Whats the best piece of equipment you've ever bought?

[dlearl476]

Originally Posted by Shoganai

Vendramini Marathon

Italians DO leather. I have a road pair. I suppose I'll get these if my Alpinstars ever wear out.

[Skitch]

Originally Posted by Shoganai

HOLY POOP! You too.

They are the best boot I've EVAR worn. Most comfortable right out of the box, I've worn them all day riding, hiking, running, whatever and totally love them.


Great boot!

Vendramini Marathon

Yeah, I was very impressed with the the look, fit and comfort. The sticky soles will wear out long before the uppers, and I'm not sure what is available for re-soleing them. Only complaint...the buckles. I have one that is hanging on by a thread.







The boot has been this way for about 8 months now (occurred about 4 months after purchase), and is still functional. The distributor was good about sending me repair parts (wish he'd have sent me a new boot, as they were still under warranty), and finding a boot repair store that can hanled the job here in Okinawa has been tough. Next time I'm in Korea, I think I have a lead on someone that can handle the work. The rest of the buckles have held up fine.
Like I said, I love the grip, the fit, the leather, the protection and for the most part, the quality. Will I buy another pair? I dunno, the new Sidi On-Roads are looking pretty good...

[Repko]

I have the same Marathon boots. Unreal comfort & quality.

I did a surch & found several large resoling sites. $40. Also go to any good shoe repair shop for the buckle repair.

By the way!, the buckle can be replaced by a 12" long x 1" wide nylon flat webbing & a Fastex Buckle for $1.50 from Sport Chalet. Buckled around the area of the missing one.

Cheers!

[Terrytori]

Originally Posted by Jeffro115

So what items did you buy that you have really gotten your money's worth? What stuff has outlasted your expectations?

The Belstaff Trailmaster has kept me bone dry in pretty much hurricane weather and serves well as a three season jacket. The Schott Perfecto is just a a wonderful piece of tough leather that get's better with every wear.

If i had to have but one jacket it would be the Trailmaster. It's outsatanding.

[HowlingMad]

Originally Posted by wiredpenguin

I can chat with my wife in full duplex none of this push to talk crap.

Can you tell us a little about this? This could make an interesting short range bike to bike solution. Questions:
-Do you need the phone to communicate from rider to passenger?
-how do you actually connect/call them?

[Jeffro115]

That's pretty cool. Something I'd definitely be interested in.

Where did you find/buy? Ballpark price? I guess you needed to buy two of them, huh?

[HowlingMad]

Originally Posted by wiredpenguin

You don’t need a phone to use this product. You can directly connect to each other. Motorola said it only works within a range of 30 feet, but I’m getting around twice that distance.
The housing has a multifunction button that allows you to easily control call functions from the helmet, such as power, receive/answer/end calls, call hold and 3-way calling features….and the all important volume controls.

Good stuff, thanks for clarity. I wonder if anyone else has tried this for bike to bike communication.

[KLRStromZ]

Being a moto boot fanatic - maybe 18 pair and counting - I like the Vendramini attention to safety. My favorite boots are still the Chippewa Buffalo Rally. Safe enough, can walk all day, and w/o the Darth Vader look. Not waterproof for crossing streams, but fine for rain if treated.
My heated Gerbing gloves and vest for winter riding are definitely my favorite when the 20 degree wind blows through and I am still dual-sporting.
Last and most fun, the latest addition is the Garmin Zumo 550. Nothing like being stuck in Nowheresville, TN and having this thing direct me to the nearest gas, hotel, or restaurant.

-Mark
www.all-motorcycle-boots.com

[mikepa]

The best gear I've bought, that I never leave home without:

- Touratech/ZEGA panniers
- Arai XD Helmet
- BMW Rallye Suit
- BMW 2-Piece TourTech Rain Ovesuit
- BMW Savannah or Santiago Boots
- BMW "GS" lightweight enduro gloves
- Gerbing's Heated Jacket Liner
- Garmin GPSMAP 376C
- Sony CyberShot DSC-T1 point and pray digcam
- Sony DSC-F828 prosumer digicam
- JVC Everio GZ-M505U Hard Disk Drive "media free" digicamcorder
- Fujitsu LifeBook P7230D sub-notebook personal confuser
- Touratech/Hella Xenon HID auxiliary driving lights
- Many ROK Straps
- BestRest Cycle Pump
- BestRest Tire Gage
- The tire repair kit with sticky strings and glue from any automotive shop
- 36-piece Proxxon Precision Engineer’s Tool Set
- Medjet Assistance Medical Evacution Membership

[danbrew]

I confess... I had been drinking - thought it was the best at the time, but then, sadly, my pal took this photo the next morning...

[Falcon31]

For my first post, here's what hope will be a worthwhile contribution, a compilation of the thread to date. It's not 100% accurate--sue me.

Most advocated:
- Aerostich 1- & 2-piece
- GPS, mostly Garmin
- Electic heat, mostly Gerbings & Widder
- Arai XD
- BMW assorted gear
. . .


Hope it's useful to other noobs. Below is some of the tabulation, but formatting may make it difficult to read. Also, there was too much text for a single post, so second part in next message.I put it together in Excel, so PM if you want a copy of that fiile.
Cheers.
David

Note: items with no entry in "# of recommendations" column I only saw once.
------

# of Recs	Item	Source	Comments
	1200GS Adv winglets (For GS)
	3M reflective tape
	Adventure Pipe	http://www.adventure-motorcycle.com/store/?name=Home
5	Aeroflow windshield
	Aerostich AirVantage heated Vest
	Aerostich Combat touring boots
4	Aerostich Darien
3	Aerostich Kanetsu Electric Vest
17	Aerostich Roadcrafter 1-piece
8	Aerostich Roadcrafter, 2 piece
	Aerostich triangle
	AirClick remote Control for iPod
4	Airhawk
	Airoh S4 helmet		"benefits of an XD"
	Alpinestars Jet Jacket		Goretex, padding, liner
	Alpinestars La Strada boots
	Alpinestars touring boots (unspecified)
	Alpinestars Vector suits
4	Arai Helmets (unspecified)
	Arai Quantum helmet
	Arai Tourx Helmet
	Arai VX-Pro Helmet
7	Arai XD Helmet
	Audiovox CCS-100 Electronic Cruise Control
	Autocom Active Rider
3	Autocom communications (unspecified)
	Baby Wipes		for cleaning visor
	Bagster tank bag
	Beaded Saddle Cover (generic)
	Bell Moto 3 helmet
2	Belstaff Trailmaster jacket
	Belstaff Trekker
2	Benchmade
2	BestRest Cycle Pump
	Bigfoot kickstand attachment
	Bill Mayer Saddle
	Black Diamond Moonlight headlamp
	BMW "GS" lightweight enduro gloves
	BMW 2-Piece TourTech Rain Ovesuit
	BMW 3-Phase suit
9	BMW GS motorcycle
	BMW GS/Rallye Gloves
4	BMW Rallye 2 Pro Jacket
3	BMW Rallye Jacket
	BMW Road Boots
	BMW Santiago Boots
2	BMW Santiago Jacket
3	BMW Savannah boots
3	Buff
	Caberg Justissimo flip-up helmet
	Cable ties
2	Camelbak
	Carhart insulated bib overalls
	Caribou luggage
	Cee Baileys Saddle
	Chippewa Buffalo Rally boots
	Cobralinks lock
	Coleman 442 duelfuel stove
	Colt 1911A semi-auto pistol
	Columbia River Knife M16-13z
2	Convertibars handlebar system	http://convertibars.com/
2	Corbin Saddle		one for heated
	Craftsman floor jack
	Crampbuster "cruise control"
	Custom Saddle (Unspecified)
2	Dainese pants
	Dainese gloves
	Daytona Goretex boots
2	Dual Star heated grip elements
4	Ear Plugs		three recommendations for custom
	Ernie Twi Light (2XPIAA 55W)
	Escort 8500 radar detector
7	Etymotic er6/6ii in ear monitor (earphones)
	Eurek Apex 2XTA tent
	Fasst Flexx Bars
	Fastway "barkbuster" mounts
6	Fastway footpegs
	Firstgear (unspecified item)
2	Firstgear HT Air Gear
	Firstgear Kilimanjaro jacket
	Firstgear Leather Jacket
	flat seamed underpants
	Flip-A-Lever Throttle Lock
	Fogtech anti-fog
	Frey-Daytona Trans Open GTX Boots.	http://www.helimot.com/catalog/boots...pen_data.shtml
19	Gerbings Heated Jacket Liner
	Gericke Eco jacket
	GIVI E460 top case
3	Givi luggage
	Gizmomill's LED Brake Light
4	Glock pistol
20	GPS (Mostly assorted Garmins)
	HALO reflective helmet band	http://www.reflectivedecals.com/haloebay.htm
	Harbor Freight trailer
2	Hein Gericke Tuareg jacket
2	Held Gloves
3	Held Steve Gloves
	Hella FF50 Lights
	Helmet sunblocker
	Hepco & Becker racks & bags
	Hilliberg tent
	Hippo Hands handlebar muffs
	Hood jeans (K7)
2	Hot Grips
	Hyperlite
2	Hyperlites
2	Icon Mil-Spec Vest
6	iPod
	JC Whitney top box
3	Jesse side bags
	Jet Boil camping Stove
3	Kaoko Throttle Lock		similar: Throttlemeister, Wrist Rest
3	Kermit Chair
	Kisan Pathblazer high beam modulator
	Kisan Tailblazer Brake Modulator

[Falcon31]

Part 2 of 2:

# of Recs	Item	Source	Comments
	KRIEGA R25 Backpack
	KTM 950
5	Leatherman (origianal, SuperTool, Wave, PST)
	Leatt neck brace
3	LED flashlights and headlamps (unspecified)
	Lightforce 140 lights
	Marc Parnes Visual Alert (of radar detector warning)	http://www.marcparnes.com/Visual_Alert.htm
	Marsee Adventure Jacket and Pants
	Marsee Bavarian Tail Bag
	Marsee Tank bag w/ electrics
	Mefo Explorer tires
2	Micatech side bags
	Moose Sahara Pants		Vented
	Motofizz Large (tail) bag
	Motolights
7	Motoport Ultra Kevlar II
	Motorola HS830 Bluetooth Helmet Headset
	MP Designs windscreen (for Vstrom)
3	MP3 player (general, not iPod)		several for iRiver
	Mr. Ed's Moto Saddle
	MSR Leather enduro pro gloves
	MSR MX Pants
	MSR Offroad Jacket		Tough, offroad
	MSR Pocket Rocket camp stove
	MSR X-GK Multi-fuel backpacking stove
	National Park Pass
	New Balance sole inserts for boots
	New Enough (vendor) customer service
	Nolan Helmet
	North Face Superlight 650 sleeping bag
	NovoGar Trials Boots
4	Ohlins shocks
	Olympia Airglide jacket
	Olympia All-season gloves
	Olympia AST jacket
2	Oxtar Boots (unspecified)
	Oxtar Infinity Boots
	Oxtar Matrix Boots
	Pelican 1400 tail box
	PIAA 520 lights on the TerraNova lightbar
	PIAA 959 lights
	Polarfleece neck tube
	Powerlet outlet
	Probike Sportbike race grips
	Pro-Gel Grips
	Revpack Saddle bags
	Rick Mayer saddle
2	Ricky Bar" handlebars
	Rimlock
	Roadgear digital tire guage
3	Rok straps	http://www.rokstraps.com/
	Roll-up nylon shave kit as tool bag
	Rukka Airpower II jacket
4	Russel Saddle
6	Sargent Saddle
2	Schuberth C2 Helmet
	Schuberth Helmets
3	Scotts steering stabilizer / damper
	Shoei RF-800
	Shoei TZ Helmet
	Shoei X-Eleven Helmet
	Shure Earphones
	Sidecar (unspecified)
3	Sidi Boots (Unspecified)
	Sidi Combat Tour light
2	Sidi Discovery boots
6	Sidi On-Road Sympatex Boots		good for walking
	Sidi Strada boots
	Sierra Designs Clip Fashlight tent
	Sig Sauer P229 semi-auto pistol
	SignalMinder
4	Smartwool Socks
	Southwest Moto crash bars
	Starcom communications/intercom
	SureFire flashlight
	Thor T30 Boots
5	Throttle Rocker
	Thumb squeegee for rain
2	Thurlow gloves
	Tipperary Safety Vest
	TKC Tyres
2	Touratech panniers and top case
	Touratech tank bag
	Touratech/Hella Xenon HID auxiliary driving lights
	Tourmaster Cortech GX Air mesh/leather jackets
	TourMaster Flex jacket
2	TourMaster Jackets (unspecified)
	Tusk Aluminum Handguards
	Unabiker radiator guards
	Under Armour Compression Cold Gear long sleeve shirt
3	Valentine 1 Radar Detector
	Vanson Leather Jacket
	Vanson suit
4	Vendramini Marathon boots
	Venture rack/bag
	Vistacruise throttle lock
	Vstrom
	Warm-N-Safe heated vest
	Wickers balaclava
	Wickers underwear
8	Widder Electric Vest
4	Wilbers shocks
	Wiley X sunglasses
	Wobbly Head" allen wrenches
3	Wolfman Enduro tank bag
	Wolverine safety glasses
	Wunderlich crash bars
	x50 radar detector plus H.A.R.D. system
3	XM Radio
	Yoshimura RS3 Off Road muffler
	Zansa Seamless helmet liner

[achesley]

It would be a close match between my first Widder electric vest and my Aero Tank panniers.

[Buckwampum rider]

cho man. I'm looking for some sites with fork braces for KLRs. And while I have your attention. I could use some info on the dohicki everyone is talking about. I have about 5k on an 06. how long does the stock last...

[bentonmyers]

Bill Mayer Saddles modification of my DL1000 seat. It seamed a little expensive but after 9'850 miles (Kansas City to Prudhoe Bay and back) it was WORTH EVERY PENNY and I will not hesitate to use them for future bike's.