Apollofrost's Blog

[Apollofrost]

Thanks gals, I'm back in the Bay Area now and tomorrow I'll pay a visit to some friends. I turn 18 on wednesday and I'll get my permit then. I just need a pair of gloves for the MSF and some of the local shops carry ICON gear. (I want the pursuit gloves in "stealth") It's good to be back.

[Apollofrost]

Ok, tomorrow morning I take my test to get my permit and hopefully everything will go well. Wish me luck, guys.

[Apollofrost]

Sweet, got my permit today and will take the MSF soon. I just have to make time to do so.

[Apollofrost]

I tried on some helmets last Thursday at Mammoth Motorsports where I purchased my gloves. The Icon helmet I originally wanted did not fit the shape of my head at all but the saleswoman was very patient with me and one by one we tried on all of the other helmets. Some had hot points, others compressed my ears into little nubs, then there was this one that I put it on and it was a little snug(I'm told that this is a good thing), but everything else was just right.

"Wow, this one's just right!"

"It's a Large Arai."

"Uh oh... that's expensive..." I thought.

Then I realized that its my head that it's protecting and even if it sets me back half a grand it's worth it. So after the MSF if motorcycling is truly what I want to do I'll pick up the Arai.

Today I may pick up a Frank Thomas textile jacket on clearance at different shop, Cycle World. I don't want to give them my business because the sale's people just ignored me pretty much, but a deal is a deal.

More importantly it fits me. I had forgotten how hard it is to find things small enough for me in the US, but shopping for a jacket was a rude reminder. Ok, if they even have the jacket in a small it may not fit me in the torso because some of them don't even come down to my bellybutton. Others didn't fit in the shoulders. I'll imagine shopping for a men's small is like trying to find a woman's large or XL. But if they still have the Frank Thomas jacked I'll probably but it today.

Isn't Frank Thomas an European brand? It might explain why it fits me better than most of the other ones I tried on, the cuts are different.

[Apollofrost]

I went down to Mammoth Motorsports to pick up my gloves. A week and a half ago I ordered a pair of icon Pursuit gloves in non-perforated and I still haven't received them.

Visit #1: they didn't have the gloves in stock and they ordered them for me.
Visit #2: they ordered the wrong gloves and I sent them back.
Visit #3: The had the right gloves this time, but with a busted seam in the palm of one of the gloves. They told me to come back in a couple days and I explained to them that I just couldn't keep coming down to the shop because I don't have a car. She told me that she could ship them down, but she was going to have to charge me extra. After a few minutes of arguing her boss told her to just ship it. I left the shop, and I doubt I'll come back any time soon.

I like supporting local businesses but they just don't have anything to offer, so I headed down to Cycle Gear to try on jackets. They didn't have many in a small, but there were two that fit me just right. A size 40 Dainese Zen jacket and a small powertrip black leather jacket. Unfortunately the powertrip had no armor and no place to put any, so I'll probably go with the Dainese.

The sales rep told me that they can order anything with no obligation to buy and no restocking fee. So I'll see about trying an Izalco jacket in a 40. Most likely with an Arai profile helmet. I tried the other helmets on, from a bunch of other brands, but the Arai was hands down the most confortable. The HJC helmets were ok, but they were either too big or too small. I hate to shell out the money, but it's the only one that I'm comfortable with.

The grand total for helmet and jacket will come to just over a grand, which is expensive but I think my skin is worth it. Pants are next on the list, I'll probably shop for those while I try the 20minute wear test for the helmet. But first up is the MSF course, then the bike and the gear.[/url]

[Apollofrost]

Went in for a job interview today, they told me to wait for a bit at which point I got my second interview. The man was very nice and I think I got the job. I'll know in a few days for sure.

Back to motorcycling.

My msf course is this weekend and it should go smoothly. Saturday evening I'll go visit my uncle and maybe ride one of his bikes around. If not I'll at least be enjoying a meal with family. Well, the meal and the company are more important than the ride. The ride's just gravy.

Everyone in my uncle's family rides, even if it's as a pillion. He rides, his wife rides, even my little cousin rides(on her own bike). It's funny thinking how old she's gotten. I can remember when she was an itty bitty baby, and she's going to be a teen in a few years. Hmm... well by then I'll be about twenty-four. And when she's my age I'll be twenty nine, almost thirty.

Ok, back to motorcycling, seriously.

*is distracted by something shiny*



















Ok, so I have my jacket selection pretty much narrowed down to three jackets.

Icon Hooligan Mesh Jacket $180

Dainese Zen Jacket $429

Dainese Izalco Jacket $550

The Icon jacket is a mesh jacket with hard armor and a waterproof liner. I just don't know what type of mesh or how well it will hold up in a crash. But it's a good price and I like the style.

The Zen jacket fits me, is comfortable, is safe, and I just don't like the way it looks. The coloring is all wrong. It's not "me".

The Izalco has all of the benefits of the Zen, but it looks much better. It's also a hundred and twenty dollars more.

So right now I have to decide what I am willing to sacrifice more.

Safety
Style
or
Money

I'll decide when I get the bike, but any input would be greatly appreciated.

PS: I finally got the gloves and I like them a lot.

[Apollofrost]

Ok, my MSF course is tomorrow morning and I'm excited. I went out dancing tonight to get rid of all of the tension, it worked splendidly and I'm off to catch some Z's. Wish me luck!

[sv-wolf]

Best of luck, Alex

Go for it!

Regards

Richard

[Apollofrost]

Thanks man, you healing up well?

[sv-wolf]

Healing fine.

How's it going, Kitty?

Can't stand the silence.