The £ 300 BUDGET
MATT HULL, TECHNICAL EDITOR
WHEN I STARTED riding, I bought a Wolf leather jacket. It had padding but no armour. It did have a silky red lining, though... My first helmet was an oversized Bieffe that the shop said was how they all were, but it had a black visor, so I didn’t care. White (why?) Frank Thomas race gloves came from a BMF Show bargain bin and, like Simon, jeans and Dr Martens boots completed my wardrobe. Given a £300 budget, it’s a case of back-to-basics while applying my experience. Unlike Simon, I’m not fussed about secondhand gear, so though I won’t trust someone’s old lid, my jeans and boots are both ‘pre-loved’.
HELMET: MT Thunder 3 £59.99
www.tri-motive.com
I’m used to helmets costing 10 times more than this but, to be frank, none of offers what the Thunder 3 does for the money. The shell is polycarbonate so it’s not as light as a composite lid, but it comes in two shell sizes so those with smaller heads won’t have a massive helmet. It looks great, has a drop-down sun visor, an anti-fog insert and feels good quality. It’s normally £80, but I found it with £20 off in a sale. For the price of a replacement Shoei visor, I’m impressed.
GLOVES: RST Blade £46
www.rst-moto.com
These leather mitts took a while to break in, but are now quite comfy. The long cuff is thin enough to go under my jacket sleeves. A little too warm on hot days and not quite enough for deep winter, but a good compromise for all-year riding. I found them discounted as the model is discontinued (the newer Blade 2 costs £79.99).
JACKET: ARMR Moto Akido jacket £69.99
www.armr-moto.com
The fit is good and it feels reassuringly protective, with Ce-approved armour in the shoulders and elbows. No back protector, though they do sell one for a reasonable £25. Lining is plush and removeable and there are several pockets.
BACK PROTECTOR: £3
Car boot sale
I found this in a jacket at a car-boot sale. It’s a CE Level 1 item and I had to trim it to fit the ARMR Moto jacket pocket, but it does the job perfectly. Proper protection, silly money.
TROUSERS: Resurgence Cargo trousers £90
www.ebay.co.uk For some reason, bike trousers seem to be much more expensive than jackets. As I take a popular size, I couldn’t find anything in the sales, so I trawled ebay to find something suitable. These came up, and while they are too big for my waist, a belt fixes that. They’re protective and warm, and I can always fit some armour later. They’re showerproof not waterproof, but I wanted something casual. A brand new pair would have cost £260 at www.resurgencegear.net so these trousers were a bargain.
BOOTS: Alt-berg Defender boots £30
www.ebay.co.uk
These are British army boots. They’re waterproof and protective, the 2.2mm leather is amazingly supple, the grippy sole is sturdy and they are comfy all day – in fact I’m wearing them as I write this. I bought them from a seller who’d hardly worn them – another bargain as they retail for £164.99 at www.altberg.co.uk
“I’m not fussed about second-hand kit”