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My first leathers - do I need to go crazy?

82K views 108 replies 58 participants last post by  schmii 
#1 ·
I'm looking for my first leathers. I have the money so that's no prob but I have a dilemma. I have been looking at the JR GPX 2 piece which is reasonable at 849 retail before any discounts and the Alpinstars 2 piece for 1449.

The JR has soft armour and the Alpinstars has hard motogp armour.

What I'm asking is do I really need to spend that much more for what essentially is hard armour? Personally I'm partial to hard armour but I'm look for some opinions here.

In the event of a get off will the JR suit be up to it?

Thanks
 
#93 ·
blk w/grey Alpinestars 2 pce lthrs 4 sale ...

I put a set of size 44 Alpinestars up on both this forum and Craigs List ... for any of you out there looking for an exceptionally good value on some leathers. Size 44, armored knees, elbows, shoulders and kneepucks, immaculate condn. asking $320.00.

I'm selling 'cause they're a tiny bit too tight in the chest and waist for me, so I've already bought myself some new ones one size bigger in the exact same model/color scheme (I liked em so much), so I can fit a thicker fleece under the jacket or a back protector more comfortably ...

Will fit 5'8" to 6' tall, 170 to 190 lb rdier ...

pm me if interested ...
 
#95 ·
Yes, you do need to go crazy, although it depends on your views about leathers in the first place. I didn't think i needed leathers when i got into riding, as my dad and my brother didn't wear any gear when they were riding back in asia. Took the course at PRS and they taught me how leather protects, etc...but still, i was not 100% convinced. Only reason i bought leathers was because "xxxx" told me i should do it.

So i went for my road ride during the windy/rainy day about a week or two ago, and had to make an emergency stop. I pulled the front + back brakes, but it resulted the bike in loosing traction. I skidded till stop, but i was not able to regain balance, so the bike fell on my right toe. It felt like i torn/bruise a muscle, and was painful to walk for about 4days. If it wasn't for my riding boots, it would of been way worse, my toes could of been gone. The way i see it is...my riding boots has a mark in the toe part of the boot, and it looks pretty brutal. Now picture that amount of damage on lets say, Converse or some Nike shoes, now THAT would of been a disaster.

My point is you only got one body parts (yes you have two arms, etc, but you get what i mean), and its better spending that $1000 or so on gear than to look back saying "f*ck, if i had gear i would of..."

Oh and if you can't afford leathers, then suck up your pride and buy used
 
#96 ·
In one of the English bike magazines recently they had a 'traveling' doctor (a riding doctor that follows racers) evaluate gear. He mentions that soft armor may be better than hard armor in leathers based on injuries that he's seen. Hitting an edge such as a curb with hard armor may cause a tear in the leathers or a break in your bones. Also he mentions that pricey leather may not offer any more protection than the cheaper stuff.
 
#97 ·
If you look at our gear you will find that it is not sub par leather as was suggested on this thread. It is 1.1 - 1.3 mm leather and is very strong in the event of a crash. We have sold hundreds of leathers to racers , hard core riders, newbies and every other kind of person on a bike. Read the testimonials on our website www.rubbersidedown.ca and make up your own mind. Custom gear is one thing we specialize in so if there is any style or design that you want let me know and we will make it for you. Cheers.
 
#99 ·
Just got my first set of leathers yesterday. I decided to go with the Alpinestars SP-1 they were not an arm and leg. Less then 8 bones but the quality is very nice. My advice is anything is better then nothing and you can always upgrade the suit if need be but skin is harder to replace.
 
#100 ·
Not to thread-jack, but does paying more = better gear?
I've noticed my cheap Joe Rocket gear (Gloves/Jackets) is wearing a little on the gloves, and the zippers on the upper arms get stuck, etc.

Is it just Joe Rocket is cheap? Or does higher end gear last longer in general?
 
#102 ·
Not sure if this was mentioned in the prev 7 PAGES, BUT ...

if can, get CE armour upgrades if the suit does not already come with. CE is a massive upgrade to the dual layer foam - and as someone else mentioned do not go with cheap hardshell-lined-with-foam, like hockey gear style pads.

I went down at speed - for a long way and also a throw...with all CE armour and it saved every single piece of me that wore it - all the contact points were on the CE and I did not hurt a single part that CE protected.:rockon
 
#108 · (Edited)
Thought it would be interesting to share a little research regarding this topic. redblurr that suit sure brings back memories ! :) Working with protective riding gear everyday, I am always asked questions about this exact thing. The following is some good reading.

Here are a few quotes from different places regarding this topic ;

Hard armour usually consists of a hard plastic and is designed to resist abrasive and puncture injuries. Hard armour generally is used in conjunction with some impact absorbing foam or other material on the inner surfaces facing the body. This is because hard armour by itself does not provide impact/shock absorption qualities. Wikipedia

Quote:
Originally Posted by Waco Kid
Maybe they don't expect people to put hard armor in that particular style of pants.

Bingo! I just got off the phone with Vanson and that's exactly correct: The GP armor is made only for the racing suits and the knee circumference is made larger to accommodate that armor, when specified. When I told them what I did, they definitely had sympathy for what I must have gone through riding 5K Miles in that condition.

On a related note, I spoke to one of their staff who is a racer and he claims that the soft CE armor is now being used almost exclusively across the board, including racers. Hardly anyone uses the GP any longer, according to Vanson. Vanson asserts that the protection is just as good, while providing far more comfort and maneuverability. How could it possibly be just as good? I'm skeptical on that point - but I'll certainly go back to using the CE for the knee/shin armor from now on. I'll probably continue using the GP in my jacket though, since the armor there doesn't bother me - it's just a little heavier.

Any thoughts from anyone as to how the CE could be "just as good" protection as the GP? ADV Rider Website


A very interesting comparison of do3 armor versus standard CE foam armor - http://www.gizmag.com/d3o-motorcycle-armour-trauma-test/14227/

A quote from an editorial on ezinearticles.com According to motorcycle experts at flamesonmytank the areas of your body that need the most protection (aside from your head) are the places where your skin is thinnest and the bones are closest to the surface. These places include your knuckles, shoulders, hips and knees. They recommend that you look for clothing that has thick, but soft, body armor sewn in.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1186239


Rubber Side Down Motorsport Clothing
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#109 ·
Thought I would throw a recommendation out for motoport. It's pricy but it takes seconds to put on with a full length zipper, is great in hot weather and with a circumference zipper/velcro knees it's track ready.

As everyone says it's great to buy protection, but make sure it's convenient enough so you always use it.
 
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