Staff Helmets & Clothing
Hello and welcome to Alex's Blog! This week I am showcasing reviews by our staff members.
We now have 27 stores nationwide and within those stores we have a lot of experienced sales people as well as a lot of bikers - all of which know what they are talking about, so it seems only logical to see what they have to say!
First up is Elliot from our Portsmouth store who had a bit of difficulty in this beautiful (ahem) British summer we are experiencing at the moment:
"On Saturday evening I rode home from work in the worst rain I have ridden in the 11 years I have been riding. It was like being in a monsoon, I could feel it hitting me through the jacket. Yet I was perfectly comfortable on my little Honda MSX125, I was actually smiling as I was riding along. As you can see the road is completely water logged. That brings me onto why you don't skimp on tyres, my Michelin City Grips didn't aquaplane or slip once.
All of my carefully selected kit that I have accumulated over the years performed faultlessly. I have always worn Shoei since I started working in the industry, there were no leaks, no fogging and down to Nikwax Visor Proof (Rainex) and a Bob Heath Vee wipe (little windscreen wiper for your glove) no issues with visibility.
I wear Gore-Tex kit from the neck down, which is all over 5 years old and has never let me down to date. I have an IXS textile jacket, trousers and gloves. Then the old faithful Daytona boots, which I think are about 7 years old. Obviously this kit isn't cheap but when you consider the cost effectiveness over time, you can't go far wrong with investing in good kit. If you commute or tour on motorcycles, you can't put a cost on being comfortable on the bike so you are able to enjoy the freedom of being on a motorbike. "
Now on to Marc at our Newcastle store:
"I've ridden with an HJC RPHA ST helmet for a while now (specifically a HJC RPHA ST Rugal Red) and can definitely say that it is a fantastic helmet. What first caught my eye are the designs available, but upon looking at the helmet for its functionality rather than appearance I found that it is a superbly constructed helmet with thought put into many areas.
The internal sun visor is an excellent feature and is very simple to use while riding at high speed. The ‘silvercool' liner feels lush against the face and is anti-bacterial which means the liner will remain odour-free, and it has done so far! The construct of the helmet itself is made from a Fibreglass composite so it is very light on the head, it is also perfectly streamlined so buffeting isn't an issue. I find that the helmet isn't noisy which is partly down to the chin curtain and race-lock visor which provides a great seal. I've primarily used the helmet to ride on the A1, country roads, and around the streets and have found it suits all of these environments which you would come to expect from a sports-touring helmet."
Sase from our Oakmere store has reviewed the Rukka Suki Gore-Tex motorcycle clothing:
"Over the past 7 years of riding I have owned many different items of clothing but I have been impressed with the overall quality and comfort of the suit. The outlast liner is excellent, it regulates temperature well keeping you cool in warm weather and yet still offers warmth for the colder starts. The materials used for this suit are excellent. The Gore-tex Pro Shell keeps you dry, the suit never feels heavy or damp regardless of the amount of rain fall. Simply jump off the bike, shake off and you are dry again. I found the soft neoprene collar to be very comfortable along with the Armacor stretch fabric. The reflective patches and stripes down the side of the suit are very effective, and have proved popular with fellow bikers.
Whilst on the bike the suit feels comfortable, safe and secure. Unfortunately, whilst riding pillion last week with my partner we had a low speed fall off the bike. This resulted in the suit being put to the test. The D30 armour and outer shell materials used performed without fault. Upon inspection of the suit, no damage was found and the removal of dirt and debris was a quick and easy process. The D30 body armour ensured I suffered minimal injury and it stayed where it needed to be.
As much as this is a great looking suit, I have found it to be more importantly a fantastic, functional safety item. The performance so far has been flawless. I am grateful I had this suit on during our mishap and I am now able to wear this suit with huge confidence in the future. I feel there has been no compromise on either style, comfort or more importantly quality with this suit. It ticks all the boxes and is by far the best quality and cleverly engineered motorbike suit I've worn. I am very impressed so far."
Sase has been wearing the Rukka Suki Jacket and trousers for a good few weeks after this review and is pleased to announce that she still feels the same - so if that's not a sparkling review of something I don't know what is!
Now on to the very important business of the football tonight! We may not have any stores in Wales but our Oakmere branch is very close to Chester, which, in turn, is very close to Wales - and as it is the biggest game in Wales' football history tonight in the Euro 2016 tournament Wales vs Portugal I thought I would just highlight that you can show your support to the Welsh with wearing your helmet with pride. The BKS Welsh Flag helmet or the VCan V127 Wales Helmet - we don't actually stock any Portugal merchandise so if that doesn't show who we support tonight then I don't know what does?! Come on Wales!
That's it for this week! Until next time,
Stay safe!
Alex
p.s Emma from our Hanger Lane branch rides to work every day but actually missed the national #ridetoworkweek promotion we did - as every week to Emma is a #nationalridetoworkweek so here is a picture of Emma having just ridden to work:
