[phrenetiK]

Bike will be used to commute to work anyday with rain not in the forecast, if rain is in the forecast I will be driving my cage. I live in Houston Tx and we have about 10 days of winter a year if that. In the fall it is constantly 80+ degrees. Work commute is 15 miles each way, and I have steel toe boots to wear at work.

is this too much gear? not enough gear? am i being a tard and spending too much money(can you spend too much money on safety? lol)? too warm for houston weather?

alpinestars mesh jacket w/ lvl 2 back protector. - used

http://www.revzilla.com/product/alpinestars-t-gp-plus-air-jacket-closeout

alpinestars s-mx 5 boots - used

http://www.revzilla.com/product/alpinestars-s-mx-5-boot

shoei qwest helmet

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/shoei-helmets-qwest-passage

alpinestars spx gloves

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/alpinestars-sp-x-gloves

 

[Brother Michigan]

You look like you're off to a good start to me. I really like all of my astars gear, so you should probably be happy with what you've chosen there.

You've got to be careful, though; gear quickly turns into an obsession and you'll end up with eight jackets, ten pairs of gloves, and at least 5 pairs of boots, and you'll have no idea where any of them came from.

 

[icon1k]

only thing i would change is add a baclava or face cover
the bottom part of my face gets frozen after like 30 mins of riding
esp sustained like hwy
i got a freeze out one for 10 bucks at cycle gear
works wonders

 

[cbzdel]

I cant tell you on how safe you want to be, only you can rate that..

What I can tell you is that I commute daily and all of my gear costs ALOT less than that.. Do I fell safe, thats a relative term.. I feel as safe as I possibly can on a motorcycle.. If I crash chances of me being hurt are very high.. Will expensive gear help that, maybe, maybe not, all depends on what happens..

The way I look at it, is there is track gear and there is casual riding gear..

I dont commute and act like I am on a track, so I feel comfortable wearing less gear.. I still wear jacket, gloves, helmet but I am comfortable wearing not the best of the best.. I dont feel it makes me any less of a motorcyclist either..

People tend to look down on guys on sport bikes that dont have full gear on but no one says a thing to the guy on a Harley with a half helmet, no gloves, and a t-shirt... Something I have never understood...

 

[phrenetiK]

I'm surprised cbzdel, I figured someone that mods extensively would want to "mod" themselves out too haha

 

[cbzdel]

Personally I am just not comfortable riding in full track gear.. I have some good riding gear that I pull out when needed but I just feel as its to much for casual riding.

Again this is me personally, not my opinion for everyone.. Its all based on YOUR comfort level..

 

[phrenetiK]

the only thing I thought that might be a bit much is the boots. i might go for a shorter style. i absolutely want to protect my wrists/hands as much as possible and thats why im looking at a full gauntlet. i do like the GP pro half gauntlet more but they are around 220 bucks and a little much.

the helmet seems to be good for the seating position of the 300 and me being 6ft1 and the jacket seems normal/comfortable.

 

[Woomba]

Jacket: You have the model mine replaced. If they are in any way similar, you should be fine in the heat. The wind really does blow right through the mesh

Helmet: A bit higher than the average price range, but I won't fault the choice in any way

Boots: Looks like good boots, but they are more geared towards the track than commuting. Personally, I aimed for something that still isolated the heel and protected it in a crash, but would likely need to replace after a crash. Those boots are designed to sustain several crashes on a race track without replacement. Also keep in mind, boots like that aren't very comfortable to walk in. The sole tends to be very stiff, hence the track day focus.

Gloves: Again great protection, and these are mostly a preference and fit thing. I wear full gauntlet gloves with a liner in the winter. In the summer I have gloves that only go up to my wrist. So if it gets hot, I can loosen my jacket and let the wind blow up my arms for cooling. When I crashed my road bicycle at speed twice, only the hand and wrist ever had damage and the short gloves I got cover those scars. In fact, I notice increased padding where I really messed up my wrist. So I feel confident they will work in a motorcycle crash.

Knee/leg protection: For some reason people always neglect the knees.
You can check out this thread to get an idea of how messed up your knees can get in even a low speed crash: http://www.kawasakininja300.com/for...knee-pads-street-riding-graphic-photos-3.html

I'd consider knee pads or some kind of abrasion resistant pants to complete the overall safety factor.

Other than that, I'd just make sure you try on the gear before buying. Revzilla has a good return policy, but if you can find a store near you to try some stuff on, go for it. I'm tall and slim, so I had a hard time getting a jacket that fit right. I also have boney knuckles so some gloves were very uncomfortable. I initially had my eye on a specific pair of shoes until I tried them on and didn't like the fit. Above all else, knowing what types of helmets fit you is difficult. It's good to have someone experienced to help you pick the right size, and helmet model that fits the head shape you have correctly.

Cheers

 

[Brother Michigan]

only thing i would change is add a baclava or face cover
the bottom part of my face gets frozen after like 30 mins of riding
esp sustained like hwy
i got a freeze out one for 10 bucks at cycle gear
works wonders

Sounds like you need a helmet with a chin curtain or a jacket with a higher collar. I bought a balaclava a few weeks back, but I've never found myself needing to use it, even when riding in 30-40 degree weather (also, it's a pain getting my helmet on and keeping it positioned correctly on my head).

 

[ChrisCusi]

I have the Qwest and I love it. Funny enough I ordered the gloves from my local store and have been meaning to pick them up for a few days. When I do I'll let you know how I like em!

 

[Mawren]

I second the need for some leg protection. I grew up in Houston and live in San Diego now. I remember being young and riding in shorts, t shirt and sunglasses. I think how congested Houston is and since not many people ride there more protection is better. I love my alpine star gear.


Sent from my iPhone using Motorcycle.com Free App

 

[Peanut_EOD]

Full gauntlet gloves! Other than that your list looks like a good start.

 

[wetwork999]

I agree with Woomba, you have to protect your legs, at the very least get some knee shin guards to wear under pants, then at least you'll have some impact and abrasion protection on the most vulnerable parts of your legs. Personally I go with the full race gear when I ride, but I don't commute or anything, I just hit the canyons.

 

[JerzKawiKid]

OP You should look at the fast lane astars shoes, definitely more comfortable and practical than getting track boots just for the looks of them

 

[cfrp]

What are some good recommendations for leg protection? I find most knee guards move around too much.

 

[JerzKawiKid]

i think theres already a knee protection thread somewhere on here

 

[Arcade16]

Nice choices, but I would recommend you go for full gauntlet or at least partial gauntlet gloves.

I went with the Rev'it SLR gloves (used by quite a few MotoGP riders) and they are great:
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-slr-race-gloves

 

[icon1k]

I just got a new sedici jacket it is def my most cofortable of my gear

 

[phrenetiK]

i ended up with TCX boots. got the other 3 items on my list though. all felt comfy and protective on the bike last night.