BSMC GEAR GUIDE #28

This week’s Gear Guide features old school Motocross pants and classic Steve McQueen ISDT goggles, alongside the latest and most comprehensively tooled up Leatherman, and the super cool Ronin leather jacket from Roland Sands. If you ride an old rattler, then the Lowbrow GT grips will preserve the nerve ends in your digits. Plenty of tasty gear to invest your hard earned readies in….

 

ROLAND SANDS RONIN JACKET

Hailing from Long Beach, California, Roland Sands was the1998 AMA 250GP National Champion road racer. He’s also an award-winning designer for Performance Machine, and owner and founder of Roland Sands Design. Not only does he have a reputation for building high end custom bikes, he also designs an impressive collection of motorcycle gear aimed primarily at the custom scene.

The Ronin is primarily an urban jacket. The shell of the jacket is unapologetic in it’s cafe racer styling. A single breast pocket, sleeve zip pocket and two additional zippered pockets lower on the front of the jacket provide enough outer storage without being fussy. Two side zippers for fit adjustment run up the bottom of each side of the jacket.

The inside of the jacket is satin poly lined. Interior storage includes two stretchy mesh cargo pockets, a soft lined electronics pocket with snap and an chest pocket with zipper.

It doesn’t come with built-in armor, but has pockets for elbow, shoulder and back protection specifically designed for Roland Sands Armor.

The jacket is built with hand finished washed and waxed .9mm – 1.1mm cowhide in a performance riding fit, with rotated, pre-curved sleeves, dropped back length, and relaxed collar opening. It has perforated leather interior trim, and perforated sleeve venting.

This a rugged and good looking jacket that comes in brown, black, clay, black and smoke, and oxblood with black sleeves.

http://www.rolandsands.com

BOLLE CHRONOSOFT STEVE MCQUEEN GOGGLES

These are almost exact replicas of the goggles worn by Steve McQueen in the ISDT International Six Day Trials and Mojave Desert Races. it classic retro styling but with contemporary technology. They have a sealed double-lens system and Bollé’s equaliser system to prevent moisture fogging. The lenses are incredibly strong, with a ballistic PC outer lens that’s 2.1mm thick with anti-scratch coating, and a ballistic inner lens: 1.1mm thick with anti-fog coating, that passes Ballistic Resistance STANAG 2920 standards. They have a panoramic field of vision and can be worn over prescription glasses. The ventilated frame is comfortable and the wide adjustable 45mm strap keeps the goggles securely in place.

They look great worn on top of an open face helmet and you can wear them under or over the helmet itself, although the fit on the face will be a bit better if you wear the strap over your head.

http://www.motolegends.com/brands/bolle/Bolle-Chrokadesi-safety-goggles.html

 

REIGN MINUTEMAN VINTAGE MOTOCROSS PANTS

These classic styled Motocross pants hark back to the glory years of the 70’s, before manufactures felt the need to splatter their logos all over the place and employ vile dayglo colours.

“We’re not remaking vintage gear, we’re reinterpreting it. Old school looks with new school materials and techniques means you get the look of “back in the day” with the ease of just throwing them in the washing machine.”

The durable Maxdura™ ripstop base pant is fully lined with soft, vented, birdseye mesh.Traditional quilted hip and knee pads, as well as heat shield areas are covered in butter-soft, top-grain washable leather. The waist has side stretch panels and a five position belt for excellent comfort and a tailored fit.

They have three pockets, a hidden, wallet-sized, zippered back pocket and two zippered front pockets that can also be left open for venting on hot days.

The pants are triple-stitched in the high-stress areas of the seat and crotch.Velcro closures at the ankle allow a reduced “in-the-boot” cuff profile. Stretch panels at the knees, behind the calves, and in the crotch enhance mobility and fit.

These will do the business at ScrambleOn! and next years Dirtquake. They’re pretty good for buzzing around town in too.

http://www.reignvmx.com

LEATHERMAN SUPER TOOL 300 BLACK

This is the latest edition to the Leatherman family, and it really is the nearest thing to a complete tool kit you can wear on your belt. It has an incredible number of applications.

It has nineteen integrated tools: 420HC stainless steel clip point knife, 420HC sheepsfoot serrated knife, needlenose pliers with cap crimper, regular pliers, 154CM replaceable wire cutters, 154CM replaceable hard wire cutters, stranded wire cutters, wire stripper, electrical crimper, 5/16″ screwdriver, 7/32″ screwdriver, 1/8″ screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver, wood/metal file, saw, bottle opener, can opener, Awl with thread loop, and a 9″ | 22cm ruler.

It has black coated comfort sculpted stainless steel handles with cut outs for access with gloves on. A stainless steel body and all locking blades and tools. It has a lanyard ring, a Molle nylon sheath and a 25 year warranty.

It has a removable bit driver with ten bit options in five double ended bits: Hex 4mm & 5mm, Hex 6mm & 1/4″, Torx #10 & #15, Phillips #0 & #3 and screwdrivers 0.75″ & .200″.

You can also purchase and optional bit kit of twenty one double ended bits.

This is one serious bit of kit, that takes Leatherman to whole new level, and will fit into the tiniest nook on your bare arsed custom.

http://www.leatherman-store.co.uk

 LOWBROW GT GRIPS

Sometimes it’s the simple things that make the difference – like spongy comfortable grips. Made from injection molded Krayton rubber, these are great if you ride an old thumper. I have them both on my CB750 (that’s not really supposed to vibrate, but does) and on my Norton Commando, which below 3000rpms (before the isolastics start working) vibrates like a pneumatic drill. These soften out the ride significantly. They’re a nice wide fit that sit comfortably in the hand.

They come in black, oxblood, teal, and grey and in 7/8” and 1”.

Lowbrow are custom builders out of Ohio, and make bits fit for function on custom bikes.

http://www.lowbrowcustoms.com

CB750 image courtesy of Michael Jershov www.mjstudio.co.uk

via The Bike Shed

BRISKO GARAGE XJ900

When images of this post apocalyptic Yamaha XJ 900 first arrived in the Bike Shed inbox, I naturally began to prepare my Mad Max references; depicted before a decrepit derelict factory, all bare metal, rivets and anger, it seemed an obvious route to pursue. Then I read Stefano Briscolini’s accompanying words, and a completely different bike emerged. The story of the build of this beast is one of beauty, loss and inspiration. In Stefano’s words.

“It ‘s the story of a journey, a parallel trip, but in opposite directions. Two characters: a young and beautiful friend, the dancer Veronica Spotti, and an elegant lady, a 1983 Yamaha XJ900″

When Stefano found the Yamaha it had been lying in a corner of a garage for more than 10 years, “The dust that covers her makes impossible to distinguish its original colours, her upholstery is scaly, the plastic is crumpled. Time has not even left a trace of chrome. But if you look carefully under the engine, the forks, the shaft drive, there are no stains, not a single oil leak… Then you realise that this lady is just waiting to come back to life.”

But on that cold October day back in 2012 as Stefano was enthusiastically loading the Yamaha aboard his truck he received the tragic news that his friend Veronica had passed away. On the day of the funeral the entire town of Abbiategrasso came to a standstill in mourning. Stefano wrote of her,

“She always smiles and when she is on stage she shows power and determination you don’t expect. Shyness becomes fighting spirit. She lives in symbiosis with the music. You hardly see her standing still if only there is a good rhythm in the air. Later, when you look at her, deeply absorbed in her thoughts, you understand that behind her eyes full of light and her smile it lies a world of her own… A world full of desires and dreams that sometimes seem light years away.”

Stefano’s enthusiasm for the project was completely destroyed, the bike was tied so closely with the time of loss that he could not contemplate working on it. Back under tarp went the Yamaha for many months, until Stefano reached a decision, “I dedicated my build to Veronica: to bring the Lady Yamaha back alive helped to relight the memory of my friend. That’s the way “Vero SP900” was born.”

“I wanted to pull off something that was out of the ordinary, out of the norm, the stereotypes, the usual… something that was a little ‘crazy, bringing together elegance and self determination, class and ruthlessness. No plastic, no frills, no bright colours.” Stefano set to work in his den of creation. He completely stripped the bike and began modifying the frame, he fabricated a shortened subframe and removed any unused brackets. The rims, fork sliders and swingarm were sent for a matte black powder coat while the crankcases and other engine parts were treated with high temperature paint and marked with his Brisko Garage Emblem.

The engine, forks and shaft drive were overhauled and at the rear adjustable Gazi shock absorbers were fitted. The custom rear brake rod and foot pegs were handcrafted out of billet aluminium. Stefano also installed a Z750 brake master cylinder, adjustable clutch lever, Tommaselli throttle command and conical air filters. The exhausts were shortened and fitted with open custom mufflers that were sandblasted and treated with high temperature paint.

If the style of Stefano’s work looks familiar you may well be trying to recall his previous Bike Shed contribution, an XV 750 with some intriguing engineering solutions and a distinct steampunk style. He revels in the hand forming of metal parts such as the headlight nacelle, dashboard, seat unit and the bespoke aluminium front fender. “living materials such as iron and aluminium, because to mold them you have to put so much physical strength and sweat that the transmitted energy is pure life!”

A Yamaha 550 donated its tank which was modified to fit before being brushed bare and sealed. Other everyday items that contributed themselves to the build were a canvas backpack that was transformed into a saddle bag and an Armani leather skirt. Clearly it was a skirt of the appealing revealing variety as the seat is made up of minimalist strips of black leather and suede.

Other notable examples of Stefano’s handiwork include the Ducati Diavel style muduard/numberplate extension, the repositioned ignition system, the integrated LED lights and indicators and the perforated riveted metal stripe that runs the length of the bike. Also admire the routing of the clutch cable through the aluminium fly screen.

Stefano built this motorcycle with sweat, passion and also tears. It was a cathartic journey that has resulted in a unique machine through which Stefano remembers his friend Veronica. Her fighting spirit, power, determination and elegance. Bravo Stefano, thank you for sharing your build and your story.

via THE BIKE SHED

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