Don’t skimp on your gear. You will want to be looking for thr CE APPROVAL on the gear, or at least the padding within.
HELMETS
are like sneakers. Pay for buddies, they will wear out sooner, will not coushon your head as well, are heavier and clumsier. The materials wear sooner and can’t be cleaned as easily. Now in good helmets, just like good sneakers, there are Nike’s (Arai), Reebok (Shoei), Soumy (new balance) is a good helmet, and some good lesser known brands like vemar, shark, scorpion, OGK (eu), kbc… Personally for helmets I’ve moved away from the snell standard due to excess weight, in favor of the ECE standard, a eurpoean standard. ECE standard helmets are lighter at about 3 lbs. I won’t wear another 4+lb helmet. You don’t want your helmet to be heavy, mainly forcomfort. You will notice a 4+lb helmet wearing on your neck, as opposed to a 3lb helmet. I think a lighter helmet can be safer, or just as safe, in an impact as well. http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcycle-helmet/vemar/
JACKET
You will want a full leather jacket, with CE approved hard armor in the elbow/forearm, and the shoulders. Perforated or not is your preference. Around here you almost need both perf. and non-perf., and sometimes both in the same day. You should also look for the ability to add a CE approved, again, hard shell back protector. But I recommend a stand alone back protector that straps to your back. For around here my favorite jacket was the alpinestar smx-airflo http://www.alpinestars.com/SMX_AirFlo_Leather_Jacket/pd/np/121/p/310853.html. It’s a perf leather jacket with a pimp removable liner for cold weather. Also look at the rear collar, see the low rise. Look for that also in a jacket or you could get bunching around the rear of the collar and it will bother you.
PANTS
Are a tough one. To be honest most of the time I would just wear jeans and not go crazy on the bike. I’ve only had 2 pair, but I liked these the best http://www.kneedraggers.com/details/Dainese_Delta_Pelle_Leather_Pants--614242.html. I still only wore them a handful of times though.
BOOTS
sidi vertigo line, enoguh said. I had some technic violators actually I prefer to the sidi’s, but the protection wasn’t there like with the sidis. http://www.kneedraggers.com/details/Sidi_Vertigo_Corsa_Boots--34-SIDI-8.html
GLOVES
Full gauntlet leather. I prefer the alpinestar gp pros, even though they would only last one season. http://www.kneedraggers.com/details/Alpinestars_GP_Pro_Racing_Gloves--622557.html. I would perforate them myself. And cut the finger bridge, which alpinestars said was fine.
SUNGLASSES/safety glasses
Yes I said sunglasses as a gear recommendation, and quite substantial IMO. Last I checked it was really important you SEE. I never liked the idea of using a smoked visor or changing them on the road, too big. So I ALWAYS had a pair of sunglasses just for the bike.
Nike interchange square, becuase they fit under the helmets I’ve had no problem, also I could switch from dark to clear safety lenses. I’ve ordered these again and again, probably a half dozen pair of frames, and a dozen+ pair of replacement lenses.
ALSO, in case you don’t know, it is illegal to ride without eye protection. So on those nice sunny days when you want to put up the visor and get some freash air (I hate riding with my visor down) you have to have eye protection. Yes a cop would be a dick and give you a ticket. That’s the least of your worries. You could catch a pebble in the eye at 50mph. So have some shades on at all times. When you look for a helmet bring your sunglasses with you to make sure they will fit.
Be safe and have fun