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Hello from Boerne, TX.

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Jul 26, 2018
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Location
Boerne, TX
Hello!
I've not owned a bike for ~30 years, but just picked up a Kawasaki W650 to get wheels back under me! I'm really looking forward to some great hill country rides in the near future.

Being "new" to the road, I would appreciate any advice on gearing up.
I need everything, from helmet to boots and everything in between.
What is your favorite gear and places / websites to buy what?

(Helmet, gloves, jacket / suit, boots, glasses, etc.)

Thank you in advace for your advice,
Jon in Boerne
 
Welcome. Motorcyclegear.com is a Texas company that lots of us buy from. One stop shopping for all your gear needs. Revzillia.com is also ok. I know what sizes I need so I try to shop local first. Support your local shop.


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Welcome.

I would totally agree with Motorcyclegear.com, located just outside Lubbock. Family owned, every piece of gear is tested by the staff & honestly reviewed, for better or worse, for the benefit of the buyer. They're knowledgeable & friendly & will spend time on the phone to help you make informed decisions on gear. Oh, and their prices are generally as low as anybody.

Revzilla will give you a similar experience. They're a larger company, and have a broader stock base. Their prices are very competitive.

For tires, I bounce between Revzilla, Bikebandit, JPCycles (formerly Motorcycle Superstore), and Rocky Mountain ATV.
 
Ditto on MotorcycleGear.com; several years ago I was overnighting in Lubbock on my way to Colorado, and wanted to buy a Kenya jacket that was on sale. The owner met me at the shop in Shallowwater on a Saturday morning, even though they weren't open on Saturdays, and had already pulled jackets in two sizes for me to check out when I pulled up there. Good buys, and great service.
 
Welcome. I'm also in Boerne and love that it's a great launching point for riding the Hill Country.

If you like to try stuff out first, I've always been treated well at Cycle Gear on I-10 in the Colonnade.
 
:welcome:

Just suggest you get some 50/50 off pavement rubber underneath if you want to get to the back country roads. Just protect your skin and head since offs will happen. Those classic styled jap bikes were really the dual purpose bikes of their day.
 
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A mesh jacket and pants with liners is the most versatile starting point for riding in our weather. I go to Cycle gear because they usually have something that I can try on, the downside is they roll through designs every year. If you find the perfect suit, you won't be able to get the same one after you wear it out.

Get a full faced helmet.

I wear work boots on the street, something with a stout sole that secures up past your ankles. Cowboy boots or "engineer" type boots that slip on also slip off in crashes, walking around trying to find your boots is one more annoyance that you don't need on a bad day.

For gloves, I usually wear mechanics gloves of some type from Home Depot.
 
Welcome, and another bump for motorcyclegear.com. I also really like revzilla, both for research purposes and to make purchases. They have tons of review videos posted along with the products.

Also another vote for mesh. You simply will not survive riding in Texas summers without it.
 
Thank you all for the welcoming and great advice about gearing up.
Hope to meet you all out in the road. :rider:
 
I am now a rolling advertisement for BMW since I get the stuff for the same price as Icon gear, which I liked. But even a pair Justin Ropers saved my foot in a high speed crash many, many years ago. Blue jeans were good for a 20mph spill. Motorcycle pants and jacket are the way to go. Cycle gear is good stuff at entry level pricing. Klim is water proof and lifetime warranty.
 
Welcome. I would invest in some mesh gear (as previously advised), it’s miserable riding in anything else right now. Grab yourself a good full face helmet, find something that is comfortable for you and breathes well...I am a big fan of the pinlock visor system, might not notice it now but as things cool off you will. Gloves wise, find something with some good armor in it. Your hands are too important to mangle in a crash.


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This is actually a good time to buy because everybody is putting their summer gear on sale. Right, as if we don't have 3 months of summer remaining in Texas. :-P I've received sale emails from everybody named above, in just the last 2 days. And actually, I just scored a Joe Rocket mesh jacket from Motorcyclegear.com, for just slightly over a bill. Joe Rocket and Tourmaster are my go-to brands.
 
Welcome Jon, I have a sister who lives between Boerne and Pipe Creek. As for gear, it somewhat depends on how much money you can afford to spend.
 
Welcome from the Southwest contingest. Regardless of who you choose to buy from, buy quality gear. The price you pay today will just save you additional costs in the future. Also watch the For Sale section here and at other moto forums. Many times you can find used quality gear at a much reduced price.
 
Aloha Jon. Check for gear here on TWT there is plenty for sale. Just head over to the forum area fr sale section. Some gear is even free in the pay it forward area. KP
 
Nice score on that W650! That's a great bike. Congratulations and welcome. What Brian (StromXTc) said is right. Put the right tires on that bike and you can ride it anywhere. I have a Triumph Scrambler that has suited me well with some Shinko 705s. Very similar to the W650. I live in New Braunfels and work in Boerne so I'm there almost every day. I'll be keeping my eyes open for your bike.
 
I’ll chime in on Motorcyclegear.com and highly recommend them too. Check out their close outs for the best deals. I personally like Shoei helmets ( full face only). In Texas Mesh jackets are a must. Some have liners too to extent their range. For boots I just wear Red Wing boots. They check off all the boxes for riding boots, will last forever and don’t look out of place off the bike. Revzilla is a good site also and they have close outs as well. I got a pair of Roland Sands designs gloves from then on close out for $50. Others just use leather gardening gloves. Helmet, Jacket, gloves and Boots are you minimum gear. Don’t go cheap on them, especially the helmet. You want good gear that will last and more importantly will protect you in the event of a fall. Good luck.


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Welcome to the site.

I started out with mesh last year based on everyone suggesting it, until I bought my "3/4 year" Tourmaster Transition 4, which I bought for fall/winter/spring, expecting to be back on mesh this summer and I find myself preferring my Tourmaster over my mesh jacket so long I wear a long sleeve Cooldri shirt. Avoid wearing cotton no matter what the upper wear.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
I find with a mesh jacket on I dry out and feel no cooling faster than with the Tourmaster, which seems to keep the heat off me and still cool me with the wicking later.
The Transition 4 has a lot of venting for summer.


Having a Cycle Gear local in San Antonio I tend to buy as much as I can there. Nice trying on helmets/jackets/pants for size and then ordering the actual color you wanted if the color isn't in store.
I now tend to order to store for a final fit check before taking the items, makes no difference on ease of returns if you get it shipped home or to store, just my preference.
Even helmets that are on website and not in store are easily dealt with using their no hassle returns.

What I can't find there I get from RevZilla.


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@jwalller
Awsome! I’ll be around Boerne on the weekends, so wave me down if you see me.
Where in Boerne do you work if you don’t mind me asking? Fingers crossed that it’s the Dodging Duck!
 
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We meet in Boerne often for rides, Ruff Rider, who lives just outside town, knows just about ever back road in the hill country. Also have a Alpinestars textile jacket size large, like new condition.
 
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