On Fri, 26 Aug 2005, dc_vince wrote:
> Question from a rider new to this whole scene. Please indulge.
> 1. Are special riding pants necessary? why? Can't jeans or cargo pants
Two words: "Road rash."
Every motorcyclist crashes eventually. Usually within the first two months
of owning their first motorcycle. Proper gear is the difference between
losing a ton of skin and having to endure the agony of skin grafts and the
subsequent scarring and loss of flexibility, and walking away with no
damage.
If going offroad on a KLR, you'll crash even more often (tires don't stick
to dirt the way they do to tar, gosh, who woulda thunk it?). At that point
penetration resistance is the issue. Rocks will do a number on you. I
still have a hole in my knee from when a sharp rock bit me...
> work? Are Fox brand any good or do people have other ideas?
Any DOT-certified helmet is better than no helmet. Snell-certified helmets
are better than DOT-certified helmets, but are more expensive and not
available in common styles such as flip-ups. You will have to decide
whether you want to go the extra distance to get a Snell-certified helmet,
either one is adequate for most people.
> 2. Are MX style helmets much better than regular ones with a visor? Do
> most riders wear that style with goggles or sunglasses? What are some
> good, inexpensive brands of helmets?
The best helmet is the type that fits you. I care about fit much more than
I care about brand (as long as it is DOT-certified!). I went to the local
dealers and tried on every helmet in the store. The one I eventually
bought was an Arai, but not because it was an Arai -- it was because it
fit me best of all the ones I tried.
As far as MX vs regular, I use a regular helmet and crack the visor in
dirty/dusty circumstances. But I don't do single-track. Doing single-track
on a fat pig like a KLR is an exercise in frustration, it will do it, but
it's not much fun. There's places where I would have taken my old XL350 (a
whole 260 pounds of fun) that I look at while riding the mightly KLR (410
pounds of pure pig) and say, "uh-uh, I'm not going there." If you insist
on doing a *lot* of single-track on a KLR, you'll be going so slowly that
you'll want the MX helmet. But the MX type helmets typically are pretty
miserable on the street (and yes you must wear GOGGLES, not SUNGLASSES,
otherwise your eyes get full of dirt and grit and you can't see, doh).
> 3. Do regular work boots work or do people suggest a particular type
> of motorcycle riding boot? Which brand or style?
Regular work boots are okay in dry weather on the highway, but are
miserable in the rain and typically are not stiff enough for good
protection offroad. Whether they are adequate for you depends on where and
under what conditions you ride. A good MX (motocross) boot is much better
for off-highway excursions. It is stiffer, provides a place for a shin
protector, and will prevent broken legs in places where work boots will
put you into the hospital.
> Thanks in advance. I've riden on the street for years and am looking
> forward to testing myself in dirt.
Then you have the wrong motorcycle. While the KLR will "do" dirt, it will
"do" dirt much in the same way that Monica "did" Bill. She's just too fat
and clumsy to do a good job of it, and you won't get the same sort of full
penetration that you'd get with the real thing. I'd suggest going with a
KLR250 if you want to do significant dirt, with the understanding that it
is also significantly slower (sigh).
-E