The Icon Men's Accelerant leather jacket is simply a quality piece of riding apparel. Icon has a reputation for being a company that appeals to the young and trendy segment of the riding community. Some of their gear is, in my opinion, a little "over the top" ...

Mt. Kilimanjaro is an extreme mountain environment in Tanzania. The Firstgear Men's Kilimanjaro Waterproof Jacket is a jacket designed for extreme motorcycling conditions. If you spend much time around touring and adventure motorcyclists, certain jackets tend to come up in conversation. Premium and extremely pricey jackets like ...

Having lived in Arizona for over 4 decades, I know a little something about heat. Having been a motorcyclist for almost as long, I know a little something about hot weather gear. I don't know if Joe Rocket invented the armored mesh jacket, but they are at least ...

Leather is protective, heavy, and expensive. Cordura textile is versatile, waterproof, and relatively affordable. An increasing number of quality motorcycle jackets are mating these two materials with very positive results. By placing leather in the impact-prone zones of the jacket, like the forearms and shoulders, the ...

Personally, I'm not into the whole "fear and intimidation" aspect in a lot of today's motorcycling gear. I have never donned flames, bones, or skulls. However, I am a realist, and I know this is a marketable aspect of our sport.

Icon's Men's Skull Leather Motorcycle Jacket plays ...

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 ...

As it is the most obvious drawback, I'm going to address the ugly first. Icon's Hooligan 2 gloves are not pretty. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but nothing coming through my retinas is being translated as stylish. I think it's the big, 1990s-style cartoon lettering on the knuckles ...

Oh wee little Icon riding gloves, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

Don't worry, I'm not about to whip out the ol' poetry on you, but I do have a soft spot for these gloves. They are much like my old, beaten-down riding standby pair. Leather on ...

When a manufacturer says their leather is "distressed," they mean that it looks like you've put the miles on it when you haven't. To get that look on some modern leather, after it's been softened and treated, you have to buy it. The way old leather used to scuff was because ...

People buy Fox Racing products based on the name, because the name is known for quality. Fox's Dirtpaw glove, which is updated constantly so make sure you're looking at the 2009 model, is their low-end beat-me-up glove.

Constructed of tough vented synthetics, the Dirtpaw won't let sweat disturb your hold. The palm ...

The streetbike community is overrun, drowning in a deluge of textile jackets. Don't get me wrong; there are companies, like Icon, that make some great leathers for the street rider. There is, however, a particular style to this kind of jacket, and manufacturers will charge you an arm and a leg ...

I had a bad habit of wearing my regular shoes and non-riding boots on the bike. This has resulted in melted soles, split toes, and more wear and tear than the shoe manufactures anticipated. I thought I was saving money by not investing in a riding boot, but instead ...

Like any sport, motocross riders develop their gear preferences over the lifetime of their career. Some decide they want more impact protection, some less. Some find stiffer retention systems to their liking, others prefer increased flexibility. It's a matter of riding style and comfort. Alpinestars refers to their Tech 3 as a boot ...

It is a little-known fact, among those who don't keep or ride horses or cattle, that roping gloves are for the right hand only. Roping gloves are all right-hand gloves. So should you ever find yourself riding through northern California during an unseasonably cold June and discover that you are ...

Motocross riders who have been around the track know exactly what these are: these are Alpinestars' Tech 8 boots. Well known and well worn, many riders stick with these when it comes time to get a new pair of boots. There are numerous reasons why these have developed such a loyal following in ...

I'm a wuss. Once the snow starts to fly I'm off the road, and my machine goes into a 3 to 4 month hibernation. Last winter I sat in my car in awe of the sight before me. An early '70s Honda was parked in a structure downtown in ...

Last week, I noticed something disconcerting. The seams on my riding jacket are beginning to fray. I'm sure I can stitch it back together, but I will not put my money on dime store thread when it does battle with pavement. It might be time to look for some more robust ...

Even with all the advances in textile riding gear, even if they were just as abrasion resistant, I believe there would still be riders who wear leather. The only event that could stop them would be the extinction of the cow. This is why companies like Scorpion Sports are still ...

Unfortunately, most of the products on the market that call themselves "retro" are purchased as a sad attempt to recapture an experience the buyer never had. For example: high school kids in 1996 wearing reproduction clothing to emulate the original Woodstock look.

Icon has not bought into that concept of purchasing ...

Three words used by Firstgear in the description of their Fargo gloves confused and amazed me: waterproof, breathable leather. Leather is not known for its breathability. If you oil it, you can usually expect some water resistance, but waterproof? Really? Apparently, yes.

As the name suggests, these are for the kind of ...

Joe Rocket's Meteor boots are some of the best looking, most understated riding boots I've seen in a while. These are full function street or cruiser boots with molded plastic side protection and a reinforced, padded shin panel.

Reflective patches on the heels will give upcoming motorists two more chances to ...

Personal protection equipment has its limits where the cumbersome nature begins to reduce its effectiveness. I have short legs, and every layer you add to those stems makes me that much less mobile. Armored pants don't do you much good if the restriction of them is what causes you to go down, ...

By the nature of a competitive market, there is a wide selection of leather jackets available, so Icon had to understand the specific needs of the rider to make their Motorhead leather worth the coin they're asking. Fortunately, Icon does their homework.

Icon's Motorhead leather is constructed of durable cowhide with excellent ...

It is difficult to decide between textile and leather. Both have their advantages, but riders shouldn't have to compromise between comfort and protection. Icon's ARC mesh jacket brings together the best of both worlds.

The body of the ARC is constructed of durable fighter mesh nylon that provides comfortable flexibility and airflow ...

The symbol of the skull has always been linked with motorcycles. Some riders try to separate themselves from the "bad" biker image and consider the skull to be passe at best. It would not surprise me if some see the Icon Regulator vest as tacky, but there is a ...

If you ride hard, chances are you will eventually fall hard. The key to making a bad fall a little less sucky is quality protection. Although you should take care of your entire body, there are certain key areas that you really should not skimp on when it comes ...

I'll get my own immaturity out of the way first: "Deuce" is a horrible name for pants. Really? Deuce? Come on, marketing people over at Scorpion, get your heads in the game.

Anyway, despite the atrocious branding, they are actually some pretty nice riding pants. They have been crash tested, and the ...

Answer's Fazer boots are not for light riding. Fashioned for the unique hazards of off-road adventures, the functionality of the design leaves them with a powerful appearance.

Riding track and trail is dirty and demanding on your feet. A two-stage plastic buckle system wraps protective panels across the shins like the tawny tendons ...

Ever read that book "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat"? Me neither. But I can tell you one thing... You will NEVER mistake your wife for this hat.

This Phantom Ghost hat is a cotton twill two-toned hat ...

These cycle boots by Fox Racing are priced right to be an entry-level dirt bike boot.

These offroading boots weigh in at five pounds, and come comfortable and pliable from the moment that you put them on for the first time.

This Fox Racing boot is completely newly designed ...

This is a great looking Harley Davidson 3/4 helmet. Part way in between a full face helmet and a half-stock helmet, the 3/4 helmet is a good compromise.

Weighing in at less than three pounds, it is made with a durable safety fiberglass shell. It features a standard D-ring chin ...

These high-quality leather boots sport a classic look with the silver-colored chain link style ring around the inner and outer ankle. Other than that ring, the clean lines are broken only by the pull-up straps, subtle black-on-black stitching, and the embossed small bar-and-shield logo on the heel.

These boots feature a sock lining for extra cushioning, ...

More showy than the Men's 105th Anniversary Leather Harley Jacket, this jacket features broad lettering and swatches of bold color on the front and sleeves.

This is a full-featured mid weight jacket with a mandarin collar. It has extra pockets -- two standard, zippered hand-warmers and two internal ...

One of the best selling Harley watches. But don't mistake it for any old wimpy watch -- its substantial heft coupled with the extra bulk of the chronograph features make this quite a substantial watch. Add that to the quality of a Bulova and it's not hard to see ...

This black leather jacket is probably best described as subtle and classy. At least as far as a Harley jacket can be subtle.

It was produced to honor Harley's 105th anniversary. It's a mid-weight, leather jacket with embroidery on two sites -- the front pocket has subtle Harley Davidson ...

This authentic Harley Davidson Jacket is new for 2008. This stylish jacket is made of woven polyester with embroidered Harley graphics. The polyester provides water resistance on the outer jacket, but the PVC liner provides full waterproofing internally.

It's extremely configrable -- the outer panels, PVC liner and elbow/shoulder body ...