Size 16 ! ............ you and Ron Lechien have something in common ....... (Lechien was a factory Yamaha off road rider - and later Kawasaki - years ago). He may have been a National champion ..... cant' remember).
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I strongly recommend the MSF course. You will not learn how to ride like Doohan - but you may pick up one thing that could help you someday. I took this course - and I had been riding (off road) for close to thirty years. The best advice I can give you is to 'ride like you are invisible'.
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My fav coat is the FirstGear Scout. Not the current Scout III - don't like the collar - but the original Scout models. It is the 'Swiss
Army Knife' of bike coats. Looks good on and off the bike. Dual front and rear torso vents and 'ram air' vents on the sleeves near the wrists. Heavy but cool. Not a track coat though - competition grade/weight leather, but no provision for armor - and no zipper attachment for pants.
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I also prefer Arai helmets. I also have a few Shoei helmets, but prefer Arai. Lately, I have been using an Arai 'Chandler Replica' - (when Chandler campaigned a HD) ..... might be a collectible ? ....(see link below) .. I can't remember the model - not as neat as the RX-7 Corsair (my fav) though.
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http://www.cyclenews.com/ShowStory.asp?HeadlineID=3154