OK, How about ALL gear???

[Nate R]

OK, I'm looking for suggestions an all gear. Obviously you all overall said to go for the Sidi Boots. How about leathers? I'm looking at the Teknik Lightning suit. Reviews on that one seem to be decent compared to others in the same price range.

I'm thinking more in the $700 range, though. Like the Alpinestars SMX suit. Any thoughts on that one?
Where else can I get leathers besides: MAW, Dennis Kirk, 1888Fastlap, Street & Comp, and New Enough? Is there anything else that sells leathers? (Anything significant, that is)


Gloves? Is the AGV Carbon 7 OK?

Thanx for all your help!

[schpreck]

I think I have to disagree with the Sidi boots comment.  I used them for years, and got alot of foot injuries.  They were comfy, yes, but I have crashed an eaqual amount of times with my Alpinestars and had no owies.  They just seem to limit lateral movement better.  They have been through many more intense crashes and held up beautifully.  

As far as gloves...Held.  Best gloves I've ever had.

I use Spyke leathers, and they crash VERY well.

[roadracer797]

As for boots I too wear alpinestars and have had no problems other than finding toe sliders for them.
Leathers are so different that you must find what works for you, you should find a shop in your local area that has some to try on or maybe go to one of the riding scholls and try theirs on, also talk to a leather repair person who specializes in race leathers to find out who has the best stitching.
As for gloves I have heard that everybody has a different opinion on them so also find what works for you.

[KBOlsen]

At that price range, you're at the entry level for custom made suits... which will have better construction.

[THE_D.O.C.]

VANSON VANSON VANSON VANSON!!!!!!!
ARAI ARAI ARAI ARAI ARAI ARAI!!!!!!!
HELD HELD HELD HELD HELD HELD!!!!!!!
SIDI SIDI SIDI SIDI SIDI SIDI SIDI!!!!!!!

[Nexus]

Nate.

for price i would checkout joe rocket...i think they make good leathers at a reasonable price.

we have Joe rocket highsides for something like $400...i think the parts dept is trying to clear them out.

i like my Texports leathers and Sidi boots :)

Nexus

[Nate R]

Nexus,

Are they really good leathers? I've heard their Highside suit falls apart quickly, even for something in that price range.


Nate

[Nexus]

not sure...anyone here use them...they look very thick with good stitching.

my Texports cost more but have held up pretty good in 2 crashes.

if you want call me at work and i can see what kind of deals we can pass for different leathers.

anthony
773.338.7320 wk.

[THE_D.O.C.]

i had a pair of joe rocket gloves that disentegrated all by themselves. no crash was necessary. joe rocket sucks, and i will never buy their procducts again.

[sdiver68]

Call 888FastLap and see if their excellent Kobe contingency program is returning next year.  If so, they almost seem a no brainer.

[Cycleaddict]

I can say, after much field testing :P, Vanson make one of the most durable suits out there. They also have an awesome re-dye and repair program that keeps them looking as good as new!

[bfkidd]

Kobe is around $700 and it is the best for the money, maybe for twice the money. And those contingency certs that keep coming don't hurt either.

[r6_philly]

My 99 Joe Rocket Highside suite was worn almost everyday on the street, crashed 3 times, twice track and once street. I still wear it on the street and no repair was EVER necessary. It held up VERY well for me. Can't say for the newer models/years, but that suit was wonderful.

I use Prexport leathers and boots, just tested them Yesterday, some stitching came out, but only in the single stitched, patch/internal padding areas. Held up pretty well, except for the dust you have to look close for any damage.

[Marshall]

I had a flying knee puck hit my hand this past weekend at VIR.  I was probably doing about sixty or so and it hit square on the knuckles.  The Joe Rocket Speedmaster gloves did a great job protecting my hand.  It felt like a sledgehammer coming down on my hand but nothing was broken.  Now I know what that hard armor over the knuckles is for.

[StuartV666]

When I bought a new suit in June, Syed was running an Internet special. Custom, made-to-measure, 1pc. in your choice of designs, with full ventilation and full armor for $799. Since my first Syed suit lasted through 3 crashes and 8 years of use (and now it's my backup suit), they were already at the top of my list for a new suit. The price just made the decision that much easier. The new suit is awesome. I already "tested" it. :-(

Check them out at http://www.syedleathers.com.

- Stu

[spyderchick]

Ok, my two cents here. I'm often asked what brand of leathers someone should buy.

#1 set a budget. make it reasonable.(i.e., spend as much as you can afford on all safety equipment. It's worth every penny)

#2 don't buy sight unseen, unless you are getting custom leathers. I know you can get great deals on closeouts or from a dealer, but ask if they can be returned if they don't fit or you don't like the construction.

#3 look for quality constuction. you do not want a single layer of top stitching  joining that precious leather between you and the pavement. Unfortunately, many brands are jobbing out the work to overseas jobshops, so this type of "seam" is more common. You can and will pay a high price for poor quality construction.
*important*All seams in impact areas should be double stitched, ideally, a conventional seam that is top stitched. some brands do two rows of top stitching aprox. 1/4 inch apart. That is acceptable, but not ideal, as they should be repaired asap after crashing. Crash on Sat and you most likely will not have it fixed by Sun. Want to take that risk?
 
#4 don't fall for gimmicks. All of those fancy kevlar and carbon fiber bumps cannot be easily repaired. Most of the time I just replace it with leather. The Kevlar stretch panels are great, just make sure that they don't appear in an area that is likely to take aabuse. It does not resist abraision as well as leather.

#5 Get leathers that fit. A no brainer, right? Too tight and you can't throw your leg over the bike, too loose, and you can get a "snake bite". Think tearing of flesh, imagine they are stitching up that same flesh, from the inside out. Yummy.

#6 Consider your climate and constitution. If you overheat easily, go for leathers with plenty of venting. Thinner leather is not necessarily weaker leather. It's all in the way that the leather is cut and the subsequent constuction is performed. Heavy leather is great if you can stand it on a really "warm" race day. It will take the abuse of repeated crashing.

#7 look for good armour, and sewn in padding: think impact areas, think sliding. Elbows and knees might come to mind, but hips, shoulders and collar bones need protection as well. Need I even lecture about wearing the proper back protection?

#8 It is not a good idea to wear 2 pc leathers that were mde primarily for "touring" as race leathers. They are legal, but at what ultimate cost? If you are serious about the sport, get serious equipment

Lastly, I'm not in the business of making custom leathers. I only repair, alter and do lettering. Do I endorse or revile any one brand? No, but there are standouts. I do more lettering and less repair on custom brands, even their off the rack stuff. Vanson, Syed, and Mr. D's all get great marks. I've heard good stuuf about Barnacle Bill, but I have no first hand experience.
I've seen some pretty decent stuff from all the brands as well as a fair amount of crap. The most crap has come from "late model" Teknics. Even the pricey suits.  

It's a buyer beware world, sometimes you get what you pay for, and sometimes you can get a great deal. Just remember, it's your money, but most importantly, it's your skin.

Alexa Krueger,
Owner and seamstress extraordinaire
Spyder Leatherworks
spyder@wi.rr.com

[andy342]

I have Alpinestars boots and gloves.  The carbon knuckles really do their job.  I fell off last year and smashed the knuckles on the right glove - my hand hurt really bad for a while but it could have been worse.  I tore the palm out of the left glove in the same wreck but no damage to that hand.

I also have a fieldsheer suit.  It was cheap and I got what I paid for.  The leather is thin, the pads move around and fall out when you're putting it on, the zippers and buttons are crappy. Also the seams are comig apart.  Not recommended at all.

Get good stuff.  Listen to spyderchick.

[Nate R]

Thanx, Andy! BTW, what are your plans for your SV? Are you doing anything to it over the winter? What HAVE you changed? Bodywork, and what else? Clip-ons? Rearsets? Pipe? Suspension?

I've decided to DEFINITELY NOT get the Teknic leathers. I'm looking seriously at some Alpinestars Leathers.

I'm gonna look more at gloves later when more 2003 gear is out. Boots: I'll have to try some on, probably at the Chicago M/C show in February.

I appreciate everyone's replies. SpyderChick, thanx for your input. That helped me put Teknik on the definite NO list with Fieldsheer, Joe Rocket, AGV, etc.

I'll see y'all in April. BTW, any tips on staying warm at the first BHF weekend when racing and not? (I'll be sleeping in a tent there!!!!!)

[spyderchick]

Hey Nate,
Don't rule out any specific brand just because someone has had a bad experience. Most brands make several versions of their leathers. You need to know the style of leather they had the problem with and specifics of the problem. That is why it is so important to check them out yourself. AGV made a suit called the "rage" a few years ago. A really good mid-priced suit. That's what Roger and I have for racing. 10 years ago, Fieldsheer suits rocked for the money.

Racing gear is expensive, but that doesn't mean that you get something better just because you spent more money. Look for value, but also look for quality. Don't spend $1600 off the rack if you can get a custom suit. If a fellow racer loved the "off the rack" leathers he wore this year, see if you can find an end of the year closeout on the same suit. As with many things, this is a subjective call. You need to buy what best fits your requirements.

[Nate R]

Well, you referred to Late model Tekniks in general, and I figured your were implying they all had the same problems.

Can you recommend a model of <$700 leathers for durability?

Does the double leather in the seat of certain Teknik suits really make a difference???

Nate

[spyderchick]

I'd probably still avoid the late model Teknics, unless they've changed the construction. They have so many panels with the single top stitching that they blow apart during a relatively low speed slide.

Any extra layers make sense, especially the rear end area. I've given racers more new butts this year than I care to remember. ;-} (better to slide on your a$$ than your head.

$700 should buy you a decent "off the rack" set of leathers. Again, look for quality construction, and get leathers that fit. I don't have any specific recommendations, but if you get them from a mail order source, especcially if they are on close out, make sure you can return them if they aren't to your liking. You can wait until the Chicago show in Feb, but they've not had an abundance of killer deals in the past.

You are smart to start looking now. You should be able to get a good deal, and if you do order, you will have plenty of time to allow for shipping and to assess the quality of the product.

Good luck in your search

[Nate R]

Thanx! I'm looking now, yes. But, I won't order prolly till January. Gotta lose weight!  ;) But, I'm DEFINITELY not ordering something I can't return or exchange. I think that would still leave me plenty of time before the first BHF weekend in April

But, when I do buy them, would you be able to put in an extra layer of leather in the seat of the set I get if they don't already have one? I can drop it off wherever in West Allis you live, so shipping is no matter. (I live in Milwaukee)

Just let me know if you maybe could do this, and what kindof price range I'm looking at.

[andy342]

Ended up selling the race SV.  I needed the cash.  

Haven't secured another racer for next year - yet.  I do have an rmx250 dirtbike that I've been flattracknig a litte bit with.  Maybe I'll bring it out for ULSP and give Rhiannon some competition :)