When One Door Closes....

Another One Opens! Like Really, Really Wide.

It’s been a crazy Summer so I haven’t had time to update.

I’m excited to announce I’ve been spending it at my new job as Retail Experience Manager for REV’IT! USA. Luckily we are based in Denver, so no, I am not moving back to Philadelphia anytime soon. (No more humidity!)

Since April I’ve been traveling, seeing friends along the way and most importantly, talking to riders! So here’s what I’ve been up to in case you missed my IG feed.

AUSTIN, TX

Right after I started, I headed right to MotoGP in Austin. And bumped into Danilo Petrucci! Ok, he was invited to our party in downtown Austin since he’s one of our sponsored riders in this year’s Moto America Championship. He’s also a former MotoGP rider and has taken the US championship by storm.

PORTLAND, OR

After MotoGP I went to Portland, to the amazing One Show. We also had a booth there and were able to preach the gospel of REV’IT to the masses. It was an incredible experience, with SO MANY PEOPLE! The creativity and overall enthusiasm for bikes was such a wonderful thing to see and experience. And YES, that is the very funny Alonzo Bodden.

NETHERLANDS

Then a few weeks later, it was off to visit our Global HQ just outside Amsterdam. Yep, the company is Dutch! It was such an incredible experience. I was able to ride bicycles in the canals, try stroopwaffle, see the HQ and more. I am definitely not good at the whole jetlag thing. I don’t know how I managed to stay awake the entire time.

Then the first week of June somehow showed up and I headed to Philly for our US Sales Meeting. I got to meet dealers from all over the US and Canada! Wasn’t a whole lot to see there, except meetings.

BROOKLYN, NY

Then came late June, as I headed to Brooklyn to actually help Comoto open the 3rd ever RevZilla Showroom in Brooklyn. Yes, it was surreal but it was also such a great time! Everyone was happy, in a great mood and just all around excited for RevZilla to land in Brooklyn. I was incredibly happy for them and was glad I could be a part of it. Part of my job is conducting training around the US and Canada for dealers / stores that need me. I spent a couple days training almost all of their sales staff on our brand and what we have to offer.

MOTO AMERICA LAGUNA SECA

14 Year Old Kayla Yaakov, Altus Motorsports

The following week, I ended up going to a last minute event called Moto America! It was hosted at Weathertech Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey. The weather was incredibly perfect and the racing was awesome. I was particularly impressed by this young woman named Kayla Yakoff, just a cheerful 14, going on 15 year old girl doing what she loves! She’s racing in the Junior Cup series on her Ninja 400. Last month she made history by winning the first Junior Cup race by a female!

I also got to meet Patricia Fernandez. She was racing in not just 1, but 2 series (my favorites) that weekend: King of the Baggers and Super Hooligans. If you’ve never seen a Harley Bagger leaning over far more than anyone probably thinks it can, going 100+mph down the straightaway, it’s something to witness. There are only two women racing in the Bagger and Hooligan series and it’s Patricia and Shelina Moreda who’s been racing for over a decade. It’s been so great to see her move through various racing classes as well. She also runs women’s dirt training classes in Northern CA and is just an all around talented human.

Right now, we are sponsoring PJ Jacobsen, Tytlers Cycle Racing on a BMW M1000RR and Danilo Petrucci on a Ducati Panigale V4 R, Warhorse HSBK Racing.

We also had a little booth in the vendor area because REV’IT is sponsoring the Twins Cup series this year! Hopefully by next year, you’ll see a little more of our track suit son the podium. :-)

You can catch up on all the races on Moto America’s youtube channel.

STURGIS, SD

Then the following week was RevZilla’s ADVFest in Sturgis. I’ve never been to Sturgis so for this one, I brought the man so he could ride his new to him DRZ400S! Thanks to Rawhyde Adventures for the killer novice adventure class that he took. It was insanely hot, but everyone still had a great time and I got to see a ton of ZLA friends that I hadn’t seen since pre pandemic!

LEADVILLE, CO

Then it was off to Leadville, CO for the first annual Holiday Moto event, which took place at the Leadville MX Track. REV’IT! was the title sponsor and I got to see a lot of new faces. No riding for me at this one, but soon!

CANADA

And finally I had a few weeks until I left for Canada to visit and train a couple of our awesome dealers over the border. I got to spend 2 days in Calgary with Blackfoot Motorsports, (please tell them I sent you!) training their sales team and meeting local riders.

TORONTO

Then it was a couple days in Toronto at GP Bikes. Another team of passionate, excited riders who needed some product training too. It was so busy I didn’t have time to take a lot of photos. I did manage a selfie in the Triumph room!

it’s only August but there are a few months left and a few more fun projects and events coming. Stay tuned for updates. :)

Updates: Broken Bones and Saying Goodbye.....

RevZilla Denver Grand Opening with some of the best people I’ve ever worked with in the motorcycle industry. October 2021

UPDATE #1: IT’S SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE, REVZILLA

Well, it’s been a wild couple of months.

First things first, after 8 years of dedicating my career to RevZilla / Comoto, I decided to leave at the end of February. For reasons I won’t go into deeply here, I had to make a decision for myself that was extremely difficult to make. But I am 1,000% happy that I did.

A very, very wise woman I know recently said:

Just don’t drain your well filling everyone else’s glass. Your well being is important too.

I poured my heart & soul into the RevZilla brand but after 8 years, I needed to do this to regain my mental health and passion for this industry. I appreciate everyone’s support and love over the years and have not lost my love of two wheels. And in case you’re wondering, yes, staying in Denver for the time being and hoping to enjoy the mountains around here very soon.

So after I decided to leave, I flew home to visit my family in CA for some down time including riding on two wheels. First, I went for a lovely day ride through Marin County, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge with my wonderful friend, Kurt of Transformative Journeys.

On my friend’s Royal Enfield Classic. Such a lovely bike.

He led me on a beautiful ride through Muir Woods, around Mount Tamalpais and up to Point Reyes Station. It was a gorgeous day and a really wonderful re introduction to street riding after taking all of Winter off. As a shorty, the RE is an easy, classic bike to ride. Of course, you may not flat foot if you’re short like me but as you move up your way from 250-300cc bike, this 650cc twin is an easy upgrade. Remember, us shorties must put in more time to learn how to ride before we ride our dream bikes.

UPDATE #2: BREAKING THINGS

Later in the week, I decided to go off roading with my friend Joe, and he took me to the beautiful Carnegie SVRA Off Road Park out in Tracy. Well, things didn’t go quite as planned and I bit it going up a hill with some small whoopdies (bumps) that I didn’t see until I was halfway up. I also looked down at the bumps since I wasn’t really expecting them. And then boom, hit the ground and broke my humerus.

The good news is that my dirt gear saved the rest of my body parts and albeit severe, this break was the only injury I walked away with. I decided to have surgery a week and a half later near my parent’s house and then I flew home the end of March. The upside was spending time with my parents and eating everything in sight that my mom was making for me and taking some much needed time off. I highly recommend it.

No worrying, stressing or thinking about my job. I simply wasn’t happy anymore, and I finally got a chance to just relax and be happy.

Even though I was in some pain and recovering from surgery it was much better than the mental stress I was carrying from my job. I truly was able to relax and enjoy some down time.

Recovery is going well, my wound is healing and I’ve started physical therapy.

I’m hoping to have full use of my arm (bearing full weight, lifting, driving, riding, etc.) in month and a half or so.

UPDATE #3: POLARIS EMPOWERSPORTS COUNCIL

All 16 members of the Polaris Empowersports Council, March 2022

When Polaris asked me to join a unique group of individuals in the Powersports industry to increase the visibility, inclusion and participation of riders how could I say no?

• https://www.polaris.com/en-us/empowersports-diverse-riding-council/

This group is comprised of talented, passionate and unique riders who come from all over the Powersports industry including snowmobiles, side by sides, offroad and on road motorcycles. I’m excited to volunteer my time to contribute to the efforts that Polaris is making to make our industry a more inclusive one.

I hardly see anyone who looks like me in my industry, as it’s dominated by mostly white, male men. Those numbers changing slowly, but I am thrilled to do what I can to move that needle a bit further, faster. The council was just formed in March so I’m sure there will be exciting events and announcements this year as I’m asked to work on various initiatives set forth by the Council.

Stay Tuned for more Updates!

New Women's Gear from Rev'it Spring 2020

Revit is pulling out all the heavy hitters for Spring this season. I’ve always appreciated the completely different fit style and shape that Revit offers women and that’s why they maintain such a high favorites status in my book.

Aside from a few revisions and improvements on what I call staples in the collection (3rd versions of their popular outfits) as well as a few entirely new options, like a 1 PIECE TRACK SUIT!

Since these are brand new I haven’t seen any of these in person, so I’m giving my opinions and observations simply based on what I see in the photos. As well as what I do know about the men’s versions and/or the previous models. 

For those of you that do love pink, you’re going to love the options this season because almost every new piece is offered with a pink colorway for you! 

There’s a little something for everyone this time around, so keep scrolling if sportbike gear isn’t your thing.

Revit Xena 3 1 Piece Race Suit

One Piece Race Suit, WHAT?!  Up until now, the brands making women’s 1 Piece Track Suits were Alpinestars, Dainese, Spidi. Done. Now we have (4)!

Women who ride track days are few and far between, and the fact that Revit continues to make us incredible gear, no matter how many of us ride is truly wonderful.

If this suit follows the fit profile of the popular Xena 3 separates option, it’s going to be a great addition to its competitors.  

Let’s look at some of these features: 

• Dual knee sliders

• Shoulder sliders

• Elbow sliders

• Stretch panels along the underbust (YES!)

• Stretch panels along the inner thighs, up to the hips

Underbust stretch is so important! Women have busts. We need stretch. It’s awesome to see the brands understand this and incorporate it into their designs. Only 2 other suits have an accordion style stretch panel along the outside of the bust: 

• https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/dainese-killalane-perforated-womens-race-suit

• https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/dainese-misano-2-d-air-perforated-womens-race-suit

Any features that a brand can build into its gear to accommodate multiple body types are gold. Because then you can sell that jacket or pant or suit to more than just 1 kind of woman. MSRP $999.99

Revit Xena 3 Jacket and Pants 

I loooooove white leather. Especially perforated white leather in the summer. I don’t wear mesh, even in 90F weather so relying on my white mesh leather has been my goto for the past 6 years or so.

Aside from the color change, the main feature update that I like is the localized perforation on the front and back of the jacket and front of the pants. For the pants, they took away the flashy white stripe and made them completely black. If you’re all about the black/black/black then you’ll love the two pieces together. I think I’m going to have to clean out my gear closet for Spring to justify buying another jacket. (sorry honey). 

With the Xena suit, they’ve always been a little bustier in the chest than the Italian options so I hope they kept that fit profile with the updated styling. MSRP $439.99-$479.99

Revit Xena 3 Gloves

These are a tremendous improvement from the 2s, with improved wrist protection (more track level), and a double closure around the wrist.

The 2s were definitely more street-oriented with lighter protection than comparable track gloves. I’m excited to see these improvements. 

With the extra stretch along each finger, you can also count on a slightly longer finger length as with all track level gloves. Because the fingers are precurved out as much as possible.

If you struggle with finding gloves that are long enough, always look for Euro brands like Rev’it, as well as many stretch points along the fingers. This will give you a little bit more room as you squeeze your hands around your handgrips. MSRP $159.99

REVIT FLY 3 GLOVES

Don’t worry, there’s a black version too.

But having non black versions for those of you who do want lighter colors and more casual colors is awesome, right?

The Flys have been a great summer glove for awhile now and adding a light brown/tan colorway is fantastic. Boatloads of perforation and wrist protection (which most casual style gloves seem to forget).

These are great no matter what you ride, although they certainly have touring / cruising / cafe bobber lifestyles in mind.

All the perforation you could want/need and of course a smart finger to navigate on your smartphone on the fly.  The only thing I’d like to see in the future (even for $5more) is a hard palm slider. #glovegoals #LoveIt. 

REVIT MERIDIAN JACKET

I’m conflicted about this colorway. (There’s a black/white version too). But given how funky it is, I thought it was worth sharing.

Being that it’s buffalo leather I think it would make a decent highway jacket, it also features a 6 inch connection zipper so it would work really with the Luna leather pants. MSRP $449.99

REVIT VICTORIA JEANS

Riding jeans are SO hard. For so many reasons. Because we’re all particular about how we like them to fit, because they never feel like our normal jeans. You must accept that going in.

But, as far as riding jeans go, Rev’it delivers a straight fit that usually has a little more room in the waist than other brands. So if you typically buy a 29 at Lucky Brands Jeans, you can probably size down to a 28. Unless you’re a powerlifting queen and need more room in the thighs. But as far as waist sizes go, Revit seems to run a size roomy. 

I am definitely adding some Revit jeans to my closet this Spring because I like the fit for my weird small body type (larger calves and thighs for someone 5’2”). These are constructed of Cordura Denim (https://www.cordura.com/Fabrics/denim-fabric) backed up by Revit’s own PWRShield fabric as an alternative to Kevlar or Aramid fabrics. MSRP $249.99

REVIT TORQUE JACKET

The Torque is a sporty mesh jacket with a removable waterproof jacket liner. What I think is pretty awesome is this camo colorway. I’m not a huge camo person but I’m drawn to the subtle camo design. I think some women riders who are also in the military will appreciate this design as well. (Women in the Military, please chime in below!)

If it follows the men’s version as far as fitment, I imagine this will be a slightly looser version of the sporty Arc Air which I bought last Summer. I had to size up in that one because it ran so tight. Generally, if something has a removable long sleeve liner it’ll have a slightly looser fit to fit the liner. 

The mesh differences between this and the Arc Air is none along the side of the torso from the armpit down to the waist. Given that this is probably supposed to work between Spring and Summer it makes sense.  Unfortunately, the only lighter colorway is white and light pink camo. 

Fortunately, the lighter colorway is white and light pink camo.

Just depends on how you look at it :-) 

If you’re a fan of pink, then you’ll love the camo. If not, then you’ll want to stick with black, the Arc Air or Airwave. I’d still categorize this jacket as more of a sport / sport touring fit since the mesh moves all the way to the neckline. When you ride an aggressive sportbike, mesh that reaches the neckline means you’ll feel more of it while hunched forward.  MSRP $239.99

Revit Airwave 3 Jacket and Pants

The popular Airwave summer suit is getting another facelift. For those of you who want the lightest colors you can get during the summer (knowing how dirty they will also get) then here you go. But don’t worry, there is almost always a black version hiding behind the corner! 

Silver jacket and pants, for toasty hot weather riding. Keep in mind the Airwave does have more of a touring / sport touring fitment. So bootcut pant legs, and tighter shoulders when leaning forward on your super sporty bike. Not impossible, just something to think about when you’re trying things on. That’s why it’s vital to follow my Shopping Rules! MSRP $199.99-$229.99

Revit Tornado 3 Jacket and Pants

The popular Tornado suit also gets some badly needed improvements as well. My main gripe about the 1st 2 versions of the jacket were the lack of adjustment around the forearms.

Don’t worry, there’s always black in the Tornado 3 suit.

It was so loose there without the liner that it wouldn’t fit right after taking the liner out. Now you can tighten that part down! I think almost every jacket should have adjustments in these two spots to increase the range of fitment for every size. 

The pants also got a nice little update with the calf adjustment to tighten things down again, after taking the liner out.

The one feature I miss from the first Tornados is the inner leg zipper! That made it an incredibly versatile pant as both pant and overpant. I wonder if it would’ve been a significant cost increase because these pants are already over $300.

The liner in both pieces are still the same, 2-in-1; waterproof and warm at the same time.

This means for those of us in the NorthEast/ East/ South, it won’t work to wear the liner in the summer time.

So if you like to ride in the summer when it’s raining you’ll need to buy a light rainjacket that you can throw on top in a pinch. 

But for those of you in the West/Northwest, it’s the perfect outfit. It’s never humid and wet, so you’ll need a warm liner when it’s raining anyhow. 

With a mesh outer though, keep in mind that it still won’t serve your 40-50F (before windchill) riding conditions in winter temps that low. 

MSRP $319.99-$349.99

That’s all the new stuff from Rev’it this season, happy shopping!

Post your comments/questions/feedback below and let me know what you think.

Taller Motorcycle Boots for Women

An internal life is far more effective than an external one

It’s been too long since I updated my last post on tall boots, so here’s an updated list of taller women’s motorcycle boots that will give you an additional 2-2.5” of heel height that I hope increases your confidence, stability and traction. 

Before you look at this list, keep in mind that none of these will options will make up for a mistake in judgment by riding a motorcycle completely out of your experience like a 1,000cc sportbike when you’ve just barely gotten your permit or only have a few hundred miles of experience on a beginner bike. 

Learning to ride well is crucial in the short riders’ experience, because we all know that the best riders in the world are often the shortest. 

But if you aren’t in that bucket, and you’re simply looking for a boost in confidence and traction like I was years ago when I bought my first pair of Daytonas, then you’ve come to the right place!

But if you aren’t in that bucket, and you’re simply looking for a boost in confidence and traction like I was years ago when I bought my first pair of Daytonas, then you’ve come to the right place!

1/ Daytona Lady Star GTX $449

The boot that started it all. These were my second pair of riding boots after I upgraded my bike from a 250cc to a 750cc.

At the time, they were incredible and I like to compare them to training wheels.

After I really learned to ride, I simply didn’t need them anymore. Read my review here. 

They’re now just my cold winter riding boots, and I only use them sparingly when it’s freezing.

Daytona Lady Pilot GTX

2/ Daytona Lady Pilot GTX $349

Due to the popularity of the Lady Star, the Lady Pilot was released about a year ago.

Basically the same boot with a simpler style, slightly tighter calf and streamlined look. Same internal lift and fitment. 

3/ Daytona Lady SL Pilot GTX $329

For those of you looking for a shorter shafted boot, this will cover your ankles but not as high as the Pilot or Stars.

Also expect a similar, wide fit just like the other two Daytonas. 

These are the shorter versions of the Lady Pilot. Same fitment and everything.

Daytona Lady SL Pilot GTX (why can’t they come up with more creative names?)

4/ TCX Tourer GTX $279

Other brands have finally caught on including TCX. The Tourer GTX is a similar, internally shafted boot. The major difference is the outer material.

It isn’t mesh fabric for ventilation, it’s mesh for breathability so that the GoreTex membrane can pull as much as moisture away from your feet as possible.

They will absolutely keep you dry, promise.

The overall shaft height is not as tall as the Lady Pilots. The red circles are from something else I wrote to demonstrate all the impact areas that boots like these will offer. I like the way TCX boots fit, great width and comfort and quality for the price.

I also like how lightweight these boots are. Since they’re mostly synthetic, I don’t think they’re going to stretch very much unfortunately.

TCX Tourer GTX

Revit Quest H2O

5/ REVIT Quest H2O $299

The Quest isn’t shafted as high as Daytonas, but they’re still pretty thick in the heel.

What is pretty interesting about them is how wide they are, especially in the ankles. For this reason, I have found them challenging to fit because they’re usually quite loose on most women that try them on.

These are also waterproof, just not GoreTex.

I do like the Vibram soles though.

Dainese Aurora D-Dry

6/ Dainese Aurora D-Dry $239

These will be the narrowest of all of them.

It has a substantial lift and low profile. I like how these look the best (vanity is okay!).

Dainese always wins for design, don’t they?

These are also fully waterproof, just not GoreTex.

I hope these options help you, don’t hesitate to contact me directly if you ever need anything!