Riding Gear Menu Selection for Today's Ride...& Still no Sena Prism Action Tube for me yet :(

Isn't it great when you start getting to the point where you actually kind of have a "Riding Gear Menu" from which to choose what you are going to wear for the ride of the day based on what the riding conditions will be like?

My ATGATT (All the Gear, All the Time) Lineup for Today's Ride:

ATGATT: CanadianMotoGal's Gear Lineup for Today's Ride

My Alpinestars Jacket shown above is actually the Perforated Version so today I choose to wear my Warm & Safe Heated Liner under it since when I left it was only about 15 degrees Celsius so I find that at highway speeds above 100 km/hr it can be a bit chilly when riding in anything below 20 Celsius (yes I am a wimpy wimp in what I consider to be "cool" temps).  The fit with this liner under my jacket is pretty sung but completely doable for me. As I only had my thin baselayer top under that, if the weather warmed up enough, I could easily remove the liner and stash it in my handy and much loved Kriega-20 tailbag.

Kriega-20 Tailbag on CBR250

My Gear Reviews for the Gear Listed in the Above Photos are Available as Listed Below.

1. Alpinestars Stella GP Plus R Perforated Leather Jacket 
2. Alpinestars Stella Andes Drystar Pants
3. Shoei Photochromic Transitions Shield (also see my Video Review of this Product & Please Subscribe)
3. Alpinestars SMX-6 WP (Waterproof) Ladies Boots
4. Alpinestars Stella SP-2 Gloves
5. Warm & Safe Gen 4 Heated Ladies Jacket Liner
6. Kriega-20 Tailbag
7. Why I wear a Balaclava (not really a gear review per se but just in case you were wondering why!)

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or feedback, let me know! What's you preferred gear on any given day? Post in the comments section below!

Oh yes, almost forgot...I was notified yesterday that the Sena Prism Action Tube that I had ordered the day previously is out of stock so I am once again on the waiting list. :(. It is amazing how difficult it is to get my hands on one of these in Canada!

Sena Prism Action Tube...Patiently Waiting for Mine!

GEAR REVIEW: Alpinestars Stella Andes Drystar Women's Pants

A* Stella Andes Drystar Pants

Alpinestars Stella Andes Drystar Women's Pants

 

This review is based on having worn this product for about 5000 km of both city and hwy riding. Size: Medium as per the sizing guide and they are very true to size (I would say on the smaller fitting end of the scale) but I like my gear to fit relatively snugly.

Overall Impression: Well worth the buy! They are comfy in the riding position and I can wear them comfortably off bike as well.

ARMOUR/ZIPPERS/COVERAGE: Good quality knee armour. Hip area is padded ok. Zippers all good quality. These pants work well to provide great lower back coverage and prevent cold drafts - I wear these pants with the A* Stella GP Plus R Perforated Leather Jacket (size 42) and the zipper connection for pant-to-jacket works well. Knee armour required a bit of breaking in at first (about 10 decent long rides) as was quite stiff and a bit irritating to my knees in a sport riding position but now poses no issues in terms of comfort.

Have worn these in some pretty significant downpours and am quite happy with the waterproofing. They also work quite well in temps of 4-5 C with the removable liner in at hwy speeds (>80 km/hr). When it gets warmer our, the vent zippers on the side do help to cool things off well and the removable liner is a nice feature of these pants for sure. I appreciate the 2 zippered front storage thigh pockets. I can easily fit a decent amount of wallet cards, some cash, lip balm, and my keys for those times that I don't feel like bringing along a tote or bag.

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GEAR REVIEW: Alpinestars Stella S-MX 6 Waterproof Women's Boots

A* Stella SMX-6 WP Boots

Alpinestars Stella S-MX 6 Waterproof Women's Boots

This review is based on use of these boots after having done approx 5000 kms of city and hwy riding.

Size: 39 (Foot length 9.75", narrow foot)

FIT: Awesome fit for my feet! I used the sizing guide and they fit spot on with a set of gel inserts. I have a pretty narrow foot (particularly in the heel area) and often have a difficult time finding footwear that works so I couldn't be happier having purchased these! I wanted to include my thoughts on fitment since this can be so challenging (and frustrating!!) when ordering online.

FUNCTION & COMFORT: I wanted a boot that I could wear for a few hours at a time (at a minimum) off bike as well and these fit the bill. I have worn these at work standing/walking around for over 3 hrs and they are really quite comfy. Perhaps the gel inserts I use help with keeping them comfy. Riding is fabulous with these as well - no issues in terms of the pegs/shifter/brakes and the heel height and reinforced toe is just right. For a boot that offers such decent CE protection, it is very comfortable and offers better than expected flexibility where needed. The sole seems to work well for traction on pavement that is wet and/or a bit slippery. Would like a little more grip for looser surfaces (eg some loose gravel).

ZIPPERS/VELCRO/COVERAGE: Good quality zippers & velcro adjustment. Pretty easy on/off and everything stays put as it should. A bit more cumbersome to put on than I would like but understandable for the style of boot.

WET RIDING: I have worn these in very wet riding conditions and in temps of about 4 degrees C. My feet have remained DRY although when its colder out (4 C) my toes do get a bit cool. Wearing a nice wool sock has helped.

As a personal preference, I would prefer that the boot was a little less logo-ish on the front (maybe a dark grey logo rather than white). It would also be nice to maybe have a little bit more height in the sole just for those of use who could use an extra bit of height :). Overall, I would say a very nice boot well worth buying.

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GEAR REVIEW: Alpinestars Women's Stella SP-2 Gloves

Alpinestars Stella SP-2 Gloves

This review is based on having used these gloves for ~ 5000 kms thus far of city and hwy riding. Size: Small.

I ordered a size small based on the measurements listed on sizing guide and the fit is absolutely perfect (the fingers may seem a tiny bit long but when in riding position on the grips, they are actually perfect). Definitely a good purchase choice, especially for Summer riding. A bit cool in the fingers for Spring/Fall conditions.

Nice quality leather overall. The armour over the knuckles is comfortable even during extended riding. I have not experienced any numbness or cramping in my hands or fingers as I don't feel that there are any constricted areas. Overall, I am super happy with these gloves, as they fit very nice and really required no "break in" period to be comfortable.  The cuff is nice and high and wide enough to easily cover over my jacket cuffs (A* Leather jacket). Easy to get on and off.

I would say these gloves work great in temps above 15 degrees C at hwy speeds. Lower than that and they are a wee bit chilly although I do put hand warmer packs in the top slot opening which really helps (although fingers still get cool). On that note, I do realize and knew that these were not really my top pick for cool weather riding but more for summer hwy conditions, to which they are great!

For the price, I would like to see a visor wipe strip included on thumb as this is always a handy feature.

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GEAR REVIEW: Dainese Pony C2 Pelle Lady Pant

DAINESE PONY C2 PELLE LADY PANT

I decided to order Size 44 based on my true measurements and the Dainese Sizing Chart. I ordered these pants from GP Bikes as Canada's Motorcycle (soon to be switched over to the new name FortNine) was out of stock in my size. Upon receiving my package, I was dismayed to find that the knee armor in one of the legs was missing. Mistakes happen - it's how they are dealt with that really counts in my books. I will therefore do an update with the outcome of this once I connect up with GP Bikes in the morning. 

UPDATE #1 June 7/2016: I am *STILL* waiting for the one leg armor piece to arrive. I was sent one but it was the incorrect size for this pant so I needed to send that one back before they would send me the correct one. It has now been over a month since I have received these pants and I am still missing the armor for the one leg...I have "borrowed" one from my A* pants in the interim. Needless to say, it has been a disappointment to wait. I will update once again to see what the outcome is on this...

Wrong armour piece sent to replace missing armour in leg....Ummm, nope that won't fit

UPDATE #2 June 9/2016: Yay My missing leg armour piece has finally arrived!! Aaaaannnnnd.....it FITS. Glad that GP Bikes finally got it right but from start of getting the pants to finally receiving the missing armour piece, it was well over a month which seems pretty excessive to me considering I don't live in some remote (ok so I am kind of remote but still I am in a city!) little island with monthly postal service ??? Ah well, I am over it and just want to finally get these properly broken in.

OK back to the review. When I first took them out of the box my first thought was "wow these are gorgeous!". My second thought was "wow these look SMALL!" I was not convinced that I would be able to get these on over my thighs let alone my hips, particularly since I have a small waist in comparison to my hips/butt. I did as one should do when preparing to don a pair of leather motorcycle trousers, and I put on my thin, body-hugging moisture wicking baselayer pants. Happily, I did not have too many struggles getting them on. It wasn't the easiest thing in the world but it wasn't the most difficult. It was easier than trying to get a pair of non-stretch skin tight jeans on lol. The leather is fine quality. The stitching and workmanship is excellent. Did I say they are gorgeous? Once on, they are super snug (but will stretch a bit being leather hence why I went with the Size 44), flattering (nice low key yet good hip protection), quite comfortable, and the armor sits in the perfect position (well, in the leg that actually has the armour lol) and is not at all irritating/uncomfortable. 

I couple of cons that I have noted thus far: 1) I do find the length to be a bit too short for my taste (the bottom of the pant reaches just above my ankle malleolus) and I am slightly vertically challenged at 5' 4-1/2" but with a decent inseam (groin to floor) of 30". The length is doable enough though - they tuck into my A* Stella S MX-6 boots well enough and is ok in the riding position. 2) I am also feeling that they ride a bit low in the back and hip area - it almost feels that they aren't pulled up all the way/the lumbar area sags out somewhat. When connected with the pant to jacket zip connector, this is essentially a non-issue. Once the hip & butt areas break in a bit I am projecting that this may help with the settling position of the pant for my shape.

I will post a more comprehensive update and review once I have a bit of riding time on these pants as a review having just barely worn them is not incredibly accurate IMHO.

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GEAR REVIEW: Alpinestars Stella AST-1 Waterproof Women's Pants

 

This review is based on having worn this product for approx 2000 km of in town and hwy riding. I purchased these to wear as an Overpant for work commute days once the weather got cooler/wetter

Size: Large (to be worn as an overpant on commuting work days). Based on that, they do fit loose, but that is exactly what I wanted as I can comfortably wear a pair of thick jeans or even thicker shell/fleece lined pants under them perfectly! These do make a great overpant overall, keeping in mind that I would not be able to wear these on their own or even with a lightweight base layer without swimming in them.

These pants offer good quality zippers and nice decent sized zippered storage pocket on the thigh. The knee armour does sit a tiny bit too low for me but I did order these a size larger than regular sizing chart due to above (to use as overpant). I think I may try stitching a seam across the lower armor packet so it can hold the armor up a bit higher to improve the comfort. Once I am on the bike and adjust the armor, it is fine but I would prefer that it be in the correct spot right off the bat in case of a spill. I wear these pants with the A* Stella GP Plus R Perforated Leather Jacket (listed above) so there is a waist zipper connection that offers great coverage and comfort for the lower back area.

Have worn these pants in some pretty wicked downpours (for about 20 mins total length each time) and was quite pleased with the results of the waterproofing.I do wish the ankle zipper along the outside ran a bit higher. These pants would actually be awesome with a full side length zipper for ease of on/off without removing footwear (since they do make for an awful nice overpant!).

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GEAR REVIEW: Warm & Safe 65 Watt Generation 4 Heated Women's Jacket Liner

Warm & Safe 65 Watt Gen 4 Heated Women's Jacket Liner

This review is based on having used this product for approximately 400 km of highway riding.

Size: Small (ordered based on my measurements & manufacturer sizing chart and I would say it was true to fit for me - arm length also perfect). When standing in an upright position, the jacket seems to "puff out" in the should blade area. I am presuming this is to accommodate the riding position since once the riding position is assumed, the fit is great. There are stretch panels that run along the side of the jacket as well to help with a nice snug fit. As is explained with any heated gear reviews/product info etc, you want the liner quite close to your body so a lightweight garment should be worn under the liner rather than something too thick as otherwise the warmth will not be felt as well/adequately.

The best way I can describe this product is that is borders on being...umm....ok I'm gonna say it...orgasmic. Yes indeed, I am not sure that there is much that can beat the sensation of being enveloped in warmth when cruising along at 100 km/hr + in temps below 12 degrees Celsius (~ 53 F). I have no other words that can adequately do justice to explaining the pure pleasure of this...ok I think you all get the idea now! When the heat cranks up I seriously want to sing for joy lol.

The added bonus to this purchase was that I ordered it directly from Warm & Safe and got a great price on it via the Outlet Clearance. As use of the jacket requires a heat troller to be installed on your bike, I also ordered the "Single Remote Control" heat troller. I was tempted to order the dual version since I do plan on getting the heated gloves as well at some point in time (the gloves can plug directly into the jacket liner via plug ins that come out of the sleeve cuffs) but I decided to cheap out and get the single (which was also on clearance) in the interim since I wasn't sure if this whole "heated gear" thing was for me...if you've read my intro on this jacket I am pretty confident that it most definitely is so in retrospect I am thinking that I do wish I had ordered the dual. The only difference with the dual is that it would afford the option to heat the gloves at a different temperature than the heated jacket so I will see what I think once I take the plunge and get the gloves...I may be quite fine with the single. If not, I will just go ahead and order a dual :).

So why did I go for the 65 watt jacket instead of the 90 watt? Well, to sum it up: 2 reasons. 1) As I already mentioned, I wasn't entirely sure that "heated gear" was for me so this was most certainly a bargain price to try it out first, and 2) My ride is a CBR250 so based on the calculations I could find online, I figured the 65 watt would provide me with more than enough warmth for my riding needs (I am not going to be riding in anything less than 4C/39F and on those colder days, it will only be the commute to work rather than touring around for the ride) without taxing what my ride could afford me in terms of the wattage my 250 could generate. Loosely, it was looking like something along the lines of 340 watts @ 5000 rpms before factoring in headlight, turn signals, brake light usage etc etc, so this would leave about 150 watts (?) for heated gear. Now as I want heated gloves as well (about 20 watts) I felt more comfortable with a bit more "cushion" factor that the 65 watt jacket would offer.
 

The troller install was a breeze considering I am a total noob when it comes to doing such "electrical" type things. I mounted the remote control using the velcro fastener provided although I may alter/mount it elsewhere. It works ok where it is - not much room on the CBR250 for mounting add-ons. I watched the YouTube Warm & Safe Videos a couple of times and off I went with the successful and painless install.

Seriously, if you ever ride in cooler weather....get one. You will not regret it.

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GEAR REVIEW: HJC CSR2 Helmet: My "Plain Janer" Starter Helmet

HJC CS-R2

HJC CSR2 Helmet: My "Plain Janer" Starter Helmet

I figured I would go ahead and add this to the review even though it was purchased awhile ago since it is still available for purchase.

Size Purchased: XS. My head circumference size is about: 55 cm. I purchased my helmet locally after trying on both the small and x-small. Per the sizing chart that is listed on Revzilla, XS = 54-55 cm/per the chart on Canada's Motorcycle/FortNine, XS = 53-54 cm. So in my particular case, the sizing chart per Revzilla was spot on for me.

This was my very first (Yay!) "rider" purchase! Honestly, for the price (about $100.00 CAD), I would say this helmet is a good buy, especially for a starter helmet (aka not sure if riding is for you) and perhaps as a back-up helmet (what I am keeping mine for now that I am upgrading to the Shoei RF 1200).

This was my choice for my "Starter Helmet" since I wasn't exactly thrilled with the notion of purchasing an expensive helmet in case this whole riding thing ended up not being up my alley. I can now say give me any dark, damp, dismal alley - I'm in 100%!!! Thus, my new Shoei brain bucket is currently en route. Granted, I DID add some reflective tape to the HJC so I'm pretty sure I get some points for that, right? 

In all seriousness, this HJC helmet offers many pros for the price point:

1. Quite light (about 3 1/2 lbs)
2. DOT rated
3. Quite comfortable for my oval-ish shaped head (this helmet should be a decent fit for oval-ish-round heads but as with any helmet, it is always best to try them on since all of our heads can vary in what they do and do not like for helmet fitment)
4. Visor does not have any significant distortion
5. Field of view is pretty darn good
6. The shield is super easy to on/off for cleaning/swapping
7. Vents decently enough at higher speeds
8. I did not experience any significant break-in pain with this helmet and found it quite comfortable overall
9. The size of it's shell (exterior) is quite compact-looking so it doesn't make your head look out of proportion for those of us who are smaller framed.

Cons (of note, the cons for the price of this helmet are really not a deal-breaker IMHO:

1. The visor fogs up quite a bit in cooler and/or humid conditions even with the vents open (I did not add a breath box to it) 
2. The padding seems to have compressed a fair bit after about 3500 kms of ride time
3. The shape of it when it's on my noggin just seems too "bucket-like" for my tastes. It kind of reminds me of Bender; If any of you are past or present Futurama fans, you will know what I mean ;).

Edited June 5, 2016 to add a photo that helps to illustrate my above "bucket-head" Bender analogy ;). Note the Shoei in the photo below (white helmet) looks more rounded as compared to the HJC so rather than...well...the Bender pic above lol. I'm not dissing the HJC - it is actually a very comfortable entry level helmet (and it is nice and small so doesn't make your head look like gigantour, particularly if you have a smaller frame :) )

CanadianMotoGal's Shoei RF1200 versus HJC CSR2 Side by Side Comparison: Front View

CanadianMotoGal's Shoei RF1200 versus HJC CSR2 Side by Side Comparison: Back View

CanadianMotoGal's Shoei RF1200 versus HJC CSR2 Side by Side Comparison: Side View

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GEAR REVIEW: Alpinestars Stella GP Plus R Perforated Women's Jacket

 

Alpinestars Stella GP Plus R Perforated Women's Jacket

This review is based on having worn this jacket for a mix of approx 5000km of in town and hwy riding to date. Size: 42 (6)

I ordered the size as per the A* sizing chart and it is an exact fit & comfortable (wearing a thin to regular thickness shirt/thin jacket liner). If you are wanting to wear a thicker sweater or thicker jacket liner, definitely order a size up. I can manage to wear a medium thickness sweater or light wind liner underneath it but it makes it a bit of a tight fit, especially in the bust & arms. See comments below regarding the fit if you plan to upgrade the back armor. It seems to me the "bust area" of the jacket sits a bit low (? or I have quite a good push-up? lol). 

ARMOR & COVERAGE: Good armor quality although it does shift a tiny bit in the shoulder area when I am putting it on so I need to adjust it once I get settled into the jacket. The elbow armor felt a bit stiff until the jacket was worn in for a bit (about 8 rides). I upgraded the back armor to the A* Nuc. KR 2i back protector in size small and it is a great fit - makes the jacket a bit tighter though. The back lips down to cover a good amount - I do have a couple of pairs of A* riding pants (Stella Andes Drystar & Stella AST-1) with the zip connectors that I wear religiously with each ride (ATGATT!) so I have no complaints with the back coverage that this jacket provides when wearing the pants.

LEATHER: Very nice quality and thickness. Very pleased with this aspect of the the jacket.

ZIPS/CONNECTORS: The wrist zippers could be improved upon, as they do ride up a wee bit after doing them up. Remaining side velcro & front zipper are fine.

COLOR: Love the color. The red is a bit on the brighter side rather than a deep red color (exactly what I wanted).

OVERALL IMPRESSION: Great jacket for the price (Update: this jacket has gone up quite a bit in price this year as compared to last year's 2015 pricing but IMHO it is still quite a nice jacket even for the increased $). I would suggest to get the non-perf version if you are wanting to use this jacket for Spring/Fall riding (I wear a large shell jacket overtop for temps below about 18 degrees C otherwise I find it is a bit too chilly with the amount of ventilation it throws at speeds >60 km/hr). In town stop/go riding with temps >20C, jacket is a bit warm for me but completely doable. Keeping in mind, I am in a more central-northern area of BC so our summer temp season is pretty short :(.

I actually will probably also purchase a non-perf version of this jacket since I do like the quality and fit a lot. In retrospect, I do wish I had ordered the non-perforated version for my needs as outlined previously.

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