Dress For The Fall Not The Ride - Cool Motorcycle Gear - Anyone Know What And Where?

[batami]

Since being in Thailand I have been riding a motorcycle frequently.

There is an old adage - "dress for the fall and not the ride" - which gives rise to leather and a whole range of clothing for motor cyclists in the West ... but these are generally just too hot for the Thailand climate.

Anyone any serious suggestions / experiences of alternative clothing which can be used for day to day riding and long distance touring in Thailand .. without sweating your proverbials off.

Obviously the idea is to offer some protection - far more than a T shirt and shorts!!

Thanks in advance

[Crow Boy]

Since being in Thailand I have been riding a motorcycle frequently.

There is an old adage - "dress for the fall and not the ride" - which gives rise to leather and a whole range of clothing for motor cyclists in the West ... but these are generally just too hot for the Thailand climate.

Anyone any serious suggestions / experiences of alternative clothing which can be used for day to day riding and long distance touring in Thailand .. without sweating your proverbials off.

Obviously the idea is to offer some protection - far more than a T shirt and shorts!!

Thanks in advance

Pleased that you take the preservation of your skin seriously.

In Pantip Plaza on the ground floor there is a bike accessory shop - it has very good but sorry to say pricy jackets and vests that are suitable to the climate here. Check them out for helmets as well if you are flushed with funds. They have real Arai helmets not just the cheap fakes like some other stores.

Other than that I wear jeans and boots if I am going any distance. I always wear a full face helmet and have successfully trained my girlfriend to wear hers as well. She is now to the point that she hates riding without it.

In the cold season I wear my leather jacket and in the rainy season I have a full length waterproof riding coat. Both offer fairly good protection against falls and spills.

In summer it really is too hot to wear anything except a light jacket like the ones from in teh Pantip. They breathe and have kevlar pads in the right places. The jackets are much lighter and practical for this climate especially during summer. Avoid wearing anything too think because the penalty of heat stress will overcome the possible benefits in a spill.

Good luck and stay upright

CB

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Another alternative is to buy a car and turn up the a/c

[PeaceBlondie]

Gloves. You can get comfortable leather or tough fabric fingerless gloves in any good sports shop (unless you're as hamfisted as I am, and they have to special order XXL). I think they're goalie gloves for football players. However, the first time you sweat in them, and the first few times it rains, the dye in the leather will stain your hands.

And if you absolutely must have leather, I think I still have a size 36 pair of trousers I'd practically give away. I once rode from Houston to Memphis in one long 41 degree day, and I literally wrung the sweat out of them when I got to Memphis.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

PB, you're not exactly selling me on your sweaty old trousers!

[PeaceBlondie]

But DSK - they were professionally dry cleaned in southern Mexico, long after the ride to Memphis! And the price is below 800 baht.

[batami]

thanks for the advice so far - keep ideas flowing in (bw - have the car and aircon but it does not compare does it :-) )

gloves and face helmet - agreed. found some gloves in a bike shop in singapore which fit (XXL) and also bought the helmet there x 2 for girlfriend which were far better than any I could see in CM (Although i might have been looking in the wrong place) helmets cost me 35S$ each which is 7000ThB x2

Singapore were at a loss re clothing unless I really wanted to spend a large amount of money (which I was trying to avoid)

I read in a thread on tailors in chiang mai about one of our colleagues who had a heavy denim jacket tailored -- i have not thought of demim as a viable alternative but maybe ... comments welcomed.

[batami]

Peace Blondie - thanks for the offer on leathers -- if they are really generous 36s i might get into them - if not then I would have to slim down!!

[JXXXL]

Let me clear up a few things.

First, the kind of gear you want is mesh or textile with CE certified armor. Most of the gear you could find at that shop in Pantip is this type. The brand they sell at that shop is called Red Corn from Japan and is way overpriced. And, no, it doesn't have Kevlar armor.

About leather gear, leather is the best protection from road rash, but way too hot for this climate. Textile and mesh will give you good protection and is designed for hot climates. BTW, PB, leather loses 50% of it's protective ability once it's been saturated and dried. Also, using cleaning solvent is good for your suede dinner jacket but not for leather riding gear. You may just want to wear those pants of yours for fashion as there useless for protection.

About gloves, this is extremely important as things that get damaged first are hands and feet. Using fingerless gloves for riding is like a pair of cement swimming trunks and typically worn by Harley fashionistas.

Boots are also a key accessory. If you're on a budget, get something sturdy and most important something that wont fly off your feet when you crash.

Regarding denim, it's useless in a crash as I have experienced first hand. There are a few companies who make kevlar reinforced jeans and they seem to work a treat although I don't have any experience with them. One brand is called Draggin Jeans and they have a video of a guy being dragged a quarter mile on his arse and the jeans don't tear.

In terms of where to get it good gear, I recommend you buy it in the US and have it shipped to Thailand. You can find some great closeouts on top brands and the shipping is quite reasonable. If you're a big guy you'll have a tough time with selection in Asia and the prices will be more than double. Two of the best shops I know of for gear are:

www.motorcyclecloseouts.com

www.newenough.com

You are absolutely right about dressing for the crash and there are a lot of good alternatives for tropical climates that protect you very well.

Edited September 13, 2007 by JXXXL

[rken]

Since being in Thailand I have been riding a motorcycle frequently.

There is an old adage - "dress for the fall and not the ride" - which gives rise to leather and a whole range of clothing for motor cyclists in the West ... but these are generally just too hot for the Thailand climate.

Anyone any serious suggestions / experiences of alternative clothing which can be used for day to day riding and long distance touring in Thailand .. without sweating your proverbials off.

Obviously the idea is to offer some protection - far more than a T shirt and shorts!!

Thanks in advance

Pleased that you take the preservation of your skin seriously.

In Pantip Plaza on the ground floor there is a bike accessory shop - it has very good but sorry to say pricy jackets and vests that are suitable to the climate here. Check them out for helmets as well if you are flushed with funds. They have real Arai helmets not just the cheap fakes like some other stores.

Other than that I wear jeans and boots if I am going any distance. I always wear a full face helmet and have successfully trained my girlfriend to wear hers as well. She is now to the point that she hates riding without it.

In the cold season I wear my leather jacket and in the rainy season I have a full length waterproof riding coat. Both offer fairly good protection against falls and spills.

In summer it really is too hot to wear anything except a light jacket like the ones from in teh Pantip. They breathe and have kevlar pads in the right places. The jackets are much lighter and practical for this climate especially during summer. Avoid wearing anything too think because the penalty of heat stress will overcome the possible benefits in a spill.

Good luck and stay upright

CB

So crow boy does that mean you have a new sqeeze. Any one we know or just another bar sot. Well good luck and safe riding. keep your head down.

[Flatouthruthefog]

Since being in Thailand I have been riding a motorcycle frequently.

There is an old adage - "dress for the fall and not the ride" - which gives rise to leather and a whole range of clothing for motor cyclists in the West ... but these are generally just too hot for the Thailand climate.

Anyone any serious suggestions / experiences of alternative clothing which can be used for day to day riding and long distance touring in Thailand .. without sweating your proverbials off.

Obviously the idea is to offer some protection - far more than a T shirt and shorts!!

Thanks in advance

Pleased that you take the preservation of your skin seriously.

In Pantip Plaza on the ground floor there is a bike accessory shop - it has very good but sorry to say pricy jackets and vests that are suitable to the climate here. Check them out for helmets as well if you are flushed with funds. They have real Arai helmets not just the cheap fakes like some other stores.

Other than that I wear jeans and boots if I am going any distance. I always wear a full face helmet and have successfully trained my girlfriend to wear hers as well. She is now to the point that she hates riding without it.

In the cold season I wear my leather jacket and in the rainy season I have a full length waterproof riding coat. Both offer fairly good protection against falls and spills.

In summer it really is too hot to wear anything except a light jacket like the ones from in teh Pantip. They breathe and have kevlar pads in the right places. The jackets are much lighter and practical for this climate especially during summer. Avoid wearing anything too think because the penalty of heat stress will overcome the possible benefits in a spill.

Good luck and stay upright

CB

The place in Panthip Plaza is called Fast Corner and it IS in the corner on your left as you enter from Sidornchai Rd. Looks both professional and expensive, but anything will be cheaper and more comfy than multiple skin grafts.

"I love the feel of the open road, but not on my skin", as Scott Jones says. Proper protective stuff saved his life in a horrendous head-on with a drunken car driver in the US. His advice is excellent and can be obtained if you e-mail him via the Chiangmai Mail.

Half way down Chang Moy road on the right, that busy bike spares shop just before the bank used to have top class Nolan full face helmets at under 2,000b, some sort of cancelled export order due to improper stickers or such like. Recommended as authentic by David Unkovich, but they may all have gone by now.

I prefer my meat inside the (4 wheeled) metal most of the time, but getting the meat around the metal (as Thais say) does have a big appeal, especially outside the city.

[PeaceBlondie]

Nolan helmets, especially type N37, were still available at Prida accessories on Chiang Moi Road a few months ago at 1,500 baht, but there is no interior label except on the strap, no safety data. I wear it (size XXL) and the XL one that I bought there also, but there's no sign of where it was made, what standards it meets. I've bought my 9000 baht helmets and don't wish to pay 18,000 for a Showy.

[davethailand]

I've just brought back some Draggin jeans for myself from the UK, they are great as they look feel like jeans but have kevlar sewn into them, a mate came off in Chiang Mai a few years back and slid for a while on his arse, luckily he only ripped through the pocket on them.

Not sure where they are available in Thailand but i'm sure they are as they are made in Oz, they also do kevlar sweatshirts.

Check out dragginjeans.com.

draggin jeans

Edited September 13, 2007 by davethailand

[kurva]

Since being in Thailand I have been riding a motorcycle frequently.

There is an old adage - "dress for the fall and not the ride" - which gives rise to leather and a whole range of clothing for motor cyclists in the West ... but these are generally just too hot for the Thailand climate.

Anyone any serious suggestions / experiences of alternative clothing which can be used for day to day riding and long distance touring in Thailand .. without sweating your proverbials off.

Obviously the idea is to offer some protection - far more than a T shirt and shorts!!

Thanks in advance

well depends how often and where you are driving like saterday i was driving my bike in a kilt as going to watch scotland on the tv ,great experiance ,mounting and dismounting and no not the wife ha haha,but if we came of at any speed ive got 8 yards of material under my arse .

[JXXXL]

I've just brought back some Draggin jeans for myself from the UK, they are great as they look feel like jeans but have kevlar sewn into them, a mate came off in Chiang Mai a few years back and slid for a while on his arse, luckily he only ripped through the pocket on them.

Not sure where they are available in Thailand but i'm sure they are as they are made in Oz, they also do kevlar sweatshirts.

Check out dragginjeans.com.

draggin jeans

I'm pretty sure Power Station in BKK has Draggin products.

[silverhawk_usa]

Let me clear up a few things.

First, the kind of gear you want is mesh or textile with CE certified armor. Most of the gear you could find at that shop in Pantip is this type. The brand they sell at that shop is called Red Corn from Japan and is way overpriced. And, no, it doesn't have Kevlar armor.

About leather gear, leather is the best protection from road rash, but way too hot for this climate. Textile and mesh will give you good protection and is designed for hot climates. BTW, PB, leather loses 50% of it's protective ability once it's been saturated and dried. Also, using cleaning solvent is good for your suede dinner jacket but not for leather riding gear. You may just want to wear those pants of yours for fashion as there useless for protection.

About gloves, this is extremely important as things that get damaged first are hands and feet. Using fingerless gloves for riding is like a pair of cement swimming trunks and typically worn by Harley fashionistas.

Boots are also a key accessory. If you're on a budget, get something sturdy and most important something that wont fly off your feet when you crash.

Regarding denim, it's useless in a crash as I have experienced first hand. There are a few companies who make kevlar reinforced jeans and they seem to work a treat although I don't have any experience with them. One brand is called Draggin Jeans and they have a video of a guy being dragged a quarter mile on his arse and the jeans don't tear.

In terms of where to get it good gear, I recommend you buy it in the US and have it shipped to Thailand. You can find some great closeouts on top brands and the shipping is quite reasonable. If you're a big guy you'll have a tough time with selection in Asia and the prices will be more than double. Two of the best shops I know of for gear are:

www.motorcyclecloseouts.com

www.newenough.com

You are absolutely right about dressing for the crash and there are a lot of good alternatives for tropical climates that protect you very well.

I do a LOT of riding in Thailand and Laos. I agree with most of what JXXXL says as far as what gear to get. Being nit picky I believe the gear in Pantip is "Yellow" Corn but that is not important. It is expensive and pretty gaudy in my opinion.

I have mail ordered items from the U.S. but I have not seen "reasonable shipping". Plus if customs pull it you have to pay duty and tax. Have ordered many items in the U.S. and then had a friend bring them over in luggage. The only problem here is that you cannot try the goods on and sizing varies. I especially would not buy a helmet without trying it first (and helmets are a little bulky to bring back). If you want good gear you are going to have to spend some money.

There are a number of shops in BKK especially "The Paddock" that have a good selection but also expensive. Singapore, IMHO, is the best. I purposely scheduled a trip there just to buy parts and gear for myself, g/f and others. I bought a SHOEI helmet for a little less than what I could get one for in the states and much cheaper than in BKK or CM. G/F got mesh jacket, boots, helmet and we bought a number of replacement parts. The only thing we couldn't find were good mesh riding pants in a size that fit the girlfriend. Carried or wore everything back and just strolled through customs without a problem. But as I said, the big advantage is one gets to try everything on.

Hope it helps.

[Sojourner]

Singapore, IMHO, is the best. I purposely scheduled a trip there just to buy parts and gear for myself, g/f and others. I bought a SHOEI helmet for a little less than what I could get one for in the states and much cheaper than in BKK or CM. G/F got mesh jacket, boots, helmet and we bought a number of replacement parts. The only thing we couldn't find were good mesh riding pants in a size that fit the girlfriend. Carried or wore everything back and just strolled through customs without a problem. But as I said, the big advantage is one gets to try everything on.

Hope it helps.

Silverhawk, can you give me an idea of where the bike shops you refer to are located in Singapore. Sounds like a good excuse to make a short trip down there. Thanks

[JXXXL]

Let me clear up a few things.

First, the kind of gear you want is mesh or textile with CE certified armor. Most of the gear you could find at that shop in Pantip is this type. The brand they sell at that shop is called Red Corn from Japan and is way overpriced. And, no, it doesn't have Kevlar armor.

About leather gear, leather is the best protection from road rash, but way too hot for this climate. Textile and mesh will give you good protection and is designed for hot climates. BTW, PB, leather loses 50% of it's protective ability once it's been saturated and dried. Also, using cleaning solvent is good for your suede dinner jacket but not for leather riding gear. You may just want to wear those pants of yours for fashion as there useless for protection.

About gloves, this is extremely important as things that get damaged first are hands and feet. Using fingerless gloves for riding is like a pair of cement swimming trunks and typically worn by Harley fashionistas.

Boots are also a key accessory. If you're on a budget, get something sturdy and most important something that wont fly off your feet when you crash.

Regarding denim, it's useless in a crash as I have experienced first hand. There are a few companies who make kevlar reinforced jeans and they seem to work a treat although I don't have any experience with them. One brand is called Draggin Jeans and they have a video of a guy being dragged a quarter mile on his arse and the jeans don't tear.

In terms of where to get it good gear, I recommend you buy it in the US and have it shipped to Thailand. You can find some great closeouts on top brands and the shipping is quite reasonable. If you're a big guy you'll have a tough time with selection in Asia and the prices will be more than double. Two of the best shops I know of for gear are:

www.motorcyclecloseouts.com

www.newenough.com

You are absolutely right about dressing for the crash and there are a lot of good alternatives for tropical climates that protect you very well.

I do a LOT of riding in Thailand and Laos. I agree with most of what JXXXL says as far as what gear to get. Being nit picky I believe the gear in Pantip is "Yellow" Corn but that is not important. It is expensive and pretty gaudy in my opinion.

I have mail ordered items from the U.S. but I have not seen "reasonable shipping". Plus if customs pull it you have to pay duty and tax. Have ordered many items in the U.S. and then had a friend bring them over in luggage. The only problem here is that you cannot try the goods on and sizing varies. I especially would not buy a helmet without trying it first (and helmets are a little bulky to bring back). If you want good gear you are going to have to spend some money.

There are a number of shops in BKK especially "The Paddock" that have a good selection but also expensive. Singapore, IMHO, is the best. I purposely scheduled a trip there just to buy parts and gear for myself, g/f and others. I bought a SHOEI helmet for a little less than what I could get one for in the states and much cheaper than in BKK or CM. G/F got mesh jacket, boots, helmet and we bought a number of replacement parts. The only thing we couldn't find were good mesh riding pants in a size that fit the girlfriend. Carried or wore everything back and just strolled through customs without a problem. But as I said, the big advantage is one gets to try everything on.

Hope it helps.

Silverhawk,

You are correct sir, it is "Yellow" Corn. Yellow or Red, they both sound stupid and you are right about being gaudy, I wouldn't want to wear a jacked that said "Road Magician" on the back.

You may be right about the shipping from the US is you have the dealer ship direct. What I do is ship the goods to a friends house. They take the packing slip off the box, consolidate the order and ship it by USPS (US Postal Service) to my house in CM. I paid about $30 for a box containing a jacket and pants. I've also received about 12 packages from the states and never paid duty.

I've been buying a lot of gear for friends in Thailand and had it shipped in or carried it and never have been stopped by customs. I brought three Arai helmets from Singapore last month and didn't get a second look from the boys in white.

Singapore, I agree, is the best place in the region for buying gear. I've bought a lot from Chiap Lee, who is the SEA Arai distributor and carries Clover, Dianese, Oxtar and a few other top brands. His prices are good too.

Edited September 14, 2007 by JXXXL

[JXXXL]

One other thing about helmets, SHARK is a top brand, right up there with Arai and Shoei. Shark helmets are manufactured in Thailand and some mysteriously fall off the assembly line and wind up local bike shops at a much lower price than you would find them in the US or Europe.

Sa Moto on Mahidol road always has a few nice Shark helmets.

[chownah]

Leg protection in hot weather: chaps....also it makes a bold open crotch statement when off the bike too!!

[silverhawk_usa]

Singapore, IMHO, is the best. I purposely scheduled a trip there just to buy parts and gear for myself, g/f and others. I bought a SHOEI helmet for a little less than what I could get one for in the states and much cheaper than in BKK or CM. G/F got mesh jacket, boots, helmet and we bought a number of replacement parts. The only thing we couldn't find were good mesh riding pants in a size that fit the girlfriend. Carried or wore everything back and just strolled through customs without a problem. But as I said, the big advantage is one gets to try everything on.

Hope it helps.

Silverhawk, can you give me an idea of where the bike shops you refer to are located in Singapore. Sounds like a good excuse to make a short trip down there. Thanks

Most of the shops are located around the "Little India" area of Singapore. Like Thailand, if you find one shop there are two or three nearby.

The best for helmets and gear is;

Regina Specialties

152 Jalan Besar Rd

65 6295 5449

A little guy named Darren Chia went out of his way to find riding gear for Thim. Have Arai, OGK, Nolan, AGV, Alpine Star, etc.

Across the road (Jalan Besar) from this shop are two or three more within walking distance. I bought my Shoei at

Powerstar Motor,

151 Jalan Besar.

The other side of the canal is a decent size MX Shop

Moto World, located in the Golden Wall Bldg.

Not sure of the address but have a web site

www.motoworld.com.sg

Took me two days to find this one due to bad directions.

6336 1126

Here is a dealer with specialized bike parts; shocks, brake lines etc. Next door is a Ducati Dealer and across the road a Givi shop:

Vector One

286 Lavender Street

A taxi ride will take you to

JR PTE LTD

1072 Serangoon Rd

62 936092

www.jrsingapore.com

They had Dianese and other riding gear.

Next to him is

Autocycle Centre Pte Ltd

1070 Serangoon Rd

This looks like a small parts outlet but he has a load of parts that are in stock or he can order. Very helpful.

Hope this helps.

[Sojourner]

Hope this helps.

It sure does. Thanks for your help.

[Dustoff]

This is likely more basic than you biker-dudes need but:

Da basics

I tend to be a bit more serious about recreational riding so wear this protective gear:

I also wear this when having sex (as does my wife)..

Except for the sword of course - that is just, you know, a male image thing..

And don't give me crap, okay?

Superman was NOT wearing the above suit when he fell off his horse and look what happened to HIM!

"Dress for the fall..."

Yeah, right. Program your mind for the fall sounds more like it.

Dress for the ride, after becoming the best you can be, and smell the flowers while enroute to your inevitable demise.

In the meantime, don't run with scissors. Or a pencil. Or girls.

Edited September 14, 2007 by Dustoff

[JimsKnight]

Pants and T-Shirt is great if your a tourist but if your actually living here and riding around all the time then apply the layer system; If you're not a speed demon half the battle (if you're riding around CM) is dressing in Pants, T-shirt and a decent jacket (not leather). If you like to hammer the speed then chuck on some foam pads for your knees and elbows.

Yellow corn stuff is good for racing and touring but for typical city riding at low speeds it's overkill.

[PeaceBlondie]

Pants and T-Shirt is great if your a tourist but if your actually living here and riding around all the time then apply the layer system; If you're not a speed demon half the battle (if you're riding around CM) is dressing in Pants, T-shirt and a decent jacket (not leather). If you like to hammer the speed then chuck on some foam pads for your knees and elbows.

Yellow corn stuff is good for racing and touring but for typical city riding at low speeds it's overkill.

I agree. At the risk of sounding reckless, some of that riding gear is overkill. I live here and ride around all the time, where the temperature at street level, mounted on a bike, runs to 44 degrees. I'm about to run 11 km to the swimming pool, and return. If I overdress, that's two more showers. For years, here and at home, a bike was my only mode of transport.

A good full face helmet is an absolute necessity in my riding wardrobe, but not layers of heavy clothing (unless you commute to work on the highway at 129 kph on cold December mornings).

[silverhawk_usa]

Pants and T-Shirt is great if your a tourist but if your actually living here and riding around all the time then apply the layer system; If you're not a speed demon half the battle (if you're riding around CM) is dressing in Pants, T-shirt and a decent jacket (not leather). If you like to hammer the speed then chuck on some foam pads for your knees and elbows.

Yellow corn stuff is good for racing and touring but for typical city riding at low speeds it's overkill.

I agree. At the risk of sounding reckless, some of that riding gear is overkill. I live here and ride around all the time, where the temperature at street level, mounted on a bike, runs to 44 degrees. I'm about to run 11 km to the swimming pool, and return. If I overdress, that's two more showers. For years, here and at home, a bike was my only mode of transport.

A good full face helmet is an absolute necessity in my riding wardrobe, but not layers of heavy clothing (unless you commute to work on the highway at 129 kph on cold December mornings).

I thought it kind of went without saying that one would not fully gear up for a run to the market or a quick trip into town.

Equally, I think it goes without saying that when you are headed on a blast around the MHS loop or a few thousand K's in and around Laos or something similar, you are going to go for all the correct gear that you can.