Helmet, Boot choice for Baja

[honda20]

Hey guys new to the site. Have always searched through the site and really enjoy all the ride reports. Planning an Ensenada to Loreto trip for Nov. Not sure of dates yet. (Work and baja1000 going on)

I have a pair of tech 8's and tech 2's. I also have a motocross helmet and a street bike helmet that has a chin bar that slides up.

I'll be riding a crf450x or xr650r. Some highway and mostly dirt riding. I'll be wearing Klim in Boot pants and a fly patrol jacket with layers. Any help greatly appreciated!

[crashmaster]

Tech 8's, MX helmet, goggles. Dont forget the JB weld, bailing wire and tons of zip ties.

[honda20]

Thanks for the reply! Didn't know if I posted in wrong section. Getting my toolkit put together a little at a time. Have a lot of it already, just trying to get smaller items to save weight and space.

[Lone Rider]

Originally Posted by honda20

.....Some highway and mostly dirt riding.....

The answer was inside your question, eh?

[honda20]

Originally Posted by Lone Rider

The answer was inside your question, eh?

yea, eh. Just trying to see what others are using for gear down there during November, December. I'm a noob to dualsport riding. I'm coming from a background of riding quads and motocross. Never ridden much on the street. I won't have a chase vehicle or anything down there so it's pretty much run whatcha brung and hope it's enough!

[crashmaster]

Have fun. Just remember that Baja is not the track. You need to tone it down a bit when riding there. Never ride faster than you can see, if that makes any sense.

[jonz]

My only caveat on wearing the MX helmet - how loud is it at speed? At the least, you probably want to carry ear plugs. I recently purchased an inexpensive dual sport helmet and it's too loud at freeway speeds even with ear plugs. Many of the dirt roads in Baja can be ridden at those speeds for long periods.

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[honda20]

Thanks again guys. My thoughts on the street bike helmet was one of it being convertible chin, visor and the lack of goggles if the foam, lens etc. go out, and carrying extra pairs. Also going through towns looking more like a road rider than motocross man. The noise factor is interesting as well.

[jnorton1]

Dirt helmet and goggles. Also plenty of tubes and a patches. My brother and I were down there last April he had 9 flats I had 0.

[cactusreid]

good desert tires(something like 606's or desert it's. slime in h/d tubes with about 25 lbs of pressure. a few spare spokes, steel sprockets not aluminum,new o ring chain,plus a few master links and a few spare links of the same chain if you need to splice it. all the tools you need to get your self fixed if you need to. spare shifter is light and valuable if you break one. at least 3 liters of h2o and a few power bars, if you dont get it fixed that day,and a bivy bag of some type if you have to spend the nite in the desert. the tech 8's are the better choice for protection, the wind noise in your helmut is the last thing you really need to concern yourself with. be careful,smart, ride at 80% of your abilities, and have an awesome time!!

[Baharaider]

Just m2c.... I did a first ever baha border to la paz 1350 mi trip on a new 950SE with no hickups at all!! In jan of 2011. Rode with 7 other OLD bikes "02-05 640/450/and old worn klrs.. Aside from one klr flat tire... That no amount of slime or tubless could have overcome(took 7 plugs to fix) we had no problems... And we rode hard and fast at all times...100 mph on the road..... No such thing as speed limits untill your near a towne:):) dirt speed will be determined by the size of your death wish.... Many miles of straight sand roads that we rode 70/100 mph and as much rock/soft sand you trudge along at 25/35... Now we had it all.. Chase truck/trailer spare bikes and every tool/spare part that 8 guys could think of..... TOTAL WASTE OF TIME $$$$....we came across and ended up riding with a 73 yr old on a 05 wr450 and his buddy on a old xr650 , the 73 yr old was on his 35th trip to baha and knew every cactus/ rock/ wild burrow out there and had his stock tool kit, tire patch kit w/pump a change of clothes for the evening and some old mx riding gear!!! SO here is my take on it... Dont stress and over think or over pack for your trip... The thing you most want to have on your person and in order is all your paper work!!!! Your going to have to show it many many times!!! Second thing your going to worry about all the time your in the dirt is GAS.... Now you can find it in the most unlikely of places if you just ask! Same for food on the trail... Hungry? See a small farm/ranch? Stop and offer to buy a meal.... Never once turned away.... Just never pass a gas stop witout topping off ur tank!! The thing i learned on my trip is that the people living along the trails used by us gringo dudes are very receptive to helping you out if you need it... Just be respectfull and dont blow by/ thru thier town or ranch at warp speed... Have fun... Dont sweat it...

[cactusreid]

good tips raider. I guess I got a bit off track to what the OP was asking for. My buddies and i have been doing all the remote single track stuff that we can find in baja for the last dozen yr's or so. so that's where my advise comes from-as if you can't fix your self trail side in lots of these remote places- well you don't get fish tacos and tecate for dinner that nite!

[sintax]

this is always simple...

Buy the best boots and helmet you can afford. Its funny how people think nothing about buying a set of $800 sumo wheels, or a $650 TI exhaust but wont shell out $500 on a helmet that will keep your brains inside your skull.

Boots are the same story.

I wear a shoei vfx-w and Alpinestar Tech10's. They are the best money i've spent on both items. I can wear the boots alllllll day riding, and not even want to take them off when i get to the destination.

[donnh]

I was there last January and wish I had my Arai XD3 Helmet. Was glad for my Kilimanjaro jacket for the cool sections of the ride. Sidi Discovery Rain Boots because I came from Seattle. Have fun and visit Mikes Sky Rancho

[honda20]

Thanks again for the input guys. I think I'm gonna try to limit as much stuff as possible to carry. I bought a set of e12 Wolfman saddles and I have concerns about them being too much for a crf450x after seeing them. I guess I could try to put lighter stuff on the pipe side and tools etc. on the left. I've heard the subframe is not beefy enough to carry a lot of weight. I weigh 195 myself. I also will be wearing a camelbak 100oz backpack. Anyone know a good aluminum welder to gusset the subframe? Thanks.