[SubodhRage]

Before I begin this new thread, a note to the Moderators:
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Please merge this with another post for the beginners. I couldn't find one and hence I decided on creating a new post.
In case this post survives your judgement, I shall try to edit it later into a beginner's guide of sorts. Sounds good ?
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A Beginner to the Biking World: What Bike and Gear to Choose ?

With that out of the way, let's get started.
TLDR: I need to buy a new bike and riding gear along with it. The bike would most be sub-200cc, and I’m fixed on R15, but any other suggestions are welcome. But really what I need your suggestions for is the riding gear- I don’t want to lose safety, but also don’t want to be extravagant in the purchase. I’m looking for helmet, jacket and boots. Also, I’d prefer to buy all these offline, so do let me know of any good stores in Delhi.

Hi Everyone !
Hope you're all doing well and staying safe!

Having driven bikes for almost 4 years now- mostly owned by friends or rental, I'm finally deciding to get one for myself.
I had almost decided on an ol’ Electra 350, for the sheer love of the locomotive pull in the Bullet engine, but I decided against it due to fear of reliability issues in the old Royal Enfield engines. Now, I’m back to square one now. Here’s a link to the thread detailing about the discussions on the Electra 350.

Originally Posted by SubodhRage

Hi fellow BHPians,

I have been an avid reader of Team BHP for a while.
Recently, I have also started writing travel blogs on my recent adventures, and another one is in the pipeline.

With my first job just started, I was planning on buying a bike that would be mainly used for long-distance weekend escapades and city commutes.

I recently got the opportunity to buy a Royal Enfield Electra 350 UCE ES, of 2013 model and am in a dilemma right now. The vehicle has been run for less than 10K kms. It hasn't been run for a year now since it's last service. I took it for a short run and the ride felt supple and smooth. I need to take a long-distance ride to get better knowledge of the suspension and the engine.

I would like some advice from my fellow Bulleteers and Enfield riders. This will be my first bike if I buy this and therefore, I needed to know if I buy a Bullet that old would it be reliable enough, and light on the pocket maintenance wise ?

During this sprint of four years, I've driven some of the well-known bikes south of the 400CC segment. I've almost finalized on an Gixxer 150 or an R15, but the decision is still pending from the Higher Authority(read, Dad, aka, The Supreme One), and would love to hear your feedback on the same. I'm looking for a good 150-200cc bike under INR 2 Lakhs. Since this would be my first bike, I'm trying to keep the costs low and focusing more on the practicality/experience. I'm also looking in the second-hand bike markets here in Delhi and am seeing a fair number of good bikes at a reasonable price. However, considering the status of the Capital, I plan to check these vehicles(both from the dealers and any listings in the second-hand market), by the mid/end of June tentatively.

Since, the purchase of a bike is certain, I'm currently wading through countless beginner guide articles available on the Web. I found a rather interesting video from Ryan Kluftinger at Fortnine which gives a detailed analysis of the road-accidents and informs the viewer about the most severely impacted parts of the body. He makes some really great and informative videos and I’ll link the one I’m talking about below:

Best Beginner Motorcycle Gear – What Do You Really Need?

According to him, during motorcycle accidents, a rider needs to protect his head, hands, legs and chest. Of the ones I mentioned, unsurprisingly and statistically the chest is the least frequently injured part, and it makes sense because during most of the accidents the common contact points of a rider are his legs, hands and in some cases even his/her head.
With that being said, I fixated my eyes on finding some good, reliable and cheap helmets, boots and jackets. I’ll skip straight to my findings.

1. Helmets:
   It’s near impossible to find a DOT/ECE certified helmet under 2K. I increased my budget to 2.5K almost and found some options from LS2 and Kranos. I’d love if any experienced gentleman can suggest me a good helmet under2-3K.
   
   Kranos FF353 LS2 RAPID
   
   It’s a pretty good helmet with ECE certification, however, what scares me is that although it’s ECE certified, the helmet’s shell is built from Thermoplastic. Thermoplastics crack up under load and fail to distribute the load evenly. The least you can do, is get a helmet with a polycarbonate shell.
   I did some reading on the web about the helmet structure and what materials it should use, and although there are some really good articles, I’ll put a link of this really brief video from Fortnine(again!)
   

   Awful & Awesome Motorcycle Gear - How to Spot the Difference

   
   
   
   
   
2. Gloves:
   
   
   I already had these. I purchased the Studds SMG6 Gloves in the start of last year. The gloves were very cheap, and have knuckle protection as well as guard on the lower palm to protect in case of sliding. I’d say they’re a good buy in terms of comfort and looks. I don’t plan to purchase new gloves right now, but I think I’ll switch to a full gauntlet style gloves next time. What do you all think ?
   
   Here’s a link to the gloves I currently own.
   Studds SMG6 Gloves
   
   
   
3. Jacket:
   Under the 5K range, there are some jackets which offer good levels of protection. I found a couple of those and will link them below:
   • Jackets by Royal Enfield:
     These are pretty reliable and economical as well. The jacket is design from 100% Polyester mesh and has CE Level 1 certified protectors at shoulders and elbows. It has adequate amount of ventilation from the pictures and reviews from Autocar India and other media channels show that these are indeed all-day usable.
     
     RE Streetwind Jacket V2
     
     
   • Jackets from SpartanProGear:
     This provides the same level of protection, however the fabric is Aeromid. From what I’ve read, Polyester jackets tend to be more breathable and cooler than Aeromid, and hence are more all-day usable. The designers of Cosmo definitely didn’t wanted their apparels to be stealthy and it shows in the product. The Royal Enfield ones are a lot stealthier in comparison to these. The looks of an apparel definitely depend on personal preferences but I’d say that if you’re planning to do highway rides at night, it’s better to have jackets that are reflective and stand apart in general.
     
     SCIMITAR Cosmo V2 Riding Jacket
     
     
   • Jackets from Rynox:
     The key factor here is that these offer CE Level 2 protection at the elbows, shoulders and chest. Their price is a concern, but it keeps fluctuating between 4.5K to 5.5K depending on the platform.
     
     Rynox Air GT 3 Grey Hi-Viz Fluro Green Riding Jacket
   
   
   
4. Riding Pants:
   I don’t plan to buy any riding pants as of now. I’ll obviously be riding with my pants on(), it just won’t be the expensive abrasion resistant ones from RE or Rynox, but normal Levis jeans.
   
   
   
5. Boots:
   Now boots are the main are where I need help from you guys. I have absolutely no idea which ones to buy and whether to buy it at all. So, I request you all to please provide your invaluable suggestions on these.
   

Also, I prefer buying it offline, but being new to Delhi, I’m not aware of good bike accessory stores in Delhi apart from High Note Performance, Riderz Planet and a couple of other local shops near my place. I’d love if someone can let me know of offline place to buy gear in Delhi. I was hoping that if I get enough contacts of offline stores, I'll put them up in my Beginner's Guide post that I'll draft after purchasing and using the products.
Hoping to hear from you all soon!
And with that said, this is Subodh Ranjan, signing off! Have a great day!

[neil.jericho]

SubodhRage, you bring up some good questions. Let me try and answer them.

Suzuki Gixxer 150 vs Yamaha R15 - Both are excellent bikes. The Gixxer 150 is more practical and is a workhorse. The R15 is more sporty and is an excellent performer. Both are reliable and will run without issues for tens of thousands of kilometers. They are two different flavours of the 150 cc spectrum. You cant go wrong with either. Buy the one that appeals to you more.

Since you seem to have the budget for it, go for a new one. If you are going pre-owned, try and buy from someone who you know or if you have a common friend who can vouch for the condition and upkeep of the bike. Avoid falling into the value trap and buying a bike that will later need a lot of time and money to bring it back to its full glory.

Riding gear and helmet - We have two information packed threads here. There are two comprehensive threads on Xbhp as well for these topics. All your questions have been answered here and there.

On helmets, my suggestion is to increase your budget. Due to practicality / laziness / convenience, one may or may not wear the rest of riding gear all the time. But one will wear a helmet all the time. So get the best helmet that you can afford. I will suggest that you buy a good helmet up front and then buy your remaining riding gear in stages, as you can afford the best quality and VFM gear. That is the route that almost all of us here have taken over the years. Trying to buy everything in one go with a fixed budget will not give you the best of all the options.

For ISI + ECE, you probably need to account for SMK, Axor, Royal Enfield helmets that cost around Rs 4,000 - 5,000.

On riding jackets, get the RE Streetwind Jacket V2 and upgrade the armour later on.

On boots, get Royal Enfield's riding sneakers or boots. The sneakers are effective and provide some protection as compared to your regular trainers or sports shoes. They are wallet friendly options.

Try and buy. And buy whatever fits you the best.

[no_fear]

@Subodhrage

Dear forum member, for the love of god, as neil jericho said, increase your helmet budget. The sub 2k helmets are glorified plastic buckets. One of my ex-employees died last year on the Delhi Gurgaon highway after he fell off his bike and hit his head on the pavement. The Rs 2k helmet he was wearing cracked wide open, and his exposed head took the full brunt. Died on the road from internal injuries, leaving behind his wife and infant son.

I had told him 100s of times, buy a better helmet. Heck, spend 15k on a helmet and cut back on eating and drinking if you can.

As a well wisher, and for the safety of yourself, don't scrimp on a helmet. Look up Airoh helmets if you can.

If you fall off a bike without wearing riding gear, at the worst you will break bones or lose skin and you will experience what it feels to be meat crayon. Human skin grows back, human head doesn't.

[AtheK]

Absolutely what the above two said, DO NOT skimp on helmet.

Check the MT range they have decent helmets at good pricing, I can think of Revenge and Thunder 3. Thunder 3 is Sharp 4 rated and retails for 6.6K. It also has ECE and DOT certification.

Thunder 3

The gloves you have are bare bones, invest in good gloves upfront. Go for solace or Via Terra, you get full gauntlet for around 4500.

If budget is an issue, Just get the helmet and Gloves for now. This should be followed by Jacket and Boots.

The above 11 thousand would be the best money you would have spent on yourself in recent years.

We can discuss the Jacket and boots later if need be. Go through the riding gear thread here itself, treasure troves worth of information is waiting for you.

Mods you can merge this thread with the Riding gear thread.

[SubodhRage]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

SubodhRage, you bring up some good questions. Let me try and answer them.

Suzuki Gixxer 150 vs Yamaha R15 - Both are excellent bikes. The Gixxer 150 is more practical and is a workhorse. The R15 is more sporty and is an excellent performer. Both are reliable and will run without issues for tens of thousands of kilometers. They are two different flavours of the 150 cc spectrum. You cant go wrong with either. Buy the one that appeals to you more.
...
Try and buy. And buy whatever fits you the best.

Hi @neil.jericho
Yes. True that both Gixxer and Yamaha are from opposite end of spectrums. There is an immense different in the power delivery and figures of both the bikes, but with that being said, the main reason I've kept these two in the shortlist is because of the way they handle. Both are excellent handlers.

Coming to the helmet, yes, you're right. Maybe I'll increase the budget by another 1-2K, but the issue is it's hard to find good helmets online. I'm mainly searching on motocentral and spartanprogear. Amazon lacks information when it comes to the certification the helmet has cleared. I'll have to search local shops to get a good helmet with proper certification at a reasonable price. Do you have any shops in mind in Delhi-NCR region ?
Thanks for your inputs on the jackets; I think I'll buy either from RE or Rynox.

Originally Posted by no_fear

@Subodhrage

Dear forum member, for the love of god, as neil jericho said, increase your helmet budget. The sub 2k helmets are glorified plastic buckets. One of my ex-employees died last year on the Delhi Gurgaon highway after he fell off his bike and hit his head on the pavement.
...
If you fall off a bike without wearing riding gear, at the worst you will break bones or lose skin and you will experience what it feels to be meat crayon. Human skin grows back, human head doesn't.

Sure.
I'll keep that in mind @no_fear.
Do you have any shops in mind in Delhi-NCR region ?

Originally Posted by AtheK

Absolutely what the above two said, DO NOT skimp on helmet.

Check the MT range they have decent helmets at good pricing, I can think of Revenge and Thunder 3. Thunder 3 is Sharp 4 rated and retails for 6.6K. It also has ECE and DOT certification.

...

We can discuss the Jacket and boots later if need be. Go through the riding gear thread here itself, treasure troves worth of information is waiting for you.

Mods you can merge this thread with the Riding gear thread.

Hi @AtheK,
Thanks for your response man. Yup, will up on the budget for helmet.
It's really difficult to find a advice on the motorcycling threads as the posts aren't tagged and I basically have to go through the all the posts to find riding gear within my budget. Also, most of the people just post their gear with no information on the pricing or where they bought from. This was one of the reasons I thought of creating a new thread altogether.

Also, I had a question in mind regarding the gloves. How do you differentiate between the safety imparted by the gloves. The main key tags I'm looking for in gloves right now are :-

1. Leather
2. Cuff gloves, full-gauntlet style gloves
3. Impact protection for knuckles
4. Pre-curved design

Some glove descriptions state CE certified protection, but I found those only in gloves above 7K around. Is there anything else I should look for ?
Also, any shops in mind in Delhi-NCR region ?

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by SubodhRage

Hi @neil.jericho
Coming to the helmet, yes, you're right. Maybe I'll increase the budget by another 1-2K, but the issue is it's hard to find good helmets online. I'm mainly searching on motocentral and spartanprogear. Amazon lacks information when it comes to the certification the helmet has cleared. I'll have to search local shops to get a good helmet with proper certification at a reasonable price.

Originally Posted by SubodhRage

Hi @AtheK,
Thanks for your response man. Yup, will up on the budget for helmet.
It's really difficult to find a advice on the motorcycling threads as the posts aren't tagged and I basically have to go through the all the posts to find riding gear within my budget. Also, most of the people just post their gear with no information on the pricing or where they bought from. This was one of the reasons I thought of creating a new thread altogether.

SubodhRage, there is no escaping the quality time needed to research your options. The more time you spend in research, the better equipped you will be to make the right decision in a store. Dont depend on Amazon or your local stores for information. The latter will dump any helmet on you to make a sale.

Just browse through the threads mentioned and you will find everything that you need to know. Once you have a good idea of what helmet you want, you should head to the stores and try and buy.

For more helmet options, I got to know that KYT also has an offering that is both ISI + ECE. I have seen the Royal Enfield options for ISI + ECE, they appear to be good and will fall into your budget.

I dont know of stores in the Delhi NCR region.

Originally Posted by SubodhRage

Also, I had a question in mind regarding the gloves. How do you differentiate between the safety imparted by the gloves. The main key tags I'm looking for in gloves right now are :-

1. Leather
2. Cuff gloves, full-gauntlet style gloves
3. Impact protection for knuckles
4. Pre-curved design

Some glove descriptions state CE certified protection, but I found those only in gloves above 7K around. Is there anything else I should look for ?

Affordable CE certified gloves are a relatively new addition to the Indian market. Royal Enfield has recently released a lot of CE certified gloves that are in and around the Rs 4,000 price range. I hear good feedback on Rynox and Via Terra gloves but try them out properly before buying. I found Rynox gloves to be highly inconsistent in their build quality.

Short cuff, half gauntlets or full gauntlets are a personal preference. Most like short cuff gloves. I started off with short cuff gloves (DSG) and then moved to full gauntlets and have been using them for over a decade now. Short cuff will allow more air flow into your sleeves at the wrist area (assuming that you are wearing a riding jacket) while a full gauntlet one will block the air flow there. A full gauntlet gives you more protection in terms of surface area. In terms of convenience, it is easier to put on a pair of cuff gloves than full gauntlets. But you can get used to it.

There is no right or wrong between glove options. Get what you prefer and what fits you best. Dont get something loose or too tight.

[mr_robot]

Would you guys suggest if it is safe to purchase a RE Interceptor 650 as a first bike?

I've ridden my Dads LML Freedom 125, and currently use a Vespa VXL 125. I'm not a reckless guy and don't drive aggressively. I'm 6ft 2in so I am guessing handling the bike will not be a major issue. Looking forward to your suggestions.

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by mr_robot

Would you guys suggest if it is safe to purchase a RE Interceptor 650 as a first bike?

I've ridden my Dads LML Freedom 125, and currently use a Vespa VXL 125. I'm not a reckless guy and don't drive aggressively. I'm 6ft 2in so I am guessing handling the bike will not be a major issue. Looking forward to your suggestions.

Except for the weight, which will take some time getting used to, you should be fine, it has a very linear power delivery curve.

@subodh You can try high note performance or get in touch with @achilles he did quite a bit of research on riding gear in NCR region recently. Avoid rynox, the quality of late has been a big question mark.

[no_fear]

Originally Posted by SubodhRage

Do you have any shops in mind in Delhi-NCR region ?

Try these few shops

Riderz Planet - Helmets, Motorcycle Gears & Accessories
Plot 4, Club Drive, Mehrauli-Gurgaon Rd, Ghitorni

Spartan ProGear Delhi
B-224, Dr Ramlal Verma Marg, Block B, Lajpat Nagar

High Note Performance
D-104, Ground Floor, 100 Feet Road, SSN Marg, Chhatarpur

PATHPAVERS
D-137 Ground floor, Okhla Phase I

HELMETWALA
J-41, Najafgarh Rd, Bandar Wali Khu, Ramesh Nagar


I have been to the first 3, the last 2 were recommended by my riding buddies. This list should be a good place for you to start and then you can work your way down to what you want.

[SubodhRage]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

SubodhRage, there is no escaping the quality time needed to research your options. The more time you spend in research, the better equipped you will be to make the right decision in a store. Dont depend on Amazon or your local stores for information. The latter will dump any helmet on you to make a sale.

.....

Short cuff, half gauntlets or full gauntlets are a personal preference. Most like short cuff gloves. I started off with short cuff gloves (DSG) and then moved to full gauntlets and have been using them for over a decade now. Short cuff will allow more air flow into your sleeves at the wrist area (assuming that you are wearing a riding jacket) while a full gauntlet one will block the air flow there. A full gauntlet gives you more protection in terms of surface area. In terms of convenience, it is easier to put on a pair of cuff gloves than full gauntlets. But you can get used to it.

There is no right or wrong between glove options. Get what you prefer and what fits you best. Dont get something loose or too tight.

@neil.jericho,
Thanks man!
Will continue to research!

Originally Posted by no_fear

Try these few shops

Riderz Planet - Helmets, Motorcycle Gears & Accessories
Plot 4, Club Drive, Mehrauli-Gurgaon Rd, Ghitorni

Spartan ProGear Delhi
B-224, Dr Ramlal Verma Marg, Block B, Lajpat Nagar

High Note Performance
D-104, Ground Floor, 100 Feet Road, SSN Marg, Chhatarpur

PATHPAVERS
D-137 Ground floor, Okhla Phase I

HELMETWALA
J-41, Najafgarh Rd, Bandar Wali Khu, Ramesh Nagar


I have been to the first 3, the last 2 were recommended by my riding buddies. This list should be a good place for you to start and then you can work your way down to what you want.

@mr_robot,
Thanks man! Appreciated!

Originally Posted by mr_robot

Would you guys suggest if it is safe to purchase a RE Interceptor 650 as a first bike?

I've ridden my Dads LML Freedom 125, and currently use a Vespa VXL 125. I'm not a reckless guy and don't drive aggressively. I'm 6ft 2in so I am guessing handling the bike will not be a major issue. Looking forward to your suggestions.

Hey mr_robot,

I have ridden it a couple of times, and frankly, it's power-delivery felt pretty linear. Below 3-4000 rpm, the power delivery feels very linear, and you can use it for daily travels without any issue. But ride it past 5000rpm, and it propels like anything.
I think, and obviously it's a personal opinion, it's more of a choice that you're going to live with daily. The Intercepter is an exciting bike, and thanks to RE being RE, the service are also very economical. You'll just have to keep in mind that if this will be a daily driver, that you'll be reining in a beast daily.

[Thatautoguy46]

Hey there, you are in the same boat as I was till March this year. Having ridden bikes of a few friends, liked R15 V3 for the smooth gear shifts, gear position indicator and good mileage. Made my mind to get that in March 2020, but dad said, "will that pillion seat be good atleast for your girlfriend? Thats so small", that hit me hard (I don't have a girlfriend though).

Tried out RS200, but BS4 variant is way better. NS200 is way too common. But love the exhaust notes of RS and NS. Dad said no to KTMs because of the "Killer" tag given by the neighbors. But I can convince him to get one, but they seemed overpriced and underpowered by the time BS6 happened. I'm thin and when I ride Classic 350 or Meteor, it seems like they are riding me . I can handle them but, they just don't suit my personality.

Did search for 650 twins on Olx, 2.6L was a steal deal but the expensive maintenance put me off! I'm a student and I need to ask my parents for the money. So big no to RE twins! But, soon I'll own one! (With my money)

Checked out some other bikes like D200, D250 and other bikes in the list on Olx. Came across few bikes which are just months old and almost brand new with difference amount of 15K-30K from the on road price! Every such bike seemed like a steal deal, but most of the bikes are not properly "broken in" (ridden under break in period). Most of the owners don't even know what break in period means, so stopped searching for bikes on Olx. All this happened between 2019 September to 2021 March.

On my birthday, I finally made a checklist because my dad told me to get an Activa if I delay the purchase ang further. So here it is : 6 gears, Dual Channel ABS, Fully faired bike, good power (So the urge for more power is controlled for a greater period). Only two bikes: 1) Suzuki Gixxer SF25. 2)Pulsar RS200 ticked my checklist. Got 15K discount on SF250, on road price came down to 2L. It happened so quick, went for a test ride the day after my birthday (My birthday was on Sunday, so the showroom was closed) .
Finalised it. Paid the amount the following day, the bike was home! The bike was manufactured in March 2021, so new stock too. So I own a Suzuki Gixxer SF250 in Matte Black now! It is so surreal. I managed to clock 780 KMs before the curfew was announed. I'm really happy with the purchase but the gearshifts are no way close to R15, they are hard but getting used to. But power, and the butch looks are to die for!!!

Decide quick and buy one asap. Coming to the safety gear bought Axor Venomous for 4.3K. Good one, has ECE and DOT certification. Checkout Axor Rage, it ranges between 3.2 - 3.4K has ECE and DOT certification too! The paint schemes are crazy af.

I've bought RE basic gloves for 1200 bucks! I went for a 450 KM ride, wearing them, comfort not the best but they offer protection for sure. VFM! Buy WOODLAND shoes, they will be enough you'll don't need any other boots. Jacket, scimitar or Xpod is looking good but the price seems like a lot. Haven't bought any, suggest me a good one under 4K. I think body armour plus regular Jacket will be good enough. Don't know how much does it protect, just an idea.

Buy a bike with Dual Channel ABS, Gloves with gliders, Jacket with reflectors and Helmet with ECE and DOT certifications. My instagram handle: jap.rider.7225, incase you need some info regarding the bike or gear, ping me.

All the best for your purchase, ride safe.

[roadrunner_nv]

My two cents

1. If you do not really need the faired look and have no such aspiration to hit the track often, you should consider something that’s not so committed in terms of seating position. My best bet would be a MT15..similar engine and character.
2. Of all the riding gear, the helmet is the most important one. You can postpone your riding pants, boots and go in for cheaper textile gloves but buy a good helmet. There are plenty of good ones available. Look for SHARP or SNELL rated helmets. I believe a few are available at lower budgets (relatively).

[no_fear]

@Subodhrage,

You may also keep an eye out on the various facebook forums and marketplace where companies often sell excess inventory + riders who are looking to upgrade.

There is a strong penchant among us not to consider 2nd hand or used goods, but this can be a good benefit, if the merchandise has been gently used or hardly used. I know of several folks in Delhi who spent lacs on riding gear, only for it to be hanging in the closet and the helmet placed in the cabinet. I will gladly buy those riding gear for a fraction of the original price.

+1 on roadrunner - MT 15 is a good bike to sharpen your skills. Gives decent mileage, a well tested engine and light on your pocket. Gixxer is definitely a work horse, but the MT is a bit different from the norm.

[Singh101]

Originally Posted by SubodhRage

What Bike and Gear to Choose?

If I were you and had as healthy a budget as yours for my first ride (<2L INR is hardly trifling), I'd most definitely go for as big a displacement as I could, possibly a Suzuki Gixxer 250.

Let me explain.

With the changing landscape of biking in general in India, the "power commuter" segment has shifted. What were "enthusiast" grade motorcycles not ten years ago, are people's everyday rides of choice today. A cracking 15 hp (!) was considered blazing hot on a Pulsar but today you would scratch your head in puzzlement if that figure showed up in your research notes. A 150-200 cc might look like a sound decision. You might believe you're doing the responsible thing here and saving fuel, saving money and not endangering yourself with too high a speed too soon. Sounds good. Right? Well, what may happen here is that you might tire out too soon of it. Or you might just wring the nuts off it trying to extract speed and performance that it just doesn't have on offer and have a mishap in the process.

Since you're not a total newbie and have two-wheeler experience of four years, as long as you have a level head about you, the 250 Gixxer should be just right for you as a learning tool that won't bite you in the rump if you look at it wrong. It's the kind of displacement and performance that won't make you want to upgrade in only a couple years. Infact, you may just keep it for a while and not only perfect your riding chops on it on the daily, but even strap a saddlebag onto it and ride off into the sunset. It'll be adequate no matter what you ask of it and being a Suzuki, reliable to a fault.

As for gear, I'll just ask you to increase your helmet budget. 5-6k should get you a pretty decent LS2 polycarbonate shell helmet.

Everything else you picked out looks more than adequate for a budding motorcyclist's starter kit.

Boots? Check out the standard issue Indian Army leather DMS or the lightweight Para DMS. The idea of motorcycle boots is to prevent excessive twisting when force is applied (rigidity) and in the event of a big crash, to keep everything aligned as it should be even if it's all broken inside (sorry for the gory picture but..it's true). A DMS should serve well as long as it feels comfortable and fits between the foot peg and shifter. The pedal feel goes for a toss because of the thick soles but that too can be "fixed" (read Indian Jugaad ) with a file or gritty sandpaper in the forefoot area of the sole.

Happy hunting! Stay safe!

[silverstreakcbe]

My riding gears & experience:

1. My riding Jacket - RE Stormrider. 9950/- (Check for latest price). Light weight. Level-2 safety, that comes with shoulder protection, elbow protection, forearm protection, also with spine cushion. I have ridden it for all my long distances, i did not feel much heat or discomfort while riding. Of course, when you park the vehicle, its better to take off the jacket as soon as possible, but its not mandatory.

2. My Wife riding jacket - BBG Voyager Neon. 7500/- (Check for latest price). On the heavier side. Protection is very good, level-2. Comes will all protection as above. In addition, it also comes with detachable Thermal inner liner. Though not ridden on it, i have to say, its also comfortable to my wife but felt on the heavier side.

3. My Riding Glove - RE Trailblazer. 2000/- (Check for latest price). Nice fit. Comfortable to ride, grip is food and also i dont feel the heat or pain on fingers after long ride.

4. Tank Bag - Rynox Optimus M Tankbag. 3500/- (Check for latest price). Very sturdy. High quality. Lots of options to carry. Lot of space for a tank bag. Very good magnet to hold on to.

5. Puncture repair kit. Brought from amazon - starts from ~450/- you get lots of options, i went it for something which had 10 stirps of rubber, tools and cleaning materials.

Things yet to buy:

1. Riding Pants. Planning for a Rynox/RE with level-2 protection
2. Riding boots - Planning for a RE TOURING BOOTS MID RISE

Hope this helps.