Overpants / Oversuits - Advice Needed

[bikerbanker]

This is a two-part post: First, I’d like to suggest a Gear Page where we could compare and contrast various riding gear, helmets, boots, etc. I also think it’s important to qualify where you live and the type of riding you do. There a big difference in needs between a daily commuter in the West vs. a weekend warrior in the Mid-Atlantic.

Second, I'd like some advice on Oversuits or Overpants: Personally, I’m a weekend warrior in Baltimore, but I’d like to start commuting (40 miles 1-way) and maybe try a SS1000. My banker job requires dress clothes, so I’m interested in an oversuit like the Aerostich, but $800 is above my price-point. FWIW, I currently own a HJC leather jacket and a FirstGear mesh jacket.

The few times I’ve ridden to work, I put my suit coat in the Givi topcase and wear the mesh jacket over my shirt & tie. My dress shoes and suit pants are exposed to the elements. I have decent Garne boots. I figure a set of overpants is about all I need in this summer weather.

Any suggestion? Brand? Model?

Thanks

Jim

 

[FJRME]

check out Cycleport Kevlar gear. Many options. Leave a pair of dress shoes at work, or in the trunk. Wear the boots, kevlar overpants and jacket. Dress for the crash, not the meeting! Check other posts to get the site. I'm not yet savvy enough to link it for you. Great gear- very versatile.

 

[Woodstock]

I commute in FirstGear overpants and SIDI boots, and I leave shoes (both sneakers and sandles) in the office.

 

[Groo]

I wear a pair of JR Phoenix pants over my dress slacks to work... along with my Gaerne boots and nobody notices anything. Looks a bit funny getting undressed in my cube, but what the hey.... :haha:

 

[escapefjrtist]

For cooler weather, the Rocket Ballistic 5.0 are nice pants. Full length zippers make for easy entry. I use them for cooler months before the roads turn into the winter slop filled salt mess and FJR goes into storage.

--G

 

[Jetmaker737]

I have Firstgear HT overpants for potentially wet weather. Their main drawback is also their strength...that is the miles of velcro to zip and unzip whenever you use those pants.

For dry weather I have HT-Air overpants, and they are SWEET! They zip on and off in seconds with only one little tiny piece of velcro on the fly.

 

[bikerbanker]

BOBFJR. Yes, I looked at the Cycleport Kevlar stuff at the motoport.com site. Very nice looking stuff, great quality….but at $300 for pants and $430 for jacket – on sale - they’re close to Aerostich pricing. Based on the limited feedback so far, it looks like FirstGear HT overpants, mesh or non-mesh, at about $175 list, represent the best value. And it’s possible to find them discounted.

Jim

 

[FJRME]

I'm still a believer in kevlar. I read the "Save your Hide" article on the cycleport site, and it makes sense. As for the price, yeah a little high. But, remember why you're wearing gear in the first place. Bargain gear that melts into your skin in a slide is not worth the bargain price. Besides, you bought a 12 thousand dollar motorcycle, have a 3-5oo dollar helmet, 200 dollar boots, and if you're like me, you had to buy your wife something REALLY nice to get the bike in the first place.

Don't stop now.

Ride safe.

 

[bikerbanker]

BobFJR: Still debating, but I think you're right. Kevlar is quality, but it costs.

As for the S.O. trade.....Yea, you’re right. The bride talked me into a trip to Italy for two weeks! The bank account is really empty now.

The Italians are crazy-mad for bikes. I highly recommend Italy. We were south of Rome, around Sorento. Tight, I mean really tight, twisty roads along the ocean. Saw one Husky super-motard. The dude was flying. Very few big-bore bikes. Most folks were on Honda 200cc scooters. A few 500cc Yamaha or Piago scooters. Scooters outnumbered cars. Young, old, male or female - everybody was on a scooter. With gas at about $7 a gallon, bikes are the preferred motorized transportation.

 

[FJRME]

banker? Give yourself a loan! Seriously, check out their website. Aside from superior protection, I bought the gear because with the liners, you can ride from

minus 20(figure windchill) to 120 in the same gear. the liners stow in the jacket and pants, come with more armor than most, and are warranteed for a very long time(7 years I think). they also do alterations on your gear in case you uh grow.

Kevlar is supposed to be the only nonleathers approved clothing for racing. They have racer testimonials online as well. You never expect to crash. Thats why they call it an accident.

Ride safe

Bob B)