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Gas_Up_Lets_Go · # 3 13-04-12, 08:58

Me, I would never ride off on the bike without everything on (lid, gloves, boots, protective clothing). Why ??

Most accidents happen within 5 minutes of your home, so this is the highest risk, so therefore the best protection is needed. I've been doing it so long it's habit and riding the bike without full gear feels wrong, uncomfortable even.

Boots.
I have two pairs, a pair of TRG Mx boots that are very stiff, the bike has landed on these many times and never so much as a bruise to show for it. I wouldn't venture off the tarmac very far without these on. I also have a pair of TCX Infinity boots, these are the same as the HEIN GERICKE RALLYE III boots, I've had a pair of each, they are really comfortable and you can walk in them all day. They are not as protective or as stiff as the TRG's.

Gloves.
Essential, more important than a lid in my mind. Why? think about it, what is the first thing you do when you fall. For this reason palm protection is the first criteria, if it won't survive a slide down the road then they are no good. secondary is water protection, then warmth. I use HEIN GERICKE ECO II GORE-TEX� GLOVE, at �60 they are expensive, however the pair I have now (the second pair) are the only gloves that are truly waterproof, paired up with the labyrinth cuff on the HG Master jacket (for winter) there is no water ingress down the sleeve as I have experienced in every other glove/jacket combo.

Lid.
For years I was a walking advert for Aria, since moving to the Shoei I don't think I'll go back. The Shoei is lighter, quieter and more comfortable. These days most lids, whether you spend �100 or �1000 will do much the same job in a crash, so choice comes down to longevity and comfort. But there is another reason I like Shoei, it's because they make an effort to get out there to the emergency services and show them how the helmets can be taken apart while still on the head (removable cheek pads etc) making it safer to remove the lid from an accident victim. This I learned form the guys at the air ambulance, who commented on my lid when I last met them.

Jacket/Pants
Again, personal choice and down to what you do on your bike. I have always been an advocate of 'buy the best', a suit for all seasons so to speak. Now, I think it's better to dress for the warm days, these are the days that will sap your energy if you can't keep cool. If it's wet a �10 waterproof will be far more effective than most XXX-tex clothing and it doesn't need to hang over the bath for a day to dry after..... Armour always, and I like the Hi-Protect stuff from HG, soft as cotton but if you punch it it's as hard as steel, and it has saved me many times in a fall. If I'm venturing off-tarmac alone then a full body suit (Knox) is the order of the day.

I've had many falls, always away from tarmac, but the most suffering I've had has been some stiffness for a day or so after. I put this down to the protective gear I wear. At 17 I had a slow speed spill on a MTX125, wearing jeans and to this day I have a patch on the side of my knee with no feeling - never again, skin is delicate and easily removed.