Buying a Motorcycle Leather Jacket – Some Tips

Motorcycle jackets are, of course, an essential item for motorcycle riders and reflect the personality of the wearer. There are many other considerations however, apart from good looks. High on the list of priorities is how well the jacket will protect you in the event of an accident. Is the jacket comfortable when riding and suitable for both summer and winter wear? Motorcycle jackets are expensive so they should be durable and last for many years.

Some Considerations when Buying a Motorcycle Leather Jacket

The fit – Motorcycle jackets are designed to be comfortable when in a riding position so the jacket should be shorter at the front, to prevent riding up, and longer at the back to provide adequate cover. The sleeves should be long to cover your wrists when holding the handle bars and it should be roomy in the shoulders for ease of movement. The neck should be snug but not restrictive and the wrists and waist should have closures to keep out the wind.

Protective Armor – Motorcycle jackets, above all, must provide protection in the event of you coming into violent contact with the road. Adequate padding is necessary jackets are usually padded at the elbows, back and shoulders. Padding may be extra material or better still plastic inserts or reinforced Kevlar. Make sure the armor stays in place when you wear the jacket. Some inserts tend to move around.

Pockets – most motorcycle jackets have plenty of pockets. Opt for ones with flaps as wind can get through zippers unless they have material patches if the back or front. Inner pockets are useful for keeping your wallet and cash in.

Liners – removable insulated liners are great for using the jacket in cold weather.

Vents – vents are necessary to allow you to be cool in the summer. Leather is very warm so you’ll overheat in the summer months unless there is a way to allow air circulation in the jacket.

Color and reflective materials – black is the traditional color for motorcycle jackets and although it look good it’s not the best material for safety reasons. You can’t easily be seen in a solid black jacket! Some type of reflective material is necessary but we don’t want to spoil the looks of the jacket with huge neon stripes! White piping on the back and sleeves can be reflective and logos are often also made from reflective materials.

Winter riding – In the winter you need maximum protection from the elements. A jacket that is cut long, below the hip is better at keeping out the wind and cold. Heavy insulation, often in the form of removable linings is needed and the jacket should be adjustable to give a snug fit at wrists, waist and neck to keep out the wind and cold. Adjustable flap type collars are better than zips and fit snugly but not too tightly.

Leather in the rain – Leather is not meant to get wet so wear a rain suit over your leather jacket in the rain. Water will deplete the natural oils in the leather and lead to deterioration and cracking. If it does get wet hang the jacket up in a warm place, away from any direct sources of heat.

Oiling your leather jacket – You should oil your jacket occasionally especially after it gets wet using a mink oil specially made for leather. this will replace the natural oils in the leather and help to keep it supple and looking good. With care a quality leather jacket should last at least ten years.

Tips for buying motorcycle leather jackets

Buy the best quality within your budget
The leather should be 1.2mm thick at a minimum.
The stitching should be firm and well done especially in areas that will be under strain.
Sleeves should be slightly longer to cover wrists when riding
Leather at the neck should be soft enough to prevent chaffing

Eight Kia Vehicles Dubbed “best Bet” by the Car Book

Kia is continuing its drive to provide safe and high performance vehicles to the motoring public. One of the vehicles in the company’s range, the Kia Sedona, recently was awarded by MotorWeek as the “Best Minivan”, and more recently, the minivan, along with seven other Kia models were given the “Best Bet” distinction by The Car Book. The seven other Kia vehicles to have received the honor are the Kia Rio, Rio5, Spectra, Spectra5, Optima, Sportage and the Kia Sorento.

Last year, the Rio and the Optima received the merit, but this the first year that Kia had eight vehicles to receive the honor. This is a significant achievement for the Asian car maker since out of the 11 vehicles on their lineup, eight made it as the “Best Bet” in 2007.

Len Hunt, the Executive Vice President and COO of Kia Motors America, is apparently proud of their achievement and it is very evident in the statement that she issued. “Obviously, we are extremely thrilled and proud to have eight vehicles from our lineup be distinguished as ‘Best Bets’ by The Car Book. Since this distinction is only given to vehicles that have the safety and performance needs of consumers in mind, we consider it a true testament to Kia’s commitment to providing only the highest quality vehicles to customers,” states Hunt.

The achievement of Kia in the recently published Car Book will surely increase their popularity among consumers. The Car Book, after all, is one of the most reliable buyers’ guides in the field. It provides an updated and comprehensive guide for those looking for a car, van, truck, or sports utility vehicle to buy. The book is published in cooperation with the Center for Auto Safety which is the country’s leader in automobile safety advocacy. Among the attributes of the vehicle that The Car Book presents to prospective car buyers are safety ratings, dealer prices, fuel economy, insurance premiums, maintenance costs, tires, and also a chart of state laws which concerns automobiles. The guide book is as helpful in the choosing of a car to buy as Active Brakes Direct is as helpful to car owners in looking for high performance brake components.

The Car Book gives the “Best Bet” distinction annually to vehicles which rates highly on the different areas aforementioned. The data evaluated by The Car Book comes from different sources. Both government and private studies conducted on 2007 model year vehicles were taken into account in the selection of the “Best Bet” vehicles. The greatest emphasis though is given to the result of crash tests performed on the vehicles. Those automobiles that posted good ratings on the crash tests and have significantly less number of complaints from testers are the ones considered to be part of the “Best Bet” selection.

Jack Gillis of The Car Book stated that: “The Car Book has long been the consumer’s best guide to smart and sensible car buying. We appreciate the fact that Kia continues to make a significant contribution to improving the market choices for the American buyer”.

Indeed, Kia has shown itself as a serious competitor in the automotive market in the US. With these distinctions bestowed upon eight of their eleven vehicles sin their lineup for the 2007 model year, Kia will be enjoying the boost and this may translate to higher sales figures. This also shows that Kia is dedicated to providing safe cars to the American motoring public, and that these vehicles are not only safe, they are also user friendly since they have good fuel economy and relatively low maintenance costs. This may start a new era for Kia where they start to make their presence felt in the US market.

Bowyer to Go Aboard Khi #2 Chevrolet Silverado

Clint Bowyer, the popular NASCAR driver will start his first race this season behind the steering wheel of the No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado truck for Kevin Harvick Incorporated (KHI) at the upcoming NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series that will take place at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Georgia this weekend.

“I’m really excited to get back behind the wheel of a truck. I had a lot of fun last year in the Truck Series and I was really happy when Kevin and DeLana asked me to drive for them in a few races this season. It’s great that Camping World has come aboard as a sponsor. Hopefully we can bring them a lot of success.” says NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer.

“I’m looking forward to racing in Atlanta, especially since the track is similar to Texas, where I got my first Truck Series win last season. I’ll be pulling triple duty, so hopefully I can start the weekend off right with a good run in the Camping World Silverado.” he further explains.

In addition, this year’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be the stage for the racing debut of newcomer Cale Gale, joining KHI along with the team owner and driver, Kevin Harvick. So KHI should get a GM repair manual for their Chevrolet trucks.

Clint Bowyer’s driver skills at the 2006 NASCAR Truck Series made him to score a number one finish with 148/148 laps at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth aboard the Silverado truck owned by Davil Dollar. He also obtained a top 10 slot during a race in Martinsville Speedway and took the seventh spot. This 2007 season, Clint is back behind the steering wheel of the No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado truck owned by co-driver Kevin Harvick and hopes to be the first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion.

Meanwhile, Charlie Wilson Crew Chief of Atlanta Motor Speedway commented:

“We have Clint Bowyer in the No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado this weekend. He will drive the same truck (chassis No. 012) that Kevin raced at the California Speedway.”

“We are using the same set up in the No. 2 Camping World Silverado that the No. 33 AES Silverado has. Ron (Hornaday) has always run well in Atlanta and with the set up that we are using; Clint will run really well also.” he added.

Along with the No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado for KHI, Clint Bowyer is also the current driver Jack Daniel’s No. 7 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the NEXTEL Cup Series and the No. 2 BB&T Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the Busch Series. The Richard Childress Racing owns both of these two trucks.

Hamlin’s Team Wins Pit Crew Challenge

At the Coca-Cola 600 held at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin finished ninth after the grueling 600 miles of racing. During the latter stages of the race, Hamlin opted to go to the pit lane for fuel. This move cost him a possible top five finish since those who took the top four spots gambled and did not go into the pit lane to have their fuel topped up. While the ninth place finish is enough to keep Hamlin on the fourth spot at this season’s championship race, it was the job that his pit crew performed that drew some attention. His pit crew won the weekly Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge. The win by the pit crew moved them to the second spot overall for the entire season.

The 423.882 time that Hamlin’s pit crew posted gave them the win at the Pit Crew Challenge. Hamlin has this to say about his team’s performance: “It was another good night for the No. 11 FedEx crew in Charlotte. Our team chemistry is really good right now and it’s showing in our performance across the board. We are getting closer to that win every week and with this crew I know we’re going to get it soon. I wouldn’t be surprised if they win more awards for their efforts.”

Winning the challenge means that Hamlin’s pit crew will be taking home $11,000 as their prize. At the conclusion of the ongoing Nextel Cup Series, the team with the most wins will be receiving $111,150. Hamlin’s pit crew is composed of: Scott Wood (jackman), Scott Merritt (front-tire carrier), Dennis Terry (front-tire changer), Heath Cherry (rear-tire carrier), Jonathan Sherman (rear-tire changer), Brad Rothlin (gasman), John Eicher (catch can) and Bobby Christensen (eighth-man). These men provide a good support for Hamlin which has enabled him to perform at a respectable level so far this season. The team changes tires, and refills Hamlin’s car with fuel during races much like one would change,

Weathertec mats on their road cars.

So far, Hamlin’s team has won three races this season. The first one came in Bristol at the Food City 500 held last March 25. During that race, Hamlin finished 14th. The second win posted by the No. 11 FedEx crew came during the Subway Fresh Fit 500 held at the Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. During that race, Denny Hamlin finished third on his Chevrolet Impala. With fourteen more races before the Chase for the Cup, Hamlin needs his team to continue the way they are performing to ensure his place at the ten-race series which will determine the champion this season.

Jacky Ickx – Monsieur LeMans

Jacky Ickx is honored in his homeland as the undisputed champion of car racing. Jackie began his racing career in 1964 and he won the Belgium Drivers Championship eleven times between 1967 and 1969. In 1968 he received the national trophy. He has raced on practically every continent and enjoyed success both in Formula One and endurance racing. He is quoted as saying, “Unfortunately in motor racing there is the mechanical part and the driver part. Only the ensemble of both results in victory. You need to have the best car and be the best driver.” His impressive record is proof of his continued effort to be the best driver. He was the only Belgian driver to win eight Formula One Grand Prix in France, Germany, Canada, Austria, Mexico and Holland from 1969 to 1972. He also raced in Africa and South America.

Jacky was born in Bruxelles, Belgium on January 1, 1945 into a family of motoring enthusiasts. Jackie’s father was famous in the field of motoring journalism and his brother was a well-known motorcycle race driver. Nevertheless at first young Jackie was bored with racing.
He was living on the family farm in Braine l’ Alleud and found farm life boring as well. So he decided to give motorcycle racing a trial. Before he was twenty, he served as a tank instructor in the national service. Then in 1965 when he was twenty he raced BMW’s and won the Spa 24 hour’s touring car race. Ken Tyrell was impressed by Jackie’s driving style and started him with a French Matra car. That was the beginning of his career. However, Jacky never hesitated to credit his parents for their encouragement and support, stating, “My parents helped me in a simplest and the most effective way: by being interested in my races and my results. For a sixteen year old boy it could have nothing there of more important.”

In 1966 Jacky started endurance racing winning several championships the most impressive being the 24 hours of LeMans six times. Jacky was a gentleman and a man of principle. This showed in his first run at LeMans. Jacky disapproved of the traditional LeMans start, as he perceived it to be dangerous. The drivers would line up on one side of the track and the cars would be lined up on the other. When the flag dropped, drivers were required to run to their cars, belt themselves in and start. Jacky, in protest, walked slowly across the track to his car. He was the last driver to start but still won the race.

Jacky won at LeMans in 1969, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1981, and 1982. His record is second only to Danish driver, Tom Kristensen, for the number of wins. This impressive record gave him the title of Monsieur LeMans or Mr. LeMans. In spite of his fame, Jacky had a reputation for modesty and kindness. He was somewhat of a philosopher and once said, “The fact that I am still alive after 100,000 laps is my championship.” However his daughter, Vanina, has followed in his footsteps and is a factory driver for Audi.