VOSS 580 Conquest Helmet - A Review

VOSS 580 Conquest Helmet - A Review

Helmets, the greatest debate in the motorcycle community is the one about whether or not to wear a helmet.

For me the debate is more along the lines of - what helmet should I wear?
I'm pro this rider's safety!

I have been riding either my own or as a passenger for over 40 years.

Other than my beanie which fit like a glove and kept the debris and sun off my head, I have only
ever had one helmet that was DOT approved that I truly loved and that was the Bell Pit Boss. Notice though that both are open face style helmets.

I have tendencies towards being claustrophobic that can make a full face helmet a non - starter forme. Breathing in the stale air inside the helmet, not unlike having your head under the blankets,
causes me to panic.

I decided to give a modular helmet another try. My reasoning was that if I was in a crash my chin and face would be spared the inevitable road rash.

Kristina Gould from Voss fitted me for the 580 Conquest, I chose bright yellow with the thought
that looking like a mad wasp might make people notice me.

She sent me home with the helmet and the anti fog liner for the lense, all in under $350.00
Canadian.

The Anti Fog PinLock Lense installs like a dream, took 3 seconds.
Learning how to use the drop down inner sun visor and unlock the jaw another 10 seconds.
Learning to take off and put back on the main visor, a little longer, 30 - 40 seconds.

https://www.vosshelmetsusa.com/products/voss-580-modular-anti-fog-pinlock-face-shield-clear

The helmet fits perfectly, it’s not too tight in the ear area.
There is room for prescription glasses without getting a headache from the pressure.

For the size of it, the helmet is very light, and the way it rests on my motorcycle jacket collar in the back makes it feel like you are also wearing a Hanns device in a race car. Your head doesn’t go
back as far as it does with a beanie, that’s for sure!

Surprisingly good field of view too. I did not feel restricted in the vision department at all.

The drop down inner visor is fabulous.
Unlike some brands out there, this inner lense is not flimsy and does not smack your nose either.

The helmet is easy to do up, and the mechanical jaw lifts relatively easily, however the visor locks down pretty hard, causing that uncomfortable in the stomach feeling that those who lean to
claustrophobia will recognize.

One other thing, and this is nothing against the helmet but rather it is about the style of helmet.
I drink a lot of fluids when I ride, and constantly having to lift the jaw up to have a drink was really distracting.

I don’t want to buy or wear a camelback so that means I will be changing helmets.

I gave it the good old college try, several times over the 1,200 K I rode on the weekend,
but nope, riding with the visor up was way more comfortable than with it down and locked in place.

The noise inside the helmet wasn’t bad at all.
In fact it was much quieter than many of the helmets I have tried in the past, including an older
version of the VOSS Modular.

The anti fog lense did its job exceedingly well, but I just felt like I couldn’t breath.

This is truly a beautiful helmet, well constructed, comfortable and I felt very safe in it, but the two
caveats for me were the inability to drink a beverage without lifting the jaw up and not being able
to breathe comfortably when the visor was down and locked in place.

Neither of those two things has anything to do with the helmet.

I will be looking at getting myself the Voss 303 Dual Lens Open Face in the near future.
I like how the sides of the helmet extend past that of the traditional ¾ helmet and think my face
would feel less exposed to road rash.

I look forward to hopefully the same kind of fit and comfort that the 580 Conquest has.

I'll let you know when I get it and have had the chance to ride in it.

To see what Voss has to offer
http://www.vosshelmetsusa.com

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Rider.

https://www.vosshelmetsusa.com/collections/open-face-helmets/products/303-dual-lens-gloss-white-open-face-helmet-dot

Working to make riding safer in the GTA

Working to make riding safer in the GTA

Since beginning its lobbying efforts 4 years ago, RTI has realized an unprecedented level of success in persuading public officials to take motorcycle policy issues seriously, and to recognize the role motorcyclists can play in helping to relieve traffic congestion.

The Rider Training Institute has successfully lobbied Toronto City Councillors to forward a motion containing the most comprehensive set of motorcycle related policy changes ever proposed in a Canadian municipality.

The proposals set forth in the motion, drafted by RTI in collaboration with Toronto Council Staff, focus on encouraging motorcycle use in 3 key areas:

1.      Secure Parking: a request that the city expand the number of dedicated motorcycle & scooter parking zones currently in place, and to begin immediate ticketing of prohibited vehicles parked within those zones.
2.      Access to Reserved Lanes: a request that motorcycles be allowed access to a number of dedicated public transit & taxi cab lanes in the downtown core, as well as on municipal expressways.

3.      Lane Filtering Pilot: a request that the city investigate a pilot project that would allow motorcycles to filter between other vehicles, and only up to active stop lights, along the Richmond and Adelaide Street corridors in downtown Toronto.

“RTI’s success in pushing this motion forward follows its success last year in lobbying the city to include motorcycles as one of the vulnerable road using populations identified for special consideration in Toronto’s Vision Zero plan.” says Michel Mersereau, instructor and lobbyist with RTI

In my interview, it was explained to me that lane filtering (not to be confused with lane splitting) can markedly reduce traffic congestion in an urban setting.

“Data suggests that under the correct circumstances, and by reducing the risk of front or rear facing collisions, filtering can “markedly” reduce the risk of death or serious injuries to motorcyclists.” Said Sharron St. Croix, Executive Director Rider Training Institute.

As I learned, the circumstances are twofold:

1) Motorcyclists must perform the activity only under the correct conditions

2) There must be a broad awareness on the part of other drivers of the activity

The conditions they are proposing involve filtering only up to an active stop light, only along lane boundaries that are not adjacent to any curb, and with other vehicles at or near a standstill.

The pilot area being proposed intersects the area of the city with the highest percentage of multi vehicle collisions (Adelaide & Richmond Streets).

If pursued, RTI will work with the city on an advanced signage/messaging campaign along the proposed corridors to alert drivers of the upcoming change. Sharon says, “Ideally, this messaging campaign will have a 6-8 month lead in time prior to the launch of the pilot.

RTI will not support the initiative unless an active messaging campaign is deployed well in advance, additionally, we will work with media partners to get the message out to riders about the right & wrong way to perform the activity if and when the pilot is approved.

We realize that opinions on lane filtering are mixed in the riding community, but we also believe in pursuing evidence based initiatives that have the potential to make roads safer for riders, encourage motorcycle use, and help to ease congestion on our roads.

Lane filtering, contentious as it may be, is one of those examples.”

If you have any questions regarding the proposed policy, please contact:

Sharron St-Croix
Executive Director RTI
302 - 30 Duncan Street
Toronto, ON  M5V 2C3
416-516-6151 or 1-866-876-1551

www.ridertraining.ca

A lucky morning for one rider....

A friend of mine shared this news video from CBC with me about  rider who got cut off.

In the video below, the rider who is in the left lane, minding his own business.
This black SUV's driver throws on the signals and moves into the left lane, and its very obvious that this driver did not look, or shoulder check.

How many thousands of times a week do you see this very scene play out be you on your bike or in your car/truck.  People don't know how to drive, they don't follow or seem to even know the rules of the road.

I feel like every person holding a drivers licences longer should have to rewrite and re drive for their licenses every year. I don't know who is teaching these drivers, who is issuing them licenses but they should all be investigated - these driver examiners. Why else does this country has a TV show called Canada's WORST driver? It's because 90% of people who get behind the wheel of a vehicle, including so called professional drivers haven't got a clue what they are doing. They are too busy doing everything but driving.

But that's not why I am sharing this video...it would be redundant because, as I said, you all watch this play out daily.

No, the reason I shared this was the riders reaction.

Kicking and hitting the SUV until he/she knocked the side mirror off the car.

Click here to see the video - Road Rage 

Now part of me wants to applaud this  rider - if you aren't going to use your mirrors, if you aren't going to turn your head and do a safety check before you move over, then maybe you really don't need that mirror...BUT...

What would have happened had he lost control while kicking or punching the vehicle?

I get the fear, the anger, the frustration....

I really do get it, but you can be DEAD RIGHT you know.....

What say you?

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Rider Safety, are you prepared?

Rider Safety, Are you Prepared?

Once you are physically riding, rider safety is about a whole lot more than what happens on the road

Being safe starts with preparation. How you prepare is just as important as the skills you need once you are on the road.

Before you get on your motorcycle for the first time each year, keep in mind that 5 to 7 months of inactivity, is not healthy for you or your motorcycle.  

Give your bike a thorough going over and some TLC before demanding it perform, and yourself a good stretch.

Here are a few things you need to remember:

#1 – Check your motorcycle’s fluids, brakes, signals, tire pressures and belt/chain tension.  Check the health of the battery in your bike and your key fob.

Check your saddlebags to make sure you have your tool kit, an extra liter (quart) of oil with you, and a liter of water for yourself to stay hydrated.

#2 – Unless you were lucky enough to ride all winter, YOUR SKILLS ARE RUSTY!!

Practicing in a parking lot to refresh your skills is a good idea. Practice the fast stop and going around an obstacle, your very life depends on your skills.  It’s amazing what a half hour of parking lot time can do to get you prepared for the drivers who have forgotten you exist!

#3 – Pick the time of day you are heading out wisely.

You can ride at pretty much any time of day, the choice is yours. Remember that mornings and evenings are frosty, slippery and can be foggy by rivers and large bodies of water. Let’s not forget rush hour traffic at both of those times if you live in or close to a community or city. 

In March, April and May, the four-hour window between 11am and 3 pm, is generally the ideal opportunity to head out for a little wind therapy. The traffic will be settled, and the roads will be a tad warmer.  If you’re lucky the snow will be gone where you live. (Not this winter where I live, there is still three feet of snow on the ground, insert pouty face here).

Also remind yourself that painted roads surfaces and manhole covers etc. will be frost covered in the mornings and evenings.

As long as you are aware of the potential dangers and remain hyper vigilant, everything is likely to be just fine.

#4 – Dress and pack appropriately:

The evenings get damp and then become frosty. But the afternoons can get very balmy.  You may want to pack a sweater of some sort, a toque, rain gear, socks, long undies, lip balm, water, powdered electrolytes to go in it, and sunblock. Yes my friend’s sun burn can happen all year round.  You’ll want extra gloves especially if it’s cooler out.  If you have heated gear, pack it you will appreciate its warming abilities during spring and fall.  Protect your eyes and face by wearing good sun glasses or goggles with UV protection, and a good quality bandana for your face. You’ll want this if you don’t wear a full face helmet because there is still gravel and sand on the roads, and there will be bugs soon.

You will also want to be on the lookout for pot holes, remember to be mindful of those who are trying to avoid them in their cages.

Stay warm, stay hydrated and wherever you decide to venture off to and please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you!!

AND Remember to use the "NEVER RIDE ALONE PROGRAM" sponsored
by Intercon Messaging from Drayton Valley AB.
The "Never Ride Alone Program" can be accessed by being a registered member of Riderfriendly.com and using your membership ID Number in your digital membership card and then calling the toll free number: 1-866-765-6719 - Good in Canada and the Continental US, the "NEVER RIDE ALONE" Program is simple and free to our members to use.

Call in, answer the questions about you, your ride and your journey. Agree on a time to check in, if you don't check in, Intercon Messaging will attempt to raise you on the numbers you left with them, if they can't raise you, then they will dispatch 911 to go find you from your last known location!  Stay safe and enjoy your ride and remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you!

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider

DANGER, Riding Season is here and almost here...

Riding Season is ALMOST HERE in the north of Alberta, but many places are already riding again.

I can not say this ENOUGH.

You NEED to ride like EVERYONE AROUND YOU is BLIND and CAN NOT SEE YOU.

YOU WILL encounter MANY Drivers LIKE THIS....  

WILL YOU BE READY TO REACT THE RIGHT WAY?

You MIGHT encounter a driver like this....

What will you do?

There will be occasions when you come up against this....

WHAT will you do?

THERE ARE PROBABLY times you might come across this...

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

Some of the things you should AVOID - NO MATTER HOW TEMPTING IT MIGHT BE....

Riding smart, staying alert, being extra careful in heavy traffic, taking a refresher safety course, these are the things that will help you survive to ride another day.

WATCH THIS VIDEO - TO ENSURE YOUR SKILLS ARE SHARPENED - PLEASE...

THANKS FOR WATCHING!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

A lesson on Defensive Riding

Defensive Riding – staying safe starts with YOU.

There is no one more responsible for your safety than you. Defensive driving skills keep you safe, by helping you to be prepared for the unexpected.

SIPDE - Scan, Interpret, Predict, Decide, Execute

SCAN:

All too often drivers/riders fall into the bad habit of only focussing only on what is directly in front of them, allowing their mind to wander and losing sight of what is up ahead.

The smart approach to driving/riding is to be constantly thinking ahead in order to assess the oncoming hazards and potential risk factors that could lead to an incident.

This ensures that you are adequately prepared to handle any sudden change in conditions (like an obstacle or pot hole), other driver behaviour (aggressive high risk drivers or inattentive drivers) and take the necessary steps to avoid danger.

One of the best ways to keep yourself safe is to keep your eyes moving – KNOW WHAT LIES AHEAD and BESIDE you.

Use your eyes to check your mirrors, as well as performing frequent shoulder checks to evaluate your blind spots, and KNOW what/who is around you.

Scan the ditches and side streets/approaches.

INTERPRET

Another common mistake made by drivers is that they take the actions of other motorists for granted. 

The smart approach is to focus on your driving and be consistently giving yourself enough room to move and AVOID a collision if necessary. 

Never put yourself in a bad position, especially not out of retaliation for another’s bad driving habits or mistakes.

When you see another driver who is driving aggressively, predict the WORST thing this driver could do.

DECIDE

Decide how you are going to handle that driver (hazzard), move yourself away from potential harm. 

In the case of dealing with someone texting or exhibiting road rage/aggressive driving, you might be right, but is it worth being dead to prove that you were right?

EXECUTE

Once you have decided where the safest place for you to be is, execute your move ensuring you know where the other drivers are in relation to you.

The Edmonton office of the Alberta Safety Council has given us some courses to giveaway.

I chose the Gearing Up course for our first contest.

I came across a video that I felt would challenge people's knowledge of the rules of the road and decided that the first person who could tell me who caused the crash, not who would be charged, but who is responsible for the crash happening would win the course.

I hosted the contest on one of my Facebook Pages - Belt Drive Betty

Sadly, no one from Alberta answered the question successfully.

Here is the video from the Facebook Page of Tyga :

Video dissemination:

At 11 sec there is a sign that I believe reads "State Law white lettering in the black portion at the top and Keep Right Except To Pass in the white portion (You see the black bar at the top of the sign and can ALMOST make out the words at the 11.5 second mark). Its a very familiar sign if you have done any riding/driving in the US.

At 28 seconds you see a shadow of another vehicle in front of the pick up is clearly visible. 

The pick up is clearly very close to it.

In fact the ALL auto drivers, including buddy with the dash cam drive too close to the other drivers around them (Tailgating).

At 30 seconds you see a 65 MPH sign – this is clearly in the US

At 32 seconds the Camaro enters on the right of the screen, if you look ahead of the pick up you can see a shadow of another vehicle in front of the pick up

At 36 seconds the Camaro attempts to move into the left lane.

At this point, the pick up should have backed off and let him in.

At 47 seconds the pick up bails on his brakes

At 58 seconds, you can see that the shadow of the other vehicle that had been ahead of the truck is gone and it is obvious they are going up a small incline.

At 1:06 you see the pick up pulling ahead of the semi.

At 1:15 you see that the Camaro is almost at the semi’s door.

At 1:17 as they are cresting the small grade, you see the semi begin to pull ahead of the pick up.

At 2:26 you can clearly see that the vehicle that had been in front of the pick up is a long ways ahead.

So who is at fault for causing this crash?

The Answer is ALL THREE. All three drivers played a roll in what happened, here's how:

# 1) The driver of the Camaro is an idiot, broke several laws, tailgating, passing by using the shoulder, median or ditch, dangerous driving and will ultimately be charged for causing the crash.

HOWEVER, both the driver of the pick up and the semi are at fault for impeding the Camaro’s progress. The driver of the pickup more so than the driver of the semi…BUT….

#2) If the truck driver was truly a professional, he would not have colluded with the driver of the pickup by keeping pace with him, he should have slowed down and given the Camaro room to move ahead of him.  (Or for the pickup driver to move over to the right, as he should have – although with his mindset he probably wouldn’t have moved over.)

He will not be charged.

#3) The driver of the pick up who was clearly pissed when the Camaro attempted to sneak in front of him was as big of an asshole and as much at fault for this crash as the Camaro driver. 

He will potentially be charged if the police have the video footage.

You are to keep right unless passing. That is the rule of the road in this instance.

Remember folks you might be in the RIGHT, but you can also be DEAD and in the Right.

NUMBER ONE RULE OF THE ROAD - DRIVE WITH YOUR HEAD - NOT YOUR EMOTIONS.

NUMBER TWO RULE OF THE ROAD - KEEP YOURSELF SAFE BY BEING AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND YOU AND HAVE YOUR ESCAPE ROUTE PLANNED.

NUMBER THREE - DON'T PLAY THE ROLE OF TRAFFIC MONITOR - LET THE POLICE DO THAT BY USING YOUR HANDSFREE DEVICE TO CONTACT THE POLICE. YOUR ACTIONS WILL PISS OFF ANOTHER DRIVER AND CAUSE A CRASH.

KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS.

That's how I see it.

And you, what did you see besides a self centred a$$hole in a Camaro that was is some kind of hurry?

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Rider

What makes your arse pucker?

Too often we riders never discuss our fears, we think that the fear makes us less of a rider than the next guy or that others might think we are idiots for feeling the way we do about something.

But I think talking about our fears, sharing our arse puckering moments can help us all be better riders.  You might say something in just the right way that finally a light alb goes off in my head about a challenge or situation that I need to learn...dialogue, sharing - that is some important and powerful stuff!

This is July, Motorcycle Safety Month, the SINGLE MOST DANGEROUS month of the year for riders.

People are on vacation, the roadways are busy, filled with tourists lookylooing at the animals grazing in the National Parks, or deciding last minute that they are pulling into a motel that is across two lanes of traffic, or driving so fast to get somewhere to relax that they forget the journey is part of the vacation too and they put others at risk.

Top that off with all of the truck traffic moving the goods across this country that we all need to run our lives and businesses with, often times, they are on tight time schedules and some go so far as to push other motorists to drive beyond their ability or get run over...

The Road is filled with dangers of all kinds; from our fellow motorist, game, road and infrastructure conditions, weather conditions, road debris and flying debris...

But testing ourselves, facing our fears is also part of what riding a motorcycle is all about.

It's about testing our own metal, finding out what we are made of and celebrating the ride, the feeling, the freedom, the empowerment...the courage, the strength, the tenacity, the love. It's all about honing our skills and growing as people.

There are things that scare the absolute bejeebers out of me...things that cause my arse to pucker, things that I put all of my focus on when I am dealing with them...

Like passing a semi.

Often times when I am in a group riding situation, I find myself riding with riders who never consider what would happen to them if the tread came off of one of those trailer tires or what if a brake pot exploded.

My fear comes from having been a passenger in my father's semi as a kid for hundreds of thousands of miles over about a 12 year period and seeing first hand the destruction that can be caused by recapped tires, of seeing and feeling what it was like when a brake pot literally exploded and seeing  the shrapnel that flew everywhere.

When I ride with others and it comes time to pass a semi, I wait until that other rider is in front of the driver tires (the front tires) of the truck before I begin to make my move.  I want to get around that vehicle as fast as I can and if that means going 10 over to do it, so be it, I am NOT going to hang beside a semi trailer with all that potential shrapnel around me any longer that I absolutely have to.

There are a ton of situations that can cause one's arse to pucker, the arse really is the smartest organ and instinct/danger information translator in the world.

When your arse puckers, you'd best be on your game, danger is imminent!

So, what causes your arse to pucker up when you are riding and what does it feel like to overcome that fear or that obstacle?  I would LOVE to know!

If you'd like a chance to win a $50 Tim Horton's Gift Card, and you are on Facebook, search for Belt Drive Betty  and submit your best safety tip to the #RideAnotherDay Contest on my Personal Page!

Look for this photo to enter the contest at:

Have a fabulous day and please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and please consider wearing good gear!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Draggin' Jeans, are they worth it? Do they Work?

I have been wearing Draggin' Jeans for 3 years now and I love them!
They do EXACTLY what they are supposed to and look good doing it!

I own both the Classic and the Drayko Drift styles.

The Drayko Drift is a very modern and trendy style of jean, made of hand distressed denim and while the Kevlar protection zones in them work the same as they do in their other cuts, the acid washed fabric does not stand up to the miles of riding I do.

They are a great jean, they look and fit good, and they will protect your hide, but be forewarned that these jeans are more suited to the rider who goes for short putts or Sunday afternoon rides.
They are not meant to be worn day after day on a 33,000 KM trip, that's for sure.

I call them my dress jeans!  
They still protect my hide but they are not work horse that the classic cut is!

I am wearing my K-Shirt and Drayko Twist Draggin' Jeans in this photo
I was with Jim Hapgood of 2CAV Beaumont-Hamel Unit in St. John's NL

I had gotten two new pairs of the Drayko Drift before I left on my Conga last year, one a size 14 and one a size 12 just before I left on the Conga last year.  I also bought a K - Shirt, a Kvelar riding shirt.

The jeans I wore the most were the size 14's, I torture tested those babies, I let them get wet, I rode 12 and 14 hours a day in them and I washed them in cold water frequently, using a dryer to lightly tumble dry them every chance I got.

Torn after I brutalized them

The jeans lasted better than I thought they would, the arse didn't fall out of them until I got to Cow Head Newfoundland where they split on me - inside the inner thigh, in a distress crease.

The good news is that when I contacted Draggin' Jeans about my situation, they replaced them with a pair of the Classic jeans which are not distressed and are more conducive to long distance riding.

Now the Classic jean is something I am far more familiar with as I have had a pair of them for three years and those babies are TOUGH and durable.

My first pair of classic jeans are still going strong and the new ones are the ones I was wearing when I had my upset in gravel at 30-35 KPH on May 24th, 2014.

The jeans not only did their job, but they held up better than my new leather jacket or my riding gloves did, in fact, there is ZERO evidence of the skidding in the gravel that I did. The jeans don't have a mark on them.

They dissipated the heat as promised in their literature, and I had ZERO abrasion!

When they say these jeans will give you 4.4 seconds skid time and then some they mean it and they have earned CE rating (CE stands for European Conformity’ the universally recognized symbol of product quality and durability) and they are the only Kevlar riding jean to do so from my understanding.

The reason I love Draggin Jeans is they allow me to stay cool and comfortable and yet protected.
You can also add knee armour to them if you want.

I do however have one small problem with the jeans...
I am a middle aged woman whose weight seems to go up and down like a yoyo these days, not like when I was in my 20's and 30's and could devour everything I wanted and never gain an ounce.

My first pair of Draggin' Jeans were size 12 classics and when I lost some weight I ended up having them taken in at the inseam and the waist to get a better fit and that cost me $70 because the seamstress had a hard time sewing them up.

My new classics are also size 12 and the fit me very well until I started doing Yoga again and now they are too big in the waist - I wear a belt with them!

They are an expensive investment and having them in a couple of sizes makes the investment a little bit steeper, but it's an investment I am happy to make. I can wear just the jeans and KNOW with confidence that my hide is safe and get off the bike and not have to un-leather, I can wear long johns underneath them in cold weather and still be warm or I can wear them with my chaps and know that my arse is protected.

They are stylish, comfortable but most of all they really do what they say they will.

DRAGGIN' JEANS SAVE YOUR HIDE!

The K-shirt is another investment that I made and I am glad I did. The K-shirt comes with armour for your shoulders and you can purchase additional armour for your elbows and back.
It also has double Kevlar across the shoulders, the forearms and the elbows.  While I have never had to put the shirt to the test, it is something I wear almost every day of the riding season, especially on hot days where I don't want to wear a jacket of any kind.
To be completely outfitted from shoulder to ankle in Draggin' Jean's products will cost you:
$229 - $349 depending on the style of jean you choose
$219 for a K-Shirt
$35 for K-Gloves
$35 for K-Sox
So for $550 give or take you can have some of the BEST riding gear out there and still by stylin'!

My next investment from Draggin' Jeans will be some K-Sox and some K-Gloves, I am also contemplating the ladies riding jacket - they start at $260 and go up to $329.

Their men's line runs similar pricing.

This company's products are products I believe in and wouldn't want to be without.
I LOVE my Draggin' Jeans and K-Shirt and I am sure that if you tried them, you'd enjoy them as well.

They breath well, look good and do the job they are meant for.
What else can you ask from a product?

You can order retail direct from the company web site and their customer service is AWESOME or you can purchase locally from various retailers throughout Canada by using their store locator.

I don't often give a product 5 gas tanks out of 5 but Draggin' Jeans has proven to me that they deserve the 5 tank rating and that there IS truth in advertising!

If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and PLEASE consider dressing for the slide, and not the ride...

Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider

I'd rather swear like a truck driver or a sailor...

My recent crash has put me in the mood to write about safety gear and riding safely.

Why?

Because I hope and pray that this missive will save the life and or the the hide of someone I care about and who knows, that could be you.

I have lost many people I love in the motorcycle community over the almost 40 years I have been a part of it. The crew I rode with back in the 70's and 80's wore jeans and sometimes chaps, beanies or no helmet when and where the law allowed and often just a leather vest, with no shirt or jacket.

I was one of those riders/passengers. I often rode on sunny warm days with just good motorcycle boots, jeans and a vest and the only helmet I owned was a beanie.

I thought I was hot stuff.  I looked good, and I loved the way the sun felt on my skin, I hated it when a bug or rock hit me, but when I was in my 20's & 30's it was a small price to pay for looking good.

EGO - VANITY, call it what you will - STUPIDITY!

Then I got a wake up call and realized looking good was a stupid reason to not wear proper gear.

In 1986, riding on the back of the '84 FXR with my then old man, Ron LePoidvin,  I witnessed something so horrific that I was puking my guts out.

Not unlike the girl featured in this photo, (I found doing a Google Images search on HmongPlus.com), the girl on the back of this dude's sport bike was wearing a bikini,

AND she was much better endowed than the girl featured here. She was at least a 38 double D and instead of wearing high heels, she was wearing flip flops, but she had on that full faced helmet.
I was rather envious of the buxom young lady, she looked great.

Well, buddy goes roaring by us as we are entering a construction zone on the outskirts of Vernon BC.

In less than 2 minutes, we came upon the most horrific scene I have ever witnessed.

The rider centre punched the back end of a pick up, but unlike the rider in the photo above, he was wearing all the gear.  He ended up in the box of the pick up, she got launched over the pick up and ended up skidding down the shoulder of the pavement for some 200 feet or better. I don't remember where the bike ended up, because I was so horrified.

While buddy ended up with some broken bones and a long recovery, he survived the crash.

His pretty, pretty passenger was dead. Her beautiful face intact thanks to the full faced helmet she wore but her statuesque figure was now nothing more than ground hamburger, you could see her ribs  where once those glorious Double D 38's had been.  Her thighs and legs and her feet and arms were no better.  It is a sight that I see every time I see another rider not wearing good gear.

I am sure her parents were grateful that they could still view her pretty face at her funeral.

Having been young once, although it was a long time ago, I still remember the feeling, men wolf whistling at me, feeding my ego, telling me how hot I looked in that leather vest with no jacket.

But that day cured me of wanting to look sexy on a motorcycle.

I learned really quickly that there was plenty of time to look hot once I got to a rally or event.
When I was off the bike, I could stash my leather jacket and don just the vest and still have my ego fed. In my mid 50's today, I don't give a hoot about sexy or having my ego fed, although it still feels nice once in a while.

After my crash on May 24th, 2014, I could have looked like Sean Stanley from the UK who shared this photo of himself on Facebook:

His crash happened last year in the UK at 25 MPH.
His comment was:  To all the people on motorbikes wearing t-shirts and shorts thinking they are cool, this is the result of coming off at 25mph

Imagine the pain that the road rash he sported caused him.
Imagine the scars and the gravel that he's probably still having surface from his wounds to this day!

My crash happened at about 30-35KPH on gravel, I was never more grateful for good gear.

Instead of looking like Sean, I just have some torn cartilage in my chest around my sternum, deep tissue bruising, sore muscles and a black bruise on my thigh.

No road rash and no gravel to pick out of my hide.  No trip to the hospital.

I was wearing:
Draggin' Jeans that cost about $250.00 - no chaps:

Kevlar Impact Zones

Not a mark on the jeans!

Held Gloves from Angel Wing Trading Inc. and sold by WestCoast ROAR in Mill Bay, BC that cost around $150.00:

The glove is torn but my hide on my hand is not.

Viking Cycle Leather Jacket from Motorcycle House that cost about $100:

The brand new jacket on its maiden ride -  the leather is worn, but I have no road rash on my right arm!

Vest from Leather & Steel in Fruitvale BC - Cost about $90 (I have worn this vest for 12 years and am going to miss it...

Tore the snap right out of the vest and tore some of my favourite pins off of it,  but again, I have zero road rash

Milwaukee Boots bought at Konquer Motorcycles, Kelowna BC and cost about $165:

Some road rash on these babies but my feet are in tact and no worse for wear!

My VOSS helmet from Roadhouse Distribution in Vancouver BC, sold by Leather & Steel in Fruitvale BC and cost about $100:

The ear protector is shot, but my ear is fine, it was sure filled with dirt and grit though!

I would much rather get up off the ground swearing like a truck driver or a sailor and being sad that my bike was written off than be carted off to the hospital in an ambulance and facing a long and painful recovery.  

I'd much rather pull into the driveway at home in a truck and trailer than be in an ambulance on the way to the hospital.

The cost of my crash?

My bike got written off and a few of my contents from the bike will need to be either repaired or replaced.   I was able to replace my bike with a bit of financial help from my husband to bridge the gap between insurance and the price of replacing.

My Held Gloves ($150)

My helmet ($100) and I have a helmet from LeatherUp to do a product review on already sitting here so I am good to go.

My vest ($90) which was 12 years old, could be repaired - and even though I love it, it should be replaced. 

My jacket ($100) will need to be replaced. 

Since I was doing a product review on the jacket, there was no physical cost to me and I own 2 other riding jackets, so I am good to go.

Your gear is meant to save your life and to allow you to ride again and be a consumer again.

Your gear is meant to add freedom and quality to your life, to enriched the ride, not detract from it.

Your gear is meant to protect you from road debris, rocks, sand, cigarettes, garbage bags, road snakes and every other bit of crap people can create.

Your gear is meant to give your loved ones a bit of reassurance that you will be home, reasonably safe and sound, because they love and need you.

I am blessed to be alive and it is because these manufacturers and the shops who sell these products really do seem to want you to be able to buy more gear from them when you need to replace it.  

You are, after all of no use to them as a customer if you don't survive.

That said, you still need to really research the gear you are thinking of buying!  

What appeals to me may not appeal to you.

Read product reviews, watch videos, ask your fellow riders - RESEARCH!!!! 

Not only can it save you money but it can save you in many other ways!

You should try the gear on before you buy to ensure a good fit, so go to your local shop and support your local economy whenever you can.  

If you live in a remote place where online shopping is the only way to shop outside of once and twice a year trips to larger centres, then make sure you review the refunds and shipping policies of the online companies you choose to work with.  And don't forget to ask that retailer in the larger centre that you shop in if they will ship to you and if so what their returns policy might be.  Sometimes a phone call to a not so local, local can be well placed!

You just never know if you can support your local business, because when you are a rider, local means a lot different to us than it does to others!

What say you?

If you are blessed to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and please consider dressing for the slide and not the ride!

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider

I hate Mondays

I hate Mondays, but probably not for the same reasons most of you dislike them.

I generally love my job, helping riders find the news and information that is important to them, BUT....

Today, like every riding season Monday, the news feeds are FILLED with crashes that took place over the weekend.

Page after page of crash stories, some about dead riders, some about injured riders and some about those who got lucky.

It is my job to sift through the feeds and find the information that is pertinent to Canadians and sadly I found information on three crashes, all in Ontario.

In the first crash a rider hit and killed a dog but suffered minor injuries himself, the second article is about a lady rider in critical condition and the third article is about a rider who died.

In the case of the lady ride, an east bound pickup struck her north bound motorcycle and the driver was charged with careless driving.

In the case of the rider who died, he got into some gravel and hit the ditch.

Folks, WE riders have to become so hyper aware out there, we need to sharpen our skills.

My heart is breaking for the families of these riders.

It's not a great start to the work week and with the long weekend coming I am seriously concerned for the riding community - I beg you - PLEASE, be hyper aware of your surroundings.

Get out in a parking lot and practise your emergency stopping, make sure your tires are inflated properly and that your motorcycle is in good repair.

One other thing I would like you to consider, please: wear good gear, it might save your life, save you tons of healing time and with the condition of our roadways and so many who drive other automobiles not paying attention or being aware, isn't that little extra piece of mind worth it?

For the other news that could affect your day or life as a rider visit www.beltdrivebetty.com


Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Helmets

Helmets For Both Safety & Style

Since the inception of the motorcycle in the early 20th century, riding gear has not only protected riders from the dangerous elements of on-road traveling, it's also helped distinguish the mark of a true motorcyclist from the rest of the pack. Protecting the head and often lending itself to a stylish décor, the helmet has long since been one of the most iconic pieces of riding gear among enthusiasts. Without careful consideration, you could purchase the wrong size and really give yourself a headache. Selecting a helmet that doesn't suit your needs can also be quite uncomfortable, given the circumstances, so it's best to shop around and educate yourself on what makes a truly great motorcycle helmet all worthwhile. This single piece of protection could end up saving your life one day, either from an unsuspecting crash or by maintaining proper vision and security when out on the road.

A Helmet for Any Occasion

For riders dedicated to their passion, it's not uncommon to find a garage full of various gears for any type of adventure and situation. I, myself, have a shelf full of many different boots, from Alpinestars to Dainese. The whole industry is consumed with tactical equipment designed specifically for one purpose, many purposes or every purpose. I suppose it really has more to do with how you enjoy the ride, but helmets are no different than any other piece of motorcycling gear. A full-face helmet is encouraged for those dangerous situations. You know the types – full throttle, tight corners and blistering speed. If I wasn't wearing a full-face every time I pulled laps at the local track or braking through a curvy mountain road, I wouldn't feel comfortable. But a full-face helmet isn't the perfect choice for every occasion. When I want to cruise and feel the wind slap graciously against my face, I'll choose an open-face, classic design. You really can't beat the bare bones experience of riding a motorcycle, but then again, every situation calls for a different piece of head safety.

Helmets

Matched Safety & Sophistication

Before we dive into the specifics of these dome protectors, you should consider how often you ride, how dangerously you ride and what type of bikes you ride before making a final decision. Of course, there's also the possibility that you could own multiple helmets for many different scenarios, but let's imagine for a moment that you are a one-gear type of person. Whether you're on a budget or really just need that perfect head protection for all situations, consider what you actually seek out in a helmet. For cruisers and chopper enthusiasts alike, a nice half-face helmet should do the trick. You still want to live life close to the edge, feeling the breeze as you rip down the highway at 80 miles an hour, but you don't necessarily need the enclosure of a full-face helmet. Besides, many of the skull caps out there are designed with the same sophistication and safety as head gear from yesteryear.

Bikes's Helmet

Complete the look and ride with confidence, because the helmet you choose actually speaks louder than you could imagine. With that said, a full-face helmet just goes so well with sport bikes and the ever-popular naked bikes. Not only does a complete enclosure keep your head protected in dangerous situations and warm in cooler months, the appearance can be mysteriously sinister when racing down the open road. But we all know that looks aren't everything, so you really have to find a helmet that fits right, feels comfortable and will last a lifetime. Make sure that any piece you select is rated by the Department of Transportation and rated for motorcycle travel, because security simply cannot be replaced when accidents occur. 

Full-Face Street Riding

Worn by everyone from Nicky Hayden to your neighbor, full-face helmets have been a sport bike tradition for decades. What originally began as a mock design for an astronaut suit, the full-face has become an iconic image for motorcyclists who like to push the very limits of their bikes and their bodies. When you're getting super low to the ground on a hairpin turn, you can't afford to let the slightest mistake or miscalculation causes a shaving of your chin. Considering many of today's top sport bikes feature such small windshields for crouched riding, a full-face also acts as a perfect shield from on-road debris, such as bugs, pebbles and other wind-carrying objects. But by far the greatest feature of the fully enclosed motorcycle helmet is the customizable visor. For warm, sunny afternoons flip down the visor to shield your eyes from the blinding light. If you find yourself consistently riding in low light or foggy conditions, simply use a lighter shade of visor for better vision. Determine which condition best fits your riding style, from off-road MX to city streets, and there's a perfect full-face waiting to protect your mug from danger.

Full face Street Riding Helmets

Multi-Purpose Modular

For riders who want the comfort of a half-face design and protection of a full-face, modular helmet have become increasingly popular choices. Designed specifically to allow cyclists to simply flip up the lower face plate of the helmet, you can now easily turn any day on the bike into an enjoyable journey. Imagine the convenience of being able to leave your helmet on while answering your cellphone on a quick pit stop. If the day's ride gets a little too hot, there's no need to carry two helmets around when you can just customize the modular's appearance to better suit your needs. Communication is now made much simpler, and you won't need to rely on bulky, expensive electronics just to say hi! But everything comes at a price and modular really only works for those who absolutely need to switch between a half- and full-face design with minimal effort.

If you could see my garage, you'd probably think I was obsessed with helmets. It's not even about brand and model loyalty, either, because every manufacturer has their own design quirks that make them such iconic pieces of motorcycling gear. Helmets are embedded in the riding culture like leather jackets and metal-toe boots.

Kiara Wilsn

A great Father & Son moment or??

Watch this six year take control of what appears to be his father's motorcycle.

The child is wearing a short sleeved shirt, shorts and running shoes, gloves along with a helmet.
The father isn't dressed much better as you can see his tatted up arms, torn jeans and running shoes. Like his son, his only safety gear appears to be a set of gloves and a helmet.

This kid will probably never forget this day with his dad. 

Forever he will think of riding a motorcycle as cool, but what else did he learn here?

He learned it is cool to ride with no gear.

I realize the road is straight, and dad must be a pretty good rider, but what would happen if this tiny boy who is obviously sitting on the tank of the bike, hit a pot hole, or a deer or some other creature bolted across the road?

Or what if, like at the end of the video, something caught the kids eye and he took his eyes off the road and dad didn't catch that fast enough?

Why, why do we think we are invincible?
Why do we take chances with our own lives, much less the lives of those we love?

I ask those questions because of the article above, but also because of an article out of Kingston Ontario this morning where in a  40 year old man was caught DRUNK, riding while under suspension and doing 86 KPH OVER the speed limit with a passenger on the back!  He blew twice the legal limit, his motorcycle has been seized - he faces fines of between $2,000 and $10,000.

Yeah great, another fine he won't pay, which is why he had no license in the first place!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on both topics...

If you are blessed enough o be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you, and remember to dress for the slide, not the ride, cause that slide will happen when you are just going for a putt around town...

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider