The AGV Sport Element Vintage Leather Jacket features quality leather that’s stitched together solidly, vents well, and has timeless good looks at an affordable price. There are a few criteria I like in a motorcycle jacket. I want smelly leather, I want the leather to wear like a second-skin, and I want armor. Other factors will always help seal the deal, but these are the big three for me. Let’s see how the AGV Sport Element Vintage Leather Jacket I’ve been sporting lately stands up to these standards. My last AGV Sport jacket, a Pella Perforated model, ran just a tad small, so I went up a size this time to a 2XL and the fit was spot-on. The top grain cowhide isn’t super thick but still provides a sturdy buffer against wind. The Element Vintage Leather Jacket comes with pre-curved arms and the leather is pliable so it allows for an unencumbered range of motion in the arms and shoulders. The cuffs are adjustable courtesy of Velcro tabs, which come in handy when putting on gauntlet-style gloves because you can easily wrap the sleeve around the glove. Velcro tabs on both sides of the waist help tailor the fit, too. It’s fashioned to sit right at the beltline while the collar is cut low enough that it doesn’t rub, but you will feel the chill on your neck during morning rides. Overall, the quality of the leather outer shell has left a positive impression. Besides the abrasion resistance of the leather, protection comes in the form of armor in the elbows, shoulders and back, all of it removable as they reside in pockets with Velcro closures sewn into the liner. The shoulder and elbow protection are both CE-grade. The armor is well situated and doesn’t move around during riding. The armor also covers lots of area because the elbow pads extend down the forearm while the shoulder pads wrap around the entire shoulder. The AGV Sport Element Vintage Jacket circulates plenty of air thanks to zippers up the cuff and vents conveniently placed in the arms, shoulders and back. The jacket is a distressed brown, so it doesn’t attract as much sun as a solid black jacket. And while it’s a solid choice for spring and summer rides, because of the short neck and the relatively thin leather, the Element Vintage Jacket is only comfortable down to about 50-degree rides. Any colder than that and you’re going to be looking for your hoodie to add another layer of warmth. The inside of the jacket is as well-tailored as the exterior, its polyester liner comfortable and fashionable. The liner does double duty, with the pockets sewn into it holding the armor in place. Inside the jacket are two chest pockets with Velcro closures while there are two exterior pockets that zip closed, all pockets about hand deep. The entire jacket is stitched together well, with extra stitching at the major seams because of the multi-paneled design of the jacket.

Life is not a highway when you’re riding a BMW motorcycle. People seem to say that quite often—“life is a highway.” It’s a reductive statement. It condenses the sum of our experiences to one long road, and that isn’t what life is like at all. We don’t all traverse the same path. We find our own roads. Some go through cities, others through the wilderness, and each one is a branching path that makes us choose. We choose where to go, just like we choose how to get there. Life is not a highway. Life is the ride, and if you want to enjoy it from here until the end, you’ll make that journey on the back of a BMW. When you go with BMW Motorrad, you don’t settle. You don’t have to. BMW makes a bike for every purpose, and it’s up to you to decide what you need. S 1000 XR Begin your ride today when you visit Garcia Moto in Raleigh. We have the largest inventory of new and used BMW Motorcycles for sale in the area. We also keep a stock of supplies, accessories, and gear, and we can answer all of your questions about which bike is the right choice for you. Store Hours Monday Closed Tuesday 9:00AM - 5:30PM Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 9:00AM - 4:00PM Sunday

It starts with one refreshingly simple idea: If you only buy pieces you really love, you’ll have 100% of your closet in rotation 100% of the time. Here’s how to make it happen… Just imagine: Instead of a closet explosion, you get a breathable rack of favorite go-tos that you can easily mix a zillion different ways and get out the door pronto. And now, drumroll please: four capsule wardrobe truths to help you create your own version. Truth 1: Neutral colors are your building blocks. That’s because the no-clash factor means the outfit combinations are nearly endless. Plus, filling your wardrobe with what we consider to be a calm palette—blues, whites, greys, browns and even low-key stripes—is a quick way to master the art of looking put together (especially helpful on those abuse-the-snooze-button days). Another upside: Neutral hues are a solid foundation for any flashes of bright color you toss on here and there. Truth 2: Certain silhouettes are timeless. Whether it’s a clean leather loafer, a classic slim-fit jean, a long button-down cardigan or a streamlined motorcycle jacket, certain shapes will never be rendered obsolete because they’re free of trendy details. How to spot such a thing when you’re browsing? You should be able to imagine yourself wearing it in five years, 10 years, whenever. Truth 3: For something to last, it’s got to be—pardon the phrasing here—made well. You need to know what to look for: Leather should be soft but sturdy; sweaters should be made of soft, beautiful yarn; jeans should be comfy but still hold their shape (you can tell even in the dressing room). Then, it’s all about taking care of these staples so they only get better with age. (Read our tips for caring for.) Truth 4: Special extras can take your outfit from perfectly nice to perfectly awesome. The right add-ons, like unboring sunglasses and a wide-brim hat or wear-everyday jewelry and killer shoes, are an uncomplicated way to send a simple jeans-and-tee combo—or anything else in your closet—off the style charts. And now, The Very (Sort-of) Official 10-Piece Madewell Capsule Wardrobe* 1. High-Riser Skinny Skinny Jeans 2. The Ultimate Leather Motorcycle Jacket 3. A White Oversized Boyshirt 4. A Striped Whisper Cotton Tee 5. A White Whisper Cotton Tee 6. A simple silk dress (like this) 7. The Transport Tote 8. A pair of Billie Boots

Made cool in the Fifties by Brando, McQueen and James Dean, the leather jacket has since sustained a long lasting covenant with the modern man – seeing him through the proceeding decades effortlessly, with only a slight shoulder-pad, acid-wash glitch in the Eighties. That said, the last ten years have been good to the leather jacket, smoothing any incongruous fit and colour issues, so now men have a plethora of leather options from the most fashionable luxury brands. Not going hell for leather just quite yet, Then read on for tips on wearing the ferociously soft, animal skin. Breaking It Down The key to buying a leather jacket is finding a type that already rides well with your personal style – don’t be somebody you’re not. Then, nail the fit (think slim and flat to the body), before selecting the leather type (calf, cow, lamb or goat) and a neutral colour. Honing in on the finer details the final step to personalisation, selecting how many zips, buttons and metal things you want – or none at all, if you prefer. Style It Up Leather jackets require confidence. Celebrities and rockstars wear them to stand-out and make a grungy style statement. That said, you can find a clean-cut, more demure type. Knowing your personal style is important, helping you decide what jacket style is most appropriate. Leather jacket styles are defined by length, the way it closes or zips (and just how much hardware it boasts) and the collar. There are generally three types: the ‘bomber’, the ‘biker’ and the ‘racer’. Bombs Away The bomber is the most casual looking. Recognised by its waist-length, the jacket is made from soft leather, which tends to be more malleable giving it a relaxed look. The jacket has contrast trim (sometimes in contrast colour and fabric), which usually mixes up the waist and sleeve cuffs for a succinct fit. Hardware in minimal, with solely a symmetrical zip up the front, with functional kangaroo-pouch side pockets – or without. Biker Boss The biker (think Marlon Brando) boasts large lapels and a flared collar, that can be snapped down for extra security. Packed with metallic hardware (studs, plugs and zips), the front zipper is normally asymmetrical, allowing the wider side to fold in underneath its partner. Race-On The racer is the most standard looking despite its motocross-look. They are streamlined jackets with a little collar that snaps shut, or can be without a collar at all. Straight zipped, they aren’t lined with plush fabric and have no lapels or extra hardware to flash things up. Focus On The Fit The fit of the leather jacket – like a suit – is paramount. But unlike an imperfectly fitting jacket or blazer, leather jackets can’t be altered easily and it’s expensive. So what should you look for? The jacket should sit cling to the contours of the body, with shoulders cutting sharp and square on the shoulder – like a blazer. A leather jacket isn’t really designed for wearing over bulk layers – more a fine-gauge sweater or tee – so buy the smallest size that fits, allowing for a bit of stretch to occur. Your arms should be able to move freely, however, and not feel tight and uncomfortable. Length the sleeves should skim the the wrist and hem bottom should cut at the belt line. The skinny guy should opt for a tight or elasticated waistband, tapering the body section and accentuating the shoulders. The larger gent should go for a straight cut – avoiding anything that will cling to lumps and bumps. Same rule applies for muscles, gym junkie. Cover Your Hide The type of leather or skin affects the coat’s function and feel. There is no perfect leather, with each carrying its own unique characteristics. In general, larger animals tend to have more durable, sturdy skins, while the smaller animals are known for softness and are more lightweight. Then, there is the quality of skin, which also changes what the leather feels like to touch. This relates to the lifestyle of the animal before it was killed, the tanning or manufacturing process, and the final finish application. Cowhide Cowhide is the most common leather. It’s slightly cheaper and tougher and has a resilience to water and dirt like no other. It’s a great protector because of its thickness, but can take time to wear in. It comes mostly in a matte finish giving the jacket a more casual feel. Buffalo/Bison Similar to cowhide’s rugged feel and durability, bison skin differentiates itself with a natural graininess on the skin, which adds texture to the jacket and gives it a raw, earthy aesthetic. Goatskin Goatskin is a popular choice for most luxury brands, and is recognised for its pebbly grain. Goatskin is softer, lighter, and more flexible than cowhide. It’s durable and wears-in well, becoming more supple, and better-looking as the years roll on. Lambskin Lambskin is the most luxurious of leather for its softness, suppleness, and wearability. It has a luxurious texture and is quite versatile, creating a more chic leather jacket. It’s naturally very lightweight and creates a jacket that can be worn all year-round – whatever the season. Keep It Classic The timelessness of the leather jacket does depend on what colour you choose. Like suits, neutral colours such as brown, brown, and grey are you best bet. Navy and contrast-sleeved biker types are more fashion-y and are a different option for guys who may already have a classic leather in their cupboard. Fashion can also be played around a bit with suede – a huge trend for 2015 – as the coat tends to come in brown (from to tan to chocolate), meaning it can work as seamlessly into an outfit as black leather would. Stick to one suede piece as break away from leather, opting for shearling on the collar for extra plushness. But avoid gimmicky tassels or fringing and anything that looks even remotely cowboy.

The A-2 Flight Jacket was made famous by U.S. Army airmen who wore them as a testament to their bravery, independence and skill. Service tested in 1930, the A2 jacket was adopted as the regulation Army Air Corps flying jacket on May 9, 1931. Its style continues to be a perfect example of form following function. is available and true to the original design in russet or seal brown horsehide or medium brown goatskin. The A2 leather jacket is true to the original Air Corp Spec: The A2 flight jacket have one piece back, 2 piece sleeves. Talon nickel finish zipper with leather puller tabs, single entry pocket with luxurious curved shape flaps. Epaulets boxed stitched, 1 3/4" tapering down to 1 1/2". Hanger loop boxed stitch through and through. Stand up collar, snapped down collar tips. 8-10 stitches per inch, reinforced pockets corners and wind flap, provide solid construction that backed by life time warrantee. The A-2 jacket have lining of 100% cotton and 100% wool knit cuffs & waistband is also true to the original. Finish touch of ther A-2 flight leather jacket are A/N inspection stamp and Air Corp stamp on the lining. If you like to create your personal specifications A2 jacketor modified colors, shape or components please select the A-2 jacket custom made details bellow. Courtesy of Jay Brown. a wonderful, emotional, and touching presentation of an A-2 Flight jacket to a WWII Vet who earned the original. A-2 Jacket, Flight Jacket. A2 jacket, US Air Force (Air Corp) Leather flight jacket. Made in USA! Available as per original US Air Corp. specifications in medium brown...

We’ve got the best deal in town for folks wanting to consign items with us. Drop in with your second-hand leather outfits or your used leather or textile motorcycle gear, and we’ll assess it. (Phone first if you want to be sure we’ll have time to spend with you.) If the thing you want to consign is not on the “Yes” list below (and definitely not the the “No” list below), but you think we’d be interested, give us a call or bring it by! What East Side Re-Rides will accept for consignment: Motorcycle Jackets Leather Jackets Textile Jackets Mesh Jackets (with and without armor) Motorcycle Leathers Fancy Leathers (Social / Fetish) Dress chaps party wear corsetry (some) Leather Shorts Hats, caps and covers. dresses skirts Vintage Leathers For the really valuable vintage brands, we’d consider things even if they have damage. Talk to us. Motorcycle and Motocross Riding Clothing high-vis vests rain gear heated vests lined riding jeans full suits motocross sets Various Motorcycle Gear leather gloves armored riding gloves glove liners goggles driving sunglasses Boots Leather boots lace-up leather boots engineer boots waterproof motorcycle boots Helmets motorcycle and motocross, all types — if clean, recent, unchipped and fully functional. Motorcycle-themed clothing and accessories. Maybe. Depending on what it is. Leather Accessories wallets (some) belts (some) messenger bags (some) leather suspenders armbands Other Clothing Utilikilts and chainmail and rubber / neoprene items and suchlike. Plus odd n sods like bike covers, seat covers and the like. What East Side Re-Rides will NOT accept for consignment: anything ill-made or any item far past its prime. (If you’re getting rid of it because it’s no good any more, it’s probably no good to anyone.) anything in damaged/non-functioning condition. (A $300 jacket with a non-functioning main zipper is worth $0 in resale value.) any item with… how to put this politely… a stink . No stinky items. Especially smoke (cigarette or other fires), mildew & mothballs. Double especially, human sweat … and cat pee from when it was stored in the garage that one season. If in doubt, do drop it off to get it cleaned so you can get top dollar for your item (though ciggy smoke and mildew are near-impossible to remove). (Double-checking? Ask someone with a keen sense of smell to sniff it for you.) anything we feel we can not sell for you (eg: a slow-moving type of product that we already have many of) helmets in post-accident condition (they’re only good for one bounce). quotidian leather clothing, shoes, or fashion boots . (If it’s not tough or sexy, it’s unlikely to find a home here.) stolen goods (in fact, I have a list of things folks have reported missing, just in case we see them come in) We’re not really taking Tshirts and shirts anymore. Unless they are rare or spectacularly… something special.

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can not ride your motorcycle, unless you’re living in an area that sees permanent deep frost and deep snow. And even then, depending on your motorcycle, you can still ride, but in this case you’ll need to change the rear tire for a snow track system (like those on tanks), and the front wheel will get some skis. But if you live in an area where it is cold, rainy and sometimes some snow, you can still ride, but you’ll need to take some precautions. The most important factor for riding in the cold, is that you need to trap your body heat. Heat tends to dissipate into the cold, and it is difficult to stoke the fire inside your body to replace the lost heat. So the best way is to insulate your body from heat loss. In the old days, people would wrap old newspapers against their body to trap the heat. Nowadays you will not need to worry about newspaper ink rubbing against your skin, giving you who-knows-what-kind-of-sickness. A microfiber layer against your skin is the first defense layer against the cold. A microfiber T-shirt is great, better yet a long-john made out of microfiber. If you don’t have microfiber, get a good cotton one. A one-piece is better than two, but having one is better than none. TIP: You need to put on the first layer, the microfiber, when you are warm, not outside in the cold. In that case, all you will be doing is trapping the cold temperature, so defeating the idea of keeping warm. Put on the microfiber when you are warm! Next you can put on layers of woolen sweaters or cotton or silk shirts. Don’t put on too much, if not you’ll not be able to operate your motorcycle properly. Alternatively, you can get a heated vest. Plug it into your 12V system, and you’ll be as snug as a bug in a rug. The final layer, your jacket, needs to be totally windproof; leather or nylon will do the trick, and ideally it should be a one-piece suit. If you don’t have a one-piece suit, get one that can be zipped between the pants and jacket. This way, less heat will escape. Your body extremities will see the fastest heat loss. Feet, hands and very important, your head, will loose heat very fast. It’s important to keep them warm. Hands : Make sure your gloves are the gauntlet type, i.e., fit over your jacket sleeve. This way, no cold air can come in or out via the top. You might also want to get some silk gloves to wear inside your normal gloves, since they keep the fingers warm & dry. Remember that your hands & fingers are exposed to a very cold air when riding. It’s the reason many all-year riders have heated handlebars, or heated gloves. TIP: If heated handlebars or gloves are too expensive, consider chemical heat packs. Feet : Your feet will not be moving much on the motorcycle so they will tend to get cold quickly, but they have a source of natural heating; your motorcycle’s engine (unless you are riding a sports motorcycle). But you will still need to wear warm socks, preferably with silk under-socks. Make sure your boots are rainproof and do not let wind in (and therefore hot air out). In the worst case scenario, get rain boot covers. Head : Your head, believe or not, is very important. A head, and therefore brain that is exposed for long periods of time to cold temperatures will not function properly. You will start to loose concentration, and make judgment mistakes; your reaction time will diminish dramatically. At the very least, wear a balaclava, preferably with a silk hood underneath it. An advantage of a balaclava, one that goes up to your nose, is that it will prevent your visor from fogging up, something, no matter how good your visor, will happen in the winter.

Joe Rocket Speedmaster Jacket wBW Reviews Home I purchased this Joe Rocket Speedmaster jacket in 2002 from New Enough; it was a leftover 2001 model. The jackets were new stock on sale in New Enough's closeout bargain basement, and this one was a great deal. The price was heavily discounted because this style was being discontinued in favor of the current style. The 2001 jacket pictured here and the newer jackets are otherwise virtually identical, as far as I can tell, although I think the "speed hump" on the later models is a bit more pronounced. I actually like this style better than the newer Speedmaster jacket styles, but hey, you can't account for taste! The Speedmaster named clothing products are considered to be the Joe Rocket top of the line models. They are designed for motorcycle racing and have some relatively sophisticated technology included in the designs. But I'll be honest, I must say that I don't really wear this jacket very often. I bought it for the occasional track day, and I've found that the temperature has to be within a certain range to feel comfortable wearing the Speedmaster. The venting is pretty much non-functional, even though there are underarm vents and little scoops on the back of the shoulders that I guess are supposed to suck in air when leaned over. Unfortunately, the Speedmaster jacket and pants are not available in a perforated version. I recently purchased a Joe Rocket Blaster perforated jacket to match my Blaster perforated pants and we'll be reporting on that jacket soon. So if it's a not-too-warm spring day, or a nice evening, the jacket will work. But when the temperature climbs, or if the air is humid, it can get pretty hot inside. Un-perforated leather really blocks the wind, and it can kind of feel sticky underneath all that cow skin. The Speedmaster also comes in a perforated model, and I guess I should have purchased that one instead, because my perforated Joe Rocket "Blaster" pants work really great on all but the very hottest of days. Nevertheless, this is a nice jacket and it is certainly necessary for track days. Most, if not all, of the Joe Rocket jackets and pants are designed to attach to each other, and the "race" jackets like this one have a "360 degree" zipper that attaches all the way around any matching Joe Rocket pants, such as my Blaster perforated pants. There's also a shorter, 8" zipper that attaches to a matching length zipper on many Joe Rocket pants (e.g., the Blaster), which at least keeps the jacket from riding up your back. The leather is 1.4mm cow hide, which is pretty thick; the thickest leather I've seen used on motorcycle clothing made is 1.7mm, and it can get uncomfortably stiff at that thickness if it isn't processed correctly (and that type of processing can add $$ the overall price). The Speedmaster is loaded with dual-density, plastic backed armor, which is near race quality. You can remove the back armor from its pocket, but I'm not sure how you would remove the shoulder or elbow armor. In any case, the armor seems like it's good enough quality that there should be no need to remove it anyway. The arms have panels made from Schoeller Keprotec®‚ Full Flex™ stretch material, found on many motorcycle garments. They're supposed to be breathable, but it's hard to tell if they help with ventilation or not. The panels extend from the front of the arm above the elbow up under the armpit. The sleeves also have about a 5" zipper at the cuff to help ease the process of getting the jacket on and off. There are some hefty metal snaps at the cuff also, but they can be tricky to get seated when wearing gloves. You sort of have to make sure the male segment of the snap is exactly lined up with the female part and then push hard. The Speedmaster has a quality YKK zipper up the front; it looks to me to be about a YKK #8, which is a nice, hefty zipper. There's only a narrow 1.25" wide leather backing behind the zipper to keep out any errant air. At the neck, the jacket has two of the same hefty metal snaps on the collar, which provide some adjustability for securing the neck. Below the snaps lives a small "hook and loop" flap (not sure if it's real Velcro) that can fasten the neck also. I usually use this one only, as by time I'm ready to secure the neck, I have my gloves on, and I just haven't been able to get the snaps to secure properly with gloved hands. The "hook and loop" flap also has a nice touch - an oval-shaped reflective "Rocket" logo on the front that hides the fact that it's only a flap. Also, the neck doesn't have any type of fabric liner, but the leather that does reside there is supple enough not to cause any "rope burn" on your neck. Inside the left breast flap is a "hidden" wallet pocket. The opening is about 5" long, and it's fairly deep at about 7", so it can hold a good sized wallet or sunglass case. I don't like to carry any hard items in my riding jacket or pants, because if I do fall, I don't want something potentially breaking a rib or puncturing a kidney if I can avoid it, but the pocket does come in handy. The Speedmaster is lined with a mesh liner with many "holes". The liner certainly can't be blamed for holding up any air flow. The jacket also comes with a nice quilted liner, although I've never actually used it for riding; I've been comfortable without it so far. The stitching on the Speedmaster is nicely done, with some rolled edges and overlapping areas of leather in places that might see the most wear from a get-off. By the way, there are also two zippered outer slash pockets. They're ok for small stuff, like earplugs, but it would be hard to even stuff a pair of gloves in there. They are a bit hard to reach, because the jacket is a bit stiff from the thick leather, and the armor also inhibits lifting your arm up high enough to get into the pocket, but I guess this will get better as the jacket gets broken in. Besides, you don't want anything in your pockets on the track anyway... I'm not all that crazy about the big "Rocket" logo across the back, but at least it's reflective. There are also two smaller, oval-shaped Rocket logos up high on each arm. The back of the Speedmaster comes down far enough to still protect your rear and lower back when in a bent over position, and the area under the logo is filled with some type of fairly stiff armor. Also, the bottom of the jacket has two adjustment tabs, which allow expansion of the waist line (in my case!) or snugging it up if necessary. There's also a padded "speed hump" on the back of the jacket. Thankfully, it's small enough to go mostly unnoticeable; I'm not sure how I would look with a full-on race hump walking in to my local 7-11 to buy gas! Also, there are a couple of small vents up on the back of the shoulders, visible in this photo. They are meant to increase air circulation down the back of the jacket, but they don't seem to do much - at least at the speeds I travel! Perhaps if you were headed down the back straight at 150 mph... Bottom Line Don't get me wrong - I like this jacket; I think the Joe Rocket products have greatly improved in quality over the last several years, and this is a heck of a product for the money, as are most Rocket garments.

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In recent months, I’ve seen more people considering taking up motorcycle riding lessons in response to the dismal Certificate of Entitlement (COE) situation for cars. It’s a natural outcome, given that riding is always going to be a cheaper transport solution than cars, even though the motorcycle COE premium is now hitting new highs of over $4, 000 (nearly three times of what it was last year. UPDATE: And as of June 2015, it is over $6, 500). But I’ve also heard many people express doubt and uncertainty, because motorcycling is seen as an undesirable and dangerous form of transport. I’m writing this to help shed light on some important things before you make the decision to go on two wheels. You might think that my immediate answer to the question would be “Yes”. Actually, serious bikers focus so much on safety, that you should be asking “Am I able to commit to being safe on the roads if I want to ride a motorcycle?”. Many inexperienced bikers think that the Traffic Police is too preachy when it comes to road safety – well, you wouldn’t think that way if you know more about road riding. If you are in your 30s and you aren’t already riding, you probably don’t know many bikers who can give you a balanced perspective on things. You’ll just be hearing advice from many non-riders who sometimes would like nothing better than for motorcyclists to be banned from the roads. I’m not a motorcycle guru, but I’ve do have 20 years of driving experience and 18 years of riding experience, so maybe you can believe me. The biker community has a very weak voice in the public sphere – there simply aren’t as many prominent public figures or influencers who ride a motorcycle and can step on a podium to speak up for the community’s needs. That’s also why it’s difficult for motorcyclists to explain why we do what we do, and why Singapore can be increasingly inconvenient for bikers. If you want to ride, you need to understand and accept the following There is widespread prejudice against all bikers, justified or otherwise Motorcycling is definitely high-risk You can mitigate risk but it is extremely inconvenient to do so You must develop great riding skills to survive the roads Family approval is mandatory If you can’t do ALL of the above, please, do not ride and put yourself and other people in danger. What would really help the biking community in any country is having more responsible and skilled riders on the roads, and the sharing of motorcycling as a unique culture, not a disease. (Update Oct 2015: I have created a new Ultimate Singapore Motorcycle FAQ that hopes to answer most of the questions you might have after you’re done with this piece. But please read on first.) WIDESPREAD BIAS AGAINST BIKERS Prejudice against motorcycles and bikers is not just in Singapore, but in many other countries as well. Over the past 50 years, the media and Hollywood have created stereotypes of motorcyclists as outlaws, rebels or angry anti-heroes. Think Easy Rider, Mad Max, Akira, Sons of Anarchy and so on. You won’t see Mary Poppins on a bike, will you? In Singapore today, there seems to be outright disdain for bikers in certain quarters. The immediate reaction by parents to motorcycling as a transport choice is often met with derision or fear, and an outright “no”. Many will claim to know of someone’s son who got into a bad motorcycle accident, but you also don’t hear of people telling you of all the elderly bikers who seem to have been riding for decades without issues. Those noisy, reckless “kup chais” that drive you crazy on the roads? Trust me, I hate them too. They give safe and sane bikers a really bad reputation. I shake my fist at them when I’m driving. I’ll admit that until I was forced by National Service conscription in 1996 to learn how to ride a motorcycle in the army (as a recce trooper), I never even gave thought to riding – such is the widespread mentality towards motorcycling. You are 100% likely to face resistance from family and friends if you suggest you want to take up motorcycling, and you have to work to convince them of the safety precautions available out there (see below). Increasingly, SG bikers find themselves shut out of shopping malls or commercial buildings that refuse entry to motorcycles. The Land Transport Authority spends an extraordinary effort going after not just performance modifications, but harmless cosmetic mods (eg. replacement of signal lights with smaller, but brighter LED lamps) on motorcycles, which has heavily impacted bike workshops. The motorcycle COE has shot up from $1, 500+ to over $4, 000+ in the past few months as the LTA has restricted motorcycle COE quotas in the same manner as cars, even though the former currently does not cause congestion on the roads. YES, IT IS HIGH RISK This negative perception of bikers is reinforced by frequent media stories on motorcycle accidents, which unfortunately, do form 45% of fatal motor accidents according to official 2013 Traffic Police data. The number of fatalities involving motorcyclists and their pillion riders fell by 5.3% from 76 persons in 2012 to 72 persons in 2013. Overall, we have also seen a decrease of 14.7% in the total number of riders and pillion riders casualties, from 4, 370 in 2012 to 3, 726 in 2013. The number of motorcyclists and pillion riders who died or were injured in accidents along expressways has also decreased from 1, 205 in 2012 to 1, 031 in 2013 (-14.4%), although the proportion of motorcyclists and pillion riders casualties along expressways remain fairly constant at an average of 27.8% over the past 3 years. It’s grim to know that 1031 riders and pillion riders were injured last year. That’s an average of 2.8 injuries sustained on a motorcycle each day. The truth is motorcycling is a high-risk activity and you cannot sugar-coat this. If you decide to ride, you have to be 100% responsible for your own safety. And no, you can’t blame other drivers or pedestrians if you get into an accident even if you weren’t the cause. A car may bolt out of the blue into your path, but you are required to take the necessary precautions and ride in the most paranoid manner possible to preserve your life and get home safe. However, I find that it is the bad attitude and poor riding skills of many riders on our roads that are the real cause of their own accidents. They ride recklessly, refuse to wear protective gear, they don’t check blind spots, race through danger zones (eg. all traffic junctions) and they have no idea what the driver is able to perceive of the traffic situation. As all experienced drivers will know, there are some key blind spots around a car that are really hard to check, but many riders don’t know about this nor do they care until it is too late. I still cannot believe it when I see small bikes trying to weave through small gaps between large trucks – the truck drivers really cannot see you and you are seconds away from becoming a meat sandwich. SO WHY RIDE? One can ride for many obvious reasons – cost and convenience being the top two. But those are the pragmatic reasons, bikers very quickly learn that riding offers a special type of freedom not available to drivers, commuters or pedestrians.