Because details matter.
What do you do when you're "Directionally Challenged" and need GPS to get around on your motorcycle? This is something I've been wrestling with for 5+ years. It's not that difficult, really. Moto GPS units have been around for decades and there are plenty of smartphone mounts to choose from if you prefer to use… Continue reading The Best Smartphone Motorcycle Mount (for me)
This is most definitely a budget jacket that I’m reluctant to say, I bought for its style. Riding in the heat of Austin, Texas requires a mesh jacket and compared to most others, the design is simple and classic with only the single leather vertical strip. Branding is minimal.
The initial description indicates “CE Protection” but I bought it knowing full well that it would require an armor upgrade. The red flags are right in the description.
I'm a fan of Cafe Racer styling and design principles for my Triumph Bonneville.
That means: simplicity, reduced weight, and "period" styling".
With that in mind, I was loathe to add any kind of luggage to my motorcycle - if I needed to transport anything, I would wear a backpack or try to fit it in a cargo net on the back of my seat. When I would ride with friends for the day, I'd sometimes bring a small tank bag to hold water, an external battery pack and cable for my iPhone, and some snacks. That worked fine for the first couple of years.
Now that I live in Austin, Texas, I ride my bike all year long and as often as I can. At times, I find myself in a weird position: I want to bring an item with me, like a notebook, but don't want to throw on a bulky, sweat-inducing backpack for something that weighs just a few ounces, but is too big to fit in my inside jacket pocket. (Yes, I'm OCD. Why do you ask?) 😉
So, I considered [panniers][1]. One would suffice, as I could always supplement my total carrying capacity with a backpack if I found myself in a position where I had a bunch of stuff to carry but didn't want to drive my car.
I started combing the interwebs, looking for a pannier that had sufficient storage for my MacBook Pro, notebook and maybe some clothing layers for long riding days when the temperature might swing widely or gets wet.
