[mjolnir85]

Hi, I am a “New-rider-to-be”
and because I want to take the upmost precautions while riding
to guarantee safety, I am looking at purchasing a full array of
street armor.
I have looked at several different brands and compared prices, styles
user ratings etc.
However, because I always refer to this site for dependable information
I wanted to ask some seasoned riders for their advice.

So far I have looked at

Bohn Armor
Rock Garden
Alpine Stars

and I’m not sure which would be the best for a person like me
who will be using his motorcycle as a main source of transportation
in the city streets.

I’m not into hardcore riding or offroading, just simple transportation
point A to B
but at the same time I want to maximize on safety

My priorities are Safety > Comfort > Style
I would greatly appreciate your opinions

Also, one last thing, does it matter if you get the armor pieces
separately i.e. padded shorts + knee & shin guars + elbow & forearm guards + chest and back protector
or is it better to go with one full piece? Like padded pants with sewed on pockets + armored jacket
etc.

And can I wear bike jackets over the armor? Is it recommended?

[Munch]

Jackets and pants over armor…. yea..especially with the Bohn Armor….after all thats one of their selling points. Wether or not its incorporated or seperate from the gear.. personal preference.
One thing I want to guard you against…
“and because I want to take the upmost precautions while riding
to guarantee safety,” …… there is no guarantees. Even the armor is limited protection. The sooner you remove any idea of this the more safe you can actually make yourself, other then that you are obtaining a false sense of security with a painful wake up call to reality.

[briderdt]

Safety is everything you do before the unscheduled get-off. After that it’s all about damage control.

I’d suggest jacket and pants with the armor built in. But that’s just my personal opinion.

[mjolnir85]

a fickle word indeed, i was wondering if someone would comment on that just as I typed it
I agree with you though, I don’t consider myself at all “Safe” even with armor jacket etc.
However, I want to make sure I’m as… prepared as I can be?

I suppose that would have been a better choice of words.

The only problem I have with Bohn Armor is that it seems like a body suit and I need to be able to
remove the armor after the ride since I’ll be riding to work.
Having to take off that suit every time will be a lot of hassle and that’s why i’m a little bit
hesitant with the Bohn..

[mjolnir85]

I’ve also thought about maybe getting armor, then wearing light jackets over top?
Which is more practical/effective?

Jackets/pants that come with padding and armor? (leather of course)
or
Armor underneath and light textiles/leather jackets, leather pants/jeans over padding?

[Munch]

Your kinda trading off one for the other in that comparison.
Leather is best abrasion resistant material so far. Can suck in heat though… even the so called perforated and vented. Textile/mesh is great for air circulation but you throw in padding or something like Bohn armor and you can effectively kill the idea behind those.
I ride with a Textile jacket in the summer that has the CE approved armor. Its more for the abrasion then it is effectively trying to stop from getting bruises and breaks as 90% of my rides are 70+ mph. This past summer I wore just jeans but I now have some chaps to go over that…. if it gets to hot I will be looking into the Draggin Jeans. Luckily I am a mechanic and my boots don’t matter..but I have Vega Touring and they feel more like slippers then what you would think a riding boot would. They are very comfortable, very adjustable, mildly water proof and they have a nice piece of re enforced…..something at the shin for those rocks that get kicked up from time to time.
Truth be told your going to have to see what makes sense to you and your comfort. You know your tolerance for heat and cold and how your body reacts to each. If you are prone to excessive sweat.. and a business person…. a camry might be your best option….lol….just picking….sorta.

[mjolnir85]

thanks for all the info everyone,
definitely been a big help.

I’m glad I asked

[eon]

I will throw another observation onto the pile here
The armor is only going to do any good if you wear it. Putting on armor would get tedious very quickly, I would think. Don’t under estimate how much a pain in the ass that can be and how much the temptation would be to skimp on it “just this time”. I think a good jacket and pants would be a better fit for the riding you plan on doing.

[SantaCruzRider]

The “ultimate protection” question is interesting from a philosophical standpoint, but I second the sentiment that ease of use and comfort are going to become perhaps even more important, particularly as you gain experience and confidence.

It’s one thing to suit up for an afternoon ride thru the twisties with your buddies. But if a bike is going to be your primary transportation, I have to question how long it’s going to be before you’re dreading all that time to suit up, suit down, clean and stow all your gear — just so you can run out to rent a video (or whatever).

Personally, I know that I need gear that’s easy to use. That means helmet, leather jacket with armor, armored gloves and boots. I add overpants for commuting or superslab. My choices certainly won’t guarantee no injuries, but they do remove any arguments to be worn.

Best of luck with finding your own balance of safety/ease of use.

[Author]

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