‘Tis the season! Unfortunately for those riders in the Midwest, ‘tis the season to be depressed…

A brisk 25 degrees and icy conditions surround the Indianapolis area, which means my motos are locked up in the garage. In fact, they have been locked up for weeks now. Last Saturday I thought that I was going to get at least a few minutes on a sunny, 49-degree day. I missed out only to wake up to a snowy, sleety Sunday morning. Grrr.

So anyway, let’s take a look at what to buy yourself or somebody else for the spring motorcycle season. I am going to take a crack at just about every category for guys and gals. If there is something that I missed, please write in, and I will be sure to cover it in the next blog.

Helmets: I’m an Arai guy, so I always suggest an Arai. Arai makes their helmets in three or four different head shapes so that just about anyone can find a perfect-fitting helmet. I know that they typically aren’t the flashiest helmets on the market but, safety first!

If you must have a flashy helmet, I suggest the ICON helmets.

Jackets: I picked a jacket for the guys and for the ladies. Both Alpinestars and ICON can live happily ever after on a single bike with these two designs. Both are a bit radical, perhaps geared toward a street rider, but they have a normal usage appeal. Meaning: They have a bit of style to them, too.

Men’s Jacket (left): Alpinestars Sniper Jacket: $169.95

Women’s Jacket (right): ICON Team Merc Stage 3: $190

Pants: Two approaches here. For the guys, usable comfort while staying functional to escape road rash, and for the women, dead sexy gear! For the guys, I picked the Scorpion Awe Leather pant. They aren’t too tight, yet they still have character. You wouldn’t feel odd wearing these around into a restaurant. For the women, it’s the ICON Bombshell Kitty Chaps. Every motorcycle girl should be wearing chaps; it’s just fun. This particular pair struts all the fun stuff; flames, stars, fringe, laces and, of course, a pair of pistols…

Men’s Pants (left): Scorpion Awe Leather Pant: $249

Women’s Pants (right): ICON Bombshell Kitty Chaps: $100

Boots: Often I see riders cruising around with flip-flops and trainer shoes. That’s just not smart riding. The last thing you want to do is get some grease on your newest pair of Nikes. So here are a couple of nicely styled riding boots. Women need heels at all times so ICON creates the Bombshell boots equipped with grip rubber soles and buckles to ensure a snug fit. Puma carries a line of fashionable boots as well as full competition boots ready for the track. The Desmo is the perfect fit for the all-around rider that wants a some function. The Desmo boots have a built-in toe puck in case dragging your foot or knee is a habit.

Men’s Boots (left): Puma Desmo Boots: $249

Women’s Boots (right): ICON Bombshell Boots $170

Happy shopping.

Jarrod