Riding gear. Should it be Cheap or affordable?

Riding gear. Should it be Cheap or affordable?

Here at BirotarUK HQ we’ve seen a rise in the number of "cheap gear" reviews, promising the best gear for the least amount of money. Just like you, we love saving a few quid here and there but sometimes "cheap gear" can cost you more in the long run. 

But we believe that there is a difference between "cheap" and 'affordable". If you're just starting out on a bike, or if you are a seasoned rider it is hard to gauge what is good value and what is over priced. With high-street giants retailing garments for very little, we understand that it can be freighting to turn the price tag to reveal an item of gear worth hundreds or even thousands.

So, we’ve put together a list of affordable gear that we think will get you from A to B in comfort, all year round and last for a few years too (depending on the miles you cover). We haven’t tried and tested all the gear mentioned in this review but where we have, we will let you know.

Let’s start with the most important item, a helmet, the minimum legal requirement of protective equipment you need to ride a motorcycle. At this point we’ll say we are huge advocates of always riding in full protective gear.

The most important thing about a helmet is the fit, a £600 ill-fitting helmet will be no better than a £200 properly fitting helmet. On this basis we can only recommend what fits our heads and suggest you visit your local bike shop to try on their helmets and get some expert advice, it could be a life saver after all..

With all that a side we’re a big fan of the HJC R-PHA ST for many reasons. It's a fully spec’d touring helmet that also holds a gold ACU sticker meaning it’s good for track/race use.

The HJC features:

• Good airflow vents to keep you cool in the warmer months
• Quick release visor mechanism
• Double D retention system
• Pinlock ready visor
• Internal sun visor
• Slots for bluetooth kit

HJC R-PHA ST - Image from Google

We think it’s a great all round helmet for commuting, touring and track days and it can be had from £179 (at time of writing).

When it comes to jacket and trousers we’re torn on what to recommend, but to keep things affordable we’ll go with what we’ve been wearing for the past 10,000 miles.

Birotar Jonjo, taken on a winter shoot with Wil Collins

The RST Pro Series Adventure 2 textile suit.

First off it’s not the most ‘attractive’ of 2 piece textiles but they are functional, very functional.
There’s a clue in the name, the adventure jacket has been designed with the adventure fit in mind, think more upright adventure / touring bikes, giving it a slightly looser fit. This doesn’t mean it’s not comfortable on a sports bike, we’ve used this suit on GSXRs, Ninjas and GS’ to name a few.

So what makes this a good jacket;

• 2 year warranty
• Full Connection zip
• Removable waterproof membrane
• Removable quilted thermal liner
• CE approved back, shoulder and elbow protection included
• Vents, lots of vents!
• Detachable wind collar
• Removable map pocket that doubles as a bum-bag

RST Adventure 2 Jacket - Image from Google

You’ll notice there’s lots of detachable parts meaning this can be used in the depths of winter or heights of summer. We’ve certainly been happy all year round, and think the price is good too. Before we get to the price let’s skim over the features of the trousers;

• Removable waterproof membrane
• Removable quilted thermal liner
• Full connection zip
• CE approved knee armour and pockets for hip protectors
• Slightly flared to allow a good fit over adventure boots

Again, removable inners mean you can tailor to the weather and ride in comfort, avoiding arriving to work or a meet all hot a sweaty! (Or cold and damp).

RST Adventure 2 Trousers - Image from Google

The jacket can be had for £179.99 (at time of writing)

The trousers can be had for £149.99 (at time of writing)

Gloves are an important part of year round riding and it’s hard to find a glove that’ll work in all seasons, we tend to have a set for winter/rainy days and a summer set however there is an answer for both.

Held have a glove called the Air ‘n’ Dry, whilst we haven’t managed to try them yet we have heard good things from like-minded bikers.

The Air ‘n’ Dry features:

• Kangaroo leather palm
• Gore-Tex waterproof, windproof & breathable membrane
• Hard plastic knuckle protection
• Visor wipe on index finger

In a nut shell, the palm of the glove has summer like features and the back of the glove is Gore-tex waterproofed to keep you warm and dry yet cool in the summer months.

Held Air N Dry - Image from Google

These gloves can be found for £148.49 (at time of writing)

The final piece of the puzzle is boots, long gone are the days of something big and cumbersome needed to fulfil the all-round requirement for the past two years we’ve been wearing the TCX X-Street waterproof casual boot. They are seriously comfortable, waterproof and best of all look just like a normal high top trainer.

They feature:

• Full grain leather upper
• Waterproof lining
• Toe and heel reinforcement
• Lace up closure

TCX X-Street Boots - Photo by Birotar Jonjo

We’re a big fan of these boots, tried and tested, we even wear them as casual trainers with a pair of jeans (and to do the gardening, DIY, shopping). They can be had for £89.99 (at time of writing)

The total cost of all this gear is £747.46. It sounds like a lot of money, in fact you can buy a bike for £800 but we believe these items will last you a good few years making the equivalent annual spend less than £250. 

Our point isn't that you should stop what your doing to go out and purchase these items. Instead consider the alternatives. Do your research, check out reviews and most importantly, go and try the gear on. Take your time. 

You'll know as soon as you try an item of gear, that it fits. feels comfortable and has all of the features you want and need.

Everyone is different and has different requirements, but there is a risk associated with buying "cheap gear". The price may be good, but you will find that the item won't last as long as you want it to and it may not perform in when you need it most.

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Dainese D-Cyclone Gore-Tex Jacket

Dainese D-Cyclone Gore-Tex Jacket

This is the latest Gore-Tex jacket from Dainese, and it has been designed to keep you comfortable in any climate. The D-Cyclone comes with a new laminated Gore-Tex shell, guaranteed to keep the water out whilst allowing moisture to evaporate through the jacket. A removable thermal liner and collar means you can wear this jacket all year round, in any weather condition.

The front of the Dainese D-Cyclone

What’s special about laminate Gore-Tex? Well, it won’t retain water in the fabric like other non-laminate Gore-Tex textile jackets. Meaning that when you're exposed to the worst conditions, the water will just run off, like water off a ducks back as they say. For the rider this means after a long (or short) ride in the rain, a quick shake of the jacket and it will be dry again ready for the next ride. No need to hang it up to dry over night, and no damp smell the next day! For those using this jacket on tour, it means you’re less fatigued at the end of the day, since the jacket isn’t absorbing water, it will remain light, whatever the weather.

The inner lining of the Dainese D-Cyclone

The jacket comes with the usual comfort features you can expect from the latest Dainese range, these include;

• Removable inner collar
• Removable thermal liner
• Air vents on the chest and back
• Waist adjustment
• Neck adjustment
• Wrists adjustment

The jacket comes with CE approved arm, shoulder and back protection. The Wave G2 back protector is included with the jacket, however we feel it’s a bit short to offer full lower back protection. The external material of the jacket is quite thick and remains stiff, offering high levels of abrasion resistance.

The external shoulder detail of the Dainese D-Cyclone

What we like about the jacket is the four fully waterproof pockets; two external and two internal with plenty space for phone, wallet, passport and any other small objects you may want to carry. It offers a comfortable fit with lots of adjustment - we didn’t feel the need to go up or down a size here (our usual size 52 fit very well). The thermal layer certainly keeps you warm without inducing a sweat thanks to Gore-Tex technology. The jacket-to-trouser fastening system has a good amount of stretch to it making for easy fastening to any of the trousers in the Dainese range.

Internal pocket demo of the Dainese D-Cyclone

We found the jacket quite stiff! With the strategically positioned elasticated areas it isn't tight on the body, it just seems to be the laminate material that may need some time relax. This is fine when you're roaming around off the bike but when riding a sports bike we found this stiffness quite restrictive in the shoulder area. On the flip side, when riding an adventure style bike, the jacket felt slightly more relaxed and it was something we could live with it until it softened up. That could take a week or a month depending on how often you ride.

A demo of the stiffness on the back of the Dainese D-Cyclone

The jacket does come with a big price tag, £679.99 to be exact. Still breathing? Good. It does sound expensive, but it really is an investment guaranteed to keep you warm and dry whatever weather you choose to ride in. For the price we'd have liked to see a removable thermal Dainese fleece or soft-shell like the one that can be found in the Sandstorm jacket. 

Compared to a similar spec jacket like Rukka for example, Dainese comes out on top in terms of style.

IG: @Birotar_Jonjo posing in the Dainese D-Cyclone

For those looking to invest in a textile jacket for use 365 days a year, and for many years to come this jacked would not disappoint. 

To purchase you can visit Bike Stop online or in store.

Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoyed it.

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A matter of safety, or style?

A matter of safety, or style?

Addressing the gap between safety and style for bikers.

During our most recent visit to Bike Stop, we started discussing the risk of not wearing gear during a ride. The conversation was prompted by a recent ride out to Ace Café. We spotted a biker wearing casual jeans, trainers and a hoodie on a ZX10R – not the most sensible choice of clothing in our opinion, and we imagine that you might also be thinking the same thing. “I’m only going round the corner, there’s no point in putting my leathers on” said the ZX10R rider.

The reality is that our opinions won’t stop people riding in jeans and a hoodie. Coming off at 30mph is the same, regardless what bike you’re riding. Maybe it’s a culture thing? In Italy for example, many bikers and scooter riders will ride in jeans, and sometimes a leather jacket (and in some cases, a helmet too!). We can see from YouTube videos, that this the case in the USA too.

So the question is – are bikers riding with jeans because of the expense of decent riding gear? Is it a lack of motivation? Or is it because riding gear is just not stylish enough?

We've put together a line-up of 3 riding jeans – that are in every way better, than riding in normal jeans and stylish too.

Here they are; the Dainese Bonneville jean, the Revvit Orlando H2O jean and last but not least, the RST Aramid jean.

The Dainese Bonneville regular jeans retail at £154.99
The RST Aramid jeans retails at £89.99
The Revvit Orlando H2O jeans retails at  £189.99

We can tell you immediately - get a pair that fits not only when you are standing, but a also when you are sitting on the bike. The cramped position of the GSXR means that the jeans ride up quite high and expose the ankle. Then again, we are wearing TCX casual boots - would you wear track or touring boots with riding jeans? That's up to you - but the Bike Stop team will be able to help you find the right fit.

The Dainese Bonneville jeans

The Dainese jeans have the 'nicest' fit in our opinion. A slim 'worn denim' style jean with knee protection, albeit little knee protection. This jean looks the best and is the most comfortable off the bike - but quite a bit more expensive than the RST jean. Making them the premium and quality option - but hey, what else would you expect from Dainese...

Whilst sat on the bike, the Dainese jeans are a little tight around the thigh - but we imagine this would be very different on a more upright machine. None the less, these jeans look great and would definitely fool someone! They don't look like riding jeans at all.  

The RST Aramid Jean 

The RST Aramid jean is the 'baggiest' of the set - but this pair also has the best knee protection. The knee armour on these jeans is much thicker than the others, and the armour takes shape to your knee when sat on the bike. 

The stitched detail on the back pocket is nice to see, usual RST style. From the picture below, it appears that the jeans are long enough to cover the ankle, but unfortunately they are not. This means over compensating in length to ensure that you're ankles are covered if you are wearing a low style boot. 

We found the RST to be very comfortable on the bike, and we were reassured by the knee armour. With this pair being the most affordable, we definitely recommend trying them on for size.

The Revvit Orlando H20 jean 

Ahh, this is a really nice pair of jeans. Warm, comfortable, and water proof. The only thing we thought this pair could improve on is the knee protection. Only slightly thicker than the Dainese jeans, but in all fairness these are all jeans with added protection over your casual denim pant.

We would recommend going a size down in this jean, as we found them a little loose around the waist. Style wise, this is the pair we preferred out of the trio - and it was nice to have a waterproof zipped pocket. Very useful for your phone and change for a brew! 

The water can be seen beading on the top the jeans. It's great re-assurance to know that you don't have to worry about getting caught out by the rain. 

Over-all, this trio of jeans are pretty brilliant. Truly well made and we could recommend them all but it really depends on your budget and what you're looking for in a pair of riding jeans.

A great selection of Men's and ladies jeans are available to view on the Bike Stop website.  

There is one thing we need to address though...

These jeans will NOT protect you in the same way leather or textile bottoms would. You should always wear gear on a ride, but these jeans are 100% better than normal jeans or track suit bottoms.

Just think about what is more important - arriving in style or arriving at all? But hey, who's saying that a leather or textile suit isn't cool?!

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Back protector review

Back injuries are one of the most common form of injuries amongst motorcyclists in the UK. Wearing a back protector is the best way to protect your spine from what could be life changing, in case of an accident. We know that’s pretty sobering.

But - fortunately for us bikers, the back is an easy area to add serious protection to. Whatever you ride, a back protector is a piece of kit that is seriously worth investing in.

Back protectors are certified to one of two safety standards: CE1 or CE2. They're both pretty safe but back protectors with the CE2 standard can halve the amount of force that transfers through to the body during an impact. According to a study carried out by TFL in 2015, wearing a back protector could reduce your chances of a back injury by 26%.

With a variety of brands offering back protection inserts in jackets, it’s worth checking what the CE rating is in your jacket’s back protection. Go on, have a look at your jacket now - what’s the rating on the back protector? Do you wear a standalone back protector? Or maybe you don’t have one?

Before you you go out on your next ride, consider if your back is properly protected. After all, Guy Martin couldn’t praise his Dainese back protector enough after his 2015 Ulster GP crash.

We’ve teamed up with Bike Stop to bring you an unbiased review of four back protectors which can be worn under your existing jacket/s.  

Forcefield Pro Sub 4 Back Protector – RRP £149.99

The Pro Sub 4 back protector will withstand greater impacts than any other back protector on the market. A great place to start right?

It’s the ‘largest’ in terms of length and width of the four we tested and initially, it seemed like it would be the most uncomfortable - however it really wasn’t. It has the highest level of impact protection (this one is even better than the CE2 standard).

Forcefield Pro Sub 4 Back Protector

After removing the back CE armour from our current jackets (RST + Hein Gericke) and donning the Sub 4, it did make the jackets feel a bit snug when leaning forward to reach the bars (not uncomfortable though).

We’d recommend trying any back protector on, under your current gear before making a purchase – if you can, try sitting on a bike to replicate the riding position. You may find you’ll need to re-adjust the straps or loosen the velcro around the waist.

Forcefield Pro Sub 4 Back Protector

The first ride with this back protector on was on the sports bikes. The Sub 4 was noticeable for the first 40 odd miles, but it has some flex and felt like it conforms to your body shape. The shoulder and waist straps are easily adjustable but very durable - which is reassuring in the event of an off.

This is certainly a back protector we would recommend but would emphasise the need to check how it feels for you, under your jacket.

Forcefield Pro L2K Evo Back Protector – RRP £119.99

The Pro L2K back protector can be described as a ‘slimmed-down’ version of the Sub 4, and it conforms and exceeds CE2. It’s comfortable to wear and it’s also fairly flexible – the honeycomb structure makes it breathable too.

Forcefield Pro L2K Evo Back Protector

Now this is where it all gets a bit clever; Forcefield tell us that the NitrexEvo (the material the back protector is made with) provides ‘Repeat Performance Technology (RPT)’ to ensure that even after multiple impacts there is no loss of protective performance.  This makes it ideal for track and race use.

Forcefield Pro L2K Evo Back Protector

The shoulder and waist straps are fully adjustable making it easy to get a perfect fit, quickly. Being thinner than the Sub 4 it was a more comfortable fit under our jackets.

Dainese Manis Back Protector – RRP £149.99

The Manis is probably the most recognisable back protector on the market. It is CE2 certified and has a hard external structure - almost iconic to Dainese style of hard protection.

Dainese Manis Back Protector

It’s formed of protective ‘plates’ connected with a tough elastic-like material making it very light and flexible. It’s slightly thicker than the Forcefield Pro L2K but still fits easily enough under our current jackets.

Dainese Manis Back Protector

The inside of the protector is soft, as are the shoulder and waist straps. The Manis has an additional chest strap - every little helps. This back protect felt perfectly comfortable on and off the bike.

Dainese Gilet Manis Nero Back Protector - RRP £164.99

The Gilet has the same structure as the Manis back protector, however instead of shoulder and waist straps it has a simple gilet with a full length zip.

Dainese Gilet Manis Nero Back Protector

This didn't feel as comfortable as the Manis as the elasticated material at the front feels quite tight (maybe we need to cut down on the pies). ‘You need a bigger size’ we hear you shout - but it has to be tight to keep the protector in place.

Dainese Gilet Manis Nero Back Protector

One thing we thought was a little frustrating was that there was also no room for adjustment. Meaning it may not be suitable for everyone.

For us, the Dainese Manis back protector is the one we would go for.

It offers great levels of flexibility, comfort and easily fits under existing (leather & textile) gear meaning weather we are commuting, touring or racing around a track, it will perform and perform in comfort.

The back protectors in this review are available to purchase from Bike Stop.

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Dainese Tempest D-WP Boots Review

Dainese Tempest D-WP Boots Review It's official, winter is here and for us Brits that brings a lot of rain. Bike Stop have sorted us a pair of Dainese Tempest D-WP waterproof boots.

The first thing that stands out, or doesn't, is the looks. For us they are 'understated' but that's probably because we are used to a sportier boot. Compared to our set of TCX race boots, the Dainese boots are heavier and there are no toe sliders. But then again, when you're touring the UK or Europe, you might not be toe and knee dragging at every opportunity. Well, most of us wont.

The Dainese boot is an all season waterproof touring boot that offers great levels of protection. They are comfortable on and off the bike, the flexible joints are in exactly in the right place which makes walking very comfortable and eliminates that stiff race boot waddle! 


These boots aren't Gore-Tex, but the leather is treated and the boots have a waterproof liner. From what we've found so far, the water just runs straight off the boot. There is a thick sole that offers lots of grip - no problem for those muddy car parks we often find outside a roadside brew stop.

If we're spending a day on the bikes knowing it will involve a lot of walking we usually wear a pair of TCX X-Street boots, which will offer all day comfort and a more relaxed trainer look.

Whilst the Dainese boot may not have a 'race appeal' we feel it would be perfectly comfortable and would stand up to a day of riding and walking around without any issues.

We think there is one important thing to remember here; it depends what you want from a boot. If you want to have the flexibility to be able to commute through summer and winter with the piece of mind that you will stay warm and dry, but also not have to worry about looking like a power ranger in race boots - then we think these boots are right for you. After all, you could get away with a pair of Kevlar Jeans over these boots and not look like a biker.

The boot has a reinforced gear shifter guard which means you aren't going to wear through the boot after a year or two of gear shifting. We found the boots are quite thick meaning we had to adjust the shift lever to get the boot under giving a precise gear change. Not much of a problem if you're on a touring bike, but could cause issues if your changing boots a lot depending on what you use the bike for.

The boots are easy to get on and adjust with the side zipper and velcro closure. There is also an upper velco fastening for calf adjustment. The boot comes certified to CE - Cat. II - EN 13634 standard meaning you can trust these to protect your feet and ankles in an off.

For a modest £149.99 these represent pretty good value and we are sure they would handle all weather with no problems...

The Dainese Temptest D-WP boots are available to buy from Bike Stop.

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