SideStandUp Aug.4, Gloves

This month's SSU topic was all about Gloves! One can never have enough pairs of gloves, in my opinion. How important are your hands? your wrists? Maybe you're an architect, a software engineer, a construction worker, a lawyer, a teacher, or a fabricator. No matter what you do for a living, I imagine using both of your hands is crucial to the success of your occupation.

So why shouldn't full fingered, leather gloves be important while riding your motorcycle? If you think about how long a good pair of gloves can last (sometimes 5-10 years, if you buy the right pair), they are well worth every penny. It can be hard to justify $100-$200 or even $300 for a pair of gloves. My wonderful friend Brian (you rule!) who works with me at Scuderia, gently reminds customers that if you take the average number of days a year that you ride (say 5 days a week x 52 weeks= 260) and divide it by how much you spend on one pair of gloves (say $100 for a decent pair of gloves with protection), that equals $2.60/day!

And more than likely, a good pair of gloves will last you at least 2-3 years. If you want your gloves to last 5-10 years, then you definitely need to spend at least a couple hundred dollars. So how do you find that perfect pair? Well first, narrow down your options by figuring out what kind of glove you're looking for:

• Summer: Perforated, ventilated
• Winter: Waterproof, insulated
• Year Round: Street, track, touring

In San Francisco and the rest of the Bay Area, these are the kinds of gloves that work here, given the year round fantastic weather that we have (except in San Francisco in July and August, when it's 60 degrees, windy and foggy):

Yes, these are ALL women's gloves! I would highly recommend the basic gloves for those of you riding scooters as well. The Olympias are probably the most popular scooter gloves that are sold at Scuderia.

Basic: (less than $70, all leather, full fingered, 3 season gloves, not waterproof, minimal armor)

Better: (more armor, stronger gauntlet, higher quality leather, $100 and up)

The Phantom goes down to a Size 6, which is pretty small for a race glove. So if you have really small hands and need a fantastic glove, you'll love the Phantoms.

Finally, when you're shopping for gloves, you'll want to assess fit in the following ways:

• Are they snug enough so that when they stretch they will still fit?
• Leather gloves will stretch so try to buy the snuggest size you can.
• How do they feel when working the throttle, clutch and front brake? Do you feel any extra 'bunching' of material along the palms, fingers?
• Remember that you'll never make a closed fist while riding, so assessing fit while opening your hands all the way and making a closed fist doesn't matter. You'll never fully extend your fingers straight out either, so remember that fit around the throttle is most important.
• When your hand is wrapped around the throttle, are your fingertips pushing up against the inside seam? Or do they just touch the inside? If they're just touching, that's normal. You just don't want added pressure onto the seam.
• Can you fit the gauntlet over your jacket? Or will your sleeves go over the gauntlet? Keep in mind that putting your gauntlet over your sleeve will keep you warmer and prevent air from going up the sleeves.

For me, my hands are the second most important part of my body when I gear up. I hope they are for you too!

Technology, 21st Century Style

Working at Scuderia certainly has it perks. Aside from the fun working environment, cool customers and fantastic coworkers, I learn something new every day that I work there. I really do!

There's so much out there that you just don't know what you'll find until you start digging around putting customers in various pants, jackets or gloves. It can be a lot of work, trying on every pair of pants in the store, every pair of gloves, every jacket or every helmet that could possibly fit you. But it's worth it in the long run, as you'll have something that properly fits, protects and works for you. Buying gear is similar to buying regular clothes, however, there's one big difference in shopping, yes, your motorcycle!

I made a huge Scuderia faux pas when I safely assumed that my friend had tried on her overpants while seated on a bike. (Sorry Aleks!) I was running around helping someone else at the same time and when I finished to check on her, she said she was good to go with the REV'IT Zip Pants. I normally tell everyone to try the gear on their bike or on one of our bikes. Fit is really THAT important, and can change drastically from standing in front of a mirror to sitting on a Triumph Speed Triple, Aprilia Shiver, RSV4 or a Victory. Unfortunately, she found out the hard way when going for a ride last weekend that those pants are too short in riding position.

That's why shopping at Scuderia is such a different experience. We actually care about what you're wearing while riding, how it fits and whether or not it's the right garment for you. We will give you (as much advice as you'll let us, sometimes even more!) in order to help you make the right decisions, but nine times out of ten, customers will return and buy what we end up recommending, simply because they can't find that kind of service, knowledge and experience at other apparel shops. That's why you'll find manufacturers such as REV'IT, Dainese, and RS Taichi hanging in the store. Most people have never heard of these brands, and that's because they're what we call "Real Gear". They protect and serve multiple functions while riding.

Many times I get the question: "Why does this jacket cost $500 while this one costs $150?". Well that answer depends a lot on whether it's textile or leather, where it's made, what the intended purpose is, what it's made of and a plethora of other details. High end brands as the ones mentioned above have spent thousands of dollars into actual research in designing gear. There is no 'cut and paste' for these brands. They actually are designing gear to protect riders, while being light, comfortable, warm and/or cool. They're venturing out into other apparel industries such as camping, hiking and snowboarding to see what can be adapted for motorcyclists. You'll find innovative, highly technical materials and features on the garments that you aren't used to seeing on motorcycle gear such as Gore-Tex, Super-Fabric, Schoeller®, NanoSphere and SAS-TEC. Why shouldn't we have every piece of technology available to them to protect us while riding? It only makes sense.

I think the idea of using 21st century technology to protect riders is a foreign one to many shoppers. So many companies including REV'IT and Dainese are using what's out there to make their garments better, more protective and as functional as possible.

I sat down recently with Brian Finnerty, the Pacific Northwest representative for REV'IT and he gave me some really great insight into how REV'IT is different from other manufacturers out there. The company started in 1995 in European markets, establishing themselves before entering into the US market in 2004. Since then, their market share as grown ~30% every year since being in the US. I think people find it hard to make the connection between "motorcycling" "safety" and "technology". Look around you, what have you spent more money on because it's better, the quality is outstanding, the craftsmanship is amazing, the technology is beyond 21st century, and probably took several years to create?

In a sport as risky and intense as motorcycling, why do some people think it's less important to spend money to protect themselves? I think that's what makes the partnership between Scuderia and REV'IT so unique. They both prioritize and value the same things when it comes to helping find people the right gear: Safety, Protection: Is there sufficient armor everywhere?

• Fitment: Does everything fit properly? How to assess proper fit?
• Customer Service/ Needs: What are they? (believe it or not, no one really asks this question)

REV'IT doesn't choose to go the traditional distributor route. You'll find that many manufacturers who go this route are very focused on the quality of the products, as they aren't going to sell themselves in a catalog or on a shelf. They actually have to train and show their dealers how to properly sell the gear to their customer base, as well as educate them on the value of high end gear vs. low end gear. When dealers themselves aren't equipped or qualified to sell gear, it says a lot about the kind of shopping experience customers are going to have. The volume of technology and research that goes into these garments is absolutely amazing. As is the buying experience. When you walk into most shops, you'll see something on a hangar and ask someone what colors they come in and if they have your size. End of story. But that's not the end of the story with apparel staff that aren't motivated by commissions, but by customer satisfaction. Nothing makes me happier than when a customer tries on the perfect fitting jacket for the first time and notices the real differences between that and others he/she has tried before.

The sealed zippers, tapered sleeves, extra buttons in the right place, armor that sits comfortably over the shoulder, the difference in comfort in riding position, they all work together to make that fit perfect for someone. Believe it or not, this is hugely important for REV'IT. Only when proper fitment is achieved can the garments be truly appreciated.

The next time you decide to shop for gear, see if the apparel people know how to fit you, make sure they're asking you the right questions. Frankly, no matter how much research you do on your own, you won't find ANY website (except mine, of course) that's going to tell you HOW to shop for your gear and make sure it fits. Tell them what you're looking for in your jacket, gloves, pants, etc. Tell them what you need out of your gear, tell them what you ride, tell them everything. If you don't they may not be making the right recommendation for you. And if they're not telling you to sit on the bike or assume riding position while trying it on, then they Definitely aren't fitting you right.

Forums

Daytona Ladystar Sizing
Buying Gear Online? + Opinions
Woman sizing
Heated Gear for Women

If you haven't visited my forums yet, these are the kinds of topics that we're chatting about. What better way than to learn from your fellow women riders about what's out there for you? If you're a woman rider (new or veteran), where else can you go and just talk about gear? Nowhere else, as far as I know. So please, register, contribute! Let's help fellow women riders get to know what's out there, how to shop and why they need better/newer/more gear!

Clearance at Revzilla

Go see my friends at Revzilla, they're having a closeout sale on winter and summer gear as well.

Fieldsheer Women's Track Paddock Leather Jacket
$229.99 (normally 329.95)

REV'IT Ultimate Pants
$249.99 (normally 349.99)
(Large, XLarge, and XXLarge in Short. Which is a great option for my plus size gals with a short inseam!!)

AlpineStars Bat Leather Pants
$206.96 (normally $229.95)

Joe Rocket Trixie Leather Jacket
$169.99 (normally $484.99)

AlpineStars Stella TX 1 leather Jacket
$314.95 (normally $349.95)