ladies

New REV'IT Women's Motorcycle or Scooter Jackets

REV'IT Womens Motorcycle Jacket Vintage Cafe Wax CottonREV'IT Ladies Taksim Motorcycle Scooter Jacket Stylish Protective

 

One thing that many women riding motorcycles and scooters struggle with is finding riding gear that's stylish and safe. 

Gracia Ladies Jacket

Well, REV'IT has decided to throw their hat in the ring with 2 new jackets for Fall (with a couple more coming in the Winter, so stay tuned :D). The Gracia is a wax cotton, 3/4 length, waterproof jacket with a vintage look and feel. Offered in black and brown, this little number features a removable thermal liner and Knox lite armor in the shoulders and elbows. There's also a pocket for an optional back protector, which will fit Knox or TPro shaped armor. 

 REV'IT Women's Winter Motorcycle JacketsREV'IT Women's Winter Motorcycle Jackets

Taksim Ladies Jacket

The second option is the Taksim, offered in black and olive:

REV'IT Ladies Taksim Motorcycle Scooter Jacket Stylish ProtectiveREV'IT Ladies Taksim Motorcycle Scooter Jacket Stylish Protective

REV'IT Ladies Taksim Motorcycle Scooter Jacket Stylish ProtectiveREV'IT Ladies Taksim Motorcycle Scooter Jacket Stylish Protective

 

The Taksim is also waterproof, with a removable thermal liner and Knox lite armor in the shoulders and elbows. It has a pocket for an optional back protector. Don't worry, the (fake) fur hood is removable. 

Both of these are priced at $300 and are great options for riding around town on your scooter or motorcycle. I wouldn't recommend them for highway riding or touring/distance rides but definitely kickass alternatives for that short commute across town to work. 

I'm super excited to see these hit the floor at Scuderia soon (most likely October) and will post once I have some real people trying them on (myself included). 

 

 

Schoeller Keprotec

Sometimes there's more than meets the eye when it comes to buying protective gear. The first thing that comes to mind for many people is Kevlar. But, that's just one of the many materials out there that provides protection in the event of an accident. Here's another one that's fairly common, especially in gloves.

REVIT Ladies Summit Gloves Schoeller Keprotec

The picture above shows a glove lined with Schoeller Keprotec. What is this mysterious fabric?  Simply put, this fabric provides extra abrasion and tear resistance in gear. Read all about these properties here.

If you find yourself contemplating why you should spend more than $40 for the plain leather gloves, or the $100 pair lined with Schoeller, hopefully that will convince you to spend a little more. :)

Dainese Winter Gear

I dropped by the DStore in San Francisco today and tried on a few waterproof jackets to get ready for the wet and cold weather coming upon us. I don't mind riding to work with a light rain but would really like to arrive dry and in style! Whether you're riding a motorcycle or scooter, these will keep you warm and dry, as they're all waterproof. So here are the 3 jackets I tried on. If you've never tried on a Dainese jacket, it's a lot like putting on a cashmere sweater for the first time, or climbing into a brand new Mercedes convertible. Everything feels good and looks good. And of course, has the protection and features you need while riding.

'D-Dry' refers to Dainese's waterproofing technology. Some of these use D-Dry and some use GORE-TEX®, so that's mainly why you'll see the difference in price points.

Xantum D-Dry

MSRP $299.99 I don't know why this is not on the Dainese website. Although Revzilla doesn't have it on their website, if you give them a call, they can probably special order it for you. They can probably beat KneeDraggers' pricing as well.

Don't be fooled by the color of this jacket. It makes it look far different than it does in person. The all black version is much simpler and neater. It also comes in a dark grey accented version where the blue is on this one. The fit is amazing. It's not too short, not too long. I have such a short torso, I have a hard time finding jackets that fit exactly where I want them. It has a removable, full sleeve thermal liner and is waterproof in the shell. If you look at Image 6 on KneeDragger's website, you'll also notice what appears to be a dark grey seam across the back of the jacket from armpit to armpit. This is actually a reflective seam. You'll also notice on the cuffs what appears to be a 'W' shaped stitch. It's a funky little detail that makes it stand out a little bit. I am so sad that Scuderia only has a size 40, (which is too small for me) in stock. I look forward to trying on a 42 again when these come in. I just hope it comes in before the next storm hits!

Darma GORE-TEX®

More Pics on Dainese.com Although Revzilla doesn't have it on their website, if you give them a call, they can probably special order it for you. They can probably beat KneeDraggers' pricing as well. MSRP $499.99 The Darma is a brand new edition for 2010. The fit is a little different than the Xantum. It's 3/4 length, with a longer torso and slightly longer arms. It's also a touch narrower through the waist. I also thought I felt a little bit narrower in the shoulders as well. I really really loved how this fit, without the liner. The thermal liner does have Unfortunately the cut is just too narrow for my wide torso. :( I really liked the clean style of this one too. Not bulky, fitted and cut close to the body. It doesn't really look like a riding jacket, imo. Although Dainese's website shows this jacket in Sand, it currently is only available in Black. I highly recommend this one for the long and narrow ladies.

Steven D-Dry

MSRP $399.99 The cut on the Steven feels a little looser in the arms, shoulders and chest than the Darma and the Xantum. It's also a pretty clean style, but the fit just wasn't as perfectly fitted on me like the Xantum was. But it's definitely another great choice in the Dainese lineup.