[Cyrus_the_virus]

Originally Posted by danlalan

Its EXACT same thing. Like you said it will come with its own battery.

OK, I understand that the thin ones are easily available, What about the center flat strip that run from the front to the back of the helmet? Besides, $85 isn't all that expensive considering it comes with the complete kit and proper installation accessories plus the module which control it having the 3 light modes - slow blink, fast blink & steady. The local ones will end up being a jugaad

[Shubz]

My Sedici riding pants had lived its life and the protection around the knee was cracking up (More due to my high handedness than it living out its life)

Was on the lookout for riding pants. thought of various options in Leather/Perforated leather/textile etc. and Finally fell for

Dainese PONY C2 PELLE!

http://www.dainese.com/we_en/p-pony-c2-pelle-26881.html

Am yet to ride wearing those. So will be able to provide a review only post that.

Thanks,
Shubz

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by Suraj25

I ride a 390..........

I've saved up around 3k for both.. Money doesn't come easy to college students

Congrats on the 390

I could not help but notice the contradiction in your post above. Do you see it? If not, let me help.

"I have money to buy a 2 lac + rupee motorcycle but will not spend more than peanuts worth to buy some riding gear to save my skin". I really wonder why that is

Dig deeper and the way you could pull out big bucks for your ride, you should be able to find some spare cash to buy some decent protective gear

[AlokSriva]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

Congrats on the 390
I really wonder why that is

Sir, don't be so harsh on lad

There's a high likelihood that bike is a gift and everything else he has to arrange on his own..

[Urban_Nomad]

^^ No offence meant to him sir. I am actually happy that he is at least thinking of riding gear. When I was a college student, I did not know if anything beyond helmets and gloves existed in the form of riding gear

Its his choice and he can do whatever he wishes of course. I do however question that:

- If one is aware and not ignorant like I was when it came to existence of riding gear
- & has the good fortune to be able to own a machine like the 390 at a relatively young age

Says riding gear will have to wait. He needs it now more than ever as he delves into the performance motorcycling space. No one plans coming off the bike and when you do, you will be gald you spent that additional 5 - 10% of the motorcycle's cost on saving yourself

If he indeed has a benefactor who loves him enough to buy him a set of wheels to fulfil his need for speed, I am sure they wouldnt mind pulling a few thousand more to help him stay out of potential harm's way. In fact, I am willing to bet that they would be absolutely psyched and happy that this young man is taking a logical and mature decision and hopefully setting an example for other hormonal young blokes

Peace!

[Suraj25]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

...."I have money to buy a 2 lac + rupee motorcycle but will not spend more than peanuts worth to buy some riding gear to save my skin". I really wonder why that is....

Thank you Urban Nomad!

You have a good point. My father got me the bike under the condition that I can only ride it around the house and not take it anywhere else. He is against bikes cause he thinks they aren't safe, but I somehow managed to convince him agreeing to his condition. After a few months I occasionally started riding to college and now want to go for longer rides!
Now the problem is, if I tell him I want to go on long rides, he'll just take the keys away from me. So I have to save up myself and buy the gear cause I care about my safety.
Sorry for the childish reply, but this is the truth. Hope you understand

Mods, sorry for going off topic here.

Cheers!

[PatienceWins]

Originally Posted by speedy

Dainese, Alpinestars are expensive brands for gear, but the comfort and safety is very good. Depending on the model the price will be high. I paid 6k and 4k for rjays (full and half) gloves, 8k for alpinestars half gloves and 8k for Ixon full gloves.

I felt that the Dianese gloves were expensive compared to other gears from them. The short riding boots at around 20k felt much value for money compared to the gloves at around 15k.

I use Rjays mesh jacket and tail bag. Very happy with the quality they provide for the price, especially the tail bag. The mesh jacket withstood a small fall recently. The armour on right arm took the minor impact and it is as good as new. The knee guard and gloves took care of other areas as well.

I forgot to check the riding pants when I was there. Is anyone using Dianese riding pants? I do not want leather pants. Other options I am considering are Rjays and Spartan. I do not want to buy it online as I want to try it. I do not want to take a chance in size - I am 6' 2" tall. Any feedback is welcome.

My gear:
Jacket
Rjays octane riding jacket (4/5)
A mesh jacket. Bought from Bachoo Motors (http://www.bachoomotors.com)
Do not find the product (Octane) online. The current model is Octane 2 (http://www.bachoomotors.com/index.ph...duct&id_lang=1)
+ves - good ventilation, good armour, enough pockets, a separate liner for winter, value for money.
-ves - no protection for chest and back, the material gives scratches to items stored in pocket (had to dispose an expensive polaroid spectacle).

Knee Guard
Alpine Stars Bionic knee guard (4/5)
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...nic-knee-guard
Bought from www.planetdsg.com
+ves - great build quality, comfortable.
-ves - it becomes loose and comes down if you have thin legs like me, the knee area protrudes and scratches bike side panel (not an issue if you are not tall).

Spartan Perseus internal knee guard (3.5/5)
Bought from lets gearup, Bangalore.
http://spartanprogear.com/Accessorie...=0&status=none
+ves: comfortable, tight fit, the knox armour feels good.
-ves: no protection on side, have to remove jeans to strap on and off

Helmet
LS2 helmet (4/5)
Bought from Megha enterprises, J.C road (three years old)
+ves: light weight, decent padding, value for money
-ves: the padding sags easily increasing noise

MT Axxis helmet (3.5/5)
Bought from Megha enterprises, J.C road (a few months old) (http://www.snapdeal.com/product/mt-h...met/1321573934)
+ves: looks premium, less road noise - neck roll reduces road noise, value for money.
-ves: gets scratched easily, more heavier than LS2, pain around ears (shape not suitable for round oval face) - fine after using it for sometime, very less padding.

AGV K4 Evo
Bought from Dianese store, Orion Mall.
Too early to give a feedback. Have not start using it. The helmet feels very good - excellent soft padding and light weight. The build quality seems very good.

Glove
DSG Revive Glove (4/5)
Bought from www.planetdsg.com (http://www.planetdsg.com/dsg-revive-gloves-p-1115.html)
+ves: very comfortable, value for money, does not last long (especially with rain)
-ves: the stitching is not upto the mark

Cramster textile glove (3/5)
Bought from Cramster store, Bangalore.
Do not find the product online now.
Have not used it much. It is comfortable, especially in summer. But not much protection as it is a textile glove with low quality leather on palm area.

Boot
Forclaz Boot (3/5)
A hiking boot. Bought from Decathlon (http://www.decathlon.in/hiking/footw...oes/p-M8287390)
+ves: Comfortable, can be used as a daily wear, decent protection for ankle, waterproof for mild rains.
-ves: Water seeps in through lace when the shoes is immersed in water. The sole shape is not good for sliding it on the foot peg (cannot complain as it is a hikng boot) - not an issue for bikes with relaxed riding posture, Shoe lace does not last long.

Tail Bag
Rjays Tail Bag (4/5)
Bought from bachoo motors (http://rjays.com.au/home/products/lu...-tail-bag.html)
+ves: Good space, when extended. Without extending, perfect for short rides, many compartments, waterproof cover, can be converted to backpack, excellent build quality, enough bunjee cords and straps for secure fiting.
-ves: no lock, there is no provision to lock as well (a major -ve while touring. cannot leave it in the bike at all as anyone can easily open it). Laptop will not fit, not an issue for me as I do not use it for office commute.
Would have given 5/5 if there is a provision to lock. Otherwise, very satisfied.

[dre@ms]

I ride a Unicorn and this winter is eating my palms. Looking for a gloves which can be worn in winter as well as summer(future centric). Any pointers? Any bike accessory shop here in Hyderabad?

[speedy]

Originally Posted by PatienceWins

I felt that the Dianese gloves were expensive compared to other gears from them. The short riding boots at around 20k felt much value for money compared to the gloves at around 15k.

were they the full or half gloves of Dianese? The Alpinestars short boots i got costed 14 k. Sidi St airs full length came to 24 or 26k.

I do use the Rjays octane 2 jacket for city rides and also have the rays riding pants. Found them really comfortable. The only issue i face is the zippers (main and chest pocket ones) get stuck sometimes. I am going to upgrade to the Aplinestars jacket next month. I have the IXON one piece suit for highway rides. I am 5"11 and use a medium size, so i guess a large or XL would fit you. The other thing is go to a bike store near you and try on a pair of pants for size, then you can order it from anywhere.

DSG store in Bombay belongs to a friend and i shall pass on your feedback to him. DSG is a in-house brand of the pune DSG store and i really would not trust a local made item for built quality like the Italians. Better to pay more and be safe.

Shoes the best would be strap on lace less ones with decent sole grip. I used to use the Bmw motard shoes you get at the puma store. Then i upgraded to SIDI full length (highway use) and Alpinestars short boots (city use). My friend broke his shin bone after falling due to a stone, hiking boots were worn by him.

You do get the lockable hard case back packs, plus PRS had a multipurpose haversack as well, it could take a laptop too. If your tail bag has dual zips, why don't you try the old method of locking with an external small lock?

[PatienceWins]

were they the full or half gloves of Dianese?

I do not remember seeing full gloves. I checked a few models of half gloves and they were in the range of 15-18k.

You do get the lockable hard case back packs, plus PRS had a multipurpose haversack as well, it could take a laptop too. If your tail bag has dual zips, why don't you try the old method of locking with an external small lock?

It does not have dual zip, just a single zip.

I do not carry laptop while touring. The only issue with the tail bag is that there is no provision to lock and not safe to leave in the bike during breaks for food. I usually manage by leaving the bike in a place where I can see the bag while having food.

[speedy]

Originally Posted by PatienceWins

I do not remember seeing full gloves. I checked a few models of half gloves and they were in the range of 15-18k.

It does not have dual zip, just a single zip.

I do not carry laptop while touring. The only issue with the tail bag is that there is no provision to lock and not safe to leave in the bike during breaks for food. I usually manage by leaving the bike in a place where I can see the bag while having food.

Oh Ok.

I generally just carry a small haversack incase i am going on an overnight trip. Since i have the cowl seat on the bike, i don't use a tail bag or tie downs for luggage.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

While a mesh / textile upper is fine, you definitely need a leather palm to provide real protection in case you come off your bike. 80 odd kph on 2 wheels is pretty fast, nothing to scoff at

A 100 Rs increment in your budget gets you this:

http://spartanprogear.com/Men.aspx?m...t=2&typ=8&sc=1

Cramster flux is another decent option for around 1700, but not sure of breathability as its all leather

I am very sure you do not mind a 100 rupee increase in your damage to wallet. As I recollect, your philosophy on buying a cycle is "the best you can afford, and then go a level higher" So I know for a fact that you will not scoff at sepending another 100 Rs to provide "real" protection

IMO, do not look beyond either Flux or Phaeton. Try them on and see what works best for you

All the best

Hey man,

Thanks for the recommendation.

I managed to buy these in person. I quite liked the quality although I'm not totally sure they are 100% breathable as the DSG ones looked like. But they look really secure, so that's that.

I was happy to be able to buy it in person since the sizing is quite important - L fit perfectly while XL was a tad larger.

The wife had a bit of a sticker shock initially although she agrees on the value of such items

the only pain? they are black colored with ORANGE accents. I prefer all black gear. My P180 (9 years old) is Maroon / red. So I hate the mismatch.

The only way out is to buy a new KTM ..... hmm!!

[basuroy]

Originally Posted by speedy

Shoes the best would be strap on lace less ones with decent sole grip. I used to use the Bmw motard shoes you get at the puma store. Then i upgraded to SIDI full length (highway use) and Alpinestars short boots (city use). My friend broke his shin bone after falling due to a stone, hiking boots were worn by him.

Hi , by BMW shoes , do you mean the flat soled offerings from puma or is this a motorcycle riding specific shoe ? I myself enjoy the intimate control offered by flat soles and was considering puma's flat sole range and will appreciate your feedback .

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

The only way out is to buy a new KTM ..... hmm!!

Sometimes the solution is so obvious that it would be silly not to act upon it

[schakravarthy]

At the risk of repeating what might have been dealt before on this 139 page thread, let me pose my query.

I recently bought a Duke 390 and to complete the purchase, I'm on the hunt for a riding gear, albeit on a shoestring budget.

I've narrowed my search down to the following items-

1) Jacket- Spartan Atlas/Icarus

http://spartanprogear.com/Details.as...3&typ=4Spartan

http://spartanprogear.com/Details.as...=2&cat=3&typ=1

2) Aspida Perseus Knee guards

http://spartanprogear.com/Accessorie...p=0&status=All

3) Aspida Phaeton gloves

http://spartanprogear.com/Details.as...=1&cat=2&typ=8

I had been to Ladakh last May, but didn't get an opportunity to drive/ride there. ( You can find the Travelogue here- http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...es-ladakh.html ). A 'proper' trip has been on the back of my mind ever since, and God-willng, I might do a full fledged road trip ( Bangalore-Leh-Bangalore ) on my Duke by this year end.

My concern is, will the gear I've posted above suffice? ( temperatures, rain and crash protection ).

Ps- Yes, I still need to find boots.