#dainese

The wait is almost over. Introduced in 2011 to European consumers, it took another 4.5 years for the D|air technology to reach our shores. Early adopters can pre-order D|air Racing suits now with an expected arrival date sometime in September.

When riding in the summer, it’s a must that a capable riding jacket for this kind of weather flows a significant amount of air to the rider. Traditionally, jacket manufacturers use mesh panels as the way to achieve this goal. Some use more than others, but when it comes to flowing air, unless you prefer riding shirtless, mesh is the best we’ve got. The problem with mesh, of course, comes when it’s greeted by asphalt.

Southern California residents who are also fans of the Dainese/AGV brands are likely familiar with the D-Store Orange County. One of three official full-fledged Dainese/AGV retail stores (the others being San Francisco and Chicago), what you might not have known is that the OC store, which is roughly equivalent to a large two-bedroom home, also housed Dainese’s North American headquarters for several years. Think about that – Dainese, known the world over as one of the finest motorcycle apparel companies, ran its North American operations in modest office space at the back of a retail store.

I’d be lying if I said I wear every bit of armor I own every time I hop on a motorcycle. While that’s not to say I run out the door wearing shorts, t-shirt and a helmet, when it comes to riding pants, for my daily commute more often than not I’m skipping the leather and opting for a set of jeans instead. But not just some average pair of Levis – recently I’ve been sporting the Dainese D6 Denim jeans. Here’s what I think about them.

The wife’s got her shoes, I’ve got my riding boots. From cruiser cool to track fast, MX to H2O, there’s a pair for every occasion. So, when I found myself at the onset of Spring in need of a new set of casual, street-riding shoes, out went the call to Dainese. A few days later their new Vera Cruz model arrived.

We now come to the upper echelon of our holiday gift guide, for those who are just rolling in cash and are willing to spend it on a loved one who’s the hardest of hardcore motorcycle enthusiasts. We’ve looked at gift ideas for different budgets up to $1,000, but what if you want to give something even more extravagant, and have the means to do so?