Congrats! I think it must be rather special to have bought the bike you passed your test on actually. That’s pretty cool. Enjoy 
The gear looks like a good selection. Keep it in good nick, keep the bike upright, and have a load of fun
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I remember buying my first set of gear. I felt like the Terminator. Well wear mate.
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All good options! well done.
Rideout leaving tomorrow morning. Get on it and get some experience.
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TL;DR; Bike is awesome, jacket and helmet strap are uncomfortable as they rub my neck a lot, any advice would be great
Thanks everyone 
.
Here it is:
I’m really enjoying it. So far I’m really happy with my choice of bike. I’m not a huge fan of the front light, but there are hardly any bikes I like the front of. Wish it looked more like the front of the MT-10. But the rest of it looks great to me, and most importantly I love riding it.
I did a long 2.5 hour ride (with breaks) from Clapham to Wiltshire where my parents live. Was surprisingly well received by my mum 
.
However…
Jacket + Helmet Are Uncomfortable 
Here’s my Dainese jacket:
The problem is that when I lift my arms up to the bars, the neck of the jacket presses into my neck just below my adams apple. On top of that, my helmet strap is just above where the jacket presses, so either:
- My neck catches on the jacket as I check left and right
- My helmet strap pushes into my neck as I look down
- Worse - my skin gets pinched between the strap and the leather jacket
These are obviously the things you have to learn by experience I suppose… hard to know until you’ve ridden in it sometimes. They felt great in the shop, although I only realised that when I got on the bike that
I only tried on the GT-Air 1 with the assistant in the store and not the GT-Air 2 
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I initially wanted the 1 as it was on sale and I didn’t need the comms integration, but they didn’t have my size, so the assistant offered me 10% off the GT-Air 2. For £50 difference for the option of comms, I thought why not. I don’t recall the strap on the GT-Air 1 being uncomfortable, but then again it was the D-Ring type, not the ratchet that the GT-Air 2. Rookie error :(.
Any Advice About Jacket/Helmet Comfort?
At the moment I’m really disappointed that these two items worth ~£850 are so uncomfortable. It deters me from wanting to check my shoulders properly, and I didn’t enjoy my ride as much :(.
One solution I thought of is to wear a balaclava… just feels annoying to me to need a solution like that for these two expensive items.
Any advice would be great! Not sure if the leather will wear in? It’s the edge of the neckline, so I suppose not? Should I look at changing the strap on the helmet?
Thanks!
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I have a similar issue and can’t wear jackets that have a high neck strap. Does it still hurt if you don’t have that strap done up?
Differently get that swapped if it hurts, you won’t want to be wearing that loose to make it comfortable!!! Didn’t realised they had switched a ratchet system. I’ve got a GT Air and it’s all day comfort for me.
If I undo the strap and the zip and bend the collar open, it’s not too bad. But it always bends back up :/.
I don’t think they’ll let me swap it? I thought the rules for helmets were strictly NO RETURNS because they can’t resell the helmet for safety reasons once it’s been worn.
I suppose that they also could technically say that I should have made sure that I tried the helmet on before I bought it, and that’s my responsibility.
I guess I could ask and see what they say, but I’d assume the answer is going to be no 
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I think the same goes for returning the jacket too, but I’ll ask. Such a shame!
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Stick with it a bit longer. Often these kinks ease out or you just get used to them without consciously knowing it. New leather shoes are uncomfortable at first but get better after use.
I also wear a bandana (for warmth) and it sits between my chinstrap and chin and feels very comfortable. You might try that.
One of the jackets I have now used to always catch my helmet when I did a shoulder check. It doesn’t any more. I don’t know when it stopped. That’s my point about easing in I suppose.
Worst case you could take the jacket to Hill 4 Leather and get a small alteration. It’s a nice ride too.
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Nice bike, nice kit, glad you’re mostly enjoying it
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I’ve managed to loosen the helmet strap, which has made a difference. When I looked at the strap more carefully I realised it could be loosened a lot more. Will see how it rides in a couple of weekends.
Still thinking about the leather jacket. I tried a friend’s textile jacket, and it was doing a very similar thing to my leather one once done up properly. Going to go try on a few more in a store.
This threads been very useful as I’m also looking to update my gear. So thanks all.
Im in two minds whether to go leather or textile for my next jacket. I ride all year round so have historically always gone textile. But then I have an all in one rain suit for when it’s raining… so I am considering leather for the first time. Partly because I think I’ll look cooler 
I’m a bit bored of looking like the Michelin tyre advert man in my textiles.
You need both.
Leather is safer. It’s my default choice unless it’s wet or cold. And yes, much cooler
The leather jackets do look really good. Like I say, when I tried my Dainese one in the store, I was sold by the look/fit.
Update on Helmet/Jacket Comfort
I dropped by the Infinity store in Clapham where I bought all my stuff and explained my discomfort with the jacket and helmet - the guy who sold me my kit happened to be there and went and grabbed me one of these to take away for free:
It’s really thin, lightweight and soft. I haven’t ridden with it yet, but I think it’ll do the trick.
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That’s pretty nice of them. Can’t go wrong with a neck tube. Protects you from crap on the road as well.
I ended up buying a goretex jacket for now… probably going to regret it as summer approaches, but my birthday is also approaching and my wish list of leathers and a new helmet is currently being drafted up 
Thanks but we don’t like you THAT much!
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Hopefully my girlfriend still does after I raided the savings account . My safety is paramount though 
Can confirm that the Buff did an awesome job. Made the world of difference to the comfort of my leather jacket and helmet strap 
. Would recommend!
Was going to suggest exactly this. I use one all the time and works well when I occasionally use an open face helmet in town. I always pack a bandana which is multipurpose. For my neck and face in a pinch, for wiping of sweat in the summer, etc etc.
Congrats on the new bike. Ride safe.
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