thegreensnot

Hi im new to biking,

im looking to buy my first set of leathers, which ones would any1 recommend and what prices am i expected to pay.

also the big question 1 piece or 2 piece?

any help would be great.

Thanks

wiffy

two piece is my choice alpinestar as been down road and kept me safe,how big are u, got alpinestar two piece which to big for me.

rattyzx6

Alpinestars, Dainese, etc are heavily marketed fashion crap. i have seen people get nasty cuts where the leather has ripped apart in fairly low speed incidents.

You are lucky. where you live you have 2 of the best leather makers in the country near you. Scott and AM. Scott definately do 2 piece which is what you want for riding on the road maybe the odd track day.

As for price it depends on your size and shape. If you are tall and slim you will probably fit a standard suit. If you are a lanky streak of piss or a fat dwarf (like me) you may find you need a made to measure suit which will cost around 25% more.

Scott's charge about 6-800 for a quality suit which will stand heavy impacts ( i can vouch for scott's). Dainese and Alpinestars charge £1200 for a suit which could rip apart like wet bog roll.

your choice

houltmac

Having crashed at well over 100mph in an Alpinestars suit I can say that there are very well made and hard wearing, whatever the rumour. They are more expensive than most, but for the fit, feel and indeed look I think it's worth it.

Ignoring the brand war for a moment though I'd say 2 piece. I have a 1 piece which I love and is super comfy. The 2 piece comes close though and is more practical. Stopping for a bathroom break, or even to sit and eat isn't so fun in a 1 piece and in the summer you can't take off a jacket to cool down. Also, 2 piece suits often have pockets that their 1 piece counterparts don't which can be a real help for change, keys, phones etc.

I keep my iPhone in my liner pocket in my suit, but it's gone right through the material (it's perforated for cooling, so not really designed for such a weight) and always ends up in my crotch now which is not easy to ride with.

NZX6r

Since you're new to biking, I'll assume you'll be spending more time on the road than on the track, and 2-piece leathers are far more practical for road riding. You can't always expect to be able to wear the jacket separately though -the 2 piece jackets are often quite a bit shorter in the torso that stand-alone jackets. The jacket from my 2-piece looks great when I'm on the bike wearing jeans as I'm hunched forward. When I stand up though, there's a gap of about 4 inches between the bottom of the jacket and my belt. Also, most jackets from 2-piece suits don't have waist adjusters, so if you're just wearing the jacket it will ride up when you crash and won't protect your back.

I'm very happy with my 2-piece. Great protection, I can take the jacket off when I stop, and it's far easier to relieve yourself in a 2-piece!


Have a look at FC-Moto.de - Motorrad-Helme, Motorradbekleidung, Jet Helme & Cross Helme for some good deals. Make sure you try on before you buy though. Good luck

thegreensnot

thanks for all the comments guys,


i have looked at a few different manufacturers such as dianese etc which are way over priced i reckon. ive seen a 1 piece berik suit which is priced at £399.00 which looks nice just need to decide 1 piece or 2 piece grrrr

wiffy

well said,and i agree.

rattyzx6

one word of warning about carrying stuff like phones, wallets etc in the pocket in a jacket. If you come off and land heavily on the pocket area you could end up with broken ribs and maybe a punctured lung.

i always put phones etc in a pouch under the pillion seat. Yes i did find out the hard way.

wiffy

ouch,bro

kone35

^+1 bruised ribs & a trashed phone here bro.
I learned like you did!

Now for my opinion...
Definitely a two piece for the aforementioned reasons.
I haven't seen too many Dainese or Astars suits
Shred. That's why a lot of AMA, SBK, & GP guys wear 'em.

If you want a good 1 or 2 piece at a great price,
Get a Frank Thomas. Well crafted & very durable.
They have decent styling & fit, but don't expect the looks
Of a Dainese.

It's not about a name bro. It's ALL about putting the
Best that you can afford, without breaking the bank, on
Your ass to save your skin & protect vital areas.

Personally, i'd go Scorpion or Frank Thomas. Scorpion gear
Needs nothing, and I've crash tested their stuff so I KNOW
It's good. Frank Thomas, you'll want to get a back & chest protector
To wear underneath. My buddy races in one of those, and he
Swears by it.

Make sure that you get boots & gloves as well.
Dennis Kirk's running a Great sale on this stuff @
Their online closeout store. Prices range from 10% - 85% off.
Choose your gear wisely...it's the only thing
Standing between you & a skin graph.

rattyzx6

the Dainese and Alpinestars leathers that the top racers wear are lovingly made in Italy out of the best hides. The ones that you and i buy are made in china/india. Frank Thomas used to be at the budget end of the uk market but i haven't seen the brand over here for years.

Berik are pretty good. you should get at least 5 years out of a set of leathers (i would expect 10 years from a decent set) so while spending say £800 on a set the is only £80 a year. If you are unlucky to crash and wreck the leathers you can claim for a new set on your household insurance (along with boots, helmet, gloves)

rattyzx6

Also, when you go to try leathers on, take out the token back protector and try the leathers on with a proper back protector. the back protectors in most leather suits either offer a good level of protection but are way too small to be any use or the right size protector but low level of protection.

I always use a proper back protector and junk the one that came in the leathers i have. Don't compromise on back protection.

kone35

@ ratty- you should go to the Dainese & A'stars websites & check your info.
They are made using identical materials @ the same specs.
This would make them the same suits.
If it's not up to the same standard, it won't wear their name.
A product doesn't hv to be made in the same country as company HQ
To be the same product.
Nissan, Toyota, & Honda are Japanese, and Hyundai is Korean.
However, they all build exceptional cars here in the USA too.
That's how international businesses work bro.

wiffy

well put makes perfect sence to me,now.

knerona

Werd!