Getting to work

[equiraptor]

I recently started working for The Planet at their headquarters in downtown Houston. As a result of being downtown parking is limited. Most of us have to pay for car parking (motorcycle parking is freely available under the building and there's a bike rack available). However, the company will pay for a bus pass for employees. So I can either pay

Comments

[thomasj]

As a motorcycle rider:

* A 500cc (the Ninja 500 is a great choice, I see you've mentioned it) will do excellently for your size/body weight. I know a number of female riders who love their Ninja 500s.

* Go nuts on gear. There really is a price:quality relationship in that market. And it's your ass obviously.

A rough guide of what quality gear costs would look like this:

Helmet: $200-$400 (certain brands will be $500+)
Boots: $100-$200
Jacket: $100-$300
Pants: $100-$300
Gloves: $60-$120

If you expect to do a lot of riding in the rain or other weather conditions, I can not say enough good things about Aerostich (http://www.aerostich.com/) suits. The entry price is high - about $700 - but they last FOREVER, and are the best quality multi-purpose suits available. Many motorcycle tracks that host one-day events require either full leather OR Aerostich but no other textiles.

The riding community is a really great one, at least in the mature group. You will find a subset of the 18-24 guys in minimal gear with 1000cc bikes doing wheelies down city streets... and some Harley guys who won't talk to anyone, but most of the Hog riders are actually nice guys.

And, you'll get at least 40 or 45mpg. Gotta love that =)

[equiraptor]

The 500R and a GS500 are the two that are at the top of my list, at the moment, not that I've ever actually been on either. The 500Rs seem to be a lot more common around here (I've been looking through both Houston and Austin craigslist postings). I kinda want to skip the 250cc stage - get a 500cc and stick with it for a while, instead - but I don't want to be one of those idiots who buys more bike than they can handle. The actual active "looking for a bike" stage will start after the course and after the gear.

I'm figuring on going to a local shop (or two or three) when it comes time to look for the gear, in part to help get a good fit, and in part to get advice. I figure I can figure out helmets - I have some experience with that - but suits, gloves, boots, I have no clue, and with my small size, fit is a concern. I do have an interest in a one piece suit I could just wear over my "normal" clothes, instead of dealing with separate pants and jacket. Thanks for the link to Aerostich. That'll definitely feed my curiosity.

[thomasj]

If you want over-clothing, aerostich is the way to go. I was also put off by the $700 price tag, but I talked with Aerostich owners, and some of them are wearing the same suit fifteen years later. They're really well made.

[equiraptor]

While spending more means it'll be longer before I get a bike, I'm definitely willing to spend for quality gear.

From a review of the suit:
"This will keep you dry for about 25 minutes, and then you get Aerostich Crotch."

HAH. Ride to work should be about 20 minutes...

[thomasj]

Getting the right fit is critical to make sure it doesn't leak =)

They generally send it to you, you try it on, figure out what you need, and send it back; they alter it and send it back to you; repeat until satisfied.

I got some good wet-weather riding in and haven't had any leak issues yet. But then again, this is California :P

[equiraptor]

I figure I can probably provide pretty good measurements, too, which should help get the start closer.

Our thorough thunderstorms are more likely in the afternoon / evening than in the morning, and I don't mind getting home wet. If the bad storms do get me wet, I can always hop back on the bus the rainy mornings.

I'll be starting off using the bus in the wet, anyway, as I'm not going to go straight from "never ridden" to "riding in rain." Admittedly, I did that in cars (I had my learners permit for 3 days before I drove 100 miles in a thunderstorm), but 4 wheels and 2 wheels are rather different.

[thomasj]

> I figure I can probably provide pretty good measurements, too, which should help get the start closer.

They have a sizing chart on their website, IIRC. If you can get exact measurements, like a tailor, I believe they can get it much better.

One thing people notice is that the suits feel too long and too open around the waist when you are standing up in them. This is because they fashion them to fit you just right when sitting on the moto.

So if you get one, make sure you go sit on your moto for a good while to see how it feels.

Oh, and run it about fifteen times through the dryer, no heat. They are somewhat stiff before they break in fully. The dryer cycle will help that along.