GEAR Q & A
Q
I now need to wear glasses for riding, but my existing glasses – the normal bent-over-the-ear type – are very awkward to get through the gap between my head and the helmet’s liner. What kind are best: straight arms or flexible frames?
A
Straight-armed Oakley-type glasses are the best, but they need to be tough to withstand going into a helmet every day. The type of helmet can make a real difference, as some are much more accommodating of glasses than others.
Conventional hook-behind-the-ear glasses can be fine, too, once you get the knack. You slip them into the helmet at an angle and roll them over the ears as you slide them up your nose. The helmet makes even more of a difference here, though.
Before swapping glasses, just check that it’s not cheaper to change lid – especially if you’ve had your helmet for four or five years, as it will be nearing the end of its life anyway. It’s worth going to a shop where they know their stuff and can help you find the right lid to work with your glasses.
Q
I’ve retired to Spain with my R1200GS and need a suit that’s better for riding in hot weather than the Rukka I’ve been using for the past 10 years. What should I buy?
A
For really hot weather, the best stuff is properly armoured, vented kit – and on any iffy days you can pack separate waterproofs, just in case. Rukka offer a vented jacket (Forsair, £380) while Held produce a vented suit (Tropic 2 jacket, £140; Zeffiro 2 trousers, £130) as do Revit (Airwave 2 jacket £160, trousers £140). However, if you want to match your bike, BMW do a well vented Airflow jacket (£425) and trousers (£270) – as well as a Cooldown vest (£85) that you dampen and wear under the vented jacket to, well, cool you down.