If you still haven't discovered Schampa thermal baselayers, you don't know what you're missing! I have to give a quick shout to Schampa, without whom I would've freezed my ass off all winter. Their skinny pants and shirt are the BEST thermal baselayers. I've practically lived in them at home, work, walking Benny, anything that requires me staying warm in cooler temps. Read my review and get yourself a set now!
Finally, a motorcycle podcast of my own.
Introducing......... Moterrific, a Terrific Motorcycle Podcast.
When my cool friend Cristi (ADVGoddess on Twitter/ ADV Rider) texted me last week about doing a podcast, I was like okay. That sounds like a good idea. Not really thinking that we'd get one done so quickly! It was more like "hey, we really need to do one, there aren't any good female hosted motorcycle shows out there". Of course, I totally agree.
As you may know, there are only a few prominent podcasts, all hosted by men. We thought it would be time to mix things up and add fresh perspectives. We're excited to add bike/ gear reviews, general commentary on motorcycles, interviews and anything else we think would be interesting to our fellow riders. (male and female!).
This isn't a women's only podcast. (Remember, only gear has to be women's specific. But never motorcycles).
We hope you enjoy the first episode, you can read more about the first one on our new website, Moterrific.com.
Please like our Facebook page and share with your friends!
6 years ago I discovered these amazing boots, said to add 2+ inches of height to your inseam!
And that they did. At the time I was riding my Ninja 250 and I was at the balls of my feet while wearing Oxtars (discontinued but now known as TCX Auras). I heard these magical boots would add lift, extra comfort and a GORE-TEX (GT) membrane.
If you read my full review, you'll see how much I relied upon and loved them. I still love them, they're one of the most comfortable boots I've ever worn and the GT liner is fantastic. I still long for a pair of boots with GT liners, so I will keep searching for something that will fit my tiny Euro 36-37, US 6.5-7 feet. There are a few men's boots that are offered in this size, so that may be my next option.
Last year I reviewed Sidi's Vertigo Lei and started wearing them daily. I liked having the extra protection and I had never worn a sport boot with that kind of fit. They worked really well on my SV and I added an insole to make them even more comfortable. Unfortunately I lost all the height that I had gained with the Daytonas. I was now almost on my tiptoes and one flat left with a noticeable butt shift to the left off my seat. (vs. a slight lean left). I really had to be careful and more cautious about where I could put my feet down, the pavement grade and more interesting, parking with one foot (since the 2 tiptoes weren't helping). I had to acclimate to wear and review these boots. I knew I could manage, it just took a little time to get used to things. I admit, I didn't like losing all the height but I was also really happy that I didn't really Need the extra height to navigate on my bike. Yes, it was really nice to have it but it wasn't the end of the world!
I remember someone telling me last summer that they liked their Daytonas overall but didn't like how clunky they felt and wanted something lighter. That stuck with me so and I didn't notice until I started wearing the Vertigos how true that was. As a sport boot, they're super lightweight and really lean, making it easier to get your toes under the shifter. Fantastic.
I definitely couldn't manage a taller, heavier bike with these just yet, but we'll see. I have ridden with these on the Brammo plenty of times since it's a taller but lighter bike (by about ~150 lbs and 2 inches). Sometimes it's all about weight, not height!
However, not long after I started riding the Brammo last summer, I started to break in a pair of Gaerne Black Rose Boots, which were sitting on my shelf. I got them for the Yamaha Ride Review but never wore them after that. They were still stiff and not broken in so I just reverted to my Daytonas at that time.
So a few months back I decided to wear these again and break them in. I hadn't worn them so why not break them in and do a review. I only wear them around town since I always try to wear my Vertigos for highway riding. (I did wear my Daytonas a couple times last summer for a couple of trips where I thought the GT would come in handy.)
They are now my every day boots around the city. They're much lighter than the Daytonas and less clunky. I also was surprised at how comfortable they were. I only lost an inch and it hasn't really mattered. I've ridden two even taller, heavier bikes since then with them and I managed just fine: 2012 Aprilia Shiver and 2013 KTM 690 Duke (YES!).
Don't let the "2 flat feet rule" (which isn't a rule, more of a guideline) change your perceptions of what you can or can't ride. It may take you a little longer than you'd hoped but motorcycles aren't a 'quick and easy' thing to learn. If you think it is, you may not be ready to ride....
Ta Da! My first video on YouTube. If you missed the live stream of my seminar earlier this week, now you can watch it on my youtube channel: youtube.com/gearchic
Since it was shot using my laptop webcam, it was pretty crummy video, only 480p, hardly high definition. I hope to be able to do it again and with a much better camera and audio. Thanks for watching, feedback is welcome!
