Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

I··PROD.UCTEVALUATIONI Thor All-Weather Gloves information contact Thor, Dept. CN, 5520 Wellesly St., La Mesa, CA, 91942, 619/ 463-3400 Scott Rousseau LBZ Free Riding Pants nyon.e who's ridden a motorcycle in colder climates knows that there always comes that time of year when regular riding gloves are simply no' longer up to the task of keeping your hands toasty once the leaves fall and the white stuff begins to hit the . ground. Heck, even here in sunny Southern California we often experience over-bearing windchill that is more than enough to ice up the old digits on our daily freeway commutes during the fall and winter months. The people at Thor must have recognized that there are several diehards out there 'who continue ridinK long after summer is over, and the clothing enterprise has attempted to come up with a solution to the cold-hands diJemma in the form of its All-Weather Glove. Based upon its outward appearance, it is apparent that Thor intended the cuffed, synthetic-leather glove with its motocross-look thermalweld backhand protector to be of greatest 'use in a dual sport or off-road environment, but warm gloves are warm gloves, and they don't know or don't care what type of riding the user is doing. . To do that, Thor lined the innards of the gloves. with Thinsulate C-40 insulation and top.ped them off with a semipermeable, waterproof Hipora liner to keep the elements out while allowing perspiration to evaporate. A qulck-pull,_ hook-and-Ioop closure system cinches the cuffs and further seals out the cold. Our testers complained of some· initial stiffness in the fingers, which is common to all gloves but perhaps more pronounced in the All-Weather Gloves, which sport thicker fingers due to the Thinsulate padding. But once they were broken in, the gloves provided an adequate level of comfort, even on longer rides. Not surprisingly, however, they scored their highest marks in the weather-protection departmen~. Nobody who wore the gloves complained when early-morning or late-evening temperatures dipped low enough to render normal riding gloves useless for anything other than crash protection. And we found that they did well to keep out the wind chill even when we were whisking down the freeway on one of our street bikes. One downside to the All-Weather Gloves is that we couldn't consider them to be tru1 y all-weather. The Thinsulate that was so effective in the cold proved itself to be a bit too much when the sun was shining and the weather was warm. The Hipora liner didn't breathe enough, causing the inside of the gloves to get pretty wet with perspiration. But admittedly, that's nitpicking on our part. The Thor All-Weather Gloves do their job in comfort, style and with the added protection that the alternative - plain ski gloves - simply cannot pro- vide when the going gets cold. The gloves are available in a black and purple color scheme only and in sizes ranging from S-XXL. At a suggested retail price of $36.95, which in many cases is no more expensive than a top of the line off-road model, these gloves might not be a bad choice to throw in your gear bag, map case or saddlebags. Fore more A ne thing that no one will ever accuse Mike Russell and Dana Nicholson of LBZ Quality Oothing of is lacking enthusiasm. As a matter of fact, they have such an overabundance of excitement about their new line of riding gear, that it's almost scary. By now, those of you who have seen Crusty Demons of Dirt will have recognized the LBZ Free Riding Pants pictured below as the duds that Mike Metzger, Mike Healey, Chad Smanjak and Seth Enslow wore in the popular video. After receiving countless inquiries about the baggy, snowboarder-inspired O . Surprisingly, I found myself actually enjoying the baggy sensation of the pants almost immediately. Though I expected the over-the-boot pant leg style to catch on everything from the kick starter to the footpegs, the loose cloth remained inoffensive. In all honesty, the LBZ pants are the most comfortable riding pants that I've ever worn. CTi braces? No problem. There's room for your braces and the boxes they came in inside these pants. Air flows right up the pant legs and keeps things cool when you're at speed, making these the draftiest pants on the market. Seriously, though, the baggy cut of the pant is never bulky nor a hindrance, and after a few minutes, I actually forgot what I was riding in. Until they started to fall down, that is. The solution? How about a belt? That's what belt loops are for, aren't they? I must admit that wearing a belt while riding seemed odrl at first, but in LBZ's defense, O'Neal has incorporated a belt and belt loops on their leathers for years now. So, are the LBZ Free Riding Pants for you? The way I see it, there are two markets for suc·h pants. The first is the younger age group of riders who: are inspired by the wild aerial antics in the Crusty Video, and the second is the older set. For as every younger rider who approached me and asked about the pants came at least one vet-class guy. Apparently, many heavier or larger riders don't agree with the tight (in comparison) cut of standard riding pants, and the baggy, plain-Jane look of the LBZs is a breath of fresh air. Another possible market would be the small, yet hard-core group of trials riders that exists. I've long made fun of the trials riders who ride in sweat pants, claiming that traditional MX pants were too restrictive. Perhaps LBZs are the answer - I recently competed in a trials event wearing my pair, and found them to be much easier to move around in than unorm.al" leathers. riding pants made specially for the riders in Crusty, LBZ decided to make the unusual gear available to the public. I must admit that I was a bit apprehensive when Russell and Nicholson strolled into the Cycle News offices with a rolling clothes rack full of gear. This stuff was big - really big. While colors ranged from black all the way to electric green, I couldn't picture myself being seen in public in such a bold outfit. Was I hip enough? Wanting to attract as little attention as possible, I chose a pair of dark grey 'pants and the matching white jersey. The pants are, obviously, oversized, and are made of heavy bull denim an triple stitched. While the top of the pants looks like any other pair of jeans with belt loops and two front pockets, the only functional pocket is a zippered pouch found on the right side. The pockets in front? Apparently, they're just for looks - they're sewn shut. Black ballistic nylon - the same material found on several aftermarket seat covers wraps around the pant legs in the knee and calf area, and a small patch is also sewn in the ·seat of the pants. Sizing is odd - literally - starting at 29 and going all the way up to 39. Can you imagine just how big 39s would be? At the track, reactions to the pants were varied. "What the hell are you wearing?" "Where can I get a pair?" and "You're gonna get shot in a gang driveby:' were the most common. Are LBZ pants the rage of the future? Who knows? But as the originator of the baggy riding pant, the small Huntington Beach-company is reportedly already being copied by Xtreme, a well-established gear manufacturer. LBZ Free RidIng Pants come in 12 different color combinations and cost $110. The matching jerseys cost $32. For more information contact LBZ, Dept. CN, 419 Main St., Huntington Beach, CA 92648, 714/840-3676. Axo Sport OS Jacket and 707OS Pant bout the. las! thing that you want to do while riding your dual sport motorcycle on the street is attract a lot of attention. After all, most ignorant people on the road will assume that you're breaking the law by riding your dirt bike in town, and wearing a set of flourescent, logo-riddled motocross gear might only promote their dismay. The guys at Axo Sport America have taken the needs of serious dual sport riders into consideration and come up with an alternative to the "Iook-at-me, 1race" motocross gear .currently available. The 707 DS Pant features the same cut and fit as the flashier 909 and 707 motocross pants, but come without the bold Axo logo down each leg. Instead of bright purples, reds and yellows, the DS A pants are a subtle black, grey and dark blue with some white highlights. The pants are made mostly of- Cordura, with stretch Kevlar panels in the knee area. Wide-stretch spandex panels grace the sides and rear of the pants. We found the pants actually to be more comfortable than Axo's motocross versions, as there is no hard plastic logo sewn on the leg to dig into your lap when you sit down. The Cordura material is much more durable than the nylon of normal MX pants, and we see no reason - barring crashes on the street - that these pants shouldn't last most riders several years. Construction is top notch, and all of the seams have held up marvelously, even those in the knee area, Perhaps the best thing about the pants is their appearance. To the casual observer watching you ride by, the DS pants might not look like anything more than a pair of dark -colored jeans. The matching DS Jacket is also made of Cordura in a matching dark'blue, grey and black color scheme. Like the pants, the jacket has a durable nylon lining, as well as padded collar and cuff areas. The sleeves are removable with the yank of a couple zippers and the jacket easily can be converted into a vest when the going gets warm. The right sleeve features a clear plastic pocket, and the front of the jacket boasts three large exterior pockets. Spandex on the sides and an action back allow the jacket • to move with you, instead of hiking up as you ride. As with the DS Pant, we found the DS Jacket to be extremely comfortable, Unlike most riding jackets that are somewhat stiff and uncomfortable off the bike, the Cordura DS Jacket is soft and comfortable. The cut is one of the best we've found in a riding jacket, as even the most extreme riding position failed to cause the jacket to hike up our backs. This is about the only riding jacket that we've ever seen that we wouldn't be embarraseq. to wear in public - even while we're not riding. No flashy Power Ranger styling here, just a subtle twotone design that's easy on the eyes. The Axo Sport DS Jacket comes in sizes L through XXL and costs $169.95, while the DS 707 Pants cost $99.95 and are available in sizes 28 through 42. For more information, contact Axo Sport America, Dept. CN, 24950 Anza Dr., Valencia, CA 91355,800/222-4296. Donn Maeda

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