[hikozaru]

Originally Posted by hikozaru

Margins. Simple as. They probably believe that riders have multiple gear sets and can swap the armour from one jacket to another and save both the rider and the company some money. And they are not completely to wrong to believe that. I use a Rev'it RV12 over the default SASTEC armour my viaterra pants came with, SASTEC flex knee armour on my dainese jeans over the shitty L1 'pro armour' dainese ships with and Knox action shorts for all my jeans for the hip and leathers. In all cases, I would have preferred to save some money if the garment was cheaper without the armour

Looks like our Indian brands have been watching this space closely /s. Viaterra has taken this no back armour appraoch one step further and launched their latest riding jacket called Wayne with no armour at all. https://viaterragear.com/collections...-riding-jacket Looks mighty impressive, for 6k for the base jacket and then 3k for armour (Viaterra won't sell us the fancy light weight SASTECs which they should). The leather patch on the elbow seems like a nice touch, it is however missing on the shoulders. No dumping this in the washing machine I guess. Not sure I want to baby a jacket so much if it isn't leather all the way. Just waiting for a perforated full leather sports jacket with shoulder and elbow sliders (without obnoxious logos) now.

[Senotrius]

Yes, saw it. More of a form over function wear. They have these shirt (look) type jackets in the UK market. Again, primarily for those with an extra set of armour. Or one can swap armour from a primary jacket based on the style needed for a ride. Or for those customers that have multiple sets of riding jackets (lifestyle). Nothing wrong in targeting the international audience in my opinion. I'm also for good quality perforated leather jackets. Atleast, lined along the abrasion zones.

[nidhinpr]

I recently purchased the new Alpinestars SMX-6 V3 Vented version, and I’m impressed with its solid build and excellent quality. It was worth the wait, as I initially thought I might end up with the SMX-6 V2. I have to use it for a while before giving it a proper user experience.

Interestingly, in India, the SMX-6 V2 is often sold at a premium of ₹37,000–₹42,000, while I imported the V3 for just ₹32,000. Considering it's an entry-level product from the brand, but due to import duties and hefty dealer margins, the prices are significantly inflated locally.

I hope fellow riders don’t overpay for imported products and get them at a fair price. I bought mine from BikeGear, where I’ve also purchased my helmet and boots—trustworthy folks. I’ve shared some pictures, hope you all like them!

[Nino]

In an effort to upgrade the riding gears before jumping to the big bike experience, I Recently acquired the "RST Tractech Evo 3" Boots. It costed £133.32 and my sister was kind enough to pick it up from the "Sports Bike Shop" store in Leeds, UK

I chose the waterproof version and they are extremely comfortable. The flex is very minimal allowing just enough movement for gear shifts and braking, while otherwise feeling very rigid without sacrificing comfort.

That said, I have ridden roughly 400kms to break them in. Gear shifting and getting the feet down on bumper-to-bumper traffic felt unnerving in the begining but once the expansion panels softened up is when I started to feel these to be very comfortable and confidence inspiring. While being waterproof RST claims they have a breathable membrane, I have ridden them on hot days still never felt sweaty or had a thought about them feeling uncomfortable so safe to take their word on that.

I took a gamble on the size as I had no way to try it out and was sceptical to decide solely based on the online size chart, most reviews suggested to take a size up and some preferred to stick to the usual size and I chose the latter. Thankfully the standard size fit me perfectly.

I haven't experienced brands like the Alpinestars or Dainese, but these RST boots are so good that I have no intention of wanting to even try them anytime soon. The brand is quite popular abroad but its relatively unheard of in India.

The material, the stitching and the plastics feels premium and well built. These tick all the boxes by offering toe cup, TPU for shin and heel, Nylon boot shank, a replaceable toe-slider, a full size sturdy hinge, breathable and waterproof construction all of which are unheard at this price point and even above. so proving to be a better buy in my opinion.

If you may plan to purchase them from India they should cost around 15,000INR (duties excluded if purchased online). There is also a shorter version for lesser price if you may prefer. Highly recommend adding this to your consideration list.

[b16h22]

Originally Posted by Nino

The brand is quite popular abroad but its relatively unheard of in India.

RST gear was on sale in India 6-7 years ago, iirc. They were pretty well priced as well.

[Senotrius]

How many members have bought their gear from bikegear.in website. @nidhinpr, what about warranty for said products? I'm guessing they import and handle duties, shipping and delivery to us. They have alpinestar, sidi and gaerne boots which I'm on the lookout for. Also what manufacture year is your boot? I'm just concerned regarding return (no returns policy i believe) for a costly investment done online.

[nidhinpr]

Originally Posted by Senotrius

How many members have bought their gear from bikegear.in website. @nidhinpr, what about warranty for said products? .

Will, I have bought my AGV K1S helmet and boots from the same supplier. I was initially unsure about it, but they turned out to be reliable. In my experience, I found them to be trustworthy.

Since we don’t have official outlets for these brands locally, warranties aren't valid here, but the items come with authenticity cards and everything included in the box, so they might be valid elsewhere.

As you said the supplier takes care of import, duties, shipping, and delivery without any hassle, and their prices are the lowest I’ve found. Self-importing could save 2-3k, but it’s more trouble, so I found their service worth it. They also respond quickly to inquiries and can help find products not listed on their website, so you can just reach out to their customer support.

The Alpinestars SMX-6 v3 I bought is the updated 2024 model, replacing the older SMX-6 v2. I asked customer support about returns, and they said they don’t offer them. It’s also mentioned on their website that returns are costly, so make sure to double-check sizes and do some research before buying. Luckily, both my helmet and boots fit perfectly, and I have no regrets!

[psb300r]

Originally Posted by psb300r

Hi, can anybody suggest me a good riding pants and boots.

Hi everyone, I want to update on my purchase and I ended up buying the motowear riding pants with both knee and hip protection for Rs. 5500 and Orazo water resistant riding boots for Rs. 4400.

[varunezhava]

Originally Posted by Pferdestarke

I have a brand new pair of Rev’It Dirt 3 gloves in XXL size (bought from USA in Black Friday sale). Basically got this pair along with another in XL size for sizing purpose. Since XL fitted me perfectly I haven’t even bothered to open the XXL pack. If anyone is interested, I can give it for what I had paid. Please DM if interested.

Attachment 2702083

Hello Sir, is the XXL gloves still available? I cannot DM yet so posting it here.

[Pferdestarke]

Originally Posted by varunezhava

Hello Sir, is the XXL gloves still available? I cannot DM yet so posting it here.

Sorry buddy! The gloves are gone, picked up by a BHPian.

[TheEcoBeast]

Hello Fellow BHPians,

I, finally, took the plunge and going with the CBR650R. It's a dream come true from me. Seeing the beautiful machine again in Indian shores is what I have been waiting for my entire adulthood.

Well, I started exploring the safety and riding gear. Requesting the wise heads here to analyze my shortlist of jacket, gloves, and boots (I have a HJC helmet).

I have no friends from US or UK to get them imported. So, planning to order from them FCMoto. Has anybody ordered from them? What would be the customs charge for 50K worth products? How would be the delivery? Are they really trust-worthy?


After scouring through various forums, here is my list.

Gear from*Alpinestars: (A bit expensive)
1. Alpinestars Honda SMX 6 V2 Boots - 14200 INR
2. Alpinestars Honda GP Pro R3 Gloves - 18500 INR
3. Alpinestars Honda T-GP Pro V2 Jacket - 20400 INR

Gear from RST: (A bit economical compared to the Alpines)
1. RST Tractech Evo III Boots - 11500 INR
2. RST Tractech Evo 4 Gloves - 8300 INR
3. RST Tractech Evo 4 Jacket - 12600 INR

My height is 5.8 and my shirt size is 40, foot size is 42 (Euro) or 9 (US), palm length is 19 CM. Based on these sizes what should be the gear size I should look for?

Also, please suggest if you come across any entry level riding gear. My pre-requisite is predominantly touring. Any other suggestions of other brands are also welcome.

Thank you so much for helping a BHPIan out!

[hikozaru]

Originally Posted by TheEcoBeast

Hello Fellow BHPians,
I have no friends from US or UK to get them imported. So, planning to order from them FCMoto. Has anybody ordered from them? What would be the customs charge for 50K worth products? How would be the delivery? Are they really trust-worthy?

Check out this thread https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ride-...ding-gear.html (Guide: Buying, shipping and customs for imported riding gear)

Originally Posted by TheEcoBeast

Also, please suggest if you come across any entry level riding gear. My pre-requisite is predominantly touring. Any other suggestions of other brands are also welcome.

Not to sound rude, but you really want to cheap out on riding gear after spending 10L+ on a bike? That aside, astars gloves have a bad reputation, their boots are overpriced. Most products from all euro brands including astars run true to size, people saying it runs big or small usually prefer a tighter or looser fit (with some outliers). Get an Indian brand full gauntlet full leather gloves. With a faired bike CBR, you can get away with perforated leather pants + textile jacket for touring.

[skviknaraj]

Originally Posted by TheEcoBeast

Hello Fellow BHPians,

........Has anybody ordered from them? What would be the customs charge for 50K worth products? How would be the delivery? Are they really trust-worthy?

.........

Also, please suggest if you come across any entry level riding gear. My pre-requisite is predominantly touring. Any other suggestions of other brands are also welcome.

....!

FC Moto are pretty reliable. The only headache is dealing with the customs charges and the amount you have to pay for customs. For this delta, you can look at imported gear already available in India.

I would suggest getting Viaterra Grid gloves.

Going from the post, I understand you are not sure about the sizing and fit. I would recommend you visit a store or try on the gear before purchasing, unless you are already using the gear and getting a replacement

Regarding the Jackets and pants, have a look at Viaterra / Rynox / RE dealership. They have stores in major cities. Else take some time out to visit Bangalore/ Delhi where stores stock Revit Gear.

I would strongly suggest you to visit a physical store and try on the gear. This will help you understand the fit and comfort before you buy the gear.

After a few years of usage or when you travel overseas, you can try and buy new gear.

Boots, go to a triumph dealership and try out their alpinestar boots. You can try to get some discount or based on the size, you can get it from FC-moto. There are others who can source it for you like lanesplit (run by a Tbhpian) or sbkaccessories on instagram

[TheEcoBeast]

Originally Posted by hikozaru

Most products from all euro brands including astars run true to size, people saying it runs big or small usually prefer a tighter or looser fit (with some outliers). Get an Indian brand full gauntlet full leather gloves. With a faired bike CBR, you can get away with perforated leather pants + textile jacket for touring.

Thank you. This is really helpful.

Well, I am just dipping my toes into riding after a long gap. I have a budget of 60K for gloves, jacket and boots. I feel that's a fair budget!

[TheEcoBeast]

Originally Posted by skviknaraj

I would suggest getting Viaterra Grid gloves.

Checking these out. Looks really solid! I am in Hyderabad and started visiting the physical stores. Have been to Vroom but many brands are unavailable.

Will be flying to Bengaluru this month end. I will make a list of stores to visit. Thanks you so much!