Textiles & boots recommendation & sizes

BennyC

BennyC

BennyC

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Joined
25 Sep 2006
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It would appear the riding school I plan to do my CBT/DAS with will provide a bike and a helmet but nothing else. They suggest wearing suitable shoes/boots, at least some jeans and a decent jacket. By this I guess they don't mean some timberlands/catepillars, g-stars and a casual jacket :p

I've had a browse of sportsbikeshop and totalled up everything I would need:

Boots,
Jeans,
Jacket,
Gloves,
Lid,
Various extra bits of armour (depending on how good or bad the textiles are)
and a few other bits and peices. Totalling just over 900 notes.

Obviously I don't need it all now so was thinking of getting boots, jeans and a jacket and using the schools lid rather than wrecking my own should I come off.

Boots:

http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/66630#reviews

These caught my eye being waterproof and sounding quite solid from the description as well as looking decent.

Jacket:

http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/66036

Again similar reasons above, I think this is waterproof? Not that I plan on riding in the rian much but should I ever get caught out.

Jeans:

http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/51145

As above, good reviews, waterproof and reasonably priced.

Thoughts/experience on RST gear for a total novice to MC branding would be appreciated :)

I don't want to splash out on leathers just yet as I think it's a bit overkill for me right now.

As for the sizing:

Do boots come up small? I'm wearing a 45 pump/plimpsol at the moment.

I'm 5ft 10, have a 34" waist and a 46" chest and thighs coming in around 26" and arms at 16", so I'm not particularly small and train regularly. My backs quite large and I wouldn't want the jacket to restrict movement.

As for the trousers, do they tend to be a snug fit? as I'm thinking a 36" would be a better option, to give me room for my legs and then to adjust them at the top to fit, providing all the armour stays in the right places.

In regards to back protectors does anybody wear them along with the armour provided in any textiles/leathers? and also with hip/elbow/knee armour? or do you remove it from the jackets/jeans and just wear your own armour.

I will try to get to a local store to try some stuff on and see for myself as this is the best bet however I was curious if anybody is familiar with RST gear and their sizing.

Sorry for 101 questions!

BennyC
 
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BennyC said:
Thoughts/experience on RST gear for a total novice to MC branding would be appreciated :)
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I wear the jacket in question. I've had no problems with it. I'd suggest getting the trousers that go with it because as well as the additional protection, you can zip them and the jacket together.
 
Morbius said:
I wear the jacket in question. I've had no problems with it. I'd suggest getting the trousers that go with it because as well as the additional protection, you can zip them and the jacket together.
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Thanks,

What are your thoughts on the armour placement and it's stability? Does it sit in the right place? has it held up well in any spills you've had (if any).

I'm a little concerned buying the larger size trousers will leave me with extra length on the legs and knee armour down by my ankles!
 
BennyC said:
Thanks,

What are your thoughts on the armour placement and it's stability? Does it sit in the right place? has it held up well in any spills you've had (if any).

I'm a little concerned buying the larger size trousers will leave me with extra length on the legs and knee armour down by my ankles!
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The armour sits fine. But the best thing to do would be to go to a dealer and try one on. With the trousers, the knee armour does sit a bit low whilst you are standing, but you bend your knees when you're on the bike and that forces it into the right place.

I've not had any spills so I can't really comment on the armour quality.
 
I had RST gear when I first started. If I were you I'd go for a Large or XL Jacket, but the trousers come up fairly big anyway so a large should do you. I wouldn't buy the boots - mine fell to bits.
I've actually still got the jacket and trousers but don't use it anymore, so if you want it cheap, fire me an email off. The stuff i had was RST Rift. :)
 
Barry Smalley said:
I had RST gear when I first started. If I were you I'd go for a Large or XL Jacket, but the trousers come up fairly big anyway so a large should do you.
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Ta, I have plenty of 'badunkadunk' thanks to plenty of squatting so hopefully I won't rip the ass out of them!

I wouldn't buy the boots - mine fell to bits.
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bloodiedathame said:
Boots: Aplinestars SMX5. The only choice you don't need to make.
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Amps said:
The toe fell off 2 pairs of my Alpinestars SMX5 (Waterproof) boots so would avoid.
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Conflicting much :p

I've actually still got the jacket and trousers but don't use it anymore, so if you want it cheap, fire me an email off. The stuff i had was RST Rift. :)
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I may well do in the next few months depending on how things are going and what size etc they are.
 
Popped in to J&S in Watford today to generally have a browse around and figure out my sizes etc.

34" RST jeans looked like skinny jeans :rolleyes: I couldn't bend my legs in them without chopping off blood supply to my knees! So it'll be 36" which have enough room to fit 2 fists down the front of! My mothers a seamstress so she might be able to work some magic on the waistband. The knee armour I have a feeling due to the length of the jeans won't quite sit right when on a bike and think that separate knee armour is probably a better bet for me. They have elastic on the crotch which made them quite comfortable.

The jacket needed to be a 48 which allowed a bit of room for movement and would allow room for a back protector etc.

The model was 'Rift' (or 'Stunt' Can't remember which) the two zipped together which pulled everything nicely in to place.

Boots seemed fine as did a Shoei Quest.

I didn't buy anything today as it's a bit premature but it was good to try it all on.

We also stopped by a Kawasaki/Honda dealer which I had a little sit on a 09 ZX6R which left me with some pant twitching. Do want!

Edit: A not so friendly fellow shopper passed by as I was having a sit/fiddle and said 'You'll be dead within a week'. Charming, I'm more scared of the bloody things than I am excited to ride them!
 
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BennyC said:
So it'll be 36" which have enough room to fit 2 fists down the front of!
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That's ok though for textiles. Did you try them with other clothes on underneath? I've got a couple of pairs of textiles, one which I wear alone, and one which I wear over jeans.

If I'm honest I never wear the pair that 'fit', I wear the massive pair over jeans when it's bucketing down with rain. All the rest of the time I wear my leather trousers, or draggin' jeans around town.

I've just never really found a pair of textiles that I find fit really well. If they're the right length when my legs are bent on the bike, then they're like clown pants off it. If they fit when I'm standing up, my ankles end up naked when I bend my legs.

Personally I wear leather bottoms and textile jacket, because I sort of feel the same way about leather jackets that I do about textile trousers... leather jackets for me, I've always struggled to find one that feels... right. Tight around the elbows, or too baggy, and so on.

I reckon at least try some leather bottoms. They're a little stiff at first, but I've got one pair of leather bottoms, that were £200, and if I'm not wearing my draggins, I'm wearing my leathers, and tbh I'll only wear the draggins if I know there will be lots of walking about inbetween the riding. My leathers are so comfy it's absurd. Love them to pieces. My two pairs of textile bottoms sit unworn in the cupboard.

Very rarely wear my leather jacket though. Not as comfy as textile imo.

As for boots... I find it's just down to what'll actually fit on my feet, just like with helmets and fit. Because bike boots are pretty rigid around the foot, boots either fit me or resolutely don't. I've tried on a few pairs of Sidis and Alpinestars and none were really comfy, but TCX fit me lovely, so that's what I'm wearing at the moment.
 
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PardonTheWait said:
Snip
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Thanks for that.

The 'Rift' combo was leather, I forgot to mention. I didn't have anything on underneath just my boxers. They felt pretty comfy though.

I tried a textile jacket on and it felt completely different, much lighter and a bit easier to move in though I wasn't finding a leather jacket any more difficult to move in and think I'll feel a bit safer wearing one.

I'm going to pop back this weekend so will get the advice of some staff :cool:
 
Have you had leathers or textiles on then? Leathers are supposed to be tight and you should really try them then sit on a bike to see if the armour locates properly. Apart from from the obvious abrasion protection loose leathers are pointless and could do you more harm than good if you come off and the armour's in the wrong place.
 
They were leathers. The armour on the jacket was fine, covered my shoulders & elbows perfectly. The armour in the trousers seemed like it might be a little low though I had no bike to sit on but when putting myself in the position it did cover the right places too, perhaps a little low on the knees which I'd have to get seperate knee armour for if this is the case. They were no means baggy around the legs but were around the waist which is going to happen due to the size of my legs.
 
BennyC said:
They were leathers. The armour on the jacket was fine, covered my shoulders & elbows perfectly. The armour in the trousers seemed like it might be a little low though I had no bike to sit on but when putting myself in the position it did cover the right places too, perhaps a little low on the knees which I'd have to get seperate knee armour for if this is the case. They were no means baggy around the legs but were around the waist which is going to happen due to the size of my legs.
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Might sound an odd question but did you try the leathers on with boots?

If I take my boots off and wander around when I get home, my armour slips below the knees. Same thing happens if I walk around in my leathers and boots with the leathers over the boots and not inside them. Doesn't happen on the bike though, once your legs are bent they most likely won't go anywhere
 
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