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New Rider's Wear Company - looking for opinions

BoxerTwin

New member
I'm considering starting a new rider's wear manufacturing company, making only jackets and pants to start. I'm thinking about a product which would be like Aerostich - high quality, made in the US - but with a bit more style. I love my 'Stich gear, but it is somewhat lacking in terms of panache.

As BMW riders, we typically spend a lot of time on our bikes and are intimately familiar with the best features and shortcomings of our gear. Please share any features you'd like to see in a new line of clothing, as well as any features you dislike.


Thanks!
 
God knows I love my 'stich and wouldn't change a thing on it, but if they made something like a 'stich that actually fit women, life would be good. Tina had a 'stich but sold it and bought a BMW Savannah. She likes the Savannah for a few reasons: it makes her look like a girl, she can buy a separate top and bottom to fit, it offers great crash protection, it's stylish and it fits.
 
I went through this two years ago after I went for a slide that made my Darien less than waterproof. I looked around a lot and decided on the Savannah II jacket, also. It's much better than the Darien in warm weather, but the waterproof liner is fussy to set up. I've since begun carrying a Frogg Toggs jacket instead.

What I want:
1) One suit to do it all. I tour a bunch and need to have one suit that can be warm, cool, waterproof and well ventilated. I don't want to carry extra jackets and pants to cover all the bases.
2) A liner that can be worn around the campfire and into a restaurant. I really, really like the Darien liner.
3) The waterproof part of the jacket has to allow winter gloves to fit inside the sleeves. The Darien did this; the Savannah doesn't. It's just not very pleasant to have the rain run down your arms and into your waterproof gloves. That's one reason why I'm using the Frogg Toggs shell.
4) I would rather have an electric liner than too much bulk and, especially, too much weight. The new B MW vest that has no wires is very good. But note how this works with 2).
5) I am horizontally enhanced. The elastic waist belts that are supposed to keep the jacket down on slim folks generally help the jacket ride up on me.
6) I like the 3/4 length jacket style.
7) The pants have to be waterproof and vented, too. The legs should have a long enough zipper that it's not an acrobatic feat to get it on and off over my boots.
 
I think K hit the nail on the head. I think if you'd be real smart to start with women's riding apparel.
There's almost too much Guys stuff out there. I hear complaints from every woman rider I know that there just isn't much of a choice in the Women's isle.
 
dlearl said:
I think K hit the nail on the head. I think if you'd be real smart to start with women's riding apparel.
There's almost too much Guys stuff out there. I hear complaints from every woman rider I know that there just isn't much of a choice in the Women's isle.

Yep, but manufacturers who do sell women's attire make it for girls, not women and it is well, trashy. You know the leather halter top stuff.

Plus, most manufacturers won't take the time with women's clothing because the bigger market is with men. What are we like 8%?

:dunno
 
trashy

MrsKbasa said:
Yep, but manufacturers who do sell women's attire make it for girls, not women and it is well, trashy. You know the leather halter top stuff.

And this is a problem???????????
 
New Rider's Wear

Mrs. KBasa is right on several points. Women are still a small sub-segment,
and are for commercial purposes treated as decorative parts and accessories.
We've been to Sturgis, Daytona, and Laconia, and have seen the costumes,
and I understand, even if I don't agree.
I'd like to point out that they get away with it because a bunch of us also
happen to be fairly tall, or at least tall enough to fit men's sized gear.
So our 8% then becomes maybe 4% because half of us who demand performance
actually can shoehorn marginally into the existing offerings.
The smaller AND women-shaped are really too small a subset to cater to.
Smaller men and the few younger child passengers share the problem, and feel our pain.
Grrrrrrr!
 
Leather.... looks, feels, and 10,000+ motorcycle racers can't be wrong! When it rains, put on a rain jacket.;)
 
I second the motion on leather. Make us something protective, not so long in the thighs, and doesnt look like racer boy.
 
I love me Darien pants, but sold the jacket. I hate 3/4 length gear I have decided. I wish Aerostich would build a waist length coat. I currently am wearing a Teknics item, but it doesn't have the quality that Aerostich has.

Just my 2 cents...
 
Would question the need for another manufacturer. Already more than enough in the business, and don't think anybody can produce the ideal suit, ie, one suit for all weather. I rarely have a need to carry more than one suit plus a Frogg suit. Sixties or below, it's the First Gear Kilimanjaro and pants (Gerbings added if really cold), and seventies or above, Joe Rocket mesh gear.
 
Always thought it would be nice if someone would have a company who would revise my favorite leather and suede jackets to beef up elbows and accept armour. The stuff I have bought for non-riding purposes is a lot more stylish than most of what is available. Just an idea.
 
DarrylRi makes some good points. He left out those of us who have short and thick necks! I have a rather short neck and the Darien jacket even when folded, molded and flattened causes me some grief. I have gotten used to folding it down in the back and folding the points of the collar under the front. I think jackets should be able to have different collars sewn in. My old Dress Blue jacket from my USMC days had separate collars you could order and sew on. Comfortable collars!

I would also like to volunteer myself as your first R & D field representative.
 
More tall mutant sizes. I am 66 tall & weigh 305 lbs. I am not overly big in the belly, that is to say I am fairly well proportioned for my height. I am just a big guy

I currently wear a 4XL Kilimanjaro that works pretty well. I also ordered a custom Gerbing heated jacket for cold days: http://www.gerbing.com/.

The problem with the 4XL Kilimanjaro is that it is not long enough in the body & sleeves. What I really need is a 3XL Tall. I have super freakishly long arms (38ÔÇØ dress shirt sleeve length).

The First Gear pants I have work pretty-good as they do come in Tall/Long sizes & the thermal liner is a great combination in almost any weather.
 
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