Ducati Monster Forum

I don't believe that we do have one of these, or if we do i'm to lazy to look for it. But I figured we could use this to post up our reviews on on any gear..pants, jackets, helmets, thongs, etc etc


I will start because I'm looking to getting new gear, my gear is reaching its beyond 5 year limit and i need to spice it up  [laugh]

first off I'm looking to get a helmet (as some of you have seen on my facebook) but also looking at leathers as well.

tell me what is you favorite helmet is and why?

I have an Arai signet GTR-which i do love, it has the best ventilation and has always been comfortable. But then again it's the only helmet i have had these last 5 years. before that I had a Shoei would I really didn't care for, it didn't fit my head well and was just not for me.
So i would like to stay with Arai again but I am also exploring my options. Any suggestions on the best palce to go for helmet tyring on? (I plan to buy from steve, but unforuntely he only had a couple of helmets that would actually fit me to try on and see if I like it).

As for leathers I plan to stick with leathers, no mesh, and will more than likely get another dainese jacket along with pants this time (now i have alpine star).

Helmet to me is one the most important investment. Look for sales online after you try them in stores...Cycle gear has few selections to try?! Each nugget is different. These are my choices by preference:
1) Suomy Extreme or Spec1R (Owned Suomy Spec1R Ducati, best sound insulation and feel for me, super light (Karl has an Extreme), STOLEN)
2) Shark RSR2 (Own currently, great helmet- heavy foam, peripheral vision, light, chin strap lock, feel at corners, moves at speeds over 155mph ???)
3) Shoei X11 (Own currently, good fit, peripheral vision, foam weakens after 1+ years of high speed abuse- moves at speeds over 140mph! ???)
4) AGV GP Tech (Owned, Crash tested and returned to insurance)
5) Shoei RF800 (Owned, severely crash tested!  :P)
Negative opinions: Few Bells (bad perpheral vision), HJC (heavy and neck ache).

Arai is every ones choice, No Arai fits my head right!?

Good helmet brands: Arai, Suomy, Shoei, Shark, AGV, Schuberth, NOLAN, etc.

My gears have always been Dainese, well crash tested- high and low sides  ???, great fit and comfort, high speed aerodynamics, flexibility for leans and quick movement, lighter, thicker leather, well placed CE armor. I prefer perforated D-skin leathers.

Back Protector: Very important [evil], Dainese or Alpinestars. Crash tested my Bionic Alpinestars at over 80+. Karl has a really good Dainese.

Boots: Again, get a very good torque resistant and flexible boot. I use some good SIDI. 3-4 years old...crash tested...works well in terms of point pivot flexibility and protection against twist.

Gloves: I have my right wrist completed broken and supported with Titanium because of a bad Icon Glove. Never ride a sportbike without gauntlet gloves! I swear by Alpinestars GP Pro, GP Tech is good too. Dainese has full metal gloves that are good. Money is well worth it here as these are the first things to break and recuperation time is over one year!

Scary... ;D :P, I have experience being bad! [evil]

Good review JJ. I haven't crash-tested as much as you, but know that good gear will save your bacon. Slid down the road at 60 wearing full leather back in the 70s and didn't get a scratch. Last year I tumbled down I-25 at 25-30 and didn't get a scratch (wearing a full Aerostich Darien suit and Shoei helmet). I've taken plenty of tumbles on dirt bikes and dual-sports - never seriously hurt. ... all the gear all the time.

Having crash tested several Arais, the primary reason I continue to use them is that their Corsair/Quantum shell is the only helmet I've ever worn that fits me well.  That said, I've DESTROYED several Arai lids and have yet to sustain a head injury in a crash....including a triple digit get-off at Road Atlanta, T12. Broken arm, shoulder injury, broken ribs, broken wrist, broken ankles, contusions, abrasions, proper cuts, deep bruises...but never a head injury....knock on wood.

I tried on a Shark a few years ago that fit nearly as well as the Arai, but the visor system and venting felt cheap by comparison.  I'm sure they've changed all that (it's been close to a decade, for cryin' out loud), so I'll probably look at another Shark when I need to buy another lid.  Last time I needed a helmet I hadn't even started looking in earnest (it was winter) when I walked into Cycle Gear and found a Quantum on sale for a little over $200.  I couldn't resist.

While we're on the subject, I'll take a minute to vigorously disagree with JJ regarding "try it on at the store, but buy it online".  That can't work for long, as your local dealer will go out of business in short order if he stocks equipment but doesn't sell it to anyone!  Support your local dealer or independent shop.  Develop a relationship with someone and you'll likely get prices nearly as good as the online ones with the bonus of support should your helmet break, or you need parts, or whatever.  (Bear in mind that, as a local business operator, I might be a bit biased.......but I'm not in the business of selling gear, so maybe not!)

Again, while we're talking about gear, I like Held gloves (though Dianese fit me well, too, and seem solidly made), Sidi boots ('cause they make boots that fit me....I have wide feet and Sidi is the only company I know of making performance boots in wide sizes.  Look for anything Sidi make with "Mega" in the model name and you'll get wide sizes!), and Vanson leathers, though I generally wear less expensive AGV or Teknic leathers, which fit me well....that is, they're cut generously.  'cause they're frikkin' cheap and wear well in a crash.

I generally wear clear shields, though I do own one light smoke one.  I almost always wear ear plugs while riding, and favor the cheap disposable ones.

There...what else you wanna know?

 [roll]  :-X  [bow_down] Point taken on supporting local business. Didn't mean to avoid them, assumed Mouse didn't find any right fit in stores. Steve does match online rates, he gave me better deals on tires for both bikes, beating the best online price. Sometimes though, online deals are hard to resist, 200 something for Shark RSR2, 500 for New Dainese D-skin Leather suit, unbeatable?!

Ear plugs: I like the ones you get at Walgreen's called Mack's Ear seals (27decibels):
http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/mack%27s-ear-seals-dual-purpose-earplugs/ID=prod1707479-product#descriptionNamedTab (http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/mack%27s-ear-seals-dual-purpose-earplugs/ID=prod1707479-product#descriptionNamedTab)

Under armour: These tend to be expensive, but Ross and TJMaxx tend to carry them in all sizes for as low as 10-12 bucks! A friend also told me that the Outlet mall outside Santa Fe has heavily discounted Under armour clothes.

Lip guard: You have no idea...you need one in NM! Anything that bothers you when you are flying like a maniac is a problem! :D

Slightly off topic...Stretches before and after rides help!  [bow_down]

I can't say enough great things about Held gloves.  They are very expensive, but UNBELIEVABLE.  Same goes for a quality helmet like Arai or Shoei.

Jess had on a brand new Shoei X11 (bought the day before) and held gloves when she had that horrible crash in 2007.  The ONLY parts of her body unscathed were her head and her hands.  I brought the helmet into the ER for the docs to see the points of impact.  The scanned her head and found ZERO damage even though the helmet was cracked and missing chunks 1/4 inch deep.  Her hands were not broken and not even scratched.  In fact, the gloves were so good, I gave them away after.

 [thumbsup]

WOW!! that is amazing thx guys...all this info will hopefully help me and anyone else.
I hope to build up to nice gear like that, but with time i will spend all that money towards that stuff is test aproved by you guys  [thumbsup]
I'll looking to those gloves some more....

I'll add a +1 for the HELD gloves.  I love mine..(Akira's) Even with the hole in the tip of my left middle finger.  A dime wouldn't fit through it and its taken 5 years or so to develop.  (Stitching came undone)  They've been comfortable, easy to move in and thin enough to transfer feedback from the bars very well.   [thumbsup]

Yeah, I like my Held gloves too.