New women rider, looking for advice on riding equipment

[rskdsk]

All,

I am a new rider and a woman ... I found it difficult to find the right equipment so I create a video of what I did find (and I model it so you can see what it looks like on me) and purchase as my starting riding equipment ... just looking for additional thoughts and suggestions as I will be spending 2021 traveling the USA ... going to national parks and riding the Ryker ... any advice would be appreciated

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCpRMgluGF8&t=8s

 

[pegasus1300]

Congrats on the new Ryker and on taking the class. There are lots of new ryders and many of them are women. Nice video on what to look for in women`s protective gear. Welcome to Spyderlovers. Post early,post often and post pictures.

 

[ARtraveler]

:welcome: :congrats: You did very well on gear...we refer to it as ATGATT (all the gear, all the time).

Looks like you have good stuff, and without breaking the bank. Nice looking helmet, and I like that face plate. Good gear can be found without spending three times the price for "namebrand" stuff. We started that way, but quickly grew out of it. Enjoy your rides, and be safe out there. :yes:

 

[RykerRick]

I'm just north of you in the Brandon/Riverview area and you're absolutely right about the weather here. I think you did an excellent job of choosing riding gear for our warm weather climate, especially since you're a new rider. I too have a couple of armored mesh jackets, keep in mind that they vary and range in quality from poor to excellent. Some have more ability to protect from tearing and road rash, thicker mesh and stronger materials. Great choice on the boots too. The helmet, of course its rider preference. The one you chose is a nice helmet, but it does not offer you any face protection in a crash. I know they are a lot cooler, especially here, and I too have several 3/4 helmets that I use from time to time on certain rides. But I dont use them very often.

A good full face helmet will offer better protection for the frontal portion of your head & face. One of my favorite helmets is also a carbon fiber helmet, and its my primary. Its a Monaco Lazer full face flip up modular helmet with a transitions shield. Its one of my favorites because its the lightest full face modular made, and it fits my head shape perfectly. Also when I stop at a red light, I can flip up the front bar and take a drink, or pumping gas or talking to someone, I can just flip up the front instead of removing the helmet.

I usually ride with a pair of sunglasses on and with the shield flipped up so that I get some air on my face, its just cooler in the summer. But like I said, its a riders personal preference and any helmet is better than no helmet. You might end up going a different route a little down the road anyway as you, like the rest of us experiment and try different things out. I gotta say though, for someone with no experience at all, you did much better than most at gearing up. Nice video by the way, and good luck.

 

[rskdsk]

Thanks for the feedback. I just past the course this weekend so I still have to get the certification on my DL before I jump onto the road. Unfortunately, you need to make an appointment to get that done and appointments are about 6 weeks out ... yikes!

Have not seen a lot of ladies on the road, but hopefully the Ryker will change that.

 

[RICZ]

You seem smarter than the average bear when it comes to choosing warm weather gear. Here's some advice from a long time, high mileage touring rider.
+ Pack for all kinds of weather. I have scraped morning ice off my saddle in mid summer.
+ Layer. Make everything you pack do double or triple duty. Rain gear can act as a wind breaker.
+ Re rain gear: I prefer 2 piece for the reason stated above plus the ease of putting it on beside a road. The rain pants should have full length side zippers.
+ Pack for 3 or 4 days - motels have laundry facilities.
+ Take small items. There are stores everywhere to replenish what is used up.
+ Roll up all clothing items real tight and secure with rubber bands, Velcro or ?
+ Motels have hair driers so there's no need to pack one.
+ Rain boots to put on over your riding boots.
+ Cool tie and cool vest. Sunscreen. Long sleeve shirt to prevent sunburn and moisture evaporation when riding without a jacket.
+ Always wear an underliner under your pants, no matter the weather. Protects from engine heat too.
Cycle Gear's Heat-Out works very well, as does their Freeze-Out.
+ Paper maps give a larger view of where you're heading.
+ Insulated water bottle placed where you can reach it.
+ Towing / roadside assistance insurance.
+ I second the motion for a full face helmet. There are some nice modular ones. Ours are Shoei Neotechs.
+ Make it fun. Ride your own ride and don't overdo. What you don't see this trip, will be there for a future ride.
+ Call your credit card companies that you are hitting the road.
+ A spray can of Plexus for windshield cleaning and bike detailing.
I just saw your trailer video. The above was written with a solo ride in mind, so some of it doesn't apply.

 

[ARtraveler]

Thanks for the feedback. I just past the course this weekend so I still have to get the certification on my DL before I jump onto the road. Unfortunately, you need to make an appointment to get that done and appointments are about 6 weeks out ... yikes!

Have not seen a lot of ladies on the road, but hopefully the Ryker will change that.

There are a LOT of ladies on Rykers. See "Girls on Spyders" (GOS) on Facebook.

 

[CsOldGrayDog]

Longer someone rides on 2 or 3 wheels the more pieces of riding gear you accumulate. So far you have a helmet that seems to fit, getting one too big is a normal mistake. A jacket you are happy with , and riding boots and gloves. Sounds like basics are covered.

Rain gear is a good idea if you are traveling. Light, thin fold up suits are available and even boot covers. Go bright, if it's raining visibility is low stand out!

Last ...start short rides on roads you know. You can break in the new gear, and find what you like, what you may change. Enjoy the ride!

 

[JohnRuckus]

Welcome to the land of spyders. The 2 most important things to know about gear are level of protection and comfort. Third would be your personal style/taste. Kudos on taking that seriously. I'm kind of like RykerRick when it comes to the helmet choice. Your helmet looks cool, but it doesn't provide as much protection as a full face or modular helmet.
If you're like most of us, you'll find yourself spending $ on new gear pretty often on extra this, different color that, hot gear, cold gear, and possibly passenger gear lol
I think you're on to a great start.
Good job on going through the rider course. Congrats on the ryker. Ryde safely, and have fun!

 

[Peter Aawen]

Welcome aboard rskdsk! :thumbup: This might not necessarily (or even 'strictly'.... ) have anything to do with 'Riding Equipment' per se, but it's well worth a read for anyone relatively new to Spyders &/or Rykers; check out the 'Do's & Do Not's' thread here:

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums...-Do-s-and-Do-Nots-quot-for-new-Spyder-owners&

Lotsa good info that might help make your transition to being a Trike Ryder Extrordinaire juuust a little smoother! hyea:

 

[rskdsk]

Thanks for all the feedback and the warm welcome!
It seems most people suggest a full face helmet over the one I chose and I will probably buy one or two more just to have a choice and to see what works for me. I like the open face as it does all more air and I do not feel as constricted but I am also very concerned about protection.

 

[bikerbillone]

Welcome and congratulations. Ambitious journey and much to write about in the coming months, so stay with us on reporting; I see You Tube in your future as well, love those You Tubes. I'm a one year newbie on the 20 RTL, so I won't offer up any advice, I'll leave that to the pro's. Cheers!

 

[BertRemington]

rskdsk -- I recommend fitted ear plugs for any rides longer than 15 minutes or over 50mph no matter what helmet you wear.

 

[MRH]

First off, welcome to the group and congrats on your Ryker and your gear! The video was a great idea, and thank you for sharing it.

Every rider finds their own level of safety, but I replaced my helmet quite soon after I saw this diagram when I realized that a 3/4 helmet provides only 2/3 protection.

I've had more than my fair share of dental work, but an impact on my jaw at even medium speed could easily amount to broken jaw, any number of lost teeth, and expensive dental work requiring maintenance potentially for the rest of my life.

 

[rskdsk]

I am also looking for the best way to communicate. I want something that fits well on my helmet and allows me to communicate with a couple of people ... no need for a group ... what's the best out there?

 

[JohnRuckus]

Lots of options. Sena is a popular brand. Contact Motorcycle Dave. He's a vendor here. He should be able to get you a good price.
FYI. The helmet that you choose to go with may also need to be considered when looking at communication devices. If you're going to stick with the helmet in your video, you may be able to get quite a few options. However, there are some helmets that have been designed with a specific bluetooth unit in mind. For example, the Shoei Neotech II. Shoei partnered with Sena to create a unit specifically designed to fit that helmet. Its the Sena SRL.
Anyway, like always, shop around and find out what works for you. I just purchased an SRL for my Neotech II. It is nice unit and integrates well with the helmet.
You may also want to consider what your other riders will be using. Some folks like Cardo, which is another popular brand. From my understanding, you can connect different device brands for communication, but it isn't as seamless as connecting with the same brand.

Good luck.

 

[rskdsk]

We are looking into the Sena as well, that seems like the one to beat right now for us. TY for the info.