Saturday, September 15, 2007

ATGATT

All the gear all the time; dress for the fall (and I don't mean autumn); a mantra I've heard on the Rebel board fairly often and one I try to follow.

Here is my gear:

My first jacket I purchased is the first one that fit me. It is a bit difficult to find functional motorcycle gear for women. Most women's gear seems to be made for small children. And I'm not that large, fairly average sized, but I'd like some thing that will actually protect me if need be and not just make me look like a fashion statement.

Joe Rocket Lotus Jacket was my first jacket because it fit and I needed one. I wish I'd waited and taken the time to search around but I was anxious to ride and didn't want to ride without protection. It has a large reflective patch on the back. I like it, but it is too hot in the summer and not quite warm enough in the winter. Which prompted me to purchase a First Gear Mesh Tex 2 for summer riding. Yellow and black for visibility because there isn't much reflectivity on the jacket. Great summer jacket. It comes with a full liner so when it cools a bit in the evening I can put the liner in and am still comfy. The Joe Rocket only has a vest liner. I bought the mesh jacket from New Enough only because MotoGear Outlet didn't have the color I wanted in my size.

But, MotoGear Outlet is where I try to buy all my gear. They are close to my house and the service is awesome. I purchased the Tour Master Transition Jacket there. It has a quilted full liner, lots of pockets, lots of fitting adjustments in the arms and waist, reflective piping and patches and fits well. It also matches the pants I also bought at MotoGear Outlet.

Olympia Airglide II Pants are my favorite piece of gear. They are mesh pants and I wouldn't have been enjoying my ride nearly as much this summer if I didn't have them. They are cooler than wearing my jeans. I have the silver pair so they aren't as warm as my dark jeans. They breathe better too and of course offer much more protection should I need it. Armor in the knees and padding in the hips. I can wear them over other pants or even over shorts. They come with a quilted rain liner. The lighter color also alerted me to a leak I was having. I noticed one leg was dirtier than the other around the shin and ankle. Turns out my speedo cable was broken and not properly attached to the bike.

I'd also purchased a pair of Olympia mens pants that were on the clearance rack at a local dealership. They aren't mesh so I plan to wear them if the airglides aren't warm enough. They came with a rain liner. The two liners are interchangeable so I should be well equipped during the colder weather.

On ebay I purchased some mens Joe Rocket leather boots because they match my hubby's. They are good riding boots but not very good for walking around. I'd like to upgrade at some point. I liked the mens boots better than womens boots because I don't like the high heels. What I'd like to try are some Milwaukee Motorcycle Clothing Company Texas Logger Boots. It seems the web site doesn't link to these anymore so I'm not sure I can get them.

I also have a couple of pairs of gloves. Some pink mesh Joe Rocket gloves to match my jacket. And a warmer pair of gray gloves. I have a hard time with warmer gloves. They seem to be too big for me and I feel like I can't control or feel the grips. I'm still looking for some that will be comfortable and warm. But, we'll probably add some grip heaters to help with that issue as well.

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