and gear: A curated
guide to premium
lifestyle motorcycle gear I don’t want to waste anyone’s time, so let’s set something straight right off the bat.
Oil, Sweat & Gear is not for everyone. In fact, it was put together for a relatively small subset of motorcycle riders. OSG will continue to be published to showcase beautifully designed kit, constructed with premium materials using superior craftsmanship and a focus on style. You will devour this and subsequent editions most, if you appreciate the finer things in life, understand that quality comes at a price, and if you are looking for gear that you’ll want to wear both on and off your bike. After all, helmets can be a real lifesaver when you’re walking home after a long night at the pub. ** We do not promote drinking and riding** This guide isn’t for you if the primary instinct in your purchasing decision is based on price and price alone. If you are looking for function over fashion, then likewise, there may be better avenues for you to pursue. I’m all for full leathers on track days, and commuting to work in textiles, but that isn’t why we’re here. Personally, I use my motorcycle more for social occasions, running into London to visit friends or burning up the Oxfordshire back roads in the countryside to meet a mate for lunch. When I arrive I don’t want the hassle of changing out of my riding boots and jacket. I just want to pull my helmet off, sling it under my arm, and join my mates. As the Managing Director of the only premium motorcycle denim brand in the world, I get exposed to a plethora of products that share our ethos. Beautifully designed kit, constructed with premium materials, using superior craftsmanship and a focus on style. Oil, Sweat and Gear was created as a way to showcase the cream that has risen to the top. It was not put together to hawk shoddy products provided by advertisers. Companies can’t buy their way into this spotlight. Everything in this guide is either owned or borrowed from friends. These are products that we love to wear both on and off the bike (helmets included). Full disclosure, I am the founder of Maple Motorcycle Jeans and we are responsible for putting together Oil, Sweat & Gear. Enjoy.
Ride Safe Dave Fairbairn Founder Maple Motorcycle Jeans
Oil, Sweat and Gear
Welcome to oil, sweat
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Motorcycle Jackets don’t have to look like power ranger space suits. McQueen and Brando pulled it off much better than Zordon did. You can pull it off too.
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1 Alexander Leathers Simmons-Bilt in brown Horween Horsehide 2 Vintage jacket painted by Ornamental Conifer 3 Lewis Leathers Lightning No. 391 4 Roland Sands Design Barfly in tobacco 5 Belstaff Brooklands Blouson in black wax cotton 6 Belstaff Classic Trophy jacket in black wax cotton 7 Alexander Leathers GT MK IV in brown crazy steer 8 Alexander Leathers Roadster 3 pocket in black horsehide
THE MAPLE KEVLAR LINED
SELVEDGE DENIM JACKET MADE TO MEASURE CRAFTED BY HAND IN BRITAIN SELVEDGE DENIM MOTORCYCLE JACKET FULLY LINED WITH PREMIUM TERRY KNIT DUPONT™ KEVLAR® INDIGO OR BLACK ON BLACK ITALIAN SELVEDGE DENIM REMOVABLE FORCEFIELD ELBOW, SHOULDER AND BACK ARMOUR
FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.MAPLEMOTO.COM/JACKET
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Your old man probably wore denim while riding his bike back in the day, and your granddaddy sure as hell did. The only resemblance between their jeans and these is the selvedge denim. Oh, how the times change. Still, our hats off to them – I bet they would have worn these if they could.
But we won’t go there. Oops, just did. Instead, let me tell you a story about Herbert. – Order #1236. Herbert was riding his BMW F650GS Dakar down a highway in British Columbia, Canada when out of nowhere a bear walked into his path. That’s right, a freaking bear. Herbert hit the bear and slid 10 metres down the road where he finally came to a stop by sliding into a ditch. What makes this story spectacular isn’t the fact that the dude hit a bear*. No, no, no. What makes this story spectacular is the fact that Herbert stood up and walked away from the accident unscathed. He was wearing Maple Jeans. See pics at www.maplemoto.com/herbert-hit-a-bear I could also tell you the story about Dom – Order #122. Dom works in fashion. Shortly after Dom received his pair of Maples, he decided to wear them on a fashion shoot. Sorry, no bear in this story. Dom was so taken aback by all of the compliments he received on his jeans (“what brand are they?” or “who are you wearing?”) that he felt compelled to send me an email and tell me about it. I’ve got plenty of other stories, but I won’t go there. Oops, just did. Dave * Hitting a bear with a motorcycle is pretty spectacular.
1941 STRAIGHT CUT JEANS
Oil, Sweat and Gear
Considering Maple is the publisher of this fine publication, we could have done what every other brand would do and opt to use this space to blow smoke up your ass by telling you that we were the first brand in the world (make that galaxy) to produce premium, selvedge denim motorcycle jeans lined with DuPont® Kevlar™. Or that we’re the only brand of motorcycle jeans in the galaxy (make that universe) that are so confident in our product’s design that we also offer it as unlined (regular) jeans. We could have regaled you with the fact that we use .6 of a yard of premium terry knit DuPont® Kevlar™ in every pair of jeans (more than any other brand) and have pockets for removable Forcefield knee and hip armour. Or that we borrow expertise from the denim capital of the world by producing in Los Angeles, USA instead of using cheap labour in developing nations like Pakistan or Bangladesh.
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1979 SLIM FIT JEANS
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Mud Sweat and Gear
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Some boots are made for walking, others for riding motorcycles. There are others that are, more or less, exclusively for work, and still more that are geared toward the aesthetics of more formal settings. But there are some boots out there, gentlemen, that rise to every challenge.
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1 Wolverine 1000 Mile W05300 2 Wolverine 1000 Mile W05299 3 Wolverine 1000 Mile W00283
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4 Red Wing 8-inch Moc 877 5 Red Wing Ice Cutter 2931,Vibram Sole 6 Red Wing Iron Ranger 8111 Opposite page Red Wing Ice Cutter 2931
They are quite possibly the most utilitarian of all the riding gear available. It’s simple. All vertebrates have skulls, and all intelligent riders have helmets. Here’s the difference: vertebrates can’t choose the paint scheme or shape. Luckily, you can.
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1 Davida Ninety-Two Matt Black
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2 Metallic Stars and Stripes
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4 Silver, Black Flames 5 Black Eight Ball 6 Metallic Black, Orange Flames
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7 Mashed Matt Black 8 Silver UJ Sides 9 White B Metallic Red/Silver
1 Ruby Castel Louis Lumière
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2 Ruby Castel St Germain
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3 Ruby Pavillon Daytona
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4 Ruby Castel Moosacher 5 Ruby Pavillon Shibuya 6 Ruby Castel Daytona
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7 Ruby Pavillon Montmartre 8 Ruby Castel Silver Lake 9 Ruby Pavillon St Germaine
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Oil, Sweat and Gear
These gents have been designing, creating, modifying, and altering bikes since 2010, when they founded Spirit of the Seventies with the purpose of reclaiming bland bikes in the name of aesthetics. Save the pre-fab work for your modular home; you won’t find bikes like these anywhere else. With years of experience between Tim and Kev, and years more within their team, Spirit of the Seventies holds one quintessential axiom: an exceptionally beautiful bike isn’t worth shit if it doesn’t ride exceptionally well. They began with a focus on 70s classics, but have since expanded their area of expertise to include more modern bikes. Still, their mission remains the same: to balance aesthetic appeal with pure riding bliss.
www.spiritoftheseventies.com
Phoyography: www.grantrobinson.com
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Geoff Duke rode a Norton in the 1949 Isle of Man Senior Clubman TT. He wore leather gloves and riding goggles. These accessories are guaranteed to help your chances of winning a coveted Tourist Trophy.
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1 Tanner Goods Wilderness Rucksack in Field Tan/Chicago Tan 2 Tanner Goods Nomad Duffle in Field Tan/Chicago Tan 3 Tanner Goods Field Camera Bag in Field Tan/Chicago Tan 4 Tanner Goods standard belts in various colours 5 Tanner Goods key lanyards in Cognac and Havana 6 Tanner Goods key lanyards in Cognac and Havana 7 Tanner Goods Tradesman wallet in Chicago Tan (top), Workman wallet
in rich moc (middle), Workman wallet Natural (bottom).
8 Tanner Goods Workman wallet in Rich Moc
9 10 11 12 13 9 Iron and Resin Buffalo Bobber Gloves (bottom) and Cafe Gloves (top) 10 78 ‘Speed’ Motorcycle Gloves in Tobacco 11 Iron and Resin Tool Roll 12 Leon Jeantet T1 Aviator Pilot Goggles 13 Fleurs de Bagne Matafs et Forçats beanie in Marine Navy
and Martyr Militaire sweater in Natural Speckled
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Mud Sweat and Gear
‘In a world of monotony, of mass production and ever increasing complexity of daily life Old Empire Motorcycles is here to make a stand for the unique, the bespoke and the individual. Fueled by an enduring passion for everything two wheeled we aim to hand craft 10 - 12 concept builds annually, each distinctive in their own ways, none built to a particular style, just built to showcase the best of British design and craftsmanship. From hand sketches and computer renders to shaping and machining metal, we pride ourselves in turning out motorcycles for the individual, the perfect blend of form and function and timeless useable art pieces.’
British Made, British Pride.
www.oldempiremotorcycles.com
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With the exception of perhaps the loincloth, it’s one of the most primitive and essential items you own. Recently discovered cave paintings revealed early Neanderthals wearing what archeologists and scientists alike can only assume was the predecessor of the Poly-Cotton blend. Ageless. Timeless. There’s a damn good reason why we all have our favourites.
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1 Fleurs de Bagne –Justice Unique – Limited Edition 2 Fleurs de Bagne – Victime du Col Bleu – Limited Edition of 188 3 Fleurs de Bagne – Cheri-Bibi – Limited Edition of 169 4 Fleurs de Bagne – Guillotine Seche 5 Fleurs de Bagne – Souviens-Toi
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There is something inherently beautiful about riding a motorcycle. With one hand on the clutch and the other eagerly on the throttle, you’re holding life by the reigns. Boundaries become limitless; possibilities expand before you faster than the road unfolds; the destination becomes less important than the journey itself. Luke Dennison
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MudSweat Oil, Sweatand andGear Gear
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Oil, Sweat and Gear
BY MAPLE
WWW.MAPLEMOTO.COM