Novice rider looking for advice

RHJ

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CaptainR

RHJ wrote: »

Good evening everyone, I hope you're all safe and well and looking forward to a very happy Christmas.

I passed my IBT in October, and shortly after bought my very first bike, a Suzuki 125 scooter . However, after being on the bike during the wind and rain and some pretty cold days. I really need some winter gear which I hope some experienced riders on here can offer advice on.

Things I currently own as purchased from one of those German supermarkets (I always get the two of them confused with each other)

Motorcycle jacket (my chest gets very cold when travelling into the wind)
motorcycle trousers (I'll shamefully admit I never wear them because of how bulky they are)
motorcycle gloves (very cold during the winter)
motorcycle boots (again, I'll admit I almost never wear them and on a recent trip from Galway city to Mayo through the wilds of Connemara. I found my feet to be quite cold)
neck warmer
Caberg Duke Helmet (a really nice helmet. The only thing is, there is quite a lot of wind noise)

I'd appreciate any suggestions on reasonably priced gear upgrades.

On a completely separate note, has anyone done their test in Galway? If so, how did you find the experience?

You should wear ear plugs to quiet down the wind noise, its like night and day.

You could get handlebar muffs to keep your hands warm.

Base layers are good for keeping warm, a lot of people swear by merino wool, I got a set of cotton ones (top and long Johns in lidl a couple of weeks ago and their great)

Any of the cheap brand winter bike jackets should keep you warm. Oxford do grand winter gear and they're not expensive compared to Alpine stars or Rukka.

RHJ

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M94

RHJ wrote: »

Thanks

Where do people on here like to shop? What are your favourite websites

I am a beginner like you, best thing I got was heated grips and motorcycle winter gloves. 90% of my shopping is from sportsbikeshop uk, they have one of the best prices I have seen and their customer service is great. I bought a helmet and didn't like the color, so I returned it after taking off a few stickers and got a full refund anyway. I wear full gear jacket, trousers, boots and gloves and didn't get cold at all anywhere except my hands before I got the heated grips.

Alkers

You dont mention what the gear you have actually so it's hard to recommend upgrades. I wear leathers, mainly for protection and they're not as warm as textiles. To combat this, layers are your friend. If you get cold driving into the wind, ive found a cheap windbreaker under my jacket rally helps

arybvtcw0eolkf

Things which keep you warm.. Layers, and more layers.. Heated grips ~ almost all gloves are cold, don't mind the marketing crap they're all cold.

Noise, you can beat it with a fairing or changing helmet.. Ear plugs ARE an option, personally I heat taking away one of my senses, I just can not wear them but some find them great.

Shopping, for me its 50/50 online and local.

MSVforever

RHJ wrote: »

Good evening everyone, I hope you're all safe and well and looking forward to a very happy Christmas.

I passed my IBT in October, and shortly after bought my very first bike, a Suzuki 125 scooter . However, after being on the bike during the wind and rain and some pretty cold days. I really need some winter gear which I hope some experienced riders on here can offer advice on.

Things I currently own as purchased from one of those German supermarkets (I always get the two of them confused with each other)

Motorcycle jacket (my chest gets very cold when travelling into the wind)
motorcycle trousers (I'll shamefully admit I never wear them because of how bulky they are)
motorcycle gloves (very cold during the winter)
motorcycle boots (again, I'll admit I almost never wear them and on a recent trip from Galway city to Mayo through the wilds of Connemara. I found my feet to be quite cold)
neck warmer
Caberg Duke Helmet (a really nice helmet. The only thing is, there is quite a lot of wind noise)

I'd appreciate any suggestions on reasonably priced gear upgrades.

On a completely separate note, has anyone done their test in Galway? If so, how did you find the experience?

Hiya.

Buy yourself a decent pair of winter gloves. I got myself Richa Cold Protect GTX gloves (goretex) in Cotters and they are the business.
If you are doing a lot of rural driving you might want to get heated grips as well.

Base layers are a must. I bought myself Stadler long sleeve shirts and undertrousers and they are great but expensive (keep you warm or cool and you dont sweat).
Cheaper alternatives are long johns and long sleeve shirts from Mountain warehouse.

If you dont like your motorcycle trousers then at least get a proper pair of kevlar motorcycle jeans. They are comfy and give you some kind of protection.
However I would rethink wearing your motorcycle trousers and boots. Id rather be a bit uncomfortable then ending up getting skin graft or having bolloxed knees, ancles etc..

Cotters and Megabikes (and Bikeworld if you are made out if money) in Dublin have a decent selection of gear imo. The rest you can get online.

rat_race

I wouldn't necessarily agree with getting "any of the cheap brand" winter jackets.

When I started out, I bought a Hein Gericke jacket and trousers, about mid-range in their line. It has a removable inner lining, and it's built better than the majority of jackets I've seen since. Always keeps me warm and dry. Had it over 5 years and still going strong.

I rarely think to myself "I better put on a base layer as it's cold"; and I prefer to have casuals on underneath that means I don't have to do a full change, etc. The jacket/trousers keep me warm enough.

Friends of mine have bought "cheap" brands and they're flimsier, have a cheaper finish, and tend to let in rain and wind, despite being marketed as winter jackets, etc...


Regarding gloves, I believe you'll get cold hands, at least to a degree, no matter what if going at speed, but a good pair of winter gloves will really help. Heated grips are good too.

underwaterdog

As previously mentioned LAYER UP.

I have a three layer textile jacket I can wear all year, plus fleece and full body base layer and quilted textile trousers.

Bought some silk glove liners on eBay which help too.

Eventually even the best waterproof gear lets the water in but if you but from an actual shop they're generally good at taking returns and replacing 'defective' PPE within 12 months.

MSVforever

Regarding rain protection.

My gear is waterproof to a certain degree... well the normal Irish drizzle is grand but in torrential rain you will get soaked.
I bought some waterproofing tent spray called fabsil. This made the trousers/jacket really waterproof but it stinks when you put it on for a day or two.
However you will be dry but it still takes ages to dry your pants/jacket.

I bought myself rain over jacket/trousers from Oxford and its perfect. I doesnt let a single drop through and it dries very quickly (only 50$ incl delivery from UK).
The only downside might be breathability in the summer month...

CJhaughey

I dont understand how you can complain about the cold and say that you have MC trousers and don't wear them because they are bulky?
If they are bulky its because they have insulation and probably some kind of armour.
Any Armoured clothing will be bulkier than non armoured clothing, try wearing them and see if you get used to them.
And as for boots, they also offer protection, not sure what level of protection they have, but there should be a number on the CE label that will say 1.1.2 or some combination that is similar.
These relate to impact abrasion impact, cut resistance and transverse rigidity in that order.
2 is better than 1 in all those ratings and I can't be bothered to look up the figures.
If you want to look it up then EN 13634:2015 is the relevant document.

two wheels good

I'd be cold in June wearing shoes and jeans!

My tips:
- stuff a newspaper or plastic bag up yer jacket if you don't have a windbreaker
- wears boots, for safety sake. Your foot and ankle are very vulnerable even in a trivial spill.
- buy my Winter neck tube and gloves currently advertised on Adverts.

[Edit] Almost forgot: Bar muffs are very effective and not as awkward to use as you might think. I was enjoying the benefit of mine over the weekend - with summer gloves. Tucano Urbano are a good make.

ratracer

underwaterdog wrote: »

Eventually even the best waterproof gear lets the water in but if you but from an actual shop they're generally good at taking returns and replacing 'defective' PPE within 12 months.

I wouldn't necessarily agree with this statement. I bought Hein Gericke gore tex gear over 10years ago now, and it had never let in a drop of water.

rat_race

ratracer wrote: »

I wouldn't necessarily agree with this statement. I bought Hein Gericke gore tex gear over 10years ago now, and it had never let in a drop of water.

Same name...same jacket...same success with Hein Gericke...

Hmm.

Anyway, yeah, although, in absolute torrential downpours, rain just finds its way in, in time. There's just no way around it. Not saying it's through material, but more so through sleeves, down neck, through zips, etc...

Ayrtonf7

I'd echo what a lot of people are already saying.

- Layer up if you are looking for a cheap way to improve the heating situation on the bike. I cant imagine it will do much though unless you are willing to wrap up the rest of your body (legs & feet).

- Depending on how much you use the bike I'd recommend investing in some better clothing/equipment. It'll make a massive difference to the heating situation, comfort and (if you spend the right amount on the right pieces) waterproofing.

- If your looking for some good deals I'd also recommend Adverts.ie or Donedeal. If your patient and know what your looking for you can pick up some pretty savage deals on all of your gear.

Helena Drab Vice wrote: »

Noise, you can beat it with a fairing or changing helmet.. Ear plugs ARE an option, personally I heat taking away one of my senses, I just can not wear them but some find them great.

Couldnt agree more, I use my ears so much when I'm riding, especially in traffic/at slow speeds its hard to imagine riding without them.

underwaterdog

If you don't like the idea of muffs on the bars hand guards are great for keeping with wind off and some rain.

RHJ

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Lumen

RHJ wrote: »

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Don't think so.

To be honest you're riding a 125 scooter not a litre sportsbike, and in my (possibly idiotic) opinion you should ride and dress appropriately for that mode of transport. That means decent weather protection (for comfort) but not much crash protection other than a lid.

You're not going to high-side a scooter into the scenery after failing to catch a power slide coming off a roundabout. If you come off at reasonable speeds (<60kph) and don't get run over by your scooter, you'll mostly just come to a halt almost immediately on the road (I've done it a few times on a bicycle wearing only lycra) and sustain clothing damage and a bit of road rash.

I suppose you might ride into the side of a car that's pulled out, but boots aren't going to help much in that case.

Bike boots are designed to stop your bike, other vehicles or random bits of road furniture crushing your feet/ankles in the event of a crash, or possibly to stop your feet being ripped off after your ankles have been smashed in a high speed crash. This sort of incident is not typical for a scooter pilot.

CaptainR

rat_race wrote: »

I wouldn't necessarily agree with getting "any of the cheap brand" winter jackets.

When I started out, I bought a Hein Gericke jacket and trousers, about mid-range in their line. It has a removable inner lining, and it's built better than the majority of jackets I've seen since. Always keeps me warm and dry. Had it over 5 years and still going strong.

I rarely think to myself "I better put on a base layer as it's cold"; and I prefer to have casuals on underneath that means I don't have to do a full change, etc. The jacket/trousers keep me warm enough.

Friends of mine have bought "cheap" brands and they're flimsier, have a cheaper finish, and tend to let in rain and wind, despite being marketed as winter jackets, etc...


Regarding gloves, I believe you'll get cold hands, at least to a degree, no matter what if going at speed, but a good pair of winter gloves will really help. Heated grips are good too.

Well its all relative to what you consider cheap. To me a cheap winter jacket is between 100-120. You can get jackets for a well over a grand like. I got a free gore tex BMW jacket a few months into starting out but I have a 100 euro Ixon jacket that's grand for anything bar proper sideways rain.

CJhaughey

Personally I wouldn't ride without strong boots on my feet.
YMMV
OP have you seen these things for scooterists?
https://www.louis.ie/artikel/louis-weather-protection-universal/10005197?list=262139999&filter_article_number=10005197

Lumen

Oh.

http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/Frances-ex-PM-breaks-ankle-in-scooter-crash-on-Capri_350506.html

CJhaughey

Lumen wrote: »

Oh.

http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/Frances-ex-PM-breaks-ankle-in-scooter-crash-on-Capri_350506.html

I teach First Aid and some of the material I have on RTA's with no boots is... sobering to say the least.
Each to their own but Good gloves and boots for me is a must no matter what you are on.
I started riding offroad and the value of good boots has never left me

RHJ

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RHJ

RHJ wrote: »

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Yeah you should be able to get a brighter bulb if its not a sealed unit, if you take the bulb out and bring it to somewhere like halfords they should be able to show you a unit with higher lumens.

tbh though I find bike lights are more effective at you being seen by other drivers than actually lighting the road.

The guy who had my bike before me fitted some sort of hid headlight conversion to it (brighter headlight). It does nothing apart from half blind drivers coming towards me and people in front. Im just not bothered changing it but I would never bother fitting one on future bikes based on my experience of this one.

rat_race

CaptainR wrote: »

Well its all relative to what you consider cheap. To me a cheap winter jacket is between 100-120. You can get jackets for a well over a grand like. I got a free gore tex BMW jacket a few months into starting out but I have a 100 euro Ixon jacket that's grand for anything bar proper sideways rain.

Yeah, to me that would be "cheap" too. I'm not saying there aren't decent cheap winter jackets, or the odd deal to be had, etc...

Just in general, I think layering up + buying a cheap winter jacket isn't the way I would go.

I use bikes practically too; having to always think about under armour / extra layers, how many do I need, etc., etc., takes the usefulness out of it for me. Throw on decent biker clothing, including boots, and you'll be comfortable 9 times out of 10 even in just a t-shirt / boxers!

Gavin

RHJ wrote: »

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Drop in replacement (Assuming you have H4 headlight !)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NMEEOV2/ref=pe_385721_124735811_TE_dp_1

MSVforever

rat_race wrote: »

Yeah, to me that would be "cheap" too. I'm not saying there aren't decent cheap winter jackets, or the odd deal to be had, etc...

Just in general, I think layering up + buying a cheap winter jacket isn't the way I would go.

I use bikes practically too; having to always think about under armour / extra layers, how many do I need, etc., etc., takes the usefulness out of it for me. Throw on decent biker clothing, including boots, and you'll be comfortable 9 times out of 10 even in just a t-shirt / boxers!

What gear (make & model) would you recommend so I dont need to layer up in this cold/damp weather (this morning was especially bad...)
I like the idea of only wearing tshirt/underwear underneath without sweating/freezing...)

Btw Im already saving for Daytona boots.

Thanks.

listermint

Op as it's a scooter would you not get a scooter apron they have these all over the continent. Allows you to wear normal clothes with just a protective jacket and helmet.

Weather proof and warm

RHJ

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RHJ

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listermint

RHJ wrote: »

Thanks I'll check it out the only thing that worries me is many of them are scooter model specific. Could you recommend one that would fit the Suzuki AN125?

Also any specific jacket recommendations?

The suzuki ones are made by burgman.

Jackets get Goretex if you can afford and try them on.

Go to cotters good lads for advice