[pratik_terni]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

All the best!
...
I would be grateful if you could DM me the contact for renting gear.
...
Off-topic, the more people I speak with, the more I'm getting a hint that track riding is addictive.
...
Those that rented earlier, decided to buy leathers later on as an investment anyway.
I will wait and watch how I feel and how things progress for me. But I have a bad feeling about my finances going forward

Hi Shyam,

Best of luck to you too for the event. I have sent you the contact for renting gear. Please check.

OT: I agree that the entire atmosphere around the track is extremely addictive. Plus you get to meet a lot of like minded and amazing people on the track. There are people who not only have dedicated rides and gear but also a dedicated vehicle to transport their amazing rides.

In my case as well, this is my second training session (did the first one with RACR in November). After the current training session, I'll try to attend open track days over the next year, if time and money permits.

I shall then decide what all to spend on and how much to spend. This is going to be a fun and slippery slope to slide on

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

I'm attending Jan 26-28th, L1/2/3. Looks like we will miss each other by a week. All the best!

Moving to the next level in your riding! Great to see Shyam.

Cheers, Doc

[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Moving to the next level in your riding! Great to see Shyam.

Cheers, Doc

Thanks Doc!

Picked up the Rynox full gauntlet Storm Evo 3 gloves. My knuckles were hurting quite a bit with the new Viaterra Grid full gauntlets. I did try multiple fits as well. The Storm Evo 3 was comfortable, evidently owing to a softer knuckle padding + thinner leather I guess.

I really really wanted to pick up the Viaterra Grid, but it just wasn't comfortable enough. Because it is truly built like a tank and well worth every penny.

The Rynox is comfy and broken-in from the get go. Will share my thoughts after actual usage.





The Grid saved my fingers, palms, wrists and what not some time ago.
I got it stitched and glued together. I repeat, built like a tank!

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

Thanks Doc!

Picked up the Rynox full gauntlet Storm Evo 3 gloves. My knuckles were hurting quite a bit with the new Viaterra Grid full gauntlets. I did try multiple fits as well. The Storm Evo 3 was comfortable, evidently owing to a softer knuckle padding + thinner leather I guess.

I really really wanted to pick up the Viaterra Grid, but it just wasn't comfortable enough. Because it is truly built like a tank and well worth every penny.

From the photos it does appear that the leather used in the Viaterra gloves (that saved your hands) is thicker full grain leather as compared to your new Rynox gloves. You are a leather expert in your own right so you know that good leather sometimes needs time and repeated use to break in, and there are various things you can do, and products you can use to help it along the way. In the end, a broken in item of thick leather will offer greater protection and life than thinner leather. That's why rhinos have a thick hide. But they have a lifetime to grow into it.

Cheers, Doc

[Rahulkool]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

I really really wanted to pick up the Viaterra Grid, but it just wasn't comfortable enough. Because it is truly built like a tank and well worth every penny.

I am using Viaterrra Grid and ya it was uncomfortable for first 500-600 kms but it got better with usage and not I don't feel any discomfort.

[WhiskeyTangoFox]

Originally Posted by Rahulkool

I am using Viaterrra Grid and ya it was uncomfortable for first 500-600 kms but it got better with usage and not I don't feel any discomfort.

That may be, but since he's gotten these right before heading out to CSS, the Rynox makes more sense. Imagine trying to learn how to ride on a track with gloves that are not broken it

I'm using the Grid as well, and share the same experience as you. Have used them, for about 2500 Kms now and they have become super comfortable.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by Thamps

Bought TVS Racing's Riding boots recently. Ordered from their site for Rs. 4050 after 10% discount.
The boots seem to be well built, but is really light. Has ankle protection on both lateral and median side,Gear shift pad and
TPU toe sliders.
I wear a size 7 normally and no issues with the sizing.
The sole is not as stiff as Astars SMX1R. The heel and toe counters seems to have some level of protection inside, again not as protective as some of the premium level stuff.

But for 4k,I feel it's a damn good deal.

Thamps, thanks for sharing. These TVS boots do have a very A* SMX-ish vibe to them. But at this price, it is hard to find decent options for riding boots in India. Do keep us updated on how these fare with your usage.

Originally Posted by shyamg28

The Grid saved my fingers, palms, wrists and what not some time ago.
I got it stitched and glued together. I repeat, built like a tank!

shyamg28, I hope you werent / arent riding around with those gloves! That stitching and glueing doesnt look like it will hold up even if you slip and fall while walking.

Originally Posted by mithun

I'm looking for a jacket for commuting within 6K.

mithun, as other TBHPians have suggested, do check out the mesh options from Royal Enfield. When I last checked out their jackets, I quite liked what I saw. The company store adjacent to Oberon Mall should have the widest range of options in town.

[hikozaru]

Got a pair of Bull-it covert evo slim cut jeans from sportsbikeshop during clearance sale last year which I believe is still ongoing. AAA rated, L2 armour for hip and knee for 10k is a neat deal, cheaper than a made in India BykeIt Alpha jeans. Wore it for about 900km in the warm winters we have these days.

First things first, this jeans is incredibly comfortable both and off the bike. That 1% spandex sure works wonders. The knee and the hip armour will complain if you try sitting cross legged on the floor though, not a candidate for pilgrimages for sure. Second thing I noticed was it is stuffy. It does not have the massive gap that a regular cut jeans has, to let air in through. It has been a decade or so since I've tried out slim fit jeans so it could just be down to that but the stuffiness never extended to sweat in my leg at any point even in stop and go traffic at 28c ambients.

So why get slim fit jeans? I had issues with knee armour fit with my alphas, and bull it had an incredibly detailed size guide (no longer available, they seem to be undergoing some major product overhaul) that had an inch or two difference laterally at the knee and the slim cut fit my legs better. I had some doubts on the inseam measurements and how that would affect the knee armour height, I decided to wait and see how the short length works for me before buying another pair in a different colour.

The 30 short is a straight formal kind of look on my 30"-32" inseam (depending on whether you measure till the ankle or the floor) barefooted. It scrunches up a little once i put any shoes on (not sandals or flipflops) which is just how I like my pants to look. Standard 4 pocket design, rear pockets are a bit small but quite functional nevertheless. It also has a watch pocket to keep earplugs in.

The knee armour pocket has two sleeves one below the other for armour height adjustment, so you can indeed have one armour placed on the lower level and one on the higher level if you have mismatched legs like I do. The pocket is then closed with a velcro strap. The knee armour itself is curved, the kind you see on most riding pants really. Everything screams oh hey this is a rynox jacket in terms of jeans design. It is all unremarkable until you try the pants out. The flex armour from sastec is either complete rubbish or our Indian companies have not figured out how to use it correctly. The sastec armour flexes for sure, but never correctly. The armour was probably designed for a wider knee given the looser cut of the alphas around the knee. I expected the flex armour to flex cylindrically covering my knee in both directions but it turns out it can flex only in one direction so it folded on the outside gap, instead of wrapping around like a knee slider. Between that and the lack of height adjustment the knee armour was useless for me. The covert evo solves all issues with knee armour placement for me and has a reassuring presence compared to the sastecs. I only wish the armour was larger on both sides just for my peace of mind.

The hip armour fit is another issue that I came to later understand in more detail on my alphas. The alphas has a floppy hip pocket that can slide around which I used to get proper fit. But I use a belt to secure my pants which are an inch thinner than the pants and this brings the hip armour forward. Unfortunately, both alphas and covert evo run a little loose at the waist, so I have issues with hip armour fit. On the alphas I push the hip armour to the bum and pray it does not slide when I get on the bike. On the covert evo which does not have floppy hip pockets, I offset the pants to cover one of my hips at the expense of the other.

All this aside, if you want absolute impact protection you should still continue riding with riding pants (cheap) or leathers (expensive and uncomfortable) or get the mo'cycle airbag jeans, because these armours are smaller than the ones that come in full riding pants. This is very likely better for abrasion resistance than Indian brand riding pants which ironically makes it my choice for touring too.

Finally, lets talk about the price. It retailed for 160GBP-ish including VAT. That puts it pretty much on par with the made in India Bykeit Alpha jeans (no customs for us Indians). My fit issues aside you still get better kit on the Bull-it. AAA abrasion resistance that is actually certified by european bureaucrats who I trust infinitely more than our immoral bureaucrats, compared to the 'only AA' self-rated resistance on the Bykeit. It is sad that Indian companies do not get their gear CE certified, by which I mean the entire garment, not just using CE rated armour and calling it CE rated.

https://youtu.be/x5bMHOS25Mk?t=288

It was truly shocking that it costs only a measly 1200GBP to do so, and they cover all colour designs and graphics. I hear that ISI helmet homologations cost 250k INR for each size in each colour, this is remarkably cheap compared to that, tested in Europe no less. The silence from Indian bike reviewers about such gear is quite deafening, of course I wanted yet another comparison video between a Continental GT and a KTM 390. Some international media outlets like cycleworld, revzilla typically list gear their staff wore for certain outings, some run comparo articles like MCN. Coming back to the price, these jeans are made in the same countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Vietnam, but pound for pound Bykeit alpha is so much more expensive, so why do Indian dealers not stock these good, cheap brands. We get some great bikes at some great prices but man is it getting harder than ever to enjoy them safely.


AAA abrasion certification. The mesh like lining I think is additional reinforcement on impact zones.


The two horizontal lines are where the sleeves for height adjustment are located inside.


Bykeit alpha in comparison has no such thing and you have to stick the armour in and out rather barbarically through a gap in the middle. This product would be pulled off the shelves in Europe immediately if customers started returning the armour using the 2 year guarantee. I don't know what the white powder is and where it comes from because surely dust cannot get into the insides of a pant right? It is not from the armour for sure.


Hip armour is more or less the same size but the sastec armour does not fit quite right in the covert's pockets


Similar story here for the knee armour. I rode some 30km with one keep armour and one sastec armour and the sastec armour behaved quite similarly to how it does on the alphas, so you can fit the sastecs in if you prefer that.



P.S: If anyone can help me get some gear stuck in Europe please DM me.

[P72NX]

Hi all,

Looking for some advise/suggestions.

My current gear:

a. Revit Quantum 2 Air, with Seesoft back protector
b. Viaterra Holeshot Gloves
c. Rynox Stealth Evo pants (I detest this with a passion. The worst.)
d. AlpineStars SMX6 - V2
e. Shoei RF1400

Planning to hit the tracks in a couple of months.

My queries:
a. Is it advisable to go for a racing suit or individual gear?
b. Recommendations for the above?
Not looking at replacing the helmet & boots.

My ride is a Triumph STR.
Budget around $1000 I guess.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by P72NX

Planning to hit the tracks in a couple of months.

My queries:
a. Is it advisable to go for a racing suit or individual gear?
b. Recommendations for the above?
Not looking at replacing the helmet & boots.

My ride is a Triumph STR.
Budget around $1000 I guess.

Since your budget permits it, go for a racing suit. Track regulars recommend Taichi suits for their excellent ventilation. Our friendly Mod Dr CD picked up a track suit recently .

[prakash_ajp]

Originally Posted by prakash_ajp

Guys, I need some help. After failing to find these pants even after calling/visiting half a dozen RE showrooms in Bangalore, I ordered the Tso Kar pants online. But the fit just wasn't good enough. The knee guards were too low, the waist too loose and height also was on shorter side. So, even ordering a smaller size doesn't look like will solve the problem.

Can someone please recommend an alternate (my requirement is waterproof, all weather pants) that I can try and buy in Bangalore? TIA!

Update: I picked up a RS Taichi Drymaster Kompass Black Riding Pants from 6kiom Bangalore. They had several sizes in stock, so I could try and pick up the right size. It cost me double the Tso Kar, but I had no choice as it was impossible to find a place where I can try and buy it.

Anyway, I already did a 500 km ride. Didn't get to test the waterproof aspect, but the provided ventilation made it was quite alright for the hot weather. And it protected me well in the 12 to 15 degree weather condition.

[abhi_tjet]

It was more than 3 years since I bought my first riding jacket. Few parts here and there were showing age. Also, the armours were approaching expiry. Almost the same story for my riding boot with the exception of it still having some life left.

Accordingly, got an Alpinestars T-SPS riding jacket recently from the Planet DSG store with Alpinestars level 2 armours bought separately. Armours for back wasn’t available so got a compatible DSG one.

The carry bag provided by store


Initial experience is good. The fabric, zipper, etc is smooth and feels like a normal jacket. My erstwhile RR gear was overall rough but served the purpose.

Regarding boots, bought a Forma adventure tourer boots from Biking Superstore. It’s almost as comfortable as my erstwhile Orazo while being more rigid at right places.

Same model with half length boot was also available at same price. It was no brainer that I went for full length ones.


Fits just perfect!




Also, got a pair of Rynox Urban pro gloves a couple of months back since my earlier XDI’s were almost torn.

[SVS_23]

Originally Posted by hikozaru

Finally, lets talk about the price. It retailed for 160GBP-ish including VAT. That puts it pretty much on par with the made in India Bykeit Alpha jeans (no customs for us Indians).

Are you sure that customs duties are not applicable? I need a pair of boots, so I'm thinking of importing but I'm a bit sceptical due to import duties and taxes that might get levied. Need your advice on the matter.

[hikozaru]

Originally Posted by SVS_23

Are you sure that customs duties are not applicable? I need a pair of boots, so I'm thinking of importing but I'm a bit sceptical due to import duties and taxes that might get levied. Need your advice on the matter.

I meant Bykeit Alphas which are made in India and sold here at many dealers are customs free. And if you buy those Bullit jeans in the UK, you pay only VAT. If you order directly to India from sportsbikeshop, I believe they sell without VAT, and you pay the Indian version of VAT (28% GST) + customs (15%) when your package is held by customs. I could be wrong about the customs rate breakdown. I had my jeans carried over by a friend so I had to pay only about 20% in VAT.

I would recommend importing boots (customs or not) over buying them here since boot imports have been banned in India for a while and because of how quickly these european boots seem to be breaking down even when stored in a box https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ride-...ul-repair.html (Riding Boots get a second life - Complete Overhaul and Repair) you are more likely to get newly manufactured stock there.

[prakash_ajp]

Originally Posted by prakash_ajp

Update: I picked up a RS Taichi Drymaster Kompass Black Riding Pants from 6kiom Bangalore.
Anyway, I already did a 500 km ride. Didn't get to test the waterproof aspect, but the provided ventilation made it was quite alright for the hot weather. And it protected me well in the 12 to 15 degree weather condition.

Personally, this also settles the mesh vs textile jackets debate for me. Now, I am regretting having got the mesh type RE Windfarer jacket. Not only the mesh type gets hot when I am not moving fast enough in hot conditions, it offers no protection at all (obviously) even around 20-25 degrees. So, I am forced to either wear the inner thermal liner or the rain liner to cheat wind depending on how long I expect the conditions to last.

Bottomline, I don't know about protection, but the versatility of the textile jackets and trousers seem unbeatable. So, I am already thinking of ways to get rid of my fairly new mesh jacket and get a good textile one.