Time for some new gear

[taterides]

+1 GX Air Great product- Also have Aerostich which is nice but cool weather only, expensive, and not mesh.

 

[JimLor]

I've got the Olympia AST jacket (3 season) and may in fact retire my FirstGear Mesh II jacket and get the Olympia Airglide. I really like the AST and will check out the AST when I can actually see and touch one! I also have the Olympia pants, Airglide, and like them equally well.

 

[brazos parker]

Cortech GX Air jacket and Olympia Air Glide pants work for me.

 

[SPORT]

In regards to pants, I have the Triumph Explorer winter pants (been out in 19F weather and still had no need to zip in the inner liner). I also have the Triumph Summer pants. I kept these after selling my Triumph Sprint because they are relatively new and work VERY well!!

I also have a Frank Thomas Aqua winter jacket. I've ridden in 40F rain for 3 hours straight and remained totally dry and warm (although it was still miserable weather).

It's just time to replace the summer jacket and helmet...Oh I'm also looking at the Gerbing heated gloves and socks. Ironically I have the dual Heat Troller but no heated gear..yet.

 

[Duster19]

I have a Fulmer (like the fact it allows me to open it up while gasing), but don't like the fact it's noisy. If I have my CB windshield up with my visor closed it's loud. If I open up my visor the helmet is super quiet.

I would love to find a helmet that is quiet.

Dave

 

[Scab]

What size Nitro jacket are you looking at? I have a Nitro, size large, color blue. Let's deal.

 

[Silver Penguin]

Before you part with any $$, check out Olympia gear. It's usually carried by BMW dealers. Just today, I sent an email to the company telling them what I thought of my Mesh-Tex gear. These are the things that I really like about Olympia:

1. Jacket and pants have easily detachable liners, that can be worn as casual gear. Put the liners under the mesh, and the hot weather gear becomes water and wind proof. So far, I've ridden in temps from low 30s to 114 degrees and been comfortable in the gear.

2. Very well made, especially considering the price range.

3. Adjustable to fit. The zippers on the pant legs don't go all the way to the bottom, therefore the pants and liner can be hemmed easily. Knee pads are adjustable for height.

4. Armor is unobtrusive when wearing the gear. Thankfully, I have not had cause to test the armor but testimonials on the website are favorable.

5. The Hi-Viz lime is one eye-catching color!

6. Plenty of pockets.

 

[fjr]

If you are looking at helmets and don't look at the Suomy Spec 1R you'll be suorry.

Lightweight and great air flow.

 

[Jon T]

I don't know enought about helmets to comment. I have an HJC CL-15. Good price (<$100 at tonker.com), but probably a bit heavy and noisy compared to others.

I am grateful for my "Tourmaster" Flex 2 Jacket (also at tonker.com). The primary part is a mesh jacket with elbow, and back armor with ample pockets. It comes with a wind and rain proof outer shell which is good for cooler days (and rain, of course). There is also an inner liner. When the outer shell and inner liner are all added, the jacket is good down to the mid-30's over a work shirt and tie during a 30 min commute to work (over the course of an hour or more, I imagine a chill would work through).

I also wear the jacket OVER a first gear "snow suit" on really cold days. Toasty since I do not yet have any electric stuff.

 

[SPORT]

Scab, PM sent.

Silver Penguin, I've heard a lot of good about Olympia and will follow up on them.

FJR, I'll take a look. What I've heard of them has been fairly neutral.

Jon T, I'm familiar with Tour Master and just wasn't sold on them. Picky Bastard, aren't I.

Thank you.

 

[Scab]

I got the PM.

Now, for some Nitro jacket particulars: The quality of the build is comparable to most jackets I have seen. Protection appears adequate-nothing spectacular or particularly lacking, IMO. However, the jacket is not the coolest to wear when the temps get hot. It is also somewhat heavy. It comes with a liner, though I did not use it and cannot comment on what cooler temps are comfortable.

Currently, I am using a Joe Rocket Riot Jacket. I found one on fleabay for half price of list.

Like this one

The Riot is a free-mesh material with external armor on shoulders, elbows, and back. You get plenty of air through this thing.

 

[Bluegrass FJR]

I recently purchased a Scorpion EXO 700 helmet. The large fits me perfectly. I used to ride with a large Shoei RF-1000. It always seemed to move around just a little more than it should. (My old RF-900 fit exactly as it should. It's also a large, go figure.) I had read a number of positive posts about the EXO, but expected it to feel "cheap" because of the price. Not so. The fit and finish is very good (a little below the Shoei, I think) and the vents have a solid feel when operated. I haven't got to ride with it yet, though, so I can't comment on the noise or air flow.

I also recently picked up a new, used Arai Astral helmet here on the forum. It's a large. It fits, but is tighter than I like. I ordered a new set of cheek pads for it to see if I can't customize the fit. Arais are pricey, but everything about them oozes quality.

I have a Firstgear mesh jacket I like a lot. I got it from Newenough. My brother liked it so much he got one, too. MCN gave it good marks in a comparison they did a few years ago. I've worn it for three seasons and it still looks great. It flows a lot of air.

 

[CAJW]

Scorpion EXO 400 and Arai Quantum. I own them both and they're equally comfortable, but the shield mechanism on the Arai blows in comparison to the Scorpion. Plus with the $100 + you save on the Scorpion you can get a new First Gear Mesh Tex jacket (which BTW now have liners). Shameless plug - If you're looking for a heated liner for those trips that take you up in the hills https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=30676

 

[SPORT]

Had a chance to try on a Medium Shoei Multitec Helmet today and think I am love...at least in the head It was extremely light! and fit like a glove. I couldn't believe how light it was and comfortable feeling. Did I mention how light it felt?

I also tried on a Nolan N102, though it was too large for my brain (only one they had), it still felt 'thin' and poor in quality when compared to the Shoei.

Price shopping now. The best price I can find is $360 to the door.

Any other Shoei lovers find a better price?

 

[Old Michael]

Had a chance to try on a Medium Shoei Multitec Helmet today and think I am love...at least in the head It was extremely light! and fit like a glove. I couldn't believe how light it was and comfortable feeling. Did I mention how light it felt?
I also tried on a Nolan N102, though it was too large for my brain (only one they had), it still felt 'thin' and poor in quality when compared to the Shoei.

Price shopping now. The best price I can find is $360 to the door.

Any other Shoei lovers find a better price?

$360 to your door is a great deal for a Multitec! I paid the about the same at Parts411.

I love it, BUT - it's loud!

 

[SPORT]

Had a chance to try on a Medium Shoei Multitec Helmet today and think I am love...at least in the head It was extremely light! and fit like a glove. I couldn't believe how light it was and comfortable feeling. Did I mention how light it felt?
I also tried on a Nolan N102, though it was too large for my brain (only one they had), it still felt 'thin' and poor in quality when compared to the Shoei.

Price shopping now. The best price I can find is $360 to the door.

Any other Shoei lovers find a better price?

$360 to your door is a great deal for a Multitec! I paid the about the same at Parts411.

I love it, BUT - it's loud!

Interesting, WebBikeWorld.com says its one of the quietest of the modular helmets. However, they also stated it was heavy. when compared to Scorpion and even Nolan, I thought it felt lighter.

Thanks for the insights

 

[Hawkeye]

I'm with you, I'm not sure a helmet needs to cost anywhere near what the Arais cost. My last one set me back $485.00. I've been looking for another maker that makes a helmet with the same shape as the Vector, with similar quality, including fit and finish, at much reduced price. I haven't found one, yet. Bottom line - I buy the Arais for the fit, not for the high cost.

Having used and wrecked with an Arai Quantum-2 , I can contest they hold up quite well. I like the tight fit they give , but are quite comfortable and have a very good field of vision. Don't know about communication devices , but would love to equip mine if anyone has experience with them. I replace the wrecked helmet with the same model because I loved the fit. Thats my $.02 worth.

 

[EffBee]

Apparel: Olympia AirGlide. Absolutely a superb jacket for 40-110 degrees. If you like a longer 3/4 length, then look at their Bushwhacker model.

Helmets are a personal-fit issue, as has been explained. Every head is different. I can't wear Arai. Not any of them. I've worn my Shoei 10 hours non-stop from Utah to L.A. and it felt great the whole way.

For the value, though, it's tough to beat Scorpion, assuming it's comfortable on your head. If your dealer won't let you wear it for 20 minutes in the store in order to be sure of the fit, go somewhere else.

When it comes to "quiet," this is a relative term. The only helmet I've experienced which I consider to be truly quiet, was the Schuberth S-1 (about $1000). But the headshape didn't fit my head, so it was quiet, but not comfortable. YMMV. Not available in the states right now. Everything else is merely different degrees of loud. Wear earplugs. You'll thank yourself later when you can still hear.

 

[SPORT]

Everything else is merely different degrees of loud. Wear earplugs. You'll thank yourself later when you can still hear.

Ehh...did ya say something?

I took a trip to Myrtle Beach SC over thanksgiving break (about 600 miles each way) and didn't use earplugs. As a note, my helmet has been deterioriating and become louder. Subsiquently, I now notice a constant ringing.

Needless to say, I now wear earplugs when I ride.

Maybe we can make a Master Chief Suit (Halo) for motorcycling. This way it would eliminate ALL wind noise.

 

[Meltdown]

When I picked up my FJR on the 26th i also decided to replace my aging HBC helmet. I replaced it with a new Scorpion EX-1000. It fits very well and to my ears the wind noise is acceptable. In addition, they also make some really nice jackets. I picked up the Scorpion mesh armored jacket and a pair of their gloves. All of the above was about $450.00 with a discount that the stealership gave me when I bought the bike.

They did have an Arai helmet (the specific model escapes me at the moment) but it did not seem to fit my head as well. In addition, I did not think that it was really worth the $650 they were asking for it. I'm not one to skimp on protective gear since a suit of leathers did save my life once....but IMHO there was little reason to justify the cost of an Arai helment. YMMV.