Whats the best piece of equipment you've ever bought?

This is a thread that I've wanted to start for a while.

I like to get good stuff. It doesn't all have to match or be from the same brand. Some brands have some good stuff, while other stuff they make is total junk. So, if I were to gear up with the best item for each necessity, what are the top reccomendations?

I'll start. MSR offroad jacket. I've had this thing for ten years or so, always have worn it when riding dirt bikes in the woods. It has a few small holes from thorns and such, but after a lot of crashes in the dirt, it is still in pretty good condition. Faded badly, but still worn all through winter and keeps me warm and dry. I've had MSR MX pants in the past also, and they are just as tough. This stuff lasts a long time.

Other responses and reccomendations can be for body or bike. So what items did you buy that you have really gotten your money's worth? What stuff has outlasted your expectations?

Thor T30 boots. They've lasted 3 years. For the most part they are waterproof. Only the most extreme wet riding conditions have allowed a little water entry.

Moose Sahara pants. AWESOMELY vented pants. They're holding up well.

Wolfman Enduro tankbag. Fits my bike great, and holds more stuff than you think.

I've had some good Thor stuff over the years. Jerseys and gloves are thick, seem to hold together pretty well.


Moose makes some great stuff too. Never found a bad product that they made.

All four of my BMW GSes.

Aerostich Roadcrafter II, 2 piece suit. First one is 14 years old and still usable; the second one is identical to the first and 2 years old.

WIDDER electric vest...14 years old and still ticking.

My Motoport vented kevlar suit, without a doubt the most versatile, comfortable gear I've ever owned with high end protection. You can read pages of raves here in the equipment forum.

It's hard for any piece of equipment to stand out as best, but I've found with anything, buy what I really want and think is best (no matter the cost), an I'm usually happy. Seems most times that I compromise on that I'm dissapointed.

a helmet (Arai)

Moving map GPS. Added such a demention to my back road exploring. Quit using paper maps on my cross country back road excursions. Just head in that general direction. Not afraid to take off main road detours because i know I'll find my way back and stay off dead end streets.

This took a good bit of thinking. But overall, I have to say the best equipment I have ever bought is my Hillary 7 X 7 dome tent back around 1971. It has weathered many trips back in the frenzied 70s 50+ mph thunderstorms and lots of beach camping throughout my USCG career, and is still my first choice for motorcycle trips to rallies and up to the mountains.

Never seam sealed, it has never leaked. It forms less (almost no) condensation than any of my other, better ventilated tents in cold weather even though it has just the door and back window as the only ventilation (and I still haven't figured out why not). It did require the wife and me to push all the gear to the upwind side and lay on it to avoid going tumbleweed in one thunderstorm in the Marquesas Keys once, so it can't really claim expedition tent wind resistance. But otherwise it is the best thing I have in the gear lineup. This year, after 35 years of use, I will finally have to replace the elastic cord inside the poles.

At the Chain Gang Pre MOA Campout in Ohio...



At last year's True Grits Rally, TWO, Suches GA...



Hot or cold, rain or shine, I love this thing.

I now own the best and worst motorcycles I have ever owned and I have owned over fifty.

GS and HD

I really like FirstGear. Haven't gone wrong with anything of theirs that I bought.

Klr650's are great motorcycles too, btw.

Gerbings heated jacket liner, without a doubt. It makes riding in cooler weather much more enjoyable. I like the fact that I don't have to layer up and feel all fluffy and constricted by clothing. My lighweight longsleeve thermal shirt, a t-shirt and the gerbings under my jacket is all I've ever needed. I have the thermostat control mounted where I can get to it easily and adjust the temp as needed.

I also really like my Garmin 376c, but if I had to give it or the Gerbings up, I'd go back to maps and keep the Gerbings.

This gizmo cost less than 100 USD, but has been priceless for my wife. She has an injured right wrist and was about to give up riding. Throttle locks helped a bit, but off the interstate the thumblock just added more drag and stress for her bad wrist to overcome.

The electronic cruise holds a perfect steady speed, turns off if you touch either brake or the clutch, and has enabled her to keep on riding. Priceless!

Probably my Arai VX-Pro - it was the first of the really light weight, well vented off road helmets. Now days there are others that are close, but in 2000 it was light years ahead of the comp.

I'm also a huge fan of my dual star heated grips

The Vstrom

The Sidi Boots

The First Gear Leather Jacket

my buff

Seriously usefull bit of kit, i've had it for 4 years, used it in india and south america to keep the dust out of my mouth and nose when on the road, and use it throughout winter on the bike to keep my neck and face warm. All this for £10


It's one of these before any of you lot get stange ideas

the rallye 2 pro jacket is a good bit of kit too, not used it in cold conditions yet but it's been outstanding throughout summer

Wow. Just out of curiosity I watched the Buff demo vid. That thing seems kind of cool. I'd chip ten bucks towards one.

Aerostich 1 piece Roadcrafter suit. Comfortable to ride in at temps as hot as 90 and as cold as 18 (with a heated vest). For most practical purposes its rain proof and you can get into/out of it very quickly.

Wow - hard decision.

The GS, of course.
A Handy Motorcycle Lift.
Valentine 1.
Marsee Bavarian Tail Bag.
Gerbings Electric Gear.
Arai Helmets.
Firstgear HT Air Gear.
Oxtar Boots.
National Park Pass.

yeah, hard decision all right.

Single choice? Marc Parnes Visual Alert. Not that I go around speeding all the time, but it has saved me at least a mortgage payment in tickets over the last year.

http://www.marcparnes.com/Visual_Alert.htm

:)

got a used vintage 1970's black leather cafe-style jacket on ebay for about $20 shipped...got a little work done on it (free, since my wife knows a seamstress/leather repairer) and it looks/fits fantastic. seen similar ones on ebay sell for about $200 in good condition...