sidespar

I just learned to ride this weekend in the MSF course. Well I guess my bike was a little different from the 250 yamaha dual sport I learned on in MSF. My objective today was ride the bike 8 miles from my friends house where it was parked to my house while stopping in between to get it inspected. On the way out of my friends' street, it is a T-intersection. I stopped, started to go, stalled, got flustered since someone was behind me, started again, then went straight ahead into the grass and off the road, gave it some throttle and turned back on the road, came on the road fishtailing side to side and got it stabilized. Whew... That shook me up pretty good. It's a damn miracle I made it all the way back. Oh and it was 5 o'clock traffic.

The good news is now that I've got it at home, I've got miles and miles of private roads to practice on. It's not going back out into traffic for a looooong time.

Which brings me to my question -- I need a full set of gear and a new helmet - any recommendations for something in the mid-tiered price range?

stickyS4

If leathers, <a href="http://www.alpinestars.com/Octane_Suit/pd/np/131/p/315607.html"> Alpinstars has a nice mid-priced 1-piece (can be found for $600ish)</a>

If you are thinking nylon style 1-piece, check out the <a href="http://www.olympiamotosports.com/home.html">Olympia Stealth or Phantom ($300 and $450)</a>

sidespar

sv650 - just basic street gear

LifeinAudi

i just picked up a middle of the range helmet :<ul><li><a href="http://www.helmetcity.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=f3d2103f3e92e74e2e2a903a6f a3dc8b&amp;Screen=PROD&amp;Product_Code=clspmatteg rey&amp;Category_Code=clsp">HJC CL-SP</a></li></ul>

boostedfun

go to a dealer and try on different helmets as they are all shaped differently

LifeinAudi

i went here to read some reviews:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/motorcycle-helmets.htm

good site for all the gear reviews

BeeRock::Riding Red

let the clutch slip until you have enough forward momentum and you know the bike wont stall. practice your stop and go riding on both left and right turns until you get it down. make full stops dont roll through like most bikes do. it will make you learn how to control the clutch.

S4Rye

Alpinestars has a good variety and can be found at most motocycle stores so you can try them on.

MonkeyLover

...like the others said, definitely try on helmets...and at least three different brands. They all have a different shape to them and there is NO universal head shape.

As far as apparel goes, ANYTHING is better than shorts and a t-shirt. My advice is spend as much as you can, or are comfortable with. Cordura jackets/pants are very decent these days. Leather is always the best. Spending a decent amount on gear is never a bad idea...and usually really nice gear will last you a pretty long time. Is your skin worth less than a $295 leather jacket? Definitely not!

So like I said, buy the best you can afford, it's an investment in your health and safety. BTW, like Rye mentioned below, Alpinestars makes really nice gear (and I'm not just saying that because I wear it!). They have some really nice leather jackets in the $250 range...and even lower if you can find some closeouts online.

s.carder

exactly why I think learning to ride on the street is foolish. No margin for error.