Having shelled out a fair bit for a new set of Halvarssons gear - just the job (not) in this hot weather - I was struck that when I first started biking I would have been completely shocked and bemused to think that gear could cost so much. In 1982, when I bought my Kawasaki KH125 for £100, I rode around quite happily in: 1. Helmet: second hand, hand painted design, didn't fit. Wouldn't know if it was damaged or not. 2. Jacket: utterly crap and cheap fake wool and check patterned lumberjack, no protection. 3. Trousers: jeans, normal. 4, Boots: training shoes. 5. Gloves: none. Fortunately, I never fell off...was I just ignorant (and poor) back then, and everyone else was in proper ATGATT kit...or were others like me? I can't remember! Beerman
Blue jeans, a tee shirt, and "Winner II" sneakers along with a pawn shop purchased stars and stripes 3/4 helmet like the one in Easy Rider -that was adult size large, but I was only 8 years old. That thing blew around on my head like crazy.
Yes, we have become more sensible (or risk averse). Use to Honda 70 from Selsdon to Borough Road, London each day with a crappy helmet, Derry boots, woollen jumper if cold and again with padlock over the shoulder for that fetching look. I suppose traffic volumes were much less then and there wasn't the preponderance of idiots on mobile phones. You get 'in the groove' and move with the flow......not sure I'd be happy to do it now. These days it makes sense to be protected but boy is it hot (a danger in itself).
Started in 70's with Wrangler jacket and jeans steel toecap boots 2nd hand helmet and some kind of leather effect gloves- summer kit. In winter had a ski suit under leather jacket which was couple of sizes too big as it was kinda cold in Scotland in those days, permafrost from Dec-March, not like the tropical weather they get now
Late 60 to late 70's blue jeans, normal shirt, $19.00 helmet. Now I shop the sport bike forums, for used once gear (except helmet). Guy buys a crotch rocket and a bunch of great gear, gets on the bike opens the throttle and shites his pants the first week. Sells the gear for 25 % of what he paid for it.
When I started out biking the only thing I bought new was a helmet which was the cheapest full face there was at the time. I had been wearing 'Brando' style leather jackets, jeans, and NI Issue high leg combat boots since I was about eleven so already had those and Army Surplus ECW leather gloves. I guess the stuff must have been decent enough as I suffered a handful of spills in the early days with nothing worse than bloody knees.
Wrangler jeans, and Army and Navy stores ex mil stuff until it was supplied free and still using some of my ex kit today
1970. No helmet, that came about 6 months later with winter. No gloves. Leather boots with white woollen fisherman's socks folded over the tops. Pair of jeans. Fisherman's roll top jumper under a brando style leather jacket. Thought I looked so cool. Lol.
1978 Ashman boots from my auntie catalogue, second hand Lewis Leathers jacket and a Bell star helmet cheap as they had been replaced by the mkll.
Jeans tshirt and thongs if you were rich enough an army coat and flying boots Thats me in alice springs thats my riding gear would have been 17
I like a list. Quite the 1990's Style Icon I think you will agree: Helmet - Vemar (inkied "custom" paint) Gloves - Frank Thomas Sub Aqua (10 mins to get on if wet cos the lining turned inside out taking them off) Jacket - Leather "Biker" jacket I had since 15yr old. (Napalm Death/ Anthrax/ Fugazi and er, Roger Mellie paint and patches.) Bomber over leather for winter. Boots - Surplus Para Boots (hole in sole of right boot from a million kicks of the kickstart) Poly bags over socks when it pissed down. Trousers - Jeans (with the beautiful aroma of Silkolene Comp2) Winter Trousers - Joggy bottoms over jeans Rain - Yellow plastic over trousers. I was either falling off or getting my collar felt (I can see why now) weekly. Sometimes I wonder how I made it to here intact/alive. Happy, happy days though and with only 12bhp (ish )
Combat boots, in summer, foundry boots in winter (bit like Jack boots?) ex army trousers, the serge type, battledress jacket, or a donkey jacket , until I found a leather brando style one in a charity shop. Had some florescent yellow oilskins supplied by work which were great in the rain, but had POCHIN stencilled on the back, and melted on the exhaust. Only new things were a pair of gloves, which I still have, and a new helmet.
Well dont tell me what thongs are over there ,one thing about the territory it doesent rain much 40c in the summer as you cam see no grass must have been winter i have a jumper on
Early 70's :- One of those flying jacket type things from the Army and Navy store, fake sheepskin lined but very warm and good protection when you fell off. Some proper knee length biking boots that someone gave me second hand. A black and white helmet and a pair of goggles. Finally, a pair of gauntlets again from the Army & Navy Store Looked a proper WW1 aviator. Oh and a pair of Levi jeans, those that used to almost stand up by themselves. P.S. Soon dropped the boots for just ordinary casual boots with a zip up the side. PPS I also used to have a pair of burgundy velvet flared trousers which I liked to wear.
80’s Wrangler jeans (only rich kids had Levi’s) plaid bush shirt And denim jacket.(still have it) Hand me down open face or a shell full face with no lining. Brown leather bike jacket came eventually (gifted to my boy when I brought a Triumph jacket 2018) Nomad leather shoes
Firstly can I ask Beerman to let us know how he gets on with the Halvarssons gear as I've been looking at getting some myself. Back to the thread title. I had an old fleece flying jacket which was at least twice my size when I first got it (I probably grew into it over the years). It was warm, but of course not waterproof. I bought a new Nolan Guardsman full face helmet with my apprentice overtime money. I had some old leather gauntlets handed down from my Dad and that was about it as far as dedicated bike gear was concerned. I just wore my normal jeans and had some cumbersome steel toe capped boots I used at work. I did have a Packamack and some thin leggings for when it rained (which was quite often!) When I could afford it I bought some Ashmans boots and some better gloves, but I didn't get a 'proper' motorcycle leather jacket for some years after I first started riding.