Hamilton, Toronto, Ontario – Leather by Lissa Hill

We are in the middle of a beautiful summer in Ontario. The days are perfect for riding! When the weather is beautiful and hot and humid most of us let the rules slide about wearing leathers when riding.

Despite the warmth we still have the danger of road debris, bugs….which at even at 30 km a month can feel like a sledge hammer….and of course the danger of coming off our bikes.

We have all seen the riders with shorts and flip flops on and as a teenager before I started riding I first hand “felt” the danger of wearing flip flops….I had a boyfriend that had a wonderful VMax…I, as a new passenger, shifted my weight at a stop and we landed on the pavement because his flip flop fell off…not so cool! To wear protective footwear seems obvious…yet we all see them out there. Boots with proper soles are key, soles that will not slip in  oil or grease and a foot and shaft that will protect your foot and ankle.

There are industry guidelines for fabrics and leathers and road abrasion rates. The tests were done using a belt sander and a hammer to mimic a fall off a moving motorcycle, to calculate the wear through distance in a slide. The standard recommendation is 3oz leather for riding clothes which gives you a sliding distance of 86′, Denim 3′ (this is 100% cotton denim) I use 5oz leather in my basic riding pieces….my father even test crashed a jacket for me….no damage to him and scuffing on the leather….that is family support. Thanks Dad!

Woman's cross over jacket in 5oz leather

Part of motorcycle riding is being prepared for the worst, from your skills, maintenance of your bike and what you wear. So Leather up…with proper fitting leather, a minimum of 3oz, wear great boots, always protect your eyes and hands and wear sunscreen too. Look for vented jackets for the airflow and linings made of moisture wicking fabric to keep you cool and alert.

Enjoy the summer and the freedom

I am rocking my half chaps...protects your legs from rocks and the heat from your bike...look great too!

Tagged: 1/2 chaps, custom leathers, fashion leather, Hamilton leather designer, hot weather riding, Kevin Thom, leather, leather designer, Lissa Hill, Lissa Hill Leather, look hot, motorcycle leathers, motorcycle protection, ontario riding, Sarah Forrest, women motorcycle riders