[after]

Hi folks, wanted some opinions on my current riding gear and what I should be looking for in an upgrade. I mostly do highway touring, but not during rains.

Helmet - MT Thunder 3
Gloves - Viaterra Grid Full Gauntlet
Boots - Forma Adventure Low
Pants - Solace Coolpro V3
Jacket - Solace Air-X V3

Unfortunately the jacket is only suited for city rides, due to low abrasion resistance. Solace's website says it's made of PolyDura 700D, but I have only heard mixed reviews about its durability during a slide.

For this reason, I'm looking to upgrade to a jacket with a bit more protection and would like some recommendations. Bonus points if it's from Solace as the zipper on the back will be compatible with my pants. Also, any feedback on my current set of gear will be appreciated.

Cheers!

[RumbleBee_82]

Originally Posted by after

Hi folks, wanted some opinions on my current riding gear and what I should be looking for in an upgrade. I mostly do highway touring, but not during rains.

Helmet - MT Thunder 3
Gloves - Viaterra Grid Full Gauntlet
Boots - Forma Adventure Low
Pants - Solace Coolpro V3
Jacket - Solace Air-X V3

Unfortunately the jacket is only suited for city rides, due to low abrasion resistance. Solace's website says it's made of PolyDura 700D, but I have only heard mixed reviews about its durability during a slide.

For this reason, I'm looking to upgrade to a jacket with a bit more protection and would like some recommendations. Bonus points if it's from Solace as the zipper on the back will be compatible with my pants. Also, any feedback on my current set of gear will be appreciated.

Cheers!

I think you've got a good set of riding gears. If you are comfortable and happy with MT Thunder 3, stick to it until next upgrade. Your gloves, boots and pants are solid too.

For the jacket upgrade, I highly recommend you consider Viaterra Spencer. It's light weight and comes with SAS-TEC level 2 Armours on shoulder, elbow and back. They use Cordura nylon 6 shell on all impact zones but also has a lot of mesh panels which is ideal for Indian weather condition.

If you can stretch your budget, have a look at Royal Enfield and RS Taichi line-up. RE has many options but I recommend Nirvik v2, which is a proper touring jacket. It's made out of 500D nylon with CE level 2 D30 Armours for shoulders and elbows. They use a different CE level 2 Armour for back and CE level 1 Armour for chest. I am using Nirvik v1 and very happy with it.

RE recently launched waterproof riding jackets called Adventurer XT. It's a CE class AA certified jacket with CE level 2 protection for shoulders, elbow and back. I haven't heard any real-world feedback yet but from the specs, it definitely feels solid.

RS Taichi Kompass Air is a very light weight and comes with CE level 2 protectors on back, shoulders and elbow. RS Taichi Drymaster Kompass is waterproof jacket. Again, very light weight but offers CE level 2 protection on shoulders and elbow only. You have to buy the back protector separately though.

[skviknaraj]

Originally Posted by RumbleBee_82

RE recently launched waterproof riding jackets called Adventurer XT. It's a CE class AA certified jacket with CE level 2 protection for shoulders, elbow and back. I haven't heard any real-world feedback yet but from the specs, it definitely feels solid.

.

I would not recommend the Adventure XT for normal touring in the plains and in summer. it is built for the cold weather and water proofing. Hence the ventilation is very poor.

If one is hitting the Himalayas regularly in the rain and winter, this will be the go to jacket. The minute one crosses Manali on the way down, this jacket will need to changed to something that offers more ventilation.

This is just my two cents on this jacket based on the specs and seeing the design.

[GavMag]

Originally Posted by TheEcoBeast

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.
....
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

Hey man! I have booked the CBR650R too and waiting for the delivery.
Like you, I have been doing some research on the riding gear. Did you finalize which jacket, boots and gloves you would buy?
Would love to hear your thoughts!
Thanks!

[t3rm1n80r]

Hello Everyone,

I have been using a Rynox Air GT 4 jacket (Lv 2 protectors) and a MT Hummer helmet (ECE 22.05) since the past two years (35k kms). I use them whenever I go out on my motorcycle, no matter what, even in scorching summers and heavy downpours. It's time for an upgrade and I'm eyeing Viaterra Spencer as it's airy than my current jacket, has decent protection (Lv 2 protectors, but the coverage of the protectors is slightly less that my current Rynox one) and an understated design. I don't prefer "look at me, I'm a biker loud neon graphics". As for the helmet, I'm considering LS2 FF811 Vector 2 (ECE 22.06, SHARP 4).
The jacket and the helmet both cost around 15k each. Are there any other options in the similar price range (upto 20k INR) that I should consider? I'll be using them in all weather conditions and hopefully should last atleast 2-3 years.

Also, how is the after sales support of Viaterra and LS2? I had a zipper issue on my Rynox jacket post the warranty period, but Rynox India was kind enough to repair it free of cost. The entire process took one month though. Never had any problem with my MT. Spare visors are easily avalilable, not sure about other parts.

[doomketu]

Originally Posted by t3rm1n80r

Hello Everyone,
Are there any other options in the similar price range... ...should last atleast 2-3 years.

Also, how is the after sales support of Viaterra and LS2?.

My experience with viaterra was not good, so i dropped it from my list quite early on. I had sent multiple requests for custom fit Spencer jacket and reached out but did not get a response. Others have got response in a matter of days , to within a week, so color me biased. If you have a physical store selling in your size, then it is fine.

For LS2, spares are pricy. We have multiple big name stores from where we get our spares in Bangalore ( autonity, 6KIOM , Rainbow helmets) so i have not faced problems. My only problem was when i was asked to spend 2500 on padding , ouch. Within 20k you have a whole world of options for serious gear. Having used the Tornado 4 I know how comfortable it is. I had to ditch it due to the tapering waist issue. So I Switched to Solace Furious Pro which works for me.I used is DAILY. I ride 40km thru city and never leave home without it. It checks all the boxes for me. In addition to Solace a gentleman in this thread has summarized quite clearly REISE jackets which fall within your budget. Please consider those. Linking it below

Thank you bhpian VijayAnand1 : https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ride-...ml#post5940052 (The Riding Gear thread)

Good luck.

P.S : Despite the high spare cost, i will never ditch LS2 for anything in that price range unless i move up to a middleweight category bike and the Airoh bug bites me.

[drvhplyevraftr]

Guys, I need to buy a jacket with all level 2 protectors for elbow, shoulder, back and chest. I will be wearing for daily commute and pretty much under 11am Sun in Hyderabad, so needless to say I need a good mesh jacket.

My budget is max 15k and I came across the following options:
Viaterra Miller - Rs 9k
Viaterra SPENCER – Rs 15k
Rynox Tornado Pro - Rs 9k
Rynox stealth evo 3 jacket - Rs 18k
Rynox Cypher GT - Rs 5k - chest protector sold separately

Can you please help me identifying what would be the best option with max 15k budget?. Besides Viaterra and Rynox, there could be other options but I want to try and buy, so if you are going to recommend some other brand, please let me know which shop in Hyderabad, I can try and buy along with the cost. Thank you.

[sunejarahul]

Originally Posted by drvhplyevraftr

My budget is max 15k and I came across the following options:
Viaterra Miller - Rs 9k
Viaterra SPENCER – Rs 15k
Rynox Tornado Pro - Rs 9k
Rynox stealth evo 3 jacket - Rs 18k
Rynox Cypher GT - Rs 5k - chest protector sold separately

I've recently come across Reise Moto as a riding gear brand. Products across the range at first glance looked like rip-off copies of branded gear but a little digging revealed they're co-branded ones instead. Pricing looks good and I might as well pick up a Reise Rizo Urban jacket myself. The Reise x Spidi ones look very good to me too, priced very competitively for what they offer. Would recommend checking them too, available on Amazon with a 10 day return window as well.

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by sunejarahul

Would recommend checking them too, available on Amazon with a 10 day return window as well.

I always suggest buying riding gear after wearing and checking them. Hence avoid online.

[sunejarahul]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

I always suggest buying riding gear after wearing and checking them. Hence avoid online.

I've bought riding gear off of Amazon previously from buying Rynox gloves to a Royal Enfield jacket and a helmet. The helmet and gloves required a size exchange while the jacket fit me well. This was back in 2021 when the World hadn't completely returned to normalcy and buying online was the safer choice.

I now believe, if there's a decent return policy, trying the gear at home & wearing it for longer periods to check for any comfort issues is better than trying it in a store for a couple of minutes. While this can't match a showroom experience, I've probably been spoiled for comfort & convenience of e-commerce!

[shyamg28]

Viaterra Repair Experience

I had a good experience with Viaterra repair recently. I thought it worth sharing a positive experience.

The zip for the leg opening on my Spencer pants was spoilt. I initially considered getting it replaced at a local tailor near me.
Given this is riding gear and can have severely adverse impact if repaired wrongly, I decided to check with Viaterra.


- The conversation started via an email to contactus@viaterragear.com, on 31st March, 2025.
- I ensured I sent some images of the defect as well.





- Their response was immediate, mentioning that it would be wise for me to get it repaired through them.
- They mentioned that it would cost 1200 based on their estimate.
- I transferred the 1200 immediately.
- I confirmed the address to which I had to ship it and shipped it.
- They confirmed once they received it, and that they would be able to fix it.
- Once repaired, they sent images of it, requested my address and shipped it. Also sharing the AWB#.





- I received the pants back on 23 April, 2025. All in all, ~20 days.
- The pants arrived in a nicely packaged box, as if I was receiving a new set of pants lol

It arrived in a thin layer of bubble wrap too, but I got rid of all that before taking this pic of course lol.



The entire conversation took place via email.
100% recommend!

[junkishya]

Originally Posted by siddhant

I was looking for urban boots and had ordered these since they were available at a 30% discount (Rs 5950) during the independence day sale. Received these today!

I’ve used these shoes for a little over a year; for about 7-8 rides. Sadly the sole of one of the shoes has come off as the soles are fused and not stitched.

Also the gear shifter seems to leave an impression behind after a few rides … my Z900’s gear shifter is very light so that one is not a problem but my F900 GSA shifter is a different story. Within a few rides on the BMW, and there is a mark left behind on the shoe.

[junkishya]

Originally Posted by t3rm1n80r

Also, how is the after sales support of Viaterra and LS2? I had a zipper issue on my Rynox jacket post the warranty period, but Rynox India was kind enough to repair it free of cost. The entire process took one month though. Never had any problem with my MT. Spare visors are easily avalilable, not sure about other parts.

LS2 Vector2 has wind noise issue at higher speeds. Also the cheek pads of the helmet can be pulled out in case of emergency. The issue with this feature is that the cheekpad comes out of its locking mechanism when U are removing the helmet. Other than that rhe helmet is good.

[Oppanna]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

Viaterra Repair Experience

The entire conversation took place via email.
100% recommend!

Very happy to hear your experience. Have been a customer of Viaterra for very long time and this is where they excel compared to competitors.

Did they not arrange pick up for you? Generally they do to avoid any damage of the products while shipping to them.

[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by Oppanna

Very happy to hear your experience. Have been a customer of Viaterra for very long time and this is where they excel compared to competitors.

Did they not arrange pick up for you? Generally they do to avoid any damage of the products while shipping to them.

I really do find their stuff to be first class!
They did not arrange pick up. Maybe volume and demand is much higher now.
They requested that I sanitize and send the gear, else they would sanitize it at an extra cost.