Universal : Riding Gear Thread

[rahulsuneja]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

Hi all. I am new here, so am I to riding and riding gear. I brought home a RE Himalayan BS6 in June amidst the lockdown. Owing to the basic city-only requirements back then I had bought a full face helmet, a Vega Off-Road along with Scoyco K-11 knee & elbow guards. However, I am now planning to upgrade my gear. I have planned to spend about 20k. The list of things I plan to get are:

Helmet (5-7k):
I need a better helmet which can be used for touring. My current helmet is nothing to write home about. However, it is the wind that has been troubling me most. I took the bike for a couple of highway runs and the wind pressure made me uncomfortable, thanks to the front peak it has. The helmet must have speaker pockets for a BT/intercom setup in the future. I had been looking at the SMK Twister but I believe the MT helmets should be a better option as they have a SHARP rating too. Looking at MT Stinger and MT Thunder 3 for now but am open to suggestions.

Riding Shoes (5k):
I have been using a pair of industrial work boots which have a steel toe and mild ankle support but they are nowhere close to being a proper riding shoe. I have been reading good things about Orazo and am planning to get a pair of their Picus Velcro. I intend to keep using my work boots for the daily city use and shall put on the Orazos for weekend rides, highway runs and touring (if I do).

Riding Jacket (7k):
I've been using only the elbow protectors until now but I believe a mesh jacket is in order to add more protection and style.
I'm from Delhi and it does get plenty hot and humid here. This would primarily be my city jacket and I might buy a proper all weather later on if I get into touring on the bike. I have a 3k store credit available to me from RE which I intend to use for their Streetwind mesh jacket which has CE-1 on the elbows and shoulder with EVA for back. I had originally thought of using this credit for shoes but I found the Orazo to be more suitable than RE's casual shoe/boot collection. Other jackets that I had my eyes on were Rynox Air GT3, Solace Air-X L2, Cramster Breezer 4S, DSG EVO R and the lesser known Moto Torque Blade L2. Recommendations and suggestions are welcome.

Riding Gloves (2k):
Again, the preference would be of breathable ones and an absolute no to leather gauntlets. Would be great if they have palm sliders. I liked the RE glove collection at the showroom, anyone here have any long term experience with them?

The budgets for each have been drawn from the respective options that I liked and can be stretched a little. Also, I have deliberately skimped on the riding pants for now as I find my knee guards to be plenty comfortable and like the style better. In the future, I might get something like a pair of riding jeans in the future like the ones Levis and RE have partnered up for. Or, if I do end up touring on the bike, I will eventually get a pair of riding pants. Thanks in advance...

[MidnightEvil Parth]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

Hi all. I am new here, so am I to riding and riding gear. I brought home a RE Himalayan BS6 in June amidst the lockdown. Owing to the basic city-only requirements back then I had bought a full face helmet, a Vega Off-Road along with Scoyco K-11 knee & elbow guards. However, I am now planning to upgrade my gear. I have planned to spend about 20k. The list of things I plan to get are:

Helmet (5-7k):
I need a better helmet which can be used for touring. My current helmet is nothing to write home about. However, it is the wind that has been troubling me most. I took the bike for a couple of highway runs and the wind pressure made me uncomfortable, thanks to the front peak it has. The helmet must have speaker pockets for a BT/intercom setup in the future. I had been looking at the SMK Twister but I believe the MT helmets should be a better option as they have a SHARP rating too. Looking at MT Stinger and MT Thunder 3 for now but am open to suggestions.

Riding Shoes (5k):
I have been using a pair of industrial work boots which have a steel toe and mild ankle support but they are nowhere close to being a proper riding shoe. I have been reading good things about Orazo and am planning to get a pair of their Picus Velcro. I intend to keep using my work boots for the daily city use and shall put on the Orazos for weekend rides, highway runs and touring (if I do).

Riding Jacket (7k):
I've been using only the elbow protectors until now but I believe a mesh jacket is in order to add more protection and style. [emoji14]
I'm from Delhi and it does get plenty hot and humid here. This would primarily be my city jacket and I might buy a proper all weather later on if I get into touring on the bike. I have a 3k store credit available to me from RE which I intend to use for their Streetwind mesh jacket which has CE-1 on the elbows and shoulder with EVA for back. I had originally thought of using this credit for shoes but I found the Orazo to be more suitable than RE's casual shoe/boot collection. Other jackets that I had my eyes on were Rynox Air GT3, Solace Air-X L2, Cramster Breezer 4S, DSG EVO R and the lesser known Moto Torque Blade L2. Recommendations and suggestions are welcome.

Riding Gloves (2k):
Again, the preference would be of breathable ones and an absolute no to leather gauntlets. Would be great if they have palm sliders. I liked the RE glove collection at the showroom, anyone here have any long term experience with them?

The budgets for each have been drawn from the respective options that I liked and can be stretched a little. Also, I have deliberately skimped on the riding pants for now as I find my knee guards to be plenty comfortable and like the style better. In the future, I might get something like a pair of riding jeans in the future like the ones Levis and RE have partnered up for. Or, if I do end up touring on the bike, I will eventually get a pair of riding pants. Thanks in advance...

1. Helmet - SMK
SMK does pass sharp rating although under a different brand name. (smk manufactures for them). MT has good build but parts are very hard to find and pricier. Aftersales for MT almost doesn't exist. Damaged a chin vent ? They will never have spares.

2. Boots - Avoid Orazos, they are as good as steel toe work boots only. Invest in a better pair of riding boots from RE. They are nice, sturdy and can save your ankle. Avoid RE casual boots and Orazos if safety is priority

3. Riding jackets
Look at Rynox Air GT3 and Solace Rival L2 only. The brand you mentioned as lesser known is lesser known because of poor quality protectors. Cramster is too outdated (even with new protectors, it's outdated) and DSG gets not so good protectors either.

4. Riding gloves
Consider Rynox AIR gt gloves. They are nice and sturdy. If you need proper sliders, atleast extend your budget to 3k and then you have Viaterra Holeshot and Rynox Tornado gloves as options. Under 2k you can also look at TVS gloves, one of them has a cheap slider, not sure of the quality though.

Hope this helps you. Goodluck.

[Siddhanth Paul]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

Need a suggestion...

I have a MT Thunder 3 helmet and it's nearly 3 years old now. I've notived that the newer variants come with a quick-lock kind of strap (like, in Studds) and I have the double D-Ring one.
Just needed to ask that can I retrofit the normal strap for the double D-Ring?

[Abhishekilke]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

Need a suggestion...

I have a MT Thunder 3 helmet and it's nearly 3 years old now. I've notived that the newer variants come with a quick-lock kind of strap (like, in Studds) and I have the double D-Ring one.
Just needed to ask that can I retrofit the normal strap for the double D-Ring?

Why downgrade to a normal strap? Ease of use? How many seconds will you save with a normal strap compared to a Double D-ring? Considering you have used the helmet for 3 years now and have gotten used to it, i don't see why you would want to use a normal strap.

[Siddhanth Paul]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

The clip kinda thing that holds the strap after it goes through the d-rings has worn out as a result of which the strap becomes loose after I wear it for sometime. That's why I was thinking if changing it to a quick release was possible..

Why downgrade to a normal strap? Ease of use? How many seconds will you save with a normal strap compared to a Double D-ring? Considering you have used the helmet for 3 years now and have gotten used to it, i don't see why you would want to use a normal strap.

[SUGU WANDERLUST RED DEVIL]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

Please don't switch to normal ones Double D ring is the safest

Need a suggestion...

I have a MT Thunder 3 helmet and it's nearly 3 years old now. I've notived that the newer variants come with a quick-lock kind of strap (like, in Studds) and I have the double D-Ring one.
Just needed to ask that can I retrofit the normal strap for the double D-Ring?

[SUGU WANDERLUST RED DEVIL]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

Hi,

1.Helmet - Avoid Smk padding gets lossened after few months and its isn't snug fit
Go with MT T3 or Blade 2 , else go for HJC which is better than MT

2. Riding jacket - stick to Rynox and solace only. Look for spec that armours are by Knox/Sastech only, at the max Safetech is okay to go.

3. Gloves - Rynox air gt 2 best in class costing 2.5k

4. Riding shoes - Shima or tcx (avoid brands like BBG)

Hi all. I am new here, so am I to riding and riding gear. I brought home a RE Himalayan BS6 in June amidst the lockdown. Owing to the basic city-only requirements back then I had bought a full face helmet, a Vega Off-Road along with Scoyco K-11 knee & elbow guards. However, I am now planning to upgrade my gear. I have planned to spend about 20k. The list of things I plan to get are:

Helmet (5-7k):
I need a better helmet which can be used for touring. My current helmet is nothing to write home about. However, it is the wind that has been troubling me most. I took the bike for a couple of highway runs and the wind pressure made me uncomfortable, thanks to the front peak it has. The helmet must have speaker pockets for a BT/intercom setup in the future. I had been looking at the SMK Twister but I believe the MT helmets should be a better option as they have a SHARP rating too. Looking at MT Stinger and MT Thunder 3 for now but am open to suggestions.

Riding Shoes (5k):
I have been using a pair of industrial work boots which have a steel toe and mild ankle support but they are nowhere close to being a proper riding shoe. I have been reading good things about Orazo and am planning to get a pair of their Picus Velcro. I intend to keep using my work boots for the daily city use and shall put on the Orazos for weekend rides, highway runs and touring (if I do).

Riding Jacket (7k):
I've been using only the elbow protectors until now but I believe a mesh jacket is in order to add more protection and style. [emoji14]
I'm from Delhi and it does get plenty hot and humid here. This would primarily be my city jacket and I might buy a proper all weather later on if I get into touring on the bike. I have a 3k store credit available to me from RE which I intend to use for their Streetwind mesh jacket which has CE-1 on the elbows and shoulder with EVA for back. I had originally thought of using this credit for shoes but I found the Orazo to be more suitable than RE's casual shoe/boot collection. Other jackets that I had my eyes on were Rynox Air GT3, Solace Air-X L2, Cramster Breezer 4S, DSG EVO R and the lesser known Moto Torque Blade L2. Recommendations and suggestions are welcome.

Riding Gloves (2k):
Again, the preference would be of breathable ones and an absolute no to leather gauntlets. Would be great if they have palm sliders. I liked the RE glove collection at the showroom, anyone here have any long term experience with them?

The budgets for each have been drawn from the respective options that I liked and can be stretched a little. Also, I have deliberately skimped on the riding pants for now as I find my knee guards to be plenty comfortable and like the style better. In the future, I might get something like a pair of riding jeans in the future like the ones Levis and RE have partnered up for. Or, if I do end up touring on the bike, I will eventually get a pair of riding pants. Thanks in advance...

[SUGU WANDERLUST RED DEVIL]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

How well is the solace furious comparing the Rynox stealth evo ? Bec am gona buy one of these

Hey guys, some useful suggestions here by forum members, including Charkapani.

Ifyou are planning to buy a riding jacket, I came across this useful article on the internet. It has churned out all riding jackets available online and compiled a list on the basis on their price list. From INR 5000 to INR 20,000, these are the Best Riding Jackets In India you can buy online.

Btw, I have been using SOLACE FURIOUS from the list. It costs about 12,000 Rupees and I think you can't find a better jacket in the market at this price tag.

[SUGU WANDERLUST RED DEVIL]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

I had the same jacket speaking to that owner in 2016

I bought the Solace defender plus as my first riding jacket back in late 2018 primarily for its waterproof claim and boy what a terrible mistake it was.

It was my first riding gear and I was only focused on the specs that the manufacturer listed. More the specs>better the product: silly me! Rode it on my Ladakh ride last year and around 10K kms before that. I was forced to carry a rain coat at all times coz even the slightest drizzle would let water seep in.

The worst part is yet to come- I bought the jacket from the company store in Bangalore after consulting the owner for over an hour. He had assured me that it's not going to give me any trouble for atleast 3 or 4 years but guess what - they discontinued the product a year later( coz it was shitty )

So net-net, do your research for as long as you can on forums like these and never trust the guys selling you the product. I so wish, someone introduced me to xBhp back then

My only hope- is there something I can do to better my condition, other than saving up enough for a better jacket?

[Thamps]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

In the above case,do have a look at RST stunt pro boots.It might be a bit out of your budget(7-8k),but I have been using them as my daily boots for past 1.5 years with sometimes it doubling up as my evening walking shoes(due to personal constraints of changing to sneakers and tracksuits).The boot have been drenched in rain several times too. Still going strong with no torn soles.The sole has formed a bit of a gap with the shoe, at the heel,which can be fixed easily. Considering my usage,it has held up far better than most of the other boots I have owned.
Has ankle protection,toe protection,hard non twistable shank and hardened plastic/rubber as gear shift pads. Attracts no stares even when worn in office.
The only downside being that it uses laces. So putting on is not as easy as in the case of shoes with only velcro or zipper. But it has a velcro tab which prevents the laces from tangling with gear knobs.
Uses good quality leather and the boot is CE LEVE1/1/2 Certified.
It is far better than the sneaker kind of riding boots from TCX.(from my own experience of owning one,have posted the same in xbhp some time back)

Regarding gloves,I have been using rynox tornado pro 3 gloves.Cant comment on its durability as I have been using it for only a short time now.But the gloves are comfortable, breathable and has SPS Protection,but costs 2950-3250, depending on the seller.

[dastaan_93]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

I'm planning on signing off this year's purchase with Riding pants and Riding Boots. Need your help in picking the right one for me. After looking at Vikas Rachmalla's video, i'm definitely going to stay away from Zeus. I have a Solace Defender plus jacket for the past 2 years and because I had a bad experience with the product, I'm not very inclined towards the brand. That leaves me with - Rynox, BBG, Cramster? My Budget for pants is 6-8K

Riding Boots - I guess, I need to stay away from Orazzo's? That leaves me with the RE midrise boots. I'm very familiar with the steel toe work boots and use a ROCKY S2V ST that my dad got from his days in the MiddleEast. The only problem with my existing boots is, they aren't waterproof. Are there any other brands that have Waterproof boot solutions in the sub 5-7K range?

It should be evident by now that my Budget limits for both these items is from 12-15K and I plan on making these purchases over the coming 2 months. I do have plans of visiting the Solace store in B'lore and asking for a fix on my jacket, and, if it all works out.. i might as well still consider Solace. Quoting my previous post for context -

I bought the Solace defender plus as my first riding jacket back in late 2018 primarily for its waterproof claim and boy what a terrible mistake it was.

It was my first riding gear and I was only focused on the specs that the manufacturer listed. More the specs>better the product: silly me! Rode it on my Ladakh ride last year and around 10K kms before that. I was forced to carry a rain coat at all times coz even the slightest drizzle would let water seep in.

The worst part is yet to come- I bought the jacket from the company store in Bangalore after consulting the owner for over an hour. He had assured me that it's not going to give me any trouble for atleast 3 or 4 years but guess what - they discontinued the product a year later( coz it was shitty )

So net-net, do your research for as long as you can on forums like these and never trust the guys selling you the product. I so wish, someone introduced me to xBhp back then

My only hope- is there something I can do to better my condition, other than saving up enough for a better jacket?

[Astrix]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

I'm planning on signing off this year's purchase with Riding pants and Riding Boots. Need your help in picking the right one for me. After looking at Vikas Rachmalla's video, i'm definitely going to stay away from Zeus. I have a Solace Defender plus jacket for the past 2 years and because I had a bad experience with the product, I'm not very inclined towards the brand. That leaves me with - Rynox, BBG, Cramster? My Budget for pants is 6-8K

Riding Boots - I guess, I need to stay away from Orazzo's? That leaves me with the RE midrise boots. I'm very familiar with the steel toe work boots and use a ROCKY S2V ST that my dad got from his days in the MiddleEast. The only problem with my existing boots is, they aren't waterproof. Are there any other brands that have Waterproof boot solutions in the sub 5-7K range?

It should be evident by now that my Budget limits for both these items is from 12-15K and I plan on making these purchases over the coming 2 months. I do have plans of visiting the Solace store in B'lore and asking for a fix on my jacket, and, if it all works out.. i might as well still consider Solace. Quoting my previous post for context -

You can check out the Rynox pants.
Stay away from BBG.

What problem did you face with the Solace jackets ? Only the water seeping in ? But that is quite common across brands I feel. No layer is actually water‘proof’. But other than that nothing right ?

[dastaan_93]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

I agree that "waterproof" is a marketing tactic in the Indian segment but you would atleast expect something marketed as Waterproof to be atleast water resistant. This jacket can not even withstand a light drizzle. Other than that, the stitching did come off in a few places, but that could be due to regular use.

I stay in Mangalore and it rains like for most of the year. Therefore the waterproof element of the pant is of utmost importance to me. How's Aspida Odysseus?

You can check out the Rynox pants.
Stay away from BBG.

What problem did you face with the Solace jackets ? Only the water seeping in ? But that is quite common across brands I feel. No layer is actually water‘proof’. But other than that nothing right ?

[shubham.sharma56]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

Can anyone please tell me winter gloves thar are in range of 3 to 4k?
I am considering shima or Royal enfield ones.

[Astrix]

Re: Universal : Riding Gear Thread

Can anyone please tell me winter gloves thar are in range of 3 to 4k?
I am considering shima or Royal enfield ones.

Shima is a good brand. Have personally not used any of their products but have heard good about the brand.

Only do check the manufacturing date before buying (if possible buy after trying at a store). Here, itself a fellow xbhpian in some of the earlier posts had mentioned about him getting the product with an old manufacturing/import date. But not that he mentioned of any problem as such.

Hope this helps.