The one thing that concerns many bikers when it comes to riding during the winter months is visibility. Yes, being cold too is definitely one, but we all worry when riding in the dark if the car in front (or behind us) can see us just as well as we’d like. This is where motorcycle hi-viz clothing comes into it.
There is a massive range of hi-viz clothing available, from jackets, rain suits, gloves, vests, boots and even helmets! Now all that’s left for you to decide how much of it you really need to wear.
With top of the range hi-viz jackets such as the Alpinestars Cape Town Drystar Jacket – Fluro Yellow which retails at £249.99, and the RST Paragon III Jacket – Hi Viz Yellow at £179.99, there are also hi-viz jackets which retail for just £69.99 – the RST Alpha II Textile Jacket – Fluro Yellow. And if the hi-viz panelling on these jackets are too much, why not try a jacket such as the Spada Energy Jacket – Black/Yellow? With just a band of reflective yellow piping this may be all you are after.
Now, Alpinestars manufacture another great hi-viz product in the form of the Alpinestars Jet Road Gore-tex Gloves Hi-Viz which retail at £129.99, hi-viz gloves can go right the way down to Spada Enforcer Hi-Viz WP Glove; which is actually our most popular glove at £59.95.
Maybe you see the hi-viz gloves as just an accessory, not something which is designed for you to be seen clearer by other users of the road; but at the end of the day, any inch of reflective panelling which alerts your presence to another motorist is worth wearing I believe. And the Sidi Vortice Race Boots Black/Fluo Yellow at £299.99 are a fantastic pair of hi-viz boots – and Sidi are actually one of the only brands which do this colour scheme surprisingly.
And whilst we’re on the subject of Hi-Viz motorcycle wear, a special shout out has to be made for the Caberg Konda Hi-Viz Fluorescent Flip Front Helmet. Arguably, one of our best selling helmets this year – its all over hi-viz lid has proved very successful with bikers from all over. Sadly though, this helmet is soon due to be replaced – but at only £50 more expensive the Caberg Duke Flip Fron Hi-Vi Yellow, has a lot higher spec for your money so we are certain this will be THE helmet for 2013. If you’re after a more upmarket helmet however with less hi-viz on the lid, Shoei make two great helmets in the form of the Shoei XR1100 Glacier TC3 and the Shoei Qwest Overt T3. With great reflective panelling on both – these helmets are around the £360-420 mark.
And after all this, if all you are after is some simple clothing such as a rain suit or a hi-viz vest, Weise do a great one piece in the form of the Weise Hi Viz Waterproof Rain Suit at just £44.99. Your hi-viz vests range from the great Two Zero Hi-Viz Vest at £34.99 to the Spada Vison Vest at £15.99. If you want something a little more technical that can expand over your rucksack and is tailored to fit your body, I would recommend the Two Zero. If it is simplicity you are after – Spada is your brand.
So after all of this, I’m sure you can see that the range of hi-viz motorcycle gear is great – and actually looks good – which is always a bonus. So this winter, why not give it a go? With our stocks great and the prices more than competitive at the Two Wheel Centre, this clothing could just save you in more ways than one.