We’ve all heard of the “luck of the Irish,” and it is said to be a good thing, though considering Irish history, it’s hard to see why. But no one can argue about how lucky we are to be motorcycle enthusiasts in this particular era. Imagine what the pioneers of motorcycling would think if they could see all the safety features and other stuff that makes riding so much more fun.
For one thing, we have access to a lot more gear to keep us from harm, from space-age fabric to removable body armor. We have heated gear to keep us from frostbite and rain gear to keep us dry. In the summer heat, we can wear air-flow helmets that keep our heads cool. Lighter weight and stronger materials make helmets easier to wear than ever.
Our machines are safer, too, with goodies like ABS braking to help prevent skidding. Studies have shown that an ABS system can reduce the rate of fatal motorcycle collisions by a whopping 31 percent. Combine ABS brakes with a traction control system to keep the rear wheel from spinning and the front wheel from leaving the road surface when you’re accelerating hard. Add a lean-angle sensor and you’ll get the most drive-power on curves. Bosch, maker of the first ABS system designed for motorcycles, has other add-ons, too.
We’ve got way-cool ways to map out rides using GPS. Or, we can take advantage of social media like the Eagle Leather Facebook page or the Eagle Leather Ride Guide to find group rides in our neighborhoods. Not only is it often more fun to ride in a group, lots of the rides raise money for good causes—so we’re lucky twice over.
We’ve also got simple-to-use, high quality digital cameras we can use to record our rides. We can mount a camera on the handlebars—or even on our helmets—and video a ride, or we can take snapshots of our favorite views. No more waiting for film to be developed—we can preview a shot and, if we don’t like it, try again. So, we’re pretty much guaranteed to have great mementos of great rides. Find cameras and accessories here.
If we want to talk to other riders in our group, we’ve got communication devices that let us chat hands-free. One such system is the BT Handlebar Remote Comm System from Sena. Eagle Leather carries a variety of Bluetooth-equipped helmets, too.
Maybe we’ve already found the “pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.” What makes you feel lucky to be a motorcycle enthusiast in this day and age? Good roads, good friends, good rides? Let us know on the Eagle Leather Facebook page.
Yet, there’s no denying it: Unless you plan to ride exclusively around the Southern United States, you’ll face some chilly winters. And even before it...
