What’s in your closet? – Motorcycle Street Gear by JessR1des
Written by Jess R1des
Hey Spark Army! Today, I wanted to answer the question – “What’s in your closet?”. In the years of riding, I’ve been through…MANY many gear options. As a woman, I already have limited options for gear. On top of that, I ride in Florida and it’s a struggle to find something that’ll protect and NOT overheat me. It took a long time to find gear that works for me so I wanted to share it with you! Hopefully, it’ll help someone. So let’s get into it from head to toe!
HELMET
If you’ve been following me at all, you know how I LOVE my Shoei helmets. From the day I took my MSF Basic Riders Course until now, Shoei is all I’ve ever worn. That being said, the best helmet out there is the one that fits YOUR head best. Some head shapes do better with AGV, some are better in an ARAI, and some are better in a Shoei. The MOST IMPORTANT step in picking out a helmet, is making sure it fits you properly. I would encourage you to try several on and get fitted to find your perfect brand / size!
SHOEI
RF-1200 Parameter TC-3
I’m a power ranger. There, I said it.
You can call me one, too. I don’t care. My helmets will match my bikes. Always have, always will. So when I picked out Zeus, my 2017 Yamaha R1s in that Cerulean Silver / Hi-Viz color, I started my hunt for the perfect Shoei helmet. And that’s when I found the Shoei RF-1200 Parameter TC-3. I’m 100% positivie Shoei made this helmet FOR ME and Zeus because it’s an EXACT match.
I’ve had a couple RF-1200s and I love how comfortable they are. It’s the perfect street going helmet. It has great airflow! My only complaint is a bit of wind noise but it’s not as bad as other helmets I’ve tried.
This helmet paired with my CardoSystems Packtalk Bold, it’s like I’ve got my own mini-concert going on down the road. (save 15% off Cardo with that link!)
Oh yeah. The most important part…SAFETY. I can’t even put into words what goes into the R&D / Testing and QA that a Shoei helmet goes through. I recently learned that ONE Shoei helmet goes through 50 hands of REAL people. The craftsmanship and quality of these helmets is more than impressive, it’s the real deal. You can read more here.
(Update : I just got the new Shoei RF-1400 and will be doing a separate review of that after I get a couple rides down in it!)
JACKET
THE AMOUNT OF JACKETS I HAVE GONE THROUGH IN 15 YEARS OF RIDING IS INSANE…..sorry for yelling. But it took me SO LONG to find the perfect jacket that wasn’t too bulky, fit right, wasn’t all pink, and could handle the florida heat. So without further ado, I present to you….Speed and Strengths Spell Bound Women’s Jacket!
Speed and Strength
Spell Bound Women’s Jacket
Ok. Maybe I purchased this jacket because I’m a die hard Harry Potter fan and the HP refrences in the Revzilla description straight up sold me. As soon as I read it, I was like “TAKE MY MONEY.”
I may have been roped into buying this jacket by my love for Harry Potter but I didn’t return it because it was worth every penny. The first thing that caught my eye was ALL THE COLORS. If you’re a woman and shopping for gear….you know the struggle… we are always so limited with color options, but NOT HERE! Take a look at the slides to see what I mean.
Next, the air vents. I freaking NEED me some airflow while riding in Florida. There are vents on the arms and on the back so, while I’m riding, I have a constant breeze flowing through the jacket. It’s quite literally a life saver because without it, I’d die of heat stroke – no lie.
It also comes with a full sleeve hooded jacket liner. I’ll be honest, I didn’t have a need for it and removed it as soon as I received this jacket. I couldn’t even tell you where it is lol.
And here are some of the safety features :
- Water resistant combined AR-600 and AR-500 super stretch-fit frame
- Removable Vault CE approved shoulder and elbow protectors
- Removable Vault CE approved back protector
- Belt loops for jacket-to-pant attachment
- Reflective trim
GLOVES
These gloves are SO GOOD for street riding and especially amazing in hot weather. Let’s dive into it!
Alpinestars
SMX-1 Air v2 Gloves
“The perfect pair of gloves doesn’t exist” is what I would have said before buying these Alpinestars SMX-1 Air V2 Gloves.
They are CE-certified Level 1. Extremely ventilated (perfect for the hot weather riding I do!) AND have touchscreen capability for navigating your phone (when at a stop like a redlight or gas station!)
I did end up buying the men’s version because the lady’s version didn’t have my high viz color. (The lady’s version only had…you guessed it….black and pink *rollseyes*). But the size “S” in men’s fit me just fine!
I am a diehard Alpinestars fan for gloves because my very first pair of leather gloves made by Alpinestars lasted me 10 years!! They make quality products and I stand behind them.
RIDING PANTS
If you thought my hunt for the perfect Jacket was hard, I’m here to tell you the hunt for Riding Pants (for women) is even harder. I swear most companies go by the model “shrink it and pink it” because none of them take our womanly curves into consideration. Sizing is an absolute nightmare when it comes to shopping for Riding Pants. So mentally prepare yourself for that. I have two options below that I’ll talk about but I also included a third option in case you’re also having a nightmare of a time finding good pants!
OXFORD SUPER JEGGINGS
These are by far my most favorite pair of riding pants. When I have them on, you can hardly tell they are made for riding. Safety features:
- 4-way stretch fabric
- Outer shell: 92% Polyester / 8% Elastane
- Lining: 5% Elastane / 95% DuPont™ Kevlar® fiber thread
- CE Level 2 knee protectors included
- Hip protector pockets (CE hip protectors sold separately)
ALIPINESTARS IRIA LEGGINGS
I don’t normally “go” for the cargo style pant, but these are really flattering and comfortable. Here are the safety features :
- Dupont™ Kevlar® lining for high levels of abrasion resistance
- Alpinestars CE Level 1 Bio Flex Plus armor at the knee
- Pocket for optional Alpinestars Bio-Flex hip protector (sold separately)
- Reflective detailing for nighttime visibility
- Meets CE Category II PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 – A class for protective riding garments
DRAGGIN KEVLAR LINERS
In case you’re having a crazy difficult time trying to find a pair of standard riding pants that fit, might I suggest these “long john” style kevlar liners! They are made out of the same DuPont™ KEVLAR® aramid fiber we’ve come to know and love, but you can wear them under your normal jeans!
This isn’t my most favorite option as layering can cause you to be extra warm, but it is an option and it’s better than nothing!
If none of these options tinckle your fancy, be sure to check out all the options found in the link below. If you’re a lady, be ready to play the “buy / return” game – but I promise it’s worth it to have a good set of riding pants.
STREET BOOTS
These short “casual” riding boots don’t offer as much protection as your typical full “tall” boot (like my SIDI Track Boots), but they are definitely way better than wearing any normal type sneakers or Vans. Spoiler alert, my first recommendation for motorcycle shoes look just like Vans!
TCX
Street 3 WP Women’s Shoes
Vans but for motorcycles? COUNT ME IN
I LOVE the way these look. I’m constantly trying to find a balance in street wear between safety + looking like a normal person – and these fit the bill! They are comfortable, safe, and waterproof (a necessity in Florida).
Features:
- Suede leather upper
- T-Dry waterproof membrane
- Internal wedge for a higher posture, specifically designed for women’s foot shape
- 28.5mm raised heel
- Reinforced midsole with ZPLATE shank to balance flexibility with transverse rigidity
- Reinforcements on malleolus with D3O inserts
- Reinforcements at toe and heel
- Lace closure with elastic band to store the laces
- OrthoLite footbed with long term cushioning and high levels of breathability
- Oil-resistant Groundtrax rubber outsole
- CE 13634:2017 certification
Dainese
York D-WP Women’s Shoes
You have to admit these Dainese boots are slick!
In my opinion, Dainese has always had such style when it comes to their gear. Everything they push out is top notch. I absolutely love the way these boots look and they feel even better!
I can maneuver my bike and walk around a restaurant without even noticing I have a pair of boots on. 10/10 would recommend!
Features:
- Gear shifter guard
- Rubber sole with differentiated design
- Cowhide suede inserts
- Rigid inserts on ankles
- Shoes certified to CE – Cat. II – EN 13634 Standard
- Mesh liner
- Waterproof D-WP® interior
There are many other options of boots so be sure to check out all them out here : Revzilla. For instance, if you’re height challenged, be sure to check out these boots that add up to 6cm of height! Or, if you’re looking for more protection, check out these tall motorycle boots!
For my next post, I would love some suggestions on what to write about next. I have some ideas around doing some specific product reviews (ex: the new Shoei RF1400, the Cardo Packtalk Black or maybe some Ogio products and why I love their backpacks / thigh bags.) Leave me some comments or DM me on insta. I would love to hear from you.
Keep the rubber side down and I’ll see you on the road!
Jess R1des
Motorsport Influencer
Jessica was born and raised in sunny South Florida. She loves the outdoors and is an avid beach goer.
Having been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at 18 months old, life growing up was not easy. Her condition caused major swelling where she couldn’t walk until she was 5 years old.
Doctors would tell her she couldn’t do things like “normal kids” do but Jessica refused to sit back and let the disease control her life. Every time they said; “You can’t.”, she said; “Watch me.” This perseverance stayed with her through life and carried over into the Motorcycle world.