[Thamps]

Originally Posted by Doge

Hi, how long have you had them and how are they holding up? Also do they feel thick or feel like a normal pair?
Thanks for sharing pics and your post, saved me a trip going to check them out

I have worn them for only two weeks now.The stitching and materials used seems to be strong and durable. They feel like a normal pair of jeans.Apart for the small reflective strip on the calf,one can't tell it's a riding jeans .The thickness of fabric is like a normal pair of jeans,or maybe thinner than some of the rugged jeans.

[Megamind]

Originally Posted by Axe77

The Toucans I had referred to above finally got delivered. Used them for my first weekend ride as well last Sunday. They feel good although I definitely need to get used to their stiffer style and break them in with a few more rides.

Some pics below, for size perspective of the SMX 6 V2 (for track or even street riding) alongside the adventure focused Toucans, for size perspective.

Since you’ve these both can you review these both in terms of touring which is better in what ways?
I’m planning my first pair of boots you’re suggestions will be of great help.

[ashwin.terminat]

Time has come for me to replace my aging and faded Spartan Pro Gear Aspida Helios. Use case is 90% urban riding (to work included) and 10% outside the city.

I tried out a few jackets this weekend raging from Rynox to Alpinestars.

Rynox Storm Evo (Rs.10,000) - very heavy. Not suitable for city riding. (Plus, wrist strap construction is very poor)
Rynox Tornado Pro 4 (Rs.8,000) - weight seemed manageable. But lack of mesh (ventilation) is a concern. Especially since I plan to use this to travel to work as well
Rev-It Eclipse (Rs.14,000) - Very lightweight but the armour seemed to be very flimsy in comparison to the ones on the Rynox (By flimsy, I meant it feels very soft and might lack durability in case of a crash. I had the same feedback about the Alpinestars)

None of them really seemed to satisfy all my requirements. Any other suggestions? Upto Rs.12,000 is probably okay.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Megamind

Since you’ve these both can you review these both in terms of touring which is better in what ways?
I’m planning my first pair of boots you’re suggestions will be of great help.

If you're considering all season touring I think you should consider something that's goretex or similarly (water proof). The SMX 6 VS were for track and not waterproof so I really wouldn't recommend that.

The Toucans are more adventure bike friendly. They're really tall - please do consider whether they would work with your bike (I assume checking an older post you still ride a CBR 250). If they do, I'd hands down recommend these - they're very high on protection, very good quality, but understandably a bit stiffer to walk around in. I'd use them in all day riding in the mountains though so no reason you can't do road touring in them, once you get used to the stiffness.

You may want however to consider a touring boot more suited to street bikes like the one listed below at LABS or anything else from another brand or source that's similar to the format of boot in the link below.

https://www.lazyassbikers.com/collec...-touring-boots

Please be mindful that comfort and protection are inversely proportionate so you need to strike a balance between comfort on the go on long touring days vs the protection the boot provides. Personally, on your style of motorcycle combined with long touring days something like the option above (or similar from another source / brand) should suit best.

From my personal experience, I'd say avoid Forma - I find their quality is a notch sub-par. Might be better of with Sidi (retailed by Performance Racing) / Gaerne (LABS) or even the TCX ones that Royal Enfield sells.

Originally Posted by itherohan

Any recommendation for a helmet for a six year old? Want to get one for my kid if I need to drop him to his school 5 mins away from my home when we don't get a Rick .

So happy people are so particular with their young pillions these days. I had picked up a Held from LABS but no idea if they keep small size helmets anymore with the recent issues around ISI certification.

Contact Bachoo motors at Tardeo. I know they stock some helmets for juniors which are ok quality. Vega and similar I think. Do ensure it straps up tight so will be useful to take your kid along with you. I'd recommend full face even though its a small distance. In fact, I think I might have a red color Vega full face (unless I already gave it away) which I had bought for my kid before he grew into the slightly larger Held. Let me look around and happy to give it to you if you don't find something better anyway. Its barely used (hardly a few times) because he almost never rode the bike with me at that age.

I'll check first if I have it and then we'll figure out how to connect if you still want it.

Originally Posted by ashwin.terminat

Rynox Storm Evo (Rs.10,000) - very heavy. Not suitable for city riding. (Plus, wrist strap construction is very poor)
Rynox Tornado Pro 4 (Rs.8,000) - weight seemed manageable. But lack of mesh (ventilation) is a concern. Especially since I plan to use this to travel to work as well
Rev-It Eclipse (Rs.14,000) - Very lightweight but the armour seemed to be very flimsy in comparison to the ones on the Rynox (By flimsy, I meant it feels very soft and might lack durability in case of a crash. I had the same feedback about the Alpinestars)

None of them really seemed to satisfy all my requirements. Any other suggestions? Upto Rs.12,000 is probably okay.

I don't know about specific models but I would recommend RevIt over Rynox. Regarding the concern re flimsy, please check the rating of the armour for the right benchmarking (CE Level 1 vs level 2 etc). Perhaps over a small period of time you can upgrade the armour to CE Level 2 if that's not what is provided off the shelf.

While armour is one aspect of protection another is the integrity of stitching. I'm sure Rynox is very good but I'd expect RevIt (as well as Alpinestar or Held) to be better on this front. I also find that Rynox's tend to run a bit heavier and that's another reason I'm not a fan. Light mesh RevIt sounds good for city use.

Held has a similar light mesh jacket. I'd recommend you could check that out as well. Upgrade protection later if needed so you break up the expense but its again a pretty high quality jacket in general. Same opinion for Alpinestar.

PS: Orion in Bangalore seems to have a good range of brands, including Astar and RevIt. I'm assuming you may have already checked them out.

[arulpeem]

Originally Posted by ashwin.terminat

Time has come for me to replace my aging and faded Spartan Pro Gear Aspida Helios. Use case is 90% urban riding (to work included) and 10% outside the city.

I tried out a few jackets this weekend raging from Rynox to Alpinestars.

Any other suggestions? Upto Rs.12,000 is probably okay.

I bought Korda touring jackets from Power Sports a few months back. Spartan now found a new avatar in the name of Power Sports International.
It is mesh and the armour is all CE L2 and includes chest protectors too.
I have done a few long rides in it in the last few months and I am happy with the fit and finish. And the rides were in temperatures of high 30s Deg C.
They had only a few samples when I bought it and are expected to get more numbers shortly.
I suggest you check it out.
In post #3996 I have posted a few photos too.

[thebengalee]

Originally Posted by Doge

Hi all,
I am looking to get pair of riding jeans, tried out the solace one that retails for around 6.5k. The solace one has level 2 armours for knee and hips and also has top area Kevlar lined. Another option I found was a pair of jeans from royal Enfield called Carapace. They appear to be the same but are corduroy and have no Kevlar. They are also cheaper and hence I am confused.

The RE Carapace caught my eye as well. Pricing seems to be decent but there is absolutely no technical information about the pants on the website. I reached out to a contact at a RE showroom in Bangalore and am waiting to hear back.

Cordura itself is just a brand name and says nothing about the durability (or lack thereof) of a piece of fabric. Without a denier rating, Cordura means nothing.

[Megamind]

Originally Posted by Axe77

If you're considering all season touring I think you should consider something that's goretex or similarly (water proof). The SMX 6 VS were for track and not waterproof so I really wouldn't recommend that.

How is the SMX6 for walking around, as I guess SMX6 V2 Drystar is also an option?

The Toucans are more adventure bike friendly. They're really tall - please do consider whether they would work with your bike (I assume checking an older post you still ride a CBR 250). If they do, I'd hands down recommend these - they're very high on protection, very good quality, but understandably a bit stiffer to walk around in. I'd use them in all day riding in the mountains though so no reason you can't do road touring in them, once you get used to the stiffness.

I've a pre-worshipped Z800 now so shouldn't be a problem with a naked i guess.
But again I need something that is a bit more comfortable to wear all day if need be.

You may want however to consider a touring boot more suited to street bikes like the one listed below at LABS or anything else from another brand or source that's similar to the format of boot in the link below.

https://www.lazyassbikers.com/collec...-touring-boots

Please be mindful that comfort and protection are inversely proportionate so you need to strike a balance between comfort on the go on long touring days vs the protection the boot provides. Personally, on your style of motorcycle combined with long touring days something like the option above (or similar from another source / brand) should suit best.

Noted, this will be my first pair of actual riding boots so will have them in mind.

From my personal experience, I'd say avoid Forma - I find their quality is a notch sub-par. Might be better of with Sidi (retailed by Performance Racing) / Gaerne (LABS) or even the TCX ones that Royal Enfield sells.

Never knew that about Forma, thanks for bringing it up.

My shortlist for now is as follows;
SIDI performer Gore tex
Astar SMX6 V2 Drystar
Falco Avantour 2
TCX Stelvio

Unfortunately I won't be able to try everything on before buying so have to read a lot about every one of them.

But before that my riding jacket needs a replacement.
I've a 8.5 year old spartan hyperion, the velcro & elastics in the arms have 20% life on them.
The Thor force knee guards have hold up surprisingly well considering i'm a heavy build.
So I'm in the market for a riding jacket, pants & boots.

I've decided to check out every possible jackets n pants when I visit Chennai.
Your thoughts on the same will aid as well.
As yet i've rynox stealth combo & Solace furious+cool pro are in mind, yet to see what other options I have.

[Doge]

Originally Posted by thebengalee

The RE Carapace caught my eye as well. Pricing seems to be decent but there is absolutely no technical information about the pants on the website. I reached out to a contact at a RE showroom in Bangalore and am waiting to hear back.

Cordura itself is just a brand name and says nothing about the durability (or lack thereof) of a piece of fabric. Without a denier rating, Cordura means nothing.

Yes, the RE ones seem to be just a normal pair of jeans with armour slots. I suppose I will go for the Kevlar ones from Solace while I am at it, just wanted to get RE as I believe they will have a good quality product and will take care of any faults with ease. Not sure about Solace as I have no experience.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by Thamps

I got a couple of RE ones for daily use in city rides only. Considering the lower speeds in city, the abrasion resistance can take a back seat i guess. RE jeans has decent protection for hip and knee, but are not adjustable. So the fit is essential. I got the XY armor ones, as the difference was 2k for a pair with XY and D30 armors, and 1k for knox ones. But my past experiences with Knox have not been so good. Also, since i needed more number of jeans, i settled for XY armor ones. From my limited experience, the XY armor may be thicker than D3O, but softer than the Knox ones.

Thanks for sharing this update! I have asked my local Royal Enfield store to procure a Carapace jeans in my size, with the D3O armour. If the fit is good, I will pick it up.

Originally Posted by ashwin.terminat

I tried out a few jackets this weekend raging from Rynox to Alpinestars.

Rynox Storm Evo (Rs.10,000) - very heavy. Not suitable for city riding. (Plus, wrist strap construction is very poor)
Rynox Tornado Pro 4 (Rs.8,000) - weight seemed manageable. But lack of mesh (ventilation) is a concern. Especially since I plan to use this to travel to work as well
Rev-It Eclipse (Rs.14,000) - Very lightweight but the armour seemed to be very flimsy in comparison to the ones on the Rynox (By flimsy, I meant it feels very soft and might lack durability in case of a crash. I had the same feedback about the Alpinestars)

ashwin.terminat, for your intended usage, you should be looking at the Air GT3 from the Rynox range. The Storm Evo and Tornado Pro 4 will have you sweating in the city.

However, given your stated budget, I would suggest that you stretch it a little to get a mesh jacket from an international company. The overall engineering that goes into these jackets is a step (or many steps) above the best of the Indian brands. Also, quality control is one area where the international brands are leagues ahead of Indian riding gear companies.

Revit uses its proprietary armour which is really light. However, it meets the safety regulations that other, more mainstream armour does. So, you arent compromising on your safety while buying a Revit jacket with L1 armour, as compared to L1 armour from other, heavier options. I would look at the lighter armour as a positive, since it makes using the jacket on a daily basis, very easy. I own the Revit Eclipse and its a great, airy jacket.

At a similar price point, you also have Shima jackets. TBHPian theexperthand recently picked up the Shima Jet jacket from Highlander in HSR layout. His requirements were very similar to yours. The jacket comes with L2 armour and a liner. Do strongly consider that as well.

Originally Posted by Megamind

But before that my riding jacket needs a replacement.
I've a 8.5 year old spartan hyperion, the velcro & elastics in the arms have 20% life on them.
The Thor force knee guards have hold up surprisingly well considering i'm a heavy build.
So I'm in the market for a riding jacket, pants & boots.

I've decided to check out every possible jackets n pants when I visit Chennai.

Megamind, what is your budget like? Based on that, we will be better placed to give you the right recommendations.

[Megamind]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Megamind, what is your budget like? Based on that, we will be better placed to give you the right recommendations.

For jacket and pants combined - 25K
Boots will be added down the line for again a 25K.
And my requirement is utterly for touring/long distance riding.

Also the more I read about the gore tex & WP boots, I feel they are sub par in terms of protection in the event of a crash compared to full blown track boots.
I'm yet to experience any of them physically(gore tex & WP) but looking at the way they flex sideways isn't assuring and IMHO they seem to defy the purpose they are made for.
I know it may be inappropriate to say this without even getting my hands on them but just illustrating my thoughts

[bf1983]

My XDI boots are disintegrating in just 2 and a half years. One more ride and I have to discard them. Both boots just falling apart.

So wanted to get something that should hopefully last a lot longer but at the same time comfortable enough to use for the overnight rides that I usually do. I don't do any off roading so didn't need the full size ADV boots.

The RE Tcx Stelvio mid rise was the best bet for me but it was long ago out of stock everywhere. As luck would have it I spotted one in stock on Myntra. Figured it would probably be a mistake and my money would be refunded but it got shipped today so that means it's legit. They have exactly 2 pairs still in stock - a size 10 and 11. Unfortunately only the mid rise is available not the full size boot.

https://www.myntra.com/15769826

I already have the RE TCX Cabo boot so I know size 11 is a good fit for me. Don't have an RE bike but got two RE boots ��

[2legit2quit]

The RE TCX Stelvio's seem to have an air of mysticism about them. Highly desirable and often unavailable! I was in the market to purchase a pair of riding boots and was close to ordering a pair of Tarmac Adventure Pro's online. An unfortunate experience last year however left a sour taste in my mouth for online shopping so when the Royal Enfield Company Store in Hyderabad posted about the availability of a pair of Stelvios, I immediately made my way to the store and purchased the last pair available.

As you can see, I've put the shoes through its paces on the first ride itself. I initially had trouble shifting gears due to the stiffness of the boots but during the course of the ride, I've grown more comfortable with them. The only point of concern is the "blackening of the shifter pad" so early in the ownership. While I don't mind it, it would be nice to have the boot look "newish".

MRP was Rs 21,000 but I received a 15% discount and a complimentary RE-branded duffle bag with my purchase

[Thamps]

Anyone here using Shima gloves? especially their XRS 2 model.I read a review online where one guy has stated that this particular glove may come off during a crash due to it being too wide at wrist. Any insight into the quality/durability of the brand products would also be helpful.

[2legit2quit]

Originally Posted by Thamps

I read a review online where one guy has stated that this particular glove may come off during a crash due to it being too wide at wrist.

This statement tells you everything it needs to. Gloves or any riding gear for that matter need to fit snugly and should be strapped and secured to optimize maximum protection. I do not believe this situation was the gloves' fault but a plain old user error.

[pcpranav]

Originally Posted by 2legit2quit

...
The only point of concern is the "blackening of the shifter pad" so early in the ownership. While I don't mind it, it would be nice to have the boot look "newish".

good to know these boots (especially the high ones) are still available, RE's website isn't showing these since a while. Are black ones also available at store ?

regarding the blackening of boot near gear shifter, you may try one of the solution - either put a rubber protector on the lever or on the boot, ref pic below :



On my bike I had put the lever protector (option-1), got cheap for 100 bucks from a store, lasted a real long time. however I feel option-2 would be cumbersome / look spoiler.

regards,