MX boots on the road

Back in the day, when leathers had no armor and roadrace boots had a zipper on the back, I went racing. Until I finally got my frank thomas roacing boots, I used MX boots. I remember that they worked ok, but were a bit stiff.

I tried revisiting that with the purchase of some alpinestars tech4 boots. I figured the beloved aerostich combat touring were damn close to MX boots, so why not. See photos:
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I have gone on a small ride and I think I have found a viable alternative to roadrace boots. Todays MX boots are so more flexible than the 80s stuff, and they make you feel armor plated. I have no restriction of movement, super duper support and protection and none of the lift your whole leg to shift syndrome. They even work over top my leathers due to the adjustable straps. So far I dig them and they are even comfy to walk in. The biggest bonus is the lack of squeaking on a rest stop.

Any drawbacks you all can think of? The only thing I could come up with eas the possibility of the buckles touching down befor the kneepuck, but that is just a guess. Let the mocking begin.

They look a little "Mad Max" and such, and I could probably get up the nerve to laugh at you (behind your back and quietly) when I saw you wearing them....but hey, to each his own...I say do it.

I started that way, bought some cheap leathers and still had my MX boots which provide much better protection that most other non-race street boots IMO.
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I am a 21 year MX vet. No fraking way I would wear them on the street unless dual sporting.

Pro's. Protection is top notch


CONS, WEIGHT 2 TONS, WAY TOO STIFF, MEATAL AT END OF TOES AND ON BOOT CAN SCRATCH BIKE BAD. WAY TOO HEAVY FOR THE STREET TO WEAR ALL DAY. yOU WILL LOOK STUPID. WHEN THEY DRAG THEY TEAR UP QUICK.

I own many pair but never wear them on the street.

My question would be about the feel of them. If there's too much material on the heel or toe or sole, then it might affect how you feel the gear shift. Yeah, you can always adjust the shifter and that to help. Who knows. Good topic.

I C those do have the metal on the toes. They can and will scratch, gouge plastic.

Top level MX boots are $300+ easy.

[image: View Post]soichiro, on 23 February 2010 - 06:46 PM, said:

I am a 21 year MX vet. No fraking way I would wear them on the street unless dual sporting.

Pro's. Protection is top notch



Unless your a cheap azz punk like me, then it's moto-X Viffer. :fing02: My pic is from 1999 when I re-entered street riding and bought my "wish I still had" 93. :fing02:

I eventually replaced everything with the proper quality gear.

The reason most roadrace boots squeak, is because they have complicated ankle protection systems - which your MX boots do not appear to have...

[image: View Post]soichiro, on 23 February 2010 - 06:51 PM, said:

They can and will scratch, gouge plastic.

He don't care

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I see some of the points being made. These are really not THAT much different than full on roadrace boots, just a tad taller. The feel is at least 80-90 percent of anything else I have tried. One of the reasons I tried these boots is that I have been using these for the last 2 years and I love them, but hey are difficult to use with leathers on:
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I am a 21 year MX vet. No fraking way I would wear them on the street unless dual sporting.

Pro's. Protection is top notch

Unless your a cheap azz punk like me, then it's moto-X Viffer. :fing02: My pic is from 1999 when I re-entered street riding and bought my "wish I still had" 93. :fing02:

I eventually replaced everything with the proper quality gear.

Top level MX boots are awesome. They do offer the best protection, period.

I did shatter my heel in a good set of mx boots though.

Road race boots feel like bedroom slippers to me after flogging around the track all day in mx boots.

They look just right when you are on a tard.

I see some of the points being made. These are really not THAT much different than full on roadrace boots, just a tad taller. The feel is at least 80-90 percent of anything else I have tried. One of the reasons I tried these boots is that I have been using these for the last 2 years and I love them, but hey are difficult to use with leathers on:
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The mx boots must be broken, worn out, something. I always wear fox MX boots and A-stars road race boots. Their is a HUGE diffirence. I bet the MX boot is well over twice as heavy.

They work for motards and dual sports, but not on sportbikes, IMO.

They can and will scratch, gouge plastic.

He don't care

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LOL! my last pair of MX boots were Tech IV's , they do have gell inserts in the ankle. Later they came out with the Tech 8's and they were like wearing an ankle brace. I didnt bite on those horrible I thought.

But Tech 7's seemed similar to tech IV's, course I havent bought any since mid 90's. But I agree, Id rather have something lighter weight on the VFR and more comfortable.

these are older tch 4's and thet are almost all leather. The area around the ankle is leather. They are heavy, but they feel great. I guess I just wish someone would make a quasi-mx, mixed with a roadrace, with touring built in boot.

Let the mocking continue...............

I am a 21 year MX vet. No fraking way I would wear them on the street unless dual sporting.

Pro's. Protection is top notch


CONS, WEIGHT 2 TONS, WAY TOO STIFF, MEATAL AT END OF TOES AND ON BOOT CAN SCRATCH BIKE BAD. WAY TOO HEAVY FOR THE STREET TO WEAR ALL DAY. yOU WILL LOOK STUPID. WHEN THEY DRAG THEY TEAR UP QUICK.

I own many pair but never wear them on the street.

What type of boot do you prefer instead? I ask because I find most racing boots so uncomfortable that I wouldn't actually wear them (and protection you aren't wearing does no good). And most slightly-more-comfortable motorcycle boots offer little more protection than a pair of work boots. I don't think I'll go out and buy a pair of Motocross boots, but it's an interesting topic.

these are older tch 4's and thet are almost all leather. The area around the ankle is leather. They are heavy, but they feel great. I guess I just wish someone would make a quasi-mx, mixed with a roadrace, with touring built in boot.

Let the mocking continue...............

Hmmm, MX boots, flat black Interceptor, I'm beginning to see a connection.. :fing02:

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I am a 21 year MX vet. No fraking way I would wear them on the street unless dual sporting.

Pro's. Protection is top notch


CONS, WEIGHT 2 TONS, WAY TOO STIFF, MEATAL AT END OF TOES AND ON BOOT CAN SCRATCH BIKE BAD. WAY TOO HEAVY FOR THE STREET TO WEAR ALL DAY. yOU WILL LOOK STUPID. WHEN THEY DRAG THEY TEAR UP QUICK.

I own many pair but never wear them on the street.

What type of boot do you prefer instead? I ask because I find most racing boots so uncomfortable that I wouldn't actually wear them (and protection you aren't wearing does no good). And most slightly-more-comfortable motorcycle boots offer little more protection than a pair of work boots. I don't think I'll go out and buy a pair of Motocross boots, but it's an interesting topic.

I wear mx boots in the dirt. I wear road race boots on the street.

I had to toss out my mx boots, $200 pair that for some reason I think got infected with anthrax or somthing cause every time I put them on the next day I had the worst rash - itching and stratching for a week. I tried everything to clean and disinfect but the rash would always come back after an hour or so of riding in them. I even filled up a trash can with bleach water and let them soak, scrubbed them out with a nylon brush too. The basic problem was they did not breath at all and my shins would get all rashed up. I got to have boots that breath and are somewhat ventalated or I get that rash. These plastic race boots would just kill me, no way, I would be in itch land in less than a day. I use alpine stars waterproof goretex lined boots for my long trips, the keep my legs dry and I dont get that rash. I tried changing socks, using natural wool, cotton, nylon, cotton blends, all kinds of socks, I comes down to how well the boots breath.

I had to toss out my mx boots, $200 pair that for some reason I think got infected with anthrax or somthing cause every time I put them on the next day I had the worst rash - itching and stratching for a week. I tried everything to clean and disinfect but the rash would always come back after an hour or so of riding in them. I even filled up a trash can with bleach water and let them soak, scrubbed them out with a nylon brush too. The basic problem was they did not breath at all and my shins would get all rashed up. I got to have boots that breath and are somewhat ventalated or I get that rash. These plastic race boots would just kill me, no way, I would be in itch land in less than a day. I use alpine stars waterproof goretex lined boots for my long trips, the keep my legs dry and I dont get that rash.

Didja try a little Gold Bond? :warranty:

now mebbie these are woth a look,
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but, still, the protection looks weak. I dont love to wear mx boots, but modern roadrace boots are mostly plastic, uncomfy and will wear the soles out quickly in the real world.

For a track day or racing I would wear proper roadrace boots, but I'm talking about riding distances in twisties, long distance, foul weather etc...

Sidi On Roads????

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http://www.webbikewo.../on-road-boots/

Sidi On Roads????

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http://www.webbikewo.../on-road-boots/

Now if you could add some of the protection of MX boots to that and make the buckles not velcro, I would have a winner.

Didja try a little Gold Bond? :warranty:

useless - I just have sweaty feet I guess, that stuff helps me absulutly zero! Oh and I hate the muck it creates when I take off my socks. I tried it at work a few times too, in my bunny suit at the plant in the clean room it gets a bit itchy there too. I just wear mesh top running shoes, I know I am not supposed too with all the chemicals we use but man I cant stand the itching. I dont snap the boots up tight at the top like I am supposed too, and often get nasty looks from supervisors, but its alot better than the scratching and itching. I always wondered if they took a lot over to defect and did a scanning electron microscope scan on one and found gold bond particles all over it? I try to follow protocal as best I can but jeeze the itch is insane!

As far as riding boots I looked at the combat boots from aerostich but go with what I know works for me.

Sidi On Roads????

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http://www.webbikewo.../on-road-boots/

Now if you could add some of the protection of MX boots to that and make the buckles not velcro, I would have a winner.

I've been seriously considering these. Got a good review, and are truly waterproof. And I hate zippers. Anyone have a pair of these (Sidi On Road Gore-Tex Boots)?


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Now if you could add some of the protection of MX boots to that and make the buckles not velcro, I would have a winner.

I'm with you there. As regular readers would know, I'm a big fan of my Aerostitch CTBs (made by Sidi). But I am not a big fan of the velcro. Eventually the stuff will wear out and be completely useless. I have just resigned myself to the fact that someday I will have to pay to have new velcro patches sewn on. Hopefully many, many, many years down the road when I have to have them re-soled. Shouldn't cost more than a couple of dollars when the time comes.

I had a pair of the combat tourers. They were terrible. I got the itchy rash on my legs like HS describes, whenever I rode long days in the heat. And they were only waterproof until the first two-day continuous heavy rain ride, and after that they soaked through more quickly every time, no matter what I treated them with. And they never got that comfortable, they were always just borderline tolerable. People kept saying "Oh, give them time, they will break in and then they'll be great" but this was absolutely 100% false. I wore them for two years and they never got any better, and meanwhile they got less and less waterproof, to the point where my feet would get wet instantly, even in the slightest rain. Finally I had a two week trip where it rained every day except the day it snowed, and I had to buy boots while traveling because the continuous wet made the CTs split and crack inside, and they started cutting into my feet.

Right now I'm wearing a pair of Teknic boots I got from a closeout at newenough. They're waterproof and they've kept the wet out just fine so far. They're festooned with black plastic armor, sorta road racey, and they definitely do squeak. But I have a fix for that. I spray down in between all the layers of plastic with some silicone spray, and it stops the squeak until the next really heavy rain. They're more comfortable than the CTs and I think they are far more protective. They cost a lot less so I feel like they've already lasted long enough to justify their price, and they're still going strong.

I always thought it would be fun to have boots with the metal on the toes - you can drag it on the pavement in tunnels and make sparks. I never thought about damaging the bodywork with it. :warranty:

I see some of the points being made. These are really not THAT much different than full on roadrace boots, just a tad taller. The feel is at least 80-90 percent of anything else I have tried. One of the reasons I tried these boots is that I have been using these for the last 2 years and I love them, but hey are difficult to use with leathers on:
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I've worn those exact boots for two seasons now and love them. They provide good protection - not as good as race boots, but better than hiking or work boots, and they're comfortable enough to ride and walk around in all day. They're not waterproof either, but do repel most water well enough.

I'm planning to buy a decent pair of race-type boots this year, but for now the Thors still make the grade.

I use to wear my Malcolm Smith MX boots and even my race face googles...

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I'm a mxer and love the protection of mx boot vs a road boot.

If I were going to use an mx boot on the road I'd choose a AStar Tech 10 or 7. They have rubber / sneaker type soles. The Tech 10 does have a booty (ha ha) though.

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I own three pair of not very expensive boots and two of them suck. Cheap and inexpensive evidently do not mean the same thing. You'd think I would remember that by now.

I'm considering these 2010 Sidi Adventure Rain Boots for touring and everyday riding. $375.00. LINK Any comments?


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New for 2010, the ultimate Adventure boot combines Sidi's best touring and off road features into an effective adventure boot design

• Soft rubber sole for maximum grip.
• Replaceable strap system.
• Lorica construction.
• Composite inner sole.
• Removable arch support.
• Exclusive cam-lock buckle system.
• Cambrelle lining
• Slim, cool non-bootie design.
• Rigid, shock resistant, anatomically shaped heel for maximum protection.
• Split grain leather inner anti-wear/heat panel.
• Single Flex System upper.

What type of boot do you prefer instead? I ask because I find most racing boots so uncomfortable that I wouldn't actually wear them (and protection you aren't wearing does no good). And most slightly-more-comfortable motorcycle boots offer little more protection than a pair of work boots. I don't think I'll go out and buy a pair of Motocross boots, but it's an interesting topic.

I think this is my solution.

The EVO Sports on this page.

My link

Should show up next week. Took a little of my tax return and bought something nice for myself. I have a pair of the Daytona Roadstar GTX boots and they are super comfortable and extremely well made and I've been told the EVO Sports are very comfortable but offer much more protection.