Boots for Riding !

[Bob Kelly III]

I'm courious as to what Boots you guys ware when Riding most of the time ?
I Prefure (of all things ) Cowboy boots for riding.... Why ? well there is a few reasons
I have worn them all my life and their usually what I have on.... but in the last 10 years or so I couldn't find them in good enough quality to warrent buying...so I got steel caped toes,lace up boots, instead with thinslate lineing for warmth.... cow boy boots point at the toe that deflects stuff when riding in the woods, and they usually go almost to the knee and the leather uppers have saved being ripped by bob wire many times.... I have found lately that steel capped toes arn't the best... their big for one and I had to move my shift lever up (rotate it) just so my boot would fit under it ! the heel on these work boots is short as well and their Woffle-stomper pattern of tred makes it dificult to slide your foot off the pegs at a stop-sign.... they simply wern't made for riding...
I will not ride with tennis shoes..... you won't catch me on a bike with those on.... because that is what my mother had on when she was crippled on a bike.... we found her shoe turned inside out and her ancke was ground flat into the bone,..... she slid, my dad Rolled Dad was fine mom was really hurt !
and at only 45mph on a honda 50cc sense then I just don't ride a bike with out some armor over the ancle bones..... pavement can really chew you up but good if you slide ! Roll with the flow man !
so what's your Boots for riding with ? any prefferences ?
....
Bob.......

 

[Paul Sutton]

There is a huge range of boots available today and they do not have to make you look like a Motocross rider. I have a pair of Hein Gericke boots that fit well and have a plate inserted over the ankle. Attached is a photo of a very similar style to the ones I use:

These can be worn with jeans over the top so you can go to town on the bike and walk around comfortably without having to tuck your trousers in. Many manufacturers also make this style.

You need to decide where you do your riding and whether you need more shin protection and armour, but mine are fine for the road.

 

[mrtwowheel]

I'm usually riding a heavier bike, grip is important to me. I have cowboy boots and square toe boots that I wear almost every day, but these boots are slippery and don't work well at all when on the GoldWing or riding 2 up. I like my Walmart $30-$40 waterproof, lace up Brahma's, they have grip and are great for walking too. Dark brown suede, custom red laces and oil stains in just the right places.

Scott

 

[Bob Kelly III]

Oh definately ! oil stains make the boots ! I found I like the Slipery soles on cow-boy boots because you can slide your foot off the pegs faster
and catch the big heavy beast from tipping any firther..... My 1100 shadow was a Heavy pig and it was a constant battle keeping her on an even keel,....when not moving if you let her go just a little too far man you really had to put some power into stoping it and get her back to the balance point
one of the reasons I am contemplating turning this XS into a bobber is because of the weight ishue.... but after having the engine off I realise it's the engine that is so frigging heavy and ya can't do much about that !!!!!
I just looked at my boots and decided to wittle off the back portion of the treds where it goes into the arch area it is more of a square channel than a U
so I helped it be a U more that may help in sliding the boots off the pegs.... I hope....
the best boots I ever had were square toe cowboy boots with a high heel and tred in the sole.... I paid over $200 bucks for them and were the harnis type with exter tall uppers..... I wore those boots for about 5 years I even put old car tires on the soles when they wore out and wore them another 2 years till the heals finally gave out and the leather was paper thin so I turned the uppers into holsters for my 22 calaber pistles
I believe I got those boots at the Redwing shoe store in Redding. Last time I went in there they were $289.95 ! and that's just too steep for my blood !
I've seen guys that ware lineman boots designed for use with Tree spurs they lace up all the way to the top of the calf and they do look like a good boot
but their over $300 a pop so I get what's at Walmart now .....I got Survivors from them and they are a cumfy boot along with the steel toe...
I need steel toe boots as I drop things like trailer hitches on my toes from time to time !
not something you want to do with cow-boy boots on ! LOL
.....
Bob........

 

[Paul Sutton]

I am glad to hear you are starting to define what your boot needs are. I get the impression you would like those $300 cowboy boots again. They seem to have worked well for you but I take your point about dropping things. Years ago in NZ the rough and very tough biker gangs use to wear the steel toe work booths. I thought it looked cool but when I tried them it was difficult changing gears as you found so I bought some very plain bike boots that came up to the knees with loads of shin protection. They lasted me 8 years and I got a quarter of my money back when I sold them on.

 

[Royboy]

Gasolina Classics! Not the least expensive but they saved me a left ankle and foot in an accident in October of 2015. Once you are used to riding in good, purpose built boots you won't be comfortable in anything else.

http://www.gasolinaboots.com/classic_boots.html

roy

 

[Paul Sutton]

Ebay shows up quite a few steel toe motorcycle boots. Here is a link to a pair on Ebay USA:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Durango-M...970364?hash=item3d38ae943c:g:VHMAAOSwgQ9V0RpL

Personally I do not like to buy shoes/clothes online - prefer to try them.

 

[Bob Kelly III]

Not bad on eather of those guys ! the peice is a bit steep for the gasolina boots and I really don't care for the long zipper because zippers fail
but you would have dry feet with those when you run into rain on the bike !!!!
those you showed Paul are more my style notice they are taller than the normal boots ? problem is the size is big enough to swim in ! LOL
good price though ....
I kind of half expected gggGary to show a photo of a delapated pair old sneekers and say this is what I ware.... just to be Onery !
and nothing from MaxPete either .... they must be busy ! HAHAHHA!
Ok Fredintoon.... what do you ware on your feet, come on get it over with ! .....i mean on the bike !!!!
Bob.........

 

[jamesgs4]

made in England doc martens 10 hole boots for me

 

[fredintoon]

- - - - Ok Fredintoon.... what do you wear on your feet, come on get it over with ! .....i mean on the bike !!!!
Bob.........

Hi Bob,
back 'ome I wore 8" high engineer's boots. Over 'ere I wore cowboy boots until 1984 when I bought a pair of black leather 16" zipback motorcycle boots
at the Toronto Motorcycle show "on special" for $80. And they ain't wore out yet.
And yes Bob, boot zippers DO fail; mostly because the zippers they use have plastic teeth and are sized to suit a lady's dress.
When my zippers quit I had the boots re-zipped with cargo-bag weight metal toothed ones.
And then there was Bob Harvey. Full plastic-armored dirt-bike boots. In white leather with pink & yellow armor.
"They were a bargain and the colors don't bother me none." sez Bob.

 

[Mailman]

This is a good thread, and something I feel very strongly about. I knew this young man who was in a relatively minor accident, but he got his foot caught up in the rear wheel and mangled. He was otherwise uninjured He was just wearing tennis shoes. After multiple surgeries he was minus a toe and left with a limp.
What I wear most of the year are Tourmaster Solution 2.0 boots. Lots of armor and very comfortable.

And for those hot days in Phoenix , a pair of Speed and Strength Hard Knocks boots.
No shin protection but very sturdy and armored around the foot.

 

[ihaxs650]

I bought some Chippewa motorcycle boots and found out that I cannot shift the gears on my bike! Gave the brand new pair to Goodwill. I have a pair of Lucchese pointed cowboy boots and they are uncomfortable to walk in let alone ride and I am not sure they would be any better than the Chippewa. Gonna take those cowboy boots to Goodwill.

 

[5twins]

I've amassed quite a collection of riding boots over the years. Some are fancy motorcycle specific boots but some are not. In fact, my favorites are not. They are East German Army surplus. 15 to 20 years ago, the market was flooded with these things and they could be had for as little as $20 a pair. What makes them so nice is their non-slip rubber sole .....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Dea...420959?hash=item33cced129f:g:7AgAAOSwuxFY2twD

The above used to be listed as the officer's boot, taller and white leather lined. There was also a shorter unlined "enlisted man" boot .....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EAST-GERMAN...542869?hash=item1a27013f55:g:N3QAAOSwfVpYupE3

I have both.

 

[fredintoon]

If only I had the money, eh?
https://www.daytonboots.com/collections/biker-boots

 

[Michaelo]

I've tried riding in my favorites, I can wear them all day long, issue is they are slippery on the pegs. I've other boots to ride in, won't ride in much else, Kevlar pants, good jacket, gloves etc....

 

[5twins]

Very nice cockroach killers you have there, lol.

 

[mrtwowheel]

Gotta add WOOL socks to the boots. All gray socks are not wool socks, if you use them, you know the difference. If you're riding in the wet, a pair of wool socks can be a game changer. And an extra pair of socks is even better. I have a heavily radiated thyroid, I'm wearing wool socks and thermal lowers for 9 months out of 12.

Scott

 

[jussumguy]

I would be nervous wearing pull on boots. Wouldn't lace up boots be far less likely to come off in a crash situation? I have a couple pair of motorcycle boots but my favorite is a pair of military boots I paid $10 at a swapmeet for. They come up well past my ankles. Very well built and priced

 

[azman857]

I wear what I call VietNam boots. I do not care for the knobby sole but the fabric and leather above the ankle keeps thing cool and ventalted. Needed for the extreem heat we have in the summer months in AZ. Maybeing being GI for 20yrs affects my thnking too. Kevlar pants and armored textile jacket and a pair of leather gloves and a Built Solar helmet complete my riding kit.

 

[Bob Kelly III]

At one time I had 2 leather motorcycle jackets with all the bunch of pockets ( bommer jackets) Loved them and a pare of leather chaps
at the time I had square toe harnis boots that I had completely wore to the nub.... I bought cauntlet Leather riding gloves at a Honda shop of all things
and it cost me a fortune ! but no body else had cauntlet gloves ... that was the Only thing I found to keep me warm riding my Honda 500 inteceptor
back and forth to carson city and Fernley Nv. in the winter ..... 3" of ice on the road brought that to a quick hault because you can't get studded tires for motorcycles at a reasonable price ! ... those gauntlet gloves were the best though and I'm constantly on the look out for another pare !
at one time I made Aluminum armor for my feet for the bike it covered the boots in flexable plate that were rivited to the leather ....
I dunno what ever happened to those boots but I put in a bunch of hours making them work good and they did....
At the time I made Midevil armor for the SCA group I was with (socity for creative acronisum) so I just whipped out some flexable plate armor for my boots.... it worked very good.... it never got tested however LOL Plenty of miles but never tested it ! HA !
....
Extra Socks are a Must ! especially now at my age My feet get cold easy and wool socks and Hunting socks is about all I buy any more!
I don't even bother trying on a pare of shoes without my "Thick Socks on"..... theirs no point ! HEHEHHE it makes my foot size 1/2 a size bigger !
.....
Bob..........