Clothing

[Spyderfitz]

We need some good riding clothes. Suggestions are appreciations. We went looking yesterday and there are so many kinds. Where a good location? Spyderfest is almost here and we are getting frantic. That's what happens when winter won't quit. We would like finish clothes shopping by Wednesday. Mike&suzette

[SPYD1]

That's a tough one. I really think you should find a place where you can try them on as manufactures sizes fit differently. You may have a drive ahead of you but find someplace that stocks aftermarket products or you will pay more. How about the Twin Cities? You are right, you have time restrictions. I lie the Speed and Strength for jackets and Tourmasters for pants. Te Can Am boots thru Honda East, one of our sponsors, has the best price. Have them sent overnight. For rain gear I use Frogg Toggs. Good luck.

[2NFrnt]

Try http://www.motorcyclegear.com/ they even have a "closet" for slightly used apparel.....

[ornerydog7]

Check with BajaRon site sponsor. Carries good quality stuff, great pricing and super fast shipping.

[daveinva]

You have a crazy variety of gear to choose from.

My rule of thumb is comfort and protection are equally important, style and price are secondary. Alas, that's left me with some ugly and expensive gear over the years .

These are just some basic considerations when gear shopping:

-- You're on a Spyder, not a sportbike. Which means clothing cut for cruiser or touring wear will generally "fit" better sitting on a Spyder then clothing optimized for the sport rider.
-- Leather is generally the most protective, and often best looking, both on and off the bike. Textile is generally less protective but usually more versatile and comfortable.
-- Leather varies widely in quality and thickness (thick = protection). Cheap-o Pakistani discount leather is affordable, but usually doesn't last long, and may not hold up in an accident. Expensive European or American leather will last for decades if treated well.
-- One hot summer and you'll appreciate mesh gear like an oasis in the desert. While I'm sure some are fortunate enough to save money and closet space with just one "year round" jacket, I've never been so lucky. Perforated leather isn't as cool as mesh, but far more protective (albeit more expensive).
-- Rain gear. Leather isn't waterproof, mesh isn't waterproof. You'll need some sort of rain gear (most folks like Frogg Toggs, YMMV). Textile gear will have varying degrees of waterproofing-- rule of thumb is that the more waterproof, the hotter it is, i.e. the less likely you'll want to wear that stuff once it warms up.
-- Armor. I won't ride without it in my jacket-- elbows, shoulders, and back. Note that many otherwise-quality manufacturers skimp on the "stock" back protectors (*cough* Firstgear *cough*) forcing you to upgrade if you want anything more substantial than a floppy foam pad.
-- Don't forget pants. You'll have leather, textile and even Kevlar-reinforced denim options. All have their place, but again, armor is recommended no matter what-- knees and hips are easy things to bruise & break once off a bike.
-- Gloves. All kinds, all varieties. I admit I'm a bit of a gloves whore . I've got winter gloves, waterproof gloves, mesh gloves, leather gloves, you name it. I always choose gloves with some kind of knuckle protection, and as much leather to protect the palms as possible. Always the right tool for the job!

One consideration for Spyder riders: it's not a motorcycle. Barring a catastrophic screwup / genuinely reckless riding, the chances of a solo accident are insignificant when compared to a bike. Thus, I admit to considering comfort a little more than protection when I'm on a Spyder, with the reverse true on a bike. On two wheels, I'll armor up like a Power Ranger because I know there's always the risk of me washing out a wheel, or hitting some invisible oil slick and wiping out. I can be just plain unlucky on a bike and thus end up on the pavement, hence why I'll wear my leather jacket, my high boots, my armored pants, my aftermarket full back protector, etc., etc. Anything to avoid the bumps, bruises, and road rash I could get just by being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

On the Spyder, the risk is, unfortunately, a bit more catastrophic: an accident involving a major wreck / major get-off. There's really not a whole lot of gear you can wear to protect yourself against that sort of thing (a Hit-Air inflatable vest/jacket would be a great investment if you think that's for you), so I tend to wear "just enough"-- still good gear, still armored, but stuff that's more comfortable for touring. I figure the chances of me getting into trouble on the Spyder are lower, but the consequences of getting into trouble are greater-- thus, I want to be as comfortable, and thus focused, on my riding as possible to *avoid* trouble rather than trust some cowhide and plastic to save me after-the-fact.

Good luck, and safe riding!

[daveinva]

Oh, and suggestions:

Revzilla: Best selection online, super-fast shipping and easy returns, great reviews and videos.
Motorcycle Superstore: About equal to Revzilla in selection and ease of use.
New Enough / Motorcyclegear.com: A little more limited selection but great prices and closeout sales. Also great "real size" guides and photos.
LeatherUp: Cheaper gear, in both price and quality, but I've bought some stuff from there in the past.
BajaRon: Our very own... I've bought all my latest Firstgear stuff from him, perfect prices and shipping.

[Blondie]

You have a crazy variety of gear to choose from.

My rule of thumb is comfort and protection are equally important, style and price are secondary. Alas, that's left me with some ugly and expensive gear over the years .

These are just some basic considerations when gear shopping:

-- You're on a Spyder, not a sportbike. Which means clothing cut for cruiser or touring wear will generally "fit" better sitting on a Spyder then clothing optimized for the sport rider.
-- Leather is generally the most protective, and often best looking, both on and off the bike. Textile is generally less protective but usually more versatile and comfortable.
-- Leather varies widely in quality and thickness (thick = protection). Cheap-o Pakistani discount leather is affordable, but usually doesn't last long, and may not hold up in an accident. Expensive European or American leather will last for decades if treated well.
-- One hot summer and you'll appreciate mesh gear like an oasis in the desert. While I'm sure some are fortunate enough to save money and closet space with just one "year round" jacket, I've never been so lucky. Perforated leather isn't as cool as mesh, but far more protective (albeit more expensive).
-- Rain gear. Leather isn't waterproof, mesh isn't waterproof. You'll need some sort of rain gear (most folks like Frogg Toggs, YMMV). Textile gear will have varying degrees of waterproofing-- rule of thumb is that the more waterproof, the hotter it is, i.e. the less likely you'll want to wear that stuff once it warms up.
-- Armor. I won't ride without it in my jacket-- elbows, shoulders, and back. Note that many otherwise-quality manufacturers skimp on the "stock" back protectors (*cough* Firstgear *cough*) forcing you to upgrade if you want anything more substantial than a floppy foam pad.
-- Don't forget pants. You'll have leather, textile and even Kevlar-reinforced denim options. All have their place, but again, armor is recommended no matter what-- knees and hips are easy things to bruise & break once off a bike.
-- Gloves. All kinds, all varieties. I admit I'm a bit of a gloves whore . I've got winter gloves, waterproof gloves, mesh gloves, leather gloves, you name it. I always choose gloves with some kind of knuckle protection, and as much leather to protect the palms as possible. Always the right tool for the job!

One consideration for Spyder riders: it's not a motorcycle. Barring a catastrophic screwup / genuinely reckless riding, the chances of a solo accident are insignificant when compared to a bike. Thus, I admit to considering comfort a little more than protection when I'm on a Spyder, with the reverse true on a bike. On two wheels, I'll armor up like a Power Ranger because I know there's always the risk of me washing out a wheel, or hitting some invisible oil slick and wiping out. I can be just plain unlucky on a bike and thus end up on the pavement, hence why I'll wear my leather jacket, my high boots, my armored pants, my aftermarket full back protector, etc., etc. Anything to avoid the bumps, bruises, and road rash I could get just by being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

On the Spyder, the risk is, unfortunately, a bit more catastrophic: an accident involving a major wreck / major get-off. There's really not a whole lot of gear you can wear to protect yourself against that sort of thing (a Hit-Air inflatable vest/jacket would be a great investment if you think that's for you), so I tend to wear "just enough"-- still good gear, still armored, but stuff that's more comfortable for touring. I figure the chances of me getting into trouble on the Spyder are lower, but the consequences of getting into trouble are greater-- thus, I want to be as comfortable, and thus focused, on my riding as possible to *avoid* trouble rather than trust some cowhide and plastic to save me after-the-fact.

Good luck, and safe riding!

You forgot #!---good helmet with some sort of eye protection. Don't leave home without it on your head!!

[daveinva]

You forgot #!---good helmet with some sort of eye protection. Don't leave home without it on your head!!

Heh, didn't forget that, I just don't consider my helmet clothing, it's part of the bike (as in I will adjust my clothing as necessary, but I don't get on the bike without a helmet on).

[ARtraveler]

Lots of choices are available when it comes to cycle attire. Since you live in MN, (hot summers where you are, cooler springs and fall) you have a wide variety of things that may work well.

Assuming ATGATT (all the gear, all the time): The big choice is textile or leather.

Textiles usually come with zip out liners and vents, so they can be worn in most temps except for very hot. For very hot, I use a mesh jacket, kevlar jeans, and sometimes leather chaps. Most textiles are water repellant.

Most leather jackets come with zip out liners and vents also. Leather pants, and chaps are a good addition. The pants come in light weight or heavy weight. I also have a perforated leather jacket by Firstgear--but that model is no longer available.

Lots of brands and suppliers are available. Best to try stuff on at a local motorcycle shop if possible. Sizes are different across various brands. Can-Am has nice stuff--but the prices are at the top end. There is a supplier on the site--that has good buys on First gear stuff. There are a lot of on line places. I prefer Motorcycle Superstore, Dennis Kirk, and Revzilla. Usually try local first--but then may head out to the internet.

Good luck on your hunt.

[danlnc]

Well I usually buy my Wranglers & Tee-shirts at WalMart. I picked up two leather jackets at The Salvation Army. Rain gear from Cyclegear. Oh and I got a pair of leather Can Am pants on Ebay for $40 bucks.

[steve0530]

Think first gear textile, jacket and pants. No need for rain gear, this gear doubles as rain gear.

[Squadcarman]

There is a place called Bob's Cycle Supply in Little Canada, MN that carries a lot of riding gear that you can buy right off the rack. The wife and I shopped there and were amazed at the variety. they handled at least 10 different brands as well as leather. It is difficult to buy online, since sizes are not consistent from one manufacturer to another. Good Luck!

[Paula(Butch2025)]

You live in MN so this is an easy one, Aerostitch! http://www.aerostich.com/ I've been ryding around this country in Aerostitch gear since 1993 and I don't think you'll find any better with off the rack or a custom suit like I wear now. You are only a few hours ryde so saddle up and check them out.

http://goo.gl/maps/XgWuA

Both Butch and I have heated vests from them and they are wonderful and the wiring is a simple job. We also try to buy out walmarts hand and foot warmer supplies!!!!

[Spyderfitz]

We went to Bob's in Little Canada today and had a blast. We found some great clothes for cool weather riding. We bought some heated vests and other things. We would like to thank everyone for the great help. We bought a couple of guardian bells. Where should we hang them? Mike@Suzette

[Paula(Butch2025)]

We went to Bob's in Little Canada today and had a blast. We found some great clothes for cool weather riding. We bought some heated vests and other things. We would like to thank everyone for the great help. We bought a couple of guardian bells. Where should we hang them? Mike@Suzette

Glad you found some good gear. We have our guardian bells hanging from the A arms on our spyders.

[fireplug98]

I put a zip tie on the bottom of my brake pedal. Hung my Guardian Bell there !!

Tommy J.