Wearing expensive gear while abroad.
 

Hi all!

Glad to finally be a member on the HUBB! Should have joined years ago!

So I am curious how those of you who have travelled abroad in developing countries feel about wearing a high end suit... I think when it comes to long term/distance travel comfort while riding the bike is a huge priority. (Ive built up an XR650L for the trip with soft luggage and plan on doing a good amount of dirt....)

I like the moto "there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing" and as I have began to invest more in high end hiking gear, clothing and utilitarian apparel, I have found that to be true.

When it comes to a riding suit for a rtw trip I knew I wanted something with waterproofing. I narrowed down my preference to a baked in GTX membrane which left me with several options such as KLIM Rev'it!, Dianese...etc..
Rev'it seemed to fit the bill in terms of comfort and fit and when I tried them on compared to the Klim, I felt like I was wearing a tailored piece of riding gear.

So I bought Rev'it Poseidon Jacket and am still in the market for the pants to accompany it. Incredibly comfortable, good ventilation

Roundabout way to ask a question, but I don't want my appearance to make people uncomfortable or intimidated, thats not my goal. Im a 6'3 bald guy and consider myself a very friendly person and will be doing volunteer work while abroad in parts of South America and Africa. I know its a silly question, but I'm sure someone else has felt the same way and I'm wondering what your opinions and experiences on the subject are.

Thanks!

I was going to say the same, it does not have to be particularly expensive but don't bother with cheap rubbish which will fall apart in a few weeks.

For years here on HUBB there was a clear bias against fancy riding suits. Back then (10 years ago), it referred to BMW's riding suits. These products were lovingly referred as "Twat Suits". :innocent:

You can trace this history here on HUBB, but I would not worry too much about any of this today.

In some places you may be pre-judged by your gear and bike ... but what's important most times is your smile, happy eyes looking directly at folks you meet. I use a flip up helmet for this reason. Quick, easy, direct communication. Let them see the person in the Space Suit. (Twat Suit? :rofl:)

More and more, many locals will have some idea of the real cost of your gear and your bike. You have to wonder what's going through their mind when they know your gear is worth a year's salary for them.

The bike? Your Honda, IMO, could not be more perfect. Honda's are known worldwide, even in remote areas. So, your bike may be a bit bigger than local bikes, but it will be familiar. This is good. It's something they know.

But be prepared for the constant questions from locals about what your things cost. It's constant and I've found it everywhere save more educated adults in big cities. It never stops with the kids.

I always tell them my bike costs $600. Let them dream. :mchappy:
I tell them my $600 helmet costs $50. These numbers are at least in their universe. When a friend told some kids what his new R1200GS cost ... they thought sure he was lying. (I told them in Spanish that he was!)

Of course you don't want to appear like "money on legs" (this saying from veteran HUBB member Ta-Rider). Of course, you always will in some respects ... so make contact and try to be yet another friendly ambassador for travelers. :D

You've left your location profile blank, so no idea where your from.

One thing I've seen is that many head into Latin America with gear that is more suited to North America. If you've ridden/traveled in the deserts/ tropics then you'll know true heat and humidity. If not, you better have a plan for HEAT.

I've seen several travelers pack it in, turn round and head NORTH to escape the heat. Never made it beyond Mexico. Too HOT!

You think your gear is really water proof? HA! Ever ridden in a real sub-tropical jungle downpour? ... where it drops a foot of rain in an hour. Not much will stay dry through that ... in fact, impossible to ride through it! Don't try.

But it's a conundrum, because once in the high Andes it gets COLD again!:freezing:

Tons of threads here on this sort of thing ... everyone has their own way to adapt. bier

Ummmm Revitt trousers that are waterproof, I have a pair which would argue otherwise doh too tight to buy yet another pair so take waterproofs to go over them. Kinda defeats the object.........

Please do be more precise, Patrick: Whale Foreskin Twatsuit, is the full name :-)



(No, I had no part in the making of this video. I first saw it on the UKgser forum)

In my experience, as you're a gringo, the locals think you're rich. Your attitude, not the expensiveness of you clothes makes the difference as to how you're perceived.

Also, in my experience and what others tell me, all bike clothes leak, especially when they're dirty. So just wear something that will protect you/ keep you warm/ keep you cool and carry waterproof (army surplus = cheap = likely to work) over pants and jacket and use when needed. They'll also help if it gets even colder than your riding jacket/ pants can handle.

In a crash your 100 $ jacket will work just as well as your 2000 $ one. You could have spent the other 1900 on beer and gasoline. Then again, if you're worth 100s of thousands of $ this isn't an issue either way.

In German we have a saying: "Kleider machen Leute". It means you will be treated the way you look like. Coming to Africa with expensive high end gear everyone but specially the police will beg at you and treat you as money on legs while wen i crossed wearing my riped off jeans and a t-shirt people were soooo amazingly friendly and helpfull to me:
http://afrikamotorrad.de/index.php?report=en_westkueste

Fancy bikes like BMW also mean they are full with nonsence electronics that you will never be able to repair on the road so I went around Africa on a old Honda Transalp worth 700 Euro. For one year in South America I bought a 125cc Honda. Best is to wear and ride same standart as the locals do: http://motorradtouren-suedamerika.de...en_suedamerika

So true thats why scince 15 years specially in winter I rather wear my old down jacket + rain jacked because without protectors you can also sleep in nice and warm and use normal boots were i can also hike in insted of "cool" motorbike gear.

I would allways worry such expensive gear might get scratched or even stolen when i leave it somewere to go for a hike or so. My helmed was 29 Euro in a sale and (by law) fits the same CE E10 safety standarts as any 600 Euro helmed see MOTORRAD Magazine 21 from 30.09.2016 but the loss of value per scratch is less so i can travel a few months longer ;)

True never tell them real prices and if they ask were germany is: its just 2 hours away by bus ;)
If the police wants to rip me off i just have enouth money left for petrol to meet my friends in the next city...

:D

I kind of figured that would be the case... Especially on a 20 year old dirt bike that is also dirty.
That video had me dying!!! Please post that on advrider...

Thanks for the great responses guys!

I don't mean to argue or validate my decision in wanting a nicer jacket, but in my experience you get what you pay for. When you're wearing one jacket every day for 2+ years, I think every rider wishes they had something that was as comfortable as it could be. It is never perfect. Some of the more extreme riders have found comfort in just riding in a jersey and some body armor (if you're out there chime in!) and layering up when it gets a little colder...I could see myself doing that and being ok; Im 26 and I can still put my body through that shit, but there is a chance I would come to regret that decision heading into such a big trip and wishing I had a more accommodating suit.

Yes, the Americas and Africa are notably hot places and will be the first half of my trip. But weather is never predictable as we all know, for instance something I did not expect was getting caught in a snowstorm north of Mexico City in 2015. I was ****ing miserable and I wished I had packed something warmer and waterproof. I was at the top of a pass and snow was coming down heavy, but I had to move on another 50 miles.. I dried up and eventually got warm, but it sucked! Theres been plenty of other cases like that in the past for me where Ive encountered unexpected weather and did not have the right gear.


So is getting cold and wet then inevitable? Do you compromise comfort for the sake hoping people don't think you have money? I think being a tall American on a loaded up motorcycle will say that either way, but as said its your demeanor and how you treat people that will have the biggest influence...

Some people might say that you could accomplish warmth/dryness/comfort with a 4 layers of fleece and a bunch of garbage bags. Im not saying anyone is suggesting that but everyone has different opinion on whats comfortable and practical, so to each their own I suppose. Bit of a double edged sword...

I understand your concerns - usually it's better not to stand out from the crowd too much when you travel on a bike or not. I feel uncomfortable even with my shiny givi trekkers panniers in some places, which are not really that expensive. I found out also some pricey gear is not necessary better in any way then budget ones. That old saying people see us how we look is very right but sometimes works for our benefits (e.g. job interview) and sometimes works against us e.g. when we're about to get robbed :cool4:

:welcome:

I would agree with the "you get what you pay for" moto. I, too, follow this advice. When I'm in Europe, no one seems to care what I wear. When further away, unless you're on similar bikes to the locals (which, in my personal experience, would have made getting their more of an ordeal - each to their own, not trying to start a sub-topic :offtopic:) you're always going to stand out a little. I would suggest, again in my opinion, that your attitude towards locals is going to go far further than what you're wearing. First impressions count, yes, but personal attitudes count for more.

Enjoy your riding and don't worry about what ours think! Suit yourself (no pun intended!) - life's too short bier

Just don't ever wash them. After a few spills, burns etc you won't look so rich !

Works for me.

What the local people know about you when they first see you come through:

- you can afford not to work and can travel around wherever and whenever you want.
-You can buy gas and beer and food without having to think about how much it costs.
-you own a smart phone and a nice watch.
-you take vacations!
-you ride a big, powerful moto (anything more than a 125 cc machine)
-your teeth are in good shape.
-you are strong and healthy, (especially for those of us traveling by moto at 60 or more years old).

Yes, people are thinking you're 'rich'. To them you are.

More than that, they're thinking you're a foreigner, and that makes them curious.

http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/z...sanliTK002.jpg


They wonder, what kind of a person is this rich guy?

http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/z.../KarsTK006.jpg


Do you show a willingness to listen, respect and share? Are you trying to learn something in your travel?

You might get invited into a local school to talk to kids about your home and country.

http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/z...choolTK006.jpg

You'll be noticed- no matter what you're wearing, but they're not thinking about your clothing.

http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/z...choolTK005.jpg



Wear the gear that works best for you, I say. You are not going to fit in, you are a stranger.

But it's your behavior that people are looking at, not your bike or clothing.

.............shu

What you think when you see this guy walks in to your village:

http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/z...choolTK006.jpg

He has not done much riding. He is to kleen.
He is rich. You can charge him 10x the normal price.
He is affraid. He needs more cover then normal people.
He is an easy victim. Someone managed to sell him expensive BMW stuff while other brands are as good but cheaper.
If he arrives on 1200 BMW he dont know nothing about travel bikes otherwise he would have chosen a bike with less electronics.


What you think when you meet the guy in front

http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/z...choolTK005.jpg

He shurely has done much riding.
He is not rich. Not worth robbing,
He is not affraid and probably had experienced a lot before, so better not cheat him.
He is not an easy victim. Nobody managed to sell him expensive stuff to earn lots of provision before.
He shurly knows about bikes and can repair his bike without relying on other peoples help.
I would like to mee him :thumbup1:

Unless you've bought local stuff nobody can tell the difference between cheap gear and expensive stuff - that just assume that if you'r in full riding gear that it MUST be expensive. I'm wearing cheap stuff in Indo now (and FYI I LOVE my fieldsheer jacket and vanucci boots) and everyone comments on how expensive it most be; especially the helmet that I got on sale for $120 AUD. So wear what you like and lie about the price.

Also echoing what everyone else said, bring waterproof overs. I leave them strapped to my bungees and pop them on when the sky opens (its the rainy season here) . Bonus that when I'm wearing them I look more like a local; especially if you buy the local waterproofs.

Goretex is lovely. My Dainese Fulcrums with Goretex are a highly functional upgrade from my previous waterproof boots in terms of breathability and comfort. My Dainese Razon jacket has been wonderful. My Rukka goretex gloves have kept my hands in good condition.

That said, membranes fail. Goretex fails too. It could be the world's best molecular technology, but there's still a stitch somewhere that will come apart and let water in. All those lifetime warranties are going to do you no good whatsoever when you are stuck in a rainstorm somewhere, thousands of miles from the nearest warranty center, and you have no idea where your receipts are, and the retailer who sold you the gear is not interested.

Get a rainsuit. They are cheap and hella effective. Yes, they are cumbersome and sweaty, but a one-piece rainsuit and a windstopper balaclava/chest protector make the difference between hating yourself/your bike/the universe, and laughing off the Norwegian mountain thunderstorm or the four hours on an autobahn in pouring rain. All that for fifty euros.

Like the other guy said, by the time you get out of Europe, your gear won't look new any more. :) I've felt very comfortable leaving my jacket draped over the handlebars (with no valuables in the pockets of course) and walking away in smaller locations, because nobody wants my sweat-drenched Cordura.

As for your gear being outrageously expensive by local standards - well, in most locations where that's a worry, even cheap Western gear is overkill. If you've got anything more serious than an open-face brain bucket (plastic shell only, no EPS) and a plastic poncho over a North Fake jacket, you're already a showoff twat by local standards. ;)

You're riding a motorbike that costs more than some of them will earn in a lifetime, and you can afford not to work. You're rich by their standards already so it doesn't much matter what you're wearing. But for you, wearing your gear all day in all weathers and expecting it to protect you in a spill, it's worth getting good gear. It'll all look the same after a few weeks anyway ;)