GREAT GEAR

Packed With Performance

1. ROLAND SANDS DESIGN TRENT JACKET

This jacket has much more going on with it than good looks. The lightweight textile jacket is constructed using a mix of Kevlar and Cordura fabrics for some super abrasion protection. Inside the jacket’s satin lining are CE-approved Level 1 elbows and shoulder armor and a back-protector pocket.

We found the Trent jacket to be much more versatile than it looks. For riding in cold or wet weather, the Trent has a water-resistant “aqua guard” zipper by YKK as well as a removable heavy-duty fleece hood. For riding in the heat, the Trent jacket also has a large back vent and a pair of shoulder intake vents to keep you cool. The construction and fit of this jacket are very nice, and it doesn’t have a bunch of unneeded features and shiny crap hanging off of it like so many other current offerings in the motorcycle marketplace.

$525 // rolandsands.com

2. BELL RACE STAR RSD CHIEF HELMET

It seems as if Bell has kept its iconic Star name and changed up just about everything else regarding this helmet. The Race Star’s wind-tunnel-designed outer shell is composed of a 3K carbon shell, which means it’s both light and strong. Bell has also upped the tech on the Race Star with the addition of Bell’s proprietary Flex Impact Liner, which is a three-layer combination designed specifically to handle different types of impacts using various layered materials.

Once we pulled the helmet on, we immediately liked the Panovision shield due to its very viewable area both vertically and laterally. We also enjoyed the look and feel of the liner and easily swappable magnetic cheek pads. And, yes, this feature-packed lightweight skid lid meets or exceeds Snell M2015 and DOT certifications — and looks good doing it.

$749 // bellhelmets.com

We all know that having proper tire inflation is key to proper bike handling and on-road safety. Most car (and some motorcycle) manufacturers now have models with monitoring sensors built in. The bikes we build and ride here at Hot Bike have no such technology, so when we saw the Blu TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system), we knew we had to snag it and try it out.

The Blu TPMS relies on built-in Bluetooth sensors that replace the valve caps on each of your bike’s wheels. To monitor the pressure, just download the Blu TPMS app onto a smartphone. The app keeps track of the pressure of each tire and the temperature in real time. The sensors will send you push notifications when the pressure deviates from your pre-defined settings in the app.

We have been running these for a few months and have found it a very handy system that works just as good as Blu said it would. The future is here, brothers and sisters. And it is making every ride a safe and good one. HB

There’s one in every pack. At the front. Introducing the Chieftain® Limited with its sawed-off, open front fender and 19" contrast-cut wheel. Starting at $24,499—the only question is, where will you lead them? Build your own at indianmotorcycle.com.

ELECTRIC ZOMBIE S electriccalifornia.com

HEATWAVE REGULATOR heatwavevisual.com