#Apparel

Sure you know Harley-Davidson is the goliath among motorcycle manufacturers. And in the back of your mind you knew The Motor Company has a huge apparel line. But have you ever stopped to think about how big the apparel line actually is? Probably not. It’s so big, H-D has its own Amazon store dedicated to just footwear. Yep, that’s more that just Harley-Davidson boots.

In the previous century, the manufacturers didn’t want us to call their motorcycles “cruisers,” because they were afraid to be associated with the 1980 Al Pacino film “Cruising,” which was about a serial killer preying on gay men cruising for sex. Today, that plotline could be a selling point, who knows? Things change. Anyway, as you know, cruisers in the motorcycle idiom refers to laid-back American style bikes which tend to be ridden less aggressively than sportbikes, which sort of lessens the need for titanium toe sliders, calf pucks, and Crayon-box color schemes. In other words, these are the kind of boots plenty of normal motorcyclists on cruisers, touring bikes, sport-tourers and standards, don’t mind wearing every day, on the bike and off. We selected a few of the Best Cruiser Motorcycle Boots.

The Swiss are known for many things: chocolate, watches, multi-purpose pocket knives. However, you may not know there’s a Swiss company with their own equally storied tradition of making stylish, high-quality motorcycle wear: iXS.

Watch as BMW Motorrad engineers subject the company’s riding gear to a variety of tests including abrasion resistance, water resistance, tear resistance, and shock absorption. There’s no commentary or explanation, but it’s interesting to see the different devices used to conduct the tests.

Today, Black Brand launched its line of motorcycle gear aimed squarely at the V-Twin/Cruiser market, and you might be wondering why you should care. Well, when developing the line the folks behind Black Brand did their due diligence and found what they think is a huge hole in the cruiser gear market. Anyone on the cruiser scene is aware of the 800-pound gorilla of the V-Twin world, and the Harley team does a pretty good job of dominating its corner of the market with well-made clothing with its name emblazoned all over it.

No, sorry, replica Lorenzo leathers are not part of Alpinestars’ 2016 apparel collection, but the company is inextricably linked to the sport by protecting many of its participants. Many safety developments available to the public originate from knowledge gained at the track. And the above photo is much tastier than a logo or a studio shot of a new jacket.

Motorcycle apparel manufacturers have really upped the game when it comes to combining comfort, style and protection in a pair of riding jeans. Of course, pricing is significantly more than your average $47 pair of Levi 501s, but the protection afforded by the moto-specific denim is worlds better than regular jeans, making them well worth the entry fee.

Lately, there’s been a rise in popularity in cafe- and naked-type bikes. Take the recently reviewed Royal Enfield Continental GT, quirky Moto Guzzi V7, old-is-new-again Yamaha SR400, and of course the venerable Triumph Bonneville as examples. They are simple motorcycles that take you back to a simpler time. And these days, wearing full-fledged, Power Ranger-like protective gear just seems, well, silly.

Southern California residents who are also fans of the Dainese/AGV brands are likely familiar with the D-Store Orange County. One of three official full-fledged Dainese/AGV retail stores (the others being San Francisco and Chicago), what you might not have known is that the OC store, which is roughly equivalent to a large two-bedroom home, also housed Dainese’s North American headquarters for several years. Think about that – Dainese, known the world over as one of the finest motorcycle apparel companies, ran its North American operations in modest office space at the back of a retail store.

The relaunch of Indian Motorcycle has been the biggest news to hit the cruiser market in many years. Under the stewardship of Polaris Industries, Indian is now well-capitalized for the first time in more than 60 years. Sales of the three-model Chief lineup have been meeting projections, and the Chief platform has received widespread critical acclaim.

As one of the best-known manufacturers of motorcycle gear, Joe Rocket has carved itself a nice niche in the industry. What’s extraordinary about that niche is that it’s all-inclusive. It’s not gear suited toward a particular style of riding or a certain type of rider.