Hi All,
I have just passed my motorbike assessment and received my Learners Permit and looking to purchase my jacket,pants,gloves and helment.
Wondering if anyone can suggest where i could get a bargain? I was told in my 2 day course that there are several places where I get a discount online (Eg discount on helmet based on manufacturing date)
Please recommend me shops in Melbourne or online stores in Australia.
Thanks in advance
I agree and i dont mind to spend a bit to increase my chances of being safe !
Wondering if anyone can suggest where i could get a bargain?
Aldi stuff is decent as a beginner … not sure if they have a sale coming within your timeline.
jacket,pants,gloves and helment
Not sure if you deliberately missed boots or already have them. I'd prioritize some boots too.
Checkout gumtree/fb - there's always new or near-new stuff that people didn't like.
discount on helmet based on manufacturing date
Nah - I don't know of any AU retailer that discounts their helmets based on manufacturing date. They'll definitely discount the stuff they can't sell at clearance time though.
Also checkout championhelmets, if you don't mind waiting a few weeks for a grey import.
Usually easier to find deals by going into stores like AMX in my experience.
Thats what I did. My recommendation would be buy gear that fits you so its comfortable to wear and you use it. Get a bike you can easily handle and stand on when stopped in traffic. You don't want to be some manlet on a big bike when you are just learning, there is enough to worry about in city traffic without that.
Wondering if anyone can suggest where i could get a bargain?
Aldi
My suggestion, if budget is an issue, for some of the gear I would have a look on Facebook marketplace or gumtree.
Quite often people decide that riding is too much work and get rid of gear that is in good condition.
I noticed you don't list boots in your wish list and I would highly recommend having that on there, as the leg/ankle area is the most common injury in motorcycle accidents. It is usually the first point of impact and often impacted by the bike itself.
Having tested a few budget brands, I would recommend against getting a budget helmet, and to a lesser degree, gloves and boots.
Aldi kevlar pants were ok, as were their jackets, but I found most of my gear on marketplace for a fraction of the rrp, and in great condition.
Originally had a RJays helmet and jacket. Test fitted Aldi helmets. My second hand Shoei helmet and Arai jacket, were leagues ahead in fit, design and look.
The only thing I bought new were some alpinestars gloves and boots.
I have leather jacket, pants annd wet weather gear from Aldi and I’m really happy with them.
I purchased Kevlar lined jeans from Aldi.
I personally prefer draggin jeans, but that said there’s nothing wrong w Kevlar jeans from Aldi.
I follow draggin on FB and wait for them to announce sales and then go to the Port Melb offices to pick up a bargain.
I purchased a helmet from Aldi, one of those open face Matte black ones in anticipation of me buying a mid-life-crisis black and chrome cruiser. The helmet is fine, but I prefer my shoei.
I purchased my shoei Helmet from the Peter Steve’s outlet shop just around the corner from their main retail in shop in the city. Pretty sure the entry to the discount shop was on Latrobe st. Not sure if it’s still there. Haven’t been into Peter Stevens for over a decade.
I personally wouldn’t buy a 2nd hand helmet as you don’t know if it’s had issues in the past. That said I found the make and model of my shoei on eBay and stalked it for a while…
Every now and again I’ll walk into cash converters and see leathers on the shelf. Perhaps have a look at cashies online and see if a nearby store has leathers, gloves or boots in stock?
I can appreciate that you’re after a bargain, but a shop like PS all a lot of stock on the shelf that will help you find the perfect fit for you. Personally I don’t skimp on stuff that keeps me safe, and being comfortable on long rides is more important than saving 15%.
Don't be a tight arse on YOUR safety, you'll regret it .
Especially boots , and pants !
And helmet and jacket..
but when it comes to the car "sorry i didnt see you" from personal experience more than once it doesnt matter what gear you have.
New vs second hand….
A helmet is something you should not buy second hand. Drop damage (on to a non marking surface) might not be visible, but could have affected the integrity of the helmet. This is also something I would not cheap out on; also make sure it’s a composite as many cheap ones have an abs/plastic shell that bounces - in a fall you don’t want you head to bounce as it causes neck injuries.
Everything else? Second hand will be fine as long as it hasn’t got obvious damaged
Now for each item
Helmet - each brand has a slightly different fit so go Into a store/dealership and try them on. Then buy that specific model online for as cheap as you can find it. More likely to find a deep discount on previous years designs
Gloves - Aldi always do well, and only go second hand if they appear brand new
Jacket - if you’re buying new, somewhere like AMX have a good range at decent prices. Don’t bother with eBay no name brands, the quality just isn’t there. Also recommend buying a textile touring jacket for your firsts as they’re more versatile with vents etc for hot days
Pants - Kevlar lined jeans, where every you can get them cheap. Preferably full lined rather than just little patches on common impact zones
Boots - any cheap reinforced motorcycle boots (eg aldi) will be better than any street shoes or boots. You’ll save a broken ankle in an awkward low speed drop
Alll the best
First piece of advice would be to go with established brands, there is a lot of crap out there that's cheap enough but it won't offer much more protection than a pair of footy shorts if you should happen to come off.
My current jacket came from Mars Leathers so might be worth paying them a visit because there are plenty of solid offerings around the $200 - $300 mark, they also sell gloves and pants although can't really offer much insight as to quality.
For pants I quite like the Sa1nt stuff but it's very pricey, keep an eye out for their warehouse sales to get something at a more reasonable price.
Helmet - buy it from wherever you want but stick to established brands and most importantly make sure it complies with either AS/NZS 1698:2006 OR UNECE22.05 / UNECE22.06.
There is no such thing as a bargain when it comes to motorcycle gear. Buy the best stuff your money can buy. Dont buy $49 Aldi helmets is a good start. Look for gear with names you know, Dainese, Alpinestars, RST, AGV, Shark, Dririder, Arai, Shoei…
And you dont need top of the range stuff either. You dont need a MotoGP certified helmet and kangaroo hand stitched TT jacket when a good quality textile jacket and a mid ranged helmet will suffice.
Go to a few bike shops and try on some gear… then go home and buy it online, because bike shops are an absolute rip off… Last helmet I wanted, they had $1,200 on it, ended up getting the same helmet from Chromeburner for $700 delivered.
My advice is to find the brand and model that has all the features you want and fits beautifully and only then start shopping for that exact model elsewhere for a discount, rather than looking for just any gear that's cheap.
Buy the best you can afford. Besides the safety issue there is comfort. A comfortable helmet with an extra sunglasses visor makes riding so much more pleasant. Same with the jacket. It needs to have good ventilation for the summer and a zip-in lining for winter. Gloves for summer need to be light but still tough and protective. Boots should be easy to get on and off, but again tough and protective. Pants need to keep the rain out. Better yet, get some that are like overalls so they go up much higher and do up over your shoulders. Many times I have been riding long distances and it rained heavily, eventually the water starts trickling down your jacket when it can't absorb any more and pouring down your crotch. It's absolutely miserable. A lighter pair of Kevlar pants with armour in the knees/hips will be useful for fair weather riding.
Your helmet is your most important purchase - it can also be your worst purchase if you don't take the time to investigate.
1. It MUST be a good fit, actually slightly firm is the way to go as the passing will loosen over the first few weeks.
2. look for a product line that uses multiple different shell sizes if you have a larger head, otherwise you are buying the same shell as a smaller size with less padding/ foam/impact resistance
3. look into closure systems, no matter what new magnetic or other clasp system is on offer NOTHING beats double d rings …. they are a little fiddly at first, but after a while you can thread them in 0.5 seconds without a thought.
4. Any helmet offering pinlocks for antifog visor inserts is great in winter, and a fast and easy change system to swap between clear and tinted visors is great, these days it is almost impossible to wear sunglasses under many helmets unless you want pressure sores on the side of your head.
5. Don't buy something because you just fell in love with the look and/or colours/graphics, fit is the only important factor.
6. And this is going to be a controversial point - don't buy anything under $500, there is a level of quality both in feel and in underlying technology that costs manufacturers to make a decent helmet, this is simply not attainable at low price points - it's your brain, itis worth more than a hundred dollar bucket.
Also I recommend looking at any fortnine Youtube video regarding helmets, Ryan Kluftinger really knows his stuff and gets right in to the technology incorparated int various helmets.
OP, You haven't mentioned a budget.
Keep in mind the law of diminishing returns.
If you drop a helmet, you compromise its integrity for protecting the head in future accidents.
Don't handle a helmet in the store unless you're prepared to pay for it.
You drop it you buy it.
There are a number of riders on OzB, as you've made a number of topics on things that are covered consistently. I can suggest you look into a more Motorcycle centric forum such as Netrider or the NewRiders sub-reddit for any advice or assistance in obtaining a bike and gear. There are also numerous Facebook groups for new riders and people in your city/state that ride that can provide you more advice based-off your specific situation.
One piece of advice. Don't skimp on a helmet, bones heal, brains don't.
Get the best one in budget, Arai or Shoei is my recommendation.
P.S. Second advice, look into Alpinestars Tech Air 3/5 - Airbag tech for riders is more accessible than ever nowadays. A worthwhile investment to protect your neck/collarbone.
Get aldi gear first and upgrade as you improve / outgrow/ wear out the cheaper stuff. Aldi jacket and gloves are OK imo. Id usecthose savings for a decent helmet from a known brand.. shoei etc.
Even though its hot out remember to "dress for the slide not the ride".
The way people drive, I'd say there's a pretty good chance you'll need to rely on the safety gear to keep yourself intact. The only advice I can give you is not to cheap out on it.