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2008 Monday, February 4 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Blooze, Monday, March 10 Dear VTwin Mama, Yes, the Gerbing Heated Gloves are bulky and need a waterproof mitten over them when in use with wet conditions. Yet you are riding in very cold weather and also are wearing plenty of clothing. These gloves do the job and your hands can be warmed to your own need of heat level with an adjustable control. Most waterproof gloves stay waterproof inside as the Gerbing Gloves do, yet the outside is soaking wet. Heating your core is the most important, as blood leaves the extremities and stays in the core. n order to circulate the blood where needed heat up the core! Invest in a Gerbing Liner. You will never be sorry for this lifetime guaranteed garment. Spring for the liner. The vest is less and you will not be completely satisfied. 99 % of my distance and camping women's riding group here in the Pacific NW own and use a custom fit Gerbing Liner. You raise your ability to ride safe if you are warm and not thinking about trying to stay warm. As far as feet go, there is a great pair of boots by Vega around $60. These boots have a great sole and are warm and waterproof. Also buy lots of packs of Toastie Toes at a local Wal-Mart. These are great and attach to the bottom of your socks. These last about 5 hours and then go cold like a rock. Lastly, remember leather jackets and pants or chaps, conduct temperature whatever the weather is offering. Textile products generally are waterproof and windproof and have built in armor. Warm in the winter and vented for near 80 degrees in the warmer months. – MK, long distance woman rider form Arlington, WA Dear MK, Friday, March 14 Dear VTwin Mama, Many Thanks to Nanci and her business! Happy Riding! – Sherri Dear Sherri, Tuesday, March 25 Hi everyone, The leggings in the photo (click for a larger image) were ordered by a
gal for western riding but I had her put on my biker boots for the photo.
She immediately said she was going to get a pair of black western boots to
match! The leggings will be coming out on my website soon, but I wanted to
share them with all of you first. They will start at $150 and I know
they will be a big hit for both men and women (Ken won’t go back to
regular chaps now). They can be ordered in just about any color and of
course we can add bling and neat snap caps for a little more. Other items that will be coming soon on the site will be: half chaps for both western and m/c and custom belts. My partner, Elaine, is now back in the shop after her knee surgery and is just about as busy as I am. Life is good! Warm regards, – Nanci Rogers, Owner
Monday, April 14 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Julia, On one site I found this comparison from the racing vantage point: "Tear strength of Levi's is about 4.5 lbs (pounds of force to tear). A 35mph get-off and slide produces approximately 30 lbs of force. 620 denier Cordura nylon takes 35 lbs of force to tear. New competition grade leather and 1000 denier cordura nylon's tear strength is 110 lbs of force to tear. Keprotec (that Kevlar blend) is at least 4 times better than that." Is leather better? On this site it is noted: "Leather should be worn snug because when leather folds it's tear strength lowers considerably. As an organic material leather dries out and looses it's flexibility over time. In fact each time leather gets wet and dries it can loose up to 20% of it's tear and abrasion strength." A number of leather jacket makers are incorporating Kevlar for added protection, but if the outer cowhide is thin, over-treated, and not designed specifically for riding, it's of little use. Given your fitment issues, I see no reason why a Cordura outer shell wouldn't be ok ... but the caveat is the same as in all gear ... you get what you pay for. If you would still like to look at leather jackets, here's my review on a Fox Creek Leather Touring jacket ... what I'm thinking is that the elastic gathering at the waist and sides allows for a proper upper body (chest) fit without then billowing about at the bottom! – Mama Monday, April 28 Mama, Dear Glenda, Hi Petra and VTM Readers, The line includes Classic T’s with a relaxed ladies
cut, Baby Doll T’s with 7% Spandex for a fitted cut, Micro Tanks relaxed
fit and Hoody’s. All the fabric in the Reflections line are performance
fabrics and are Moisture Managing, Anti Odor, Anti Microbial. The
Reflections line also features a design on the back that incorporated
illuminating inks that light up at night when exposed to light (ex. Car
headlights). Our first production run will include Black with mesh and black with solid. I have included our pattern sketches so you can see the great design (The dark gray are the abrasion panels and the light gray are the moisture managing panels. Click on pictures for larger view.
The actual pant has more coverage then the sketches
show) It moves fabulous under your tightest pants and is designed so
you never sit on a seam. The legs are extra long for the tall gals but we
designed it so the pant can be easily shortened for the shorter gals. The retail price point will be $119. We
launched it at the Indy Expo and have had so many pre orders we had to
increase our first production run. I have worn the pant on several rides now and I am
finding the solid is a great insulating layer and kept the wind off me
fabulous but got a little warm when just standing around. The mesh is
definitely the warm weather pant as it has lots of air flow and was
comfortable standing around. It fit very comfortable under my snuggest
jeans with no show through. The design of the pant also offers some
shaping control (a feature we were hoping for but not concentrating on).
So just like the jacket we designed based on Safety, function, comfort,
style in that order. I think we met all at the highest level.. LOL! Can
you tell I’m excited about this pant? Just to let you know we are bringing on a new color
to take the place of the beige jacket (we can’t get a color match on the
fabric any longer) ... it will be a white jacket with light silver pads
and we will have in both the White mesh and the White solid in the jacket
and in the pant. Dear Kristina, Thursday, May 8 Dear Readers, "Cameleon Power-Sport Apparel singlehandedly took on the women’s motorcycle apparel industry — not only by introducing innovative technology for protective apparel, but also by challenging the stereotype of women riders clad in rough-looking black leather. The line, with the tag line “Where Fashion Meets the Motorcycle,” includes elegant leathers and figure-flattering protection that crosses over from the bike to all areas of women’s lives. When owner and designer Kristina Jones graduated with her MBA in 2004, her husband gave her a motorcycle as a graduation gift. She quickly became frustrated with the ill-fitting, hot, bulky apparel that was available. Jones began researching protective apparel, and started Cameleon in 2006, outsourcing marketing, public relations, customer service and shipping. The company started with a single product, the Invisible Armor jacket, and since has designed an Invisible Armor pant. Next came a line of trademarked Ride Safe shirts in performance fabrics, with reflective inks that glow in headlights at night. Sales have grown 200 percent since the first year of business, with garments sold online on the company’s web site. Plans are in the works to find key retailers in each state that are actively targeting the female demographic and recognize the need to offer women more options and styles than basic black. “To help this cause, we have created a point-of-sale DVD that educates them about Invisible Armor, why it’s different, the unique features of the jacket and fitting assistance,” says Jones. “This will allow the customer to be educated and informed in choosing the size appropriate for them, because fit is a key factor in how the jacket protects the rider.” Crash Pads, based in Astoria, OR, manufactures the products that utilize the patented pad technology, as they hold patents that allow them to sew impact/abrasion resistant padding to stretch fabric. “This patent is why every protective pad you will find elsewhere is either in a pocket, velcroed to the garment, or strapped to the body,” says Jones. Partnering with Crash Pads allowed Cameleon to bring a lightweight, flexible, stylish protective jacket to the women’s motorcycle industry. Women can now wear any jacket or sweater in their closet, because Invisible Armor fits under the rider’s clothing. It can also be worn alone as an outer garment. “All other protective apparel is sold as an under garment only,” says Jones. “This feature creates the versatility that nothing else in the industry offers.” Soon to be launched: A men’s version of the Invisible Armor jacket and pant." Kudos to Kristina and all of her hard work. If you missed Monday's announcement of her new slide pant design, take a look to see what's coming up! – Mama Friday, May 9 Exciting News ... Men's Style T-Shirts Coming Back! Dear Readers, What I'm doing this time is to work with an online boutique T-shirt company so that I don't have to carry inventory and can expand the color choices and sizes to make this a lot more fun! It will have the VTwin Mama logo and you'll be able to get this in Small to 2X in 15 colors and in 8 colors for 3X. These are heavyweight, relaxed fit, 100% cotton, Fruit of the Loom men's brand ... so they are going to be glorious to wear. I'm simply waiting for the company to approve the VTwin Mama logo, which could take anywhere from a few days to a week to finalize. Pricing will depend on my logo placement, which I'm thinking just a smaller one on the front, offset to the left, but possibly including a bigger logo on the back as well. Hmmm ... So, stay tuned next week when I make the announcement of availability! – Mama Monday, May 12 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Anon, Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Aaron, I'm thinking for ease of on/off, this Roadcrafter one-piece touring suit would really meet your needs. You wouldn't be fumbling with two pieces when you arrive and it's got great protection features. If this idea doesn't fit the bill, then check out the Classy Rider offerings in jackets ... I'm a big fan of mine! Looks great when you arrive (doesn't scream motorcycle rider so much!). Couple that with "belt loop" chaps or spat chaps from Colorado Chaps so bugs don't goof up things there. If you need to ride with dress shoes, you can keep the left side scuff free with something like Shifter Skinz from Shu-Band-It. Another idea may be to go for high-end rain gear in one or two pieces if you think you'll have a chance of being caught in this type of weather, but still need to ride in business cloths. That's going to get tricky as the more waterproof they are, the less ventilation you have ... which can get dicey in hotter weather. I'd also keep a small kit together with a mirror in the top inside lid (so you're not looking at the rear view mirrors of your bike!) and readily accessible with a hair brush and dispenser of wet wipes (should some road grime make it onto face and/or hands. Last but not least, I'll throw in that if you're in a state with a helmet choice law, and typically ride without one, get a helmet if you're visiting clients/customers. The last thing you want to do is have a customer shake their head based on their own beliefs. – Mama Monday, May 26 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Anon, Monday, June 2 Dear VTwin Mama, 1. Helmet hit the pavement once, then I tumbled on grass. The helmet
looks ok to me (there's a 1"x2" scratch, paint scraped off), but
I don't know if it's still structurally sound. Do I really need to buy a
new one? Dear
SSH, I doubt there is anyone on the planet in a public forum that would advocate that the helmet is ok. Any time a helmet hits pavement, structural cracks could have happened. It did it's job though, so retire it and get a new one. Consider it one of the best investments ever made! If you want just a simple patch on your jacket, and don't have a specific leather company in your area that caters to motorcyclists, then I would head to the local shoe repair shop. You want something of durable thickness, not just a thin leather "looks good" thing one might find in a craft supply store (i.e. it should be at least 1.2 to 1.4mm thick). The shoe repair shop might also be able to sew that in for you professionally at a very small cost. Most alterations shops don't handle leather, but call ... you might be surprised to find one that does. If you do it yourself and it's a bit raggedy looking, then depending on location of the rip, consider getting a nice flag patch or something similar to go over it! – Mama Tuesday, June 17 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Steamy, Friday, June 20 Reporting on the New VTM Men's Style T-Shirts! Dear Readers,
Here I am in the Navy with White logo choice (click on images for larger view). This is the "Coming and Going" model ... the smaller VTM logo on the front and a bigger version on the back ... for $20.90. I've got on the XL size and it slims over my hips and tucks in nicely without bunching up ... the XXL would have been my choice if I wanted something a bit looser for wearing outside my jeans (I'm 5'10" and 220 lbs). Best of all, you can really choose not only the color T-shirt you want, but if you want the logo in something other than black or white, I can create that for you ... maybe a Navy T with Gold logo?!?! It's really up to you. Read more about custom choices or check the standard store I've got ready! – Mama Dear Petra, Dear Bobbye, Thursday, June 26 For Bobbye who wants to donate used riding gear to a charitable effort: I highly recommend a donation to Riders
for Health. Riders provides motorcycles and training (riding and
maintenance) to healthcare workers in Africa, so that these workers can
get to the people in the far reaches of Africa to provide much needed
medical treatment. It's based in the Tuesday, August 5 Dear Readers, Jen at TwoCrazyChicksShoppe notes that they now have stainless steel jewelry, biker bags, exciting new T-shirts, rhinestone helmet patches, Swarovski sunglasses, and fun new sandals. Widowmaker Threadz introduced 4 new T-shirts for summer 2008 ... this site gives a portion of every sale directly to the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund. Vixxen is offering riding gear and accessories ... I really like the T-shirts ... original art design is placed lower on the body of the shirt and to one side ... very different! Fox Creek Leather is showing a very special Frogg Togg rain suit for women ... Women's Sweet T ... no more of that billowing extra material that can hamper your ride! – Mama Wednesday, August 6 Dear VTwin Mama, Now for another question. My husband and I both ride cruisers. We are interested in purchasing some good quality, hopefully certified, and comfortable safety gear. Have searched the net. However, would appreciate any suggestions you may have on how to choose a product out there. Thanks. And thanks again for your wonderful website. – 2Forks Dear 2Forks, Monday, August 11 Hi VTwin Mama, These half chaps are lined with vegetable tanned leather and the outer
shell is a stiffer leather allow the chap to stand on its own as well as
be comfortable while riding a horse or iron horse. We can create these in
any variety of colors, with several snaps, buckles or Velcro closures on
them. We can also add conchos, bling or contrasting leather too. You
design them to suit your tastes and needs. It’s all up to you.
Made to order half chaps start at $140 to $180 Contact
us for more information Dear Nanci, Friday, August 22 More for Kelly whose boyfriend was looking to anchor the bottom of pant legs: I found the trick to keep that wind and heat from going up my pants leg. Now don't laugh too loud but its a simple Boot Blousers, used exclusively by the military. We used them to make it look like we had our pants inside of our boots and of course to keep insects from crawling up our pants legs. You can get them just about anywhere and the cost, a whopping $2 a pair. You simply wrap them around your leg, roll your pants legs up underneath them, hook the two hooks and done. OK folks, LOL, but they work fine! – Moon (note from Mama: wonderful idea! I'm linking to the US Patriot Store site because it actually shows how this solution works!) Friday, August 29 Hi VTwin Mama, Dear Erik, When I think of embroidery, I think of someone stitching right onto the material ... in this case, leather. In most cases I believe it is more customary that another fabric be embroidered (like a patch on heavy canvas-like material or a leather cut-out with details) and then sewed on (appliqué embroidery). I see that you're being referred to me by Ace High Leathers, so I'm assuming that you're really looking for direct leather embroidery. I did a search on that term and found Rex's Leather. Then I tried the search " embroidery services for leather jackets" and found a wider range of listings, including the possibility of Bright Sun Creative, Majik Bay, and more. Sometimes it's all about the search terms you use! – Mama Monday, September 15 VTMama, I'm new to your site and in need of plus-sized durable leathers. After checking out what readers were saying in previous threads, I tried to visit some of the plus sized sites that were offered in suggestion. Some of the links are no longer active...anyone have any new suggestions? Also, a word of advice, Leatherup.com claims to have some plus-sized jackets up to size 3X. However, in reality, they are crazy! I normally wear a 1X to 2X, depending on the brand, but never any larger. I ordered their 3X women's cut jacket in order to have some extra room for warm clothes, but still have the stylish look...I could not even get it zippered! When I called them, the woman informed me that the size is not large enough for my measurements, and I would have to go to a men's jacket which is ordered by chest size. Well, it fits fine in the chest, but men's jackets are not cut for women with wide hips and padded bottoms. I will say this, it is a great online store for smaller women's and men's jackets at decent prices, and they have a nice selection of stylish riding boots. – Chris Dear Chris, I obviously cannot know every company out there, but will tell you that my experience with Fox Creek Leather has been a good one ... I got their Vented Touring Jacket to review and it's been a blessing in disguise. I've added 40 pounds to my frame (being a chow hound!) but the jacket handled it ... because it has lovely gathered sides that move with your body! Their sizing is generous in that they will stock, on various jackets, up to 6XL. I see the Vented Racing Jacket is a possibility, but perhaps the style is not what you are looking for. I know on the VTM Message Board, the New Enough site has been talked about lots as a possible source for the plus sized gal ... I'm seeing mostly the sport jacket look ... something I also see at other sites noting they have plus size gal leathers. Ok readers ... please give me input on the plus-size women's leather jacket scene out there! – Mama Monday, September 15 Dear VTwin Mama, Now onto my disappointment ... I purchased a item from Road Diva Products (which you have a link to) and they are a crappy vendor. Tried to return it but they don't list return policies on their website. Sent them a email and it took them 4 days to respond which then according to them now puts me past their 10 return time frame. Also, they don't tell you in advance that they will charge you a 20% restocking fee for the return. They are just bad with business. I will be telling anyone I know NOT to purchase from them. I am now stuck with something I can't use!! – Boulevardi Dear Boulevardi, "When you place an order on RoadDivaproducts.com, the order is completed and then a thank you page comes up on the screen. It has our return policy there and tells you how long it will take for your order to arrive. I emailed the customer back with information that the vest does come in a larger size. She would have to pay for shipping. Why should Road Diva Products pay for a husband's mistake on her size? She still has time to return the item and the 20% restock fee is a standard fee ... nothing new." Shirley Kline, Owner, Road Diva Products I will simply add that one needs to read return policies carefully ... in reviewing the thank you message, everything is spelled out ... and if one is not comfortable with a restocking charge, that's the time to cancel the order. A mistake in size, or if the fit/style does not really suit someone, can happen. In a review of a few gear sites, including my own pages, I note that the return policy is available for review before an item is selected to place in a shopping cart system. – Mama Dear Petra, Dear Meryl, In looking at the Junonia site, I see that they carry products that retail for under $100 and in most cases under $50. This is an important point as leather gear is much more costly to produce and keep in stock. And therein lies a problem ... women riders are a small niche of the overall riding population and plus-size gals just a slice of that. So how does a company reach these gals, capture their interest with enough offerings to satisfy fickle shoppers, and produce the sales numbers they need to make it worth their while? It's always about the bottom line for a company or they couldn't stay in business. I'm not saying that together we couldn't contact Junonia and express our interest, but I decided to do a random sampling of various established venues for women's riding gear. Is this pathway perhaps going to yield a better result? I'm not sure. Let's start with Harley-Davidson, just because it's a well known name and the dealer network is nationwide. All 19 of their leather jackets (online) are offered in petite (shorter sleeves!), regular sizes, plus size up to 3Wide, and for tall gals (longer sleeves!). Now, not everyone wants to ride with H-D colors or the name screaming across their chest, but I saw a few offerings that are either neutral or very understated. And perhaps you're a 3X who wants a bit of room for some layers underneath, so there is another limitation. Why doesn't H-D offer above 3X? Certainly they understand that there are larger sized women out there who are clearly H-D aficionados. Then I looked at Fox Creek Leather, an example of an independent company firmly in the leather business. They offer 4 leather jackets that range from XS to 6X. Here the limitation is that the rider might not be interested in more traditional styling and black. I see that a style I reviewed for them and absolutely love is being phased out. I recall the company scratching their head that this vented touring jacket didn't catch on ... and I agreed ... I thought it was a well conceived idea and it's served me well as my weight fluctuates and my need for layers during different riding seasons changes. Here the market dictated what they will continue to carry and produce. From there I moved on to Dennis Kirk, a big aftermarket company catering to riders. They carry various riding gear lines like Icon, Alpinestar, Joe Rocket and more. A random sampling shows that the color range veers nicely from the all black look, but sizes rarely move beyond the XXL. I checked Icon's actual site to see if DK is only stocking certain sizes, but no, that's not the case. So why is Icon shutting out larger sizes? Who knows? On my own site I see that I've been contacted by a number of start-up companies offering products to the plus-size rider, but typically it's more about T-shirts ... the less expensive items to stock. Will one of them move into the leather gear arena? It's awfully difficult to for a young company to commit so much money to inventory when they are still working hard to establish their presence in a fiercely competitive apparel market. After all, decent pricing comes with volume buying and volume buying means high inventory $$. I'll conclude with another problem that's been brought to my attention ... that is that a 3X means a lot of different things depending on who is producing the item. We all know that even regular shopping means we have to look more closely ... in some things I still wear an XL, in others I need a 1X. In one example of riding gear, as a 1X size, I found the Large to be the perfect fit. Too often though it's exactly the opposite ... a 3X actually is more a 2X or smaller ... and sometimes the sizing chart can't fully clue someone in. Slim hips and larger bust, smaller bust with fuller waist, etc. Our body shapes vary! So which company is going to step up to the plate and take the chance ... – Mama Monday, September 29 For Meryl who is asking that plus-size gals work together towards riding gear that really fits: I was so excited to read that Meryl has contacted Junonia about carrying plus size motorcycle gear. As a Plus Size lady myself, I have struggled to find feminine, attractive, protective clothing. I have the added challenge of finding gear that is appropriate for the South Louisiana climate that only has 2 months of temperatures cold enough for full leather. Nanci at Ace High Leathers has been so helpful. She generously made some contacts hoping to solve my dilemma and many of ladies on your blog have offered suggestions but unfortunately my search continues. As you said, a 3X for one manufacturer is a 1X for another AND so many manufacturers forget that just because a woman wears a 3X doesn't mean that she is made like a barrel. My measurements are 52, 40, 62 not 52, 52, 52!!!!! I will be contacting Junonia to reiterate Meryl's plea. – Gotalaf (note from Mama: excellent ... hmmm ... let's remember that the 2009 Women's Motorcycling Conference will be in August ... maybe a place for a company entering this market to springboard their presence?!) Thursday, October 2 More for Meryl who is asking that plus-size gals work together towards riding gear that really fits: I walked through Street Vibrations (Reno, NV) last weekend and was attempting to find a leather vest for my 2X size body and found nothing. I would have had to get a man's vest and I refuse to do that. I AM a WOMAN. I started wondering if it would benefit other plus size women such as myself if I designed and produced motorcycle wear for plus size women. I was thinking of beginning to research the demand. Just thought to share. – Sophia (note from Mama: geez, that's a pretty big rally and nothing for plus size ... how horrible. I'm certain the demand is there but certainly the business model has to be carefully considered. You know I'll champion anything you pull together!) Monday, October 6 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Neb, Tuesday, October 21 Dear VTwin Mama, I also attached a picture of my new ride, a 2006 Burgman 400. At 5'3" I can easily handle the weight and stand flat-footed. My scoot is in for the winter. In the picture I had a polar fleece top, two thermal undershirts, the quilted lining in the leather jacket, a polar fleece neck warmer, polar fleece wristies for my palms, wrists, and forearms, thermal pants under the leather pants, socks and winter ski socks under my leather boots and leather gloves. It takes 15 minutes just to get all those layers on! The sad part is, I was STILL COLD riding! Best wishes, – Mary, aka Pixie Dear Mary, For Jeanne and all riders whose legs rest near bike hot spots ... the ironing board patch solution: I think it was you who advised me to make a patch of ironing board material for my right pants leg after I burned my leg on my VStar a couple of years ago. I am 4' 11" and ride a Heritage Softail, so I need all the help I can get protecting my short legs. It worked so well, I now do this every time I buy a new pair of riding jeans. The best combination is 2 layers of the cotton stuff they put in ironing board covers, covered on both sides by the ironing board material. it has really helped, esp. during hot Oklahoma summer days, when I cannot stand to wear my chaps. I also have a pair of leather legs that do well, but even they are hot when it is 95 degrees. – Linda (note from Mama: thanks so much for sharing your pictures of how you crafted this type of patch and sewed it right into your riding pants! Readers, click on the pictures for a bigger view ... first the outside view, then the leg turned inside out and then a close up of the patch layers)
Wednesday, November 12 From Jeanne whose legs rest near bike hot spots ... the ironing board patch solution continued: Many thanks to Linda for showing pictures of heat patches made from ironing board cover. I would like to ask her what she (or others) do/uses on a rain suit for heat protection for legs to keep the suit from melting on pipes? Thanks again for everyone's help. – Jeanne (note from Mama: I've melted enough rain suit pants on pipes while fueling up ... what a nasty clean-up! I'm thinking the answer is the strap on ironing board cover patch ... you make one but turn under and hem the edges for a cleaner look and then attach Velcro so it's easy on/off. Anybody have pictures of a strap-on version?)
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