Cheek Chillers, Not Just for Fetish Seekers

STREET & STEEL Heavy Duty Deep-Pocket Leather Motorcycle Chaps Review

Last year when Old Man Winter came into town and started blowing cold air around, which, I might add, happens earlier in the year for those traveling on two wheels, I started looking for a way to keep my legs warm. I did not have the funds for a fancy coordinated one or two piece Sport Tourer technical style outfit. I thought that a good pair of leather chaps would work sufficiently and were within my budget constraints. I decided then it was time to go shopping for some Cheek Chillers.

I started riding around to all the local area motorcycle gear shops looking at leather chaps checking features, benefits, and prices. Cycle Gear’s Street & Steel brand, made by FMC I believe, seemed to have the best value, features and they were on sale. I tried on several and decided on a larger size in case I needed to layer other clothing underneath on really long cold rides.

The Street & Steel Heavy Duty Deep-Pocket Leather Motorcycle Chaps differ from the regular Deep-Pocket Chaps in that they have a removable Thinsulate quilted liner. This is real nice to have on cold days. The YKK zippers have held up real nice, even after one of the zippers accidently got caught in a dress pant leg once. The Snaps are all heavy duty and surprisingly, have also held up to all my yanking and pulling. I have seen one leg edge seam that the stitching didn’t quite get it held down all the way but this has not affected their use in any way.

The buckle is also good quality. They do take a bit of getting used too to be able to put them on and take them off efficiently. The hardest part is being able to snap the snaps at the bottom of the legs and it is hard to do for this old fart without a place to sit down. I use the right side running board of my V-Star 1100 Classic motorcycle as a step so I can reach the buckles easier.

The deep pockets have been very useful in holding odd stuff while riding. I have used them for all kinds of junk including, but not limited to, keys, Palm Treo (phone), dew rags, receipts and stuff purchased while shopping. Interestingly enough, the insulating properties of the chaps also keeps the heat of the engine off your legs while riding in the summer. Keep in mind in the winter they do not help keep your derrière or crotch area warm, but that’s what your Pillion is for, right?

Here is a video of Stephen Young of First Manufacturing discussing the features of this classic bit of 1.3mm cowhide cruiser apparel that is meant to be worn over your jeans. He shows the thigh pockets, the gunmetal YKK side zippers, the removable Thinsulate liner and the secondary liner:



So far I have been very happy with these chaps. They keep light rain, bugs, rocks and other road debris off your legs and pants. Torch gives the Street & Steel Heavy Duty Deep-Pocket Leather Motorcycle Chaps a M.M.M Rating of 9.0 on a 1-10 scale.

Ride on,
Torch

FieldSheer’s Expensive Shoddy Gloves

FieldSheer’s Expensive Shoddy Gloves or FieldSheer 57 Bob Perforated Glove Review

I bought a pair of FieldSheer 57 Bob Perforated Black Men’s Size XL Gloves and used them for my commute to and from work for two weeks. They cost around 1/3 more than my Motoboss Airflow Gloves, which I am still using. The FieldSheer gloves functioned, fit, and felt great, until they started falling apart.

The shell of these gloves is constructed of 95% Goat Skin and 5% “Other”. It’s that 5% “Other” that ruined a perfectly good pair of gloves in short order. The goat skin leather is comfortably soft and supple. There is an extra padded section for your palm. These Bob gloves have the back side perforated, including on the fingers and thumbs, for air flow. The wrist section of the FieldSheer model 57 is constructed out of an elastic stretchy material, comfortable, but extremely short lived. They fasten with a two inch strip of hook and loop on the back of the wrist.

After two weeks of driving I noticed some stretch marks on the elastic cuffs and after closer inspection found the stitching coming apart on both gloves in several areas. In fact, there were already holes formed between the elastic cuff and the leather part of the gloves.

I went to the FieldSheer website and read all about how they care about quality so I decide to send off and email to their Customer Service Department, but I guess they do not have one. Here is a copy of my email:


Dear FieldSheer,

I recently purchased a new pair of your FieldSheer 57 Bob Perforated Black Men’s Size XL Gloves from a local Yamaha dealer in Hurst Texas. I have used them off and on for my commute to work for about two weeks. Today when I was removing them I noticed some strange striations in the elastic cuff area of the left glove. Upon closer examination I found, along with the striations, the stitching coming out where the elastic attaches to the leather. I also looked at the right hand glove and it already has a large hole where it has come apart.

I had been looking for a pair perforated gloves for some time when I found these. The rest of the glove has been flawless and I really like the fit and I thought at first they were worth the premium price compared to other gloves. This has been my first experience with FieldSheer products. Honestly, I think after this experience it would be doubtful if I would recommend or purchase any FieldSheer products in the future.

Your website claims that you want, “…to make certain our products will perform…” So I wanted to make you aware that these gloves do not.

Ride on,
Torch
Midlife Motorcycle Madness

It’s been a couple weeks now since I emailed FieldSheer and still nary even an apology.

As stated in my email to FieldSheer this has been my first experience with any of their products. Because it was bad, undoubtedly, it will be my last. These gloves are extremely poor in quality. On top of that, they won't even respond to a customer who tells them about their quality issues. I will avoid all FieldSheer products in the future. Torch gives the FieldSheer 57 Bob Perforated Black Gloves a M.M.M. Rating of 0.

Ride on,
Torch

Fog Off! Review

Fog Off! Review

This winter on my daily commute ride I got to experience something new to me. Being blessed most of my life with good vision; I’d never had to battle fogging glasses before. Now at the start of my middle ages I found myself having to hold what I was reading farther and farther away to read it and having a hard time with small text. Alas, I’m getting old. Now I wear reading glasses, even as I’m writing this. I currently ride my V-Star 1100 wearing a half helmet and I wear either sunglasses or goggles with various colored lenses, depending on conditions, for eye protection.

As winter pulled us farther and farther away from the sun, the temperatures started to drop. It wasn’t long before I started observing a strange phenomenon, usually in the morning. I was riding with clear riding glasses because it’s dark in the morning when I leave for work. Every time I slowed down and came to a stop my glasses were fogging up on the inside. It would clear up when I started moving but eventually you just got to stop.

My ability to see got poorer as the temperature dropped. I finally purchased a neoprene riding mask to keep the icy wind of my face and that made it even worse. The mask seemed to direct my breath strait onto the inside of my glasses. Now even moving it would fog. I remembered back to the days I had a diving mask and you could apply spit to the inside lens of the mask to keep it from fogging. So, I tried it. It did not work of course. I switched to goggles and it did not help. It got to the point that it was scary to have to slow down and stop. It was time for me to do something if I was going to continue to ride.

I remembered reading an anti-fog test comparison once on web Bike World. So I decided to stop in at Cycle Gear and see what they had. The helpful salesperson handed me a bottle of FOG OFF! It came with its own small microfiber applicator cloth. It comes in a small 29.5 ML pump spray bottle and states MADE IN U.S.A. The bottle claims it is made with Exofogonium 3, whatever that is. The directions simply read:

SHAKE BEFORE USE:
APPLY FOG OFF TO
SURFACE, COVERING
COMPLETELY BUFF WITH
SOFT CLOTH UNTIL CLEAR.

I applied some to my clear night riding glasses according to the directions before my morning commute. Well, I don’t know what is in FOG OFF, but it worked. After riding about a week I started noticing some dampness distortion on the inside of my riding glasses, so I reapplied FOG OFF and it went away. One application seemed to last about a week for me. I cannot say this is the best anti-fog solution out there because I have not tried any others. I will say that it performed and lasted as well as I expected. I now keep the bottle of FOG OFF and cloth in my saddlebag. Torch gives FOG OFF! a M.M.M Rating of 8 out of 10.

Ride on,
Torch

Harley Davidson Pecos Motorcycle Boot Review

Harley Davidson Pecos Motorcycle Boot Review

When I was getting geared up for the Motorcycle Safety Foundations Basic Rider Course I was looking for a black biker boot that looked more like a cowboy boot than the regular bikers engineer boot. One day at lunch I was browsing a local bike shop in Grapevine Texas called Biker Alley, which has since closed, and found what I was looking for. They were Harley Davidson brand and were a cross between an engineer boot and a cowboy boot. The price was reasonable and I purchased a pair.

The boots looked great but after wearing for several hours in the rain they became soaked and my feet were all wet. So, I went looking for something to make then more water repellent. I picked up a can of Penguin brand Himalaya Wax and coated them excessively. Then I polished them up to a beautiful black leather shine. Himalaya Wax is made of beeswax and is very water repellant. My feet have been dry since, however I have not had them immersed in water for any great length of time.

I have had the Pecos boots now for over a year and they have held up well. I do not wear them every day. Usually I wear them on Fridays, on days that are raining, or when it looks like it might rain. The leather has held up well, even the top of the left one, used for up shifting. They have picked up some minor scuffs, but do not look that bad for not having polished them again. For sturdiness and protection these boots are equipped with an inside metal support shank.

The Harley Davidson boots are as comfortable to wear as any good quality made boot should be. Rumor has it that Wolverine manufactures these boots for Harley. There is a metal insignia plate with the Harley Davidson Logo on it located on each heel. The tooled leather straps with steel harness hoop are riveted together. As a nice touch Harley Davidson Motor Co written around the head of each rivet. The uppers are constructed of supple full grain leather. The stitching is of good quality and the pull tabs have lasted with me using them to pull and tug the boots on every time I wear them.

The soles of the Harley Pecos boots are made of Goodyear welted construction. A Goodyear welt construction is good for water protection and the possibility of resoling. The Dual-density rubber/EVA outsole is oil, water, and slip resistant. The traction of the Pecos boot is good on cement and blacktop roads, but get them on wet painted or polished smooth cement and they are not so slip resistant. Part of the tread pattern is bright orange in color and is very aggressive. The Harley Davidson logo is embossed on the sole shank towards the heel. There are parts of the sole that are starting to wear smooth from all my walking and riding in them.

The interior of the Pecos boot is lined with a full length cushion sock made of Taibrelle. This liner helps wick perspiration away from your feet. The insole is removable and is made of dual-density polyurethane for comfort. These boots are very comfortable to wear, but may take some time to get used too if you have never worn boots with a true heel on them.

If you enjoy wearing a comfortable pair of cowboy boots but want something to ride your motorcycle in, these boots fit the bill. I have enjoyed wearing and riding in these boots. They offer a lot of protection for your feet, ankles, shins, and calves. Torch gives the Harley Davidson Pecos Motorcycle Boots a M.M.M Rating of 8 on a scale of 1-10.

Ride on,
Torch

Cold Riding Hands are Sluggish Riding Hands

River Road Cheyenne Cold Weather Gloves Review

This December my fingers were really getting cold during my morning commutes to work. I had been wearing a pair of inexpensive leather gloves purchased at Wal-Mart that had a thin Thinsulate liner. They worked great for driving a cage and if you were out of the wind. On a cold winter’s day though, at any speed over 40 mph, the cold wind sliced right through the seams. These gloves were not designed for motorcycling. I needed a pair of cold weather gloves.

I was off for the Christmas and New Years holidays and taking some vacation time from work and decided to take my V-Star in to get the front tire replaced. So, I was browsing my local Bikers Bay store while they were mounting a new front tire on my Mistress early on a Saturday morning. I looked at the gloves rack and found the River Road Cheyenne Cold Weather Gloves. The pricing was fair so I tried a pair on. They fit well despite my large hands although they sure felt bulky as all cold weather riding gloves will. I bought them and a neoprene face mask when my bikes front tire installation was complete.

The Cheyenne Cold Weather Gloves by River Road got their first trial as soon as my vacation and holiday time was up and it was time to get back to work. These gloves had a reinforced leather palm with good grip traction. The back side of the glove is made of a durable looking textile material. They have a breathable windproof Hipora liner they claimed was waterproof. These gloves are also equipped with a Thinsulate layer for warmth as well. They have two hook and loop adjustable fasteners one for the wrists and another for the cuffs. This makes them very adaptable. On top of that, they have reflective piping in several places on the seams for safety.

I have now ridden with them through our short Texas winter. These gloves kept my hands and wrist warm down to about 35 degrees Fahrenheit at 60+ mph. If it gets colder than that your fingers will still start to get cold. I would recommend a thermal glove liner to go with them when riding in temperatures freezing or below. I will invest in a pair of these for next winter. The gloves do an excellent job of blocking the wind. Finally, I also had the chance to wear them in the rain. I had my doubts, but the Cheyenne Cold Weather Gloves are indeed water proof. These River Road Gloves in conjunction with my frogg toggs kept me completely dry. The fact that I had dry and warm hands really impressed me.

The bulkiness of the gloves does have its cons, but the pros far outweigh them. If you have ever been caught in the cold without gloves, or just too lazy to pull over and put them on, and had to ride, you know what I mean. It takes a little adjusting to, to ride and use your motorcycles controls with the gloves on. The hardest thing to get used to for me was the starter button. However, I found that if I just kept moving my thumb around it would eventually make contact. They have held up good for the first winter riding season, although some may debate that Texas really does not have a winter season. Torch gives the River Road Cheyenne Cold Weather Gloves a M.M.M Rating of 9 on a scale of 1-10.

Ride on,
Torch