The necessary evil of rain gear has come into its season. Sure, there are summer torrents, but a hearty rider can grit her teeth and tough it out 'til the next stop. In these cold days, the wet leads to a chill that extracts all the joy from a ride except for perhaps a little pride in being able to bull your way through it.
Frogg Toggs Road Toad rain gear is a full set of breathable polypropylene apparel. Of course, they are waterproof and cinch around the wrists, waist, and ankles to create a reliable fit. There is waterproof taping over seams, so you won't get seepage around the stitches.
Made to wear over your other gear or a big fluffy sweatshirt, Toggs are lightweight. There is a pocket pass-through so you won't be cut off from your wallet, and the hood zips off. The hood is designed to go under your helmet, but I've never found that to work very well. Maybe my helmet is too snug.
I don't see much rain on sunny days, so Frogg Eyzz technology is included, which is Frogg Toggs' reflective piping to enhance visibility. Available in black or gray, I recommend the gray if you want to increase your chance of being seen. The Road Toad suit is compact, and you can probably find a place in your bags for it.
The whole suit costs around $60, but there are some pretty serious drawbacks. The zipper is not well made, which can completely negate the function of rain gear. Also, Frogg Toggs seriously neglected biker specific needs, such as heat shielding; your pipes will melt right through these.
Find this Frogg Toggs Road Toad Jacket:
Find this jacket on eBay:
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Frogg toggs togg ROAD TOAD rain suit motorcycle BLACK US $54.95   Auction Ends: 8d 11h 23m Make it yours... |
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FROGG TOGGS ROAD TOAD MOTORCYCLE RAIN SUIT BLK XXL 2 XL US $64.95 Auction Ends: 28d 2h 27m Make it yours... |
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Frogg toggs togg ROAD TOAD rain suit motorcycle BLUE US $54.95 Auction Ends: 8d 11h 23m Make it yours... |
Alpinestars' C-1 Windstopper gloves caught my eye for the very reason they shouldn't have. They are surprisingly humble, coming from their otherwise ostentatious Alpinestars roots. There's nothing showy or striking about the C-1. I dare say they look generic, but Alpinestars has not overlooked their function.
Once on a ride through northern California, I came around a corner in a small canyon, only to find the landscape open into a flatland on my left, and running toward me was a small herd of wild horses. It was one of the most beautiful things I ever saw. Another time an eagle swooped down over me as I rode alone on a deserted highway, flying no more than 15 feet over me, and looking down as if checking me out. It was one of those things you can't quite describe to other people.
A few springs ago I went on a long ride with some friends, heading south about 75 miles to take part in a parade. Against all odds in the great Pacific Northwest, it rained buckets the whole way down. When I was just about completely fed up with the rain, I headed back to town, accompanied by my friend Morgan on her bike. We were stopped at a light in heavy traffic, and we were wet to the bone. Our leather gloves were so soaked that every time we shifted, our fingers squished. Rain was running down our faces and the backs of our coats. Our feet were numb. In an attempt to lighten the mood, Morgan looked at me and tooted her horn. I smiled and tooted my horn. To my dismay, my horn, which apparently had gotten wet lines, made a small, weak "HHAAaaa-ahh...." sound. It was the saddest thing I ever heard. It sounded like the last death throe of a very small mouse. Morgan, who was laughing so hard she could hardly shift into first when the light changed, still mentions this event.
Armored coats always make me feel like Ralphie's little brother in "A Christmas Story," wrapped head to toe for weather, holding my arms straight out at my sides, and only then realizing I have to go to the bathroom. But armored coats, once you get used to the feel of the armor, are the ultimate for protection.
Just when you think you can't say anything else about motorcycle mirrors, Willie G goes and does it again. It's easy to over-do with skulls. Too many skulls, skulls that are too big, skulls that are ridiculous, skulls in the shape of kitty heads with bows on them -- yeah. We've seen them all. But Harley Davidson's Willie G Collection has come up with a set of mirrors that are stylish, designed for improved rear visibility, and feature a "menacing" raised skull with black eyes set in the center of the chrome. Surrounding the under-stated skull are the words "Harley-Davidson Motorcycles".
Because I ride, I get a lot of questions about biker culture. It's as if people think there's some kind of handbook that comes with the bike about being a big bad biker babe. One of these questions was about vests and why they're so popular in the riding community.
The warmest it is going to get today in my part of this fine state of Michigan is 48 degrees Fahrenheit. I almost wish I didn't know that. I might be willing to tough out an under-geared ride at 40 degrees if I didn't know it was 40 degrees. Of course, that could be hazardous to my health.
There are noble and ignoble uses for a really loud horn. Letting that 16-year-old, who's been given a license to wield a 2-ton deadly weapon, know that they are about to do something that everyone will regret is a perfectly valid reason to add to their elder-year deafness with a 139 dB blast. Being that jerk who wants to alert his carpool buddy across the street every morning at 7 a.m. is not a valid reason to hit the horn.
Of those who are bad at estimating the time, there are two kinds: folks who get everywhere late and folks who get everywhere early. I'm of the latter end of that spectrum, and it drives me crazy. If you're late, you can at least jump right in when you get there, but being early means you have to find something to bide your time while you wait. I don't dig on lackadaisical.
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