#protection

Living is fraught with risk. Every being spends the bulk of its existence simply trying to keep living. Every critter sees itself at the top of its personal food chain until, one day it comes face-to-face with an even bigger, hungrier one. Or maybe it’s just a boulder rolling down a hill.

Motorcycle apparel manufacturers have really upped the game when it comes to combining comfort, style and protection in a pair of riding jeans. Of course, pricing is significantly more than your average $47 pair of Levi 501s, but the protection afforded by the moto-specific denim is worlds better than regular jeans, making them well worth the entry fee.

Lately, there’s been a rise in popularity in cafe- and naked-type bikes. Take the recently reviewed Royal Enfield Continental GT, quirky Moto Guzzi V7, old-is-new-again Yamaha SR400, and of course the venerable Triumph Bonneville as examples. They are simple motorcycles that take you back to a simpler time. And these days, wearing full-fledged, Power Ranger-like protective gear just seems, well, silly.

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.