Riding to work at this time of year has its appeals. You tough out the cold morning, the street still untouched by the warming massage of all those particles of light, and you receive your afternoon reward of a beautiful fall ride past fields and fauna. These are, at least, my circumstances.

Tour Master ...

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 ...

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 ...

I have seen Harley stickers on Cadillacs and undefined motorcycle decals on everything from laptops to shotguns. If you should see one of these evidences of a fellow rider, you can feel comfortable inquiring about their bike. Heck, they're probably itching to tell someone about it that hasn't heard their stories a ...

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 ...

Sometimes you look at a product and you don't have to give two thoughts about its purpose. River Road's Basic leather motorcycle jacket is just that: a basic motorcycle jacket. You look at it and you know that it's cut and designed for riding because it looks like the jackets ...

August went out with a heat wave here, but now that September has arrived, it's been cool. This is not the best weather for me to be thinking about a mesh textile jacket, but last month, stuck in traffic with the heat beating down on me, I gave some serious consideration ...

My brother-in-law just bought his third riding jacket. Third. He has a leather, a textile, and now another textile that has "Kawasaki" written on it. Each of these serve a purpose to deal with specific riding conditions, including that riding condition where people are looking at you and wondering what brand ...

The Camelbak L.U.X.E. is made for women. Yeah, I didn't think gender would be a sticking point with a Camelbak hydration pack either, but then again there has always been a sternum strap on my backpack that I've never used because it fit... oddly.

Camelbak's L.U.X.E. is designed for women in more ways ...

Leave your favorite jeans and your chaps laying around together too long with some Barry White playing, and you just might end up with something akin to River Road's 5-pocket pants. These combine the best features of chaps with the convenience and styling of jeans.

Designed for women riders, these pants ...

We all love women riders, so it's nice to see Icon offering a pair of boots uniquely styled for the aggressive femininity of women of the road. Most of my riding boots have a distinctly masculine look because I buy them for comfort and safety. Icon's Bombshell boot embraces the ...

Years ago, I was shopping for gloves and I found that women's gloves were often made dainty with the idea that women riders wanted to express their femininity. Unfortunately, that also meant the gloves were less protective. One good scrape and the fine leather was gone. It looks like manufacturers ...

Eye protection is really important when you're riding. No, really. It is. So don't do like I did and find yourself doing about 85mph along a riverside highway wearing cheap sunglasses (thank you, ZZ Top!), turn your head to the left to check traffic, and have your sunglasses whipped right ...

Sometimes, you have to see something to believe it. If someone described the Power Trip Stiletto jacket with the zebra design, all I would think would be, "Yeah, that will catch some attention, a zebra on fire!" Power Trip seems to have pulled off the design better than I could ...

If you're keen on Icon quality, but not so keen on Icon prices, they feel your pain. Icon makes a great jacket and they're worth the cost, but they're not so despotic as to leave those of us with light wallets light on protection.

Icon's Merc women's textile is one of their cheapest riding jackets. ...

Suzuki and Joe Rocket have brought women riders a jacket that has gone the extra mile in fit and function. I've got to give them kudos on the physical structure of the Superstock jacket. A waist that narrows and then flares out at the hip provides a perfect fit for the ...

I'm a fan of protection, but since I commute on my bike I don't want to be wearing leather pants or textile riding pants that are waist-to-ankle armor. These women's jeans, designed for riding, fit the bill -- and they're made by Icon to boot.

High-density 14-ounce denim offers ample abrasion protection over ...

I am a big fan of Icon's leather gear. They have impeccable stitching and ergonomic architecture, so it should be no surprise that I would recommend the Pursuit gloves to just about any rider. Comprised of perforated sheepskin, your hands will stay cool and the gloves themselves are oh-so-soft. Don't ...

I appreciate all of the gear on the market designed for women riders, but enough with the pink. That niche is filled. Some of us would like classic cruiser gear for the dusty road, and River Road has answered our call with their Sierra jacket. This is a jacket for ...

Icon is known for making products that are flashy, classy, and tough to boot. Plus, their lineups always come in a wide variety of color schemes, graphics, and materials. These gloves are no exception. They come in five different colors, all of which can mix-and-match with other Icon ...

Firstgear's Babe leather jacket makes a motorcycle jacket look classy. It's not your typical black leather jacket that you wear to the office, that's for sure, but it's not rough around the edges either. The Babe jacket is definitely made for riding.

It's made from premium heavyweight 1.1-1.2mm drum-dyed leather as well ...

With all the work that Answer went into making these pants tailored to the feminine physique, along with an impressive list of customizable fit features, let's hope that these pants are the Answer to what you're looking for.

It's a dumb joke, sure, but... OK, moving right along...

The WMX line boasts ...

Tour Master's set of leather gloves will give you the essentials you need for a lightweight, classy riding accessory.

They're made of genuine cowhide leather, which is a great start.

The leather fingers are interspersed with cooling Spandex, enabling comfortable elastic movement, an easy grip, and breathable fabric.

There are a large ...

The Stella Julie is one of the few leather racing suits made just for women. And it's from Alpinestars, so you know it'll perform (regardless of whether your name is Stella or Julie).

The suit is made of genuine 1.2-1.4mm full grain leather for top-notch abrasion resistance. Built in ...

MSR released the 2008 Starlet line hoping to blend a pleasant fusion of comfort and protection.

The material contains both Spandex and mesh, making it easy to move around while still keeping cool all throughout your adventure.

The legs are specifically contoured and shaped for sport riding, accented with ribbed ...

Your first reaction looking at these gloves probably went something like, "Ooh, a butterfly, how cute is that?" Right? OK, maybe not.

But don't let the overpoweringly girly design distract you from the Answer MX's construction. It's pretty impressive. Answer melded a lot of different stretch fabrics together to make everything ...

These Teknic gloves are just what you're looking for if you need something lightweight, waterproof, wind-blocking, and sturdy at the same time.

They're non-insulated, so depending on what country and climate you're in, this may or may not be an all-weather glove for you, especially if your road trips include ...

You'll be hard-pressed to find a thorn in this Rose.

This is Gaerne's first boot development specifically targeted to women's comfort needs, with a newly created style designed around a proper feminine fit.

Gaerne fans will find that the Rose Boot includes their pro-tech ankle shield system and the "Dry-Tech" ...

These gutsy gloves will keep your hands safe on the road, comfortable in the sun, dry on the inside, and looking great to boot.

They've got a drum-dyed leather top with a Pittards Ceramic infused-leather Armor Tan palm.

The knuckles are injection molded and vented to let heat escape, and ...

Here's another addition to the Alpinestars Stella line that once again proves Alpinestars doesn't skimp out on durability requirements, while still keeping comfort and quality features intact.

The women-specific ergonomic design seems to denote a smaller, narrower cut -- a great choice for a snugger, more comfortable fit, and it's ...

These women's leather chaps from River Road sport more than just a flashy six-inch fringe along the entire left/right outseam.

How about a genuine aniline leather construction, uncolored and treated for superior delicacy and softness? Or a wide variety of adjustment options like the lace-up back and a snap-down bottom ...

This women's street motorcycle protector jacket by Alpinestars has many safety features for the street bike riding woman.

The jacket is designed specifically to fit female street bike riders and has CE certified GP shoulder and elbow protectors, as well as a removable ...

Women who want a jacket that provides protection with classics and elegance should look to Allure. This is another stylish jacket from top-notch apparel maker Rev'It!

This black leather jacket has an excellent close fit that prevents wind turbulence, further improved by draw straps at the hem and stretchlip at elbow and ...

These motorcycle pants are aptly named the 'Classic' -- they are all-purpose pants that provide protection, looks and, above all, safety.

The outer shell is made of genuine cowhide leather with stretchable polyamide panels in the knee and calf. This provides the great look of leather with the snug fit ...

This motorcycle jacket for women provides both comfort and style.

The Hydralining membrane provides waterproofing and breathability.

Want pockets? The pockets on this jacket are also waterproof, and there are also inside pockets for added storage. A document pocket helps protect your ID or other important documents.

Both the collar and waistband are ...

This women's motorcycle helmet from Icon is made of strong carbon fiber and fiberglass construction, with an internal system that locks the helmet and its moving parts into place firmly.

With its pink pinstripe swirls, it's got a feminine look to it without being too flashy.

Additional safety features include a breath ...

This superbly tailored denim women's jacket, new from the manufacturers of Harley Davidson clothing wear, is sporty and stylish.

Two zippered chest pockets, as well as two pockets at the side for warming the wearer's hands, provides plenty of space for securing items and accessories during longer rides.

The Harley ...

The Fox Racing Girls Dakota Jacket is made of Dobby Polyester. Dobby Polyester is a lightweight, satiny polyester.

Comfort and flexibility were at the top of the list when Fox Racing decided to include soft brushed fleece where the skin meets the collar and articulated sleeves that allow natural and unhindered ...

Fox Racing makes Jeans too. You'll have to poke around a bit, though. Some styles are only available in a limited set of sizes.

The jeans pictured are the stylish Jet Crop Jeans. These pants will add a casual sophistication to your wardrobe without sacrificing comfort.

Other styles available from Fox Racing include ...

With a waterproof exterior shell composed of denier Soft-Touch polyester Hypertex, the Firstgear Allure Women's Waterproof Jacket maximizes comfort in the most uncomfortable situations.

A 10 inch (ZIPS) attachment system integrates with your riding pants. There are two front pockets and an internal pocket made especially for your cellular phone ...

The Harley Davidson Women's Charisma Leather Jacket is a stylish addition to any female rider's wardrobe.

It's made especially to coordinate with the Charisma Leather Chaps, but it also looks great by itself.

The lining is a durable and lightweight poly-satin, and the zippered cuffs and pre-curved sleeves ensure maximum comfort. ...

The HJC Standard Edition Bib is perfect for the rider who wants to be able to keep going even in the most difficult of climates.

The outer shell of polyester Oxford 450 Denier has sealed seams and is 100% waterproof. You'll stay warm with 6 ounce polyester insulation, double zippered storm flaps, ...

These girls' Tracker Boots from Fox Racing feature the same fit and feel as the more expensive Forma Pro boots.

They're a good complement to the Fox Racing Men's Tracker Boots that we featured recently.

An adjustable four buckle system guarantees that you'll have the support that you need. A plastic injection molded ...

The Cortech WP is a sleek fleece hoody that combines comfort, style, and safety.

The self-actuated pull cords allow for easy adjustment at the hood and at the waist for a comfortable, customized fit, and the zippered hand warmer pockets are waterproofed for extra protection.

The three-layer Armortex construction ensures that the ...

This vintage-style Harley Davidson Women's Jacket offers the look of Harley Davidson from yesteryear with contemporary materials and craftsmanship.

The jacket is constructed of nylon/cotton twill that is coated for durability, stain resistance and easy cleaning. It has a mesh lining to help keep you comfortable and dry. The Harley ...

The women's Screamin' Eagle twill jacket allows every woman to display her love of Harley-Davidson with a striking piece of wearable art.

This ladies-cut jacket features the world renowned Harley-Davidson Eagle on a field of white cotton twill, wrapping around back and front.

Additional Harley-Davidson graphics are ...

This Vixen Leather Jacket from Firstgear looks pretty darn slick, without being too "girly".

Above all, it provides both comfort and style on the road. The leather is mid-weight (0.9mm), though Firstgear includes a removable insulated vest liner for when the weather gets rough.

The jacket includes a race-fit tapered body and sleeves ...

Not to be confused with the other Vixen jacket featured today, this one is nylon, not leather. But it's no less Vixen-y!

This one is from Power Trip. It's made of a heavy-duty Hitena, which is a patented GoreTex-like material that breaths while also keeping the elements at bay.

It has zippered vents ...

The KBC TK-8 Heart Helmet is a familiar piece of gear to riding experts, but is now being offered at a new lower price.

The basic style and safety components remain unchanged. The KBC helmet still offers a quick change shield for handling a variety of riding conditions.

It still looks cool with the ...

This Round Purse made by River Road is a fashionable choice for the lady riders.

This purse is made of genuine black leather featuring lots of tassel fringe and a shiny silver metal concho in a western theme.

It has enough room to carry any gal's essential needs, but is not so large ...