'Feminine' Helmets for Women

My friend Christina asked me for some recommendations for cute styles of helmets for women. These are the rec's I sent her, all of them are Mid-High End helmets, because as you know, I'm not going to recommend a low end or just any helmet. I know what you're thinking. Why on earth is that helmet almost $600? Is it the flashy graphics? The sparkly paint? Not really. A combination of weight, advanced shell materials, construction and the research/development that went into the helmet. Some like Shoei and Arai are handmade in Japan, not on an assembly line in China.

It's like buying a Honda Civic vs. a Ferrari. They're both cars, but made in an entirely different way, with different functions, features and guidelines. Everything is like that in the world of motorcycle apparel manufacturers. Each company does things a different way, in different countries, using entirely different methods to create a product. Some cost more to make, some cost less. The question is, "What's your head worth"?

Many of the helmets, including Shoei and Icon are on sale at Revzilla right now. The RF1000 is being replaced by the RF1100, as well as the X-11 which is being replaced by the X-12. Arai's Quantum 2 is also being replaced with a new version.

http://www.revzilla.com/womens-motorcycle-helmets?partner_site_id=115

Listed in order of High End to Low End Styles:

1) Suomi "Spec 1R Extreme Flower" $550

colors: varies

2) Arai "Profile Riptide", $567 color shown: Lady

3) Shoei RF 1000 "Flutter", $350

colors: white/pink, blue/white, white/silver

4) Shoei RF 1100 "Sylvan" $450

colors: black-silver, black-pink, white-bronze/brown

5) Shoei TZ-R "Vogue", $375

6) Shark "RSI Karma", $300

colors: white/red, matte dark grey/blue, black/silver

7) Icon "Mainframe Regal" $330

(8) Icon "Bombshell GoGo" $300

colors: black, blue, pink

9) Scorpion EXO-700 "Black Dahlia" $220

colors: black, white

Men's Gear (2 items) for Sale

Guys! I still have these 2 items for sale. Gals, if you're trying to help your man find some gently used gear for less than $250, this is a great deal. AlpineStars TZ1 Leather Jacket and Textile Overpants. http://www.gearchic.com/forsale.html

Sept 1, SSU Podcast

Bad GearChic, Bad! I forgot to post my talk from Sept 1, from SSU, all about Boots. You can listen here (9/1/09, Ep.100), or if you don't have time, here's an overview along with my recommendations for boots.

Why do you need protective motorcycle boots?

Well everything starts from the ground up, doesn't it? One lesson in riding that you've hopefully learned by now is that you start small and work your way up. It's the best way to get better, in my opinion. I would never be where I am today if it weren't for this little 50cc scooter that I started commuting to work on 6 years ago. Having a great foundation and starting point can really make a difference on your ability to ride well.

So why not start with a solid foundation by putting your foot down and wearing a real boot with traction and reinforced protection to make sure your feet are well protected in an accident?

Especially when you're "vertically challenged" like myself. I'm short and not as strong as I should be.  But wearing boots that grip the pavement give me the self confidence I need to ride freely, without self doubt.  I do worry from time to time that I'll drop the bike, but I know that I've greatly minimized that risk by wearing proper footwear.

(Prices are current as of this post on Revzilla's website)

Boot Recommendations (Basic).

Boot Recommendations (Mid to High End):

The S-MX 5 boot is a track/performance boot, but if you want something more street/touring friendly, try the S-MX 4's. The standard Vertigo's also go down to a 37 (~size 7 US) if you like those instead.  If you are wondering why the Daytonas are $400, check out my other blog posts about them as well as my review. The first pic above is me wearing one of them to demonstrate how much extra height you'll gain from these boots.

Veloce Gear USA

I've posted my Veloce Achillia gloves review for all the ladies out there looking for a strong, aggressive street glove that's actually going to protect your hands/wrists, the you've come to the right place: http://www.gearchic.com/achillia.html

With kangaroo palms and a strong reinforced gauntlet, Veloce has submitted a real race glove just for women. These are not men's gloves with women's sizing. They were designed and engineered just for us! Back in August, I was fortunate to sit down with Michael O, the founder of Veloce Gear USA, to find out what his company was offering its female riders in terms of real protective motorcycle gear. I had no doubt that the company had options for men, all I wanted to know was what they had in store for those of us looking for more than just 'pretty' gear.

When we started talking, I immediately realized that he wasn't a typical apparel manufacturer, trying to utilize flashy marketing in order to sell the product. His priority is making a safe, protective gear that will work the way it's intended for the serious rider. Michael knew that spending thousands of dollars on marketing Veloce's products wasn't how he wanted to represent Veloce. Instead, he's going the non traditional route of finding local dealers/retailers who will provide exclusive representation and knowledge of Veloce's products. As an amateur racer in the 90s, Michael realized the need for thoughtful, functional and quality leathers for riders wasn't being met by his standards. Today that need is being met by the work he's doing at Veloce. Trying to serve the rider's need wasn't enough, so he decided to take on one of the most ambitious, difficult design choices. Women.
Designing women's fashions is one thing, but then think of making it protective and functional on a motorcycle! Michael found out very quickly that the shape and form of a woman is entirely different than a man. Everything from how our hands and fingers articulate, to why our hips can be wider than our chests, or vice versa to how to accommodate a woman's chest in a 1 piece leather suit.

The Achillia 1 Piece women's race suit on the left is scheduled to be released sometime in October. Michael gave me a sneak peak of the suit after his female test racer sent it back to him after a high speed crash on the track. Which she subsequently walked away from. Just as the Achillia gloves, this suit was so soft and supple, I didn't believe him when he told me it was only worn once. Aside from some road rash and minor discoloration from sliding, this suit looked like it had simply been worn over and over again. I was particularly intrigued by the back of the suit, in which the way Veloce applied their (proprietary) inverted "V" accordion to the back and hips, where many women need a little more give when bending over.

When it's released, I'll be able to get some more thorough photos, but in the meantime, these will give you an idea of how well the suit is made and how it'll hold up in a crash. I hope to try this suit on when it comes out to get a better idea of how it fits.