<Fashion does not seem to be fit the riding theme>
Form over function has always been my motto when it comes to motorcycle clothing.
It wouldn't be fair to the community if I were to attribute this attitude to the fact that I started my motorcycling from a Harley. Although I suspect it must have had some bearing to my choice of gear.
Anyway back to the topic, I did a long road trip last weekend.
I spent 12 hours covering some 400 plus kilometers on regular road, not wanting to spend on the toll charge.
Rain was my best mate in this 12 hours, be it regular rain, drizzle, shower, storm or pouring of water. The only time when the rain let up was the time I took this photo, right in front of the underwater tunnel that connects the mainland Japan to the Kyushu Island.
The toll would have been exorbitantly high in my home country, but here in Japan a complimentary USD1 is all it takes for a bike to travel through the tunnel. The tunnel is called Shimonoseki Tunnel.
I managed to arrive at my hostel with a completely dry torso and limbs, although some amount of water did pass through the waterproof lining of my boots and as a result my feet were damp from the moist, otherwise there was not any violation by rain water. Similarly my fingers were indeed wet, but far from soaked.
All in all, I was very pleased with the choice of gear I brought with me this time, and I guess they would very likely set my standard of motorcycle clothing.
The rain wear costs me USD70.
It’s way cheaper than name brands from the motorcycle makers and it gets the job done.
Gone are the days where I ride and pray that the sky doesn't open up with me. I would want to be seen in a rain coat rather than feeling sorry for myself for being wet and cold.
Similarly, gone are the days of wearing leather gloves. They are pricey and without the necessary protection against the elements and hazards, if compared to fabric product at the same price range.
Although I am still very fond of leather wear, I made a promise to myself not to sacrifice looks for function.
I wore a T-shirt underneath and a leather jacket over it on my way home. That was a totally wrong set up because the temperature dropped from a pleasant 20C degree to 8C degree at night.
I was convinced based on my last experience that no matter how many more pieces of shirt I top up on the current one, the cold air will still find its way in. That was the time I put on my rain wear.
Lo and behold! All wind was shut out and I was traveling at 110km/h in 8C degree for a total of 300KM, no problem whatsoever.
Function over form. My new standard.
Cheers.
Regards,
CK
