Search Results for: gear

Robin Dean Nov 12, 2020 CommentsShare!

Cold Weather Gear: Your Ride, Your Terms

Winter can be unpredictable. Some days are rideable and others, not so much. That means choosing the right cold weather motorcycle gear is a day-to-day process.

As the temps drop, companies everywhere start hurling an overhand pitch about their "latest and greatest" winter ridewear. Which products meet the hype depends on our will to study the reviews.

Outside of dedicated ATGATT, a lot of the cold weather motorcycle gear we want may be hiding in our dresser drawers. What I'm suggesting is that we still face the cold while off the bike. Insulating layers, electric and/or chemical based warming and armored wind blockers fit the bill whether they display motorcycle specific branding or not.

Robin Dean Jun 15, 2020 CommentsShare!

Hot Weather Motorcycle Riding Gear

Enter Spring, the most confusing season for anyone who's ever ridden north or south as an inaugural opener. My midwestern friends tell me it's rainy and cool where I'm headed. Here in Texas, however, I'm already exploring hot weather motorcycle riding gear for summer's eventual heatwave.

The riddle in finding summer riding gear lies in the balance between ventilation and protective armor. Being an ATGATT subscriber, I prefer riding attire that offers both without compromise.

Without fueling the argument of armor versus ventilation, let's look at some of the better motorbike riding equipment on the market. We'll build from the ground up: boots, pants, cooling, jacket, gloves and helmet. Any combination of the following will help you stay chill under pressure.

Robin Dean Feb 6, 2018 CommentsShare!

Quick-Tow Gear For Locally Stranded Bikes

Full disclosure, whenever I see a big ride on my calendar that's more than five hours away, I prepare our three-chock trailer to do its duty. Illinois being mostly flat, it's an easy way to dodge unnecessary miles on the odometer while packing a few otherwise scaled down favorites. Better tools, camping gear, maybe a guitar shaped inflatable pool ... whatever the item, placing it safely and securely in our tow vehicle before hauling our prize ride(s) is nothing if not convenient.

But what about when we're 'round townin' it? Those days when our "runs well but nowhere near tour-ready" machine induces a grin, beckoning us to bake its engine to a dry cook via ten miles of moderate but entertaining speeds? In a polar winter or equatorial blaze, any chance of such a joyride stranding us could trigger panic attacks. Remember, though that we're motorcyclists. If any one of my friends (or enemies) called me on the phone with chattering teeth asking for their bike to be rescued from the roadside, I'd remove every one of my flock from the garage, roll out my pull-behind and ask them where I was headed ... if this were my only trailer.

That's a lot of work to rush through before hitting the road for your own or someone else's mechanical mishap. Fortunately, a variety of receiver accessories can be trusted to get what is essentially a local job done. Some hitch-mounted for single-wheel use, others folding for complete lift, let's look at two small, cheap and lightweight options one might consider as permanent furniture in the back of their four-wheeled hero.

Robin Dean Feb 25, 2014 CommentsShare!

Roadgear Motorcycle Boots ... Waterproof ✓

The problem is, they're no longer being manufactured! We've since switched to Tourmaster motorcycle boots for their quality and competitive pricing. What about you? Tell us what boots you're rockin'! Read on to see why mid-priced Roadgear motorcycle boots set the bar so high.

We properly and scientifically tested Roadgear motorcycle boot's no-get-wet-imication. It's important that any person conducting similar tests have a basic concept of everyday physics. Short of diving boots, a buyer shouldn't expect to put on a new pair of kicks, jump into the deep end of a public swimming pool (naked, because yeah) and arrive at the surface with their hair dry and stylistically intact. That's not how our battle with the elements was designed.

Riding dry through wet conditions requires a top-down strategy that I'm beginning to understand. Now, consider that for a second. By top-down, what I mean is that every item you're wearing must act as a shielding buffer for that which is below it.

Robin Dean Sep 8, 2020 CommentsShare!

Motorcycle Camping: A Pandemic Vacation

I've written a few motorcycle camping articles in my day but this year is a whole different bag. With a pandemic in play, moto-camping is one of the few remaining combination activities we can easily reach for as a getaway. With in-depth articles popping up everywhere, this writing aims to keep you both safe and sane while you're off the beaten path.

Not all camping trips are created equal! There's planning, packing and two mindsets to keep track of. One is on the bike, the other off. Coordinating both can be a challenge for even seasoned riders. As far as social distancing is concerned, let's just agree that it's a planned default.

Now, our route and gear are only as useful as our tolerance for the unexpected. Planning and testing are the closest thing to pre-ride certainty we'll ever see. With that, let's get right to it: routing, gear selection and packing for the Covid-19 dodging motorcycle camper.

Robin Dean Jul 14, 2020 CommentsShare!

The Best Summer Motorcycle Jacket Is ...

In a previous article, I take aim at the word "best" where summer riding gear is concerned. Six components from helmet to boot including "best summer motorcycle jacket" are broken down until a handful of unique products remain. Each target a different kind of rider but all grip safety with a certain paranoia, the kind that only motorcycle riders can relate to.

The jackets mentioned include Sedici's Alexi, Scorpion's Optima, Olympia's Hudson, Revit's Defender Pro as well as Wind and Joe Rocket's Velocity. Each bring to the table some viable combination of armor, appeal, reflection, stitching and lightweight function over form ... over function. I own two of these jackets, so deciding what's right for spontaneous summer riding is a bit easier.

This time around, however, I'm faced with that 3rd or 33rd motorcycle gear purchase. You know, the one among many that screams from a shelf so high that you can see condors circling below it. It's gotta be not just a "great" motorcycle jacket but the best summer motorcycle jacket money (*ahem* the limited but easily exacerbated funds in my bank account) can buy.

Robin Dean Nov 25, 2019 CommentsShare!

Power Up! An SAE/USB Port Comparison

Electronic motorcycle accessories are the norm among sport touring enthusiasts. While that might seem to validate just about any motorcycle USB port install, reliable performance is still key. That's especially true while in transit, riding at speed.

The list of available SAE to USB products is blindingly long. Five motorcycle USB ports we're honed in on are each worth buying for their individual features. The rest are a bit of a fog show, so let this article serve as a filter for the best.

Which brings me to criteria. Keeping our motorcycle USB port options diverse and worth their weight in scratch means a few specifics. Size, performance, reliability, installation and cost covers it. Let's look at which small, easy-install motorcycle USB ports kick the most butt on a light dime.

Robin Dean Aug 19, 2019 CommentsShare!

Dry Bag Ditty: The Waterproof Duffel Deal

Waiting in the eye of a hurricane work week, on that day off that just screams "boss gonna needja", a motorcycle dry bag sits idle. It's hidden well enough to forget about, but with the right amount of adrenaline ... you won't.

In it lies everything necessary for a great motorcycle trip.

Morning arrives. The alarm goes off. Your smartphone gets itchin' to spell out "Do Not Answer!" while some musAc version of Darth Vader's theme bellows from it's tin can speaker.

Robin Dean May 20, 2019 CommentsShare!

This Isn't Just A Motorcycle Helmet Lock

It's a bit more than that. A retractable motorcycle helmet lock recently stole my "KISS" (keep it simple, stupid) prize for some duration, offering enough cable length to secure my ATGATT riding jacket as well. Smaller than a bar of soap, the product I'm growing savvy to gets easily overlooked for all of the right reasons.

Years back, my first helmet cost me just shy of a hundred bucks. While today I'm not hemorrhaging disposable dollars for whatever Schuberth aims to rake, I do enjoy the quiet, comfortable protection offered by higher shelf brands like Shoei and Arai. With bigger price tags than entry-level noggin' cradles, I prefer said investment not walk off in someone else's hands.

That's why I ordered something that can secure all of my riding gear to the bike at once. I figure it's better to tick multiple boxes with one purchase where possible. Many go the "lock helmet to motorcycle seat" route (D-ring to mechanism). I'm now able to secure my riding attire using a motorcycle helmet lock that, well ... wasn't intended for motorcycle helmets.

Tom Burns Apr 1, 2019 CommentsShare!

A Stealthy Approach To The 2019 IMS

Most people attending the Progressive International Motorcycle Show bee-line toward the new bikes they've been reading about and drooling over all winter. We can finally see the real deal, not just a 2D image on a computer screen or in a magazine. We can finally jump on it, grab some brake, check the ergonomics and petition the vendors with all the pertinent questions.

A lot of IMS attendees scan for bike manufacturer's booths upon entering the show. Not me, I put my excitement in check and head straight toward the back of the room. Most everything in the back is an afterthought. That's the space all the farkle vendors and bedazzlers occupy.

I like to make my way up and down these aisles while I still have some patience. There are some good equipment vendors scattered about. It's paid off previously in discovering the amazing Uclear helmet speakers and procuring an amazing deal on a Sena S-20. There are also some serious vendors worth spending time with like Total Control and No-Mar Tire Changers.