Fieldsheer Aqua Sport Gloves

These are waterproof and insulated gloves.

Price: $35

Opinion: Highly Recommended



I have been very impressed with these gloves. They have been completely waterproof so far. The gloves are insulated so they do have some thickness to them. You can't beat them for the price and I'm not sure anything more expensive would be any better for cold, wet days.

Arai Signet GTR

Purchased at Chicago Cycle July 2007 as a discontinued model.
Price: $400


* this image is of an Arai Signet. The GTR has two small vents in the front.


This is the most comfortable helmet I have owned so far. I was happy with my Arai TX Motard so I gave their street helmet a try.

I ended up plugging the vents on the front as they make a moderate amount of noise at highway speeds even with earplugs (which I always wear).

I have not removed the visor yet but it is known to be very difficult. It is a design issue.

Very good helmet. I would buy it again.

Rev'it Ergo Boot

I bought my Rev'it Ergo boots in June 2007. They are lightweight and comfortable along with being one of the better looking boots in my opinion.

Price $209.00



The boots got a pretty good soaking on the last Flat 4 Tour in August. They did seem a little damp after getting home but I thought it could also be sweat. After the boots dried for a day or two I noticed large white deposits on the outside, similar to salt deposits on a ball cap after sweating. I concluded that the Odor Eaters foot powder I use was the culprit. If it made it to the outside then water made it inside.

Last weekend we rode 500 miles in Wisconsin. On Sunday there was a light rain, or drizzle, for about 2-3 hours. During that time my feet became wet through the boots. My right sock was soaked all the way to the heel and my left was damp in the toe area. The temperature was hovering around 50 F and the wet feet were a problem. I am going to see about returning these under warranty since they are only 4 months old.

I hope this was just a bad pair as I really like these boots.

Rev'it Solar Gloves

Got a new pair of Rev'it Solar Gloves today. I bought my first pair in June 2007. On my last ride I noticed that the stitching on the thumb was coming apart. I brought them back to Tag Sport and they had a new pair for me in 3 days.

I like the snug fit, protection, venting, and looks of these gloves so I hope that they last a while.

I paid $79.95 + tax at Tag Sport in Geneva, IL

Description from the Rev'it Website:

The SOLAR is the perfect summer glove that will appeal to everyone looking for a lightweight mesh glove that offers the perfect balance between protection and ventilation. Mesh panels on the inside of the fingers allow air to freely flow along the hands and are combined with French cowhide and a 4 knuckle composite protector to guarantee a level of safety never before seen in a mesh glove.

Dual Star Heated Grips

UPDATE 10-15-2007

Used the heated grips for the first time this weekend. Temperatures were in the high 40's/low 50's and wet. First impression: HOT!!!. Seriously, these things are actually too hot even on the low setting. I needed to open my hand and let the grips cool off every couple of minutes, or turn them on and off. The Triumph Tiger puts out about 480 watts, so this may not be a problem on other bikes.

I'm happy with the function of these heating elements. I was concerned that the right and left sides would be different temperatures, but the designers did a great job. They made the clutch side element 30% hotter to compensate for the direct contact with the steel handlebar. If you have aluminum bars you will need to insulate the clutch side. I will probably out a set of these on the XR650 at some point.

I'm going to look in to adding some type of thermostat or power control other than the HI/LO switch.

SEE THE INSTALLATION PHOTOS HERE

Arai TX Motard

I bought my Arai TX Motard helmet in September 2006. The TX is the Japanese version of the Arai XD available in the US. Therefore it does not carry a DOT rating. It is Snell Certified.



Price Paid: $400

I am very happy with this helmet. I use it for Dual-Sport riding. It's great with the shield open with sunglasses/goggles, and when the dust or rain starts you can close the shield and have full protection. It also has a visor to block the sun.

This is the dual-sport helmet.

I have used this helmet when riding single-track. It can be very hot since it is thicker/heavier than a true dirt helmet and the face opening is not as large. The goggles almost completely fill in the opening and block airflow. This is not a problem when dual-sporting as the speeds are greater creating more airflow.

Highly recommended.