WeaponZeroV-Star 650. I already responded in your other thread as to why.
Leather offers the best in safety but in the Texas heat it may not ventilate well enough for use in the summer. I’m not sure even perforated leather would suffice. It would be in your best interest IMO to get a textile jacket that allows you to deal with the elements better. Plus textile is cheaper so it’ll save you money. As a new rider you should get a full face helmet even though you’re a cruiser rider. It may not present the *image* you’re looking for but at this point you NEED the added safety of it.
Good choices for gear:
Jackets – stick with the closeout sections at newenough.com, sportbiketrackgear.com, and motorcycle-superstore.com. Kneedraggers.com is another good site but their closeouts section is poorly organized and difficult to navigate. If you’re a big guy with a bit of a spare tire around the middle, you’ll find the BEST FITTING gear in the brands JOE ROCKET and SPEED & STRENGTH. I know because when I started out riding I was 335 lbs at 5’11” and I even wrote a post on this site on “big men’s” gear. The quality of Speed & Strength’s gear is far superior to Joe Rocket IMO. Avoid “Euro-fit” brands of gear such as Teknic and Alpinestars and Shift. Their jackets are tailored to those with an athletic figure and aren’t comfy for the rest of us who aren’t all that athletic.
Pants – As a big guy you have one option and one option only: The Firstgear HT Air 2.0 Mesh overpants. I know. I looked long and hard and it was either these or a pair of Draggin’ Jeans.
Helmet – Most full face helmets have vents positioned for the sportbike riding position, and when sitting upright as you would in a cruiser, have a loud high-pitched whistle or booming noise that comes from air hitting the vents (whether open or closed). The Scorpion EXO-400 and Scorpion EXO-700 (arguably the BEST budget helmets on the market, far superior than anything HJC makes and better than anything else you’ll find for under $200) don’t have this issue as the vents are positioned more for a standard/cruiser riding position.
Boots – Take your pick. If you want boots that offer comfort and safety in a boot that looks like normal street shoes, Icon is your brand. Most brands don’t offer wide sizes but some brands, namely Icon and TCX, run wider than marked so it’s safe to look to these brands if you normally require a wide shoe.
Gloves – Try before you buy. These are the one thing I would not order online as they must fit your hand perfectly. Go to your local dealer, try a bunch on, pay the extra $15-$20 they charge for them over what an online retailer is asking, and get some gloves that fit your hands perfectly.
