| Motorcycles and Twowheelers: Motorcycle clothing and luggage - "Motocross Gear – Worn out of Necessity, Shaped over Time, Finished with Style" Wednesday, 20 August, 2008 | Home | Suggest a Link |
Formula 1 Fantasy LeagueWhen dirt bike racing was in its infancy riders wore whatever was available to protect themselves. Open faced helmets, Jofa pants, leather protection… as the protective equipment was not specifically made for dirt bike racing, riders looked more like confused hockey playing bikies than dirt bike racers!
As the sport (best sport in the world mind you :) ) became more popular, the growth was then able to sustain ‘parallel’ or complementary manufacturing industries. Companies like JT USA, Sinisalo etc. could now focus primarily on making only motocross gear.
More money was now being pushed into research and development of motocross gear, sponsorship of riders and marketing programs.
More emphasis was being placed on style, so colour was added to gear to match dirt bike colourings or just to be outrageous and different. Pink was big mid eighties (I did not say it was always in good taste).
Body armour moved to be worn over the top of race jerseys therefore it became more stylised to appeal to users, in itself becoming a fashion statement, but researched and tested to also be practical and offer maximum comfort. Today’s body armour has ‘floating’ shoulder cups as well as flexible back and side panels to cater for both sitting and standing positions when riding. Can come in a range of colour options including clear as well as built in kidney belts on some models.
Race pants received their own special treatment made out of heavy duty nylon with doubled stitching, extra room in the butt to cater for the crouched/sitting riding position as well as cordura, kevlar and leather panels in high wear areas such as the seat and knees. Spandex panels are used to allow for movement where necessary. A quality race pant will offer extra room in the knee area to allow for knee braces that more and more riders are wearing.
Jersey material went from cotton to sweat/moisture wicking polyester/cotton blends to offer greater comfort for prolonged periods of riding. Vented panels were placed in ‘hot spots’ and even little touches like rubber strips in the tail to hold them into the race pants on even the roughest ride.
Boots were being designed to deal with high impact landings and ultimate ankle protection, replaceable soles and buckles prolonging their use. They are now carefully constructed to avoid the damaging lateral and hyperextension movements around the ankle area.
Dirtbike gloves – choose them wisely and make sure they fit correctly. Some gloves are better suited to certain types of riding than others. Motocross gloves offer better feel for the rider with less padding in the palms. Enduro gloves can be the opposite with more padding to give greater comfort for longer rides.
Elbow protection can be found in a “sleeve” that also covers the forearms. Knee/shin guards are lighter as well as stronger and some hinder ‘lateral’ movement of the knee (gone are the days of using skateboarders' protection), although with the onset of lightweight, composite materials it is possible to have the ultimate in protection with knee braces.
All this protection would mean nothing if you cannot see. So it is very VERY important to properly protect one of your greatest assets (as well as one of the five senses) - your sight. Different goggle manufacturers have their own registered names for their lenses, but they basically mean the same thing – scratch resistant, shatterproof protection for your eyes.
So next time you go for a dirtbike ride, dress in the latest motocross gear and be comforted in the knowledge that you have minimized risk to your body as much as possible. That will allow you to focus on what you are there for… enjoying the ride!
The old saying is still as true as ever – “dress for the fall, not for the ride”.
A motorcycle helmet is one of those essentials that will help save your life should you have an accident while riding your bike. This will protect your head from a damaging and even potentially fatal head injury. Motorcycle helmets are so important that state lawmakers have even included a directive in the state laws that orders all people riding the motorcycle to wear helmets.
Some people though do not understand the importance of this accessory. In fact, some people do not even like wearing it because it is too heavy and too suffocating. Others find it a killjoy to not be
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Choosing the right Motorcycle helmet can make a difference….
….literally between life and death. But how does an ordinary guy in the street make an informed decision about what kind of helmets give the best protection? There are so many makes, models and styles. Not to mention DOT approved, Snell approved, ECE approved! It is enough to make you go goggle-eyed when confronted with so much information.
Tests have shown that it is perfectly possible to suffer a fatal injury falling off a stationary bike if you hit your unprotected head on the kerb, so clearly choosing the right helmet is important.
Most motorcyclists put their bikes away sometime around October or November, and leave them tucked up in the garage until March or April. Some of us are more foolish and ride all year round. Keeping the motorbike in good order through the winter requires work and I hope to write about this soon.
Keeping warm is the other problem. I have been riding through 15 winters now, and I have learnt an awful lot, mostly the hard way. It is a cold and fresh November day as I write this and I've been out on the bike. I would like to
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When you purchase leather clothing online or at a store, what exactly are you getting? We've been selling leather for a long time online. Time and time again, many people want to know more about leather types and quality to make sure they are receiving value for their dollar. This article is a brief rundown on leather types and qualities found in stores and online, plus some prudent advice.
First, when we think of leather, each of us may have a different idea of what leather is. We can think of the leather furniture, a fine pair of leather shoes, or
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The leather jacket is perhaps one of the biggest wardrobe staples for a motorcycle enthusiast. After all, who can picture a Harley rider without a great jacket? But there's more to biker gear than just looks.
The leather jacket itself is the favored option for many riders for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the protection leather can provide. Riding a bike is serious business and the safety gear a biker buys should be a top priority. From leather jackets to helmets, biker gear must speak to safety first. To do otherwise, is to make a bad
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