Technorati Tags: one piece leathers

A little bit of a teaser for the new MV Augusta. Set to be released next week in Milan!!!

Check it out!!

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Road Racing Action from Hallett Motor Speedway. August 9, 2009. Check it out!

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    One of the most over looked pieces of race gear is probably the leather glove. And yet it is one of the key pieces in your racing ensemble. After all it is your hands that you use to control your bike, feed yourself and wipe your bum. Imagine not being able to do any of these. Not very pleasant sounding I know, but it does give you something to think about when choosing your gloves. I am going to give you the five things to look for when choosing your gloves.

•  The first thing to look for when choosing you racing gloves is the material. Leather is always the best bet for your gear but when it comes to gloves you want to find the right type of leather. Look for gloves made of kangaroo leather. It offers the same protection that cow hide does but kangaroo leather doesn’t strech as much. 
•  The second thing to look for is the knuckle protection. The knuckles are the most vulnerable parts of the hand in an accident due to the skin being so thin.
•   The third is wrist protection. You want a glove with a wrist cuff that goes up over your leathers leaving no exposed skin.  
•   The forth thing to look for is palm protection. Your want to find a glove with a reinforced palm. If you have ever had an off and slid with your palms down you know exactly why you want the reinforcment.
•   The fifth thing to look for is comfort. Make sure the gloves are breathable and well ventilated. Keeping your hands as dry as possible will eliminate slipage and glove stretch.

   Of course my pick is Alpinestars. Particularly the GP Pro gloves. They are a hier end glove but they were designed for professional road racers. They are stylish, well ventilated and feature a proven knuckle protection system. Not to mention the are made of kangaroo leather.

   In my opinion this is the best of the best. But there are plenty of other great motorcycle racing gloves out there, just chose carefuly.

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  Check out this new bike from Aprilla. It’s the RSV4 Tuono. Click here for the pics and video.

Also, I found this great forum. Check it out.

   To go along with your one piece leathers and your back protector, you are going to need a great motorcycle helmet. What makes a helmet great? Many things, for instance the graphics on the outside, the fit but most importantly the thing that makes a helmet great is it’s ability to keep you alive in the event of a crash. The only helmets that I use and recommend are full face helmets. If you are into the open face or half helmets that is completely up to you on the street, but as far as the track is concerned, full face helmet are a requirement. Full face helmets are what I will be talking about in this article.

   Here’s what you need to do when chosing a helmet. The first thing look for is the look of the helmet its self. Sounds simple I know but, it needs to have eye appeal so that you will want to wear it. You get the best helmet ever made but if you are not wearing it, it is not going to do you any good. The second thing you want to look for is the DOT and SNELL approved logo inside the helmet. If it does not have both, DO NOT GET IT. This also holds true for the open face and half helmets. The DOT is the Deparment of Transportation and SNELL is a not-for-profit organization that is “dedicated to research, education, testing and development of helmet safety standards.” Click here for more information about SNELL. 

    The next thing to look for is the fit. The top of the face opening should just above your eyebrow and the bottom of the opening should be just below your nose. The fit should be slightly snug but comfortable. If you look like a bobble head, the helmet is too loose. If you try to spin the helmet around on your head and it doesn’t move, perfect, it shouldn’t. The last thing to look for is the closure. Is it secure? Is it tight enough? Is it simple enough for you to operate? If the amsewr is yes to all of these, then congratulations, you have yourself a great helmet.

   One issue that faces some riders is cost. A great helmet is not going to be cheap. They will range from $150 to $600. It may seem like a lot but you are putting a price on your life. I paid $400 for my helmet and when I first got it I thought I was getting ripped of, but the first time I went down sliding head first on the pavement, I was thankful I had a great helmet on. There are some web sites that are advertising motorcycle helmets for $40 or so. Don’t be sucked in by price. Thes helmets are not DOT or SNELL approved and my not protct you the way you need to be protected. Like I have said before, safety is no place to cut cost or corners. I personally use Shoei helmets. They are DOT and SNELL approved plus they have a long history in motorcycle racing. For more information about Shoei helmets. To purchase a Shoei helmet.

Happy Safe Riding

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    This is the next piece of race gear I would like to talk about. The back protectors I am talking about are the stand alone type, not just the padding sewn into your leathers. The purpose of the back protector is obviously to prtect the back but it does it in a way that simple padding can’t do.

    A designated back protector should be made out of thermo plastic hard shell with soft foam padding underneath. It should be constructed like the scales of a snake. This allows the back protector to move with you without hyper extending in the event of an accident. You should steer clear of back protectors that are one solid piece, it will make your leathers fit impropperly and be very uncomfortable.

    Of course, I recommend Alpinestars. They have a back protector that is everything you need it to be.

Alpinestars Bionic Back Protector

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