Fly Racing
Trekker Helmet »
Is it a street helmet or a dirt helmet? It’s both kids, and this style helmet has been all the rage as of late. Originally designed for dual-sport and adventure touring enduro riding, this type of helmet has found a home on many street bikers. The $139.95 Fly Racing Trekker keeps this genre of helmets at the peak of existence with its style and composite “poly alloy” shell. Having used the Arai, Shoei, and Icon crossover helmets, I was anxious to try the Trekker. The preliminary feel of this helmet was good with it not being too heavy. There was plenty of peripheral vision, and even though it has a visor on it, the helmet didn’t lift or buffet at highway speed like I thought it would.
The Trekker has 16 adjustable intake/exhaust vents, which keep this helmet pretty cool when things get hot, but I found the shield to fog up quickly when all of them were closed no matter what the weather. Nothing some anti-fog spray couldn’t take care of.
The Trekker is both DOT- and ECE-22/05–approved and can be used with or without goggles when the face shield is removed. All in all, I thought this helmet was up there with all of the other ones I have ridden of this style. The bottom line is this: If you are into the motocross-style lids with or without face shields, the fit and finish are great and the price is right.
Duluth Trading Co.
Flex Ballroom Jeans »
I like my jeans to be comfortable, but not gangsta baggy nor hipster “girl pants” tight in the crotch. I have been looking for some trousers that fit the bill, and when I was browsing online at
duluthtrading.com I ran across the $49.50 Flex Ballroom jeans.
I run mid controls on my bikes and I have big testicles (the ol’ lady calls ’em “the grapefruits”), so if anybody should be testing pants with a moniker like “Ballroom” it’s me. On initial fit they felt comfortable, but when I got on the bike, these jeans became magical. The jeans are constructed with 1 percent spandex in the denim, so they give just a bit. Another great thing is that the jeans have a hidden crotch gusset that gives you all the room needed for riding even the tallest of mids or practicing your drunken Bruce Lee high kicks. The cut of the jeans are nice without being too tight or loose.
I really like the way they fit, so I am going to order a few more pairs. I just wish they had them in black so my dingy lifestyle doesn’t show on them so easily. I would also dig a carpenter jean version, too, because I always need a few more pockets.
Being a fan of Chrome’s backpacks and messenger bags I was stoked when a box from the company showed up in my office with a black hoodie in it. After I took it out of its packaging and felt it, it’s about as far away from a Starter or Champion hoodie as you could get… But in a good way.
The $160 Cobra is a high-end garment that is made for riding with a closer fit and longer back than a standard hoodie. Another cool thing about the Cobra is the thumb loopholes in the sleeve so they won’t ride up your arms at speed. It even has a full width stash pocket in the lower back of the jacket with a hidden zipper for the super-secret items you may carry. The Cobra is constructed of merino wool, which many of you may not be hip to. Think less Pendleton wool and more of like if angels came down from heaven, shaved the sheep, then milled the wool themselves with the hand of God guiding them. It is not at all itchy, and it has a very soft feel when next to the body.
When the Cobra is worn under a vest or jacket it is toasty warm, but when worn by itself its a nice base layer to have on. Even in direct sunlight.
The fit of the Cobra ran a little snug, so you may want to order one a size bigger than what your T-shirt size is. Sure, it’s got a hefty price tag, but so did that $300 leather vest you just bought.