Green Laning - Equipped

[Mouse]

This leads me to another question (yet another!)

What gear do people wear for this type of riding? Leathers don't seem like the best idea - too hot and sweaty, and too expensive to get that dirty! I was considering buying some cheapish body armour (maybe elbow and knee pads too) and just wearing some old jeans and t shirt ... maybe a light jacket if the weather is cold.

Is there any point buying an "off road" style lid? What's the advantage of a lid with a peak and goggles, versus a standard lid with visor?

And maybe some off road boots too - don't want to ruin my waterproof riding boots with all that mud!

But, no sense in spending loads of money on something I haven't tried properly yet ... so I'll probably get some armour and leave the lid and boots for another day.

 

[Mouse]

By the way Clive - excellent report in the other thread that you linked

 

[Fanum]

Mousey....have a gander at this matey.....

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16803&highlight=armour

I'll be wearing it across the sahara on the scoot, and I wear it everytime out on the DRZ.

It offers good protection, yet it fits well and is easily worn under just a sweatshirt, or more usually a waterproof light unlined jacket.

I do wear a pair of old leather trews with some knee armour, and though they do get warm, I can't justify spending out on 'proper' offroad trousers for the amount I actually do, though this might change with the sahara coming up.

Big stompy boots are more important though.......I use my normal sidi couriers which are fine for off and on road, but you don't reallywant to be using daytona rocket jockey boots or something for obvious reasons.

MX stylee helmets are great, and I do use my Tour-x for off and on road....the peak in particular is great, acting as both a sunshield and a branch deflector.

I bought some goggles but I really don't get on with them........so now I use a pair of clear or yelloe lensed mountain bike specs which I find much better, and I don't take the visir off so when I'm riding home I can use it as normal on the fast roads home.

HTH....but as always, it depends on how much of it you're going to do and how much disposable folding stuff you have.

b

 

[STU12]

IMHO get a body armour shirt , knox , dainese etc... you'll be amazed how hot you'll get pushing the bike about offroad and these are lightweight and give necessary protection and ventilation. You can probably get away with any old jacket for the moment.
Get off road trossers , they will get covered in shite , knee protection optional , jeans get water logged , anything else will not offer penetration resistance to bushes/brambles/nettles flying stones etc...
Get a peaked lid , when the bike in front is lobbing mud and rocks at you its a great protector , also better ventilated.
Use goggles or wrap sunglasses (decent ones) , again with all sorts of crap being thrown at you you need to protect the eyeballs , a Tour X will mist up v quick unless you're moving at a decent pace.
Get some mountain bike or mx gloves

And if you like the off roading enough , then get a proper off road bike which is why the ktm 450 is in my garage. I had a GS1100 that I took on firetrails when I lived in germany , great fun , enjoy.

Stu

 

[alecmuffett]

This leads me to another question (yet another!)

What gear do people wear for this type of riding? Leathers don't seem like the best idea - too hot and sweaty, and too expensive to get that dirty!

...

Is there any point buying an "off road" style lid? What's the advantage of a lid with a peak and goggles, versus a standard lid with visor?

Hi Mouse - I am an inadvertent Gericke-aholic when it comes to kit - I have the Voyager II suit for touring / winter use, and for the summer I got the *Tuareg* outfit, which also doubles up as good green-laning gear; the liners zip-out and unbutton for total removal, various mesh-lined zips open for ventilation, the armour is semi-hard (which I augment with a Knox back protector, always) and it's roomy and reasonably thornproof.

You wouldn't want to be in a rainstorm wearing the Tuareg without the waterproof liners, but that's another story.

As for the lid, I hated my experience with goggles, so got an Arai Tour-x; this brings my lid tally up to 3 (also Shoei RXR and Schuberth C2) and I love the Arai's simplicity, and the ability to *breathe* - the chin shape helps keep you cool and leaves you feeling uncluttered, useful when you're working hard and sweating. Also the visor/peak is superb for dealing with low sunlight, although for road riding it acts like a sail and gives you a stiff neck fighting it. The Arai one is removable.

 

[Mouse]

Cheers for the advice.

I just found my old pair of Sidi boots - they aren't waterproof any more, which is why I bought a new set, but the armour in them is fine and that's the important thing. So I reckon I'll use those at first. MX boots are generally not waterproof anyway, am I correct?

 

[JJ Crafford]

I'm sure I read about someone selling TKc's in a 3 pack for £175, but dammed if I can find that thread now?

Can you tell, I'm gagging for it now?!

Thinking has changed a little......Now it's to get a set (or 3) and swap them out for the summer, putting my Tourances back on (maybe) later in the year.

I only managed 1700 miles on my rear TCK. Probably because I did mostly motorways above 80miles/h. Changed back to bridgestones at £207/set.
1/2 worn front 3/4 worn rear TCK's going for £40 the lot.

 

[alecmuffett]

MX boots are generally not waterproof anyway, am I correct?

Depends what you mean. Generally not, but then prettymuch any boot is going to have waterproofing problems when you stall a 200cc KTM 2-stroke smack in the middle of 10-foot wide stream, 18 inches deep...

Having the water run out the bottom is probably a benefit.

 

[Mouse]

Maybe I'll drill some holes in the soles

 

[Fanum]

Just wear sealskinz socks.....the long ones come right up to my knees and unless you go wading deper than that (And yes, I have on some fords runs ) they'll keep your tootsies dry under any boots.

 

[Mouse]

Another thought that occurs to me. If you've removed the rear mud guard thingy (as I have) perhaps it would be good to replace it before going laning, as a service to whoever is following you