Sidi Boots: Recommended Sources?

I really like my Sidi On Road boots, the soles wore out and I had new soles put on the boot, far better than paying $325 for another pair. I think it was $65 to resole the boots. Just an option as the lugs on the soles are rather thin.

knary said:

The Sidi Crossfire SRS for a commute and street riding is like taking a Abrams tank to a station wagon fight. It's a very odd choice.

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Crossfire TAs, not SRS... and yes, it is an odd choice.

Were it not for my broken ankle which is still on the mend coupled with the unique design of the Crossfire I would have never considered an MX boot for the road and may still live to regret the odd choice.

Just trying on the Crossfires I was really amazed at how comfortable they were. I tried on a pair of Sidi Discovery boots as well and actually preferred the fit and feel of the Crossfire, never mind the lateral bracing. I also looked at the road racing boots and, again, they just didn't have the lateral bracing I was looking for.

Time will tell if it was a wise choice and/or if I'll wear them beyond a few months. However, given the choice between not riding for a few more months and wearing what seem like a ski-boot you can actually walk in and shift with, I'll take the ski boot.

I've got a pair of size 42 Sidis in almost new condition in my storage. MX-like, but I can't for the life of me remember the exact model. I can look on my Thursday day off if you're interested. They'd be around $85.00. I pranged my knee severely in a drunk-driver run into my bike road-incident. I'm not sure I'll ever have a knee re-habbed enough to use the boots. PM me if you're interested. ,

TandemGeek said:

Crossfire TAs, not SRS... and yes, it is an odd choice.

Were it not for my broken ankle which is still on the mend coupled with the unique design of the Crossfire I would have never considered an MX boot for the road and may still live to regret the odd choice.

Just trying on the Crossfires I was really amazed at how comfortable they were. I tried on a pair of Sidi Discovery boots as well and actually preferred the fit and feel of the Crossfire, never mind the lateral bracing. I also looked at the road racing boots and, again, they just didn't have the lateral bracing I was looking for.

Time will tell if it was a wise choice and/or if I'll wear them beyond a few months. However, given the choice between not riding for a few more months and wearing what seem like a ski-boot you can actually walk in and shift with, I'll take the ski boot.

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Irish1 - not looking for books just wanted to say I am sorry to hear about your accident and wishing you a speedy and full recovery

Irish1 said:

I've got a pair of size 42 Sidis in almost new condition in my storage.

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PM sent.

For those who are still following the thread, I received my Sidi Crossfire TAs on Monday. The right boot was a perfect fit, but my still swollen left foot and ankle made for a tight fit in the left boot... not so tight that I couldn't wear them, but it's definitely snug. On the bright side, under all of that 'armor' is a leather boot that gives a bit on the TA with the normal sole and the TA was a bit wider than the SRS as expected which is why they fit. There's no way a 42 SRS would have worked.

The first thing to go on the boots were the toe caps held on by 3 screws and 5 nails each and that vastly improved the footing when backing the bike up and, well, did away with the Harley Bad-Ass look. Walking around isn't all that bad once the boots start to wear-in; however, they make more noise than a pair of new corduroy pants: squeak, squeak, squeak. I'm hoping that will go away as the smooth plastic parts that are rubbing against each other get scuffed up and wear-in. If not, no big deal as I'm already a bit of a sight when I walk-in to work in my gear each day. Speaking of gear, the boots are a tight fit under my leather overpants, but should be a good fit under the textile overpants I tend to wear in both the warmer and cooler weather.

As for wearing them on the bike, I had to raise the shifter to the highest, all-screwed-in position so that the toe box would fall under the shifter after finding that I was using the side of the boot to shift on the first 'test ride'. Even though the boots are pretty massive and felt a bit cumbersome on the first ride to work, on each successive trip they've gotten to be a bit more familiar and shifting has almost become intuitive... again, remembering I've been in a cast and unable to ride for the past three months. Moreover, I just switched over to the R11S in early January after 8 years on my CBR1100: the shifting was balky to begin with compared to the 'bird. Lest I digress... The biggest 'issues' I've had with the big boots and the added bulk around the upper part of my lower leg were:


If I didn't have the busted ankle these would not have been my first choice for a dedicated road boot. But, with just two days of using them on the bike, they ain't all that bad on the road either. What I do know now is, even if I didn't go for the armor-plated MX boots, I'd be looking for something with a bit more protection than the Oxtar and AlpineStar Goretex lightweights I had been wearing as they were comfy and stayed dry in the rain, but they just didn't offer much in the way of reinforcement and protection of the lower leg and ankle.

More to follow after I spend a few weeks on the bike with the boots.

Now THOSE are some BOOTS man! Wow...I just got some Italian boots (Vendramini) and they were like wearing tennis shoes. I sent them back and am back in the market. Do they make something in between those Sidis and a more subdued looking street boot? I like the idea of armor but not sure if Im ready for all-out MX boots.

bmdubyou said:

Do they make something in between those Sidis and a more subdued looking street boot? I like the idea of armor but not sure if Im ready for all-out MX boots.

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Unfortunately, while there are a boat load of really nice boots in the Sidi line, this was the only one that was laterally rigid enough for what I was looking for. However, just to be clear, even these would not prevent a broken ankle if you got your foot turned around under your bike. That would require a ski boot and, well, that ain't gonna work.

That said, there are some pretty nice boots in the Sidi line-up
http://www.motonation.com/sidihome.asp

If I were starting over from scratch and not nursing a broken ankle back to health, I'd have given strong consideration to the touring On-Road or Discovery Rain off-road boots vs. the Charger or my over-the-top-for-the-road Crossfire TA.

Of course, the more I ride around in my Crossfires..... everything else, even road racing boots, seem a bit puny.

I've been wearing the Strada Rains for about 9 years and love them. I bought them direct from motonation...I think at the time, the model was called Strada Tepor...They work great...

30 Day Update

It's been 30 days since I started to make my daily commutes in the Sidi Crossfires.

Overall: No complaints, no issues and lots of laterial support for my still-mending broken left ankle.

Squeaks: A full coating of Sno-Seal Beeswax Waterproofing material to the leather or lorica portions of the boot eliminated all of the squeaks that were coming from the dry contact points between the leather/lorica and plastic outer components.

On the Bike: It actually feels pretty good to have a snug fitting, full-height boot on all of the time, more so that I originally expected. Temps have just started to tickle the 90's here in Atlanta and, at least on my 30 - 45 minute commute, I don't find my feet or legs to be overheating, noting I wear a pair of Fieldsheer Four-Season mesh overpants that cover the ankle-up of the boot. They were also nice and toasty on the one day this month where the temps dipped back into the 30's on one of the morning rides. As for shifting and braking, shifting is not as intuitive as it is in a more pliable all-leather touring boot, but no different than what you'd experience riding GS / enduro in off-road boots. Frankly, I'm still not fully acclimated to the horribly clunky BMW transmission (having ridden a silky-smooth Honda CBR for the last decade) and find that to be far more annoying than the bulky boots. Again, all-in-all, they're isn't a profound downside to the use of these boots for my daily commutes.

Off the Bike: Getting in and out of the boots is clearly not as easy as a slip-on, velcro-closure touring boots. However, it's not all that bad either. You simply close up the inner, velco-closure leather part of the boot and then engage the four cam-like latches: clik, clik, clik, clik, then repeat for the 2nd boot. Just as easy to get off as well. The fit is always the same and very snug given the way the Sidi retention system works. Walking around is a little clunky since the sole doesn't flex (as freely as a touring boot), but otherwise they're very comfortable. I have what is probably close to a 1/4 mile walk from the parking lot to my office that includes a 15* ramp and 6 flites of stairs. The weight of the boots becomes very obvious once I hit about the 4th flite of stairs: good cardio workout each AM. Walking up the ramp on the way to the parking lot is also a bit more effort than walking on flat land. From a visual perspective, as I already noted I wear overpants every day so the massive upper parts of the boots and 3 of the 4 buckles are all hidden from view and don't draw attention.

Bottom Line: I'm extremely happy with the boots. Great protection and support on the bike and no negatives as far as commuting use goes. However, they are probably not well-suited for long walks or hikes off the bike, unless you're looking for a good workout given their hefty composition. Moreover, whereas I could sometimes cheat and wear my Oxtar or Alpinstar boots all day at work, the Sidi boots must most definitely be stashed under the desk.

Understanding your injury and need for support I can see why you chose a full boot but man, that is a lot of shoe.
When I started back into riding three years ago I bought a pair of BMW Santiagos (43) and I think I've worn them two or three times. Support? Yes. Too much boot for me? YES!
Then I went to the opposite end of the spectrum and bought a pair of BMW Street Sneakers. I like everything but the lace-ups. And I found I was looking for a little more sole (it's an inseam thing).
So that takes me to my present Sidi Escapes. Easy in and out (some might say too easy) and the sole is the right height for me. The other boots are collecting dust now as I wear the Escapes in all weather.

BTW I'm thinking of moving the Santiagos if anyone is interested, give me a PM, still have the box and other than being dusty these boots are cherry.

I'm glad you found a boot to your liking. Let us know if you still like them after you no longer require the support for your ankle.

Aerostich sells a "Combat Touring" and "Combat Lite Touring" boot, which are both made by Sidi.

I've been wearing my Combat Lite touring boots for three years now, and have about 30,000 miles of riding on them. They look like they're good for at least another 30,000 miles, if not more.

This Seattle-area 'rounder is pleased to report that the boots are completely waterproof - and nice and toasty in cold and cool weather. When it gets warm outside, I'll wear two pairs of thinner socks to help manage the moisture that accumulates inside.

I did add a pair off "SuperFeet" insoles to make the boots more comfortable for walking around.

I highly recommended these boots!
http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Aerostich-Combat-Lites-Boots-p-16559.html

Purchased a pair of "Combat Lite" boots from Aerostich last month and these are great! Still working on the break in but they just get better every ride. I used Sidi MX boots during my racing years and the Combat Lites give me what I want in a boot.

About four or five months ago one could purchase the previous version (four fastening straps) of the Sidi On Roads for a substantial reduction when compared to the price of the latest version (supposed to be easer to take on and off) that seemed to be priced the same at most if not all of the vendors with whom I spoke. If I recall correctly the previous version was selling online at some of the vendors for about $225.00 and the latest version was $325.00.

I put off the purchase for a couple of months and the previous models got hard to find in the size that I required. Actually almost impossible. I located one pair at a dealership somewhere in San Fran but they were priced more than the newer version at the online retailers. I guess the old saying "if you snooze you loose" proved true.

I just ordered a pair of the latest version of the Sidi On Roads from New Enough.com. They were the same price as everyone else on the Internet plus a $12.00 shipping allowance. New Enough seemed pretty nice to work with. It's the second purchase that I have made from them.

I did notice that Extreme Supply had a lot of Sidi boots listed on e-bay. I made a couple of offers on the previous model of the On Roads in my size but they were unwilling to negotiate the offer that I made (about $125.00 less than the online price for the latest version).

Final decision; a few dollars here and there ain't worth it to me...but $125.00 would have been!

PGlaves said:

Pure opinion follows:

I have had 3 pairs of Sidi boots. After a few years I wore out a pair of On-Roads. Bought a second pair of On-Road boots. A couple of years later I wanted the convenience of the side zipper so bought a pair of Thunder boots. Eventually wore them out too. I still had/have the second pair of On-Road boots, but last summer while spending the summer on the road the Thunder boots were pretty well worn, and stopped being waterproof. I bought a pair of inexpensive boots at the rally in Gillette. Back home over the non-summer (no real winter here) I have been mostly wearing the On-Road boots. Heading out this summer I plan to wear (out) the Concours boots I bought last year - and expect to replace them with another pair of Sidi boots - Thunder or equivalent current model.

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Paul, you don't find the On-Roads too hot in the summer? I take one look at them and think sweat factory in Texas summers. I ask because my BMW Contours, after five years and ~40,000 miles of cool weather wear, are about done and I'll be in the market for another pair of heavier cool weather boots. Sidi's On-Roads are on my list. As are the Daytona GTX Road Stars.

wezul said:

Let us know if you still like them after you no longer require the support for your ankle.

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Well, I decided to put on my Alpinestar Web Gore-tex boots today just to see how they'd feel after wearing the Crossfire's for the past 8 weeks...



It was quite interesting to discover how unsubstantial the Alpinestars felt in just about all respects. The 'feel' was on par with the difference I've felt between wearing an un-padded leather jacket and one that has full CE soft armor.

The ergo's weren't all that different either, e.g., ease of shifting, braking and the like. On put another way, after a very short initial break-in period the Crossfires didn't present any issues with regard to the operation of a street bike.

Now, what also became clear is that my ankle is perhaps at 70%, my foot is still somewhat swollen and wearing the less supportive boots was premature. However, that said and in answer to the question above... I like the Crossfires even more now than I did on yesterday's commute.

Clearly, this is a very personal preference noting that I also tolerate wearing a pair of black armored mesh overpants and a black armored mesh jacket here in the Atlanta area on weeks like the past two when temps were pushing triple digits in the shade. In this regard, the Crossfires are on par with the rest of the gear in that while I find I get warm I don't feel like I need to rip off the gear to cool off as soon as I can.

Anyway, that's the latest update.

And on the second day...

I opted to wear the Alpinestars again yesterday as I had an off-site meeting and didn't want to carry a pair of shoes to put on after I arrived, which is clearly a must-do with the Crossfires.

The Alpinestars felt a lot more familiar on the second day, albeit still far less protective and supportive than the Crossfires.

However, I was quickly reminded of why I really liked wearing the 3/4 touring boot when I arrived at the conference center and was able to spend the entire day enjoying the comfort and inconspicuous look under my black Lee jeans all day.

Hmmm. The allure of convenience (not having to change boots) and comfort (motorcycle boots have always been more comfortable than most shoes) doth weigh heavy against the belt & suspenders / risk mitigation value of dealing with the Crossfires. This is, of course, analogous to all of our 'gear' decisions:

- No helmet vs. tupperwear vs. open face vs. multi vs. full face
- No jacket vs. leather jacket vs. armored leather/textile
- Shorts vs. slacks vs. denim vs. overpants vs. armored leather/textiles

Just where do you draw the line between prudence and overkill....

wezul said:

Let us know if you still like them after you no longer require the support for your ankle.

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Still wearing 'em most, but not all of the time.

They're a bit of a hassle to get into some of my bulkier cold weather overpants but patience and technique usually prevail in short order.

Under the premise of "overkill" I have been shopping around again and looking at the Sidi On-Road and Discovery boots. However, when I look at what I've got and consider what they'd sell for vs. the cost of the replacement boots I continue to rationalize why I'm probably better off sticking with the Crossfires.

Now, I will note, they aren't nearly as warm as my AlpineStar Goretex boots but I suspect a better pair of socks would level the playing field.

New 'Adventure' boot from Sidi looks like it could be the sweet spot for me....

As noted in my December update, the Sidi Crossfire TA's have been great boots where the only issue I've encountered surfaced once the super cold temps hit: the somewhat beefy calf-area and two upper buckles can make getting over pants and one-piece suits with quilted linings on a bit of a challenge.

I suspect if I wore XL or larger pants it wouldn't be an issue, but the Large pants + liners really put the zippers on my Highland pants & suit to the torture test as the pants legs end up being stretched at their seams to fit around the boot.

Anyway, I came up with a trick whereby I can get the pants zipped up around the boot tops by zipping up the legs before pulling the pants all the way by taking advantage of the more roomy calf and knee area vs. the more narrow lower leg and calf. Of course, the problem here is, once you assume a riding position the zippers and seams are once again pulled to their limits as the pants try to ride up to a more natural position.

Like I said, this is the only downside I've found to the TA's... well, at least as a commuter boot with maximum support for a still mending, formerly broken ankle. However, I just notice that Sidi has release a new boot called the "Adventure' which looks like the On-Road boot with the ankle and mid-foot 'armor' of the Crossfire boot, to include two of the nifty Sidi buckles that make getting a custom fit a repeatable process every time you put the boot on.

So, at this point I've put my Crossfires up for sale on the Adventure Rider board just to see if there's any interest. If someone is willing to buy them for a reasonable price, then I'll be giving the 'Adventure' boots a go...

Discount on Sidi

Bikebandit.com carries Sidi and gives a 10% discount to AMA members. If you're not already an AMA member this is another reason to join.

Another recent development at Sidi is that they now offer a couple of models for people with wide feet. I recently purchased a pair of their Mega Rain touring boots and can attest to the fact that they really are wide width. My previous Sidi's were great in other ways but were always a bit on the tight side for me. The Mega's solved that problem.

John Peck
Maple City, Mi