Fedora Lounge Motorcyclists: Safe Gear with a Vintage Vibe

[EmergencyIan]

Steel toes definitely have their place. I'm wary, given the incidents I've heard of where they got crushed in a prang, but I certainly (when working in retail as a student, of all places) had my foot saved from a nasty break once or twice.

I don't know anything about steel toed boots when it comes to motorcycle riding, but when I worked as a paramedic, steel toed boots (Chippewa) saved my toes on numerous occasions. I can recall thinking "Whew, good thing I am wearing steel toes."

- Ian

 

[ButteMT61]

Only time I wear steal toes is riding - also Chippewa Engineer's. Otherwise I hate them

 

[Graemsay]

Not exactly vintage, but Rev'it have recently announced the Yates sweatshirt.

It's made out of a Cordura knit, which gives it a decent amount of abrasion resistance, and it's got their super-thin proprietary armour in the elbows and shoulders.

Revzilla already have a product video up.

 

[oneterrifichog]

I tend to stick with more traditional but heavy Horsehide or Steer staying away from padding as I find it extremely uncomfortable while riding. I have goat for summer as well as non insulated horse and a perforated leather Aerostitch with pads removed. Helmets run the gamut as weather dictates. I was wearing a Shoei out west a couple of summers ago and it got so hot I sent it back to the house and bought a half helmet to complete the trip. Boots are mostly steel toe but do have some that are for long distance that are waterproof.

Few years back with LW Trojan with fur Collar, Ruby Helmet , and Paraboot boots on a very cold day.

LW Goat Buco J-21 a little lighter but excellent for rain etc. Steel Toe boots and much cooler Half Helmet

LW Horsehide with light lining Steel Toe Boots and compromised 3/4 helmet

Even a Suburban LW works well with the Trike. Steel Toe Red Wings are better than most because of comfort... Guess I am getting old.

 

[Fanch]

^^^ Is @oneterrifichog the King of Cool, or what. Fantastic post Wilbur!

 

[Edward]

How does a trike feel to ride as compared to two wheels? I imagine it's much easier to keep stable, though it'll doubtless have a different 'feel' to the turning. The three wheeler that would have me tempted would actually be one of those Morgans (the kit version, anyhow) with the two wheels at the front, one at the back - tiny little sportscar, very low to the ground. Can dive them on a bike licence here in the UK, and three-wheelers are significantly cheaper to insure than the equivalent four wheel car. If ever money was no object, I'd have one ahead of a bike and sidecar, because herself absolutely point blank refuses to consider getting in a sidecar! Shame - I know they require learning to ride with one, but I love the look...

Just had a pair of Helstons' Legend gloves arrive in the post. Technically Summer gloves, but plenty warm enough for wearing off a bike in Winter. No real hint on them of being bike gloves at all, very subtle. Full price is GBP59.99, but Motolegends currently have them on sale on their eBay store at GBP27.99 with free postage. There's no knuckle guard as on some of their other models, but it is a lovely, light but durable bovine leather glove, reinforced leather strip along the index finger and thumb, and there's a Kevlar layer between the poly lining and the outer shell. They're certified to ECE Level 1, which is about as good as it gets with a glove. I'll definitely be buying more gloves from them in future.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Helstons-Legends-Summer-Gloves-/292023689493

 

[oneterrifichog]

How does a trike feel to ride as compared to two wheels? I imagine it's much easier to keep stable, though it'll doubtless have a different 'feel' to the turning. The three wheeler that would have me tempted would actually be one of those Morgans (the kit version, anyhow) with the two wheels at the front, one at the back - tiny little sportscar, very low to the ground. Can dive them on a bike licence here in the UK, and three-wheelers are significantly cheaper to insure than the equivalent four wheel car. If ever money was no object, I'd have one ahead of a bike and sidecar, because herself absolutely point blank refuses to consider getting in a sidecar! Shame - I know they require learning to ride with one, but I love the look...

Just had a pair of Helstons' Legend gloves arrive in the post. Technically Summer gloves, but plenty warm enough for wearing off a bike in Winter. No real hint on them of being bike gloves at all, very subtle. Full price is GBP59.99, but Motolegends currently have them on sale on their eBay store at GBP27.99 with free postage. There's no knuckle guard as on some of their other models, but it is a lovely, light but durable bovine leather glove, reinforced leather strip along the index finger and thumb, and there's a Kevlar layer between the poly lining and the outer shell. They're certified to ECE Level 1, which is about as good as it gets with a glove. I'll definitely be buying more gloves from them in future.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Helstons-Legends-Summer-Gloves-/292023689493

The Trike is a lot of fun to ride but there is no comparison to a motorcycle. When you lean into corners on a motorcycle one is actually pushed down as you go through the curves which to me makes the sport. A trike does just the opposite one feels a pull out as the bike is physically turned around the corner which takes some getting used to and is definitely different than two wheels. Braking is different as well as one finds more use of the front brake on corners on the trike as it can be used to push the front of the trike down and allow quicker speeds through the curve. Now having said all of this stability is excellent on the TriGlide and the wife loves it! My wife wanted to start back riding with me last year and we decided that it was a good time to make the transition now that I was getting a little older and she wanted to do some long distance trips.

The Can Am Spyder and the Morgan are both interesting three wheel mobility options too. For the more up to date technical version I think you can't go wrong with the Can Am Spyder. It was designed from the ground up and a friend of mine who owned one a number of years ago said it was like driving a sports car but twice the fun. Morgan with it's 1930's style and to some degree engineering is just about the coolest on the road in my opinion. They are expensive but hand built and gorgeous. Personally if I had the money and were actually looking at the Morgan I think I would bite the bullet and go for the Morgan Four. They quit importing them in the US a few years ago so all we can go for are the used models.

 

[Edward]

If I had the money and a place out of town to store it, I'd definitely have a couple of Morgans; something from the traditional side for the better weather, and maybe the coupe version of the Aero 8 for the Winter... The EV3 model is very appealing, though - similar to the regular 3 wheeler, but with an electric motor. The way the winds are blowing in recent years, it's not going to be very much longer before an electric car is a realistic daily driver here in London.

 

[scottyrocks]

A trike steers pretty much like a car - turn in the direction you want to go, as opposed to a bike where you turn the opposite way you want to go, at least above parking lot speeds. Want to go left? Push on the left bar and the bike falls left and tracks to the left.

If you want to know whether or not a rider understands the dynamics or not, watch to see if they are leaning (throwing their weight) all over the place to turn. All it takes, aside from racing, is a push on the proper side of the bar to cut a turn.

 

[scottyrocks]

I had wanted to post this picture when this thread first came up but I couldn't find it.

Pictures come up on FB as annual memories, and this one appeared yesterday, so here it is.

This had to have been taken at least 10 years go. It's an Icon Daytona Retro Leather.

Thick leather, hard padding in the elbows, forearms, and shoulders (I think), and a retro look that has me wearing it even when I'm not riding.

I have had the zipper replaced because the #8 that it came with broke. I had a #10 put in - much more suitable for a jacket this heavy.

I bought it to wear over a hoodie at the very least, but in that photo, there's just a t-shirt under there so it's a little roomy.

As you can see, it came in 4 colors, but the yellow/black just speaks to me.

 

[Edward]

New information in from GoldTop UK:

"We're currently in the process of producing some of our jackets with pockets for armour. It's taken ages for us to get it right so that the armour doesn't stick out and look bulky however we are finally happy. We are starting with some of our other styles (rather than the 1959 and 617), but will eventually be producing those with armour too!"

I expect they'll start with the more 70s looking jackets, then work backwards. Ihave my eye on the 59 to turn into a patched up rocker jacket.... (as in the British cafe racer scene, not a patch/colours club).

 

[IXL]

I had wanted to post this picture when this thread first came up but I couldn't find it.

Pictures come up on FB as annual memories, and this one appeared yesterday, so here it is.

View attachment 108245

This had to have been taken at least 10 years go. It's an Icon Daytona Retro Leather.

View attachment 108246

Thick leather, hard padding in the elbows, forearms, and shoulders (I think), and a retro look that has me wearing it even when I'm not riding.

I have had the zipper replaced because the #8 that it came with broke. I had a #10 put in - much more suitable for a jacket this heavy.

I bought it to wear over a hoodie at the very least, but in that photo, there's just a t-shirt under there so it's a little roomy.

As you can see, it came in 4 colors, but the yellow/black just speaks to me.

I had the blue-and-white jacket on order for quite some time but it never shipped. I would so rock that style......

 

[Mr. Cragganmore]

If you remember the movie Easy Rider (1969) I wear a Schott Brothers leather coat made for the movie for Peter Fonda. I have the same model, Classis look both on my Harley or old BMW.
Just leather with no armor. But if I’m on a road trip I wear bohn armor under the jacket

and jeans.

 

[SkyTurtle]

I just have to give a shout out to one of my favorite jackets. A Dianese Zen Evo from Cycle Gear. Not Vanson quality, but this thing is so versatile it's managed to surface as a go-to jacket quite often. Perforated in the chest and back. With the liner out it's comfortable in all but the hottest southern weather. Liner in and it's good for the rest of the year. I wear a heated liner under it when it gets really cold. Armor in the shoulders and elbows. I bought this thing thinking it might last a couple of years at best. And that was 2010. One sleeve zipper is stuck and a keyring is now my main zipper pull, but it's so comfortable I just can't let it go.

Dianese Zen

• SkyTurtle
• Dec 7, 2016

A great year-round perforated jacket from Dianese.

BMW Boxer Back Patch

• SkyTurtle
• Dec 7, 2016
• 2

Another patch I designed for a local riding club: BMW Boxer Engine Riders. Just wish I'd proofed...

 

[Monitor]

I just have to give a shout out to one of my favorite jackets. A Dianese Zen Evo from Cycle Gear. Not Vanson quality, but this thing is so versatile it's managed to surface as a go-to jacket quite often. Perforated in the chest and back. With the liner out it's comfortable in all but the hottest southern weather. Liner in and it's good for the rest of the year. I wear a heated liner under it when it gets really cold. Armor in the shoulders and elbows. I bought this thing thinking it might last a couple of years at best. And that was 2010. One sleeve zipper is stuck and a keyring is now my main zipper pull, but it's so comfortable I just can't let it go.

Dianese Zen

• SkyTurtle
• Dec 7, 2016

A great year-round perforated jacket from Dianese.

BMW Boxer Back Patch

• SkyTurtle
• Dec 7, 2016
• 2

Another patch I designed for a local riding club: BMW Boxer Engine Riders. Just wish I'd proofed...

Dainese makes incredible jackets! The stuff they used to do here in Europe was regularly outperforming anything else on the market.

 

[Edward]

Well, today has certainly brought home the importance of good photos in marketing.... I'd discounted the notion of looking at a RevIt jacket based on their marketing images, like this, the RevIt Vaughn.

Now I see the same jacket in photos like the second....

(AndI rlise ther's a photo of one on the first page of this thread too).

All the Revit heritage jacket designs look naff and cartoony in their official promo shots, but seeing a decent photo, they look fantastic. The Vaughn is definitely a superb alternative to the Lewis Super Monza.

 

[ProteinNerd]

Is that really the same jacket? wow!

 

[Edward]

Is that really the same jacket? wow!

I know, right? I think the second one is actually the brown version (same hide, but a so-dark-it's-almost-black brown in colour. Even so....

Here's the black:

 

[Edward]

The zipper pulls are a lovely touch, not a million miles away from a vintage Talon.

 

[Graemsay]

I came very close to getting a Rev'it Vaughn, but ended up with the Fargo instead. The reason was that the Vaughn has a built-in thermal liner, and would have been a bit warm for the Australian summer.

The Rev'it jackets are nice, and they use pull-up hides that should age well.