Gear

Call me shallow, but at this early stage of my indoctrination to two-wheeled motor transport, I think that one of the best parts about riding is the gear. There’s tons of it!

Every gear wholesaler or retailer has their own ‘house brand,’ the major manufacturers all have different lines of clothing for the various markets, and every year brings new entrants to the game.

I suppose that I like the kinds things sold to motorcycle riders so much because each item is a careful blend of form and function. I believe this is because the motorcycling industry itself is sill in the early stages of a rather precipitous boom. I cannot think of any other industry that is more accessible to the ‘average joe,’ while still not selling out it’s adventurous roots by creating all kinds of crap that nobody needs but every one wants, besides the motorcycling accessories industry.

Seriously, have you ever taken a good hard look at what is available just in the way of riding gloves? Not only does every manufacturer seem to segment their target markets differently, but each seems to have their own design philosophy and therefore offers a tiered level of products to each segment.

New technologies show up in riding apparel every year, so major manufacturers like Alpine Stars, Fox Racing, Joe Rocket, Tour Master, or even Dainese will update their gear every few years, unless they find a real winner! AeroStitch (one of my personal favorites) has built a tremendous business by selling the same Darien, Falstaff, and Roadcrafter riding jackets and suit lines for at least the past 20 years, perhaps with just the occasional update for materials, processes, and technology enhancements.

Taking the time to drive around town, visit all of the bike shops, and trying on all of the jackets is, in my opinion, time well spent. This is partially due to my belief that no person should ever compromise on protection, and there may be something out there that is better than what you have in your closet already. I also believe that the experience will provide anyone with at least an afternoon’s-worth of entertainment, should one take the time to examine the features and compromises every manufacturer offers to it’s customers.

Joe Rocket, for example, has an exquisite touring jacket called the Alter Ego. It sports all kinds of well-thought-out features like velro-sealed mesh panels that can be opened by simply finding the little rubber nubbin at the end of the string (quite easy to do with riding gloves on), and pulling on the line to open the otherwise water-resistant shell to allow more ventilation on the road. Brilliant!