This rally is near and dear to my heart since it’s practically in my back yard! Laconia Bike Week started last Friday on June 12th and ends on Father’s Day, June 20th. I’m going to try to blast up there for a day trip this weekend! –RK
This week Hot Leathers simply can’t wait to get to their next 2010 rally stop, the one and only Laconia Motorcycle Week. Celebrating its 87th Anniversary this year, Laconia Motorcycle Week promises a high-octane mix of action, racing, entertainment and events. Synonymous for offering the best selection of motorcycle merchandise in stores, online and on the road, Hot Leathers will not only be setting up shop at the popular rally scheduled for June 12-20, but will also be a presenting sponsor and the official merchandiser of Laconia Motorcycle Week.
Laconia Motorycle Week 2010
One of the foremost motorcycle rallies in the nation, Laconia Motorcycle Week is located in beautiful Weirs Beach, New Hampshire. From its majestic mountain peaks to its gorgeous coastline, New Hampshire offers an array of stunning landscapes as well as a selection of sizzling scenic byways for bikers to experience and enjoy.
This summer’s rally will be Hot Leathers 25th year in attendance at Laconia Bike Week, which boasted nearly 40,000 visitors during last year’s events. Hot Leathers has become a staple at the yearly celebration and is proud to offer patrons the opportunity to purchase quality and price-conscious motorcycle apparel and accessories to commemorate this legendary event. Hot Leathers is proud to showcase its quality products at the Lobster Pound and at several locations up and down Lakeside Avenue.
Notorious for packing up their merchandise and visiting a number of rallies and festivals throughout the nation, Hot Leathers goes to great lengths to ensure that motorcycle enthusiasts from coast to coast have the opportunity to peruse and purchase the ultimate in riding gear at Hot Leathers’ simple one-stop-rally-shop.
Follow Hot Leathers as they comb the nation, outfitting motorcycle enthusiasts with the quality merchandise that they desire and deserve. Check out hotleathers.com to see their full 2010 rally schedule and to peruse their diverse and original merchandise.
Buying gloves to cover your mitts while you ride is typically not something that requires a lot of thought or disposable income. I have a bunch of them sitting in my closet upstairs, although I have to admit some are missing their matching counterpart. Summer gloves, fingerless gloves, winter gauntlets…the list goes on.
The older I get the wiser I’m becoming when it comes to gloves. Perhaps the reason I have so many gloves in my closet is because I haven’t found the best ones for me yet. Maybe it’s an ever-lasting quest to find a pair that fit right, offer enough warmth, without being too bulky, and are still waterproof so that your hands stay dry and free of black dye.
Black-dyed hand: I've been there, have you?
River Road Taos cold weather gloves (for women)
I typically don’t have much of a problem with fit like some women with small hands do. I wear a size large (women’s) because of my fat sausage fingers and these gloves fit comfortably without the tightness around the base of my fingers or the common bulkiness at the tips of the fingers. I’ve only been wearing them for early spring weather (roughly 45-60 degrees) and my hands have stayed mostly warm in that temperature range. I’m not so sure how well they would protect in more frigid temps.
River Road Taos Cold Weather Glove
The Taos gloves are constructed of soft leather, which means you can pretty much put them on and go without a breaking in period. They have Thinsulate insulation to keep your hands warm without all of the potential bulk and a Hipora® glove insert that renders the gloves waterproof (the water does initially bead up and run off), windproof and allows your skin to breathe. The lining in these gloves might be the only drawback.It feels like the lining won’t hold up well to extensive wear and tear.
One neat feature is the rubber squeegee wiper on the left index finger that you can use to clear water from your glasses or helmet visor. Simple and effective. These gloves also have a zippered gauntlet closure and adjustable velcro strap around the wrist area, which I like as extra protection to keep the wind out.
River Road Taos Cold Weather Gloves with rubber wiper on left glove
I did an extreme water test with these gloves (as I haven’t had opportunity to wear them riding in torrential downpour rain). As promised, the liner kept the water out while keeping my hands dry. After long exposure to water the lining was still dry, but the gloves began to absorb the water. Although your hands and fingers will stay dry, I’m guessing that if the temperature is cold enough your fingers will get cold at some point. However, this is a total assumption on my part.
The River Road Taos gloves run about $45 on Rider’s Discount (with free shipping!), which I think is a pretty good price for the quality of glove you’re getting. (The men’s version of these gloves can be found here, for the same price!)
These gloves came in a generous package of gear I received from Rider’s Discount for product reviews.
Where do I even begin? The silly, smile inducing name? The adorably whimsical monkey? The benefits of of a powder that could be used on your butt…among other areas of your body? How did I get involved discussing personal hygiene on a motorcycle blog?
About Anti Monkey Butt Powder
Here’s the official spin:
AMBP is a new product, invented by motocross athletes, designed to treat friction and irritation that can result from excess sweat. Excessive sweat from running can cause irritation, also known as “monkey butt”. Unlike other powders, AMBP has calamine and talc which gives it a cooling sensation instead of the burning that you might get from other products.
OK. I think we can all agree that “monkey-butt” is not something as motorcycle riders that we want to experience but probably have one time or another, especially during long road trips.
Does this look familiar to anyone?
But it is also useful for things other than gag gifts like: sweaty feet, chafing, diaper rash, razor burn and basic bed or saddle sores.
My thoughts of Anti Monkey Butt Powder
I don’t use powder a whole lot but I used this during the few hot summer days we had. I have a really sensitive nose when it comes to certain scents and this powder has a really flowery smell (and not that of monkey-butt, thankfully) that caught in my throat upon initial use. But you’re not really going to be sticking your nose in those areas that are vulnerable to getting sweaty or chafed.
AMBP biker monkey
It definitely helped keep certain areas dry and after some time out in the hot weather it helped cool those areas off. I also made my husband try it out and he thought it “wasn’t bad”-a glowing review coming from a guy’s perspective!
AMBP contains calamine powder and talc, two essential ingredients in keeping skin dry and less irritated. As far as powders go, this is definitely a valid option for anyone to use (despite the snicker-inducing name). Especially for those with a sense of humor who don’t want a boring powder in their medicine cabinet!
Now you can enter to win some Anti-Monkey Butt powder for yourself!
Anti Monkey Butt powder & sticker giveaway!
OK, here’s the deal:
2 lucky people will win a 6 oz. bottle of Anti Monkey Butt Powder
4 people will win a sample size of AMBP powder (.18 oz) and a sticker!
How to enter:
Leave a comment on this post –OR–
Twitter: if you have an account, tweet “I wanna win some Anti Monkey Butt from @rippinkitten” (make sure you use @rippinkitten so I know you’re entered, otherwise you won’t be eligible)!
Winners will be chosen randomly midnight September 15th, 2009 and contacted by me on September 16th. There’s no limit on how many times you can enter over the next week. Any entries submitted in ways other than described above will not be accepted. Prize must be claimed by September 18th or a second drawing will be held.
If you’re the kind of biker who enjoys a good road trip and riding long distances, then you know having appropriate riding gear to brave the elements is necessary. But let’s face it, sometimes it’s tough to stuff all that gear into saddlebags and to strap stuff onto our bikes.
Well, if you’d like to travel a little lighter here’s an interesting product for you: Biker Rain Chaps. If you don’t want to pack a full set of rain gear, but want to keep your legs dry when it’s wet and drizzly outside, then this could be a good solution for you.
Biker Rain Chaps
They are made of nylon, fully waterproofed and are lined inside to ensure that your legs will stay dry. The seams are reinforced and also sealed appropriately to keep water out. And what’s great is that they roll up into a really small package, taking up less room in your saddlebag.
Biker Rain Chaps bundled up.
If you’re wearing jeans, then all you have to do is slip them onto your legs, slip the velco strap through your belt or belt loop and you’re good to go. They are not flimsy to the touch, but I do wonder how easily they would tear if you happened to get snagged on something sharp or if they would melt if they come in contact with a hot pipe (I didn’t run into either problem when I tested them out).
slip the strap through your belt
I know for me, there’s nothing worse than riding with wet or damp jeans that stick to your legs. Biker Rain Chaps are great for keeping your legs dry on light rainy days or conditions where the roads are wet and you might get sprayed while riding (but if you’re going to be riding in full storm conditions, your normal heavy duty rain gear will probably be better!). And the best part is that they’re only $19.99 with lots of sizes available! *Thumbs up!*
Biker Rain Chaps are only 19.99!
Right now Biker Rain Chaps is running a sweepstakes where you can win a free pair! Head on over to http://www.bikerrainchaps.com/app/sweepstakes and register to be entered to win. Drawing date will be held on October 1st!
Follow Biker Rain Chaps for updates on Twitter: @bikerrainchaps
Chicks on Bikes: a new book by author Christina Shook.
When you hear the phrase “chicks on a bike” it might conjure up one of two images: a dolled up, half-nekkid girl with butt floss & fake boobs draped across some guys motorcycle -or- a real, independent woman riding her own.
Christina Shook thankfully delves into the diverse world of the latter, using her photography to punctuate the alluring stories of the featured women riders in her book.
Chicks on Bikes by Christina Shook
Chicks on Bikes is the first book to visually chronicle the culture and lifestyle of real women motorcyclists. The photos and stories range from sassy young racer girls, wind-roughened seniors, leather-clad outlaws, chic corporate climbers, grease-covered mechanics to motorcycle fashion designers.
Women love to hear or read stories about female riders, especially if they don’t ride their own (yet). There is a lot of respect and inspiration (and maybe a little bit of envy mixed in) that motivates non-riding women, giving them that “if she can do it, I can do it” attitude.
"These women redefine what is beautiful."
Chicks on Bikes captures an intimacy that a lot of other books tend to miss the mark on. It’s a collection of stories as varied as the women who tell them, daring to dig a little deeper into the subject that most are unwilling to touch. Women riders are people, not just an idea or a great hook for marketing.
I enjoyed reading about all of the women, seeing some familiar faces along with some new ones. I was touched when reading about Samantha Morgan and Melinda Moore, chuckled while reading about Zan Sterling’s tale of outriding a desert thunderstorm and amused by the overall kookiness of Max Mosher’s style.
It’s the right balance of words and quality photos, in addition to the passion, attitudes, freedom, misnomers, truths and independence of women riding motorcycles, that keep you wanting to turn the pages and dream of being more like them.
Chicks on Bikes words and pix by Christina Shook
Chicks on Bikes words and pix by Christina Shook, $24.95
Order a signed copy online: chicksonbikes.us/order.html
Here’s Christina talking about women motorcyclists and her book Chicks on Bikes. I wish her the all the success in the world with the book, it’s great!
This is the time of year where a lot of us are yawning and stretching from our winter slumber, getting our rides ready for the season and reassessing our gear to see if it’s fit for another season of riding. Since the day I started riding, I’ve never really found the right kind of gloves for myself. They’ve either been too thick, too thin or not warm enough.
And their performance while riding in the rain is typically nothing short of dismal. Is there anything worse than a raw, rainy day with your hands sopping wet and freezing, only to find your hands stained with black dye from the leather? That’s just not good riding.
LOTS of companies make the promise that their gloves are waterproof. So you can imagine my interest, along with a bit of skepticism, at the discovery of Hugger Glove Company. Their tagline is “a dry hand is a warm hand” and they claim to have completely waterproof, yet breathable leather garments.
Perusing through their online catalog, they do have an impressive selection of glove styles for both men & women. They offer lined gloves, unlined, fingerless and touring styles and while the majority of the men’s styles come in basic black, the women’s styles have a bit of color incorporated in between the fingers or offered in the form of piping giving them a bit of extra flair. While they’re definitely not priced at “rally prices” they certainly aren’t astronomically priced, either. And if they’re as good as they say they are, I think a lot of us would agree that they’re probably worth the price. They also offer some jackets, chaps and accessories (leather clutch bags, scarves and face masks).
100% waterproof leather motorcycle gloves
The gloves from Hugger Gloves are indeed pure leather, but they use a process called Technaline® that renders the leather absolutely waterproof. This process ensures that your hands stay dry and that your gloves don’t stretch, get misshapen or crack. In addition, the inner Wonder Dry® lining keeps your hands dry and warm. Sounds too good to be true, right? Keep reading.
So here’s the skinny: I tested a pair and here is what I found.
As I said before, there are lots of styles to choose from and since it’s just the beginning of the season where I live, that still means some colder and potentially inclement days ahead. For me, that definitely meant lined gloves. And since I’m a bit of a traditionalist in style, I wanted more of a classic riding glove and chose the Mary classic riding glove. But instead of going for my normal basic black I got a little kooky and got them with a silver accent. Plus, I thought they would go well with the gun metal gray paint on my bike.
So, are Hugger Gloves really waterproof?
We had an especially craptastic day here in New England, with lots and lots of rain. Seemed like a good day to put these gloves to the test. To my amazement, the water literally beaded up and ran off the gloves. My hands were nice and toasty, not even a hint of dampness. Hmm. It was a steady rain out but I’ve had to ride in some real torrential downpours and my outdoor test just didn’t do these gloves justice. So in an effort to really put them to the test, I decided to put my hand under my kitchen faucet for a few minutes. Nothing. No trace or feeling of water on my hand inside the glove. SWEET!
So, are Hugger Gloves really waterproof? You bet they are. Do they keep your hands warm? Yes they do. Are they worth the $40+ price tag. Yes again.
If like me you are in the market for a new pair of riding gloves that will be perfect for inclement weather, the Hugger Motorcycle Gloves should be top on your list.
Happy 2009 everyone! I trust everyone has made it through the holidays and if you’re like me, you’re glad to get back to regular life. I have some cool things up my sleeve for the near future and a big road trip planned for this summer. While this may be the year of the Ox according to the Chinese calendar, I’m declaring it Year of the Kitten instead!
So, while I recover from the shock of getting back to the daily grind, I’ll leave you with the top 10 viewed posts of 2008!
Steampunk Motorcycles-even though I wrote this post a year ago, it is the most popular post of my site. The Steampunk movement has gained much popularity since then.
BikerorNot.com: bikers and social networking pt. deux-social networking sites are booming. It seems that every subculture has formed their own social community these days. Since this post was published I have received numerous emails informing me of yet another new biker social community and asking me to join or write about their site. I can only keep track of so many accounts these days and it makes me wonder if more is better.
Bikers and tattoos-Two of my favorite subjects! A brief history of tattoos in America and how they touch my world.
Bring Exile Cycles back to TV-the popularity of this post surprises me a little. Prior to this post I had read a myspace bulletin from Russell putting out the call to fans for some help. This year we’ve seen Russell on VH1′s Rock of Love and of course, that silly Comcast commercial that featured Exile Cycles, with an actor playing the part (instead of “hardcore” heavily-tattooed Russell) that confused so many people. Here’s hoping we see a lot more of him in the future.
Anatomy of the Kawasaki Vulcan-in the summer of 2007, Greg White contacted me and hooked me up with Kawasaki to test ride the Vulcan 900 Custom. I spent a few gleeful weeks riding this bike and this is my dissection of various elements of the bike in detail. Thinking back on the experience makes me remember how much I enjoyed riding this bike. And yes, the skinny front wheel felt safe!
Biker Movie Hell Ride in theaters August 8-this movie was all the buzz for us this summer and it came and went in the blink of an eye. It had a very limited release in theaters and when it finally came out on DVD it would be an understatement to say it is a love/hate kind of movie.
Slayer launches a line of helmets-*RAWK!* Rockhard helmets launched a line of motorcycle helmets emblazened with graphics of our favorite thrash metal band. They’ve since increased their lineup of bands that include: Lynard Skynard, KISS, Slip Knot, Motorhead (yes!), AC/DC and The King. These suckers ain’t cheap but if you’re a fan I’m sure they’re well worth the cash!
Garage Girls: a new site for women, or is it?-this was my initial review of Sara Liberte’s new online venture. I was as honest as I could be while reading through the site (maybe too honest?). So much so that I actually received an email and blog comment from Sara letting me and everyone else know that the site was brand-spankin’ new and to cut her some slack. I revisited the site three months later and was pleasantly surprised at the changes that had been made and the fresh content that had been added. Props to Sara.
Video Tuesday: Harley-Davidson Dark Custom-this video accompanied the announcement of HD’s newest and coolest motorcycle. I also went on a bit of a tirade about how out of touch Bruce Rossmeyer is with a younger demographic.
My first motorcycle love-I’m so happy to see this post made it to the top ten! This is a guest post, written by my nearest and dearest, recounting the love of his first motorcycle, the experiences he had while owning it, and then eventually trading it in for a newer Road King. Definitely a good read. Hmm, that reminds me…I think I’ll bug him to guest post more often!
I finally watched the season one finale of Sons of Anarchy that I had saved on my dvr. I wanted to reserve my review the FX motorcycle themed drama until the season was over. Which would be now.
Admittedly, it took me a while to get into watching this show. In the very beginning, I dismissed it as a “Shield” or “Sopranos” on motorcycles. I also couldn’t get past how the “club” was portrayed, the fake tattoos, the lame dialogue and the shiny, new HDs they were were riding.
From the start I did appreciate Katy Sagal’s portrayal of Gemma. As they say, behind every great man is a great woman and Gemma is indeed the great woman behind Ron Perlman’s club leader, Clay. l was unsure about Jax’s character in the beginning. I didn’t get what he was all about, other than a womanizing loser who seemed like a sheep, just following what everyone tells him to do. I always liked Opie’s character and I think I like him even more now that I learned he was intended to be killed off (Ryan Hurst, the actor who plays Opie just signed on as a series regular).
I watched when my husband turned it on, but I didn’t always stop what I was doing to watch intently. Until we got past the middle of the season. Then I noticed the show began to hold my interest more. I realized how good the writing was becoming and, independent of reading any news articles, how much the show was drawing from Shakespeare. Then it all started to click in my head. Jax was a character who was wondering: “To be, or not to be…”
The family drama is loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet indeed, star Ron Perlman has said, “I’m sure they’re going to stick to the structure of Hamlet all the way to the end” of the series. Clay is based on the role of King Claudius and Gemma as a Gertrude figure.
Jax stands in for Prince Hamlet himself; his reflective questioning of the SOA culture, brought on by the birth of his son, references Hamlet’s melancholy over the death of the king. Additionally, Jax “communicates” with his dead father by way of his late father’s unpublished journal/manuscript; Hamlet, of course, literally communicates with the ghost of his father.The drama and characterizations are also enhanced by drawing on Macbeth, another Shakespeare tragedy.
Ron Perlman’s portrayal of the Claudius-like character, Clay, is so guilt-ridden that he resembles Macbeth more than Claudius at times. Even more, Katey Sagal’s Gertrude-like Gemma resembles Lady Macbeth because, while it is never entirely clear from Hamlet how complicit Queen Gertrude is in the murder of Hamlet’s father, it is obvious that Gemma has willingly participated in the cover-up of the murder and may even have encouraged Clay in his treachery.
The last two shows were the most intense of them all.
Sons of Anarchy Spoiler Alert!
The turning point and ultimate summation of the season came in the last 10 minutes of the 90 minute season finale. The hint of a weakening leader when Clay is not able to button the sleeve of his shirt. The homeless woman (who we first met outside of the grocery store enlightening Gemma while asking for a few dollars in order to help her boys) shows up again, this time showing Jax the path to redemption. You can’t get more biblical than seeing Jax literally wash away the sins on his hands with the cold water in the graveyard. And he then silently spoke louder than anyone by walking (not riding his motorcycle) to Donna’s burial by himself (wearing white, of course) standing opposite of everyone else decked out in black. The tell-all gazes he shot at Clay, Gemma, Piney and Opie that told them all what he wanted them to know before walking away.
With such smart writing I’d like to think that the show is finally hitting its stride. Beautiful symbolism combined with great writing allows the story to build up and a possible future to be paved.
As a person who wasn’t eager to add another program to my already packed list of television-watching, by the end of the season I can say that Sons of Anarchy is now on my list of must watch shows for next season.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that two of my other favorite shows this season we canceled.
