Stay hydrated or at least wet your whistle.

I resisted at first.  I thought, "I don't need a drink when riding."  Well, last summer I rode on a friends bike for a few days and he had a cup holder.  Before I knew it I started using it and I liked having a beverage available while riding.

After I gave his bike back I started missing the convenience of having a readily available drink.  I ordered an inexpensive black plastic cup holder and it worked great.

After purchasing the Venture in May I put the cup holder on the bike, but it sure did not look quite right on the new shiny Venture.  After looking at some other options I ran across a great deal on a Kuryakyn universal cup holder while at the Jeff Williams Motorcycle Swap Meet in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The cup holder mounts on either clutch or break perch mounts, or if you use a clamp it can mount to the handlebars.  The cup holder accepts a wide range of cup/bottle sizes.  The chrome C-ring has rubber nipples that accommodate various sizes and keeps a good grip on the cups.  A sturdy nylon mesh net with leather-like material makes up the bottom portion of the cup holder.

The chrome ring, attachment, and bolts look good and are very sturdy.  Kuryakyn provides three pairs of extra bolts and two bushings to make mounting easy.  I chose to use one bolt and not have the cup as high up as it would be if both perch mounts bolts were used.

I have found the cup holder convenient, reliable on corners, and good looking.  I recommend the Kuryakyn universal cup holder for your bike.  I think you will like it.

Comfortable Protective Jeans & Bobster Sunglasses

Two years ago I read about jeans that had strategic Kevlar reinforcement.  I bought a pair of jeans that had the reinforcement and stretch material in the crotch and above the knees.  They were OK, but not as comfortable as I had hoped.

Well, I decided to give a different brand and style of the protective jeans a chance.  I visited the Riders Discount and ordered a pair of Shift Lodown Street Jeans.

The Lodown jeans come in "dark indigo" (lightly faded black) and "light indigo" (faded blue).  I ordered the dark indigo.  The jeans have five pockets, two front pockets, two back pockets, and one key pocket.  Kevlar reinforcement is included in the knees, butt, and hips.  The seams for the extra protection is not too noticeable so the jeans have a traditional look.

Quality of the fabric and the stitching is very good.  Snaps and zipper looked good and worked great.  There are limited waist sizes (30 - 40) and no options for the inseam length.  When I received the jeans they had to be cut and hemmed (I am 5'6").

Once I had them altered I was ready to test them.  I have worn them on 4 different rides of various distances and I have found them much more comfortable than the other jeans.  The Lodown Jeans have a loose and comfortable fit.  The pockets are slightly bigger than traditional Levi or Wrangler jeans.  I was able to move and squat/sit without any problems or discomfort.

Time will tell, but the jeans seem very well made and durable.  I know that I love them and will be purchasing more.  They look good enough to wear even when I am not riding.  I highly recommend the Shift lowdown street jeans.

I also took a chance on some "transition" sunglasses, they are suppose to go from near clear to dark based on the amount of light.  I ordered the Bobster Phontochromic Hooligan Sunglasses from Riders Discount.

The glasses are very comfortable and the workmanship is top-notch.  The glasses fit well and protect my eyes from the wind when riding.  I really like them for evening and/or night riding.  They do not get dark enough for me in the bright sunlight.  I found that the glasses were slow in darkening and that they just did not block enough of the bright light.

I keep the glasses on the bike to use when riding at dusk, dawn, and night.  Bobster makes comfortable sunglasses, but I would not recommend the Hooligan Sunglasses for everyday usage, but they are great for the times when the light is low.