Choosing the right motorcycle clothes and helmet on a long term overland trip is crucial. Below you will find my recommendations about my true and tried motorcycle clothes regarding my 14 months journey which led me through 44 °C burning Mexico to -5°C cold and windy Patagonia
Helmet SHOEI GT-Air
The most important accessory when riding a motorbike is certainly the helmet. You want to make sure it fulfils all safety standards to the maximum, is easy to wear (light and comfortable), has a good noise reduction (problem is the wind) and ventilation (imagine riding through a desert with more than 40 °C). I found the SHOEI GT-Air to be my perfect companion and possesses superior performance standards. Go into a store and try different helmets… as soon as you try on SHOEI GT-Air I guarantee, you don’t want to wear any other helmet anymore. The quality of the chosen material is simply outstanding in my humble opinion. I have no problems to wear the helmet for 8 hours plus driving a day, can use the integrated sunshades and the fog-resistant visor works perfectly fine too (at least at the beginning, after a couple of thousand kilometres you might need to adjust it. I can’t say too much about the ventilation system since I am riding with a large touring wind shield which affects any kind of helmet). I love the breath guard which comes with the helmet, it also is useful as face protection in case I am driving with an open visor (just my shades and breath guard). The only criticism here is that I am constantly losing it when taking off the helmet and carrying it… I hope they will improve this one day!
ALPINESTARS – ANDES DRYSTAR Jacket
I am absolutely happy with the performance of the ALPINESTARS ANDES DRYSTAR Jacket and Trousers. The adventure motorcycle clothes are very comfortable to wear, with enough ventilation zippers at the front and back of the jacket as well as at the front of the trousers. Additionally, the many pockets inside and outside the textile product offers enough space to store money, phone and other useful stuff. The textile is supposed to be waterproof but after 2 hours of riding in heavy rain it certainly is not anymore… I also love the suspender which comes with the trousers which keeps them where they are supposed to be, lol. Furthermore, in case it gets cold the combo has additional warm layers which are attachable. Really great!
ALPINESTARS – ANDES DRYSTAR Trousers
I am absolutely happy with the performance of the ALPINESTARS ANDES DRYSTAR Jacket and Trousers. The adventure motorcycle clothes are very comfortable to wear, with enough ventilation zippers at the front and back of the jacket as well as at the front of the trousers. Additionally, the many pockets inside and outside the textile product offers enough space to store money, phone and other useful stuff. The textile is supposed to be waterproof but after 2 hours of riding in heavy rain it certainly is not anymore… I also love the suspender which comes with the trousers which keeps them where they are supposed to be, lol. Furthermore, in case it gets cold the combo has additional warm layers which are attachable. Really great!
BMW Enduro Boots “Gravel”
I simply love those boots from BMW. They are super comfortable and water proof, offer a maximum of protection and give me additional cm’s to have a more secure stand with my bike especially when going off-road. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Proof – Rain Jacket and Rain Trousers
After a full day of raining you usually can throw your “waterproof” motorbike clothing away. I am quite happy with the rain gear from proof, although I would buy a larger size next time. When it is dry it is usually not such a big issue to pull the gear over your regular motorbike clothes but this changes drastically when things get wet. Therefore, buy the stuff at least one size larger (if not XXL) then you usually need. Trust me! Furthermore, the rain in Central or South America is not comparable to what we are used in Europe or in North America. It is intense! Therefore, you want to make sure that you are still visible. Rain gear should always have reflectors and bright colours. I could not find Proof Gear on Amazon and listed other material which I would personally give a go next time. Check it out and let me know what gear you are using.
Proof – Rain Boots
Quite happy with those rainboots from Proof. They keep your feet really dry even under heavy rain but they are not so easy to put on. It is difficult to close them especially when the motorbike trousers are not super slim… Well, I have not find a better option yet but can recommend them to buy. They are not available on Amazon but listed an equally robust model.
Motorbike Gloves – Held Airstream II
Can’t stress out enough how much I love and hate these gloves at the same time, lol. They are the perfect fit for the summer. The leather is amazingly soft with a superior grip and air ventilation. It has a wiper at the index finger in case it rains, great! Nothing and I mean NOTHING to complain about. Well… when it is dry and warm. The opposite is true when the conditions are changing and believe me it is no fun to wear those gloves in the Andes when it rains and it gets freezing cold (even with thermo gloves underneath). I would take next time spare thermo and waterproof gloves with me.
Balaclava
Especially when riding the Andes or Patagonia where it gets freezing cold, you want to make sure to have a balaclava with you. The ice cold wind finds every small opening in your clothes and is for sure no fun on a long distance trip. In order to keep your head, neck, throat and chest warm I would recommend to purchase a “long” balaclava with a Goretex membrane.
Columbia Thermo Underwear Tights
I was absolutely happy with the combination of my thermo underwear from Columbia and the Andes III alpinestars motorcycle clothes. The combination kept me warm even under extreme conditions.
Columbia Thermo Underwear Shirt
I was absolutely happy with the combination of my thermo underwear from Columbia and the Andes III alpinestars motorcycle clothes. The combination kept me warm even under extreme conditions.
Northface Fleece Jacket
In addition to the themo underwear from Columbia I also used a fleece jacket from Northface when temperatures decreased below 0°C. The jacket did also a great job when doing a hike – I was 100 % happy with the performance. I can’t stress out enough how important it is to stay warm during a long distance trip in cold regions. In general, I really like the hoodie but can be very annoying when it rains and you forget to put it inside the motorcycle jacket.
Thermo Socks
The only problems I had when it got cold, windy or rainy where my hands and feet. After riding the Carretera Austral and visiting Torres del Paine, I decided to purchase Thermo Socks from Brubacker in Punta Arenas. Get them already before the start of your journey or latest when you know you are riding the Andes, Salar de Uyuni, Patagonia or Alaska. I listed a similar product here since I could not find the brand brubacker on Amazon.
My pro tip: Additionally, Wrap your feet in plastic bags 🙂
Safety West
Once I broke down on a heavily frequented highway in Costa Rica. It rained like cats and dogs and it was dark! Have always a safety west with you – even when you are not breaking down it helps to be more visible on the road.