Women Riders Now (WRN) is committed to showing the industry that women ride, and we are always looking for vendors who are paying attention to our needs. WRN was at the Denver International Motorcycle Show (IMS) in January handing out ballots to women to vote for their favorites at the show, like we did at the Long Beach IMS, featured in our article here.
We love acknowledging the vendors who are best representing the needs of female riders. Read on for the Denver IMS results and consider showing your support and appreciation by spending your hard-earned money with those who support women riders.
1. Best Motorcycle Jackets for Women
AGVSport — Gear House Pros
With a huge display of women’s jackets on hand, WRN was excited to recognize the winner of this year’s AIMExpo in this category, Gear House Pros, for its AGVSport jackets. It offers styles in vintage café, adventure, sport, and vented. All AGVSport ladies jackets are good-looking, functional, and affordable, and come with level 2 CE armor in the shoulders, elbows, and back. Stay tuned as WRN will be reviewing several styles from this manufacturer in the coming months.
2. Best Motorcycle Gloves for Women
REV’IT! Hydra 2 H2O Ladies Gloves — Performance Cycle of Colorado
Performance Cycle of Colorado is the state’s largest motorcycle parts, accessories, and apparel store. Its classy show booth had a very large footprint with plenty of room to browse the vast array of helmets, jackets, pants, and gloves. We had to hunt to find the women’s gear because there was no “obvious” women’s (pink) section, but we did find the winner of the “Best Glove” category, REV’IT! Hydra 2 H2O, conspicuously hanging among a few other pairs of women’s (and men’s) gloves.
Performance Cycle of Colorado is a family owned and operated business since 1981. Its 60,000 square foot building is stocked full of motorcycles and clothing from all the major brands of women’s gear, such as Alpinestars, Olympia, Klim, Dainese, and more. Its large showroom features plenty of women’s gear to try on, but if you live anywhere within the lower 48 states you can support this business by ordering online.
3. Best Representation of Women (and Best Pants)
For the first time, RevZilla, the huge online retailer of motorcycle parts and accessories, is making the rounds at the IMS. Thankfully, we have two powerful women on the team, Joanne Donn and Amanda “Pants” Wathern, letting the corporate suits know that women are here, money in hand, and are noticing which vendors have gear for us. Longtime WRN readers will recognize the name Joanne Donn, a.k.a. Gearchic, as she has reviewed gear for us many times and has been a leader in demystifying women’s motorcycle gear since 2007. As RevZilla’s Philadelphia Assistant Showroom Manager, Joanne has been instrumental in getting more gear for women at the shows and in the store showroom, making RevZilla one of the top retailers for women’s motorcycle gear.
Pants is RevZilla’s Customer Service Team Lead and works out of its Las Vegas location. Since none of our voters found any vendors worthy of the “Best Pants” award, we thought it fitting to bestow this honor to Pants, for her diligence in making sure there is more women’s gear on the IMS floor.
4. Best Product for Pillions
Discover The Ride
We reported on the show’s “Discover the Ride” areas in our article about the show. There are several areas around the show floor designed to be interactive experiences for all attendees—experienced riders, newer riders, passengers, kids, and anyone curious about the thrill of having two wheels powered beneath them. From wheelie machines, to electrically powered child scooters and e-bikes, there was a line of excited attendees always ready to go.
Because of how many pillion riders have been converted to the front seat after giving it a try at one of the experiences, WRN was thrilled to award “Best Product for Pillions” to this great initiative.
5. Best Gadget or Accessory
Quin Design Helmets
We love motorcycle gadgets, especially when they make the ride more pleasurable or safe or both. WRN is proud to present “Best Gadget or Accessory” to Quin Design Helmets for its innovative technology that packs a ton of important safety features into the most important piece of motorcycle protective gear—a helmet.
Starting with some great-looking top-quality open and full-face helmets, Quin “smart” helmets are integrated with technology called “Intelliquin Smart System.” The Quin Arc Chip works with the latest Bluetooth technology and offers more than just a communication system—it’s got crash detection and an SOS beacon! For those of us who often ride alone, being able to signal for help is literally a life saver. A one-touch feature will call 911 if you are in danger, and the technology will track your location so help can find you right away. If the system detects a crash, it will contact emergency services automatically.
Quin helmets are pre-wired with speakers, a mic, and circuitry without compromising fit, aerodynamics, or any safety features of the helmet. Priced at what you’d pay for a quality helmet without all this technology, Quin three-quarter helmets are $299, full faces are $399, and its full face carbon helmet is $639.
6. Best Off-the-Bike Product
Hi-Dow Class II Medical Device
The Hi-Dow booth was a very busy place in Denver. Maybe it’s because it was right next to the WRN booth. Or simply because the “Best Off-the-Bike Product” was being sold there. We couldn’t help chatting it up with our neighbors, resulting in both WRN sales wrangler Janis Perfetto and I purchasing the electronic muscle stimulators to take home with us.
The units are pain-fighting machines that incorporate advanced electro-therapy technology known as T.E.N.S. which is used in doctor’s offices, hospitals, and pain management clinics around the world. Bio-electrical impulses target and stimulate muscles with tapping, kneading, and grabbing sensations.
The XPDS 18 is advertised on the HiDow web site (HiDow.com) for $499, but we got the “show special” for just $250. The unit is very small, light, rechargeable, and easily portable—perfect for motorcyclists to take along. Ours came with several electrode gel pads and wires, conductor spray, ear clips, and a charging cable. Additional accessories include belts, wraps, slippers, and more, so you can get the best relief for your particular problem areas. Lauren tells us many motorcyclists find relief from the AcuGloves after a long day of holding motorcycle hand grips.
I have been using my XPDS 18 almost daily, and find the belt and slippers easiest to use, but the most direct pulses come when you have the pads secured to targeted areas. My daughter uses the AcuKnee wrap I bought specifically to sooth her arthritic knee joints. One thing is for sure, I will be adding this machine to my motorcycle touring “kit.” The charge lasts for a very long time and I like the idea of bringing it on a week-long camping trip knowing I won’t have to recharge it until I return home.
Now it’s your turn. Were you at one of the IMS shows and found something exciting for women motorcyclists you want to share? Please tell us about it in the comments section below. Thanks!
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