Touring/street motorcycle gear?

[Omega]

Dear everybody,
I'm upgrading my motorcycle gear. I like classic style bike gear and am looking for high quality black touring/street gear that I could sometimes use as out on the town jacket too. What companies you would recommend me to look at, particularly boots and jackets? And what advice you would give on companies I mention here?
This is what I am researching at the moment:
Jackets - like traditional leather jackets with very few stitches and good protection. I like the look of Lewis Leathers, The Original Leather Factory and Schott, but could not find any model that has armour. I also looked at Belstaff, Vanson, Dainese and Aero Leathers, but don't know how good they are in comparison with the previous ones though some models are not too colourful and quite conservative. Found Fox Creek - like the style and lifetime warranty promise, but cannot find in the UK.
Boots - I always wanted cowboy style boots with good protection. I found Wesco and Dayton, but I don't know if they offer good protection. At the moment I am using German Gaytona Highway Gore-Tex boots, so something similar in protection level should be enough.
Waterproof overall jacket - no idea, so far they don't last me longer than 1-2 years (I drive in the UK, so I use them regularly)
Gloves - I don't think there is any point buying expensive ones because I destroy them quickly.
Thanks

 

[darkdream]

I never heard of he first jackets you mentioned. Vanson leathers are really good, but take forever to break in. Dainese leathers are thinner and designed for skinner people (if you are not slim, these will not fit you properly). Belstaff is very overpriced for what you get, probably since many celebrities wear them as casual jackets.

Cowboy boots will not actually offer much ankle protection, but it will offer great abrasion resistance. For a boot to offer great ankle protection there much be very rigid ankle support cowboy boots will not work. You might end up like http://www.josr-online.com/content/4/1/4/figure/F1?highres=y well probably not as bad, but without rigid ankle support your bone might break right through your skin. I have seen it happen (not to myself though).

More expensive gloves will last you longer if you get kangaroo leather, since it offers better resistance to moisture damage from sweat, rain, etc.

 

[Omega]



You might end up like http://www.josr-online.com/content/4/1/4/figure/F1?highres=y well probably not as bad, but without rigid ankle support your bone might break right through your skin. I have seen it happen (not to myself though).
More expensive gloves will last you longer if you get kangaroo leather, since it offers better resistance to moisture damage from sweat, rain, etc.

When I see such pictures I often ask myself:"Do I really want to ride?" I know people who cannot walk properly because of bike accident. Well, the best protection is not to ride at all, don't you think? All the rest is a compromise.

About gloves - I have never had gloves that would not start stinking after 6 months. And then it is impossible to remove this smell. Though the most expensive gloves I bought so far were slightly over $100. If you know some makes/brands that make smell free or easy care gloves please let me know - stink is a real issue. Kangaroo or normal hide - gloves break in stitch areas in case of an impact, but any good hide takes the crush and abrasion, so from what animal the hide came from is quite secondary when choosing gloves IMHO, unfortunately I speak from own experience.