Cafe Racer Essentials

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by Seth DeDoes
Alpinestars Oscar Twin Drystar Riding Shoes are waterproof and oil resistant!

“Suffering is hard,” opined a recent social-media post. “But so is being brave. You may as well be brave.” My first thought upon reading this was, “Whoa, that’s deep” — followed momentarily by, “Wait, that sounds a lot like owning a classic bike!” My takeaway from this is that our vintage rides can be loud, uncomfortable and proffer, shall we say, ample chances for mechanical instability to stop us in our tire-tracks … or worse, toss us down the road. So in this way, I’m finally thankful for a social media post, because it inspired me to search for just the right gear to wear during the pretty uncertain In Search of the Ace Cafe ride. Here’s what I found.

Alpinestars Urban Wear

Crafted with a versatile “Regular Fit,” Alpinestars’ Copper 2 Denim Pants, priced at $220, viably combine impact and abrasion protection and all-day comfort. Finished in a dark rinse shade, the heavy denim is bulwarked with internal panels and Bio-Flex knee armor in case you hit the deck; the armor is noticeable to be sure, but with time and wear it should become less apparent — and I plan to find out. Triple-stitched seams should prolong garment life.

Where have these Oscar Twin Drystar Riding Shoes been all my life? They are the modern spiritual descendants of the Sears work boots I once loved for street and desert riding, road racing and general knocking about. Retailing for $250, these super-comfortable Oscars are way better because they’re designed for motorcycling; totally waterproof, they also have a reinforced toe box and heel counter, plus ankle protectors. And, oh yeah — happily for vintage-bike guys, they’re oil resistant!

  • Updated on Jun 8, 2022
  • Originally Published on May 24, 2022
Tagged with: alpinestars, alpinestars urban wear, café racer, Shoei, shoei motorcycle helmets
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