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2006 (June to December) Hey Mama, I find myself extremely frustrated at trying to find some protective clothing in a size that will fit me. I'm 5'1" and weigh a hundred and plenty (very portly for my height), and though motorcycle clothing manufacturers seem to carry "big mens" sizes, that's not true for us ladies. I just called my local Harley dealer to make an inquiry about their FXRG nylon slimline pant, which comes in extended sizes. They didn't carry my size in stock. She checked and found that there are only 2 pairs in the entire country in what I think would be my size, having never tried them on: one in Texas and one in North Carolina. A little far for me to go, since I'm in California! When I asked about ordering a pair, she told me that it would be a "special order" and that I would be "stuck" with them even if they didn't fit. That's just crazy!! I was hoping that Woman Biker could help me out with maybe a custom pair of pants, but no response from them. I guess I'm just venting here. When are these manufacturers gonna get that all of us biker ladies aren't a size 8???!!! Thanks for letting me rant. – Rose in CA Dear Rose, If a vendor offers a size (extended or not), in my mind they should fulfill the order with full return options. If you ordered the pair from either TX or NC, could they be returned, as for them, it's a stock item? I searched for other vendors offering custom women's
riding gear. I'm thinking I've had input on this before, but it would take
a bit of searching on my Ride
Gear: Riding Gear pages as I don't segment off for short riders, but
may be worth your time reading through. Not all links get translated to my
Women's Gear page. –
Mama Friday, July 7 Hi Petra, The highlight for me was meeting VTwin Mama, Petra herself. My husband, Stewart, has heard much about the information and encouragement that I have received from the V Twin Mama site. It was truly a joy to meet you. Ladies. if you have the opportunity, please take the time to extend your heartfelt appreciation to Petra and to all those that contribute to this site. We drove down to Athens which gave me an opportunity to really look at the roads from a different perspective. There were all the things that we've heard and read about but I had thought I'd probably never encounter. The endless tar snakes, edge traps formed from grooved pavement, caution signs for motorcycles and deer alongside the road. My hats off to all of you that maneuver these things with skill. In my search to find products that will protect my inner thigh from the exhaust header heat, here's another. This site may be helpful for anyone searching for a product that protects the inner thigh from the exhaust header heat: Cool Thighs. It really works and is well worth the price of approx $100. The web site did not indicate that there was a product for my bike. But, I was determined and called the manufacturer. Needless to say, a Cool Thigh is manufactured for the Honda VTX 1300. Since the device is predominately a thick piece of leather we had some aluminized heat shield material sewn onto the back. This can be done by any shoe repair store. This may not be necessary for everyone, but I just wanted to extend the life of the product. Also, the Cool Thigh comes with a leather care product. Petra, my husband was sincere when he said, "Thank you for giving him back his weekends." Through the assistance gained from the information shared on this site, in addition to practicing in the high school parking lot and the mentoring done by Manna and others in the Long Island Chapter of Women In the Wind, I actually ride a motorcycle. This is something that Stewart and I can do together on the weekends. The big hugs from you, the enthusiasm of the attendees and the exchanges of support from the female riders was just the shot in the arm that I needed. In fact, I have been on my bike taking solo rides since we returned on Sunday. To all the ladies returning from Athens and to my friends Old Bags On Bikes: Thank you for your encouragement and Ride Safe. – Audrey L.I. "I wanna ride" Dear Audrey, It was joyful to meet you and the 900+ other people in attendance. And yes, several men approached me to thank me for helping the women in their lives. I haven't had a chance yet to put together my own review of the Convention, thank the people that helped, and note points of interest . . . but I will get to it! I have ordered the DVD made of the Convention and will share my review of that as well. Meanwhile, thanks for sharing your experience with the Cool Thigh product! It's this sharing of information that makes a difference to us all! – Mama Monday, July 10 Hello Petra, Dear Ruth, In terms of riding gear, finding stuff made for perfectly proportioned women (in our humble estimation, as all women are in fact perfect no matter what dimension they are!), it is a challenge when a body does not fit the standard sizing charts. What you wish to consider is gear with Kevlar (or similar) incorporated . . . it not only offers road rash protection, but thermal protection, and is used by firefighters. I noticed great traffic at the She Rides booth at the AMA Women & Motorcycling Convention as they had the Draggin Jeans line . . . these are jean-look pants but with Kevlar in it and because they are jeans, come in a wide variety of women's specific width/length combos as well as standard and relaxed fit. This might be your solution! Otherwise, do an Internet search for Kevlar riding gear to keep exploring. – Mama Monday, July 17 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Diane, So, Cool Thighs can be stored and pulled out when needed and in looking at what Kuryakyn offers, it appears to be a permanent addition. Cool Thighs has a leather outer covering but I couldn't find details on what's inside, but it is clearly a thicker assembly than the Kuryakyn product, a polycarbonate panel that is thinner. Ultimately, anytime you put something between you and a part that generates heat (and needs air flow to dissipate it), I would exercise caution. – Mama Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Beverly, Monday, August 7 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Nanci, Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Kristin, The less expensive compromise to boots is a pair of hiking boots that come up over your ankles. I'd head to Wal-Mart. You could also hop onto my Boots/Gloves page for links to online stores to check out leather pricing . . . I looked at BootBay for example, and the lowest leather price I found was $73 (for leather hiking style m/c boots . . . that's not a bad price!) . . . and you'll also see links to motorcycle aftermarket companies (like JP Cycles) for gloves, which are optional, but cheap enough. Jeans are fine for pants. A jacket poses more of a $$ problem . . . I'd head to my Riding Gear page, look at the aftermarket links in the left column, visit those sites, and then look for their closeout/sales section. You'll find that the sport-style summer weather jackets are probably the least expensive, but will still offer good protection as they are made with protective materials in case of oopsies. If you'll be riding later in the season when it's colder (depending on where you live), then you can layer underneath with thermal underwear and turtlenecks that you probably have on hand already. The helmet should be DOT certified. That's a bare minimum. Kelly and Dee own Gear Up Direct, so I hopped onto their site and found a 3/4 open face DOT helmet for $46. So, given $$ realities, I'd start with the helmet
purchase as the most important item (and depending on where you live,
maybe a must!). –
Mama Monday, August 21 For Kristin who doesn't have a lot of money but needs to purchase riding gear: Don't forget about eBay! You can find some great deals on there from people who are selling used/no longer needed riding gear and parts. Even the eBay merchants' prices can sometimes be better than regular online merchants for the same products. Ride safe! – Shakti AeroRider (note from Mama: thanks for the reminder!) When I first started riding, I found a leather jacket and boots on eBay. The jacket was new for $15 and the boots were Red Wing seconds, for $39. The 3/4 helmet was also new for $50. Since I wasn't sure I would like riding, I didn't want to spend a lot. Since then, I have resold the jacket, bought a Harley one which I couldn't live without, still wear the boots which are great, and still use the helmet when I wear one. Anyway, eBay is a great place to get riding stuff cheap if you watch. Ride safe, hugs, – Penney from Iowa (note from Mama: sounds like it's well worth the research.) A great place to get riding gear inexpensively is New Enough. I have bought several different jackets from them and they are super. Orders are shipped quickly and exchanges of sizes - if necessary - are done quickly with no hassles. Superior company with great products. – Dorathy Biddinger (note from Mama: interesting resource!) I am aghast at the line you wrote to the college girl inquiring about cheaper alternatives to high priced bike gear. You wrote "and you'll also see links to motorcycle aftermarket companies (like JP Cycles) for gloves, which are optional, but cheap enough..." My dear Petra gloves are NEVER optional, like over the ankle boots, they are of vital importance. (We won't get into a helmet debate). Why are gloves so important?. If you drop or fall off a slow moving bike your body will instinctively put out a hand or hands to protect the head and vital body parts. Always, without question. It's a completely reflex action. If you come off a bike at high speed the body will attempt to put a hand down, but because of the speed it may or may not be successful. If you are not wearing even short, rodeo style gloves, in a slow speed accident, chances are your palms will be lacerated, as will your fingertips and fingers. The fingers are very delicate, not being able to use your hand(s) for weeks because you were not wearing a pair of gloves seems completely pointless to me. You know I trail bike a lot, have you noticed every trail biker wears gloves? That's because we expect to fall, and we realize the palm and fingers are likely, 9 times out of 10, to make contact with the earth. If you had ever seen the palm and hand of a rider who has come off without gloves on . . . trust me, you would be saying gloves are VITAL not optional mate. In a high speed accident the hands are often being thrown about like weights on the end of a rope. They slam into the ground, they drag, they get stuck under a sliding body. But a pair of gloves will lessen the damage by quite a degree. Armored sports bike gloves will also protect the knuckles and wrist bones. (Not that I wear this style of glove myself, I just wear those tan colored rodeo gloves, but they have saved my hands trail biking countless times now.) I know guys and gals who have come off on the road without gloves, strangely enough they all wear them now, even in the summer. Additional note: It's best not to wear rings or jewelry on the fingers or wrists, even under the gloves. The rings and bracelets can get caught as you slide along and also cause damage or may need to be cut off if the hand/fingers swell due to trauma. Heat transference being a major problem. Cheers, – Kevin in Sydney (note from Mama: I stand corrected . . . thanks for pointing out the importance.) Tuesday, September 19 Hello VTwin Mama, Dear Alicia, Tuesday, September 19 Dear VTwin Mama, My partner and I took and passed the MSF class in July and then bought brand new Kawasaki Vulcan 500s. We'll be taking them in for their 500 mile checkups this week. During our first several weeks, we practiced in our neighborhood and only after building confidence did we go for those early weekend rides out on the main roads. Unfortunately, while doing slow-mo stuff to get used to a 500 instead of the little 125 she trained on at MSF, my partner dropped her bike a couple of times. Once during a Figure-8 . . . it went down so quickly that she was still astride as it hit the ground. She smacked her (helmeted) head on the pavement and dinged up her knee, elbow and wrist. She was really scared of the bike after that, and I didn't think she'd ever get back on. But a few days later, after watching me go out to practice every evening, she was back on her bike and building back her lost confidence. Now we're extending our range and venturing out more and more. On Sunday we rode over 100 miles, mostly on 55 mph roads with ample curves, hills and various traffic and environmental challenges. My only question is how much protective gear do you think is too much? Beyond my helmet, gloves and boots, I always wear a TourMaster jacket with armor, and after her fall, I also purchased a pair of "adventure pants" which are like silky long underwear with padded hips, tail bone and knees to wear under my jeans. I figure a fall at my age could put me out of commission for a good long time, so better safe than sorry. But I'm beginning to hate "gearing up" and can certainly understand how people end up riding with far less. Here's a picture of me and my bike taken after our marathon ride on Sunday. Back home safe and sound. But as my partner said, it looks like I'm wearing a fat suit because of all my padding. :-) Best, – Susan Dear Susan, You haven't seen a "fat suit" until you've seen me during winter. I'm not a fan of chaps, so I wear workmen's bib overalls with thermal lining, a turtleneck, sweatshirt, jeans, thermal underwear, and double socks underneath, and then layer the jacket, gloves and helmet on. I look like the Michelin Man! I think my smile compensates for the padded look! The balance of comfort and protection in riding gear can be a fine line. I think the hatred of gearing up is more prevalent in the hottest months . . . heck I even looking at my riding boots and jeans with distaste! However, you'll never catch me without boots, jeans, gloves and helmet. None of that shorts and flip-flops stuff for me! I think if you ever talked with an accident survivor, you would quickly overcome your gearing up issues. If want a taste of that, hop over to my Accident Survivors pages. This is not to shock you into submission, but to let you hear their voices for yourself. The latest posting is a road rash healing letter that serves as a stark reminder of the role that protective gear plays. Of course the risk choice is ours, but should be made
with great care. –
Mama Dear VTwin Mama, I hate how my leather chaps feel (and how chubby they make me look). OK - so I AM a bit chubby but my off-the-shelf chaps are too baggy and thus really accent the big leg look and I hate the sheer bulk of them when trying to roll up and put in saddle bags after the day warms up. Custom made chaps cost a fortune and still take up too much space and seldom come in neat colors to match your jacket or bike paint, so this seems like a great alternative. Eager to hear anyone who has tried these out. Anyone know of a company that makes leather chaps in let's say red or yellow or snakeskin leathers??? – Dorathy Biddinger Dear Dorathy, So, I begin my musings with a basic overview of Cordura. From one website I found out that Cordura is an "air treated" nylon fabric originally designed by DuPont, characterized by a rough, fuzzy texture on the outside and a somewhat rough texture on the inside, and the chief advantages are that it's abrasion resistance and light weight, but not necessarily as easy to waterproof. From the Vegan Motorcyclist site, I learned that Cordura comes in a number of thicknesses, so this is definitely something to consider. From this site I also saw that they listed a number of non-leather alternatives, although most seem to be pants rather than chaps, but explore some there! Of course your heavy duty leather chaps, while being a pill to roll up and store and can feel bulky, offer a level of protection and could potentially be altered by a good tailor who handles leather . . . I'd call around . . . and will add that the nearest motorcycle leather shop usually has alteration people on staff or has a freelance alterations person on call! If you still wish to proceed with lighter weights, I'd also be searching for Kevlar chaps . . . lightweight but highly abrasion resistant and they do exist! Ok readers, who has input on this one?! –
Mama Tuesday, September 26 Dear VTwin Mama, I did learn something though, how the littlest things such as riding gear can negatively affect riding skills. I have two pairs of Hi-Tec boots, one waterproof that I wear when riding, the other a pair I wear for work. Both are similar styles, but the other day when going to work, I felt like a bumbling beginner again, trying to shift, brake, etc. Finally I realized that my work boots just weren't sliding on the pegs the same way, were getting hung up on them in fact. When I came home I looked at the soles of both boots. There was a subtle difference in the grooves on the work pair which I assume are great for walking around on potentially slippery concrete all day, but not so great for moving around on a footpeg. Maybe some of the problems us newbies are having that create havoc can be addressed by looking at what we wear? Rhonda and I had this discussion yesterday, because she's been faithful about wearing gloves and a jacket when we ride, no matter how hot it's been. I ordered a different jacket, but for around town, I gave up and am just wearing a shirt. It was so awful hot yesterday, she finally decided to throw her jacket in the trunk (yeah it's really cute, the scooter trunk under the seat) and ride home without it. How safe can we be if we feel like we're passing out from all the gear? And I still can't find a pair of gloves that are comfortable, so have been being bad and not wearing them. I've always had an aversion to them, couldn't stand wearing them when I worked with horses either, because I lose my sense of touch. And of course MSF says fingerless gloves aren't much better than wearing nothing, so I don't know what to do. Oh, btw, the Airhawk cushion is awesome! It completely takes the pain away from my tailbone, and as I said before, puts me in a better seating position because of the slightly higher cushion (probably would be a problem for shorter riders though). I like the fact that it's easy to add or take out air; it's like blowing up a balloon. And so far my fat butt has not popped it, which was a valid concern! It's pricey, but having a pain-free ride is making it worth every penny. Rhonda says to say hello. She's having so much fun on that Burgman . . . shaved down the windshield the other day to make it sportier. She says she wants a little windshield like Bumblebee [VTwin Mama's BWM R1200C) has. I think the bigger class scooters are a great choice for someone looking at auto tranny bikes. She's much more daring on it, eager to go places. Yesterday we took a 50 mile round trip ride just to go for dinner (and then to Target, where we shopped for whatever we could fit in the two bikes. A multi-pack of toilet paper fits nicely in her scooter trunk!) Take care, – Kat Dear Kat, I agree that overheating under gear is not a good situation as it is fatiguing and erodes concentration. This is always a difficult balance between safety and comfort, but as with all things, sometimes you start with one item, realize the deficiencies in the choice, and then have better clues on gauging the viability of what you're seeing out there in the marketplace. While I think that gloves with fingertips cut off are better than nothing at all, again, it's a choice. I'll simply add that whenever I'm at a dealer, rally, or even a ride, I keep my eyed peeled on gloves as it's such a personal fit (I hate material bunching up in my palm). It's like eyewear . . . you've got to try them on to find the right stuff! Yahoo to both you and Rhonda . . . you've come a long
way in accomplishments since you started and it's always fun to hear that
new(er) riders are getting to that more joyful portion of the riding
experience! –
Mama Wednesday, September 27 For Kat who noted she is having a hard time finding gloves that fit and jacket comfort: I'm outside of DC so my summers are hot, humid and often have a quick sprinkle. I always ride w/gloves b/c sweaty palms don't grip, no matter what material your bars are covered with. Here's the 'heresy': in summer, I ride w/golf rain gloves. The Footjoy RainGrip Extra are designed to grip better when they are wet, and they grip amazingly well when dry. Unlike ordinary golf gloves, they are sold in pairs. They are light, breath well, & fit my small hands. They have a tiny slit at the base of the fingers; more ventilation, I guess. They aren't going to give me major lay-down protection, but only full leathers will do that. Any larger golf pro shop sells them. Do get the RainGrip Extra, though; they not only are the newer version, but also come in XS, S, Mm etc. instead of combined XS/S, M/L, etc. To address the 'only real bike gloves crowd': NO, I'm NOT advocating these instead of armored leather gloves. I've got those, too, but I can't stand them in 90 degree weather. This is my personal option instead of no gloves at all. – Jem (note from Mama: interesting! I tried my sailing gloves in wet weather but found them too stiff in the palm, but I hate dye leaks in heavy rain, and will have to stop by the nearest sporting store and look closer at your suggestion!) It was great meeting you at the the Women and
Motorcycling conference. Monday, October 16 Dear VTwin Mama, I know leather is the
protective layer for colder months, but what do you use in the warmer
months? With winter coming on, I'll spend it putting some things together
for spring . . . and a few pretties for the bike too. Dear Debby, Even as I write, many companies are incorporating Kevlar, or similar man-made fabrics into leather riding gear at key impact points. These fabrics are abrasion-resistant and offer more protection. You'll find in the "sporty" lineups of clothing, that this fabric is usually included. In addition, they often include slip-in pieces at key areas that are designed to "crush" on impact, thus buffering the hit (once used, they are then replaced). With Kevlar (or similar), design for warmer riding can
be something lighter weight and breathable, yet abrasion-resistant. There
are even jeans that use Kevlar! Keep shopping and you'll find those
choices! –
Mama Monday, November 27 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Bill, Why do riders add these to their riding gear? Well, the most common reasons given are that it's not only fun, but it increases the chance that a cage driver will spot a rider and take notice . . . hopefully increasing the likelihood that they'll realize they are sharing the road with a more vulnerable vehicle and drive accordingly. – Mama Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Jody, Good for you . . . taking a closer look at what and how we ride can reveal all sorts of things! It sounds like you're motoring in style now . . . without adding an extra burn to the equation! – Mama Wednesday, November 29 For Jody who is solving exhaust pipe clothing scorch issues: Jody, I was having the same trouble, so I went to my local Harley dealer to see what I could do about it. He said that the problem was that the cuffs of my jeans were a little too long, and they flapped up under the heat shield. I got some wraps for the cuffs (basically just a Velcro wrap that keeps the cuff tight to my leg) that prevent the problem. I hadn't thought about what a dangerous problem it could be, but he said I was really lucky I hadn't been to the gas station and accidentally spilled a few drops of gas on my cuff -- I would have had a flaming leg!! Hopefully changing your riding position will fix it, but you might want to make sure your cuffs aren't too long (wider leg jeans). – Erin (note from Mama: wow . . . you've got everyone scrambling to take a closer look at their pants-to-bike contact situation! It's worth taking another look!) Wednesday, December 13 Hi
Petra, Dear
Bobbye, Wednesday, December 20 Dear
VTwin Mama, The company that makes Vespas, Piaggio, has a new bike that has been available in Europe for several years and is just about ready to come to the US. It has two front wheels and one back wheel. You do not need a special motorcycle license to ride this bike. It comes under the trike rules. The cornering is much better than a trike, more akin to a two wheel motorcycle. The retail price is just over $7,000. I went hoping to try on some girl leathers. Something other than a scaled down man's model. I was able to try on several of the Hein Gericke line and was extremely impressed with the fit and workmanship. The stock was limited at the show. There were several other women that stopped at the same booth and they were saying the same thing to the vendor. I hope this sinks in and I think it will when they see how much money we spend on stuff. The attendees at the show were very diverse. It was interesting to see all the different people brought together by the same interest, motorcycles. – Edie A. Dear
Edie, Many companies are emerging to cater to the serious woman rider . . . and you'll see many of them cataloged on my Women's Gear page. Fit, style, and thick cowhide . . . can a woman ask for more?!– Mama Thursday, December 28 Dear
Petra, My question, after this long intro - how much protection would armor have provided? My husband says I would have walked away; I think I still would have had an injury, such as a displaced shoulder, but nothing like what happened. Anyone have any idea as to who is right? Oh, and I'm so glad I was wearing my leathers and helmet. The helmet and faceshield are pretty banged up. Shudder to think what would have happened if I hadn't been wearing it! – Ruta Dear
Ruta, Body armor does offer crash protection . . . it's specific insets and layers that help absorb the impact of a fall by crushing so that that body part doesn't take the bull brunt of the impact. Usually this is some sort of molded foam. Warning: once crushed, it needs to be replaced. There is also body armor that is foam-based but also has a molded plastic layer. While typically offered with the more sporty style of riding gear, there are more and more leathers that allow the incorporation of these shields. And of course, there is body armor that is simply worn underneath regular jackets, vests, and jeans. Given the shearing nature of your injury, it's difficult to speculate what exact added level of protection body armor would have offered . . . certainly any added layer is just one more thing between you and the road/object, but whether it would have been enough to negate the shearing action is impossible to ascertain. Honestly, I think it would have boiled down to what style armor you had on and a bit of luck. My thought on springtime, when you're ready to climb back on the motorcycle . . . definitely add body armor at your injured shoulder so you've got that extra protection . . . if anything, it will help ease your mind a bit more as you prepare to get back on the road (as this is an much a mental process as it is a physical one). Heal well dear riding sister. That's one sweet biker wave we'll be offering you in 2007. As a sidenote, should you find that you wish to share your story some more (as part of the mental healing process), Tink started up a site for accident survivors called Biker's Haven . . . here you can post messages, reflections, prayers and tributes. – Mama |
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