BSMC GEAR GUIDE #38

A slick new take on the Bell Bullitt, a new visor range from Davida, a great new sweat from from El Solitario, a waterproof shoulder bag from Ally Cappellino, and rugged gloves from Icon. All in this weeks Gear Guide.

PRODUCT REVIEW BY THE BIKESHED’S VERY OWN ROSS SHARP – ICON RIMSHOT GLOVE

Losing a glove is one of the most heartbreaking things a motorcyclist can endure. The persistent search in places already emptied and rummaged through can drive delirious thoughts about where one might have been when the functioning pair were last seen. OK, so crashing, theft and breaking down are irritating but mildly in comparison to admitting defeat and having to throw away that lonesome and redundant singular glove.

Luckily my recent experience of this was softened by Bike Shed’s Ali Latimer, who generously gave me a pair of Icon Rimfire gloves to test. Well that’s what I thought, but apparently he doesn’t like externally seamed gloves so was simply palming them off. Personally I think it’s because he has lady hands and couldn’t touch the sides.

Icon from the Portland, Oregon produce some really well constructed gear, with their 1000 Collection proving popular with the custom scene as they manage to combine retro aesthetics with modern tech in a slightly more up to date package. Think post-apocalyptic urban street fighters with a slick, tailored, vintage feel.

The Rimfire glove is made from drum-dyed French cowhide with D3O® protection across the knuckles and features metal palm rivets to ward off gravel rash in case of a slide.

I have been using these gloves for about 2 months through all weathers and am pretty happy thus far. The sizing though is way out of whack, I am an extra large (if there are ladies reading this I’m considered a XXL by Italian manufacturers, just so you know) so rebuffed Ali’s offer of a pair of mediums. Strangely the medium slipped on and although snug didn’t restrict movement, especially between thumb and index finger. The soft leather surrendered easily to a bit of sweat and movement and now the fit is spot on. The underside of the fingers is cross stitched with internal elastic which eliminates bunching and the palm also remains taught allowing good grip on the bars.

The same can’t be said for the rivets. Although they do look cool, if your bike has bar-end weights and you tend to hold the grips at their extremities the heel of your palm becomes more slippery than a politician with an expense claim form. In addition the external seams provide sumptuous comfort but do make single digit braking or clutch work slightly cumbersome. Now the leather is more supple the seams have capitulated and I look a bit less like a pianist when going for the levers.

The only other gripe I would have is that the velcro on the wrist strap is a bit sharp and either tickles or scratches. Some modification will be required with a blade.

Other than that the Rimfire is a really well made glove and I haven’t managed to break them or upset any stitching, and I’m pretty hard on equipment. With that irritating little man Jack Frost visiting London at the moment I thought that a thicker and more arctic-spec glove would be required to see me through winter but the French cow that gave up it’s coat must have been from hardy stock.

I recently saw a gentleman sporting the grey version of the Rimfire and came over all envious, Santa will be receiving an addition to his lengthy list.

http://www.icon1000.com/collection/icon-1000-rimfire-glove/

PRODUCT REVIEW – ALLY CAPELLINO WAXED COTTON DISPATCH SATCHEL

A couple of weeks ago I waxed on all lyrical (see what I did there?) about Ally Capellino’s backpack, proclaiming it to be (in my humble opinion) the answer to the discerning motorcyclist’s prayers.  This satchel is the shoulder bag version. It retains all the hardy waterproof (yes proof as opposed to resistant) qualities, and has good load space that can fit your laptop and tools in safely. It’s smarter than the rucksack, so can be used for work meetings as well as humping power tools. It’s 41cm long,  34.5cmhigh and 10cm deep. Plenty of room.

Ally Capellino initially started making bags for men in 2005. “The reaction was cautious; men’s handbags, manbags? Rucksacks were only for mountaineers and Totes only for women to carry groceries in. How things have changed.” As a fashion brand they’ve done what their competitors rarely do, which is cater to the real needs of real men, creating good looking, hard wearing bags that multi-function and can take a battering.

Ben is a practical dispatch style satchel with a removable, adjustable and wide webbing strap that can be worn across the body or on the shoulder. With pared back simplicity, Ben is a waxed canvas unlined bag with bridle leather handles and concealed press stud pocket detailing on double over pockets. It comes in grey or black.

This is practical all the way. I’ve worn mine a few times on the bike now and it’s bedding in well. It repelled the ‘weather bomb” keeping my stuff safe and dry. It’s rugged appearance allows it to be knocked about without too much care, and is easily wiped clean.

http://www.allycapellino.co.uk/ben-waxed-canvas-despatch-satchel-in-black

BELL BULLITT RSD COLLABORATION

After much fanfare, Bell released their retro full faced lid the Bullitt earlier this year. It’s gone down a storm in the custom scene, providing all the safety standards of a modern full face helmet with cool seventies styling.

Bell boldly state ” Inspired by the very first Bell Star helmet, the Bullitt is a modern take on the original. Featuring an exceptional fit and ultra-high quality details, the Bullitt is the perfect helmet for riders looking for a vintage look with full-face protection.”

Bell have recently expanded the range to include the stunning Roland Sands Design collaboration. With blue, red and black strips and pin stripes, this has distinctive race feel, and is by far the most sporty design in the range. With the Bell online configurator you can have it fitted with clear and tinted visors, both flat and bubble. This is my personal favorite of the Bullitt line.

The Bullitt has an ultra low-profile fiber composite shell with a removable, washable and antibacterial Micro-suede interior. It has a padded chin strap with D-ring closure, and an exclusive Magnefusion keeper (patent pending). It also comes with a five year warranty. Its wide aperture allows for a broad field of vision.

http://www.bellhelmets.com/en_eu/powersports/helmets/bullitt/

EL SOLITARIO WOLFSKIN SWEAT

The Galician bandits are up to their mischief once again. Not content with building the most controversial and outrageous, and in my mind genius custom bikes, El Solitario continue to design some really tasty clobber too. Their latest venture is ES/Customs, individually finished garments that embody their custom ethos. They’ve excelled themselves with the Wolfskin sweat, which is just perfect for the winter months.

Built with heavy weight 100% natural cotton, The Wolfskin sweatshirt shares the same attitude and feel of  their basic WTF sweatshirt, but with a combed interior for added warmth, real skin elbow pads, two front pockets, and the hungry wolf stitched to its front. A special wash and coating is applied and then they are hand finished one by one in their shop granting them a softer  touch, giving each sweat a “life” of its own – making it personal and unique.

El Solitario add “Wolfskins have been individually broken in and present evident signs of  wear. Because of the nature of the leather some brown color bleeding and marks will also be present and might increase with wash. We actually care for these peculiarities as they add personality and distinctiveness to each garment.”

I love these guys, I love their bikes, and I love their gear.

http://elsolitariomc.com/shop/wolfskin-sweatshirt/

DAVIDA WRAPA AROUND VISORS

Friends of the Shed, Davida, have launched three new styles of full length D4Vi9A  (spelling Davida when typeset properly) wrap-around visors.

Available in more than ten different finishes, including clear, blue, yellow, smoke and chrome, all are made from 2mm polycarbonate, preformed in a variety of shapes, including the popular 70’s bubble style. With three adjustable sliding studs all the new D4Vi9A visors have a universal fit, suitable for use with the Davida Jet, Ninety 2 and Speedster, as well as a wide range of other brands of jet-style helmets fitted with visor studs.

D4Vi9A 74 BUB Visor – a 70’s style, full length, bubble shaped visor, available in Smoke and Blue.

D4Vi9A 74 WRS Visor – a full length, traditionally shaped visor, available in Light Smoke and Yellow or Light Gradient Smoke & Light Chrome Rainbow.

D4Vi9A 74 DPV – an extra long, traditionally shaped Visor, available in Clear.

As with everything Fiddy and the crew do, these are premium quality and perform exactly as they’re meant to.

http://www.davida.co.uk

via The Bike Shed

T-Bird shop in Paris, where bikers buy their Christmas gifts

Those on the Parisian biker scene go to one place for authentic leather jackets, boots and helmets: Stéphane Saladin's T-Bird shop on Rue Mayet. Classic Driver paid a visit…

When you arrive at T-Bird’s, owner Stéphane will scan you from head to toe. Don’t mind him… they’re just some old reflexes carried over from a previous career. He might appear a bit bear-like at first but, once you’re in, he’ll happily listen to what you want, explain the philosophy of his shop, and talk about his passion for 40s and 50s bikes and the associated attire.

When did your passion for motorcycles start?

When I was a teenager, at about 14 years old. I wanted to have a moped, so I asked my parents for one, but my father didn’t want me to have something common like a Peugeot 103 SP. He wanted to see his son riding something that already looked like a real motorcycle. So, my first ride was a Suzuki ER21, with gears. That’s the first ever thing I tuned, especially the carb and exhaust.

So then you bought your first ‘real’ motorcycle?

Yes, a Yamaha 250 TDR. A very efficient ride, actually.

What were you doing with your life at this time?

I was studying electromechanics. That really got me into the culture of mechanical improvement and modification.

So, did your first job have a link to these studies?

Yes. A friend of my parents was a police officer and, to combine work and pleasure, I wanted to become a motorcycle cop. But it wasn’t possible as a first job, so I was recruited as an electromechanic. But after a few days, they proposed teaching me traditional mechanics, and I accepted. I completed my traineeship at BMW, and worked then as a mechanic at the main motorcycle division in Paris, on the Ile de la Cité, a few metres away from Notre-Dame.

But you wanted to become a motorcycle cop?

Yes! That was my aim, so I took the exam and passed it.

And you were on the road until you left the police?

No, after a few years I took another exam and I became responsible for a garage. Well, I had only one mechanic, but he had 20 years of experience. I rapidly realised this guy would change many things for me; he was my mentor. In my opinion, he had the right vision: to overstep what has already been done, to improve everything. He was very pernickety.

And how did this relationship with him influence your vision?

From this time onwards, I started to build my own motorcycles (chopper, custom Triumph, etc.), so that I could really live my passion.

And what brought you to the idea of your shop?

Well, by the end, I had been a police officer for 20 years. I needed to achieve something else, for myself. And I’ve always had a passion for the uniform, and the perfection of the outfit. The first motorcyclists’ clothes were adapted from aircraft pilots’ clothes and, during WWII, the first technical motorcyclists’ clothes were developed. I love this stuff, and I love precious material, like leather, metal and wood. In fact, this shop was just the logical evolution of my life, with all the experiences I had.

So how did you create it?

I had a very precise idea of what I wanted. During the 3 months after I had retired from the police, I thought about my project, looked for some unusual furniture, built everything that I knew I couldn’t find and created a patina on some objects, so that the shop represented me. In the shop, every object has its own history. I meant this shop as a homage to the people I met during the past years: my mentor, my friends in the police, the people I met during missions, etc. And today, I’m combining work and passion, once again.

What is the most important piece of a rider’s outfit?

Definitely the leather jacket. It’s the identity of the guy. The breast is very visible. And I love the leather: this material is alive!

In the shop, you have a special jacket, right?

Yes, the T-Bird 68 Bonneville leather jacket. When I was young, I wore Vanson Leather trousers on my bikes. And one day they called me, to propose a partnership, as they were looking for exclusive shops to do some limited edition pieces. I told them what I had in mind, they sent me pictures of every step of the project and of the production, and six months after their call I received the first jackets, completely hand-made. Around 50% of the limited edition was sold in the very first days.

I also do my own sweaters, directly inspired by the Racing Club sweaters worn for land-speed records in the 40s and 50s, with a high attention to detail so that’s it’s really period correct and very comfortable to wear on a motorcycle.

Why T-Bird 68?

68 is easy: it’s the year of my birth.

Then, I wanted to find a common denominator between cars, motorcycles and planes. It took a long time to find the right name, but it became obvious: the Triumph Thunderbird, the Ford T-Bird, and the Lockheed T33 Thunderbird.

Which motorcycles do you have now ?

I have a modern Triumph Bonneville, a 1956 Triumph Speed Twin, a Kawasaki W650 that I customised and which is parked inside my flat, the Terrot which is in the shop and, more recently, I bought a real beast: a 1942 Harley-Davidson 750 Flathead, modified in period for the flat track. That’s a crazy machine and that’s why I bought it.

And what is your dream motorcycle?

A Vincent, what else…

Photos: Rémi Dargegen for Classic Driver © 2014

T-Bird

16 bis, Rue Mayet

75006 Paris

‘81 Yamaha XV750 – DS Design

It’s difficult not to love Yamaha’s timeless XV750. It’s a bike that was intended as a cheeky Japanese tilt at America’s star-spangled Harley market, but now-a-days it can take on pretty much any custom role assigned to it with mucho aplomb. Café racer? Bobber? Tracker? The bike’s been there and done that. And add that to the fact that the bike used an engine-as-stressed-member design, a rear mono shock and adjustable pneumatic suspension and you have a bike that was light years ahead of its competition. Speaking of which, it’s time to meet the builder of this rather charming ride. Introducing New Zealand’s David Sinfield and his very clean DS Design ‘81 XV.

“My background is not in the motor or mechanical world,” says Dave. “I am a graphic design from New Zealand who is totally inspired by the beautiful works of art that I have seen on sites such as Pipeburn. It all started with buying motorcycle fuel tanks and airbrushing them just as a hobby. In the commercial world of digital graphic design, we seem to be drawn back to the tactile way of making and producing things; it’s a kind of ying and yang from mind to hand. That has led to this, my first build – and most certainly not my last.”

Dave found this mono-shocked ‘81 XV750 and thought it would make a good introduction to the world of customs as his very first build. “I wanted to keep this relatively simple and clean. It’s pretty much stock, with a few new twists such as the single seat, stainless steel exhaust and rear to front wheel conversion. This was a total strip down and rebuild with every nut, bolt and screw replaced as I wanted it to be like a new bike.”

“I wanted to stay in control and to do all the work myself from welding, fabricating, electrics, painting the tank and upholstering the seat. It’s the Kiwi way. Everything you see on this bike has been designed and made by me, although the rear to front wheel conversion was bought online. In a commercial world I know this makes no sense, but for a project builder like me it challenges and pushes you to the limits, and at the end of the day you can look back and be proud of what you have produced.”

[Photos by David Sinfield]

via PIPEBURN

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