Exactly what the title says. Do I really need to spend 250 on anything with actual protection? Cause those are the only ones people seem to recommend. I will if I need to but that still seems wrong.
Boots beginner boots
- Thread starter Dima23
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- Cumming, Georgia USA
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- 2026 Miles
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I would if I were street racing. Pushing the limits.
I choose to ride at modest speeds and defensively. I want “boots” rather than shoes for ankle support and lower leg protection from pebbles kicked up by my front tire.
But I don’t buy special motorsports boots.
I choose to ride at modest speeds and defensively. I want “boots” rather than shoes for ankle support and lower leg protection from pebbles kicked up by my front tire.
But I don’t buy special motorsports boots.
Uncle Phil
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- 73
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- 3 ST1100(s)
I wear Rocky Cody boots - a 'cow kicker' type boot that is waterproof and made out of good leather.
And you can have them resoled if you can find a cobbler.
They are 'all day' boots that you can ride in and work in.
No armor as such but they did not 'burn through' in my 75 mph getoff after a deer took me out.
And you can have them resoled if you can find a cobbler.
They are 'all day' boots that you can ride in and work in.
No armor as such but they did not 'burn through' in my 75 mph getoff after a deer took me out.
Hmm, difficult...
for commute/short hops I sin with my LOWA GTX Mid trecking boots; providing at least ankle protection and excellent ground contact...
but for actual rides I prefer my designated Daytona Touring Star GTX motorcycle boots; chin and ankle protection...
for commute/short hops I sin with my LOWA GTX Mid trecking boots; providing at least ankle protection and excellent ground contact...
but for actual rides I prefer my designated Daytona Touring Star GTX motorcycle boots; chin and ankle protection...
I agree. I never wear shoes/sneakers on the bike. I wear boots which I also use for work-related activities and hiking. They're not specialized motorcycle boots which (for my riding style, like yours) I don't feel are necessary.
My preference for most riding is over-ankle laced hiking boots, since most "motorcycle" specific footwear= over priced, and not necessarily better.
Protection levels are always a compromise. Most aim to dress for the slide, which this style does while being both comfortable and water resistant, but for brick wall protection you will need the high rise storm-trooper-ski-boot styles.
Protection levels are always a compromise. Most aim to dress for the slide, which this style does while being both comfortable and water resistant, but for brick wall protection you will need the high rise storm-trooper-ski-boot styles.
Tourmaster Helix waterproof boots, vented or unvented, are economical and offer motorcycle specific protection without breaking the bank.
Daytona Road Star GTX - best boots I have ever had.
Pricey, but buy once and cry once.
Have saved me in multiple incidents.
Have lasted 10 years, will last another 10 with some easy care.
Pricey, but buy once and cry once.
Have saved me in multiple incidents.
Have lasted 10 years, will last another 10 with some easy care.
Of course not. Fred Flintstone never wore shoes. But you're asking the wrong people here. The person who had an accident and lost their foot will never be back to post about what happened.
I think it was a riding buddy who worked as an Emergency Room nurse who showed me a picture of someone who lost their shoe in an accident. The foot looked like the leftover turkey carcass after Thanksgiving. No skin. No muscles. Just bones with shredded meat. It shocked me.
Somewhere years ago, I came across a video. The photographer was standing on top of a freeway overpass looking down on the traffic below. A motorcyclist had an accident right below him. He was wearing sneakers. Within one, maybe two seconds, the shoe was ripped off his foot leaving only a sock for protection as he continued sliding down the road.
You say you're a beginner. You also indicate you own a FJR. You own a bike that'll get you to 150 mph and more. I don't expect that you bought that bike with the intent of never riding it above 35 mph. You should buy the kind of boots that you feel comfortable wearing in a triple-digit speed accident.
I went off the road two summers ago going 70+ mph. I'm still wearing the same boots. All they needed was a bit of shoe polish to clean them up.
Do you really need "anything with actual protection"? I think you answered your own question.
Chris
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Agreeing with everything Daboo says. That hiking boot shown in post #6 will not stay on your foot should it encounter a hard meeting with the road. I've seen it at the scene of a m/c accident, where the low rise footwear was lying on the road, separated from the rider. It is much harder for the foot to be separated from a snugly fitting (zippered is very good) motorcycle boot that comes up mid calf. It's no different than spending $100 for a cheap helmet. What value do you place on being able to walk normally for the rest of your life? Don't forget good quality gloves too!
I agree with my brethren Daboo and Bush.
I used to practice insurance defence litigation which included reading a metric crap tonne of medical injury files that often contained some of the most graphic pics you have ever seen. In one motorcycle accident, the rider's entire leg was ripped off. It was pretty sobering seeing just a leg on the highway.
Given this, I am happy to spend what I need to in order to be as safe as possible within the context of riding a motorcycle. We're basically delicate meat bags with a fragile friable covering sitting on top of mortality reminder rockets. Each bit of gear may only increase survival or reduce chance of serious injury by a single digit percentage but, for me, it's worth it.
Decent gear is expensive. Recovering from serious injuries is more so. Penny wise, pound foolish etc etc.
You may be able to source a decent set of used boots in good shape in order to save some $.
I used to practice insurance defence litigation which included reading a metric crap tonne of medical injury files that often contained some of the most graphic pics you have ever seen. In one motorcycle accident, the rider's entire leg was ripped off. It was pretty sobering seeing just a leg on the highway.
Given this, I am happy to spend what I need to in order to be as safe as possible within the context of riding a motorcycle. We're basically delicate meat bags with a fragile friable covering sitting on top of mortality reminder rockets. Each bit of gear may only increase survival or reduce chance of serious injury by a single digit percentage but, for me, it's worth it.
Decent gear is expensive. Recovering from serious injuries is more so. Penny wise, pound foolish etc etc.
You may be able to source a decent set of used boots in good shape in order to save some $.
Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
First decide what type of riding you intend to do. If you are mostly doing day rides where you are back at home everyday things like cold feet, wet feet, sore feet, etc., will be of less importance to you. When you get home you can change your footwear and all is right with the world again. If you plan on doing multi-day or multi-week motorcycle tours you do not want to do the whole trip with wet, cold feet, sore feet. While deciding that however, keep in mind that you are more likely to have an accident close to home so don't disregard the need for proper protection in whatever footwear you decide upon.
I suffered through wet cold feet and/or the frustrating hassle of trying to put rubber boot covers on while standing on the side of the road for to many years before I smartened up and bought water-proof boots that that allow me to just keep going when the sky opens up. I bought motorcycle specific boots because they provide the required protection in the required places, keep my feet warm when it is cold, keep my feet cool when it is hot, keep my feet dry when it is raining, they don't slip on the asphalt causing me to drop the bike, and they are flexible and comfortable enough to walk around in when I stop somewhere to sight-see. I bought them to use when I am motorcycling and I only wear them when I am motorcycling. Because of this they have lasted very well. When I bought them they were expensive relative to non-motorcycle boots but they provide advantages over regular boots that are not designed for motorcycling that I consider beneficial. I bought them way back in 1998 or 1999 and I am still wearing them. While they are beginning to show their age and I can see new boots in my not to distant future they still do all of the above mentioned things well and I am still wearing them. Even without factoring in the advantages that they offer, amortized over the 27 or 28 years of use that they have already provided to me plus whatever number of additional years that I might continue to wear them, the amount that they initially cost over and above the price of regular boots has become irrelevant to me.
I suffered through wet cold feet and/or the frustrating hassle of trying to put rubber boot covers on while standing on the side of the road for to many years before I smartened up and bought water-proof boots that that allow me to just keep going when the sky opens up. I bought motorcycle specific boots because they provide the required protection in the required places, keep my feet warm when it is cold, keep my feet cool when it is hot, keep my feet dry when it is raining, they don't slip on the asphalt causing me to drop the bike, and they are flexible and comfortable enough to walk around in when I stop somewhere to sight-see. I bought them to use when I am motorcycling and I only wear them when I am motorcycling. Because of this they have lasted very well. When I bought them they were expensive relative to non-motorcycle boots but they provide advantages over regular boots that are not designed for motorcycling that I consider beneficial. I bought them way back in 1998 or 1999 and I am still wearing them. While they are beginning to show their age and I can see new boots in my not to distant future they still do all of the above mentioned things well and I am still wearing them. Even without factoring in the advantages that they offer, amortized over the 27 or 28 years of use that they have already provided to me plus whatever number of additional years that I might continue to wear them, the amount that they initially cost over and above the price of regular boots has become irrelevant to me.
Your feet are exposed an expensive Revit or Klim jacket doesn't protect your feet. I don't wear the most expensive boots but I know the need for foot protection. Watch some Revzilla boot videos and they explain the protection in the boot. There are inexpensive motorcycle boots (not shoes) that give basic protection. I have met a few riders that have had broken bones and some had serious issues. It's a choice but living a long healthy is also a choice. Good video to think about.
Anything you spend on boots will be cheap compared to one doctor visit. Oops, you are 72 therefore Medicare age so no doctor bills. But you will heal more slowly than a 20 year old. You have been given enough answers to your question. Your feet, your money.
I dont dress for riding......mostly.... I dress for how big an opprtunity i want to ride again should something happen...
Having said that, no i dont think you need track gear. But gear and wrecks are the same.....niether one is going to offer you an ideal option......
What it comes down to " is lady luck".....when you go down hope its a slide with no sudden stops........
Ride safe safe travels
Having said that, no i dont think you need track gear. But gear and wrecks are the same.....niether one is going to offer you an ideal option......
What it comes down to " is lady luck".....when you go down hope its a slide with no sudden stops........
Ride safe safe travels
Boots that cover your Ankles, with no laces ( get caught in shifter or foot pegs), zippers are good but may let water in. Myself I wear Bass Pro's Redhead Rancher's , Water Proof and insulated and anti slip outer soles , work rated . Avoid Steel toes ,makes shifting hard to feel.
One more thing I'd like to add. Maybe call it a "sanity check". I woke up on 6 June 2024 feeling good. Great weather. Great guys to ride with. And a promise of great roads they would show me that day. Never once did the thought of an accident cross my mind.
When I went off the road and hit the metal road marker, my "dash camera" captured 4 frames. The first frame was me already out in front and hitting the ground. The second was just as the bike nose-dived into the dirt. The third and fourth frames were blue sky. And nothing after that. The camera took video at 30 frames per second. Not per minute. Per second. That means in less than a 15th of a second, the accident was done and over with. Let that settle in.
One thing came out of that video above to me. That was the violence in an accident. In less than a 15th of a second, I hit the ground and my 500 lb bike nose-dived into the dirt...and then was flung backwards 30 ft behind me. In a 15th of a second.
Anyone who thinks they have control over their body in a situation like that is a fool. There is no way you can get your feet off the asphalt if your riding boots are designed more for walking than riding. Since gloves were mentioned earlier, there's no way you'll get your hands off the pavement if they shredded either.
They airlifted me to the hospital emergency room. The doc came in after all the tests were done and said he couldn't find anything wrong with me. (You should've seen my guardian angel though...he was pretty tired.
) When friends hear of the accident, they are amazed. My wife says it was because I had good gear on.
Chris
When I went off the road and hit the metal road marker, my "dash camera" captured 4 frames. The first frame was me already out in front and hitting the ground. The second was just as the bike nose-dived into the dirt. The third and fourth frames were blue sky. And nothing after that. The camera took video at 30 frames per second. Not per minute. Per second. That means in less than a 15th of a second, the accident was done and over with. Let that settle in.
One thing came out of that video above to me. That was the violence in an accident. In less than a 15th of a second, I hit the ground and my 500 lb bike nose-dived into the dirt...and then was flung backwards 30 ft behind me. In a 15th of a second.
Anyone who thinks they have control over their body in a situation like that is a fool. There is no way you can get your feet off the asphalt if your riding boots are designed more for walking than riding. Since gloves were mentioned earlier, there's no way you'll get your hands off the pavement if they shredded either.
They airlifted me to the hospital emergency room. The doc came in after all the tests were done and said he couldn't find anything wrong with me. (You should've seen my guardian angel though...he was pretty tired.
) When friends hear of the accident, they are amazed. My wife says it was because I had good gear on.Chris
I wear tactical boots I bought in April of '18, still look and wear like new.
I also added ring-type zipper pulls to make zipping up and down easier.
Smith & Wesson Breach 2.0 Men's 8" Side Zip Boots
I also added ring-type zipper pulls to make zipping up and down easier.
Smith & Wesson Breach 2.0 Men's 8" Side Zip Boots
st11ray
2023 Yamaha Super Tenere
I've worn Aerostitch Combat Touring Lites for 15 or 20 years. They are still in great shape. I had them resoled last year.
Since I've started doing some Forest Service roads, I have a new pair of Gaerne Fastback Enduro's that are supposed to be delivered tomorrow.
Since I've started doing some Forest Service roads, I have a new pair of Gaerne Fastback Enduro's that are supposed to be delivered tomorrow.
Notice the age field in the posters' icons.
Most of us are antique and feel our ass-ets need a bit more protection.
That aside, I never cared for the Mad Max look that much safety gear has adopted.
Shop around.
Most of us are antique and feel our ass-ets need a bit more protection.
That aside, I never cared for the Mad Max look that much safety gear has adopted.
Shop around.