Bell is one of the oldest and most-respected names in cycling safety equipment. Formed more than fifty years ago as an auto parts manufacturer, they have over time become one of the leaders in helmet manufacturing for bicycling and motorcycling of all types.

The helmet pictured at right is their model 7R. It features a composite shell, made of Kevlar, Carbon fiber and fiberglass. That allows it to provide maximum strength and protection while remaining extremely lightweight.

This helmet is also designed to provide maximum airflow, with its visor-placed air intake vents and inner line with air channels. The liner is also removable and washable.

Other features include a chin bar lined with shock-absorbing EPS, a five-year manufacturer’s warranty, roost guard and goggle-grabbers for a firm fit.

This helmet is also available in other color patterns.

More info on this Bell Motocross Helmet:

• Click here to find this racing helmet at Shop.com
  

These riding boots from Teknic are stylish as well as versatile. The safety feature list is quite extensive, but let’s start with the versatility.

The Powerskin II liner encompasses the entire boot, providing waterproofing as well as breathability. This should allow you to use these boots in almost any weather condition.

The dual-density rubber sole provides a secure grip, impact protection as well as anti-vibration protection. It’s also designed to be comfortable when you’re off the bike as well.

The boot is adjustable in several ways for a secure fit — the front and rear ankle panels stretch to fit, while the velcro straps allow you to adjust the tightness of the boot for a snug fit.

There are several important safety features: the shin plates are made of impact-resistant nylon and are backed with foam padding. The heel cup is injection molded for abrasion protection. The sole contains an anti-torque and anti-crush molded steel plate. And the toe slider is made of injection molded abrasian-resistant ABS.

The boots are available in black or in black/red.

More Info on these Motocross Boots:

• Click here to find these boots at Revzilla
• Find these boots at Amazon.com

Let’s take a break from our product features to talk a bit about Harley Davidson’s 2007 year. We’ll cover Harley’s financial performance, the crash of its stock price, labor relations, enhancements to their bikes and then end on a sad note.

Optimism was high in January, 2007 for this company. Their stock price had run up by more than fifty percent in 2006, the outlook for retail was strong and Harley retained its image as the premium motorcycle brand. It didn’t take long for that to change. In February, Harley got into a labor dispute with workers at its largest manufacturing plant. The strike was relatively short, but contributed to the stock’s twenty-precent freefall by mid April. In the blogosphere, reaction was harsh.

Harley has always eyed the India market as prime for expansion. 2007 was no exception. The onslaught of news began in April and continued throughout the year. We’ll see if these positive steps can have an impact on Harley’s performance in 2008 and beyond.

Summer brought us the announcement of Antilock brakes, the most significant equipment-related event of the year. Here’s a good video that explains it in detail.

The third quarter was brutal for Harley’s stock price. Already down eighteen points in 2007, Q3 brought another nine point drop. Q3 financials were slightly better than expected, helping to stabilize the drop at the end of the year. But this planned furlough of thousands of workers was a sign of a weak 2007, and the company got little reprieve in the first two weeks of 2008, as the stock shed another fifteen percent. Speculation was that this had to do with the sub-prime lending fiasco.

Finally, Harley fans got a dose of sad news late in the year, as one of its legendary spokesman, Evel Knievel, passed away. Here’s a great essay expressing how many of us felt.

On the arts and entertainment front, we saw the release of “Wild Hogs”, starring John Travolta and William Macy. Check out the trailer here. And I can’t resist a link to this photographer since it snuck in under the wire in 2007 and it hits on two of my passions — cycles and photography.

All in all, a rough year for Harley. The sluggish US economy is to blame, of course, and I don’t think any of us is overly pessimistic about the year to come. But time will tell…

More than a traditional chest protector, this Ballistic Jersey from EVS adds a fully-integrated belt to protect the kidney area. This makes it a complete upper-body protection system.

The shields are made of six-hundredths-of-an-inch thick molded plastic, with foam panels. These panels are made of “Extreme V Ballistic Cross-Link” which provides extra impact absorption and resistance against abrasion. In addition, these panels are slotted as well, which allows for air flow for cooling.

Since this strong chest protector is so thin, it can be worn under a regular jersey. Typically includes a one-year warranty from EVS.

More info on this Motocross Chest Protector:

• Click here to find this item at Revzilla
• Find this item at Amazon.com

These are one of the best pairs of gloves you can find for cold-weather riding. They are probably going to be overkill for milder days, but when the chill bites, these are an excellent choice.

Everyone’s got their waterproof, breathable material, and MSR is no exception. In this case, it’s “Hipora”, designed to be waterproof and windproof while still allowing for airflow.

The Hipora protects against moisture, while the Thinsulate insulation provides extra warmth. And the extra-long cuffs provide protection against any cold air sneaking in.

MSR expects you to wear these in messy weather, so they’ve also provided an outer liner that’s designed to grip even when wet and to be easy to pull on.

More Info on these Motocross Gloves:

• Click here to find these gloves at Revzilla
• Find these gloves at Amazon.com

These overpants are appropriate for all-weather riding. They are waterproof and include a removable insulated cold-weather liner.

The Hypertex material is designed to breath like mesh, allowing for airflow despite its waterproof quality. Once the ride is over, typical water-proof pants can feel like a roasting bag — the breathability of these pants will allow you continue feeling comfortable even after dismounting.

The knee and hip joints include removable motocross body armor with Temperfoam pads.

Legs include a two-way, full-length zipper system that allows them to be removed and put on easily.

They include a stretch, one-size-fits-most spandex waistband along with tabs along the side that adjust for a good fit.

Firstgear provides a one-year warranty with these overpants.

More info on these Motocross pants:

• Click here to find these pants at Revzilla
• Find these pants at Amazon.com

Looking for a Harley jacket but don’t want leather? This nylon jacket exudes Harley cool, is stylish and functional too. It features a mandarin collar that won’t get in the way, a durable main zipper, as well as zippered hand-warmer pockets.

The waist tabs are fully adjustable, the back of the jacket is an “action back” that allows increased range of motion in the arms and shoulders. Both left and right sleeves feature large Harley Davidson outlined text, while the classic bar-and-shield logo sits on the left chest.

This is a more-functional jacket than the traditional leather ones. It still looks great, but it’s definitely for the rider more concerned with functionality. Nylon provides durability, better heat control, and increased flexibility over leather.

More Info on this Nylon Harley Davidson Jacket:

• Click here to find this jacket on Amazon.com

This motocross jacket by Answer is tough to find.

It’s a versatile jacket — it works well as a mid-weight track jacket or just for hanging around. And the classy mostly-black exterior means you can wear it with just about anything.

It’s got a fold-over collar, also black, and solid black piping along the shoulders and sleeves.

The Answer logo is prominently displayed on the front left chest in contrasting bright white. On the bottom of the of the jacket, in the back, is written “Answer Racing”.

The listing I’m linking to shows this jacket worn by a woman, but it’s pretty clearly a unisex model. A broader search will lead you to other sizes and styles.

More info on this Motocross Jacket

• Click here to find this jacket on Revzilla
• View this jacket on Amazon.com

These saddlebags aren’t made by Harley, nor do they feature the H-D logo, but they do have that Harley Davidson look to them.

Made of black leather and silver metal hardware, they’re likely to match other Harley accessories. Saddlebags come in many varieties — this one is a good compromise between size, durability, and cost. If you need something larger, I’ll provide a link to more bags below.

These bags are roomy (16.5 x 7 x 11 inches), tough (the leather is heavy-duty cowhide, the stitching is reinforced) and look great.

Mounting should be straightforward, but be sure to purchase mounting brackets too. These bags will fit many motorcycle brands, but in my opinion would look best on a Harley!

I believe these will fit most models, including Softail, Fatboy, Dyna, etc. But do check with the retailer to be sure.

More Info

• Click here to find these bags on Amazon.com
• Find motorcycle saddlebags on eBay

Classic lines for a classic brand. Smooth, rugged boots for the ladies, these are made to be both stylish and functional. Features black genuine leather upper with pull-on straps, black-on-black stitching with embossed bar-and-shield Harley logo at the heel.

The silver colored chain-link ankle ring with leather harness and metal rivets breaks up the lines perfectly. The sole is thick, rugged, oil-resistant rubber with a grooved riding surface for stability even in slick conditions.

The interior features a cushioned sock-lining. Available in various sizes. These boots are a perfect match for the Men’s Harley Hustin Boots

More Info on these Womens Harley Davidson Boots:

• Click here to find these boots at Amazon.com
• View a similarly-styled boot in tan