I'm looking for some gloves, and boots that will be my gear for the street this year, but are also capable for a track day at least at the novice level. I've taken notice of the Cortech Latigo RR boots, and gloves. I don't like to skimp on safety, but I can't justify spending a huge amount of money on gear. Cortech seems to offer a good range of gear in my price range, but I wanted to hear candid feedback from you all on quality. Thanks in advance.
I wore a pair of those boots for a season on the street. Pro: Comfort - They are very flexible once broken in, which makes them good for an everyday type of boot where you'll be walking around in them. They were also pretty warm which was nice in the cooler months, but in the summer I couldn't wait to take them off and let my feet breathe. The leather seems durable enough to take a few falls, but I never tested them to that point. Con: Not enough ankle support to provide any real protection in the event where a motorcycle is pinning your foot. Also, the inner layer that keeps the sole from binding broke in two spots. One was at the arch of my foot and the other at the ball of my foot. This is also would not be ideal for a boot riding high speed at a track. I got a great deal on my next (current) pair of boots by searching classifieds on wera and other like-sites for gear. You're better off going for a more protective product if riding on the track is in your future. As far as gloves go I cannot attest to the features of the latigo gloves, but for a little more cash you can get a very protective piece of equipment with some of the latest safety features; the Teknic Lightning gloves are great. Had them for an entire season with a few track days and no visible wear. They're comfy, ventilated and offer knox protection in the form of Scaphoid Sliders located on the palm. Hope this helps
This is good feedback. Sounds like they would be good for the typical street use, which is 90% of what I'm looking for. Since I do all of my riding on the street right now (with the future ambition of getting on the track), it does appeal to me to have something comfortable enough to walk around in so it's not a ridiculous chore to wear them. Does anyone have a recommendation of a boot comfortable enough for consistent all around use, but protective enough for track days? Oh by the way, for less than $200. Maybe I'm asking for too much! On the gloves, do people typically believe Teknic > Cortech? I ask all this fully realizing that I'm in the "annoying question" phase of joining this forum....
IMO just like your avatar name Bombsquad, you don't go to defuse a bomb with raggedy equipment.....well ok if your in the Marines you might get Army hand-me-down gear but I digress. You really don't want to have an off get hurt and say to yourself, Damn! if I only had better protective gear. My first track day I had some new but old technology Alpinestar boots, very little ankle protection, had an off.... end result broken ankle. If however, I had gotten the Sidi Vertigo boots that my wife told me I didn't need then I wouldn't have gotten hurt!.....Yeah I'm still a little bitter hahahaha. :focus: Long story short I'm just saying get the BEST gear that you can afford for maximum protection and make sure they fit you correctly, poor fit can hamper protective ability as well. As far as dual purpose gear goes a two piece suit and gloves could be street/track, boots could also be dual purpose but I think it's hard to find a good street boot that will offer the protection of a track specific boot, I guess I err on the side of protection for obvious above reasons. Try getting gear from sportbiketrackgear as you can return the item if it doesn't fit correctly, I highly recommend them.
I buy the best gear I can afford.... I don't take chances. I rather ride a ugly scratched up bike, but it will be mechanically sound and I will wear the best gear I can afford. Am I repeating myself? Yeah???!!! You should think about it twice... Had an off at Grattan last year and the only thing that got hurt was my pride and a scratched up fairing and a broken windscreen... the $1500 suit returned 100% on it's investment in 4 months... I wasn't even sore, rode the second day just fine thanks to Cyril who brought me a windscreen the same day.
Best deal on some great gloves right here... http://lionheartmoto.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=72 you can get a free up grade on the $85 ones... pinky bridge, just ask for it... and tell them "TheDraik77" sent you.
LOL. I have some Marine friends, and I know what you mean. I was never in myself though. This is pretty much the conclusion that I have been coming to. I don't think I'll be getting boots for dual-purpose. I will be getting something relatively comfortable for the street, and the most protective boots I can afford for the track eventually. Seems like gloves are about the only item that will function really well for both purposes. Two piece track suit for dual purpose is an interesting idea. I'm wondering if it might be better for me to just get dedicated street type gear and rent leathers for a while until I'm up to speed on the track. Who knows how much I'll even be able to get out to the track with a 1 year old this year.
Track specific boots are a must IMO. Not just for crash protection, but you control your bike with your feet a LOT more on the track than you do on the street. Maybe look into gently used second-hand gear as a way to spend the same money but get better quality stuff.
I look at it like this. Which is going to cost more, the gear or the insurance co pays, time lost etc. My wife has had 3 ankle surgeries (not motorcycle related, but just used as a comparison) total cost about 6k after insurance when you look at everything. I could buy a lot of gear for that!
Made my order for some new gear. Most of it is only for street use, but the gloves could be used on the track. I got last year's version of the Alpinestars GP Plus gloves on a closeout deal for $125: http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com/sport/motorcycle+gloves/alpinestars_gp+plus+leather+gloves+-+2012 Other stuff that I got just for street use: http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com/sport/kevlar+motorcycle+jeans/drayko_renegade+riding+jeans http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/tcx-x-move-wp-boots http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/joe-rocket-radar-dark-leather-jacket I wanted to get stuff with reasonable protection and comfort (mostly for warm weather) for a reasonable price. I think that the items I purchased should achieve that goal. Feedback welcome.
Personally I like textile stuff for the street. Even though my Olympia gear is 2000D Cordura with armor in impact zones I am giving up a little protection for the sake of comfort. I cannot imagine doing 300+ miles at a time in leather in July. Don't forget that you have great choices in textile gear for the street. I wore leather for a season on the street and couldn't stand it in the summer. YMMV.
That was definitely one of my considerations. The jacket that I got is a hybrid. I'm hoping that it will flow plenty of air through the mesh parts as well as giving lots of protection in likely contact areas. Not 100% on Joe Rocket quality, but I know it's better than the super cheap brands. At least it has CE certified armor for elbow and shoulder.
Let me know how those riding jeans go. I've ordered a couple of pairs and they are sized like Jnco jeans! I'm not exactly a big dude, so they look a little funny on me when walking around.
I will let you know. I did hear some feedback that they do tend to run a 1/2 size larger than indicated. I plan to where shin/knee guards and armored shorts underneath so a little extra space won't hurt. If they look like jncos I will be a little dissappointed.
I just got a pair of Teknic Lightning Gloves, for the price, i could not be more impressed with the quality. Also just got a pair of Teknic Chicane boots. Not as comfy as the Dianese boots i had on at the D-Store in chicago (those were better than my sneakers honestly) but at 1/2 the price i'm pretty darn happy with the quality. I had them on at work and i couldn't roll my ankle if you paid me. After an insole (for comfort, i have high arches) i think they'll be more than enough for a novice track day.
FYI I got my jeans a little while ago. They are definitely not like jnco's. If anything, they are tighter than the jeans I normally wear in the leg. They are maybe 1/4 to 1/2 size bigger in the waist than the Kohl's brand jeans I normally wear, but that will be perfect for wearing some armored shorts underneath, or just wearing with a belt. They are a stretchy material, basically like girls' jeans to be honest. Keep in mind these are the renegade style, not the drifter, so that could be the difference between what you have heard about in the past. Overall, I really like them.
That's cool, you'll have to show me some of that stuff when we finally get to ride this spring. Can't believe it's supposed to snow up to 5 inches this weekend...