Help/Advice Needed in picking first time gear!!

[ScorpioR6]

Hello guys, will be picking up a R6 in June or July, and would like some advice on what protective gear I should get. I've posted in the Newbie part, and this is what I got down so far:

Helmet
Leather/Mesh Jacket
Gloves
Boots

So here is what I have picked out for the above items:
Shoei RF-1000 Joust Full-Face Helmet
Joe Rocket Phoenix 4.0 Mesh Jacket
Alpinestars SP-2 Gloves
Alpinestars S-MX or Sidi Vertigo Boots

So here's my question: Probably noticed that I dont have any leather pants or whatever listed above. Do you guys recommend getting them? I was planning on just wearing jeans with knee protectors or something. Also, would you change any of the that I listed above? This will be my first bike incase your wondering!

[ScorpioR6]

Not decided between above helmet and this one:
Shoei TZ-R Helmet. Any major differences between the two?

[ScorpioR6]

Sorry for posting again but the edit button is already gone for the above post. Got my eyes set on this helmet, love the design. How does it compare to the Shoei's?
Suomy Vandal - Cult

[stingray]

i would suggest, if you cant get riding pants, get some MX/shin armor. they're pretty cheap and you can never have enough protection, even on just a casual ride. or if you want the look of jeans but w more padding/protection, there's a company called "draggin jeans" that make riding specific jeans

try on all the stuff you plan on buying before plunking down the skrill. make sure they fit right (snug but not constricting), particularly the helmet. you should have full peripheral vision when you have it on. also different mfr. have different shapes so don't get stuck on just 1 brand. personally i like suomy's and arais. for the jacket, it should be tight enough where the armor does not move around.

it's better to get a leather jacket if you can afford it. mesh/nylon jackets tend to melt and stick to your skin if you do lay it down.

[Crunktastic]

anything high-end (expensive as hell, basically) from sumoy, shark, arai, and Shoei will be the best protection you can get. For pure safety, I don't know if the arai rx7 can be beat.

On the jacket, I say just make sure its leather and armored (like, good armor) and I personally would reccomend a good pair of armored pants...be it leather or riding jeans because

1.) it will cut down on road rash
2.) it will keep you from possibly breaking a hip, tearing ligaments and breaking bones in the knee or leg, or breaking tail bone, etc. Basically, its a very good idea to get armor pants simply because of the added protection of the thicker material and sometimes limited padding.

[ScorpioR6]

Tried on some helmets at the local dealer and looks like all the LARGE sized helmets fit pretty good. Tried on Scorpion and HJC. I'm thinking about getting the Suomy Vandal Cult but I can't find them in dealers. Do you guys think the sizes are pretty much the same with each brand? Since the LARGE size fit me well, do you think a LARGE from Suomy might be different from a LARGE from lets say HJC?

Also concerning Jackets, I've been looking at the Joe Rocket Phoenix 4.0 Mesh jacket. Can only find these online though. Again, tried on a Large and seemed to fit nicely, do you think a Large from Joe Rocket might be different from a Large from a different brand?

Looking at ordering these things online, but it sucks because I cant try the stuff on before-hand!

[natedogg624]

i wouldn't buy at dealers/vendors if i were you they always overcharge and i can almost garauntee you a cheaper price (im not a dealer--but just try and search online sites to buy things)

try sites such as newenough.com or parts411.com or motorcycle-superstore.com

i have had great experiences with all these sites and that is just to name a few

as far as mesh vs leather, they are going to be ALMOST the same. They both, in my experience give you the same protection and coverage but the big difference is this:
mesh- one time use jacket so if you wreck with this you absolutley need a new one
leather- possible to use through multiple wrecks.

its hotter than hell somedays and i know if i wore leathers i would be peeling them off when the mesh jacket is just as good.

again my opinion im sure others will say differently.

[ScorpioR6]

Thanks for the help, most likely getting the Joe Rocket Phoenix 4.0 then from newenough for $99 shipped. One thing though, are all the jackets supposed to be pretty short on people? I tried on some Larges and even though the fit was perfect the jacket was really short on my body. Is this normal?

[stingray]

i have the phoenix and the material is too thin to provide any real protection. also i wouldn't wear it in anything but 85F+ weather as wind chill makes riding pretty cold. it's uses are limited and protection is minimal. it's okay if you're just going to cruise around the city on a hot day but not much else

seriously, i'd consider a leather jacket that is perforated.

also lids vary in shapes and sizes. suomy tends to be a slight bit smaller than arai so if you fit a sz large, i'd try an extra large

[ScorpioR6]

Never tried on a Arai helmet before so I'm not sure how well a Large Suomy would fit. Also, are there any leather jackets that are pretty decently priced that offer good protection? And I was hoping somebody could answer my above question about the jackets being pretty short when I try them on even though everywhere else on my body it fit perfectly. Is this normal?