What makes a good riding jacket/pants?

I'm on the cheap, going to look around op-shops and cash-converters.

What qualities would i be looking for? I'm thinking something along the
lines of a buckle/strap across the waist so the jacket doesnt ride up the
back/front while sliding. Elastic Cuffs which wont ride up the arm in a
slide. As thick leather as possible.

How important is the reinforcement (of leather and armour) in
$200+ jackets made for riding? As for leather pants, i'd say kneesliders
would be the go if possible.

I'm going to look like an absolute loon, but at least i'll be relatively
free from skin damage if i come off, and the wallet will be lighter.

Cheers,
Derek

 

Secure pockets for all the crap you seem to have to carry - cellphone
[have a prang out in the boonies and you'll appreciate it], wallet,
medium-sized bag of marijuana, bong, rolling papers, plenty of condoms,
sunnies, etc. Lost a pair of expensive and essential prescription
glasses from a side pocket in the old leather jacket, even with velcro
added to the openings, because I hadn't closed it carefully enough; a
pain organising new ones, two days half blind. Thick leather, none
better. Good gloves and boots too, at all times, even 'just nipping down
to the shop' - I've got scars down one leg and ankle from crappy jeans
and crappy boots, sliding along the road at 160kmh. Bent the crank on
the bike. Could have been worse. Cheers

 

Good idea too. Dunno if you're in Melbourne, but Moike saw
a cheap suit somewhere ...?

Look for zip-closure or velcro closure cuffs. Elastic wouldn't
be any good, since if it's tight enough not to slide, it's tight
enough to cut your circulation.

Make sure the jacket doesn't ride up at the back when you sit
on the bike.

You seriously planning to put your knee down on purpose on public
roads? That's what sliders are for. Racing.

Padding/reinforcement doesn't hurt though.

Note: popping down the shops at 160kmph is not recommended.

-----sharks

 

Wow!

160,000mph!

What bike does that speed?

Cheers

<pedant mode/>


Kevin Gleeson
Imagine It
West Hobart
Tasmania Australia
www.imagine-it.com.au

 

Classic Car Fair wrote:

If that was "just nipping down to the shops" I'd hate to think how much
damage you could do yourself on a track day.

From my place, down to the shops is all within 50 kph speed limits.
If I were fit enough, I could do it on the pushie....so I don't feel the
least guilty about not wearing all the safety stuff. YMMV.

regards,
CrazzyCam

 

Yeah, you could have broken the crank.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R
'02 CBR1100XX

 

A proper pedant would require ms^-1.

-----sharks

 

Did, actually,on one of the cars shortly afterwards.

 

Dunno, but it'd be a red one... red ones are faster [1]


Geoff and Jodie

[1] OK, it might be blue ;-)

 

Something that is geniune cow leather - not split cow or artificial
leather. You can usually tell on second hand gear because it will look like
the grain of the leather is starting to deteriorate.
Elastic cuffs are a bad idea, go for velcro or button up
The thicker the leather - in theory the better the protection, but its also
pretty heavy, look for around 1.3mm thick as a minimum and check to see that
it has more than one layer on the key areas like the shoulders and elbows,
bum and knees.
Armour - for road use most foam inserts are acceptable, the difference
between CE approved armour and non approved is usually a matter of the
manufacturer not bothering to pay the approvers fees to visit. The harder
armour is also good but can be uncomfortable.

Knee sliders as mentioned in other posts are particularly a track think,
however a good 15mm thick knee slider adds a little extra protection in a
continuum from the boot towards the knee. They also give you the option of
'bouncing' the bike back up if you wash out unexpectedly rather than attempt
it in exposed leather which could result in you being spat off. Better to
have than not to have, gives you more options, and usefull on the track. In
a lowside the kneeslider can help your leathers hold together and stop you
coping a cateye ripping your knee cap off. Dont buy the big sparky knee
sliders - they have titanium in them, which is very sharp and will cut you
if you touch the slider - not to mention, ingestion of titanium is not good
for your health.

Some other posters mentioned good pockets to store things. I think this is
very bad advice, because unless what you are carrying in your pockets is
soft and will help absorb a fall, it will help amplify any injuries you may
sustain in an accident. Take for example a mobile phone, very handy device
but quite painful and capable of breaking ribs if you keep it in the inner
pocket. I suggest a tank bag for that or even a backpack. People carry all
sorts of things on their body, even keys (brilliant). Im sure there are some
stalwarts out there that will tell you this is unlikely to happen, even
quote that theyve had lots of falls and believe they can control their
circumstances... god complex comes to mind. Watches are another classic,
difference between watch on and watch off can be sprained or broken wrist.
Just think about it for a bit, which would you rather land on, soft skin and
muscle then bone or something hard pressing into soft skin then muscle then
bone.

And if you do manage to find something cheap and its a poor fit, get it
resized, the better the fit, the more protection it will offer you. Its
money well spent.

 

Don't you have to split the cow to get the leather off?


Postman Pat

 

There's a certain kiwi who thought deerhide was the bollocks

jl
(but then he was full of crap...)