These Merlin Maple street-style gloves look stylish with their mix of denim and leather, but they don’t offer fashion at the total expense of protection.
Merlin Maple gloves
The $139 Maple gloves come in grey denim with black leather or blue denim with brown leather in sizes small to XXXL.
Despite having denim on the backs of the gloves, that is only a covering.
Underneath is perforated leather, so the combination with denim means you get slightly more abrasion protection as well as plenty of flow-through ventilation.
There are also hard thermoplastic polyurethane protectors across the knuckles and a padded protector on the “heel” of your palm which often contacts the ground first in a fall.
Like all Merlin gear, the Maple gloves are double-stitched everywhere, with extra layers of leather on the palms and down the outside of your hands.
They aren’t made for MotoGP riders, but for street riders who need comfort and fashion as well as urban-speed crash protection.
I’ve also felt confident enough in their protection to wear them on tour.
I found they remained comfortable all day long which is a primary safety issue.
Mind the gap
One of the usual problems with short gloves is that when you reach forward to the bars, your jacket sleeves ride up, leaving your wrists exposed to sunburn.
These short gloves have an extra long cuff so they don’t leave a gap.
The cuffs also have an oversized velcro area for maximum range of fit on the fattest and skinniest wrists.
Another benefit of the soft denim covering is that it acts as a visor wiper when it showers, although the gloves are not waterproof.
Unlike most summer gloves, they have a lining. It’s made of a soft polyester microfleece that is stitched in so you don’t annoyingly pull it out when you take your gloves off.
In these days of touchscreen phones and GPS units, I would have liked the fingertips to have touchscreen-sensitive material.
Remote key fobs are almost universal in cars, but only a few luxury motorcycle brands offer them.
Most Harleys have remote key fobs
They can be handy for riders.
How many times have you put your gloves on and then had to take them off to dig your keys out of your pants pocket?
It’s hardly an inconvenience,but anything that seems to add convenience is an extra selling point for a vehicle.
However, the problem with a helmet that acts as a key fob is that after about five years you should replace your helmet and we expect this lid would be quite expensive.
The other drawback is that it would add weight to the helmet.
Upcoming smart helmets already have a lot of included technology such as head-up display, 360-degree cameras, bluetooth units and more.
Alpinestars Apparel is an Italian motorcycle gear company known for its innovative, forward-thinking creations, each of which are designed not only to keep bikers of all types safe, but which keep them looking cool, too. The company’s focus is on making durable, worthy clothes for dedicated street bikers, adventurers who take on the open road on their motorcycles and those take their motocross seriously. From heavy-duty motorcycle jackets for men to lighter contemporary wear, this brand has what you need to make riding comfortable and get you looking as cool as your bike.
Finding the Right Gear
Alpinestars Missile Leather Motorcycle Suit
Alpinestars Apparel has a huge number of different products for sale, so getting the right gear is a matter of knowing exactly what you need. For example, if your focus is more on cruising around town than motocross, you may not need a full chest plate armor piece, but might settle for a selection of motorcycle jackets for women instead. Alternately, if you’re often off-roading you’ll want to check out some of this leading brand’s safety gear, including:
Shin guards
Riding boots
Full-face helmets
The brand even offers a selection of denim and more casual attire for those looking for light wear between destinations, so finding the perfect gear for your wants and needs is always easy.
Alpinestars Tech 10 Boots
Getting Alpinestars on a Budget
This innovative gear isn’t cheap, but fortunately you can save a bit of cash by catching it on sale on various retailers’ websites. Finding discount Alpinestars jackets isn’t uncommon during warm months when sellers are trying to make room for summertime stock, for example. Seasonal sales are a great way to get the gear you really want without breaking the bank or settling for anything less than perfection. Some sellers might even offer discounts year-round, so it’s crucial to keep an eye out for the best prices.
Alpinestars Apparel products are an excellent addition to any biker’s wardrobe, regardless of how they like to spend time on their bike. Browse this brand’s gear on your preferred online bike apparel and parts store and find the perfect products to keep you looking cool and feeling secure the next time you head out on a biking adventure.
In the biggest addition to the MotoCAP online ratings of motorcycle clothing since it began in August 2018, 19 articles have been added and none scored more than two safety stars out of five.
The world’s first safety and comfort ratings system for motorcycle clothing has added:
13 textile jackets;
three pairs of textile gloves;
two pairs of leather gloves; and
one pair of textile pants.
MotoCAP has now tested 31 textile and leather jackets, 18 pairs of jeans and leggings, seven pair of leather pants, one pair of textile pants and 13 pairs of gloves.
Interestingly, the $230 Merlin Axe kevlar shirt rated a single safety star which was the same rating as all the newly added textile jackets.
Merlin boss Steve Franklin with their Axe kevlar shirt
The shirt also rated just two stars for thermal comfort because “there are no vents fitted to allow airflow to aid cooling in hot weather”.
Poor results
MotoCAP says the latest results highlight the lack of protection in some gear with none of the 19 new products scoring more than two stars for safety.
“There was more variation in the thermal comfort rating, with ratings ranging from one to three stars, with five different textile jackets gaining three stars for thermal comfort,” MotoCAP says.
“Many of the garments were also advertised as water resistant, and were tested for their ability to keep the rider dry in wet weather.
MotoDry Airmax
“There was significant variation in performance in this category. The highest performer was the MotoDry Airmax ($250) textile jacket, which scored 9 out of 10 for water resistance.”
Yet the two-star safety rated jacket only scored three stars for comfort.
MotoCAP advises riders to consider both the safety and comfort ratings when choosing the right gear for their ride.
Products added
MotoCAP testing equipment at the Deakin Uni Geelong campus surprise
Deakin Uni Institute for Frontier Materials Senior Research Fellow and Honda GB400 rider Chris Hurren says the site will have 150 clothing products on its site by the end of June.
“We have purposely targeted only 10% of the market in the first year so that manufacturers have a chance to come along with the scheme,” he says.
“We do not want to put a manufacturer out of business as we want them to improve their products and think about protection and thermal comfort in their design.”
“If they follow this path like car manufacturers did for ANCAP then the rider will always be the winner.”
So far, no article of motorcycle clothing has been provided by a manufacturer.
All have been bought by MotoCAP using a secretive buying system to guarantee integrity.
The included level 1 CE knee protectors themselves are enclosed in a separate fabric pouch and slide into the internal pocket where a long velcro strip allows you to position them over about 15cm of range.
Knee protectors in pouch and pocket
Most denim, leather and textile riding pants I’ve tested don’t have any or very little adjustment in the position of the knee protector.
That is a problem because the different angle of knee bend on various bikes causes the protector to sit either too high or too low.
On a sports bike you bend your knee quite a bit and the protector can end up on top of your thigh, while on cruisers with forward controls, the protectors can droop loo low.
Merlin’s simple but clever design allows you to adjust the protector to exactly the right position for effective impact protection depending on your body and the type of bike you are riding.
For the technically minded, the level 1 CE protectors allow less than 18kN of force to be transmitted through the protector to your knee.
While these British-designed jeans include two internal hip pockets for extra protectors, they are not supplied.
Euston jeans are made from a blend of Cordura and Coolmax with a stitched-in lining of genuine DuPont Kevlar in the backside and from the waist down the front to below the knees.
Style and fit
These are low-rise bot-cut pants so they sit down under your gut and over your boots.
While the kevlar lining in most riding jeans is coarse and requires a further mesh liner to prevent prickling, this kevlar weave is soft and causes no discomfort.
But like most of these jeans with multiple layers and linings they get hot above 30C, especially in slow-moving traffic.
They also feature a heavy duty zip fly, double stitching throughout and two front pockets with a smaller coin pocket in the right side which I use for my motorcycle key.
There are also two rear pockets that are located way too low so they are almost on the backs of your legs.
They also come with a heavy duty zip accessory that you can sew on to the back of the jeans and into your favourite jacket so they zip together.
That protects you from gravel rash up the back from pants and jacket separating in a slide.
About Merlin
Australian importer Link International says the Staffordshire company is 100% owned by the family and employees.
Merlin Brand manager Ron Grant says the makers are diligent about addressing the latest European safety standards and guarantee high-quality workmanship with “almost zero” warranty claims.
He says Merlin produce the type of quality gear that is comfortable for all-day wear and doesn’t look out of place when you get off your bike.
Thick, soft leather and a heritage, two-tone design make this Merlin Chase leather jacket one of the most stylish and comfortable I’ve worn.
At $499.95 it’s not bad value, either.
No, this is not a jacket you wear to go racing, but it does have European certification with approved impact protection in the back, and SW Level 2 armour in the shoulder and elbows.
Interestingly, the elbow protectors extend up the triceps, rather than down the forearm.
Heritage rider gear like this Chase jacket that reflects neo-classic motorcycles, such as the Ducati Scrambler Full Throttle that Steve rides, represent 45% of the market.
This jacket not only suits a variety of neo-classic models, but also look’s good when you are off the bike.
The Chase jacket doesn’t look out of place in a fancy restaurant, the cinema or a trendy bar.
I love the classic details such as the patterned stitching in the shoulders and sleeves and the antique brass YKK zippers with the leather and brass rivet toggles that are also easy to find even with thick winter gloves.
Chase fit
The Chase jacket comes in sizes XS to 3XL and is made of full-grain 1.2-1.3mm grade AAA cowhide leather which is thick, yet supple, so it doesn’t feel stiff.
Ill-fitting jackets made of flimsy or lightweight material can flap in the breeze and become fatiguing on a long trip. However, the thick hide of this jacket ensures it doesn’t flap around.
I find a lot of leather jackets sit too high in front and bunch up when you sit on your bike with the round collar digging painfully into your neck.
This doesn’t. And the leather neck fastener is soft.
There are also expanding rear shoulder panels so it doesn’t pull when you reach forward to your handlebars. the extra length in the back also means it doesn’t not become exposed when you lean forward.
There is also a beefy zip in the back to connect to your pants. They include the other side of the zipper material so you can sew it to your pants if they don’t come with the connection.
For my slim frame, the fit is quite good, with a little bit of give in the waist to fit a hearty lunch.
The sleeves have a zipper and two-position snap clasp.
I use the tight position so I can put winter gauntlet gloves over the top of the sleeve and the loose position for summer gloves to slide underneath, allowing the wind to flow up your arms.
Because the leather is thick the wind doesn’t pull the sleeves up your arms, either.
Thermal comfort
Being a British jacket, it’s not quite suited to Australia’s summer.
However, I’ve been wearing it in milder mid-to-high 20s temperatures and it’s fine.
Chest vents
When the temperature rises, you can unzip two chest vents and one small right-side exhaust vent.
It might not seem like a lot of venting compared with some other jackets, but it works surprisingly well.
I thought the single exhaust vent might have been a mistake, but I think it tends to draw in the air and circulate it around your torso, back and armpits, pumping out the air using the venturi principle. It’s the same as when you squeeze the end of the hose to make the water spurt out.
Anyway, it works, up to about 30C.
On one occasion riding in high teens temperatures, the jacket seemed a little cool. There is a 100g thermal gilet liner that should make it more comfortable, but it’s a vest without sleeves, so you may need to wear a thermal underneath for winter riding.
Pockets
Two chest vents and two side pockets
One of my chief complaints about many jackets is the lack of pockets.
This jacket has two outside hip pockets which are deep and won’t allow items to fall out while riding if you forget to zip them closed.
Inside is a zipped wallet pocket on the left which can be accessed even with the liner zipped in.
Internal pockets
Unlike many jackets, the liner also has a big pocket on the left with a snap fastener.
Without the liner there is another pocket on the left breast with a zip.
I don’t see why they couldn’t have included pockets on the right breast as well. The more pockets the better.
Also, the two interior zipped pockets have a small opening which can make it difficult to get thick wallets and modern large-sized phones in and out.
One of the key recommendations was to never buy a helmet over the internet because it could be a fake, may not be correctly certified and may not fit.
“Never buy a helmet you haven’t had on your head,” Guy says.
“Many newcomers to motorcycling (and old hands) have absolutely no idea about why a helmet is useful, other than that you need one or you get a ticket,” Guy says.
“Fitting the wrong type of oil filter is as idiotic as wearing the wrong size helmet.
“Sometimes I despair at the stupidity and naivete shown by otherwise apparently sensible people.
“The same people would whinge if the replacement part they ordered online didn’t fit or caused poor performance or caused the engine to blow up.
“In many cases, they simply don’t know what they don’t know and make poor assumptions, too afraid to ask in case they look silly.”
Guy Stanford
Proper fitting
Guy says buying from a shop means you can try the helmet on.
“The great thing about most good shops is that the staff are usually keen to share good information and a simple question can lead to revelations and confidence,” he says.
Yet the UK report found only 40% of riders had their heads measured at the time of sale.
“This suggests a serious failure at the point of sale, and a lack of understanding by both the sales staff and the purchasers,” the report found.
It also found 30% of riders have had issues with helmet fit, often because a particular brand or range is the wrong internal shape.
“The majority of riders have the chin straps slightly loose, and can pass either one or two fingers beneath the chinstrap and their chins,” the report says.
Too-small helmets can cause headaches, double vision and fatigue.
Too-big helmets can swivel and vibrate which can also give double vision or blurring through the visor. They also have less impact protection and can come off in a crash .
Learn about helmets
Guy Stanford
Guy says riders have a lot to learn about roads, traffic, riding skills, motorcycles and riding gear such as helmets.
“There’s always something new to learn,” he says.
“We love the most that which we understand the most.
“Helmets are not made as a fashion item, although they can be made fashionable with colours and stickers.
“But, like an oil filter, it firstly has to be the correct fit and flashy paint jobs/stickers come second.
“There are those individuals who are shallow in their character and only value appearance as important.
“These buy stickers and flashy paint jobs and have no regard for whether the item actually works. They just like to be seen.
HJC’s Ironman might look flash, but is it the right helmet for you?
“It’s a pretty immature approach when compared to those riders who love what they do and deeply understand the value of a helmet.
“I say ‘value’ because that is what you get. The price is what you pay.
“The value is in having a helmet that will work for you when it all goes pear shaped.
“Buying a helmet takes patience, to try them on and learn how your head shape simply doesn’t fit some of them.
“It is difficult to get the fit right by yourself, as you need someone else to push the helmet around on your head while you stand there.
“Get help for this. Professional training in this is provided by helmet manufacturers who train shop staff.
“Buying online is a perfect storm for getting it wrong.
“The price might look good, but there’s little real value.
“Never buy a helmet you haven’t had on your head.”
The proof is in the riding so we put a new pair of TCX X-Blend waterproof boots to the ultimate test recently simply by riding in the rain for a couple of days.
Not only did the $299 Romanian-made boots prove to be waterproof, but with some hot and dry weather thrown in, we also found they are breathable.
Waterproof and breathable?
Now we know what you’re thinking: “How can a boot be both waterproof and breathable?”
It’s a tough synthetic resin made by polymerising tetrafluoroethylene, whatever that is!
You would probably know it best as the coating on non-stick pots and pans. It is also used to make seals and bearings.
Most waterproof/breathable riding gear features Gore-Tex which is actually the proprietary name for a version of teflon that has been stretched by a factor of seven times its normal size, Mark says.
“The stretching process induces the teflon to have thousands of miniscule holes per square inch.
“These holes are big enough to allow air and water vapour through but too small to allow water droplets through – hence it’s a breathable while being waterproof fabric.”
The T-Dry lining in a lot of TCX boots is also teflon, but it is not stretched, simply rolled thinly and then perforated by a machine.
Mark admits that it is not possible to even get close to the amount of holes per square inch using the machine method.
Waterproof lining
“So, although the perforations work in the same way, they do not allow the T-Dry Teflon to breath as well as Gore-Tex.”
However, we rode through drenching rain and did not get wet socks. That is, until we rode for a while in the rain without wet-weather pants and the rain dribbled down our pants and into the boots.
Maybe because they breathable, the water that got into the boots quickly dried out when the rain stopped and we kept riding.
Better still, they did not develop a horrible odour even after my mistake in letting water dribble inside.
Comfortable TCX boots
Some of the waterproof boots I’ve tried before have been clunky and thick, not very comfortable and impossible to walk in.
These boots have all the certified protection in the heel, toe and ankle with a non-twist, thick rubber non-slip sole.
Yet they are very comfortable to walk in because they bend between the toes and the bridge of your foot.
That also means they are compliant enough to work the levers and provide plenty of feel while riding.
Aged look
They come in full-grain black or aged brown leather.
The latter really looks trendy. After some wear, they get a nice patina of age, although the black rubber from my gear shifter has rubbed off on the toe wider than the double-leather protector.
These boots come up well above the ankle for extra protection and they lace all the way up to get the perfect fit.
That’s handy for me as I once broke my right foot in an off-road bike crash and it has heeled as little bigger than the left foot. Consequently, when I buy boots and shoes to fit the right foot, the left is then loose. Not so with these.
It takes a while to tie them up, but once tied they are a firm fit. A zip down the side would be have been handy for quick removal.
The TCX X-Blen waterproof boots come in sizes EU 39-47and US 6-12.5.
MotoCAP, the world’s first safety and comfort ratings system for motorcycle clothing, uses a secretive system for buying and selecting gear for testing to guarantee integrity.
Deakin Uni Institute for Frontier Materials Senior Research Fellow Chris Hurren says they have so far not been supplied with any test products by any manufacturer.
“At this point the scheme is totally funded by Australian State Governments, some of the auto clubs and insurers and the NZ ACC,” he says.
“All garments are purchased from retail and online without the manufacturers knowledge or involvement.”
Secretive buying system
MotoCAP testing equipment at the Deakin Uni Geelong campus
Their sourcing system is quite secretive with one of the two garments used for testing bought in stores in Australia and New Zealand.
“We never buy more than one garment type at a time so a typical buying run may consist of one leather jacket, one textile jacket and a pair of denim jeans,” Chris says.
“Another buying run may be a textile jacket, a pair of textile pants and a pair of gloves. The person doing the in store purchase is a rider and they try on the garments like a normal buyer so almost impossible to detect.
“We then use the same covert purchasing system for an online purchase of a second garment generally of a different size and/or colour if available.
“The delivery address is changed regularly and never to the University.
“This is all done to ensure that manufacturers can not trick up the garments to get a higher score. The only time industry knows that they have been sourced for testing is when the results are displayed on the website.”
Manufacturer involvement
However, manufacturers have been invited to submit rider gear for testing and rating.
“There are two methods for manufacturers to organise for their product to be tested but neither of these have been utilised yet as the program is still in its infancy,” Chris says.
“A manufacturer can pay for a garment to be purchased using the above method and added to the testing program.
“A manufacturer may also get their product tested before it enters the stores by providing a number of boxes (50+ garments depending on the product and size of company) of their manufactured product in a warehouse where it is randomly sampled for three garments.
“Two of these garments will be tested and the third held to be compared with retail stock when it arrives in store. If what turns up in store is different to what was tested then their rating will be rescinded and they will be prosecuted by the ACCC for false advertising.
More ratings
MotoCAP textile jacket ratings
So far, MotoCAP has tested 18 textile and leather jackets, 18 pairs of jeans and leggings and eight pair of gloves.
The last ratings posted were for textile pants about five weeks ago.
In the next few weeks MotoCAP will post ratings for seven pairs of leather pants and an additional posting of gloves, textile jackets and textile pants.
That means they will have every product class covered: gloves, leather jackets, leather pants, textile jackets, textile pants, ladies leggings and denim jeans.
Chris says they will have more than 150 products on the website by June 30.
“We have purposely targeted only 10% of the market in the first year so that manufacturers have a chance to come along with the scheme,” he says.
“We do not want to put a manufacturer out of business as we want them to improve their products and think about protection and thermal comfort in their design.”
“If they follow this path like car manufacturers did for ANCAP then the rider will always be the winner.
Dirty visors are not only a nuisance but a safety risk, but the glove-mounted Visorcat washer/wiper allows you to clean your visor on the go.
Visorcat is made of rubber with a webbing strap that goes around your hand.
There is a rubber loop to go over your finger or thumb, a reservoir for the provided visor wash and two 75mm-long (3”) windscreen-wiper-style blades that sit on the back of your hand, below the knuckle.
Underneath the blades is a sponge.
You wipe right to left to remove rainwater with the double rubber wiper blades.
Wipe right to left to clear your visor with the double rubber blades
If your visor is dirty and needs a wash first, you wipe left to right.
The curved edge of the wiper flap pulls back automatically to reveal the sponge underneath which is moistened by the supplied washing liquid.
Wipe left to right to use the sponge
There’s a wick connecting the sponge to the reservoir to keep it moist.
Make sure the sponge is wet to start with and the reservoir is full.
Win a Visorcat
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Visorcat review
I was initially quite sceptical of this product. It looked cumbersome and, frankly, a bit ridiculous.
However, it’s easy to fit over your left glove and tighten with the strap to stay in place.
Once in place you can hardly feel it’s there and it doesn’t in any way limit your clutch hand movement.
I also thought it would be a nuisance every time I took my glove off or put it on, but it actually stays in place, so there’s no need to remove it.
If you do want to remove it, just undo the strap and it comes off in a second.
The wiper blades are great for quickly and effectively wiping rainwater off your visor.
On wide visors you may have to wipe up to three times to cover the whole field of vision, but generally one wipe will clear enough of the visor for good vision.
I prefer to wash off grime, insects, dust, etc with water or a cleaning liquid. If you wipe it straight away, you are liable to scratch your visor.
Even if you can’t see the scratches, you may have made very small scratches which cause a blurry “starring” effect when looking into the sun or car lights at night.
I was reticent to use the sponge washer, so I tried it first on an old helmet.
You have to make sure the sponge is well and truly moist before wiping across your visor.
I preferred to pull over and check that the sponge was wet first. I even added an extra dob of the liquid directly on to the sponge just to make sure.
I tried it several times on the old helmet and it worked fine without any visible or even minor scratching. That made me confident enough to try it on a brand new visor. It left no scratches.
However, I would not use it on a very dirty or dusty visor. I’d rather douse the visor with plenty of water first.
The Visorcat works just fine for light grime such as a small bug straight after you’ve hit it.
And isn’t that usually the case? You’ve just cleaned your visor, hopped on your bike and in the first kilometre you hit a bug right in the middle of your field of vision!
With the Visorcat you don’t have to stop, but can keep on riding.
