Fit, Updates

So I just acquired a new 2 wheeled vehicle. Yep, a 2003 sv650s, in superb condition (only 587 miles on it. {Thanks Steve and Valerie!}). I have many reasons for the transition, but my main reason is it's a real, bonafide sportbike! And a twin at that. There's something about the low rumble of a twin. Not the "Potato Potato" of a Harley, but more of a "barr-umph" when you rev it. Thats exactly what it is. A Barr-umph. It also has a lower riding position. Since my arms are short, I'm leaning over quite far, maybe 45 degrees? But when my husband is riding it, he's not leaned over very much at all. Probably because he has big man arms.

I've been riding around a lot wearing the Revit Ignition, testing it out (especially today in the rain) and I realized that this jacket is more comfortable in riding position on the SV. On my Z750, I find it to be 'scrunchy' and too much length in the arms since my bars are upright. But leaning over more requires a little more length.

And this jacket works perfectly. *sigh* It's inevitable that I'll be ordering my own Revit Ignition Ladies jacket in a size 40. Which is 2 full sizes larger than my Revit Pearl. I think due to the cut of the Ignition and also because Revit hasn't quite figured out proper sizing for the American crowd. I guess the same goes for many European brands. I'll post a full review soon.

Rubber Side Up!

Updates, Revit Ignition Jacket

First update.
I'm off to the Chicago Motorcycle Show this weekend! So if you're going to be in the area, please check out the Hub where I'll be giving talks at these times:

Friday 2/5/09 5:30pm Gear up for the ride
Saturday 2/6/09 11:00am Gear up for the ride
Saturday 2/6/09 4:30pm Scooter 411
Sunday 2/7/09 11:00am Scooter 411

When I'm not there, I'll be at the Scooter Pavilion talking to everyone about the world of Scootering.

If you're interested, check out my presentation here:
Scooter 411

I'll try to post my Gear presentation tonight.

Next update. I'm selling my baby. (But I'm getting a new baby next week!)
By baby, I mean my 2005 Kawasaki z750s. I know, you're wondering why sell such a sweet bike? Well, the era of inline 4's has ended for me, I think. I'm going to a twin, a beautiful '03 sv650s barely broken in. :)

Please let me know if you know anyone interested in the SF Bay Area!!

Last update.
I've been lucky enough to test out this gorgeous Rev'it Ignition Ladies Jacket:

It doesn't fit me perfectly (look at the bunching on my sleeves), but damn I love everything else about this jacket. I'm torn. Truly torn. The fit is good enough to where I would trust it in a crash, but it's just not as comfortable as I'd like. I'll post a more detailed review next week. It's waterproof and pretty warm down to the 50s. Available at Scuderia West for $429.

Review: Olympia Pants

Olympia Pro Pants

So far, I am loving these pants. They fit me perfectly and are better than the FirstGear Overpants I had before. Even though I'm a shortie with a 28" inseam, these aren't too long. I'm wearing a size 6 in this picture. I've found them to be as comfortable as my FG's, if not more comfy. I thought with the textile being thicker and more dense that it would be really uncomfortable riding, but I haven't found that to be the case. My favorite features of these pants are:

Big pockets in front.

Reflective piping along the sides of the lower leg.

Hip to toe zippers (easy on and off. woo woo!).

Velcro adjustments at the ankle.

Removable quilted liner.

Velcro flaps over the zippers.

I really wish they would've added more reflective piping up the leg, instead of stopping at the knee. I also wish they had cargo pockets in the front like the men's pants do! Why do men get the cool features? Also, I do think that back pockets are useless when riding, and 2 big cargo pockets in the front would've been far more functional. Do you ever reach into the back pocket while riding?

You can see below that there's an 8" connecting zipper so you can wear these with many other brands of pants (including R'evit). It also comes with the 'top teeth' of the zipper so you can have it sewn into any jacket that doesn't have a matching zipper.

The hip and knee armor is fully changeable. You only get CE rated knee armor, but not hips. I've swapped out my knee armor for Dainese women's knee armor, since I'm using T-Pro in my leathers, I decided to use the Dainese armor in these instead. They're much more comfortable. The velcro armor pocket at the knees are adjustable up and down 2-3 inches in each direction as well. You can put in CE armor at the hips as well, although the pockets are a funny shape so you'd have to find armor that will fit the pockets.

When you're trying these on, be sure to sit on your bike (if you can) or another bike, or just assume a seated position. Keep in mind that these pants (like all gear) are designed to be most comfortable and fitted properly in riding position. So you want the armor to be in the right place and not move from over your knee. Your kneecap should be securely up against/in the deep 'pocket' of the armor while in riding position. You don't want the armor to shift should you crash, so that's why it needs to be snugly covering your knees. And, that's why gear is supposed to fit snug. You also want them to be a tad bit long so when you sit you have some room for the pants to rise up a bit at the thighs/waist. I'm not normally a fan of a high waisted pant, but in this case, they really work to keep the pants from riding too low in the back.

If you aren't used to so much velcro, the on and off will take some getting used to. It's definitely stronger velcro, which is good because we don't want it ripping apart if you're sliding. After a week or so of wearing them you'll get used to taking them on and off, and it should only take a few minutes to get fully dressed once you're used to the routine.

If you're tall and have trouble finding pants that fit you, these will fit. I've had women who are close to 5'10" try these on without any problems. They have added a couple inches at the bottom of their pants to make sure taller folks are covered.

Overall, I'd highly recommend these pants (which I already do!) to anyone looking for a pair of waterproof women's textile overpants, especially for commuters.

New Gear. Mmmmmmmm.

So aside from the Olympia Pro Pants, I picked up the jacket I've been lusting after, the R'evit Pearl I posted about recently. I had to go all out and get it in Pearl Grey for better visibility. I've been wearing an almost all black outfit for a few years now, so I thought it would be a good idea to wear something lighter at eye level.

So far I'm enjoying both the pants and the jacket. Not just because they look really cute as an outfit, but because they actually work like they're supposed to and are comfortable at the same time.

I owe this post (and the review pages on my website) some photos of me wearing them, which I promise to add this week.