What do you think of this gear??

I'm probably getting an 03 Black and Red R1. So here's the gear I'm looking at getting too. Please tell me what you think of it all. If you have personal experience with any of these products, I would greatly appreciate any info you can give. Good or bad. Helmet - KBC VR-1 Euro Jacket - Gericke Tribal Leather Pants - Gericke Samuri Leather Gloves - Icon TiMax Boots - Alpinestars SMX Plus Thanks guys! Ride safe.

Other then the boots I don't know. I bought a pair of SMX Plus for my b/f. I've heard really good things about them and it seems that alot of people have them... I really like the Alpinestars stuff. I have the 4W Dyno jacket, and am looking at getting gloves. Good luck with all that stuff.

helmet can improve

Icon Ti-Max gloves are very heavy and thick. Kinda hard to get a good feel of the controls. Also, they have metal studs on the palms. This can be hard on the paint if you rest your hand on the tank. I must say they look cool though.:)

What are some better gloves?

Things sound good but think about an Aria

Sorry guys, I can't see paying 500 bucks for a helmet when all the reviews say the VR1 is just as good.

You don't need to pay $500 bucks for a good helmet. Have you looked into the Shoei RF900 series? Excellent helmet and they run about $330 for graphics. Check them out at helmetharbor.com.

I have two VR1's and I still say you can improve helmet wise. OGK, Suomy , AGV, Arai and Shoei. But if that's all you can do it's good. But on the glove front , stay away from other peoples bikes when you're wearing them. It's ok to scratch your own , you'll just be mad at yourself.

The KBC VR-1 passes the same standards as Arai and Shoei, so technically, it provides as much protection as they do. (Although I'm sure some folks will aruge this point) The KBC is a great helmet, but mine doesn't seal against the wind as well as my Shoei does. I ride all year round, so this becomes a big issue when temps get into the teens... I always reach for the Shoei on cold days. But as long as a helmet passes DOT and/or Snell standards, they'll all protect you about the same, but the real difference is in the fit and the features. My best advice is to try them on and get whichever fits you the best.

i con gloves are like welders mitts!! you can't feel anything!! stay away!! joe rocket, teknic, alpine, all make great gloves.

Originally posted by AaUuuuGaa! The KBC VR-1 passes the same standards as Arai and Shoei, so technically, it provides as much protection as they do. (Although I'm sure some folks will aruge this point) I certainly would argue this point (but Im not going to). However he's damn right in saying get the one which fits the best. DONT BUY IT CAUSE YOU LIKE THE GRAPHICS/COLOUR.

I have the SMX-plus boots and love them. Even after a day on the bike they are so comfortable I don't feel the need to take them off. I feel very "protected" in them compared to comparable Sidi models and other brands of boots. Make sure you get the right size and don't settle for a boot that only fits OK, make sure it fits well. You never know when your bike will have you hiking 5 miles for gas or a telephone. As for gloves, above ~50 degrees I use a pair of TourMaster Race Edition gloves. They are without a doubt the most comfortable riding gloves (or any leather glove) I've ever owned (and I've owned many). At first they were fairly stiff and I was mildly put off by them, but after they've had a chance to break in the leather has turned to butter and they now give fantastic amounts of feel. They are the normal gauntlet-type race design and have aramid/kevlar on the knuckles and various other spots, but I really like the perforated leather between the fingers - something you'll not usually find in the ~80 dollar range. Makes cooling the digits down as simple as spreading your fingers for a second or two. Oh, yeah, 80 bux is a really great price for what you get w/ these gloves, IMHO. If you are looking for a glove that will impress your friends and double as a weapon, the Icon is probably a good choice, depending on the sophistication of your crowd. But I try to impress my hands when buying a glove. They're the two that really matter at the end of the day. Anyway, I'm sure you'll find some good stuff, but don't write off the TourMaster gloves because they don't say A-stars or Joe Rocket. Have a look and see.

Originally posted by modsquads hotty I bought a pair of SMX Plus for my b/f. I'd eat you, too, if you bought me a pair of boots... :yesnod (those who are wondering, look at her avatar/quote line. I'm not that forward!!!!)

The Alpinestars run small.I couldn't buy them because they don't make a big enough boot. I ordered Sidi vertebra. Same with gloves,I had to go with teknic's.They don't make the sp2's big enough. :fact

Cool. Thanks for all the info! I'll try and find better gloves (Those Icon's are pretty outrageous) and I'll consider another helmet. I tried on a medium VR-1 at the local shop (I wear a large HJC Sy-max right now) and it fit but was not snug. I could get a little movement out of it side to side and up and down. About gloves... I've seen some brands where the glove stops at the wrist. The ones I have now are Yamaha racing gloves that cover the entire wrist and half my forearm. Is it unwise, with a full leather jacket like the Gericke, to have gloves that stop at the wrist?

Originally posted by onikageka I've seen some brands where the glove stops at the wrist. The ones I have now are Yamaha racing gloves that cover the entire wrist and half my forearm. Is it unwise, with a full leather jacket like the Gericke, to have gloves that stop at the wrist? Most racing organizations require gauntlet style gloves.:) Why not be prepared for a track day?

I already have a pair like that. I'm just wondering if gloves without large wrist covers are dangerously vulnerable.

Originally posted by onikageka I already have a pair like that. I'm just wondering if gloves without large wrist covers are dangerously vulnerable. Think about the natural instinct to break your fall w/ your hands. Using short gloves the road would grab your coat's wrist seams and pull it up, possibly ripping it, depending on the situation, which would expose your forearm to rash or worse. The gauntlet prevents this type of meat grinding from happening.

Originally posted by gb506 Think about the natural instinct to break your fall w/ your hands. Using short gloves the road would grab your coat's wrist seams and pull it up, possibly ripping it, depending on the situation, which would expose your forearm to rash or worse. The gauntlet prevents this type of meat grinding from happening. YA SEE,thats why your messed up.I usually break my falls with my head.........I can usually get a few years out of my gloves that way. :D

For sportbikes I always go with the gauntlet style gloves. When on a cruiser, I'll wear the shorter glove sometimes. This choice has nothing to do with the quality of protection. It has more to do with comfort for me. :)