Hmm so I've had my scooter a few months now and I've noticed a lot of my gear is starting to look pretty bad. :/
I bought nice products too...
My Cortech air jacket is coming apart at one of the seams near the neck and fraying in other places (some due to a skid down the pavement which is understandable, but some is just fraying for no good reason)
My helmet has a lot of little marks, little bits missing here and there and scrapes all over the shield. Is this just normal from little pebbles bouncing off? How often do you replace your face shield?
Why do I have such an affinity for white gear...the scuffs and scrapes are only more obvious...
The good news is a little bird told me armacham has a new jacket in the mail for me...leather
Because white=visibility. White jackets are also more feminine.
As far as helmets go, the general rule is 5 years or after a crash. If the scratches on your face shield bug you, go ahead and replace it. A face shield is much cheaper than a new helmet. My helmet has tons of little marks. It come from putting it in the under seat storage. Oddly enough, no faces on the face shield though.
And hey, if you have a new jacket on the way, you have all winter to save for a new mesh one. Or you could try and sew up the one you have.
I buy a new helmet every 3-5 years depending on how much use it gets. If I rode daily, I'd probably replace it annually or every other year. Same with gloves.
I replace face shields as they get scratched up, usually more or less annually.
I've washed my fabric jackets (take out the armor first, and be sure to re-scotch-guard them!) and I like my leather jacket ratty-looking.
I change socks at least a couple times per month.
Bb.
2strokebuzz: When news breaks, we put it under a tarp in the garage.
illnoise wrote:If I rode daily, I'd probably replace it annually or every other year. Same with gloves.
In my gears defense, I have ridden -a lot- in the last few months. She's about to roll over to 2000 miles and I'm going for a ride today!
I replace face shields as they get scratched up, usually more or less annually.
I seem to get hit in the face by rocks -a lot-. o_O I can still see through the face shield with the scratches what surprises me most are all the gouges in the helmet itself.
I've washed my fabric jackets (take out the armor first, and be sure to re-scotch-guard them!) and I like my leather jacket ratty-looking.
Yeah, Sean washed mine not long ago because it was looking dingy...I think the washing provoked the fraying
I replace helmet and jacket at least every 2 years. I know it may be overkill but I just can't see how the intense sun down here doesn't weaken the helmet shell and mesh. This is not based on any reports or studies, just experience with things like scooter covers, plastic mail boxes and other things that spend alot of time in the sun.
I have no idea about the leather. My jacket is mesh. I feel you on the one month of winter thing though. It's November, so us Texans should only have highs in the 70's, not the mid 80's like they are now. Do the gouges in your helmet cut into the plastic or are they just in the paint? You could also look into getting a fiberglass helmet, which is pretty solid and lightweight.
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My personal favorite, the HCI-15.
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