Gear checklist & budget

Diddums

Diddums

Diddums

Caporegime
Joined
24 Oct 2012
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Godalming
Getting closer to being able to buy the lot, so need to start putting a budget together. Keep in mind that this is for a little 125 so I'm not exactly going to need full leathers :p

Here's what I've got (prices are simply guesstimates, so feel free to tell me I'm wrong):

Disc lock: £35
Chain lock & chain: £150
Topbox & rack: £110
Helmet: £150
Gloves: £50
Textiles: £200
Bike: £1500-£2000

Then obviously insurance and tax. Can you guys think of anything else? If I can do it cheaper that'd be great and if I need to spend a bit more that's fine too.

Any ideas? ta :)
 
Boots £150 for something decent and gore tex, or less if you don't need gore tex.

Will you be commuting or just pootling about when the weather is good? That'll make a massive difference to the cost and quality of kit needed.
 
I'll be commuting, she'll be pootling on good weather days. Forgot about boots, gonna have a look now. Cheers :)
 
I wouldn't spend less than £100 on a pair of boots

Edit: I've had a set of Spada boots for a year now and they are starting to show signs of needing to be replaced. They have been subject to all weather riding at least 5 days a week though
 
Diddums said:
Getting closer to being able to buy the lot, so need to start putting a budget together. Keep in mind that this is for a little 125 so I'm not exactly going to need full leathers :p

Here's what I've got (prices are simply guesstimates, so feel free to tell me I'm wrong):

Disc lock: £35
Chain lock & chain: £150
Topbox & rack: £110
Helmet: £150
Gloves: £50
Textiles: £200
Bike: £1500-£2000

Then obviously insurance and tax. Can you guys think of anything else? If I can do it cheaper that'd be great and if I need to spend a bit more that's fine too.

Any ideas? ta :)
Click to expand...

As above, I'd spend more on boots. My first boots were £100, lasted 18 months. For some reason, I didn't learn and bought another £100 pair after that which lasted just over a year. This time I spent £360 on some Daytona Strives. Only had them about a month so can't really comment on wear but Daytonas are known for lasting a while (and these can be resoled).

Gloves - £50 will be OK for summer gloves. If you're riding through winter more than about 20 mins, you'll want some higher quality ones that'll keep you warm.

Textiles - that's pretty cheap for top and bottom, but will get you by I suppose. You'll probably end up getting better ones if you keep biking and commuting up.

Topbox & rack - bear in mind, these will probably only fit on one bike, so when you replace your 125 you'll have to buy again. I'd recommend a backpack (Kriega R30 - fully waterproof and will last you a lifetime).

It's difficult really as you can't tell if you'll keep it up. If you're going to keep it up for years, then just splash out now on everything and buy once. If you're not 100% sure that you'll keep up biking for years to come, then you can get away with even cheaper stuff than in your list.
 
I'll be sticking with it 100%, there's absolutely no chance I'll give it up. For me it's a permanent thing for many reasons, the biggest two being that I love riding and I have grown such a strong hatred for TFL that putting any money in their pockets burns my soul.

Anyway, happy place again. For her it's very much experimental at this point, she loved doing her CBT and I think she'll take to riding like a boss but I can't say for sure, so I'll be getting her cheaper stuff until I know she's going to commit.
 
Oh, thought it was for you.

Your pricing is pretty accurate in that case - I'd still say go for a backpack instead though. Even if it's just something cheap with a waterproof bag inside. For boots, if you're going to go cheap, then go really cheap. You can get some pretty decent ones for around £70. They won't last more than a year or so (depending on weather, amount of riding etc.), but they're protective and waterproof.

Something like these: https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/191597

Helmet can be cheaper. Just check the SHARP rating. You can get 5* for closer to £50.

Gloves can also be cheaper. My £20 gloves back from my 125 days were actually quite impressive for warmth. Similar to: https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/16228.
 
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Don't touch Richa Zenith boots, they're around the £70 mark and "waterproof". Mine started to fall to bits pretty quickly and were waterproof for roughly the first week.
 
Cheers guys. I'm buying for both of us, hence why I need to try keep things economical. Those gloves look great and affordable, I'll grab two pairs of those for sure. The boots looks great too but sadly not in her size so I'll carry on looking.
 
Diddums said:
Getting closer to being able to buy the lot, so need to start putting a budget together. Keep in mind that this is for a little 125 so I'm not exactly going to need full leathers
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Not racetrack quality leathers, no... but even at low speeds you can still have quite a serious off, especially if other vehicles are involved. There was a well-known instructor around the Essex area who lost his leg when he came off at 15mph on a 125. He was his own best example to students, with the false leg and Klicktronic gear changer.
 
Bought my first bit of kit today, an HJC IS-17 helmet in black and orange. Looked at loads of other kit but nothing really grabbed me or was way too expensive for my needs.
 
Not bad for £125 :)

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5 star SHARP, plenty of ventilation, removable interior, sun visor, pinlock, and very comfy. Orange because I'm Dutch and I like it.
 
benji182 said:
XXL ?

You tried this on in store and had it checked for fit yes?
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Yes sir, it's why I didn't want to order one online. As for the size, I was quite surprised actually as my head isn't *that* big, it just seems that their sizes are a bit smaller than some other ones I tried on (AGV and Shoei were both XL for example).
 
Diddums said:
Yes sir, it's why I didn't want to order one online. As for the size, I was quite surprised actually as my head isn't *that* big, it just seems that their sizes are a bit smaller than some other ones I tried on (AGV and Shoei were both XL for example).
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You'll find in 6 months time it'll be too big as the helmet will take the shape of your head.
 
Perhaps. Dunno. I tried it on again yesterday and it definitely feels right. That said, I have a bit of an odd head (inside and out) so maybe it's that. Dunno.


If it loses shape I'll probably spend a bit more and get something much more reputable.
 
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