[Drunkendude]

Hello all. I just got Honda CTX 1300. My first bike. What type of helmets and jacket are you all using? I do have a helmet and jacket picked out, just have not bought yet. I will post pics of what I have picked out. Just course what every body else is using?

 

[sleepngbear]

Welcome the forum, and congrats on your new ride!

After many years of riding and trying different gear, I've settled on a lined mesh jacket (Tourmaster Intake 2) and a full-face helmet. I love this jacket because I can wear it and be comfortable in warm or cold -- even in the hottest weather and the tall windscreen, I get plenty of air with all the liners removed.

My helmet now is actually a modular HJC RPHA Max, but only because it's quiet rating is better than most solid full-face lids; but normally I'm good with a well vented full-face. For gloves I usually wear half-fingered gloves in the warm weather, but I also have some moderately insulated winter gloves and Tourmaster lined mesh pants for colder weather riding, but I usually don't ride in anything under 40* anyway. Unlike a couple of abdominal snowmen on this board.

 

[shane]

Congrats and welcome!
Not sure if you are new to riding in general or just to this bike, but I can't over-emphasize how valuable the MSF Ridercourse is. As far as your original question, I was able to find a great HJC fullface helmet at the Honda dealership that is exactly the same color of red as my bike. Actually, I wanted a black helmet but my wife wanted us to get matching helmets and she refuses to wear black... yadda yadda yadda long story short, my helmet matches my motorcycle. I have two jackets: both Joe Rocket. One is an armored mesh for summer, the other, also armored, has a warm liner for when it's cooler than 50 degrees. It's important to get a jacket with a removable liner... it's more versatile. I wear Icon riding shoes. The reason is the steel shank which makes long hours on the bike easier on the feet. I know I should wear armored pants, but I haven't gotten a pair yet. I also wear half-finger riding gloves in the summer, because I like the extra control that I feel like I have. I also have Joe Rocket vented full finger gloves, and a pair of plain leather gloves and a heavily insulated pair for freezing temps. I have a small collection of other assorted gloves that I fell in love with at one point or another. In fact, now that I think about it, I have more gloves than t-shirts. I wonder if I have a problem? lol

 

[TennesseeSmith]

Unless the weather is cold I prefer to have some wind on my face. I always wore HJC open face helmets until I got clobbered by a deer. I did not enjoy eating through a straw for six weeks, so I went looking for a better solution.

I don't like the normal full face helmets because they have no sun visor and you spend half your time squinting. I found the Arai XD-4 which has both the clear shield and the sun visor. I wear it without the clear shield so I can get some air on my face.

I have an old Star Motorcycles leather jacket that I wear most of the time. In the summer I find myself out there in a long sleeve shirt. I have an Aerostich suit, but it got too skinny for me a couple of years ago.

I wear Sidi On Road boots. Absolutely awesome. I have a pair of Sidi Clever Air boots for the hot days.

I also recommend the Gerbing heated jacket liners and gloves for cooler riding.

I have four different pairs of gloves for different conditions.

 

[Drunkendude]

Cool thanks for the replys. Yes new bike and new to riding. This helps a lot. I live in Indiana, which is very cold atm, bike will be here less than 1hr very very excited. Will post pics and of the helmet and jacket and gloves I get.

 

[bob]

I am ATGATT (All The Gear, All The Time).
I used to have a HJC modular helmet with internal sun visor since I wear glasses and those are usually easier to put on without taking off the glasses. My current glasses don't allow that anyway so for better protection I now currently have a HJC IS-17 Intake full face Hi-Viz helmet with internal sun visor.

I like to keep things minimal rather than have lots of different gear for the same thing in different temps so I went with my armoured Tour Master Flex jacket and armoured Flex over pants. These both have outer shells and inner liners that zip out so for the same price as many other single use jackets and pants I can go from mesh in summer to solid shell, then insulated with wind/rain liner for cooler temps and I then also add another liner from my older retired jacket for cold temps. With layers I can ride as long as the road is clear/dry all the way well below zero*F (yeah, I'm the abdominal (abominable?) snowman Ed spoke of.

I wear Tour Master light weight summer mesh gloves in summer, Tour Master Polar-Tex gloves for cool temps down to about 32*F, and Gerbing electric heated gloves below that (full power on the variable controller makes my hands almost too warm at zero*F).

I have worn various boots at different times. Long ago I started with my old military boots. The I heard that the steel toe insert can actually cut off the toes in an mc accident so went to mc specific boots. Besides, mc boots have much better ankle protection/armour. Now I wear TM Solution WP boots. Waterproof and I find them comfortable in all temp ranges with the proper socks.

 

[shane]

Congrats!
I know you probably get more advice about this than you need, but in addiditon to the MSF course, you might also want to get the book Proficient Motorcycleing by David Hough or another, similar book. There are some really awesome videos on Youtube, too, but the most valuable lessons seem to come from a guy named Jerry Paladino (sp?)
The more you know, the farther you can go!
Godspeed, and good luck, Drunkendude! (please don't drink and ride lol)

 

[willajabir]

@Drunkendude,
Welcome aboard and congrats.
So, where are you located? Might be a fellow rider near by.
As you are a n00by, I'll add my 2c worth also:
You may have noticed that the majority of riders on this board are old far.....uh, seasoned riders. One or two may have been lucky over the years, but most cared about safety and riding skills...and most here have owned several bikes over the years.
As @shane has emphasized, get the safety course under your belt, hit a parking lot to practice, and think like you are invisible to everyone on the street. Doesn't mean you'll be 100% safe, but your chances of having many safe miles will be increased. For most of us, riding is a passion. I'm sure I speak for most here when I say we want to share it.
Riding is a personal thing. We give our advice, but after you try on some helmets, gloves, jackets, & boots, you'll start to find the ones you prefer because they fit you and not us. All our heads, torsos, & feet are not shaped the same (fortunately!).
Continue to ask questions if you have them. Some of us have strong opinions that we voice rather powerfully at times. Don't be offended...we are that way because we care!!

 

[Drunkendude]

Thank you all very much for the welcome. Will for sure be taking a riding course. I'm 44. I'm from Greenwood In. I will take all advice you give. I'm am a noob for sure. I just got my learning permit few days ago. Today my bike was delivered. I've been driving around my neighborhood all day. I'm very new to riding. Rode a friends bike and I was like wow. I was hooked for sure. So now I have been reading all I can and a lot of utube videos Still little nervous about getting on the main roads atm.

I feel good on the bike, I will keep in the neighborhood till I feel good about taking off and stoping a little better. I need to do it a little faster. I will read all the post on her. Pics coming soon. Again thank you all for the welcome

 

[shane]

Right there with ya, man. I turn 45 next week, and I came to riding a little later too. Not like my brother, who had ridden dirt bikes since he was a kid. You'll do fine; enjoy the ride!