| Author | Message | ||
     Britchri10 |
I don't mind an EBR or Buell logo. It's having the garment manufacturers name in 3 inch high letters across the chest or back that I object to. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Pnw Uly, didn't mean to put a wasp up your arse, but your post came over as wanting gear that's as pricey as the bikes is all. As to my boot specifications. If it's possible to have it all, I want it all. If it's not possible, well why not? Isn't that what this thread is about? If some innovative person reads this & says to themselves "Well it should be possible, what if ...." & an idea is born, everyone's a winner. That's how I saw the OPs post, as asking for ideas of what people on here want. Well that's what I want, if you want expensive existing gear with an EBR logo on it that's your privilege. | ||
| Pnw_uly |
What's that line about arguing with an idiot . . .? No wasps - - and as long as we're referring back to the OP, its my guess he posed the question in order to solicit some information on what Buell owners might want to see in a line of EBR produced riding gear. Now your initial post, and I'm paraphrasing here, "excellent protection and off-bike comfort and waterproof and breathable and inexpensive". Do you suggest that you were the first person that identified all these qualities in boots ? ? Or, that by innovation, all these qualities will magically coalesce into a boot that is unsurpassed in low price ? ? Make sure you patent that thought process, lest Sidi, TCX Gaerne, Dainese, etc. catch wind of it. . . To be blunt, your first response was a "throw-away" to anyone who is even loosely associated with the manufacturing process - - might as well have requested the unobtanium sliders, pixie dust sparkles, and titanium flotation devices. . . My point remains - - the new EBR bikes will be high quality machines (AKA not cheap) - - if the company moves forward with producing a line of riding gear with the EBR logo, then I'm only interested if that gear is of the same high level of craftsmanship as the motorcycles. So Whistler, (since this will be my last post on this thread) great quality gear if possible, competitively priced, like mentioned about what Triumph does, or even similar to the BMW line. Best of luck with your continued boot search, and YRMV. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
What's that line about arguing with an idiot . . .? I wouldn't know, I don't argue, I discuss, & I treat everybody as a reasonably intelligent being with the respect they deserve. Until they prove to the contrary. | ||
| Notpurples2 |
I'll second what ulynut said about the connecting zipper. Many track day organizers require a minimum of 3/4 or full zipper on two piece suits. Track ready gear seems like a no-brainer when you're selling track ready bikes. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Is there any EBR track gear currently available? I didn't see any on the website. | ||
| Notpurples2 |
Not out yet but are in the works (hints in the OP) Maybe they'll be out when they new EBR models start hitting the showrooms??? | ||
| Preybird1 |
I usually add my Buell stuff to the gear myself!  | ||
| Crackhead |
How about approaching this from a slightly different angle. How about building into the bikes some why to easily secure the gear for when you are away from the bike. That way I don't have to pick what gear I am wearing based on my destination or I don't have to carry it around with me. A perfect example is going to the beach/ boardwalk. When I get to the beach, where do I keep my jacket, gloves, helmet, pants, boots? I can fit my sandals and a towel in a backpack for the ride to the beach. I think this is where some of the lock of ATGAT comes in. The only Buells that made it easy were the Uly, S2t and S3t, the rest of them made it a PIA to wear ATGAT. Maybe a built in wire mesh lockable sack/ bag to put everything in, that will not scratch the paint? Built in options will never be forgotten at home or lost in the garage or stolen. | ||
| Diablobrian |
I'm hardcore ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time) for good reason, I've already lost most of my use of my left leg due to an accident. (Yes, i was wearing all of my gear even then). There have been some good comments here, I find the biggest points to be 1) make it comfortable 2) make it high quality 3) make it safe / track ready / protective 4) make it both stylish and visible (reflectivity GOOD) 5) make it American (Vanson & aerostitch come to mind) 6) make it as affordable as possible Pretty much sums it up? | ||
| Whistler |
Thanks everybody. Keep it coming. Every opinion, suggestion, and comment is valuable. More long term we have found some interesting protective building blocks. Drawback to most of these exciting articles is cost. There is also a fair amount of development required. But... some very interesting stuff, strong, flexible, and light. Brian thanks especially for your comments. Lower body protection offers a true challenge, a whole new set of obstacles. But we're motivated, we'll get there. Talk to us. Is it worthwhile to wear gear? Is it too much of a hassle? If you don't habitually wear gear, why? What would have to be done to the gear to get you to slip some on? If you always wear some of the gear, what's the piece you leave off? Why? If you always wear most all of the gear, why? What works? What doesn't? Does not do anyone a bit of god if we make gear that does not function as it should or no one will wear. Tell me what you think. Please. Thank you BadWebbers. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Nice to hear our input is appreciated. I guess I'm fairly lax about wearing riding pants. I always wear full face helmet, gloves, riding jacket, and boots, but I usually wear riding pants only for long trips or riding in the twisties. The reinforced jeans (or similar) seem like a reasonable compromise. I think they'd help significantly with road rash but lack of armor is a concern. Riding pants that looked less geeky or overpants that were easy to get on and off would be a big improvement. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
I always wear a riding jacket with armour, usually heavy duty leather riding trousers with reinforced knees, but when it gets cold lined textile riding pants with knee & hip armour. Helmet, gloves & boots too. | ||
| Glitch |
I sure miss my Buell boots! Those were great, reasonably priced, and they worked. I'd still be wearing them if I hadn't had to put them to the test.  | ||
| Diablobrian |
The d30 (?) armor that has been showing up in snowboarders gear holds a lot of promise for impact absorption/dissipation. Couple that with some plastic armor to beat the abrasion issue and you could really be onto something. Short of an armored exoskeleton there is no true 100% solution to the dangers that face a rider, and none of us want that. I would however like to see more attention paid to spine protection. Most spine protectors on the market today are bulky, cumbersome, and do nothing to protect the cervical vertebrae. I'd like to see jackets and better yet suits constructed with articulated armor built into it that covers the whole spine. leaving a less cumbersome pad to be strapped to the rider's body of material similar to the d30 discussed earlier. not sure how well leatt style neck protection would work for riders. Some research ios definitely in order. I spend a LOT of time trying to convince other to wear their gear. Even if they own gear the most common complaint I hear is in regards to comfort and heat issues causing them to ride without it. In order for the gear to do it's job properly we know that it must fit properly. Most people buy their helmets and even jackets at least one size too large because they are trying them on and checking the comfort while walking around a store not on their bike. Anyone that has ever worked on a race team is familiar with the "racer's hunch" that they walk with when in their leathers. This is because the leathers are cut to fit properly when they are on the bike tucked in. Not a fashion statement. Companies like Arai in particular try very hard to get people into helmets that fit them properly and will therefor be safer and more comfortable on the road where it counts. I only see companies like Held and Bohn advocating chest protection at all other than token pieces used to anchor velcro straps. The lower spine is indeed problematic but this area is expose to danger in a very real way. Vincent Haskovec, Wayne Rainey, and Takuma Aoki all come to mind as graphic examples of how even the best riders on the planet are not immune to this danger. If you could find a way to properly protect the spine the motorcycling world will beat a path to your doorstep. Thanks for taking an interest in what we as riders want instead of telling us "here is what we will manufacture, deal with it" | ||
| Diablobrian |
Another idea came to me a moment ago. As far back as the 80's football helmet makers constructed them with crowns that could be inflated to give the player a perfect fit with just a standard ball inflation needle. It seems this technology could be applied to motorcycle helmets too. Perhaps end the "Arai head or Shoei head" issue by making the helmet fit the head not trying to fit the head to a helmet in the traditional manner. This seems far more sensible to me. Boots a little lighter than aerostitch's combat lites would go a long way towards appeasing people who want protective boots without power ranger looks. | ||
| Beugs |
In response to whistlers last question, the one bit I frequently ride without is my armored pants. I have fieldsheer mesh overpants with the insulated waterproof liner that works very well. They are time consuming to put on and I usually don't bother unless I'm going on a very long ride. Make pants that are easy to put on and work in a wide range of temps and I'm in. Glitch, I still have a pair of those boots and I love them, been wearing them for 7 years or so. They've been to hell and back but I just keep getting 'em fixed. Now the soles are worn through and my feet get wet  | ||
| Britchri10 |
RE: Gear I don't wear all the time: 1) Boots. I ride in shoes/trainers more than boots, simply for the convenience/comfort. 2) Armor equipped pants. I ride in "dragging jeans" or just regular chino's most of the time. Again, for comfort & convenience. I always wear a jacket w/armor (usually mesh), a full face composite helmet & proper gloves. Also, most of my riding is a 30 mile round trip commute too and from work. On longer trips I do wear armored pants & boots. Chris C | ||
| Luftkoph |
Boots in some wide widths | ||
| Bluzm2 |
I wish I could get another pair of Prexport WP360's. Mine are 11 years old and totally shot.. Sidi's hurt my feet. | ||
| Diablobrian |
As a point of interest, it may be useful to talk to a neuro-psychologist when considering helmet designs. I'm sure that you are consulting with not only riders, but also orthopedists when looking at gear design too. While we as riders may know what we want, it may not be the best thing for our own safety. I was out at my local cyclegear this afternoon looking at gear for my daughters. There seems to be a huge abyss between the true high end brands fit, finish, and quality and that of the "bargain brands" with very few standing in the breech. Scorpion seems to be a good compromise between quality and price, as well as the upper level HJCs. I would beware some of these brands (Bilt) because everything about them screams CHEAP! and I'd be afraid of how poorly it would hold together. KBC has stopped US distribution according to the folks at cyclegear. the time may be ripe to partner with them as Buell has in the past (iirc) to bring us a high quality helmet for a reasonable price. So I guess this is just a re-itteration that we want practical gear for a reasonable price rather than crap gear for the lowest price. Personally I think that there could be drastic improvement in spine protection by attaching armor (chest, hips, and back as an undergarment made of an underarmor and strap arrangement to keep it properly in place on your body despite impacts or poorly fit riding gear. combined with new impact absorbing materials this could do a lot to keep riders from becoming injured. I was wearing full gear, complete with spine protector but still suffered a root evulsion of the left sciatic nerve and a shattered pelvis during a 45mph vs a car turning left to hit me head-on. part of it was due to my role as my wife's air bag, but I'm sure that my jacket mounted spine protector did not protect my lumbar spine either because of looseness of a street 2 piece suit, and also because of the shape of it and the fact it was designed far more for comfort than for true protection (first gear leathers) because of consumer demand that the gear be comfortable in the store. I don't necessarily WANT a "racer's hunch" built into my street gear, but a lot can be done with flex panels and kangaroo leather, or articulated armor pieces to improve on the compromises we currently live with. There really insn't any good reason for the way safety gear has stagnated while the manufacturers have concentrated on "bold new graphics", aero humps, ornamental carbon fiber, and extra vents for the last 20+ years. Can anyone remember the last revolutionary change in motorcycle gear? Not a gimmick, but something that really changed the industry? I'd really love to know what and when it was because I'd like to know. I'm thinking it was articulated plastic armored spine protectors in the early 90's. It's been 20 years. we should have moved forward by now. Foregive me if I repeat myself here, but I think that this is very important for mitigating the risks we all take every time we throw a leg over a motorcycle. (Message edited by Diablobrian on November 14, 2012) | ||
| Brumbear |
I have a Buell Turbulant jacket and I love it!!!I also have technic 2 piece trousers by tuckerrocky i believe. You know I always say this about gear: Will Gear help you at 100 mph? Maybe Will gear help at 45? Hell Yeah I am doing 45 way more than 100 so wear the GOD darned gear!!!!!! | ||
| Just_ziptab |
@Glitch........My first pair of Buell Switchback boots were something like $49.00.....possibly got the link here many years ago. Cut one snowmobiling and stitched it up(one inch cut). I had a save search on eBay and a few turned up at neart $200.00! A couple months ago,I got a new pair on eBay for $89.00...I'm happy with that price. Thought I'd never see them for sale again and I couldn't even find a clone of them. | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
Only made a short comment at the first of the thread, but after reading more replies, I want to add to this. I stick by the Vanson comment. Really quality gear, made in USA. The guy above that mentioned ways of securing gear to the bike - I agree 100%. But I do think that there are products out there for helmets that might work for some of that stuff. But still, it'd be nice to be able to wear proper stuff to a location and then leave it with your bike safely. I HATE having to haul around my leather jacket, it isnt light, its bulky, its an annoyance in certain situations. I'd love to see gear that isnt super flashy. Example: some of the gsxr jackets. They got the big logo in the center andthen a bunch of 'sponsor' patches all over the place. Sometimes of products NOT on the bike. Tacky. But I hate flashy stuff like that, and even my first Vanson jacket (buell product) was on the edge with the huge "BUELL" on the sleeve. This was an early jacket, not near as bad as some of the stuff got with buell etc all over the sleeves and chest/back and so on. Quality gear that looks good/timeless And not wearable - but good quality packs/bags too. My tankbag (buell) is helpfull....but not of the highest quality. The zippers are where I have the issue. That said, the tail and saddlebags I have for my 1125 are fine. It'd be cool to see more stuff like the S3 fairing pouches or the Uly handlebar pouch. Something small, out of the way, but can put a few essentials. I know, I cant afford a EBR bike, just giving my input on the subjet | ||
| Brumbear |
 This is the set up not to flashy as a matter of fact quite subdued. | ||
| Glitch |
Yeah Zip, I've found 'em after the H-D dropped Buell for real cheap, but at teh time I was brokernell. Now when they show up, they're the wrong size, go figure. Mine were unrepairable after a car side swiped me. They did their job well, but one side was pretty much gone after the pavement slide... Those were the best most comfortable boots I've owned. Hell I'd buy a pair now even if they had an H-D bar and shield on 'em. | ||
| Hughlysses |
My first pair of Buell Switchback boots were something like $49.00.....possibly got the link here many years ago. Someone on SACborg posted a link and then I think it was reposted here. An outfit called "Bargain Outfitters" had them at that price. I still have mine and they're holding up well. I still get a daily Bargain Outfitters newsletter, but I haven't seen any more Buell stuff. They do have some hellacious deals on other stuff from time to time though. | ||
| Jim2 |
I hate to contribute to a thread jack http://www.discountfootwear.co/Harley-Davidson-Swi tchback-buell-Boots-in-Black-p163166.html Now back to the topic | ||
| Diablobrian |
jim2, you just made some people happy i'd bet. I was doing some research to see if I could find anyone making the kind of protection I was talking about for a riders spine. I haven't found what I'm looking for yet, but I have seen elements of it. The Icon stryker shorts incorporate 2 layer hip padding including the 3do material I mentioned. I have found a number of armored sub-jackets like the EVS comp jacket and others like it tend to have both a spine protector that is too short to protect the lower lumbar and upper cervical spine. they also place a zipper right up the middle of the sternum plate instead of using an asymmetrical zipper arrangement to maximize the protection.   Ideally I'm talking about a full one or two piece under-armor style garment with all of the riding armor attached to it with more elasticity than current suits to keep the armor securely where it belongs. allowing the outer suit to be designed for the sole purpose of abrasion resistance with the inner suit contending with impacts. I know it is a re-think of the bulk of current technology, but that is exactly what is needed. I have yet to see anything on the market to protect the neck of a street rider. within a month of Dale Earnhart Sr dying in his NASCAR the HANS devices were mandated to protect the drivers. I wonder how many riders need to die or become seriously injured for us to have a similar device designed for sport riders. Dirt riders can already benefit from similar devices for less than $200 on the low end.  However due to the VERY different demands of dirt and street riding we don't benefit from cross-over of the technology. Maybe an inflatable airbag donut built into the helmet base triggered by a certain level of impact that would serve to immobilize the head in relation to the shoulders until emergency help can arrive? I know that there are issues there as well, but with proper valving it could be made to inflate fast enough to save your neck without causing injuries in it's own right. maybe a ripcord attached to the bike as well that has to be pulled to arm the system. Hard to account for every potential crash circumstance of course. I know a good many will be rolling their eyes and saying things like "no way I'd wear all that crap, you're lucky I even wear a "DOT" novelty helmet when I go out in my flip flops and board shorts" and that is their right. It turns my stomach to think of the risks they are taking without a second thought having seen the consequences first hand when full precautions were taken. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
My Buell boots are falling to bits, & were never more waterproof than a collander at the best of times, but so comfy. I'll get them fixed up when I next see my leatherworking friend & keep them for summer only. Just picked up a pair of XPD waterproof touring boots at less than half price, off the net. Seem good quality, will have to see how they break in. |
