Street gear or Trail gear?

[grecojas]

Ok, so i've seen plenty of "best adventure gear," "best trail gear," and "best helmet" threads, but not so many asking about wearing decent enduro (?)gear around the streets (city, not highway obviously) would this be acceptable protection or should i look more in to street gear suitible for trails? (trails=just firebreaks, jeep trails, ect-nothing too heavy yet)

[foxfire]

Problem with the "enduro" gear is no abrasion resistance. Problem with "street" gear is poor padding and usually warm. IMO best solution is a set of both and dress for the ride you're planning.

If you're to start with only one, street gear (I wear a Tourmaster suit) would cover more situations. There are many "dual-sport" suits that work fine for off-road but still give good abrasian resistance if you do go down at speed.

Find something with good venting, and you can always remove the padding and start building your "enduro" set with knee/elbow pads etc.

Don't forget the boots...Ive found the A* Tech 2's work good both on and off road for me.

[TBird1]

Find something with good venting, and you can always remove the padding and start building your "enduro" set with knee/elbow pads etc.

I've been checking out the new Stryker gear from ICON. Under an abrasion-resistant outer suit it looks like what I think I need for DS riding. How about the Bohn armor suits- is anybody using anything like these two choices? I'm more concerned with abrasion and impacts at higher speeds on the street than I am with with slower speeds on the trails.

As a dirt noob, I know little about off-road gear. Do the plastic roost deflectors offer any protection at all in a get-off, like against rocks? How about sliding on pavement?

[94 WR250]

Check out "Klim"

[wvdualsport]

I wear a Bohn Armor pressure type suit under a Klím jersey. Gaerne boots, Airoh helmet, etc. I really don't care how stylish I look getting to where I want to ride. I don't do all road rides on my DS. Wrong tool for the job.

[sgmartz]

where did you get that Airoh?

[wvdualsport]

where did you get that Airoh?

My wife bought it for me for Xmas (from England). But, the folks at KTM-PARTS.COM are just about ready to roll out being one of the first US dealers for Airoh. Check out their site.

[54321]

Ok, so i've seen plenty of "best adventure gear," "best trail gear," and "best helmet" threads, but not so many asking about wearing decent enduro (?)gear around the streets (city, not highway obviously) would this be acceptable protection or should i look more in to street gear suitible for trails? (trails=just firebreaks, jeep trails, ect-nothing too heavy yet)

Like FoxFire said, best to dress for the specific ride.

There are lots of mesh jackets with built in armor ... some better than others. These offer decent abrasion protection but not as much as leather or heavy duty Cordura jackets.

On true dual sport rides ... where we have a mix of dirt roads and street ... in moderate weather up to about 85F, I wear my leather pants with my own custom knee pads based on dirt bike knee pads.

The Leather pants have hip and tail pad built in.

Up top I wear a First Gear Rainier jacket. This jacket is light colored and has excellent venting. Great in hot weather. In cold, you just add layers or an electric jacket. It has built in armor including a back protector, lots of pockets. Quite versatile.

Some guys were something like an Acerbis Koerta pressure suit or Dainese pressure suit. Over this you wear a light enduro jacket. Max protection.

If you are just riding around town ... then good armored street gear is best.

I wear my street boots most times but on more serious dirt rides I wear my Dirt bike boots (Sidi Crossfire)

Lots of this is personal and depends on how you perceive dangers and how far you need to go to feel secure and how often you tend to fall off.

Best to get out there and ride ... try different combos, see what works for you. Super hot weather is the biggest challenge. Most idiots ride around in T shirts and Flip Flops and think they are invincible. One small mishap can ruin you for life. Motorcycle riding is dangerous .... never forget it. ?

[weantright]

Klim, Klim, and Klim unless you want flashy colors and fox accross your chest!

[Rich51]

For an abrasion resistant jersey that lets air flow through, check out Draggin Jeans kevlar shirt, http://www.dragginjeans.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=ACCESSORY_1. Of course you'll need some impact protection. I wear a pressure shirt (Thor Impact Rig SE) under mine. For legs: ballistic nylon MX pants over knee guards and armoured shorts. If I'll only be riding on the street, I just wear leathers.

[54321]

There are plenty of other gear companies making stuff equal to or better than Klim. Klim happen to be the flavor of the month and have some current endorsements by Dakar and other guys .... WHO ALL GET PAID TO WEAR IT.

They are also popular in on line forums like ADV.

Look ... 80% of all Off road riding gear is made in China ... most of it probably in the same 3 or four factories. The rest is made in either Vietnam,

Korea, Taiwan or Pakistan. Several companies make more "low key" adult colors ... Moose for example. Thor also have some good quality gear that does not scream Teen Head banger. Look around guys.

I've used all kinds of gear in the last 30 years. I also review it professionally for a local magazine and get it free. Klim have some good styles ... but quality wise there is not much difference between the others. Klim made a big deal about having inner leather panels on their pants ... Huh? This is not a new feature ... in fact its been used for 30, back when the really good gear was ALL made in Finland. Any of you kids remember that stuff?

Klim are mainly a Ski wear company. They also most likely give money/support to groups intent on CLOSING moto riding areas, like Sierra club and other preservationist groups. Are they really a friend to the off road community? I'd be interested in BRC's opinion of them.

I like the KLIM riding pants but I'm not so impressed with their riding jackets.

Over priced for what they are. I urge EVERYONE to go compare these garments IN PERSON. Touch and feel them please. Notice the single stitching on Klim. Notice how zippers and snaps are attached, notice how seams are finished. Over all, they are better than average, but there are several companies doing equal or better gear. Shop and compare.

Klim is the new Fox. Just a passing fad. But the fact is ... Fox quality is very very good. ?

[SnowMule]

You're not going to find the be-all-end-all gear for dualsport riding.

I've got a closet full of armor and equipment, what I wear depends on the riding i'm doing, weather, planetary alignment, how busy the parking lot is, who i'm riding with, and what I had to eat the night before.

Commuting to/from work I wear either a MX helmet with sunglasses or my dualsport helmet. Jacket's a fieldsheer adventure, has armor in shoulders/back/elbows. Jeans and work boots on the bottom.

A mostly-dirt ride I'll have a MX helmet and sunglasses or goggles, jersey, tekvest, paintball elbow pads underneath, Klim pants, tekrider armored shorts underneath, knee guards, and moto boots.

If it's wet out, or I'm going to spending a lot of time at speed on the pavement, I'll wear my tekvest under the adventure jacket.

And if you ate something disagreeable the night before, no matter what or how little gear you wear, it doesn't come off fast enough.

[weantright]

Klim jackets are worth every penny. I have had many over the years and not one ripped, broke a zipper or lost the water resistant/profing. Thier riding pants are better than most of whats on the market and cost the same. Jerseys are no different than others. Price wise they seem the same for high end wear however the snow clothing is expensive but again worth it.

Klim may be made in the same factory but the materials are different. Sure the leather inside pad is no big thing but it's just marketing and new for them. Klim is a winter wear company and breaking into off road is a new step. Everyone wants less expensive gear then they buy one every year. Klim you buy it and it last for two-three years in return saving you money. Some buy new items for a "new look" each year and if this is you then Klim is not your company.

[54321]

Klim jackets are worth every penny. I have had many over the years and not one ripped, broke a zipper or lost the water resistant/profing. Thier riding pants are better than most of whats on the market and cost the same. Jerseys are no different than others. Price wise they seem the same for high end wear however the snow clothing is expensive but again worth it.

Klim may be made in the same factory but the materials are different. Sure the leather inside pad is no big thing but it's just marketing and new for them. Klim is a winter wear company and breaking into off road is a new step. Everyone wants less expensive gear then they buy one every year. Klim you buy it and it last for two-three years in return saving you money. Some buy new items for a "new look" each year and if this is you then Klim is not your company.

If you compare materials with equal level items, I think you'll find the materials are mostly ALL the same. What is different is the design. This is the only thing Klim oversee. Design. .... and by the way Klim play the "new style every year" game same as the others.

If the quality is long lasting and proves to be good then the Klim rep will grow and customers will get the word out.

You're right about pants and jersey prices ... but jacket prices are pretty high. Their new "adventure' jacket is about $1200 IIRC, and they also sell a few plain, non armored enduro rain jackets are $300 to $400. Bit pricey I thought.

As I've said ... if you have a good shop near you (I know, most do not) then go see comparable gear in person. I live near San Francisco and one shop carries: Klim, Rev' it, Dainese, Alpinestar, Thor, MSR and some Fox.

Once you see Kilm next to a competitor you can see it's quite similar with only variations in pattern and design. Functionality and longevity requires field testing and takes time to prove.

One difference is Klim don't make low range stuff or kids stuff. Others have low end, middle range and high end stuff throughout their lines. If you can find the high end stuff and compare to Klim, then its an Apples to Apples comparo. Problem is very few shops stock much of anything ... because no one supports them ... customers buy on line and have NO IDEA what they are really getting and nothing to compare to.

[TBird1]

Well, I have a DS ride coming up soon so I had to pull the trigger. I ended up buying a Joe Rocket street jacket. A large was a little snug, an X-large just a little loose. Perfect! The loose fit enables me to wear Thor armor under it, which I also bought at the same time. The jacket has some light armor itself and, of course, has some abrasion resistance for the street. It looks to have pretty good ventilation. I can use the thermal liner or leave it out. Time will tell whether I can wear this through the summer. I also added some kneeguards. This will get me started anyway- I'll be adding items as I, and the changing seasons, see fit.

BTW, I bought this stuff from my local new-bike dealer where I could try the stuff on for fit. I didn't shop around and didn't compare prices. They had what I needed and I was pressed for time. Really, I'd rather support the place where I bought my machines anyway. I need them to stick around!

[SnowMule]

They've been into dirt gear for a while.

The gear's good, but I wouldn't buy it for the warranty again... Jacket was covered, but my $300 snow pants had holes in them they wouldn't cover after less than 200mi of use. Not real impressed there.

I'm typing this wearing my klim jacket, jersey, pants, and boots.

[grecojas]

You're not going to find the be-all-end-all gear for dualsport riding.

I've got a closet full of armor and equipment, what I wear depends on the riding i'm doing, weather, planetary alignment, how busy the parking lot is, who i'm riding with, and what I had to eat the night before.

Commuting to/from work I wear either a MX helmet with sunglasses or my dualsport helmet. Jacket's a fieldsheer adventure, has armor in shoulders/back/elbows. Jeans and work boots on the bottom.

A mostly-dirt ride I'll have a MX helmet and sunglasses or goggles, jersey, tekvest, paintball elbow pads underneath, Klim pants, tekrider armored shorts underneath, knee guards, and moto boots.

If it's wet out, or I'm going to spending a lot of time at speed on the pavement, I'll wear my tekvest under the adventure jacket.

And if you ate something disagreeable the night before, no matter what or how little gear you wear, it doesn't come off fast enough.

Well, this pretty much answers my question (though i have gotten a lot of good information out of everyones replies) I greatly appreciate the input everyone!

[McRide]

There are plenty of other gear companies making stuff equal to or better than Klim. Klim happen to be the flavor of the month and have some current endorsements by Dakar and other guys .... WHO ALL GET PAID TO WEAR IT.

They are also popular in on line forums like ADV.

Look ... 80% of all Off road riding gear is made in China ... most of it probably in the same 3 or four factories. The rest is made in either Vietnam,

Korea, Taiwan or Pakistan. Several companies make more "low key" adult colors ... Moose for example. Thor also have some good quality gear that does not scream Teen Head banger. Look around guys.

I've used all kinds of gear in the last 30 years. I also review it professionally for a local magazine and get it free. Klim have some good styles ... but quality wise there is not much difference between the others. Klim made a big deal about having inner leather panels on their pants ... Huh? This is not a new feature ... in fact its been used for 30, back when the really good gear was ALL made in Finland. Any of you kids remember that stuff? ?

Klim are mainly a Ski wear company. They also most likely give money/support to groups intent on CLOSING moto riding areas, like Sierra club and other preservationist groups. Are they really a friend to the off road community? I'd be interested in BRC's opinion of them.

I like the KLIM riding pants but I'm not so impressed with their riding jackets.

Over priced for what they are. I urge EVERYONE to go compare these garments IN PERSON. Touch and feel them please. Notice the single stitching on Klim. Notice how zippers and snaps are attached, notice how seams are finished. Over all, they are better than average, but there are several companies doing equal or better gear. Shop and compare.

Klim is the new Fox. Just a passing fad. But the fact is ... Fox quality is very very good. ?

Klim makes exactly zero Ski gear.

A Daihatsu and a Lexus are both made in japan so they must be exactly the same.

Klim support the Colorado 500 and COHVCO and SAWS. They paid motorcyclists and snowmobiles to join Blue Ribbon Coalition last year (with free gear). They give grants away to motorsport clubs who help keep riding areas open. Klim has never given 1 cent to a group that closes riding areas.

[weantright]

+1! right McRide

[54321]

Klim makes exactly zero Ski gear.

A Daihatsu and a Lexus are both made in japan so they must be exactly the same.

Klim support the Colorado 500 and COHVCO and SAWS. They paid motorcyclists and snowmobiles to join Blue Ribbon Coalition last year (with free gear). They give grants away to motorsport clubs who help keep riding areas open. Klim has never given 1 cent to a group that closes riding areas.

?

How long have you worked at Klim? ?

I remembered Klim from some years ago, thought they sold snow and ski gear? Now? Looks like they've morphed over to Snowmobile/Enduro. My apologies for the severe mis-statement. Since you work there, let me ask you a question: Did Klim start off selling Motorcycle gear ... or was it Snow gear? (careful there?)

http://www.klimcanada.com/store/index.html

BTW, Daihatsu took most production out of Japan years ago. They've been established in Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam and now China ... going back to the the 1980's. They are now also owned by Toyota.? So maybe Lexus and Daihatsu are the same!

I don't have access to Kim's books but I know some of the companies they sell to, like REI. REI, inc. are big supporters of preservationist groups. So yes, it is guilt by association ... I'm sorry if that seems unfair and I hope I am dead wrong.

I'm happy to hear Klim are generous with donations and support of BRC.

But for the record ... they are not the ONLY gear company giving such support. Some select large producers give some support to help keep our sport viable. Plus One for KLIM.

And ... I'm not saying ALL Chinese made gear is the same ... I said Klim's gear is probably made in the same factory as many other brands. Have you been to China? Or Vietnam and SEEN the garment trade?

In China, like elsewhere, you get what you pay for. There is a lot of Low Spec crap out there. Look at the Cycle Gear in house brand.

The good stuff is night and day better ... and I would agree, Klim is some of the better stuff coming out of China. They are paying for this ... and so are we.

So, like I said in an earlier post on this ... see stuff in person, try it on,

check the fabrics and quality in person. Klim are smart. They are one of the only garment companies supporting the Off Road enduro segment now. Not much competition as about 85% of companies focus on Moto Cross ... which is currently pretty dead.

But for the most part, Klim gear is close to other top brands .... uh, excluding Klim's $1200 Enduro jacket that is! ? (yes, that's One Thousand, Two Hundred folks)

A $1200 (usd) enduro jacket may fly in the high end KTM Orange Underpants demographic, and BMW Kool-Aid suckers ... but general red neck public riding 10 year old two strokes or old clapped out Thumpers?

Not sure on that one ....

Klim are headed "Up Market" ... to a market that doesn't really exist. Not many Yuppies ride dirt bikes ... most Klim customers ride Big KTM's and BMW Dual Sport bikes .... and most never go beyond Starbuck's. How do I know all this? I live in Marin County!?