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Cruiser
Posts: 53
Raleigh, NC | Hi everyone. Getting my Vision recently and planning some longer rides this year, I am curious as to what people wear for their long rides. Coming off a year riding a Vulcan 900 around town, long trips are new to me. I did a search of the forums with only minimal success.
I understand a lot is personal preference, but I am not even sure what all the options are.
So answer the following questions for me to help me prepare:
1) What kind of pants do you ride in? Jeans can be very sweaty in the south.
2) What kind of helmet do you prefer? (full face, 3/4, etc)
3) For those who have a passenger, what do you feel is the best way to communicate with them?
4) Rain gear?
5) Chaps or other protective gear?
Feel free to throw in any other pointers for the new touring guy.
Thanks!
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Cruiser
Posts: 60
| Where you are going can dictate some of your gear, Jeans are going to be your standby pants unless you are looking at buying specific riding pants or a full suit that you can wear shorts under. I just got a new Shark Helmet that switches from a full to a 3/4 on the fly( not while riding that would be Dangerous!  ) That should be comfortable for most riding conditions.
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/shark-evoline-2-st-helmet?gclid=... |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 880
Orlando, FL | 1. I live in the South and wear jeans. Shorts are NOT an option for me.
2. None. Half helmet if I am traveling to a dictatorial state that requires a helmet.
3. I prefer NOT to communicate much with my passenger! I like the solitude of the ride, the wind, the tunes, my exhaust note, the scenery. A passenger telling me to stop to pee, eat, or drink has never been an issue. We can have a conversation when we stop.
4. Always, I live in sunny Florida where it rains something like 200 days every year! I use Frog Toggs and always have them with me. Line the right inside leg with an ironing board cover in case your pants flap in the breeze and hit the exhaust. (Use iron on fabic stuff to get the cover adhered to the pants, just be careful not to get things to hot and melt the suit!) I keep an extra large pair of dishwashing gloves with my suit for those times when I ride for hours in the rain. Just slide 'em on over your regular gloves. Also, I ride with waterproof boots. If you don't have those get some rain covers for long rides in the rain. (If push comes to shove you can alway get 2 loaves of bread, tracs the bread and slide the bags over your boots.) And finally, the Rain jacket makes a nice windbreaker when it suddenly gets cool in the evening.
5. Jacket (leather or otherwise) when appropriate, flannel lined jeans when appropriate, and chaps in the cold cold months.
Headed to Ga this coming week for 5 days. Here's my stuff I'm taking that I am not wearing when I leave. 2 pair jeans, 4 shirts, 5 pair socks, Sneakers for when I'm not riding. Toiletries. Half Helmet (Damn Ga. Laws), Rain suit, gloves, riding glasses (2 pair, shades and clear). Sunscreen, iPhone, iPod, AAA card, and a couple of do-rags. Das it!
Hope you enjoy the new ride~!
Edited by MaddMAx2u 2012-04-13 3:31 PM
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Tourer
Posts: 416
Prairie City, IA United States | 1) What kind of pants do you ride in? Jeans can be very sweaty in the south.
2) What kind of helmet do you prefer? (full face, 3/4, etc)
3) For those who have a passenger, what do you feel is the best way to communicate with them?
4) Rain gear?
5) Chaps or other protective gear?
Feel free to throw in any other pointers for the new touring guy.
I wear an Olympia Moab hiViz jacket and Olympia Airglide 3 mesh riding pants year around. You can wear just shorts under the pants. Saves on packing extra jeans. I average about 23K miles per year in all weather conditions.
I wear the Shoei Neo tech modular helmet in white (cooler in the heat) great air flow compared to the Shark Evoline I used to wear. Another good helmet is the Qwest full face. (get the pinlock shield system for anti fog, it is awesome)
Scala Q2 multiset bluetooth works great and will last all day. The new Q9 would be awesome if you travel in a lot of groups.
Rain gear - A lot of riders use Frog Toggs. Not me. they tend to get holes to easily. Buy a good set. they can double for an extra heat layer if the weather changes and you need something to add some warmth. (Mountain passes come to mind)
Chaps don't offer much protection in a crash. You will rub a hole in a pair of jeans in less than 1 second. Wear good gear. The $1,300 I have invested in riding gear is a hell of a lot cheaper than a day in the ICU for road rash.
Forgot about earplugs. I wear musicians earplugs. You only get one set of ears. Use them wisely.
Edited by lstayner 2012-04-13 3:40 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 53
Raleigh, NC | Do riders wear earplugs because of wind noise? I've never really thought about that as an issue. Thanks for the input so dar. Keep it coming. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 83
Bolivar Missouri | I use a HJC 3/4 carbon fiber and Fulmer carbon fiber 1/2 . Scala for communication and wear mostly jeans with leather jacket and frog toggs for rain but am seriously considering going to textile convertibales that are water proof and offer much more protection . |
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Visionary
Posts: 1229
Rancho Cucamonga, CA | +1 on Shark evoline helmet (and it's super easy to switch from 3/4 to full, even @fwy speeds).
I use kevlar lined jeans 80% of the time, leather chaps 10% and hiking pants the othe other 10%.
Find a bluetooth com system that does stereo if you like music, otherwise most any bluetooth setup will do.
I have had Frogg Toggs as a permanent part of my saddlebags for 10 years now. I understand the new ones are even better. I use the bibbed bottoms, keeps water from coming up the back. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 785
Mt. Vernon, WASH. | Jeans or Bibs (preferred), SHOEI 3/4 or HJC Carbon Fibre half, a CARHART Detroit jacket sprayed heavily with 'CAMP DRY' an 8" pair of Doc Martins. I keep my leather brush poppers in the sidebag they work great in anything from damp streets to pretty heavy rains and keep you dry from the knees to the ankles which I feel is more important than the fronts of my thighs, I can bend a bit and pretty much cover those with my upper body & the windshields rain shadow. A couple of reflective vests, one to wear and one to drape across the back if I'm on the side of the road or in a rest stop at last three pairs of gloves, shorty deer skin, deer skin gauntlets (deer skin won't turn to O.J. Simpsons if they get wet like cow does), and an insulated pair as late night trips over our passes can be nippish and four AA powered hazard flashers that fold up to deck of cards size. molded to fit silicone ear plugs. My prescription glasses are photo brown which work better in all light than gray or green. and a leather face bib. OK. I'm ready. lead on-
OH, and my spare state issued 'skinny guy' handicapped parking placard, I love to tell people (while getting my folding cane out of the sidebag)who quiz me (usually in a snotty tone) about parking a bike in a wheelchair slot 'Hey, I can still ride, I just can't walk very far' Washington also issues a motorcycle skinny guy plate if you don't have an 'ego plate' like I do.
Edited by SYNSTR 2012-04-13 9:20 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | There is literally tons of information out there on the internet concerning this subject. I suggest you do an internet search for iron butt riders and preparing for them. Anything less than a 1,000 miles in a day is not a long ride, so if you prepare for that, a 400-800 mile ride will be a piece of cake. A few things that need to be mentioned and that is stay hydrated. I used a camelbak going to California and back and found it to be a time-saver and a life-saver. I could sip my gator-aide/water concoction between stops and keep myself hydrated, staying in the saddle for up to 3 hours, only making gas stops. Also, keep you skin protected from the sun, sunscreen or a face covering if you are not wearing a full helmet. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 281
| Firejedi - 2012-04-13 4:59 PM
Do riders wear earplugs because of wind noise? I've never really thought about that as an issue. Thanks for the input so dar. Keep it coming.
We do. You can wear cheap ones, or get filtered ones that keep the noise out but let some sound in.
As far as riding gear... in summer we wear Olympia mesh pants, and First Gear mesh jackets. ATGATT.
It's rarely so hot that we won't take the motorcycle, and have done some big trips in hot weather.
Good luck! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 281
| PS we use a Scala teamset for wireless rider to passenger communication. About $200 and worth every penny! |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 7
Manchester, MI | I've toured for years wearing primarily jeans. The jeans I've been happiest with come from Duluth Trading. They have a gusset in the crotch that makes them more comfortable for long stretches in the saddle. I modified one pair by removing the fabric from the gusset, and replacing it with nylon mesh for hot days. Not a huge difference, but noticiable. I also wear suspenders rather than a belt.
I rode that other American brand for many years, so I had some of their equipment, including their excellent Gore Tex rain suit. When I got my Vision, my lovely wife bought the Victory 3 piece jacket for me. That has been a real good jacket for me. I just use my old HD pants with it in the rain, and I stay pretty dry. Waterproof boots and gloves make for a much safer and more comfortable ride on those lousy days.
We're both using HJC 3/4 helmets (sorry, don't remember the model number) with Scala communicators. The helmets are pretty noisy, but we love the Scalas. The helmets also have built in 'fighter pilot' shades, which come in handy for those cloudy-bright days. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 122
Westchester Co., NY | I have a fitted pair of ear plugs. I find that not only does the stereo sound better with plugs in but I feel better after an all day ride. For hot days I have a Shift full mesh jacket and wear jeans with a Kevlar lining. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 44
Edmonton, AB Canada | 1, 4, 5. I have the Olympia AirGlide Jacket and Airglide 3 pants. They are good for most types of riding. With the thermal liner for the jacket, it keeps you warm when you need it and when the rain starts, the rain liner works wonders. On the hottest of days only a thin t-shirt and a pair of shorts underneath this gear and I am very comfortable (as long as we are moving). This gear offers protection, comfort in a wide range of temperatures and also rain protection when needed. The only fault it has is that for my 34" inseam the pants are almost to short. Other than that I am very happy with this purchase.
2. I have a Nolan N103 modular helmet. I find it very comfortable and it seems to fit the shape of my head the best. I really like the internal visor. My sun glasses work great, but this visor really cuts down on any glare and light that may come in the sides or above and below the sun glasses.
3. We have the Sena SMH10 system and I enjoy riding with this unit installed on my helmet. The connection to my iPhone is clear and even when riding at highway speeds, if I have to talk to someone, they can't tell I am on my bike. I can also stream music into the speakers from my phone of my iPod Touch. Both sound great at all speeds and unlike the bike speakers, you still have the base. The connection to my wife is also very clear and we enjoy riding with them. Playing the music through the bike speakers is also an alternative when we want.
Enjoy the ride! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 53
Raleigh, NC | Great info everyone. I will be busy looking all this stuff up for a while. I have the HJC Max BT modular flip up helmet which has a molded space on the side for the Chatterbox. Has anyone used these? I am not concerned about using this helmet as I am considering getting 3/4 or other helmets for the wife and I for long rides. I appreciate everyones input so far. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 83
Springfield Mo. | Rode 1000 miles in the last 4 days with my wife. I wear a Scorpion half helmet and she a Scorpion full face modular. We use a Scala rider bluetooth to communicate with each other. I wear Joe Rocket Ballistic riding pants and jacket when it's cold enough to wear gear and she wears First Gear jacket and riding pants. We both carry rainsuits from Jafrum and always hope not to use them. Make sure your passenger always has a "thin as you can get and comfortably use" digital camera stuffed where they can get at it fast or hanging around their neck as my wife usually has. |
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Tourer
Posts: 395
Moravia, IA | Firejedi - 2012-04-13 1:40 PM
Hi everyone. Getting my Vision recently and planning some longer rides this year, I am curious as to what people wear for their long rides. Coming off a year riding a Vulcan 900 around town, long trips are new to me. I did a search of the forums with only minimal success.
I understand a lot is personal preference, but I am not even sure what all the options are.
So answer the following questions for me to help me prepare:
1) What kind of pants do you ride in? Jeans can be very sweaty in the south.
2) What kind of helmet do you prefer? (full face, 3/4, etc)
3) For those who have a passenger, what do you feel is the best way to communicate with them?
4) Rain gear?
5) Chaps or other protective gear?
Feel free to throw in any other pointers for the new touring guy.
Thanks!
1 - jeans.....its really easy to move my feet around on the boards or highway pegs to a position that blows air right up my pants legs....makes sweaty legs a none issue.
2 - half helmet - allows great airflow, doesnt limit my vision any and I can drink going down the road. I have a helmet with the snap on visor....and I also keep a snap on face shield. When it rains I can snap off the visor and put on the shield in less than a minute. I can ride in the half helmet with the shield in a torrential downpour just fine.
3 - turn my head and talk - on the Vision I can use a regular voice in most conditions and just talk to the passenger.....if its really windy or Im hauling proverbial ass then I might have to shout a bit....never needed anything else.
4 - rain gear - I but the nicer Coleman stuff at WalMart. They have the cheapy sets made of PVC or something....those will work but they tear pretty easy if you spend a week or so in the rain. They have "nicer" stuff made out of actual material (nylon ripstop I believe) - works great and IF you have a problem you can stop right at WalMart and get some more.
5 - chaps....work great in cold weather....but thats all I use them for. My legs are in a position on the bike that I dont feel I need anything more than jeans.....Ive got a Vision between me and everything else.
I rode for about 7 days in the southwest in August.....camped out the whole way. My advise for riding in the heat........*WHITE* long sleeve Underarmour (compression shirt). I buy the cheapy WalMart version - I think they are Starter brand. Im bad about remembering sunblock......the white shirt reflects the suns heat.....the sweat instantly dries off them......and it kills the windburn. I love them for riding in the heat. They are thin enough the wind blows right thru them.....great stuff.
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Tourer
Posts: 416
Prairie City, IA United States | Firejedi - 2012-04-13 3:59 PM
Do riders wear earplugs because of wind noise? I've never really thought about that as an issue. Thanks for the input so dar. Keep it coming.
Ear plugs are for the wind noise. A good site that has a lot of information about everything you are asking is http://www.webbikeworld.com |
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Tourer
Posts: 416
Prairie City, IA United States | I rode for about 7 days in the southwest in August.....camped out the whole way. My advise for riding in the heat........*WHITE* long sleeve Underarmour (compression shirt). I buy the cheapy WalMart version - I think they are Starter brand. Im bad about remembering sunblock......the white shirt reflects the suns heat.....the sweat instantly dries off them......and it kills the windburn. I love them for riding in the heat. They are thin enough the wind blows right thru them.....great stuff.
White is good but keep in mind hot dry air is still a dehydrator. A mesh jacket over the white is actually cooler. Drink un caffeinated non alcoholic beverages when riding it hot weather. Vitamin water "revive" is a great drink if you are starting to dehydrate. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 825
, WI | This years trip - Helmet - Shoei Neotec modular, full with internal sun shield Jacket - Olympia Airglide 3 Pants - Warmer weather - jeans. Cold weather - Firstgear HT over pants. Rain gear - Tour Master Sentinel jacket, Icon PDX pants, Nelson Rigg rain boot covers and Rain Off gloves Heated gear - Firstgear jacket liner and Firstgear gloves Gloves - 4 pair of riding gloves Boots -Danner boots with side zippers |
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Cruiser
Posts: 215
W'ford Tx | 1) Jeans always. If I could find a good pair of motorcycle jeans (have carbon fiber stitched into them) I'd buy them.
2) I have a blitz full face helmet that has a built in pair of sunglasses that can flip down to use and out of the way with one hand. The front also flips up and can convert to a 3/4. I love it, picked it up on sale for $99 and can use the sunglasses in the full and 3/4 positions.
3)I picked up this cheap little 2 way wired thing for $15 bucks at a local bike shop and couldn't be happier. Even has a place to plug in a cell phone or mp3 player. When it detects you talking between passengers it mutes the music. Alone during a phone call it won't ever mute.
4)I try not to ever get caught in the rain but the Vision seems to eat it up. A good set of leathers has always kept me somewhat dry. During a bad down pour I just pull over, cover the bike and wait it out.
5)A good set of chaps I think have been the best investment I've made. I do SOME chilly riding (30-40 degreese) I find having a leather jacket, gloves, my cut and a set of chaps along with the heated grips, seat and wind deflectors allows me to travel comfortably in those temperatures. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 249
Phenix City AL. | 3/4 fulmer helmet, jeans (my highway megs let air up my legs kinda like AC lol) mesh riding jacket or long sleave shirt, fishing shits work well, keeps the sun off, frogg toggs highway elite rain gear (cost but well woth it), gloves from home depot, $15.00 great summer gloves, talking to the passenger lol no, ear plugs no but I have a loud radio. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 215
W'ford Tx | I know it's a typo but fishing shits?!?!?!?!? Totally made me laugh. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | goat813 - 2012-04-15 5:00 PM I know it's a typo but fishing shits?!?!?!?!? Totally made me laugh. hatch?....naw, that wasn't a typo... |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 880
Orlando, FL | Just an Earplug FYI
Someone mentioned ear plugs for music. I don't know about other states, but in Florida, a headset for sound is illegal and might get you a nice fat ticket. But plain earplugs without sound are ok. Go figger!
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Riding gear
