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[Midnight Rider]

I pretty much stopped carrying my chaps a long time ago.

[Twolanerider]

ah..no ya didnt i just missed it the first time..more coffee required.....

That's what you get for posting at 0525.  What a gawdawful hour to be up and about.  I'm never up that late  :-/ .

[arcticdude]

bhg,
Don't bother with the western stores, the chaps they have won't do you any good.  Those are nowhere near durable enough to truly ride with.  If you're only posing, that's one thing, but distance riding will require a good pair of chaps.  Used chaps sometimes show up at the swap meets, but you'll have to look long before you find a decent pair.  Most of them have been torn or down, so they're not worth buying.  You're better off buying a good pair, that with little care will remain a good pair for years.  If you've got access to a good saddle shop, they may have durable enough leather to make a pair from, but then they may not know how to make a pair to be comfortable to ride in.  A better pair will be like a good pair of shoes, it may take some time to get them broken in, but they'll always be great after they are.

[harleydiva]

bhg, chaps aren't just for looks or warmth.  If you happen to drop your bike, those chaps will protect you from serious road rash.   [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]

go to www.foxcreekleather.com     --   the best chaps, jackets, gloves, etc.    

They are custom made to fit.  I'm a size 4, but I wear a size 10 jacket and size Small chaps.

Diva

[CVOMOE!!]

I'm with Twolane.  I find chaps a little bit useless and bulky to carry around although I do have a thing about them as well.  On a lady that is.  They are not much fun to wear when it is hot and if it gets colds you can wear your rain pants.  The boys get a little cold with the chaps anyway.

Cheers, CVOMOE [smiley=nixweiss.gif]

[SEULTRA]

I like to ride with chaps on when it's cold out or I'm on a long trip (if temps are under 80 degrees). Great protection if you go down or get hit by road debris flung up by a cage or truck.  [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]

[Hoist!]

[highlight]I like to ride with chaps on when it's cold out or I'm on a long trip (if temps are under 80 degrees). Great protection if you go down or get hit by road debris flung up by a cage or truck. [/highlight]

[SPIDERMAN]

Bought a new pair of chaps for MV. 6,100 miles later one of the zippers had STB. Took em back to the H-D dealer. Oh yeah, we'll warranty those, no problem. Called today ( 5 weeks) z'up with my chaps ?
Well we had to wait 3 weeks for approval from H-D on the warranty, and then a week for the mailing label (prepaid) so you should have them back in another 3 or 4 weeks. Two months for a zipper ? I would think this should shed some light on the issue of replacement paint. Wifey says for $15 the Vietnamese lady who does seamstress work down the street would have put in a new zipper. 5 day wait.

(Yes, I shouted this out in the woods and nobody heard me, but I was still wrong honey)

B B

[TheVgirl]

Don't buy any!

[TheVgirl]

Another question...what type of jacket are you planning on wearing to your class?  

Dress in layers so you'll be prepared for whatever our lovely Georgia weather presents!!!  Take some Hot Hands in case it rains or gets cold.  Take extra socks and boots in case it rains.  Let's see, MrsWeCVO, am I forgetting anything?  Candy is the one who gave me my pep talk and gave me all these helpful tips!  She also kept me from giving up the idea of riding when my ex-husband had me halfway convinced that a 1200S was too big for me to handle!  

[pumkinownerswife]

Diva, Nice pic but this is a how not to ride pic Right!  We see people in florida riding in flip flops and shorts I don't like it.  Put some riding clothes on and take it for a ride.


Helen [smiley=carrot.gif]

[Midnight Rider]

Diva, Nice pic but this is a how not to ride pic Right!

[harleydiva]

Diva, Nice pic but this is a how not to ride pic Right!

[ccr]

Another question...what type of jacket are you planning on wearing to your class?

[Midnight Rider]

BHG...if you can afford it right now, get some kind of rain suit..it doesn't have to have HD written all over it.  Go to an outdoor store and get the best rain gear you can afford.  If it's breathable/waterproof like Gore-Tex (other companys have similar materials), so much the better.  If you get something made out of plastic, you won't be able to tell whether you are wet from rain or from sweating inside the plastic material, even in cold temps.  Anything cotton is absolutely useless to you in cold or wet conditions unless you can keep it totally dry, and if wet will actually suck the heat right out of your body.  Great in summer, but not good in cold.  Fleece or polypropelene garments will not absorb water and will keep you warm, even when they feel wet.  Cotton socks are also useless items, no matter what time of year it is.  Invest in a couple of pair of good wicking ski socks (I like them because they will go over the calf and stay put, not wadding up in your boots), in either a midweight or lightweight. They will last you for years!  Second best choice is a good hiking sock...NO cotton on your feet.  Some boots make a fashion statement, and that is fine, but if you want function over form try to find a good pair of comfortable boots that are also waterproof...these are not easy to find.  One that is comfortable riding and walking, and is waterPROOF without any treatment of oil, etc, is Cruiserworks Boots.  The Lady Defenders are not bad looking, and will be the last boots you buy for riding for years to come.  Gloves are a compromise between warmth, grip, and dexterity, so you can feel the switches, grips, etc.  

If all else fails, dig out some of those wool things you have...that's what I used for years hiking in cold, wet, snow...it will keep you warm, even when wet.  Also anything with thinsulate for warmth.  For a hat to wear when not wearing the helmet, a fleece balcap, or wool felt brim hat, or just good old fashioned wool 'boggins.