A Fashion Revolution for the Lady Rider

A Fashion Revolution for the Lady Rider

Although I have not had a chance to interview the feisty Brit who started the Women Riders World Relay (https://womenridersworldrelay.com/), I can get a great sense of who Hayley Bell is by watching her videos and reading the words on the Relay website.

Hayley is like so many of us gals who ride. She’s tired of riding gear that would fit if you had no hips, no chest. She’s tired of being an afterthought in this market place. She’s strong, capable, passionate, caring, and wanting to exercise her inner strength and feel beautiful while doing it.

More and more, as lady riders take up motorcycling in record breaking numbers, small manufacturers, largely lady owned companies, are attempting to answer the growing call from lady riders to have gear that feels good, flatters them and protects them.

Women rider - entrepreneurs Debra Chin, Ginger Damon and Aliki Karayan are three such ladies; all attempting to get more flattering, more comfortable, more functional clothing and accessories out there for this growing market. Like you, they ride and they were so frustrated that they decided to make clothing and accessories that work for the women’s work day, her playtime and her relax time.

A lot of ladies commute, and having a functional bag that is also attractive is a rather important bit of gear for the working gal.

Along with the Lauren Bag that offers all kinds of smart pockets for gear, and can double as a backpack, Debra of MotoChic Gear (www.motochicgear.com) offers stylish performance socks, small purses, tees etc., and she cross markets with Gigi Montrose (Ginger Damon) and VnM Sport (Aliki Karayan).

Ginger Damon of Gigi Montrose (https://gigimontrose.com) custom makes ladies riding jackets. She has two styles of denim jackets, the Fearless and Speed that are tailored and styled to flatter and yes, protect. With elements like a wax coating that makes the jackets water resistant, in a stretch denim fabric for comfort, the luxurious inner liner belies the fact that there is a full DuPont Kevlar lining throughout.

The French cuffs on Fearless and longer sleeves on Speed, longer back, backpocket for your cell phone and keys are all coupled with high quality zippers and buttons. The red signature stitching finishes the jackets off beautifully.

It feels good and I feel beautiful in it.

Last but not least is VnM Sport from Alili Karayan (https://vnmsport.com/)

Performance clothing for racers that translate to the every day rider and are YES, MADE for the female shape!

These are technologically designed articles of clothing, created from fabrics that amplify cooling, dry quickly, and are designed to improve your movement and comfort.

Ladies riding around the world in the largest relay in the world (potentially), ladies, changing how the industry views our bodies, shapes and our spending power.

Ladies - women, girls, gals, sisters, mommas, we are changing the face of riding. We are the future of riding as more and more women are competing, participating, grabbing life by the handlebars.

As a woman who rides who has been part of the community since the late 70’s, I am gratified to see so many women proudly proclaiming their femininity, their humanity, their strength by climbing on a motorcycle.

So ladies, celebrate International Female Ride Day with all your heart and soul and remember, there are ladies out there trying to change the riding gear industry, who are working to change to perception of the industry - if we all support them in their efforts, imagine how fast things will change in our favour!

Ride Ladies Ride...

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Common Sense - how common is it?

Meet the New Wave of Female Motorcyclists
The face of modern women's moto is beautiful... and properly badass.

That's the headline and the photo from thedrive.com

My first thought when I read the headline of this article coupled with the photo of a semi nude female rider was "Here we go again", and after reading the article about the photographer and the women she "shot", all I can say is, "Here we go again".

This rant will probably fall on deaf ears, but here I go anyway.

I get it, this is art. And yes all of the women portrayed in the article are beautiful in their own unique way, including Stormy who appears to be transgender. As art, the photos are beautifully done.

The problem in my mind, however, starts with the minds of those who are going to look at this art and then get on a motorcycle wanting to look pretty and sexy instead of being geared up for safety while riding.

I honestly wonder how many 20 somethings are going to think that their physical beauty needs to be displayed in all of it's glory while riding.

I wonder how many will be scraped up off the highway by some poor paramedic, police officer or fire fighter whose PTSD will deepen because of the horrific sight.

I wonder how many families will loose a daughter or have to care for her for weeks, months and years after having gone for a ride without proper gear.

There are issues within the female gender that these images are going to influence.

As a female rider, I have some strong feelings of frustration, concern and yes, even some anger at these photos. Not just because of the gender issue either because I would feel equally disappointed and concerned if these were photos of men riding clad this way.

As I said earlier, some will see these solely as art - I see it as a statement, and I personally don't feel it's a good statement to be making.

What say you?

Then there is this Meme from Military Minds Inc.

Maybe this is my day to be a grumpy old prude, but I am seriously offended by this Meme.

As a civilian who had supported and advocated for our veterans and  serving military, I find this sentiment disturbing and very sad.

What surprised me the most about this Meme was how many military types have liked it and shared it.

Over 750 Likes and 300 Shares and some of the comments that accompany it angered me.

I posted on my Facebook Page that I was pissed about this Meme and was told by one person that "Offence was being taken where none was intended" - REALLY?

I am a civilian - I acknowledge and support the military and our vets...and they tell me to go "Fuck my Hat"?

If this was aimed at bureaucrats, desk riders and politicians who make policy or life hell for our military and veterans - then SAY THAT, but don't put all civilians in the same soup pot.

That's like saying all riders are 1% or all riders are loud obnoxious asses...it's just not true or right.

If this was aimed at those who think that soldiers start wars and hate the military - then SAY THAT.

To those in the military, this might be funny, but as a civilian who has worked her ass off to support our troops, I find this meme to be very inappropriate and offensive and I for one will not be supporting Military Minds Inc. anymore - at least not until there is a public apology on their page.

If that is how the support of civilians is appreciated by them, then I'll concentrate my efforts on groups that I know, appreciate what many thousands upon thousands of civilians do to support our military.

Again - I'd love your opinion on these two topics...

In other news voting has come to an end in Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest - the results are unofficial but it appears that we have crowned our first Rider Friendly Community - Two Hills Alberta.

Congratulations to Bob Ross, the man who nominated his community first, the town of Two Hills and all of the people who voted for this community - your efforts have paid off!

Blackjacks Road House in Nisku Alberta is hosting their first ride night of the season tonight and they will have a special guest - Eric Lobo - world traveller.  If you get the chance, stop by Blackjacks Road House, Alberta's Best Bike Bar tonight and say hi!

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

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Riding Gear – The down side of being a female long haul rider.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I know that when I am on the road for extended periods of time, I put weight on and not just a little bit either.

Normally a day on the road would involve me getting up at about 4 am, having a coffee, answering emails, doing stretches and yoga for 20 minutes to a half hour, having a shower, heading for breakfast and then getting video, photos etc. tagged and dealt with before heading out about 8-9 am and riding upwards of 600KM’s then riding more with the locals in whatever community I was in and being in bed by 10pm.

In Fredericton NB for the Changing of the Guard

On my 2013 Conga, it didn’t take me long to fall out of a good healthy routine. Many a night I didn’t get to bed before midnight and that meant slow starts to my days. Some days I had to skip my routine completely because I had slept in, and had to be somewhere at a specific time.

Over a 92-day period of being on the road, I put on 30 pounds, and I was already about 15 pounds over weight! I did not like what I was seeing happening to my body at all!

I did not like how I felt or how I looked.

I am used to being about 130-135 pounds, 170/5 is just a bit out of my comfort zone!

I am 54, soon to be 55 years old, gaining that much weight is not only unhealthy, but it becomes harder to take off the older we get!

This past summer, I had stayed with my sister in-law for about a week while I was in that Salmon Arm, Sicamous BC country last summer. While I was there, she got me hooked on having smoothies for breakfast. In just that short period of time, a week, I started feeling better than I had in ages. I was HOOKED!

When I parked Doc at the end of the riding season this year, I was determined that I was going to loose some weight and tone up.

I began taking the smoothies that my sister in-law had hooked me on in July.  Packed with super greens, yogurt, flax and hemp oil, calcium, vitamin D and fruit among other things, this smoothie is a full meal replacement and I don’t get hungry for about 3 hours after having one! (I will be carrying my new Magic Bullet with me this season)

The same jeans I wore in Fredericton

Because of the car crash I suffered many years ago, lifting weights, using treadmills or elliptical trainers etc. is not something I can do without injuring myself so I began doing my favorite workout regimen again, one that is comprised mostly of stretching.

In the work out area of our basement, we have a wide variety of tools to use to stay fit. We have a DZT whole body vibration machine, which is great for toning and 10 minutes on it does what an hour of weight training does for females and their bone density.

I have a gym bar that is portable that I can take in my saddlebags, a twist disk for toning up the waist, a few physiotherapy balls for stretching and balance and some free weights, yoga DVD’s and mats.

My favorite exercises are the stretching and using the gym bar.

These are exercises I can (and usually do) while I am on the road. 

My friend Sara and I have been working our faithfully 5 times per week since early October.

The result is that I have dropped 4-5 jean sizes. I have gone from a 14-12 to a 8-7 depending on the cut in the last 12-13 weeks.

No more old lady bat wings, no more back fat, just a little gut roll and a bit of a muffin top left.  By the time riding season comes around I will be back in six 6-7 clothes. I am determined. 

And you know what that means right? Yes I feel so much better!

BUT REMEMBER: No good deed goes unpunished.

I now need all brand new riding gear.

Yes, there is always a downside/trade off to improving one’s self!

Whether you want to admit it or not, we know that good gear can mean the difference between walking away from a crash reasonably unscathed and being wheeled away in an ambulance or worse.

New riding gear is going to be my celebration present to me when I can finally get in to my favorite jeans again, (without having to lay on the bed to do them up) and there is no muffin top created by wearing them.

Nothing like weight gain or loss to make that riding gear that fit you well at one time a useless dust collector!

It’s the one reason I miss wearing chaps.

With chaps, if you had a good meal, you could let the belt out a notch. If you found you had put on a few pounds, loosening up the laces in the back and letting the belt out a few notches had you covered. If you lost some of that weight, you just cinched up tighter…

What the hell do you do with Kevlar jeans?  I’ll tell you – they become dust collectors.

The same goes for most riding pants, at least the ones I have tried.

If safety gear doesn’t fit properly it’s effectiveness becomes greatly reduced.

I am attending the Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver Motorcycle shows and you can be guaranteed that I will be on the hunt for the newest and best in riding gear and I will share what I find out!

In the meantime, I want to ask you what your favorite “prevent the weight gain while long haul riding” tip is.

Check out the entries in the Beat the PMS Blues Online Show n Shine over at www.beltdrivebetty.com

We have fantastic prizes from our presenting sponsor BigBlueInCanada.com and our category sponsors Strip ClubChoppers of Canada, East & West!

We are also running a little written contest this year – we are asking people to share their tips on how to combat PMS and for the non rider – how they cope with the PMS of someone they love.

Enter the contest here

I have PMS so bad that I am like a snarling Sabre Tooth tiger and I am so grateful for all the bike entries in our Show n Shine so far! Here is the Pinterest Board of the entries:

Follow Belt Drive's board Beat the PMS Blues S n S 2015 on Pinterest.

Between the Beat the PMS Blues Online Show n Shine and all the eye candy it offers up and the Motorcycle Shows, I might make it to the end of March without ending up in jail!

I look forward to seeing a number of you at the Calgary Motorcycle Show!

I hope you all have a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Writer.






Disclaimer:

All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

Viking Cycle Jacket - A Product Review

Motorcycle House sent me their Viking Cycle jacket to test out and I put it through a test no rider wants to put a jacket through. I went down in some gravel on May 24th and I am happy to report the jacket did its job admirably.

The day I got the jacket it arrived by UPS and I tore into the box with excitement!

The package my jacket came in.

A nice looking jacket

The jacket looked good and that new leather smell was intoxicating.

I eagerly took a look at the jacket, I inspected the zip out liner and the pocket sneak through for both inner pockets.

Inner pocket sneak through in the liner

The zip out liner

The old saying is that you get what you pay for and this jacket does not have the nicer poly-cotton liner of more expensive jackets, it has a nylon liner that feels rather like that of a nylon jacket or windbreaker.

The jacket's liner is made of a nylon
fabric, as are the inner pockets,
although the pocket mouth is
leather lined.

The sleeves of the liner are held in place with snaps that easily come undone when you take the jacket off and that can be a pain because the liner sleeve comes out of the jacket with your arm.

The snap that holds the
liner sleeve in place
comes undone easily

The front outer pockets of the jacket are rather small, but deep. They pitch forward at an angle that is a little awkward for me and I can't open my hand wide inside the pockets. They feel a bit "restrictive". 

My jacket is a size large and it fit pretty well through the shoulders and the sleeves - the body length was fine for just walking around and there was room to wear a hoodie underneath without the jacket feeling over tight.

All was good, UNTIL I started riding.  I am long in the back and I found that when the jacket was done up, with a hoodie underneath, and I was in riding position that the waist which has an elastic in the side to taper the jacket's fit, rode up too high up for me leaving my kidney area exposed and a tight feeling around the middle part of my ribs.

Photo Courtesy Steel Horses Photography:
You can see the jacket is short in the waist for me but fits good through the shoulders and sleeve.
I realize wearing a hoodie underneath takes away some of the body length,
but there are times a hoodie is needed and this was one of those mornings.

Hindsight being what it is, I should have gone for the XL, but now that the jacket's leather has been compromised, I can't return it for a different size.

For the cost of it, $89.95 it is a surprisingly decent quality jacket.
Not fashion leather but not real heavy leather like my personal custom made jacket is made from either.

It survived a 30-35 KPH gravel crash and did so admirably, but now that the leather has been compromised, I won't wear the jacket again, except as a fashion jacket, because if there were to be a next time, the leather on the right sleeve would probably fail.

Do I recommend this jacket? Yes, for the person on a tight budget that wants a jacket that is capable of lasting through a rough ride, it's a good choice, although once compromised, I would recommend replacing it. Shipping does take a while for a product like this, about 10 days.

The sizing charts they offer on the Motorcycle House web site are pretty accurate but I feel they need to add a measurement from the armpit to the hips so that a person can ensure a better fit in the body.
Their customer service was great, the ordering straightforward and simple.

I give the Viking Cycle Jacket from Motorcycle House 3 gas tanks out of 5

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

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

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

Time is flying....

I have been home just over a week and am already looking at the looming date of Monday when I need to be as caught up from 90 days on the road as is possible. Why? Because I am going to Ireland.

It is my first time going to Europe and I am nervous and excited.  Celtic Rider has a great itinerary lined up for Stephanie and I. When we arrive, we have a day to ourselves in Dublin and then the guys will pick us up, take us to the Celtic Rider location for a safety course on riding on the left hand side of the road.  We will have a guide for the first two days just to ensure that we get the hang of things.

I am nervous as I have never ridden a BMW before much less a sport touring bike, AND I have never ridden on the left side of the road before. I don't want to be dead and I don't want to embarrass myself either.

I know I have a fair amount of experience under my belt but that does not stop a good case of the nerves from happening!

While on this trip I will also be doing product testing.

Kimpex has sent Stephanie and I some new helmets to test.  Both helmets have the ear pockets for communications devices so we will be testing the UClear communications units.
These are the ones with the boomless mics and came to us from Green Room Social, a marketing company.

We will see how they perform in non full face helmets where the sound quality is reported to be amazing.  Once we are done with the UClear devices they have to go back to the marketing firm to send out to other journalists to try.

Then I am testing out the new Heat Demon heated vest and foot warmers also thanks to Kimpex.

These babies can be hooked to the battery on your motorcycle but can also be hooked up to an external battery pack that fits in the inside pocket of the vest so that you can continue to have heat when you are off the bike.  Also if you were on a rental bike (like I will be in Ireland) that you could not attach the battery connector to, you could still be running a heated vest when needed!

When I got the gear in yesterday, I charged the battery up and then wore the vest until the battery died and I was very pleased with the amount of heat and the length of time the small external battery could provide.


4 hours on HIGH!












The vest has some pretty cool features too, the side panels of the vest give you the ability to find the right fit for you.

I am looking forward to testing out the foot warmers and seeing how they perform. These babies are one size fits all in that like insoles, there are guides for you to cut them to match up with your foot size.

The cables seem very lightweight and unobtrusive and run up your legs where they hook to a y cable and then into the controller.

Because I have arthritis in my feet in a really bad way, I am particularly looking forward to see how these babies will work.  They might solve some of the cold weather riding issues I have.

All of these products will get a work out in Ireland and I'll have full reviews on them sometime there after.

Like I said, I am nervous, excited and a tad overwhelmed with the work load I have created for myself by being on the road for 90 days, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

The minute I feel overwhelmed I look at some of the 200 plus hours of video I have to edit and I smile, remembering the wonderful people, the amazing scenery, the food...photos and videos sure keep those memories alive and vivid!

Yes, everything in life is a trade off and while I might moan a little about the work, I am so grateful to have it!


Until next time, ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you!

Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider