MotoReview-Thor Sector Edge Off Road

MotoReview- Thor Sector Edge

Greetings MotoReaders and welcome back to another MotoWriter gear review! Today, I'm going to be talking about Thor's Sector Edge jersey and pants. The sun is shining, so let's not waste any time!

Disclaimer- I am not being sponsored by Thor, or any affiliate of Thor, and I'm not being sponsored by MotoStealz, or any affiliate of MotoStealz. 

Where It Came From, And What I Paid For It

With that little "disclaimer" out of the way, you might have guessed that I "stole" this set from MotoStealz.com. The jersey is normally $28 and I got it for $10, and the pants are normally $75 and I snatched them for the low, low price of $15. Now, I was already somewhat familiar with Thor Racing products, because I've got one of their 3/4 street helmets- The Hallman McCoy... but that's a different review for a different day. Having some experience with the brand, along with the deep discounts, I felt pretty confident in letting go of the $35 + shipping for this jersey and pants. MotoStealz delivers quickly, so I had them in my grubby mitts pretty quickly, only to realize that, either I was a bit chubbier than I thought I was since retiring from my payin' gig, or these pants are just not as forgiving as my Levi's. Regardless, I knew I needed one size bigger and, fortunately for me- they had them in stock in the larger size, too. It was cheaper to keep the smaller size pants, since shipping them back would have cost more than I paid for them in the first place, so I just crammed them into my gear cabinet in case I lose weight or if I come across someone that needs a pair of riding pants in that size.

The Jersey

Despite the pants being, eh, hmm... one size too small, the jersey is spot on. I wear a large, ordered a large and the large fits me perfectly. One really nice part about off-road/motocross jerseys is that they are, intentionally, slightly bigger to accommodate wearing them over your protective gear. The styling is pretty basic- I got the gray with the hi-vis panel, but they also have red, and blue options, too. Now, because these were overstock that MotoStealz picked up, sizing and color options might be limited as they sell out.

Wearing it on the trails is really where the quality of this jersey shines through- the sleeves stay down thanks to the slim and, Goldilocks-fitment cuffs- they are tight, but no too tight for those unfamiliar with the story of the little blonde trespasser. When I'm on the trails, I sometimes like to ride into bushes and fall down in briar patches... this jersey hasn't snagged or ripped yet. The material is thin and light enough to be comfortable in the humid Southern air, but strong enough to withstand my off-trail oopsies. 

The Pants

Once I got the correct size pants, I found them to fit very well. They are precurved with well placed stretch materials where needed, and they have reinforcements in the groin, knees and lower legs for protecting your legs from those pesky branches, rocks and thornbushes. The ratcheting buckle closure is easy to use and the zipper is a handy feature when trail riding, when there is a tree that needs... um, "watering." The pants easily accommodate my O'Neal articulated knee and shin guards (that MotoReview is coming soon). The outer shell is very strong and made of a durable ripstop material and the inside of the pants have a mesh lining that does a good job of keeping the pants from sticking to your sweaty legs out in the woods. The only complaints I have about the pants, is that they are a bit scratchy on the inside when you first put them on and, if you're trying to slip out of the house while your better half is still asleep... put the pants on after you leave because they are sort of loud. Not squeaky loud, or color loud, but loud like your obese aunt, wearing new corduroy pants loud. These pants are not stealth, but once you get in the woods, it doesn't matter anymore, so that's not a deal breaker. 

Final Thoughts And Observations

Cleaning this riding gear isn't bad, just throw them both in the washing machine on cold and hang them up to dry. Easy-peasy. One other thing to note, is that the reason these were so inexpensive, is because they are new old stock- basically new, unsold gear from a previous year's styling, so MotoStealz bought it up and is selling it for crazy discounted prices. What that means, is if you need to wear the most up to date styles so that you are the most fashionable of your riding group, then MotoStealz probably isn't the best online retailer for your new gear... but if you're tight on cash and just want some well made, name brand, gear that does a good job protecting your hide while still looking pretty good... then go check them out. 

Overall, I like this riding gear a lot. I'm not a fan of the scratchy pant legs, but maybe they'll soften up a bit after a few washes. If they don't, I'll just wait until the weather cools off and wear my insulated underwear under them to prevent any potential chafing issues. Regardless, with MotoStealz's discounted prices on this Thor Racing gear, you really can't go wrong- you're getting a reputable brand with a pedigree in motocross racing for dollar store pricing. Stay tuned, because I have some more off-road riding gear to review, coming soon.

Until next time, MotoReaders...

Save Money, Gear Up, and Ride Safe!

Riding Gear and Why You Need It

Riding Gear

In the coming weeks, I'm going to be doing some reviews on some of my recently acquired off-road gear. It occurred to me while writing one of those reviews this morning, though, that I haven't really even spoken about the importance of riding gear or explained my recommendations on what you need, or why you even need to wear riding gear in the first place. So let's explore the reasoning for my "gearing up" the way I have.

Back In The Day

When I first started riding dirt bikes as a young MotoWriter, I was the kid that only wore jeans, a t-shirt and my sneakers when I ripped around the neighborhood. I grew up in the 1980's and we didn't have extra money for "fancy" gear like riding jerseys and pants, boots or helmets... no, my generation had to figure out how to ride without killing, or crippling, ourselves... and for the most part- we did. Once I started riding the streets, I just wore jeans, t-shirt, whatever shoes I had on at the time and usually a half shell helmet. Over time, I slowly added gloves, boots, a decent leather jacket and better helmets to my street riding gear. Now that I'm older, I realize just how much I have to lose, so before something silly happened on the dirt bike, I decided to gear up right from the start, this time around.

What You Need And Why

There's a LOT of gear options out there, so you may be wondering what you need, and more importantly, why. After all, riding gear can get expensive and you may want, or need, to make some compromises. Here's my simple breakdown, in order of importance to me:

• Helmet- a good helmet specifically designed for the type of riding you're going to be doing. For my on-road helmets, I want a minimum of DOT certifications, and for off-road, I'm looking for MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System). Don't cheap out on your helmet- get a good helmet from a reputable manufacturer that has done proper safety testing. I refuse to wear a cheap, non DOT (minimum) certified helmet anymore. My head holds all my writing ideas, so I gotta protect it as best I can. 

• Eye protection- safety rated glasses for on-road (or a good shield on a full face or modular helmet) and goggles for off-road are a MUST HAVE. I nearly lost my left eye last summer while mowing the yard- I'm protecting my eyes from now on. For off-road riding, MX style goggles are significantly better than glasses, because they have a seal around your eyes to keep water, bugs and other things out of your peepers. You can get a good pair for a decent price, but you do want to make sure you get some that have good breathability so they don't fog up on you.

• Boots- broken ankles and loss of mobility sucks. Having a good pair of riding boots will protect your feet and will keep everything lined up and protected if, or when, you take a spill. For on road riding, I personally like lace-up, waterproof boots that are also comfortable to walk in. For riding off-road, waterproof is a must, so is a good sole with some lugs for grip on slippery, rocky surfaces.

• Gloves- wearing good quality gloves will improve your rides significantly. For on-road riding, a high quality pair of leather or other abrasion resistant materials like Cordura is a must. God forbid you do take a spill, you don't want to shred the skin off your hands. Accidentally touching a hot part on your bike, or having a beetle whack you in the knuckles at 70 mph can ruin your day, so a good pair of gloves should be standard in your riding gear locker. For off-road riding, there is a lot of throttle movement, clutch and brake lever manipulation going on, not to mention  limbs, branches, thorn covered vines and other annoyances that you'll encounter on the trails. Keep your mitts safe and free from scrapes and cuts with a good pair of gloves.

• Pants- On the road- I still just wear good quality jeans- maybe not the best pants to wear, but they're comfortable and for me, that comfort is worth the risk. For off-road riding, however, the jeans don't cut it, as I move around a lot more on the dirt bike- standing, sitting, leaning, etc., so a good pair of specialized riding pants that are flexible and gusseted, made of ripstop material with specially designed materials and components for when you come off the bike are a must. 

• Jersey- for off-road riding. On the street, I'll admit, I still usually just wear a t-shirt in the summer, but these "new" hot weather long sleeve shirts are great- they keep the sun's rays in check without having to slather yourself in carcinogen-filled sunscreens. In addition to the t-shirt, I do now wear a good leather vest to keep from getting any more scars like the one I got when I crashed a few years ago. For off-road riding, a long sleeve riding jersey is a must. While most of the designs are racing team inspired, you don't have to be a racer to wear a jersey. A good jersey will protect your arms from scrapes and thorns while you're out on the trails and it will also keep the sun from burning your arms and ruining your day. 

• Chest/Roost Protector- for off-road riding. These range in price from under $100 to several hundred and you can get overwhelmed quickly while shopping for them. My advice- keep it simple. You primarily need protection from punctures and impacts when you come off the bike. Figure out your budget, then shop within that- start off with an affordable, comfortable protector so that you'll actually get into the habit of wearing it, then upgrade later, as needed.

• Knee/Shin Guards- for off-road riding... and on-road riding, if you're so inclined. While I don't personally ride with knee protection on the street, I always wear it on the dirty bike. When you're riding off-road, especially on single-track trails, you regularly encounter a variety of obstacles and things that can abruptly and unexpectedly change the direction of your bike, causing you to fall or worse- get thrown, off the bike... especially when you're a novice rider. I'm getting better, and I fall a lot less now than I did a few months ago when I first got back on the old XR, but I still fall. Good, articulated, knee/shin guards keep your knees bending the right way and keep the bruises to a minimum. Like the chest/roost protector- you can get lost in the prices... I got mine for under $100, but I've seen others priced well over $1,000 so my advice is the same- buy within your budget and upgrade as your needs change.

• Hydration- If you're going to be riding for any length of time, especially in the summer (but even in the cooler months), staying hydrated is critical. When you get dehydrated all kinds of bad things start happening- I could write a whole blog post on just dehydration and its affects on the body. We all know how important it is, so when you're riding the streets, throw an insulated jug of water in your saddlebag- preferably with an electrolyte packet mixed in, or get a hydration backpack if you don't have any luggage on your bike. For off-road riding- I highly recommend the latter. I, and most of the guys I ride with, wear hydration backpacks when we're out on the trails. Enduro riding is fun, but it's also physically demanding. Getting dehydrated on the trails is not an option, so get a good durable pack with a bladder that is BPA, BPS and PVC free (you don't what those chemicals leaching into your water). Keep it clean! Wash it between uses and don't allow any water to sit in it when it's stored. 

Conclusion

Riding motorcycles isn't like driving a car. Motorcyclists have to make certain adjustments and accommodations to get the most out of our rides. It really doesn't matter what you ride, or where you ride, having the right gear is invaluable. Driving around in your car requires little more than putting on a seatbelt to get the job done... but we ride motorcycles to do more than just "get the job done." We ride motorcycles to experience the world around us. It doesn't matter if you ride street, dirt or both. Motorcycles are inherently dangerous machines, so mitigate the risks by wearing the right gear so you can keep riding, and experiencing life in an incredible way, for many more years to come.

Look for those upcoming MotoReviews of my gear, coming soon. Until next time MotoReaders...

Ride Safe and Gear Up!

First Mfg

Everybody wants some!

I’ve got some more great news for all my MotoReaders! Apparently, as sang by the one and only Van Halen (in what could arguably be one of the greatest ‘80’s movies of all time- Better Off Dead)… everybody wants some of the MotoWriter! Ok, well… more or less. In all honesty, I actually applied for, and was accepted, to be a brand ambassador for First MFG Co.! You may be asking yourselves why. Well, I’ll be totally honest with you all. 

A while back when I was sent a bag to check out, in exchange for linking the company’s website on mine for a few months, something occurred to me. My little corner of the interweb may be small, hell… maybe so small that it’s totally insignificant to most, but over the past five years, almost 200,000 people worldwide have stopped by to check it out. While that may pale in comparison to most other sites, I’m deeply humbled by it. It also occurred to me that if just one out of a hundred of my visitors reads one of my reviews, then decides to click that link and pick themselves up a piece of gear, that is a lot of potential customers for that company… worldwide. I never thought much about it… until I was asked to be a brand ambassador for the first time a few weeks ago. After contemplating this for a bit, the gears started turning. 

NOT FOR SALE.

As I’ve said before, and I will say again and again…and I stand on this with both boots firmly planted- I will never recommend a product or service to my MotoReaders that I don’t fully stand behind. 

The MotoWriter is not for sale.

With that said, when I know of a product, service, or retailer that I have personally used or bought from and I really like it… I won’t hesitate to share that with you guys so you can get in on the good stuff, too. I’m pretty excited about this collaboration with First Mfg because, as many of my closest riding buddies can attest to recently, I have been recommending the company to them pretty heavy lately. Why, you may ask? Because I’ve had personal experience with their products over the past several years and, I’m not sure but, I think their product quality is actually improving as time goes by. A few months ago, I caught one of their incredible 60% off sales promotions, so I decided to pick up a new custom vest to commemorate my upcoming retirement. I got it for a steal, so I really wasn’t expecting much when it arrived. Wow… was I wrong! I’ll post a full review soon, but let me tell you- the quality is exceptional. The leather is thick and supple, the stitching is flawless, the snaps and zippers are some of the highest quality I’ve seen in a long time. Not to mention, the size and fit are perfect. Last week, they were running an absolutely impossible sale- 80% off site wide! I couldn’t resist, so I picked up a new leather jacket, then I sent all of my riding buddies the link so they could get in on the action. After that, I decided to look into becoming a brand ambassador for them… and today, I got approved!

What’s it mean for you?

This is the part I’m most excited about- my MotoReaders don’t have to wait for the company to run a sale to avoid paying full retail… because as one of their new brand ambassadors- they gave me a discount code to share with all of you! Use the link here and on the FMC logo to the right, or use the special MotoWriter code- RIDE_WRITE_REPEAT at checkout and, get this, you’ll get 25% off your order! 

Get yourself some new gear, by clicking here:

RIDE_WRITE_REPEAT

What’s next

When I applied to First Mfg’s ambassador program, I also looked up another couple of brands that I really like and use, and applied to them as well, so keep an eye out for updates on those in the future. Until then, get yourself some new gear and don’t let the cold stop you from riding over the next few months. 

Ride safe and save some money!

Unik Leather

Brand Ambassador-ing

Hello MotoReaders! I hope you had, or are having, a great Christmas and holiday season!

I just wanted to take a moment to let you all know that Unik International reached out to me a week or so ago and invited me to be a brand ambassador for them. I know the brand well, having seen their products in various stores. While I didn’t have any of their gear, personally, I know several people that do and they are quite pleased with the quality of it, so I decided to take a look and see what was up. After reading “the fine print”, which was pretty straightforward, I decided to do a quality check for myself. 

No matter what, I want my readers to know that they can trust my opinion and referrals, so I will never recommend or endorse a product to you, that I wouldn’t buy, or use, myself. I decided to start small, but strategically, for my initial product test. I figured that the best product to QC was a pair of gloves because I am very hard on gloves. I ordered a pair of their full finger gloves and now I’m just waiting for them to arrive. Since I just ordered them, I obviously can’t do a review of the gloves yet, but I can tell you that their website was easy to navigate and they have a LOT of products to peruse. I will do a full review of the gloves once I get my mitts on, and in, them so be sure to check back soon for that. 

Since I bought them as part of their ambassador program, I got a bit of a discount and in return, the company provided me with a link for my loyal MotoReaders to save some money, too. Even though I haven’t had a chance to try these gloves yet, I do know that the company is well established and that many of you already have their products, so I decided to go ahead and share the link with all of you, here. I also added it to the right sidebar of my page for easy access while you are perusing other posts.

Be on the lookout for a follow-up post after I’ve had a chance to check these things out, but in the meantime, feel free to click the link below for 15% off your order.

Click this link to get the MotoWriter 15 % discount!