| Women’s And Men’s Leather Motorcycle Jackets And Their Textile And |
17 Jul |
Women’s And Men’s Leather Motorcycle Jackets And Their Textile And Mesh Counterparts.
Mens leather jackets for motorcycle riders have always been available in many designs and forms, however recently women’s leather motorcycle have also become available. These jackets are especially made to fit a ladies figure. Before this women riders had to make do with a small leather jacket that was designed for a mans physique and not a woman, therefore a perfect fit was never achieved. Most manufactures of apparel these days have recognized that more women are riding bikes then ever before as well as the fact that they have been passengers for a long time and where never properly addressed. Well that has now changed and women can now choose from many a motorcycle leather jacket.
Leather has always been the preferred choice of material for a jacket. The leather offers protection from road rash. That is if quality materials are used and stitched together and re enforced properly. We recommend you buy all your apparel from a brand name manufacture. This insures that you are truly going to get some protection out of the jacket because it will be made from quality material, where as you can buy cheap leather jackets made in Pakistan and India for a lot less but you will find that most of these are a very inferior product compared to a Icon, Agv Sport or an Arlen Ness piece. You should be able to find a quality men’s or women’s motorcycle leather jacket from any of those manufacturers.
Textile and Mesh are the newest thing in motorcycle jackets where as before these highly durable materials were introduced the best you could do to get a warm weather riding jacket was too get a leather perforated one. The perforations are designed to let air pass thru while still giving you protection. Now with new mesh and textile materials made from Kevlar and the like you can get almost the same protection from a jacket made from Mesh then a leather piece. These new materials have a high abrasion resistance and do not tear easily. Also most of the garments made from the mare double stitched to prevent a tear at the seams. Icon as well as Agvsport and Alpinestars make some quality mesh and textile motorcycle riding jackets for men and women both.
So now a days you have a choice in materials. Decide whichever suits your needs best and is going to be the most comfortable to wear. Comfort is very important when it comes to riding apparel since if you do not feel comfortable in the item you are not likely to wear it in the long run. Personally I have two jackets one from mesh and one from leather, that way when its cold outside I can wear the thicker leather one that also has a insulated insert to help keep me warm and on warm days I can wear the mesh one and have all the protection as well as comfort to ride all day. I do have to admit I prefer the look of my leather motorcycke jacket to the mesh just because its a more old school look.
Tags: Arlen Ness, Durable Materials, Inferior Product, Jacket Leather, Kevlar, Leather Jackets, Leather Motorcycle Jackets, Leather Piece, Motorcycle Leather Jacket, Motorcycle Riders, Perfect Fit, Perforations, Preferred Choice, Quality Material, Quality Materials, Quality Men, Riding Bikes, Road Rash, Textile Materials, Warm WeatherRelated posts
read comments (0)| Preparing Your Car For Warm Weather Driving |
12 Jun |
Now that the warm weather has finally arrived, everyone will be anxious to take road trips, scenic drives and just cruise around in the warmth glow of the sun. With that being said, if you fail to prepare your car for the warm weather, you may end up foregoing your nice summer drive for a day filled with car repairs. The best way to avoid this is to get your car ready for driving in warm weather and to help you do that, this article is geared toward providing you with tips to make sure that your summer is one filled with sunny days.
Before you head out of the driveway, take a quick glance around. Everyone thinks to look under the hood for potential car problems, but not everyone thinks to check the surrounding area. If you see oil where you have parked your car, you may have a problem and will want to have your car checked by a professional before taking it out for a drive.
Be sure to check all of your cars fluid levels. This includes the engine, transmission, cooling system, power steering, brake fluid and washer fluid. When it is time to replace them, be sure to purchase high-quality fluids to help improve the performance and dependability of each function. In addition, regularly changing old fluids will go along way in helping your car to remain weather friendly.
While driving, make sure to watch your temperature gauges so that you will know if your car begins to overheat. This is one of the most common causes of preventable breakdowns during the warm summer months because it is especially easy for a car to overheat during this time. Replace your antifreeze if its more than several years old and have a mechanic to inspect your car if the problem continues.
Upgrading your oil to a high-performance synthetic motor oil may help to improve your cars overall health, so dont cut any costs when it comes to buying oil for your car.
Make sure that your belts and hoses are inspected after adding fluids. A problematic belt may cause the engine to overheat. A hose may need to be replaced if it has any cracks or corrosion. Always keep an eye out for blistered, hard or spongy hoses and have them replaced immediately.
Always clean battery terminals, hinges and latches. In addition, keep your tires properly inflated by checking the air pressure each time you buy gasoline.
Tags: Antifreeze, Belts, Brake Fluid, Breakdowns, Car Problems, Car Repairs, Cooling System, Dependability, Engine Transmission, High Performance, Hoses, Mechanic, Power Steering, Road Trips, Scenic Drives, Sunny Days, Synthetic Motor Oil, Warm Weather, Warmth Glow, Washer FluidRelated posts
| What Kind Of Motorcycle Gloves Do I Need? |
9 Jun |
When it comes to motorcycle gloves there are a lot of choices, some of these depend on your riding style and what you want to wear. I personally like full fingered gloves but a lot of guys that ride cruiser’s will not wear a glove at all or they wear half fingered gloves. These look a lot like weight training gloves where the palm and top of the fingers are covered but the tips are exposed. The advantage to these gloves is that you don’t loose all the sensitivity where with a totally closed glove you will. Also the short fingered motorcycle gloves will keep your hands from sweating. Hatch makes a really nice pair of these gloves called shorty gloves. Hatch makes quality gloves so I would recommend those if you like short fingered gloves.
Short fingered gloves are a favorite of the cruiser crowd. I guess they go with the whole image and they do offer some protection in case you go down. I have seen a guys hand that had a spill without any gloves on and the road took all the meat of the palm of his hand. Not a real nice feeling I am guessing, therefore it is essential to wear some sort of hand protection when you are out riding. If you do fall I can almost guarantee 99 percent of the time your hands are going to touch that pavement and unless you have some leather on them your hands are asking for a serious case of road rash if youre lucky. So at a minimum a set of short fingered gloves will do the job nicely.
Full fingered gloves offer a bit more protection then their short fingered counterparts. Most of your sport bike crowd will use a full fingered glove. Some are gauntlet style or just a regular glove. Icon makes some really nice gauntlet style gloves as does AGV and Alpinestars. I personally own a pair of Alloy Alpinestars gloves which I have had for about 3 years now. These gloves are perforated and a are perfect for warm weather riding which is about 9 months out of the year where I live. I also like these gloves because they are simple and even when I am out on my chopper they look good where some of your more flashy hard core sport rider gloves are a bit to flashy for a cruiser these do double duty quite nicely. Icon also makes a set of gloves called pursuit gloves that are much along these lines. However if you want the ultimate in protection you will want to get a pair of gauntlet style road racing or track gloves. These types of gloves are made to really do the best job when it comes to protecting you in a spill. Most of them offer some sort of knuckle protection as well as a reinforced palm, also the seams are usually reinforced in order to ensure that the glove will stay in one piece under extreme conditions.
Ultimately the choice is yours, whether to wear gloves or not period. You will find that most bikers that have been riding for a while do wear some sort of hand protection. Their are many different styles of glove available so there is bound to be one that suits your needs. It doesn’t matter who makes them but I would recommend you go with a quality manufacturer of motorcycle apparel like Alpinestars, Hatch, Icon or AGVSport. When you go with one of them you can be ensured that the gloves you are getting are of the best quality and will do the job they are designed for.
Tags: 3 Years, 9 Months, Alloy, Counterparts, Crowd, Eve, Fingered Glove, Fingers, Gauntlet, Hatch Gloves, Motorcycle Gloves, Nice Feeling, Palm Of His Hand, Pavement, Quality Gloves, Road Rash, Spill, Sport Bike, Warm Weather, Weight TrainingRelated posts
| 10 Tips For Getting Your Car Ready For Warm Weather |
15 Nov |
10 Tips For Getting Your Car Ready For Warm Weather Driving
The first warm weekend of the season traditionally triggers a symphony of cleaning products, vacuums and garden hoses. But while you might be in a hurry to put a shine on your vehicle, it’s equally important to make sure it’s ready for the warm weather on the inside as well as the outside.
“The most critical areas to check after the harsh winter months are engine fluids, radiator hoses, belts, tires and brakes,” says Pat Goss, host of PBS’ “MotorWeek” and Washington Post automotive columnist. “Adequately preparing these key areas of the car before the weather warms up will not only keep you safe while driving, they’ll help prevent costly repairs.”
After battling months of snow, sleet and icy roads, your vehicle is undoubtedly in need of some serious care. To make your spring trouble-free, follow this 10-point checklist for safety, dependability and fuel economy.
1. Remove your winter tires and rotate all-season radials-If you have winter tires, it’s time to store them away. If you don’t have winter tires, it’s equally important to have all-season tires rotated or switched out for new ones.
2. Brake check-After a blistering winter, be sure to check your brakes. Warning signs include excessive grinding, squealing, screeching or chatter.
3. Wiper blades check-Wipers work hard over the winter months, wiping away dirt and debris on your windshield. Replace them in the spring before a shower makes it difficult to see.
4. Clean the underbody-In addition to washing the exterior, be sure to spray the underbody of your vehicle and underneath the rear and front bumpers to rinse away any salt build-up, which can lead to erosion and rusting. Use a high-pressure sprayer or garden hose for best results.
5. Apply a protectant-Any vinyl surface, such as the seats and the steering wheel, is susceptible to cracking, sun damage, and fading-so be sure to apply a protectant at the beginning of the season and touch-up regularly.
6. Change your oil-Give some thought to the kind of motor oil you have in your engine. Fully synthetic oils, such as Mobil 1, are specifically designed to protect your engine in hot weather, while optimizing your engine’s efficiency and reducing oil consumption. (For more information about Mobil 1, go to www.mobiloil.com.)
7. Check all fluids-In the winter months, fluids are easily depleted as your engine works harder in the colder weather. Make sure to check, top off or replace all fluids, including brake, transmission, coolant, power steering and windshield washer fluid.
8. Pressure test-Assess the pressure of the cooling system, and examine belts and hoses for wear or deterioration.
9. Interior clean-up-Vacuum and be sure to throw away any unwanted garbage that has hibernated under your seats over the winter. Now is also the time to store your winter car mats in the garage.
10. Wash your car-All vehicles regardless of the finish (clear coat, acrylic, enamel, etc.) require regular washing throughout the year. To preserve your car’s shine and protect the surface, wax your vehicle once it has dried completely.
“The warm weather is here-so be sure to follow these simple tips to ensure vehicle dependability in the warm months ahead,” says Goss. “By taking care of your vehicle, it will more likely take care of you. And it will do it for a lot less money.”
Tags: Costly Repairs, Critical Areas, Engine Fluids, Fuel Economy, Garden Hoses, Harsh Winter, Motorweek, Pat Goss, Point Checklist, Pressure Sprayer, Radiator Hoses, Season Radials, Snow Sleet, Steering Wheel, Sun Damage, Warm Weather, Warning Signs, Washington Post, Winter Tires, Wiper BladesRelated posts
| Finding Quality Motorcycle Jackets At A Reasonable Price |
13 Nov |
I can still remember the day I went and picked up my very first bike. I didn’t have a motorcycle jacket period so I used an old leather jacket that I had hanging in the closet. Little did I know that motorcycle jackets aren’t just made to look cool but that they have many life saving protective features built in to them. That is to say at least the ones that are made for sport bikes. Most of your traditional leather jackets like Fonzie used to wear don’t offer much real protection in the way of impact, however they do protect your skin from road rash if you actually buy a quality leather jacket that is made from thick leather.
Since that first day I have bought several motorcycle jackets. I bought my very first one made by Fieldsheer from an online site that sold used riding apparel. It cost me about $250. That seems like a lot but I have had that jacket for 8 years now and its still in great shape, besides that it offers re enforced panels and body armor in all the contact areas making it much safer for me if I do go down. For a quality motorcycle jacket that is made from a high grade leather and is properly stitched and re enforced $250 to $350 is a very reasonable price. You can find cheap generic no name jackets for much less, however the quality of those is really bad. I will tell you a story about buying one of those generic made in Pakistan type riding jackets in a sec. Anyhow I would go with a Quality name brand when it comes to motorcycle apparel. Icon motorcycle jackets and gear are probably the most popular these days and Icon doe make quality stuff that is always stylish to boot. The nice thing about Icon is that you will likely be able to find boots and gloves as well as a pair of riding pants to go with the jacket. Icon also makes some really nice jackets made from a Kevlar mesh that offer about the same protection as their leather counterparts but are great for riding in warm weather. If you live in a place like Houston like I do you know that most of the year its super hot so having a mesh jacket is a big plus. I have one of each myself. Ok back to the cheap jacket part. A few years back I bought a classic motorcycle jacket for one of my girlfriends. We were riding on my chopper a lot so it made sense to go that route. I went to a local place and found a jacket for about $100 and bought it. I thought I got a good deal. Well no I got a really cheap motorcycle jacket. The leather ended up tearing on the jacket within a month around the zippers. Then the zipper went south. That is the last time I bought a generic jacket.
When you start looking for a motorcycle jacket at a cheap price start looking on the web. You are much more likely to run in to a good deal then at your local dealer unless you have a friend at the dealership you are going to pay full nut there plus tax. Most online motorcycle shops will carry quality apparel by companies like, Joe Rocket, Alpinestars, Icon, AgvSport and Arlen Ness to name some of the more popular ones. Most online shops will offer the same jackets at a discount off somewhere around 10 to 15 percent off and unless they are in your state their is no tax to be paid. I know some people are still leery of buying stuff online, however rest assured that most online merchants are quite reputable. If you have any doubts some of the things to look for is that they give you a phone number to call, their is a contact us section that lets you email them, when you go thru the checkout process make sure the little lock appears at the top or at the bottom of your browser showing that the checkout section is encrypted. If you do run in to a place that is way cheaper then anyone else always ask yourself why. Most of the dealers online buy their products from the same source so if one guy is super cheap that may be an indication of something shady going on. Also on a side note if you don’t mind buying used stuff cheap you can try ebay. I have bought some really good stuff from there for next to nothing.
Tags: Body Armor, Fieldsheer, Grade Leather, Great Shape, Icon Motorcycle Jackets, Motorcycle Apparel, Motorcycle Jacket, Nice Thing, Old Leather, Protective Features, Quality Leather, Quality Motorcycle Jackets, Quality Name Brand, Riding Apparel, Riding Jackets, Road Rash, Sport Bikes, Thick Leather, Traditional Leather, Warm WeatherRelated posts
