Lawrence Photographic

Last Updated 4th April 2016

If you are new to motorcycles, please check out my Motorcycle Protective Clothing Article as an introduction to better understanding biker clothing options.


All Weather Touring Clothing
I required all weather clothing for touring relatively long distances but also for shorter journeys where the sunny weather was likely to turn to rain and wind. The jacket and trousers had to have layers of lining that could be removed in warm weather and yet would keep me warm in inclement weather. Protection armour was paramount so from Saltire Motorcycles, I purchased REV' IT Sand 2 waterproof jacket/trousers reflective textile clothing complete with shoulder, back, elbows, hips and knee armour to protect me if I happened to take a tumble.

To say that I am happy with the REV' IT clothing is an understatement because I was out on my DAR training at 70mph on the dual carriageway in torrential rain and wind but the REV' IT jacket and trousers kept me snug and the water at bay. The weather in Scotland is changeable and on another day, it was scorching but again the jacket and trousers with their inner lining layers removed and the vent zips opened kept me cool.

I also purchased heavy duty waterproof armour protected Richa Baltic gloves and Alpinestars Web Gore-Tex boots along with a Shoei NXR Phantasm (white) full face helmet with an emergency RED tab release mechanism in case of an accident. The helmet visor is fitted with a clip-on inner visor to prevent it fogging up in damp or cold conditions.

The Richa Baltic Gloves offer serious protection especially when travelling at higher speeds. I have worn them in torrential rain at 70 mph for prolonged periods without a single drop of water getting through. The gloves have heavy armour protection in all the right places and long cuffs for covering the jacket sleeves. I have now worn these gloves during the winter in very cold conditions at high speed on the motorway and my hands have been kept warm even although I do not have heated grips.

The Alpinestars Boots are beautifully made and easy to put on as the Velcro held leather instep flaps open up and reveal a strong zip running down the length of the boot. The area of the boots in contact with the bike mechanism is re-enforced to handle the extra wear and tear. I have been out on the bike at around 70mph for long periods of time in torrential rain with high winds and these boots have remained waterproof. I have been out and about during the winter and these boots (with thick socks) keep the feet warm and dry. The boots are Gore-Tex so caring for them has to be carefully undertaken to maintain the weatherproofing - see the Boot Polish for Gore-Tex below.

Boot Polish for Gore-Tex
With Gore-Tex boots you cannot use any old boot polish, they have to be carefully handled and as well as maintaining the waterproofing effect by letting the material breathe you also have to maintain the black colour. So forget about using Cherry Blossom and attempting to get a high polish because you need to use a Nikwax Waterproofing Wax for Leather (Black) or a similar product. Note: Nikwax also sell a neutral version but if you have black boots you require the black version.

Neck Scarfs
There is one area that catches the odd drip from the front or back of the helmet in torrential rain and wind and that is the neck. I learned that very quickly when I was out training and although the drips are small and dry off quickly, they are still a nuisance and spoil your concentration.

After I purchased my Suzuki 1250FA motor cycle, Suzuki thanked me in a letter and included a tube neck scarf which is most excellent. I pull it down over my head and ruffle it up around my neck to display the logo at the front. It creates a neat barrier area between the helmet and the top of my jacket.

I also purchased a pack of 'Oxford Tribal' scarves to use as well - you can't have enough scarves and they can also be used as a bandana, beanie, face mask and a balaclava.

Winter Neck Tube + Winter Base Layers
For the seriously cold weather, I decided to purchase a Cold Killers CORE Maxi Tube which is a one size fits all and offers front and back protection. Cold Killers also supply base layers and socks that provide winter cold protection for wearing under textile and leather clothing. I have now used this when riding on the motorway at high speeds in cold weather and I can tell you this Maxi Tube is fantastic. It's a bit of a fiddle to put on, especially keeping the back down and flat when slipping your jacket over it but WOW I would not go out in the winter months without it. I look like the picture, the masked avenger but with the helmet vents shut and the visor down, I doubt if any other clothing could beat it.

From the Internet - "The Cold Killers Softshell collection has a focus on style, fit, soft feel and overall comfort. This collection features Softshell fabric providing active stretch, windproof and breathable performance combined with great water resistance. The Softshell fabric is a three ply laminate with a very tough and tightly woven stretch fabric on the outside with a cosy 3D fleece liner, in between is a laminated membrane, which assists weather protection.

These three elements work together to deliver an incredible balance of protection against wind and rain, excellent breathability, balanced warmth and soft stretch fit. The technical combination of Softshell fabric and 3D fleece allows warm air to circulate easily, thereby dramatically reducing the overheat/chill-down cycle associated with conventional layering".

The Base Layer
I purchased a Knox 'Dry Inside' long sleeve base layer for wearing under my jacket. When I was training on very hot days, the base layer I was using (one for hill walking) could not cut it and the sweat was soaking through. I could hardly get my jacket off as it's lining was stuck to the base layer. The Knox is the answer and so far it has kept me dry and comfortable.

The problem with one base layer is that you have to wash it from time to time, so I required another one to keep me going. Unfortunately Knox only offer a full black version of the same base layer so I had to find a different manufacturer.

I wanted a base layer with red flashings, one that I could wear with my leather jacket and it would still look cool with the jacket removed. Eventually I decided on the Canterbury Mercury TCR Compression which is tight fitting and designed for extreme sports and aids muscle recovery. Quality base layers are the answer to beat sweat and fatigue, they are more supportive than T shirts. They contain the moisture and wick it away from your body and your jacket. The Mercury TCR is serious kit but it is like a second skin and very hard to put on - I fold the outer waist section up and over the body section, slip each arm up and into it's respective arm section, line up the graphics and properly fit the arms in the material, then put my head through the neck section and gripping the outer (folded fabric waist end) pull the base down to my waist. Taking it off is easy - pull the base up from my waist over my head and pull the arm sections inside out.

Smoked Visor or Sunglasses
There are helmets out there which cost a little bit extra and have built in sun visors that flip down behind the clear visor by flicking a switch on the side of the helmet. Both my helmets have clear visors and I purchased them because of the comfort factor but they lack a flip down smoke visor. There is no doubt that a smoked visor looks cool on a black full face helmet but you have to consider, do you really want to continually swop visors from smoke to clear dependent on the weather, which here in Scotland can very quickly change from a very bright day to dull light and heavy rain and then back again. Also a smoked visor is not ideal for visibility at night but I guess the overall cost of having two visors is probably the limiting factor with a smoked visor costing around £45.00 and a pin lock (anti-fog) visor for clipping inside costing another £26.99. This makes the overall cost of two visors (clear and smoked) with pin locks costing around £143.98. However, I am sure that the greatest pain would be carrying around the second visor to swop out should the weather conditions change, especially on touring trips.

Alternatively the answer for riding a motorcycle on very bright sunlit days is a pair of sunglasses which can be used and removed without removing your helmet. Of course the overall cost could prove more expensive as you will still require a clear visor and a pin lock (anti-fog) inner visor for 24 hour use in all weather conditions. The sunglasses should be especially designed for using on a motorcycle and made of ballistic materials to withstand a high velocity projectile impact (when the visor is up or down) without shattering. Ideally, they should have a facial cavity seal to block out peripheral light and debris with outward reflective and polarized lenses with a solid frame. These type of sunglasses usually cost around £119.00 and above.

In the end I went for WX Echo Polarized Emerald Mirror Sunglasses which seemed perfect for touring and for street urban use - who is that cool dude?


A 'Forcefield' Back Protector Upgrade
All my jackets have a Seesoft CE Level II back protector inserted into the inside back pocket which offers good protection for my back. The CE Level II standard is a back protector which can withstand and dissipate a high impact force down to at least 9 kilonewtons.

However, as I gained more confidence in my riding, especially on my Suzuki GSX-1250FA sports bike around corners, I became aware that perhaps I should be wearing a back protector that offered me more back coverage and an even higher level of impact force dispersion to protect internal organs from shock. I had seen some of the 'high side' videos on YouTube where the rider is thrown high in the air and falls flat on his back, just like a dish plate falling on a tiled floor which shatters. I required a back protector that covered more of my shoulders, all of my back to my tailbone, some side protection to my kidneys with the ability to reduce high impact shock down to at least around 3 or 4 kilonewtons level of protection.

I had considered an airbag vest to fit over my jacket (s) but I did not like the styling and I was not going to replace all my jackets for an airbag jacket. So in the end I decided to checkout the available back protectors that offered the best back coverage and the highest level of impact dispersal protection.

Coverage is important but then so is comfort and I found that whilst the 'shell style' hard back protectors offered excellent sub 4 kilonewtons protection, they were not the most enjoyable to wear. In the end, I settled for a Forcefield Pro Sub 4 back protector which was the thickest one available made of Nitrex Evo high shock absorbing material but the most comfortable. It comes with it's own straps and a thick waist belt which provides extra support around the lumber region. It's a great back protector and in no time at all it was moulding itself into the shape of my back under my jacket. More in my Forcefield Pro Sub 4 Back Protector Article.

A 'Forcefield' Chest Protector Upgrade
I recently updated my armour protection (March 2016) with a Forcefield Elite Chest Protector. The most common accident when riding a motorcycle usually happens at a junction and no matter how careful you are there is always a driver in a motor vehicle who may have a lapse of concentration and pull out in front of you.

A head on crash into the side of a motor vehicle invariably will drive your chest onto your motorcycle handlebars or up onto the side edge of the roof of the motor vehicle causing crushing and possible penetration injuries.

The Forcefield Elite Chest Protector comes with harness straps for over your shoulders and around your waist with Velcro fasteners. It was a bit of a pain fitting it with my Forcefield Back Protector as it involved using two sets of straps. In the end, I removed all the straps from the chest protector and simply hung it around my neck using a modified strap and my coat held it in-place over my chest.

The Elite chest protector soon molded itself around my chest and maintained that shape. After a while I became used to wearing the back and the chest protector and there was no discomfort. Now, I use the chest protector all the time, no matter what clothing I am wearing on my bike.

'Forcefield' Knee Protectors Upgrade
I have several pairs of motorcycle armoured trousers which can be a real pain in the butt for knee protection. No matter how I wear them; I have even tried braces to position my trousers but the knee armour always seems to moved down on my legs. Sure it fits properly when on the bike but of the bike they always seem to have slipped down inside the holders in the trouser legging.

I have trousers from different manufacturers' but they all suffer from incorrect placement of the armour protection. To get around the knee protection problem, I have been wearing Covec knee stocking protectors for over a year which are worn independently from the trousers (trouser knee armour removed) but recently (March 2016) I decided to upgrade the protection and purchased CE Level 2 Forcefield Grid Knee Protectors.

The Forcefield Grids offer substantial protection for my knees and are exceptionally easy to slip on. I like that the straps are back fastened and the overall quality of the product is excellent. They offer not only knee protection but protection to the top of my shins and over the top of my knee onto my thighs. I make sure that they are not strap tightened too much so they are very comfortable and are slim enough to even wear thermals over the top without any hassle.

Fujifilm X100s camera image of me on my bike wearing my touring gear -

Urban Casual Clothing
Touring clothing is great BUT for casual urban gear which would not look out of place when walking down the street, in a bar or visiting the local cinema, I required a cool dude look. Black had to be the obvious choice because not only is it cool but it makes you look slimmer and fitter looking.

I purchased the urban gear from Saltire and the leather jacket of choice was the REV' It Roamer (black) with shoulder/elbows and back armour protection. Even with all that armour the Roamer looks very casual and you would have a hard job identifying it as a biker jacket. The leather is soft and it has concealed zips with very discreet black REV' It logos on the upper arm areas.

The Roamer has a removable thick lining for those really hot days and in cold weather the jacket with the lining is terrific. I also wear a neck scarf in cold weather (see above) covering my neck up to my nose which prevents the air slipping down the neck of the jacket. I also wear a choice of base layers (see above) under the Roamer.

I tried on light blue and dark blue jeans and eventually chose black as it matched the jacket and maintained the look that I wanted. I ordered up a couple of different types of Bull-it jeans from Saltire in my size to try on and the one in the picture is the Bull-it +7 Carbon which is the jean that I finally purchased with optional hip and knee protection.

Unfortunately the design of the jean internal sections that hold the knee armour in place are slightly oversized so no matter how high you place the armour insert (held in place by velcro tab) it kept rolling the material over the velcro and the armour insert kept falling down and out of alignment with the knee. Fortunately I bought the knee armour with their own independent stocking holders which could be strapped (cut stocking/velcro design) to my legs and then the jeans pulled over the top - a far more sensible solution and guaranteeing that the knee inserts always remained in place. The Bull-it +7 jeans material has a burn through in approximately 7 to 9 seconds which means in a long fast slide of the bike you are well protected and the side of the hips and knees even more so with the armour inserts. The jeans are fantastic, comfortable and because they are independent of the knee insert holders, I can wear them just like regular jeans down on my waist. The jeans have a waterproof protection layer which can be replenished (when required) using a reproofing accessory.

Scotland is a country that experiences more rain than sun and the weather can change so quickly. For those 'urban trips' that include a short blast into the countryside, it is prudent to wear 'urban protective clothing' that is waterproof for when rain is more than likely.

I wanted to maintain the overall 'urban' black look and I searched around on the web for a short textile jacket which was very much like a leather jacket and textile jeans with the minimum of markings. After much deliberation, I finally settled for a short (black version) REV' It Excalibur textile jacket with dark reflective flashes and REV' It Factor 3 textile jeans. The jacket is all weather with a removable thermal lining and includes shoulder and elbow armour. I also purchased optional armour to slip into the pouch in the back of the jacket.

The Factor 3 trousers have fantastic armour in the knee areas and the hips which is adjustable at the knees' for height to position them correctly. The trousers have the minimum of reflective flashing so when used with the Excalibur jacket and the black helmet the overall black look is maintained.

I purchased a pair of Furygan Valta D30 lightweight gloves and to the eye they appear like normal black gloves but they have armour protection throughout. They have full cuff wrist protection and they can easily be put away in the jacket pocket. These gloves are great for taking the bike into town as they make handling the indicators, horn and other electronics on the bike very easy to the touch which is ideal in heavy traffic when you are also clutch/gear shifting and braking a lot.

The boots are tough REV' It Rodeos (black) and they are fully protected for wearing on the bike and yet they look like an ordinary pair of boots with lace fronts which complete the urban look. These boots are not as bulky at the front as shown in the image, they easily fit between the foot peg and the gear lever and each has an extra leather pad and stitching on the top. They are not in your face (bovver boots) as the jeans fit snugly over the top but once mounted on the bike the laces appear but again the boots remain discreet. I guess if you turned up your jeans to the boot tops and walked down the road with a skinhead haircut, you might send the older folks running for cover.

I am slowly coming around to wearing my black leather gear for casual use and I think it makes me look younger, slimmer, fitter and more appealing to the ladies - at least until I remove my helmet. Now on the subject of helmets, my Shoei (white) NXR Phantasm full face helmet is great BUT perhaps not so 'cool' with my black leather jacket and jeans. If I ever manage to get a 'Bobber' for urban use (purchased a Yamaha XV950R on 4th April 2015) then I know that traditionally the helmet of choice is a black open face helmet but I am conscious that should I slide of the bike and end up face down, my chin could take the combined weight of my head and helmet on the ground for a slide of 30 yards or even more.  Worse, I could end up stopping with a blow to the chin from a granite kerbstone. Edinburgh does have some 'granite' cobble stoned roads and their raised edges are particularly bad in the wet and also there are trams lines to contend with.

When I was out on the Yamaha XV950R ABS 'Urban Bobber' test run I wore my Shoei NXR Phantasm full face helmet and it was torrential rain in Edinburgh. I was being followed by another biker on a Yamaha XV950. He had a hard job keeping up and when we stopped beside each other at the traffic lights he mentioned that the driving rain was hitting his face so hard he could not keep the speed up. Guess what - he was wearing an open face helmet.

I initially liked the Shoei Neotec full face helmet BUT when I eventually tried it on in the shop, I found that it was too cumbersome on my head and that outweighed it's usefulness when working with my camera. It lacked the comfortable feel and compactness of my Shoei NXR Phantasm so I decided to keep the continuity and get another Shoei NXR helmet.

I thought that the black matte was nice but I eventually went for the Shoei NXR Brigand which is matte black but also has a skull and red rose emblazoned on the top which are a nice contrast and I think more unusual. The Brigand is a relatively new Shoei and it should look great with my black leather gear either on my sports/tourer or a new 'Bobber' cruiser.

The Goth Look
I figured, I have the new matte black Shoei Brigand Helmet with that skull on the back and that red rose so perhaps I could maintain that subtle 'Goth' look without going over the top.

My tank pad for my Sports/Tourer is a 'Gothic Lady' with a skull and a red rose, so already my casual 'urban' black leather jacket, black trousers and Shoei Brigand helmet matches it well.

I will not be getting the arm tattoos, the ears pierced or applying dark makeup to my face but perhaps to maintain the look and blend in the tank pad along with the helmet, a nice T shirt would not go amiss? Anyway there is no fool like an old fool so I ordered up a new 'Rose Prayer' T shirt from Spiral.

Helmet Bag
It looks like I might be purchasing a 'Bobber' motorcycle for using around the city and for attending some bike events but I have gone of the idea of fitting a top box as I want to keep the bike minimalistic.

So I decided to purchase a carrying bag with a shoulder strap and a soft lining for putting my helmet in and for slinging over my back when walking around. I searched the Internet and finally decided on a SPADA which seemed ideal and it has a nice broad zip sleeve which protects the helmet when the zip is used.

I bought mine from Amazon and when it arrived I popped my new Shoei Brigand helmet into it and zipped it up. The Spada is a nice size for the helmet, not too tight and not too large and baggy. It has a strong zip and the shoulder strap is fixed/sewn to the bag but adjustable.

Dog Tags
I purchased a set of dog tags from armydogtags for wearing when I am out and about on my motorcycle. I never carry any identity in my wallet so I figured that dog tags carried around my neck could prove ideal in the case of an accident.

I went for the 'Special Forces' type which are all black including the chain and I have my name and address on one tag and my next of kin details with phone numbers on the other.
 
From the Website -  "Get the special forces look with these stylish black tags, as featured in popular military games. American Special Forces began spraying their tags black during special operations in the Vietnam war to reduce visibility. Our black tags are made from aluminium and are coloured using anodisation, a chemical process that uses electrolysis to change the surface of the metal: it makes the metal more resistant to corrosion, and the addition of dye during the anodisation process produces a rich colour that is sealed into the surface of the metal. The colour won't rub off, even in water, and it won't crack, or flake. If your interests are in milsim (military airsoft simulations) then definitely order some of these. It's a great hobby to get into and if you have the kit and uniform, you'll want the right special force tags".

Fujifilm X100s camera image of me with my bike wearing my urban gear with my Suzuki GSX-1250FA sports/tourer -

If you have enjoyed this article - please donate to my Charity of Choice   -   The Sick Kids

Richard Lawrence
Scotland
United Kingdom

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