[ebonho]

When I was getting all my riding gear out of storage, I got a nasty shock to find that my favourite Alpinestars, which I only wear on fast group rides, preferring my softer less armoured WP GoreTex RSTs for longer tours, had really started disintegrating in storage for some strange reason.

They are the way more expensive pair. Genuine full grain leather. Sliders. Heavy shin and ankle protection. Hard plastic heel cups. Rubber shift pads. But while the leather and zippers and velcro were pristine, the heelcups had cracked and were literally falling to pieces. Add to that, the heel of the sole on one of the boots had started coming out, parting way with the upper.

The RSTs for their part are not leather but synthetic uppers, and the uppers had started cracking during and after the Sikkim ride. The most concerning being the large transverse crack on the top of the foot on both boots, right behind the reinforced double leather layer shift pads. The soles were holding good, as were the zippers and velcro.

From prior experience with local cobblers on the road, as well as those sitting in small shops in Shivaji Market, I knew that their grade of glue solution was not going to be strong enough to hold. I went to DSG next door to ask them if they had anyone who could repair my boots, and whether they had spares of the original heel cups. They said they too would be taking the boots to cobblers outside. So I thought why not I do it myself, instead of going through them. Especially since they did not have the required hardware in the firm of new heelcups, and toe sliders (which had broken and come off on one boot).

My old Bullet buddy surdy friend Baljeet and Irani kickboxing legend and coach Ismaile told me they both take their boots to the mochkhana on MG Road, adjoining Royal Bakery. Here you will find in a single shop 15-20 cobblers, mostly from north Bihar, plying their trade. Experts at making boots for the police as well as horse riding boots.

I took my boots there and met a very enthu young guy who said he works on motorcycle boots daily, so many riders coming there. When he saw my battered boots he did not bat an eyelid and told me 9 out of 10 boots that come to him have the exact same damage and failures. He initially suggested a thich rubber sheet patch fir the heelcups but I told him I wanted something a lot more stiff. So we settled on a 5 mm thick rawhide sheet that was used to craft genuine leather soles for their handmade boots.

However, this leather was so stiff that it would take two days to wet and bend and mould into the shape of the heelcups, on a past, before they could be glued and stitched into place along with the inners and the soles. The shift pads on both boots also got the same leather. And over the rawhide, he pasted and stitched a layer of normal soft black leather for the show. For the RSTs, two similarly shaped patches were glued on the tops of the uppers, behind the shift pads, but not stitched through, so as not to compromise the waterproofing.

Here is the young man, and his very neat work -



























When I had initially seen the condition of the falling to pieces Alpinestars I had honestly written them off completely. So now, with his, whatever use and life I get out of them will be a bonus. Our man is confident of his materials and work and says teen-chaar saal pretty nonchalantly. We shall see!

Cheers, Doc

[surjaonwheelz]

Doc,

Great job done. Show us the bottom of the sole? Hope it has enough traction!

Ride safe,
surjaonwheelz

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by surjaonwheelz

Doc,

Great job done. Show us the bottom of the sole? Hope it has enough traction!

Ride safe,
surjaonwheelz

Thank you. Soles have more than enough life left in them. Don't know about traction. They grip the pegs ok.







Cheers. Doc

[Joli]

Was in a similar conundrum, but in Mumbai. After a 15kmph impact, the sole of one of my RE riding boots came off. Unable to find an option in Mumbai. Team members, please suggest.

[ebonho]

While the shin plates of the Alpinestars are thankfully by and large intact, they too do have large cracks in them where the hard plastic surface plate has cracked.

What is the best plastic to plastic adhesive?

Thinking of filling the cracks with that and hope that it hardens and holds the crack edges and the plate as a whole together.

Cheers, Doc

[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by ebonho

What is the best plastic to plastic adhesive?

I checked with cobbler friend. He says it's sourced locally, some unnamed brand that I couldn't follow.
I believe Loctite for plastic is also known to be good.

[HDx440Life]

I finally finished the run-in of my HD X440 (servicing was scheduled for 9/11/23) hence, I took out my old Alpinestar shoes in anticipation of all the upcoming riding sessions. Shocked to see the below damage to the shoes! The shoes were kept in my storage for almost 4-5 years since the time I stopped going for rides on my KTM Duke. I was hoping to have fun and really sad to see the plastics falling off.







It seems to be happening to all Alpinestar shoes. Is there some kind of mechanism to ensure people keep buying new boots? Does anyone know where they can be fixed in Bangalore? Alpinestar should supply such parts so we can fix the boots. By the way, I was shocked to see the price of new riding boots; hence, I really want to get these fixed.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by HDx440Life

I finally finished the run-in of my HD X440 (servicing was scheduled for 9/11/23) hence, I took out my old Alpinestar shoes in anticipation of all the upcoming riding sessions. Shocked to see the below damage to the shoes! The shoes were kept in my storage for almost 4-5 years since the time I stopped going for rides on my KTM Duke. I was hoping to have fun and really sad to see the plastics falling off.

Attachment 2529109

Attachment 2529110

Attachment 2529111

It seems to be happening to all Alpinestar shoes. Is there some kind of mechanism to ensure people keep buying new boots? Does anyone know where they can be fixed in Bangalore? Alpinestar should supply such parts so we can fix the boots. By the way, I was shocked to see the price of new riding boots; hence, I really want to get these fixed.

You are lucky. Just 4 years so the damage is less. 6 years and the same plate would be in small brittle pieces, you could pick out with your fingers. This same thing is happening to almost all boots. Blame rhe pandemic? I don't know. Learned that black armour also becomes powder. Not just on DSG price range jackets, but high end Dainese ones as well. Also zippers and metal press buttons are regular storage casualties. Lots of expensive lessons learned man.

Originally Posted by shyamg28

I checked with cobbler friend. He says it's sourced locally, some unnamed brand that I couldn't follow.
I believe Loctite for plastic is also known to be good.

Thanks Shyam! Whatsapped you. Which Loctite for plastic? There are so many different Loctites and numbers. Any particular ones. Link? Please share.

If the adhesive does not work, I'm taking the boots right back to the cobbler and getting the 5 mm rawhide treatment for the shin plates as well. And maybe cut out the white Alpinestars logo and glue them on in the same position. Let me try the glue first.

Cheers, Doc

[ebonho]

Closeups of the cracks on the shin plates of both boots, first 2 right, last 2 left.









Need a 2 component resin + hardener adhesive that can also act as a filler ... Will need to be mixed together, applied, and then left to cure and set.

The instant single component, one drop type adhesives will not work.

I don't understand this quality of plastics in high end boots by such a big name brand. Costing tens of thousands of rupees.

A 100 buck plastic bucket lasts for years man. Finally cracking only at the metal handle under the repeated weight of water.

Cheers, Doc

[HDx440Life]

I spent hours yesterday looking for replacement parts for the boots and guess what- only the front side guards are available online. Looks like these high-end manufacturers don't supply spares for parts that always break.

Another surprise is the cost difference of these riding shoes and gear in India vs the US. The shoes I have cost 25k here in India and I can get a new one for 9.5k in the US! I may end up getting a new pair from the US.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by HDx440Life

I spent hours yesterday looking for replacement parts for the boots and guess what- only the front side guards are available online. Looks like these high-end manufacturers don't supply spares for parts that always break.

Another surprise is the cost difference of these riding shoes and gear in India vs the US. The shoes I have cost 25k here in India and I can get a new one for 9.5k in the US! I may end up getting a new pair from the US.

Interesting video -

https://youtu.be/7CRVUv1wl3M?si=LuzI-22L2EaIxG6F

Cheers, Doc

[HDx440Life]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Interesting video -

Cheers, Doc

I used some shoe fixing glue to fix the sole, and I hope it lasts me a month or two before I go ahead and buy another pair of riding boots.

By the way, does anyone have any feedback on clanshoes ? They look decent and are cheap compared to Sidi or Alpinestar.

I am also torn between these two boots below. Which would you all suggest I go with:

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/...hoes?rrec=true

https://www.alpinestars.com/products...39737805897786

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by HDx440Life

I used some shoe fixing glue to fix the sole, and I hope it lasts me a month or two before I go ahead and buy another pair of riding boots.

If the sole is in good nick, and has thickness left. And has not gone brittle, then please go to a cobbler and get it stitched all along the sides as well to the upper. Will last a LOT longer that way, and you won't be scared about it coming off mid ride and having to come home with zip ties or duct tape. Lol

Cheers, Doc

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by HDx440Life

I used some shoe fixing glue to fix the sole, and I hope it lasts me a month or two before I go ahead and buy another pair of riding boots.

By the way, does anyone have any feedback on clanshoes ? They look decent and are cheap compared to Sidi or Alpinestar.

I am also torn between these two boots below. Which would you all suggest I go with:

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/...hoes?rrec=true

https://www.alpinestars.com/products...39737805897786

Come along to HSR and go to the Cobbler on 27th Main Road opposite Skechers Showroom and HDFC Bank next to the Bus Stop. His name is Tirupati and his BIL’s name is Raja. Believe me they will restore your boots for you and make them have a renewed lease on life.
I just got two pairs of boots renewed for my friend in Coorg. One was an expensive RM Williams and the other was another expensive Blundstone. Both are in perfect (re) condition now as per my friend.
You can mention my name to the Cobbler if you want. I get a lot of stuff done at his shop.
You can call Tirupati on +91 98865 92516

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Believe me they will restore your boots for you and make them have a renewed lease on life.

I just got two pairs of boots renewed for my friend in Coorg. One was an expensive RM Williams and the other was another expensive Blundstone. Both are in perfect (re) condition now as per my friend.

Could you share some photos and details of the work done please and how much it cost you?

I've just gone and returned my Alpinestars to the cobbler to now do the shin protector areas too, as the plastic there simply is crumbling due to dry rot. Not salvageable unfortunately. So the whole fancy Alpinestars logo is gonna go too (maybe for the best, summing up my disgust with the brand).

Cheers, Doc