Protection x Infinity

One of my larger purchases arrived today: a Rev'It Infinity one piece touring suit. The suit is absolutely spectacular, lighter than a 'stitch, and loaded with the latest in space-age fabric technology.

The Infinity has four torso vents, two on the chest and two on the back. It does not have vents on the legs or arms. The zippers are TiZip storm-proof zippers.

I am 5' 11.5", 185 lbs., and have a 36" waist. The XL fits me perfectly. My local store was able to order one so I could try it on before purchasing. Unfortunately, the one they ordered was the all-black suit. Besides not wanting to roast in the California sun, I wanted much higher visibility. So I plunked down my coin (well, $1200 anyway), and they ordered the light grey suit for me. In my opinion, it is very stylish. My wife's reaction upon seeing it for the first time was: "Why don't they make these for women???" Good question. Anyone at Rev-It want to answer?

Here's another pic of me on my bike:

It takes about twice as long to put on the Infinity than just putting on my Cayenne Pro riding jacket, but considering it is offering the same level of protection for my legs too, I am not disappointed.

Is the Infinity expensive? Hell yeah. Is it worth it? A much harder question to answer; I hope to never find out.

Date Night!

My wife and I were granted a date night sans children yesterday thanks to my Dad. She decided that we should take the FJR, so we donned our protective gear and sped off into the night. There is something magical about a motorcycle as choice of date night vehicle: you can't take kids; it isn't even an option.

Parking at the restaurant (despite it being St. Patrick's Day) was a breeze. I had emptied the side bags so we were both able to store our helmets and gloves on the bike. Like most things with motorcycles, planning ahead is everything. It was a rather warm evening -- ~80F -- and we were glad to be given a larger booth so our jackets would have a place to sit too. I wore my Rev'It Cayenne Pro, and she wore her Vanson Cobra III.

After dinner we decided to hit a local bookstore. Again parking was trivial, but the jackets became a hinderance. We didn't feel comfortable leaving them on the bike, they were too cumbersome to carry, and wearing them in the heated store became stifling in very short order. As I am sure that this issue will only increase in frequency as we approach Summer, I would like to figure out a better solution.

Our final stop of the evening was at a local game store. We both like to play games, and are fortunate to have a local store that reserves half of its floorspace for open gaming tables. It was very relaxing to sit in the store, socialize with the other customers, and play.

The ride home was markedly different from the earlier departure. When we left I rode fairly aggressively -- urging the bike away and into the night. The return trip was relaxed and calm. Motorcycles make terrific date night transport.

Rainy Commute

This morning as I pulled open the drapes while brushing my teeth, I noticed that it was indeed raining. The rain decided my wardrobe: Rev-It Cayenne Pro jacket and pants, Sidi Canyon boots, and my usual Held Phantom gloves. And I tried out my latest clothing purchase as well: a Rev-It Titan one-piece oversuit. Slipping on my C3 helmet completed the astronaut look: I was ready for take-off.

The bike handled excellently in the wet weather. And the windscreen kept most of the wind and rain off of me as I negotiated the 12 mile commute. I was definitely over-cautious in my riding; I kept my speed down and was particularly careful on turns. It was not cold enough to warrant turning on the heated grips, so that will have to wait for another day.

Riding in the rain was certainly an adventure. It became immediately obvious that the most important thing is to not be in a hurry. Everything -- from dressing to riding -- would just take a bit longer. Having appropriate riding gear made the difference between a wet and miserable ride and a warm and dry experience. One particular note: the wiper blade attached to the left forefinger of the Held gloves is a magnificent device!

I was passed at one point by a motorcycle cop. Seeing him out there 'in it' put my own excursion into perspective: it is his job to ride in this weather, whereas I would spend most of the day in a heated office building. They have certainly got my respect.

Every day is an adventure.