> motorcycles in Nanaimo Get an alert with the newest ads for motorcycles in Nanaimo.Editor’s Note: In the month of May, we’re focusing on how wearable technology can help users better experience the Great Outdoors. Rapid innovation within the industry has yielded devices catered towards everyone from avid campers and rock climbers to kayakers and motorcycle riders. Whichever way you prefer to experience Mother Nature, whether by using your own two hands or by riding atop two wheels, there is some piece of technology to help you improve your performance or enhance the experience. Considering the Hero4’s ability to shoot 30 frames per second in ultra-high resolution, it comes as no surprise that MotoGP™ recently announced a five-year partnership with GoPro, a marriage that places motorcycle racing fans as close to feeling as though they are Valentino Rossi as humanly possible. But how about those of us who are not merely captivated by Grand Prix superstars, but for whom two wheels are our daily commute or weekend trail ride?

Many riders already have GoPro cameras mounted on helmets, but the last year has brought with it exponential innovations in motorcycle gear aimed at safety and ease of use. Winner of “Best Wearable Tech Company” at SXSW 2014 and easily the most advanced motorcycle helmet on the market, the Skully AR-1 features a transparent floating head up display (HUD) that gives the rider full situational awareness with a revolutionary 180° rearview camera. The introduction of a live blind spot view effectively minimizes the likelihood of blind spot related crashes. Essentially using the same technology we see in high-tech automobiles, Skully also uses voice control for hands-free calling, music streaming, and GPS navigation (although any seasoned rider would tell you that listening to music is less than safe, regardless of helmet capability). Currently available for pre-order in a matte black or glossy white at a mere $1,499, it is a beautiful yet un-affordable gadget for most riders.

However, there is another helmet in the works that may give Skully a run for its money. Though just out of beta testing, The Guardian from Fusar Technologies also features an ultrawide rearview camera and HUD display, but will have added video recording capabilities intended to commit to hard memory exactly what transpired in the event of an accident — call it a visual black box. Pricing is as yet unannounced, but the helmet is expected to hit the market in the fall of 2015. If you are happy with your helmet but still want to monitor your movement and environment without having to look down, BIKEHUD is an audio-visual gadget that clips onto your existing helmet and maintains safety by operating on what it calls the Rule of 3. For simplicity’s sake, the display presents only the parameters of speed, gear change, and engine revs. The mountable gadget can be connected to a free downloadable GPS and also has the ability to alert you of approaching speed cameras. Revving in at $534 with an additional $68.40 for GPS, it is an expensive alternative to simply paying attention to your bike.

In the event that you do crash, Alpinestars created a Tech-Air airbag system housed within both the Valparaiso touring jacket and Viper street jacket. harley davidson motorcycles for sale ottawaThe advanced weatherproof gear utilizes algorithms capable of predicting accidents and detecting both low- and highside crashes. cbx motorcycle for saleRelease date in the U.S. as well as price points are as yet undetermined, but the jackets will be available in Europe sometime in spring 2015. repossessed motorcycles for sale in pennsylvaniaThis technology follows the wave of similar motorcycle airbag jackets, such as Dainese D-air technology, which will set you back £1400 (~2194.78 USD) for vest and sensor, as well as the very nascent Safety Sphere, which is essentially an enormous fully encompassing safety cocoon.held waterproof motorcycle jacket

A more affordable option, Beartek’s motorcycle gloves are easy to use and employ dual functionality via two separate modules- Bluetooth, in order to listen to music and take calls, and a camera module, which allows you to control a GoPro with ease.ktm motorcycle dealers in massachusetts The rider simply hits different touch points on their glove with their thumb to navigate songs, conversations, and to start or stop camera use. motorcycle shop jonesboro arThe gloves retail at $275, with each module costing $140 individually.salem mass motorcycle ride 2013 With safety and ease as primary considerations, these gadgets are undoubtedly transforming the way in which motorcyclists are communicating with the world as well as the open road.

The question that remains is, when will they affordable to the layman?Jesse recently asked our Twitter followers what they’d like to see on the blog and the consensus seemed to be: more practical advice. So, apologies ahead of time for this post, as painted leather jackets aren’t terribly practical. Not for most men, anyway. Heck, probably not even for me, although I recently had a vintage Schott double rider painted by a childhood hero of mine – buZ blurr. He’s an old graffiti artist who has been putting up his Colossus of Roads moniker on the side of freight cars for nearly fifty years. His style is more in the tradition of early-20th century hobo art than ‘70s NYC subway graffiti, which kind of makes it more awesome.Like with a lot of menswear, you can trace the roots of painted motorcycle jackets back to the military. In the Second World War, Army Air Corps members used to treat their military-issued A-2s like blank canvases – painting the backs with bawdy illustrations of women or cuddly cartoon characters piloting planes.

Many of the drawings were a bit immature, but you could hardly blame young servicemen for needing a way to cope with the traumas of war. When they returned, most of those jackets were hung in the back of closets, never to be worn again (they were things the owner might have worn in Europe, but not things they wanted to be seen in back home). Some servicemen, however, joined the growing American biker movement in the 1950s. Keen to re-experience the camaraderie they felt during the war, they and their friends painted the backs of their leather motorcycle jackets with nicknames and club insignias – which is how the practice began. Over the years, a number of subcultures adopted the look. The so-called “leather boys” in 1960s London (later known as the Rockers) used to customize their leathers with patches, studs, and paint. And in the ‘70s and ‘80s, punks decorated their jackets with political messages and music references (some of which were intended to offend). Many of them also wore black double riders, despite never having ridden bikes. 

Similarly, as clothes have become divorced from social tribes, painted leathers have been taken up by the fashion and art world. Some of my favorites include these from Keith Haring, as well as the one Glen O’Brien had decorated by Jean-Michel Basquiat (“this jacket made me feel like a king,” he said). Raf Simons also famously put Peter Saville’s Joy Division cover art on the back of a double rider, and Levi’s once teamed up with thirteen artists to customize twenty-one jackets using oil pants. And, for the next week, Christies is auctioning off twenty-three one-of-a-kind leathers from leading designers such as Dries Van Noten, Helmut Lang, and Alexander Wang (proceeds will be donated to an AIDS charity). Those will cost you thousands of dollars, but the beauty of a painted leather jacket is that anyone can get one. If you have a talented friend who’s an artist (or you’re one yourself), just decorate the back with Mean Streaks or specialized paints. I recommend finding a jacket with a single-piece back panel (ones without a center seam) to give a flat surface.