DAVIDA NINETY2 HELMET
Davida’s iconic low profile Ninety2 helmet has now been significantly improved with a quilted leather-lined interior. Their smallest profile helmet has a traditional old school shape, with a profile no larger than is absolutely necessary for it to be road legal. This is achieved by introducing three shell sizes that are as profile hugging as possible.
Constructed with a Kevlar reinforced fibreglass composite shell, it’s lined with a polystyrene shock absorber that is bolstered around the ears, and finished with a quilted leather interior with cloth trim. It conforms to British Safety Standard certification BS 6658, 1985 Type B. The Ninety2 comes with a standard goggle retainer strap and optional studs for a traditional visor.
Davida have been producing British designed and handmade helmets for more than thirty years, and have been uncompromising in their commitment to quality head protection. Driven by the spirit of tradition and a love of motorcycles, they have developed a range of helmets that capture the desire for adventure and freedom.
The Ninety2 is available in over fifty colour-ways, and are hand sprayed in their factory in Liverpool. A personal bespoke service is available for unique one off designs.
PRODUCT REVIEW: UNION GARAGE/VANSON LEATHERS ROBINSON JACKET
Rarely a jacket comes along that will get me out of leather when I’m on my bikes. My vintage Belstaff Trailmaster had seen it’s glory years, so I took the plunge on the Robinson jacket, the product of a collaboration of Brooklyn’s Union Garage NYC and legendary American manufacturer Vanson Leathers.
The jacket is named in tribute to the Jackie Robinson Parkway that runs from Brooklyn to Queens. A dangerous strip of crumbling asphalt, its blind curves and heavy trucks make it a challenge for even the most urban-savvy riders.
I ordered the Robinson on spec so I nervously awaited it’s arrival. I could not have been more pleased. Straight out of the box the quality was evident. The fit was perfect, and I went straight out for a blast. Unlike a new leather jacket, there’s no wearing in period, this was comfortable from the get-go, even with the CE-certified D3O armour in back, shoulders and elbows. I have a personal issue with armour, as consumer grade body armour tends to be uncomfortable, bulky and of questionable effectiveness, but in this case it’s ergonomic and fits the contours of the jacket so well I’m not aware of it being there. A really useful detail is the interior leather panels in the elbows, shoulders and in the jacket openings offering extra abrasion resistance. This is a well built jacket fit for purpose.
Second time out I got caught in a storm. Union don’t claim the tough ten ounce Martexin wax cotton shell to be 100% waterproof, but It kept me bone dry in very heavy rain. It snaps tight, and fastens high on the neck, so insulation is excellent. The length is perfect, covering my tackle and my lower back without being too long and bunching up. Worn with decent base layers it stands up in cold weather, and on the couple of warm days we’ve had so far it feels airy.
This is a tough and good looking jacket finished with a red tartan lining and satin lined sleeves. I particularly like the generous zippered ‘rabbit pocket’ built covertly inside the rear base of the jacket. This pass through pocket is big enough for another layer, or the Sunday paper, a scarf etc. It’s utilitarian exterior design is refreshingly free of fussy detail and shiny strips. Just four deep secure pockets.
The Robinson Jacket is available in black or tan, and is 100% American made.
PRODUCT REVIEW – PIKE BROTHERS MOTOROAMER JEANS
So after some time companies are starting to think about this scene and how to better serve it. One thing that is always important is the jeans. Like myself, most people like a selvedge denim that conforms to your body and develops character over time. Finally they are combining a proper jean with motorcycle protection. But very few get this right. Pike brothers do just that, offering quality denim with the protection of Kevlar and padding in the hips and knees. The idea behind the new MotoRoamer: The first protective selvage motorcycle jeans with EN 13595-1 certification.
Safety first! To achieve this high level of safety they teamed up with a European PPE manufacturer who specialises in bullet proof vests and protection gear for military and police forces. The result is a combination of our hard-wearing 11oz selvage denim jeans and a removable inner pant made 100% DuPont™ Kevlar® – an extremely robust combination, as the pant will withstand 12 seconds of abrasion, keeping your skin protected. The MotoRoamer comes with EN 1621-1 certified hip and knee protectors (height adjustable) as standard.
Now Pike Brothers are known for producing high quality heritage gear, from shirts to dungarees. Their traditional styling gives a well fitting, low rise waist with straight cut legs. The stitching has a nice contrast to the dark blue, promising to slowly settle in and give a handsome detail once you’ve worn these jeans for a spell. The back pockets are deep and generous to allow your wallet to fit nicely without interrupting your riding position.
The one thing that stands out most is that the removable Kevlar lining. If you’re like me and prefer to wears jeans like this whilst riding through the south of Europe in the summer when it is baking hot, they are comfortable on the bike. Get to your destination, two minutes later you have the lining out and your are free to roam in the comfort. Very good thinking.
As far as sizing goes, order your favourite Levis or traditional cut jeans size. As with every selvedge jean expect this denim to give and expand to allow your legs to create a custom fit that you will love for years. If you are looking for jeans that works for you on the bike, and are comfortable after riding or on a night out, you need the Pike Brothers MotoRoamers.
FLEUR DE BAGNE – WORK SHIRT/JACKET ST JEAN DU MARONI
French brand Fleur De Bagne produce low quantity high quality work wear with a contemporary angle. Whether it’s wool watch caps, deck shirts, thermal Ts or military jumpers, these rugged garments work well on the bike and look pretty cool.
The designs have a distinct Gallic angle, taking it’s inspiration from the Le Millieu, the French criminal underworld of the early 20th Century that thrived around the port of Marseilles. Tough uncompromising garments that can roll with the knocks.
The St Jean Du Moroni is a well constructed thick cotton work shirt that can be worn as a light jacket or as a layer under leathers. It’s up to job for working on the bike, and looks good enough to hang out in.
The shirt is named after the Saint -Jean du Marconi penal colony in Guyana where French convicts, often just children and vagrants, were sent to languish. A shirt fit for hard labour.
SHARPEYE LAMP AT BOLT
Our mates down at Bolt are retailing some very cool reading lamps converted from Bates motorcycle headlights by Barrie Sharpe’s Sharpeye.
Mounted on an aluminium machined base with a brass Sharpeye plaque, they come in three variations, the round 16cm Roadsta, the smaller round 13cm Speedsta, and the triangle 13cm Tracka, each encased in a chrome surround. They are 240 volt, 25watt, 12 amp. Robust and cleanly finished, these look equally good in the workshop or in the living room.
Barrie, one of the founders of the London Rare Groove movement and founder of legendary clothing label Duffer Of St George, is a DJ, musician, fashion designer and motorcycle builder.
Bolt is the love child of scooterist and biker Andrew Almond; a showroom for professional bike builders, a gallery for artists and photographers, and a retail space for independent apparel and vintage collectables.
These guys are at the heart of the East London bike scene.
You can buy the lamps online or in person at Bolt, Arch 3 / Fieldworks, 274 Richmond Road, Hackney, London E8 3QW.
