Construction seems to be quite solid (I'd expect no less from Alpinestars). Zippers are sturdy and stitching is good. Toe sliders are pretty easy to change as well.
Looks-wise I'd say they are reasonably attractive. I like the look MUCH more than the new SMX-4 boots. No shiny metal heel like the SMX-Plus and Supertech though.
Like any racing-style boot they are pretty stiff when new. It will take a while to brake them in but trust me, it can be done. The leather will loosen up and make it easier to walk.
First thing I noticed is that zipping the beasts can be hard, especially if your pants are tucked in to the boots (if not, you'll probably be alright). In the traditional Alpinestars fashion, they zip most of the way up and then the front half and back half velcro together on top of that. Once completed the boots fit quite securely. They seem to be designed for having pants tucked into them though. They fit a little loose without either thick socks, big calves, or pants tucked in. To correct this you have to tighten the top quite a bit, which makes the velcro stick out at the bottom. It's hard to explain, but I'll try. To tighten them you have to pull the front-top part of the velcro further down and back. When you do this, at the bottom of where the velcro is (just below where your heel would be) the side of the boot is puched out (as the velcro isn't connecting) a bit, which I have found can easily get caught ony our shifter or rear brake. I'm still looking for a solution for this, as this has caused an unplaned shift more than once! Once again, if you tuck your pants into the boots though this probably wouldn't be a problem at all.
Anyways, once on they're actually quite comfortable. They have a few vents to let air get to your foot, although as expected they're still pretty hot. Armor on the boot is well placed, covering all the major areas. The toe sliders are replaceable so if you scuff 'em up a bit it's no problem.
On the bike they feel pretty good as well. The shift pad gives you a bit of feel for the shifter, and the soles are thin. The heel is short yet tall enough to give a great place to rest the boot on your pegs. The toe is quite tall, I wish it was a bit shorter so you wouldn't have to drop your toe as far to get around your shifter for an upshift.
Overall I really like the boots, my only gripes being that (like most boots of this type) they are pretty hot, are made more for the pants being tucked in, and they have a tall toe. While I've not been down in them I feel that they will probably do a pretty good job of keeping my foot intact. I'd reccomend anyone looking for boots for sport touring or racing, they may be a little overkill for the around the town commute!
(sorry, but I was a bit rushed, so if there's bad spelling or grammar, you have my apologies!
) so I need some new toe sliders. While browsing around I found that Alpinestars makes Magnesium toe sliders that are supposed to last a good bit longer, so I think I may invest in a pair and put them on!