Modern Vespa

The recent accident that involved one of the members of this forum raises the question about our protective gear.

Maybe we could give each other some good advice on that helmets, jackets, pants, gloves and spine protectors to get/uppgrade. The pro and cons of different brands.

Im sure there is a similar tread in the other M.V forums, but the bikes we ride look different and maybe our ger should be just as cool as our three wheelers.

I´ll go first:

Helmet:

I bought this helmet because it looks really cool and has the same futuristic look that my MP3 has. Im sad to say that this in my opinion is not a very good helmet.

It´s really noicy. In order to take it on and off I have to tilt the chin protection wich is locked with two buttons, very difficult with gloves on. The concept with the chin protector has the disadvantage that the helmet is´nt classified as a integral helmet but a jet helmet.The visor gets really foggy no mather what I do. And worst of all: The peripheral vision is next to zero, its like looking through a pair of swimming goggles.

Jacket:

I bought this yesterday and haven´t had the opportunity to ride in it yet. It´s a leather jacket with built in/removable elbow/shoulder and spine protection. It fits really nicely and and doesn´t look like a typical motor cycle jacket.

Gloves:

I use a couple of police riot gloves, they are nice because they are heavilly padded over the knuckles and fingers, the palm is just soft skin wich gives a nice grip

Over all im happy with my stuff but I relly need another helmet

I always ride with my "Joe Rocket" riding jacket with road armor installed. When spring comes I am going to get me a couple of pair of jeans with the kevlar reinforced impact areas.

I had a friend go down on a curve recently and it tore his knee open to the bone. If he had had kevlar reinforced jeans on, he wouldn't have even gotten road rash!! Lesson learned!

Okay, so I don't know if this is a "If I could get ANY helmet/gear I would get..." list or a "here's what I currently own" list....so I'll do both. As with all this stuff...just my opinion

Currently own:

Tourmaster Flex2 jacket - Has 3 removeable layers=one outer textile, waterproof layer, one mesh armored layer, and one inner winter layer.

Advantage= Super warm, and feel like a tank in it...very protective. Also, the ability to strip to the mesh only and still have armor is great during the winter.

Disadvantages - The armor ONLY fits the mesh, no possibility of slapping on the waterproof layer and armor. This means when it rains, I have to wear a large, thick jacket.

Helmet: Fulmer Modus helmet. On my second one...first one was stolen.
It's a nice lil modular helmet that fits my huge noggin well. Only issue is that the production value is a little cheap and several tiny brackets have had to be reglued on the hinges. Wouldn't buy another one.

Gloves- you'll likely need two pair. I've got a summer pair of Alpine Stars carbon fiber knuckles. Very cool in summer, but aren't waterproof.
Also have a pair of Corazzi winter style gloves. Very warm down to about 40 degrees or abouts. Don't hold up to extended rides in water, but okay for short jaunts when wet.

Boots- Icon Field Armor boots. Wouldn't trade them for the world- near indestructible pieces of Iron Man armor. They're a bit time consuming to put on..have the ski boot clips and straps, but once on, feel like a semi trailer could run over my feet and I'd be alright.

So if I could buy own anything:

Helmet: Close one between an Akuma Stealth and a Shoeei helmet. Anything with Shoeei on it is gonna be good protection. I also like Akumas simply for looks, weight, reviews, price and I'm a gadget nut(they have visors that change with sunlight automatically, inner map lights for reading, and reverse lights for visibility)

Jacket: Icon Daytona DMH(Dead Man's Hand) Jacket...I just love that jacket. Leather with great graphics and full armor built in. Unbelievable little details like an "ace up the sleeve" and a skeleton hand zipper jacket pull. Here's a link to a video review of it:
http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=1587
Another great stylish option to look into if you want more of a functional and scootery look is that Corazzo now has some new jackets that are armored, lightweight, scooter styled(Italian looking) AND THEY HAVE BUILT IN HEAT! These run around 3-400 bux, but considering the heat is already in, its comparable to buying separate.

Heated Tourmaster liner for inside the jacket for cold if I go with the Daytona jacket.

Gloves: Tourmaster just came out with heated carbon fiber gloves. That's like having a great protective glove that also heats. On my Xmas list.

Boots- Done..my Icon Field Armor boots are a great boot for scootering without goin hog wild for an Alpine star streetbike boot that looks/feels ridiculous on a scooter.

Well, hope that helps...that's my two cents worth.

Luthor, this tread is what ever we make out of it

But seriously: If you have something you can strongly recomend this is the place. If you have seen anything that you know for a fact is good-post it. Same goes for all the tons of crap that is available out there, warn others. The helmet I bought costs about 400 eur (600 usd) i payd half the price for it but I would have been most gratefull if somebody warned me before i spent my hard earned money on such crap.

Luthor: Your boots look great, I wonder if i can get them in europe, will have to check that out. I have a pair of Magnum classic when I ride.

The Icon Daytona DMH looks great. I prefer jackets that don´t look like mc jackets- but thats only my opinion. I love the Akuma Devil Dog. I would buy one but since I haven´t been a marine it feels a little silly to wear it- again thats just my opinion.

I have several gloves that I wear depending on weather and comfort - all have padding. Winter it's the Corazzo gauntlet gloves. I have an HJC Symax II helmet that I love even though it's a tad noisier than I'd like in a perfect world. I think al modular helmets will have some noise issues because of the hinge - but - no way around it as I wear glasses. My jacket is a Tourmaster mesh with waterproof and padded liners - I absolutely love it with zero complaints. Boots - some Harley Davidson boots I got from a Sears shoes store - they zip up the sides and are awesome boots.
For pants I confess I seldom wear anything except if going long distance on backroads I wear leather chaps. Id like to hear from someone about the Bohn "adventure pants". I think Jerry had a set of those at one time. Anyone else? It would be cool to hear from someone who's ass has been spared by their gear - then and only then is it evaluated from the proper perspective
One of my issues with gear is that I ride to get to a point B whereupon I will do stuff - like a couple of weeks ago I was clambering around rocks on the Pedernales river. Considering I was wearing my jacket (that damned body armor weighs in) my boots, jeans and toting my camera gear I understand why a couple of folks were looking at the geezer in astonishment as I was clambering across rocks 3 miles upstream. If they knew how much that jacket weighed they'd have *really* been surprised! I really wished I had a place to plop all that stuff but I had no room inside scooter with extra camera gear and stuff. I need some saddle bags for the jacket and stuff. I bought some lightweight shorts for changing out but I'd really like a good leg, thigh and butt protective solution. I remember from 30 years ago what going down in gravel feels like and I'd like to avoid that now with older bones.

Great thread! Here's my current gear list:

Shoei Multitech w/ Pinlock anti-fog visor


Aerostich shellaclava (winter)


Corazzo Speedway solid (winter), mesh (summer/spring)


Patagonia Retro-X jacket (winter - base layer)


Aerostitch 3-Season Vegan gloves (fall/winter)


Arctiva Mechanized 3 gloves (winter)


Oxford HotHands heated grip wraps (winter)


Aerostitch Hot Weather Vegan gloves (summer/spring)


Firstgear HT II overpants w/liner (winter) - w/o liner (summer/spring)


Sidi Escape boots


Of course, this list is every changing, but I think I'm finally getting there!

Thanks for the rewievs, could you post some pictures of your stuff?

Old spice: The Shoei helmet is great, I just love the matt black colour. The throusers are just in the same style that im looking for. Plain, black and discrete.

The summer jackets are a novelty for me, I have never seen them before, they look really cool and must be great for hot summer days. do yoo know if they come in just black?

I also have a couple of shellaclavas, thay are a great invention The ones I have costs about 13 USD, they are a cheaper brand but works just great.

Helmet: Nolan N102 N-Com
Modular, fits my head comfortably. Heavier and noisier than a regular full-face, but the flip-up is worth it to me. Has a ratchet-style chin strap (like ski boots), which works great. Well ventilated, easy to open with one gloved hand. Made to accept a proprietary Bluetooth headset, but I haven't tried it.
http://www.nolanhelmets.com/n103ncom.htm


Jacket: Tourmaster Intake Air 2
Fully armored and padded. Mesh, comes with zip-in liners for rain and cold. Order oversize. Light and comfortable for armored, and available in tall sizes!
http://www.tourmaster.com/xcart/catalog/Intake-Air-Series-2-Jacket-p-269_3.html


Pants: Tourmaster Venture Air
Same features as jacket above. They zip together in back, great if you ride in a forward lean, as on a crotch rocket.
http://www.tourmaster.com/xcart/catalog/Venture-Air-Pant-p-227_4.html


Boots: Tourmaster Solution WP
Ankle armor, good sole grip, side zipper with Velcro cover flap.
http://www.tourmaster.com/xcart/catalog/Solution-WP-Road-Boot-p-82_7.html


Summer gloves: Teknic Chicane short
Reasonably well-armored and -padded, cool.
http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Categories.bok?category=TEKNIC+APPAREL%3AGloves


Winter gloves: Cortech Scarab
Well-armored and -padded, warm. Good articulation. Soft and comfy inside. The wrist straps were always slipping through their buckles and can't be rethreaded with gloves on; I eventually cut them off. The Velcro gauntlet adjustment flap is nice, though.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/1/37/10299/ITEM/Cortech-Scarab-Winter-Gloves.aspx


Neck protector: EVS RC Evolution
My only squawk is that the strap buckles are lousy. I replaced the fronts with Vega Echo quick-release clips and the sternum with a common small two-piece belt-type clip.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/7/21/12837/ITEM/EVS-RC-Evolution-Race-Collar.aspx


http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/6/193/9933/ITEM/Vega-Echo-Quick-Release-Clips.aspx


Very satisfied with all of the above, though happily I haven't put any of it to the test yet.

Yeah, I really like my Multitech - fits me perfectly. I've only had the pants for a few weeks, but they definitely do the trick for blocking wind, with and without the liner.

The jackets are by Corazzo [url]www.corazzo.net[/url] Take a look. I little pricey, but I've owned three (2 Speedways and 1 5.0) and have been impressed with each one.

Agreed on the shellaclavas - a must have for blocking that pesky wind that sneaks up under the helmet!

Anyone managed to fit a large shoei multitec in the boot of an MP3 400? I love my helmet, but its a drag not to be able to pop it away in the boot when I get off.

Have you tried under the seat? The helmet fits in a peculiar way, but should fit. You have to lay it down on its left side and 'wrap' the neckhole over the evap canister as if it were "wearing" the helmet. This will cause it to lie in a way to let the seat close.

I was able to get my XL Multitech under the seat without much problem. Also, and I know this doesn't work as well on the 400, but it fit with plenty o' extra room in the Piaggio-branded Shad 42L topcase I had on the 500.

Question concerning motorcycle jackets: Are they suppose to have a little tighter fit than a ordinary jacket? I managed to fit my Helly Hansen sweater under the jacket but thats about it, cant afford to gain any weight around the waist

I gottem.

When it's too hot out for my 'Stich I wear Bohn pants and shirt underneath Levis and a light sweater. Sometimes I substitute a Draggin Jeans shirt for the sweater. The Bohn stuff seems OK to me, I've worn the set several thousand miles and it's held up pretty well. When you wear just the shirt without anything else over it you can get a really strange suntan due to the mesh pattern.

Overall I think it does what it's supposed to do, provide really good armor and position it where it's supposed to be located. One thing I think a lot of riders overlook is armor won't do you any good if it slides away from the area you want to protect. I've seen people with knee armor drooped down around their ankles. If you think your present gear is up to the job check to see if the armor stays in place or slides around if pushed.

To sum up, and this is just a personal evaluation, I'm confident the Bohn armor will do it's job if ever needed. It's not cheap but neither are skin grafts. On the negative side the damn pants don't have a fly! I called the company and crabbed about it. Their response was "We used to do that but it was too much trouble so we stopped." I can't add anything to that.

LL75

I heartily recommend browsing through webbikeworld as they have a lot clothing reviews. All they can do is give their opinion but given that they see a LOT of stuff they can pick up on small differences in quality that you or I would not. From there you can get an idea of what appeals to you in terms of style, price and functionality. Also recommend newenough.com as they have great pictures and the seller's comments are honest. This is the only seller I have seen say "This jacket is crap but we will sell it to you if you want".

As far as helmets go, more money gets you better style, finish, ventilation etc, not safety. The place I know that rates them based on safety is sharp.direct.gov.uk

With everything else I think you get what you pay for. More money = better safety & features.

And jackets are supposed to be as tight as you can manage. If you are sliding down the road loose fitting clothing will be more likely to cause you to tumble which could cause broken bones. You want to slide to a stop.

I wear the following protective gear:

Comments:

The jackets zip to the pants in back.

The gloves run one size small.

The Quattro is an excellent cold-weather jacket: highly waterproof, really good protection (with an easily added CE level 2 back protector), and an excellent thermal jacket/liner. The neck gaiter is easy zip on/off.

The High Flow II jacket offers decent protection (with an easily added CE level 2 back protector) and is very comfortable in hot weather.

The boots combine real protection, good fit, comfort, and look pretty good off the bike.

Most of my stuff.

I can get my Shoei Multitech into the boot with a lot of Shoving but it will leave marks on your helmet and it will be difficult to get the boot door open.

Under the seat is no issue. Place it on its side with the neck opening toward the exhaust pipe and the nose facing forward. It fits perfectly in that little depression with no room to spare.

Now if you can keep that little depression clear of spare tools, pens, paperwork, earplugs, books, extra gloves, groceries, and various other items then your a better man than I.

In this area, you really need two whole sets of gear - in winter the highs tend to be in the 30s or 40s, which is pretty chilly on a bike, and summer heat indexes are often above 100. So I have ended up with a good bit of crap. That and I like shopping . Not pictured I have a pair of Draggin jeans and leather chaps. The chaps look kind of ridiculous IMHO, but leather does SUCH a good job keeping the wind from freezing you. To that end I have Cortech mesh gloves for summer, regular leather gloves for shoulder seasons, and big ole thick padded gloves for winter

you really need these.

I was waiting for this picture to show back up! Nice.

Thanks Akrimonious, I shall try as you suggest. My little depression under the seat currently houses spare gloves, bungies, tire pressure guage, puncture repair kit, I think that's it! Have to find a new home for it all.

Everobody should own a pair. I could imageing my self riding in a pair of chaps, wearing nothing but above mentioned chaps

I really wish you guys had not posted this. It will take me a while to erase the picture from my mind.

I know what I'm mailing to Milledgeville for Xmas...

Here is a link to a review of my gear, with photos.

Review: CyclePort Air Mesh Jacket and Kevlar Pant

that darn pic just keeps comin back like the energizer bunny

Did I mention I like to shop? I just bought this jacket in black for my daughter and brown for me . Santa can bring one to the kiddo and my husband's Christmas shopping is done - all he has to do is wrap. Oh, and thanks for the mental images - you are absolutely correct OAD and Fuzzy - they just won't go away!

I just bought a new lid...







Looks great on any bike

I wrote up my gear set a while back - fewer pictures, but you can see me wearing most of it in my avatar, and there's plenty of pictures on the 'Net of the stuff in general. The reasons I went with the Aerostich gear I detailed in this thread (before I knew how to spell Aerostich correctly *cough*.

The one major substitution this winter - when I have an MP3 again - will be subtracting the Corazzo lap apron and adding the MP3-specific Termoscud. I've also bought two pairs of gloves, both from Fieldsheer: the Eskimos for winter and the Aqua Sports for every other season.

I admit, I have gear-lust for the Nolan N43 Air. Sadly, since they don't sell it on this side of the pond, I may make do with a Trilogy instead as my next helmet. Otherwise, until folks other than Aerostich make custom-fit gear, the 'stich will be my go-to gear. I don't have, nor do expect to ever find, actual armored motorcycle boots in a 13 Narrow or Extra-Narrow to protect my feet - but everything else is pretty well protected. If any of you have leads on where such footgear might be sold, I'm interested in hearing about it.

That's a nice lookin jacket.

Here's what I've tried...

Helmet

Arai Quantum 2 (medium)
Over priced helmet. I got rid of it because when I am bundled up the visor keeps fogging up even with all vents open. I can't crack the visor open because I wear contacts and the wind dries them out and they fall off. Also after two months of use, my head would still start hurting after a couple of hours. I have a bizarre head shape (reverse egg as described here: http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/motorcycle-helmet-faq.htm ). Quantum 2 is being continued so prices have dropped by about $100. Even with this discount, I still think its over priced.

Scorpion Exo 1000 (large)
Can't say enough good things about it. Loved it so much I bought another as a backup/passenger helmet. It comes with both an external visor and an internal sun shade visor which is way more convenient than swapping visors when the sun is out. BOTH external and internal visors are anti-fog and the anti-fog works amazingly well. I got a large to give my bizarre head shape more room at top. The helmet comes with adjustable cheek pads which pump up with air for custom fit so the helmet still fits me well. At over $150 less than the Arai Quantum 2, this helmet with all its state of the art features and priced under $300 is a tremendous value. Highly recommended.

Jacket

Tourmaster Transitions II (medium)
I like the look of this jacket but thought the armors could be better quality so I swapped them out for armors from BMW Motorrad collection. I really like the position of the pockets and their openings. I use to think it was a great value at $150. However, I think there're better jackets for the same value if you shop around for closeouts. Quality is subpar as the stitching is very sloppy and I can already see some areas fraying after owning it for just a coupleof months. Neck is loose and short so allows much cold air in on cold days. Overall, it's an average 3 season jacket with waterproof lining and full inner insulation liner.

Fieldsheer Adventure (medium)
Like the look and design of this jacket even better than the Transitions II. The waist adjustment actually adjusts down to my 28in waist which is a rarity so I love the fit. Stitching quality is much, much, much better than Tourmaster. Has inner insulation liner that can be worn as a separate jacket. Also has a wind flap which negates the need for neck gaiter. Can't say enough good things about it. Just got it last week on closeout for $150 at http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com/hot+deals/rustys+favorites/fieldsheer_adventure+jacket . Tremendous value at $150 and much better deal than the Transitions II as everything on this jacket is just better quality and workmanship. Better protection also since it's 1000 denier vs. the Transitions II 600 denier and has extra external padding also Highly recommended.

Pants
Tourmaster Calibur (small)
Nice, roomy fit, full length side zipper, and removable insulation liner makes it a great 3 season cover pants. Again, stitching and workmanship is poor like other Tourmaster products. Came new with stitching unattached in some areas. Stitching has come loose at the crotch area after just a couple of months of use. Again, armor could be better so I swapped out with ones from BMW Motorrad collection. After my experience with these pants the the Tourmaster Transitions II, I've decided never to buy Tourmaster again.

Fieldsheer Adventure
High quality and workmanship of Fieldsheer. Has removable inner liner which can be worn on its own. Has only a 12 inch side zip at pants bottom. That along with the slim cut legs make these less ideal as cover pants. Looks like sizing may run small in the legs but accurate for waist. If you can fit into a small it's an excellent value at closeout price of $99 (http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com/sport/textile+motorcycle+jackets/fieldsheer_adventure+pants ) Again, 1000 denier vs the Tourmaster Calibur's 600 denier. Even at regular retail price, it's not much more the Tourmaster Calibur and the extra cost is definitely worth it considering the much better quality.

Gloves

Alpinestar SP2
Not cheap but feels great and high quality summer gloves.

Cortech Scarab
Reasonably priced winter gloves that are waterproof and have armor. Not overly bulky but don't think they will be good for temp below 40.


Boots

Tourmaster Solutions Boots
Reasonably priced but suffers from typically Tourmaster quality. One boot felt fine while the other's ankle protection dug into my ankle. The defect was so uncomfortable, I had to return it. Both boots were very hard to get out off.

Alpinestar Web Gortex Boots
Very comfortable, water proof, keeps my feet warm during the winter, easier to get on and off. I really like these boots. At over $200, they were not cheap but I have no regrets and no complaints after 2 months of daily use.

http://www.sixsixone.com/Catalog_661Bike.aspx?id=0fdd50d8-d196-443f-b66a-39c0ad866fd7

The Core Saver, great piece to have. Also keeps you very warm.

http://www.leatherup.com/p/Mens-Leather-Vests/Xelement-Unisex-Tri-Tex-Fabric-Black-and-Orange-Motorcycle-Vest-with-Reflective-Bands/71527.html

If you don't know this web site, get to know it. Great deals.

Alan

now a happy bunny. helmet snug under seat just as you describe.

Leather-up is a fantastic place to order from! Fantastic prices and super-quick shipping

I wished they had the electric green vest when I purchased my orange one, but my orange one gets use every time I go out. Having it cost 1/2 the price I saw any where else was great too!

OH SURE....thank akrimonius!

I don't agree.

I don't find it noisy, on the contrary in fact.

The buttons for opening it are a bit difficult in the beginning, but I manage it even with winter gloves.

My visor only gets foggy when it's raining heavily or when it's really cold in the mornings, before it adjusts. Wasn't like this in the beginning, and since it should be fog-free I suppose it needs a cleaning... However, any helmet gets fogged up.

Peripheral vision is not a problem, but the vision downwards is extremely bad. You have to tilt your head forwards to se the instruments. Ok, now when the speedo cable is broken it doesn't matter any more, but anyway.

When it comes to the classification it couldn't bother me less, it's just a sticker on the back of the helmet. More interesting is that it is approved and that it scored high in the full face helmet test done in britain not to far ago (with the only negative comment that the flip section could knock open, but I suppose that's valid for any flip face helmet...

I'm extremely happy with mine in fact, with the biggest minus being that it misses a safety ring for locking it on the scooter.

Especially on mine, even if I'm not found of the tribal decorations:

LOL - doesn't take you guys long to degenerate a conversation...