Transitioning from street to dualsport, need clothing recommendations

[Andy 0]

Hi all,

What's a good jacket/glove/boots combination to pick up? I inagine I won't be doing full-on adventure trips just yet since I've got zero dualsport experience and need to spend a good amount of time buzzing along mild dirt roads and open fields to get my bearings on the new bike (previous experience is in crotch rockets), but I do need ideas on proper clothing. Obviously my head-to-toe leather stuff won't work too well once it's thoroughly covered in dirt, mud and grime.

I currently have the following that I'm thinking I can continue using while I learn:

Arai Quantum2 helmet (probably won't work too well with goggles, but possibly good for learning?)

Sidi track boots (they zip up the calf to protect all of the lower leg)

MotoGP leather gauntlet gloves (not well insulated, but plenty of hand protection)

What's a good jacket to get? Also, are jeans safe attire for the mild riding I'll be doing while I learn? Are there pads and/or padded gear that's good for a learner? Am I overthinking the whole thing? Not thinking enough? Thanks guys

[bikeslut 1]

You will prefer pants with hip protection, and add knee protection also. The pants themselves are not that big a deal (I mean; you need SOME) as long as they accomodate your safety gear, and are comfortable enough with boots on...

We have gone through this before... let me try to find a link... be aware... for my first 25 years, I got by with work boots, leather jacket, jeans and cheap mountain bike armor... boots, gloves and helmets are must haves

let me tell you what I have now: I have 3 jackets... I mid length light weight denier jacket, a short denier jacket with removable sleeves, and a heavier joe Rocket jacket with soft armor, and removable liner... lots of non-winter rides, I just end up with a jersey, elbow pads, chest protector and hydrating vest. for pants, I have a few different thicknesses... some over boot, and some tuck in, plus the matching joe Rocket pants that zip to the jacket. Two pairs of moto boots (most road boots are too short to protect the shin; i got the scars to prove it... I have a sturdier pair, and the "hiking" pair.

You are fine with what you have now, but you should look in to some armor for knees, shins, elbows and chest. A full face helmet is fine, but I find them a little bulkier for most off road riding. Leather road race gloves lack feel for me, and moto-gloves are fairly protective... My 35 mph biff on hardpack fire road only wore through the gloves in two places

show up on a ride, and see what people are wearing... some of the guys are more fashionable than others (rhymes with nake fame)

[Strega 0]

Well, like street bike riding, I'm sure most everyone here agrees with the ATGATT philosophy.

I can list what I wear when I ride, so you can get an idea. I've purchased a TON of gear, most of which I don't wear anymore, trial and error process with a lot of it to get what fits YOU the best. I have found that the below items work the best for me.

• Helmet:

Thor Force
Chest Protector: Fox Air Frame
Backpack: Ogio Flight Vest
Elbow Guards: Six Six One <- - Just go to a store and try a bunch on, everyone's arm is different
Knee Guards: Six Six One 'Ricochet'
Pants: Shift Havoc Pants
Socks: Answer Racing < - - - - soooooooo comfty
Boots: Apline Stars Tech 3
Other Boots to check out: Tech 8's, Tech 9's, Gaerne SG 10's/12's. You wanna spend good money in my opinion. Broke my foot with crappy boots last Nov.

Some guys opt in on the LEATT Brace for neck/spine protection, you can't go wrong there. Gear isn't cheap as you know, but once you have it all, most of it doesn't deteriorate that quickly and you will use it for a long time. I figure I'm worth about $1400 in gear before I even get on the bike, which includes tools I'm carry'n. Then add on the Radio, Helmet Kit, etc.

Hope this helps a bit.

[Zenosan 2]

. for my first 25 years, I got by with work boots, leather jacket, jeans and cheap mountain bike armor...

This is still pretty much what I wear now, but I am over 65 and my hot dog days are over. I go for comfort and enjoyment but I don't take the chances I used to take. Most of the time I am enjoying the scenery and looking for a good place to hike and rock climb. I usually wear hiking boots, jeans, enduro jacket and helmet. If you are going to get rowdy go with the full compliment of gear.

Don

[Andy 0]

Thanks for the quick replies. I definitely do understand that owning the proper gear gets quite pricey, and I intend to rack up the proper gear as I go. I didn't end up with my full compliment of road race stuff all at once, and as said above, with all my racetrack attire on I'm wearing about $1300 and that's only the asphalt protection stuff, one does not typically have time to drink from a camelback or talk on a radio while dipping into a turn at 120+ Anyway, I'll check out the local CycleGear today and see what's there. I think my first priorities will be the armor and a dirt-worthy jacket since my learning curve will likely incorporate a lot of involuntary vehicular separation. I'm still young (and stupid) and resilient at 28, but that doesn't mean I need to accelerate my wear pattern if I can avoid it

[socalhodaka 104]

Andy did you get my PM? Thanks Kelly

[paulmbowers 236]

My two most used pieces of gear are my Tech 8 boots and my Dianese Safety Jacket armor. Oh, and gloves. I guess that's three, unless you count the boots as two, in which case that's four.

Can't recommend them enough. First thing you'll notice about coming from street to the dirt is the amount of time you spend crashing. Please protect yourself.

[RogerTOWM 0]

I think I should have the name “fall down and go boom”. I found that I fall.... I fall a lot. But because I do wear ATGATT I’ve kept down some of my injures. I sincerely believe that my chest protector saved me from a broken sternum and worse. I had a pretty good get off and ended up with some pain and bruises but no broken bones.

I run with motocross boots. I use to wear a cheap pair of moto boots and ended up with a broken toe. So now it’s good boots for me. Of course I don’t know if it was cheap boots or the fact that my name is Roger. It appears all the Rogers here break their feet. Your middle name isn’t Roger is it?

I also strongly encourage shoulder, elbow and knee pads as well as motocross gloves. A rip proof shirt (Jersey) will do for the summer instead of a jacket.

You could wear your leathers, but it might be better to sell them and use the money for the other protection.

A full face helmet works fine but can get very hot. Jeans are fine as long as you wear your knee pads. Moto pants will be rip resistant and have hip protection and you can be stylish like fakey.

[paulmbowers 236]

Ya know, I think this is what they call a motorcycle!

Really? Ain't they sposed ta roll on ther wheeels?

I guess this is wunna dem new kinds.

Well you shuure look funni in that get-up. You lobster-man er summin?

You aint from 'round here isya?

[Zenosan 2]

Ya know, I think this is what they call a motorcycle!

Really? Ain't they sposed ta roll on ther wheeels?

I guess this is wunna dem new kinds.

Well you shuure look funni in that get-up. You lobster-man er summin?

You aint from 'round here isya?

I gave up falling down when I ride, it can hurt. I let the young guys do stuff like that. :-)

Don

[RogerTOWM 0]

Ya know, I think this is what they call a motorcycle!

Really? Ain't they sposed ta roll on ther wheeels?

I guess this is wunna dem new kinds.

Well you shuure look funni in that get-up. You lobster-man er summin?

You aint from 'round here isya?

I gave up falling down when I ride, it can hurt. I let the young guys do stuff like that. :-)

Don

I don't think the 50 year old lobsterman was a wanting to fall. See the rock to the left of the bike. It's big and hard.

I forgot to mention my body armor had spine protection too. Not too pricey and well worth it.

[paulmbowers 236]

Ya know, I think this is what they call a motorcycle!

Really? Ain't they sposed ta roll on ther wheeels?

I guess this is wunna dem new kinds.

Well you shuure look funni in that get-up. You lobster-man er summin?

You aint from 'round here isya?

I gave up falling down when I ride, it can hurt. I let the young guys do stuff like that. :-)

Don

Yup. And it knocks my sextant out of alignment, too.

[Andy 0]

Wow, I shoulda got a Kawi cuz they can go upside down

Will my roadrace type spine protector (it's a Dianese with the hinged tailbone piece) work for dirt riding? It was a rather pricey piece, would be good if i could carry it over. Kelly, I did get your PM, I'm in the market to get gear sooner than later so I can start learning safely. No need to jump into it without proper gear and end up breaking myself all to pieces and being unable to ride for the rest of the year!

p.s. - what is ATGATT? Is it "all the gear all the time?"

[Zenosan 2]

Wow, I shoulda got a Kawi cuz they can go upside down

Will my roadrace type spine protector (it's a Dianese with the hinged tailbone piece) work for dirt riding? It was a rather pricey piece, would be good if i could carry it over. Kelly, I did get your PM, I'm in the market to get gear sooner than later so I can start learning safely. No need to jump into it without proper gear and end up breaking myself all to pieces and being unable to ride for the rest of the year!

p.s. - what is ATGATT? Is it "all the gear all the time?"

Yes but that is for the do as I say not as I do crowd like me. I have seen plenty of guys like myself subscribe to "STGSTT"

some of the gear some of the time. Depends on what kind of riding you will be doing, be realistic.

[paulmbowers 236]

Yes- all the gear all the time.

The back protector will work, but it's not secured under off-road gear as much as it is under leathers. And while you may believe leathers were hot to wear, wait until you have to wrestle your fallen mount out of a gully in the summertime. You'll be wanting loosely fitting well-ventilated gear.

For me, the back protector is important, but also all the rest of the protection the Safety Jacket provides- elbows, forearms, shoulders and sternum. I took a full hit to my sternum plate a few months ago that would have been serious if I were unprotected.

Most street gear protection is abrasion related, but most dirt bike stuff is impact protection.

I wouldn't start riding dualsport without a bike, and I wouldn't start riding without a full set of gear, either. To me, it's all part of the equation, I need to have the full package, even if it means postponing my entry to the sport.

p

[Beezzz 6]

Buy all the protection you can afford. One trip to the medics and missed work will make it realistically "sssssoooooooooooo" cheap!

Also, it's the difference of getting right up and riding or going home and limping.

You will crash in unique, unimaginable ways. At least I do after 35 years of riding dirt.

I rode 25 years without good gear. Now, I have it and enjoy my ride days even more.

Buy hand guards for your handle bars. Any type. They are grrrreeeaaattt! They will save your levers and broken hands.

Beezzz

[Andy 0]

Already got recommendations for bar protectors; a coworker is an avid dualsporter with years of experience, he recommends the Maier units and another brand I can't remember. I'll ask again.

I won't be going cheap on gear, don't worry about that. I'm just looking to prioritize the various levels of gear that I'll need to get as I gain experience. For example, I see msyelf needing to invest in the impact protection and bike protection first while I learn (and flounder), and later down the road I'll start to add on the long distance goodies and all-weather outer layers and associated stuff that will let me expand my riding. I cringe every time I see the squids riding their sportbikes aggressively without protective gear, I understand the value of not riding home in an ambulance or missing a day of work cuz I'm in the ICU with casts and medications.

Thanks for all the feedback, guys, this is great. Can't wait to meet yall so you can watch me fall down in person

[paulmbowers 236]

Let us know how we can help, and welcome!

[Andy 0]

http://offroad.parts-unlimited.com/33/102/6286484

is this a good upper body protection setup? In case the link doesn't work, it's the SixSixOne Defender 2.5 armor setup.

[paulmbowers 236]

Nothing wrong with that, but I fall too hard and too often, and I need more protection. This is the current version of the protection I use and highly recommend click here

It costs so much it's painful, but nothing like the pain from which it's saved me. Look at the back protector- it covers the coccyx. Very important to cover your coccyx.

Another attractive option is the Koerta- I think Strega wears that one. But we won't be hearing much from the rest of the crew this weekend- everyone else is at the desert dash.

p

EDIT: Here's something very similar from 661 that's less than half the price of the Dianese.

[jbw 0]

I like my Thor Impact Rig SE

if you get it buy the 2009 model, they had a zipper problem with the earlier ones

It does not cover the coccyx though.

Josh

[ozzy 0]

I don't know if anybody has told you about this site but I get alot from here -handguards-tires-pants-gloves pretty much everthing I need just ask my wife

http://www.rockymountainatv.com/home.do;js...95B66.westring1

[RogerTOWM 0]

Andy the lobsterman in the photo is wearing and older model Thor Impact rig. That is what saved him from more serious injury. It comes with back protection, shoulder and elbow protection, kidney belt, and chest protector. I like this type of chest protector because the suit zips up the side of the front instead of directly in the center. I feel that zipping up the side is stronger protection. And yes on the older models the zippers on some parts could come loose. I don’t unzip those pieces so I sewed the zippers closed.

All that being said Fakey’s rig is very good protection as well. The nice thing about these suits is that they breathe well and keep all the protection in the right position. The pads don’t shift around much. They may seem pricey but you don’t have to buy individual pads. They are well worth the cost; rocky mountain can have some very good prices.

One last hint. Kawees don’t roll well when they are upside down.

[paulmbowers 236]

One last hint. Kawees don’t roll well when they are upside down.

Once again reinforcing the superiority of the Austrian made KTM.

[Andy 0]

Fakename, that Dianese setup is schweeeeet. My roadrace back protector is Dianese, and actually it looks nearly identical to the one in that picture, and mine also has the hinged piece that covers the coccyx. Can't be buzzing around with my coccyx hangin' in the breeze, now can I? As said before, I understand getting what you pay for, so I'll hunt around for good prices on the Dianese stuff. It's funny that the link you sent is from a mountain bike place - I always use to pick on my buddy at work who's a mountain biker cuz I'd hurl myself around Willow Springs at ludicrous speeds on my R6 and come home without a scratch while he'd be getting beat to a pulp going 30-35mph on his mountain bike I guess if it'll put up wth mountain bike abuse it'll keep me safe on my XR.

Any recommendations on lower body stuff? A coworker (the same one who recommended the Maier aluminum handguards) says O'Niell boots are good stuff, not super expensive and they do their job well. I imagine I'll want some shorts with hip pads along with the shin/knee stuff?

Thanks for all the help on this stuff, guys