the most important piece of kit. The price is irrelevant in my opinion. High price helmets are a fashion statement and you pay for the paint job.

Get the highest spec, that fits snugly and comfortably ,that you can afford. Mine cost me £60. Plain black. Highway code recommends white

I like leather but make your own mind up.

[Guest]

I think the right fit is more important than price, they have all been tested and found suitable, but if the budget will stretch to it, find an ACU gold sticker, I have a KBC helmet that I got in a sale for £60, also have an Arai cost over £300, but both have passed the same standard.. as long as youre not after the top labels/latest style, and can compromise (Colours/design..,.. not safety) then try the sales and end of line stuff,

you can upgrade as time and budget allows.

[Petarded]

It is possible, sort of.

I've heard these gloves are quite good, only £20: http://www.gpleathers.com/component/vir ... 4&vmcchk=1

 

Thanks for the tip bud, I'm gonna go for these: http://www.gpleathers.com/component/vir ... egory_id=5

Decent looking winter gloves with a bit more protection than most I've seen out there.

As for the helmet chat, I'm not really fussed, so long as it passes all the safety standards that's all I could ask for. Of course later on I will invest in more expensive options.

[MtotheJ]

If you did get summer gloves you could always put those thermal type gloves underneath for winter, I don't know whether that'd keep your hands warm enough though...

 

Thats what i do Got some leather summer gloves for £20 at a show then thermal liners for £12 and i used them when it was feeeeeeeeeeeeezing and they worked fine

I think you will struggle for £200 though. Jacket £60 ish (definitely wont be leather though), trousers the same (draggin jeans, around £100), gloves £20, Helmet around £100 if your looking at an average. You could do it if your lucky but would be better waiting until you go to a show or something as lots of discounted kit there.

[Guest]

It can be done..just need to spend hours trawling fleabay..i got my helmet, acu gold standard, for 40 inc postage...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0124056747

My jacket, Hein Gericke for 60!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0401445227

Trousers for 30, also hein gericke..boots i already have, but well within 200 quid...and its not crap!

Mark

[Guest]

Sorry to sound like a broken record, but £200 is a very tight budget for safety gear. How about saving up a little more and buying better quality gear? When I first started biking I bought a HJC lid which was pretty good (£50 I think) and Buffalo textiles which were around £100 all in but were crap. I highly recommend Hein Gericke gear (in fact, swear by it) but again, it comes at a price.

DO you already have a bike? If not, buy a cheaper one... you can then spend more money on the important stuff... the stuff thats gonna help you if you ever have a crash... trust me, from experience, its worth it!

[Guest]

http://www.wownlc.co.uk/

Try this company.I know the owner well hes a good guy and his gear is 100%. He is also a taylor so he can cut the gear to your size. He also has an Ebay site so sending clothes aint a problem.

I got a very good deal out of him I was kitted out for just over £200 but that was mates rates but say I told you to get in touch and he will give you 10% off.

He does every thing now, top, bottoms, helmets, gloves and boots.

AND before you say its cheap crap it aint.one of my mates had bit of a play with a BUS and lost, he was wearing Norfolk Leather gear and it saved him and his skin. When the leather jacket was cut off him we where all shocked at the amount of protection in the jacket.

[Guest]

forgot to say I got some thermals for the winter months from QD £5 for top and bottoms. do the jod well.

[Petarded]

Ok well it seems I'll be going over my budget, also having realised I don't have to pay off my bike test full amount until after I've passed mod2.

Here's what I'm getting/got:

Helmet: HJC IS-16 http://www.bikingdirect.com/helmets/hjc ... t/24757-p/

Jacket: £80 New and tagged ebay job (http://www.hein-gericke.co.uk/shop/prod ... ts_id/5018)

Gloves: Gear Euro WP http://www.bikingdirect.com/clothing/ge ... s/21740-p/

[Paul]

Well that is a good start.

What size boots are you? I have a pair of Oxtar that are about a year or so old, worn a few times that I don't use now that you can have if they fit.

[Petarded]

Size 11 mate, unlikely that you'll have that size but worth a try haha!

Thanks for the offer, let me know.

[Paul]

Spot on mate! PM me your addy and I'll post them on Monday

[Mikey]

£200 does sound a pretty tight budget

I spent £80 on my helmet

£60 on boots

£40 on gloves

Jacket was £40 dropped from £100 apparently at the GP

Trousers £60 < don't normally bother with these

But its all personal preference

You can pick up a cheap helmet on ebay for £30

But you get what you pay for

[hurtank]

dont buy winter gloves. just by sumer gloves and buy some undergloves for like 8 pound. work out the same price

[Guest]

Buy a new helmet but for the rest trawl ebay, you can get some proper bargains on there, just bought our lad his first kit off there, swift boots £30, Kevlar camo trousers £25, spada jacket £40, Frank Thomas gloves £10 and it was all brand new so £200 is very do able, you wont get the high end range but its a starter that can be replaced as and when your funds allow

[Guest]

http://www.silvermans.co.uk/Products/tabid/54/Department/MotorCycle/id/3/Default.aspx

Helmets are rated by a labeling system. Used to be silver and gold for racing standard. The helmet is the most important piece of kit. The price is irrelevant in my opinion. High price helmets are a fashion statement and you pay for the paint job.

Get the highest spec, that fits snugly and comfortably ,that you can afford. Mine cost me £60. Plain black. Highway code recommends white

I like leather but make your own mind up.

 

To the most part i agree with you, a 30 quid helmet has the same impact test as a 400 quid one so in theory should protect the same, but you do get what you pay for, low price helmets have a tendency to let air in around the visor and the internal padding goes soft and causes a bad fit over a short time, where as a high end ie AGV etc have far better padding so will always stay tight on your head and no air coming in to cause your eye to water, this is just my opinion tho based on many years of buying helmets

[Petarded]

Yeah I got a fairly high end Hjc helmet in the end, for £115 it's holding up very well during my big bike training, possibly the only downside is it's a bit loud over 50 but that's a given I guess unless I get a helmet specifically made to be quiet. Very happy with it.

[Guest]

Yeah I got a fairly high end Hjc helmet in the end, for £115 it's holding up very well during my big bike training, possibly the only downside is it's a bit loud over 50 but that's a given I guess unless I get a helmet specifically made to be quiet. Very happy with it.

Earplugs, get some as they'll protect your hearing...

[skatefreak]

this is where i'm wondering if in ear bud headphones arnt a terrible idea as they keep out outside noise and can be used at a pretty low volume

But then again, others say hearing the road clearly is very important!

Not started riding myself but i think i willstart off without and try with them after a while and see how it goes!

Regards

-Jvc

[Guest]

this is where i'm wondering if in ear bud headphones arnt a terrible idea as they keep out outside noise and can be used at a pretty low volume

But then again, others say hearing the road clearly is very important!

Not started riding myself but i think i willstart off without and try with them after a while and see how it goes!

Regards

-Jvc

you can still hear the road/traffic with plugs in, but it cuts down on the whistle and otherstuff thats over time can damage hearing..

http://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/view ... t=earplugs