Motorcycle Gear-Snowmobile Gear, can you use snow gear for both?

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catguy

New member
I'm looking to get into motorcycling, tonite at the Basic Riding Course Class, the instructors were discussing riding gear, which I didn't think would be quite so similar to snow gear, I'm coming due for a new snow gear setup, I'm wondering if I select wisely if I can hit 2 birds with one stone... More specifically,
BRP Modular helemet, if you take the breath box off, can it be used for motorcycling?

If I look for a Snow jacket that has somewhat reinforced shoulders/elbows cordura, etc, zipout liner and vents is it sufficient for motorcycling? I'm thinking that in a scenario of sliding across a road it wouldn't be as protective as leathers??

As far as pants, you rarely ever see anyone on motorcycle wearing anything other than jeans, or seems that way anyway. Can goretex noninsulated pants double as raingear?

I'm not sure what biking will turn into for me, I envision it as the summertime version of snowmobiling, but less work, no trailers, better fuel economy... The thought of a saddlebag trip, maybe camping out of it does interest the heck out of me. I bought a used HD superglide (havn't ridden it yet), seems most of the cruiser riders hardly ever wear anything for protective gear other that sunglasses and boots. I know that its probably not necessary to fully gear up for an occasional cruise around town, but on the other hand, thats a poor mindset as most accidents happen close to home. By the way, I have never ridden a motorcycle, probably why my questions are so basic, will start out by riding low traveled country roads after the BRC and progress from there...
Thanks in advance for your input!
 
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StreetnSnow

New member
While you can use some gear for both, you'll probably want to get some things specific to the bike.

Helmet: Fortunately, many brands sell the same helmet for use on sleds & bikes. They are simply sold with different shields. The shields for bike use are a much harder single layer lens instead the soft double shield for sledding use. I don't know if there is a bike shield available for your BRP, but pick one up if it is.

Gloves: In addition to being generally too warm, I find winter gloves too heavy for use on the bike. They don't offer much in the way of protection for your palms or knuckles. They make operation of controls more cumbersome & don't offer enough feel for what the front end is doing if you ride aggressively. The later is more of a sport bike issue though.

Coat: Leather holds up to pavement slides better than textile. Getting proper armor in key areas (shoulders, elbows, & back) is more important than material choice. You'll wind up wanting a bike specific coat for protection & if you ride in warm weather many sledding jackets will be too warm.

Pants: Lots of riders skip out on leg protection. Some for comfort, some for looks. I still suggest getting some riding pants that will hold up in an off. If you plan on commuting or are concerned about looks there are some options to consider. There are several brands of bike jeans with kevlar layers in the right spots. There are even some riding pants that would pass in a business casual workplace.

Boots: Get some that cover your ankles at the very least. There are a ton of small bones in your feet & ankles that break too easily. Waterproof is a plus on longer trips.

Speaking of longer trips, get some rain gear. Riding cold & soaked takes the fun right out of your ride. Surgical gloves work well under or over riding gloves depending on size. On wet or cold days, my hands get cold more easily than on a sled.

I'm not trying to say anything to scare you here, but get the best gear you can afford. There is a saying in bike circles. There are 2 types of riders. Those who have gone down & those who will. Good gear makes a HUGE difference in most types of crashes. Keep your head on a swivel, especially in traffic. You'll quickly be amazed at some of the things distracted people do in cars/trucks.

Regardless of what you buy, enjoy the new ride! You're off to the right start by taking the BRC. Lots of good info there.
 
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edmarino

New member
There is little cross between motorcyle wear and snowmobile clothing other then Gerbing heated liners. Which I use to extend the motorcycle season until snow is on the ground. I find it great for snowmobiling also because it reduces the amount of clothing required for various temperture conditions. Just plug it in and turn the dial. You will definetly need rain gear and waterproof boots. Frog togs for rain gear and Cruiserworks for boots.
 
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jakeschumacher

New member
I have had a HD FXRG jacket for a few years now. Good jacket, fully padded elbows, shoulders, and back. Plenty of ventilation, zip out liner, integrated kidney belt, and waterproofed. I tried it out on the sled this year and I would say of all the other snow jackets I have tried this one takes the cake on the sled and on the road. Only downfall is its country of origin, which I admit I didn't look at when I got it off the rack.
 
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REVVERUP

New member
I have a cheap HJC sledding helmet, and I picked up a clear shield for it for riding. It's a little warm, but it's alright. If you have the money i recommend getting the different helmet, just because switching shields can be a nightmare! I've broken (dealer too) more pieces than the helmet is worth switching the shields out. Maybe I just have a bad model for switching.

Other than that, I have small Ski-Doo gloves that I wear riding both toys. They aren't the big snowmobiling gloves, they are thin and work fine.

I don't really wear too much else to offer any valuable advice.
 
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Yooper_Bob

New member
My helmet (HJC motox style) and goggles are the only two pieces of equipment that I use on both the sled and the bike.

#1 is to take a rider safety course....which you are doing.

#2 is ATGATT - which stands for "all of the gear, all of the time".

Yeah, you will see lots of people out riding in little more than shorts, a tank top, and flip flops, but real gear is a necessity. Just think...run across a paved parking lot as fast as you can, and then throw yourself down on your knees and slide. Wouldn't dare do it, eh?!?! Now, think about just cruising along at 25 mph and taking a simple spill.

Although leather used to be the standard in motorcycle gear, textiles are the way to go today. Leather is heavy, hot, and not waterproof. Textiles are durable, waterproof, vented, and breathable. There are plenty of good textile jacket/pant combos out there....check out Fieldsheer, Cortech, Tourmaster, and Aerostich for a few.

Make sure the armor is CE rated.

I see you already bought a Harley....wouldn't be my choice for a first bike, but your decision. If you do wear full gear, be prepared to catch a ton of heckling for it from the Harley crowd. Don't let it get to you. Just challenge them to the parking lot slide mentioned above!

For a ton of valuable info see www.advrider.com
 
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anonomoose

New member
While I took up biking before sledding, I would much rather sled than bike. However, it IS a good substitute, if you do it wisely and are a very defensive rider. Your idea of taking country is MY idea of safety. Course there was the time a ground hog decided to make a dash for it in front of me, and that deer that stood motionless until I got next to him and decided to cross RIGHT THEN, and then BACKTRACK...after you stop and your heart stops pounding, you will remember those incidents and become a better driver.

You will find that unlike riding in a car, you get the smells of summer far better, and there is nothing like driving along a clover or alfalfa field in bloom that can put you at ease on a nice ride out of town. If they could bottle that stuff, women would have to use pry bars to keep the men away...but that's another story.

Back country cruising is fun, a great adventure and gets you out of the doldrums from waiting for winter to come again.

So buck up old boy, your about to put a smile on your face. Take it easy, try and find someone with a much smaller bike to take to your test because it is twice as difficult to do it with a big bike than it is to do with a smaller bike...believe me....I have seen some nice big bikes hit the turf....with the required maneuvers that the testers make you do.

Some outstanding info already put down here, but I would opt for a completely different helmet....though I have HJC in both snowmo and biking, they vent somewhat differently and the lining is removable so when you get caught in the rain or traffic somewhere and get really warm, you can yank it out and wash it up. btw, use a real helmet and not one of those funny bean head deals cause if you do hit the turf...and as pointed out, if you ride enough you will probably do it....you want as much helmet as you can afford to buy. I use modular jobs in both places and I like flipping up the cover and taking in air, and down when bugs are in abundance around farm fields and early evening when they seem to gravitate to asphalt warmth.

I also got a great coat that is fully armored and which is mesh material that lets the air pass right thru it. You will find this is very much more comfortable when the temps get past the high 80's and the wind liner and insulation liner can be added as needed during a single ride or over a trip. Short 200 mile rides usually you can check weather and take only the jacket...longer means more chance of rain.

Avoid rain days, and I swear if there is a single cloud, I park the bike because riding in the rain is NOT fun. You can do it, and you will see folks riding on it, but you will never see anyone with a smile on, while riding in the rain. I just don't do it....weather checks are always a beginning for any ride....if rain....mow the lawn...dig in the garden, or wash those windows....stay off the bike.

Early biking can be risky...watch after rains and in the spring with sand on corners where cars or trucks don't whisk it away...sand and gravel are a bikers nightmare....watch out for it and slow down when you know you will get into it on pavement. Same thing with long drought and then first wet when raining. Greasy roads can put a bike upside down in a hurry. Dry clean roads keep smiles on biker faces.

I wear golfing gloves for protection and feel of the handlebars. They are cheap, washable, and you can switch them out with another pair in your skinny pockets.

Spare key...oh, yeah...drop the key and you are in for a bad day. Put a spare in your wallet.

Rain gear...well, if you throw caution to the wind, or take a trip...you need it, but then look at the mess it leaves on that bike and the hours cleaning it up again....not fun...unless you would rather clean than ride. Gore tex works but will flap and degrade.

Good boots or over ankle shoes with hard soles are important protection, and so it a good pair of shades....the eyeballs will thank you for it.

Zip lock bag with a wash towel will give you almost instant correction of a big old bug that decides to die on your glasses or shield....I never leave home without it.

Learn to adjust the vents and how they work...in other words, get familiar with your helmet because you don't want to figure that one out on the fly. Venting is important...more is good.... when it gets hot.

Might want to get your ah.....affairs in order....you know...where is the life policy...who gets the money....whether you prefer wood or metal beds....all the obvious...it is a dangerous sport even if we do think we can do it and make it home after each ride.

After that positive note...good luck, and check back when you get a couple rides under your belt.....I am a lone ranger when it comes to riding, not beholding to anyone if I want to stop or ride longer, go back and see what they guy is askin for that tractor...stuff like that, but I can see the benefits of riding with others....so you might want to see who else would be a good riding buddy...or join a club...that's all they do is plan stuff and ride to it.
 
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Hoosier

Well-known member
SOunds like lots of good advise on here. I've thought about biking myself but have always stayed away because of the risks. Living in Indiana, it would be nice to have something I could ride 9 months of the year, +/-. Has anyone ridden one of those ski-doo things that kind of looks like a snowmobile with the two tires up front? Do you feel that you are more visible on them to other traffic?
 
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edmarino

New member
The Cam am Spdyer is a lot like a snowmobile in ride, How ever you are not more visable then if you were on a motorcycle. They are easier to ride becasue it has three wheels rather then two so balance is not an issue and a lot of the road hazzards (gravel, wet pavement,leaves, etc.) are not problems. The RT model comes with electronic shift which is really nice. A new unit is about 2/3's the cost of getting a new bike converted to a trike, or in Harley Davidson case a new trike. It would be a little smaller in CC's but still fast enough to kill you. Most Dealer's who sell them have one available for a test ride if you are so inclined to try it. All you need is a helmet an current driver's license. They may even have a helmet you can use.
 
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upbarleyboy

New member
edmarino said:
The Cam am Spdyer is a lot like a snowmobile in ride, How ever you are not more visable then if you were on a motorcycle. They are easier to ride becasue it has three wheels rather then two so balance is not an issue and a lot of the road hazzards (gravel, wet pavement,leaves, etc.) are not problems. The RT model comes with electronic shift which is really nice. A new unit is about 2/3's the cost of getting a new bike converted to a trike, or in Harley Davidson case a new trike. It would be a little smaller in CC's but still fast enough to kill you. Most Dealer's who sell them have one available for a test ride if you are so inclined to try it. All you need is a helmet an current driver's license. They may even have a helmet you can use.
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I've test driven the BRP Spyder. Definitely different than the traditional two-wheeled bike. As mentioned, it is similar to riding a sled in a lot of ways. With that being said, I am one who likes windy roads, and love leaning into corners, than accelerating out. To me there is nothing like it in the world. I do know a few folks who own the Spyder and love them, so I guess it's juts a matter of preference. As far as helmets-I have a 1/2 helmet for around town cruising, shorter trips, and really warm days, and the HJC IS-MAX modular helmet for longer trips. Love the modular design-lightweight, and very convenient to flip up to talk to riding partners at stop lights.

Jackets and pants (chaps)-you can't put a price on the protection these offer you. I know more expensive doesn't always mean better, but when it comes to this, it pretty much does. The better protected you are, the less likely to suffer a severe injury in the event you go down. Also, be sure to invest in a quality pair of leather gloves. You don't have to look too hard to find a pair that will offer protection, comfort, and are breathable. Lastly, ride with the mindset you're invisible, cuz' many times you are. If you keep in your mind that nobody can see you, you will become much more defensive and aware of your surroundings. Don't assume others see you. More than likey they do, but it only takes one "they didn't", to end your riding day or worse.
 
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xcsp

Member
CatGuy,

You may want to check some websites with more motorcycle-specific riding gear, such as
http://www.motorcyclegear.com/

Your BRP modular may be somewhat hot & heavy for cycle riding? Also as mentioned, snow shields aren't rated for road use.

Lot of decent helmets available for good prices.

I'd recommend deerskin gloves, most comfortable that I have found yet, even Fleet & Farm & Menards sell them for around $15, or you can get even nicer ones from http://www.leeparksdesign.com/

I personally prefer textile riding jackets & pants but others will swear by leather, it's all a personal preference, but I'd steer clear of "chaps", not the best protection in the event of a "get-off". Denim jeans don't hold up well to abrasion as studies will indicate.
 
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xcsp

Member
Hoosier said:
Why are the helmet shields different from snow to bike? Just the weather?
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A lot of the snow-specific helmet shields are a dual lense style to help eliminate fogging. They usually state not for road use somewhere on the shield.

Guessing they don't pass or haven't been tested to meet DOT standards for impact.
 
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