Gerbing's Heated Clothing - The cold rainy days are here and if you're still contemplating heated riding gear, consider this:  At 60 MPH, when it's 35 degrees out, the wind chill factor is a blistering 17 degrees!  Drop the outside temp to 20, and the wind chill is a very painful -4!  This may not be a big deal on a half hour commute, but if you plan to ride more than an hour or so, or have a trip planned that includes heading over a mountain pass, you might not make it unless you're "plugged in".  Be prepared for whatever the weather brings - and get your Gerbing's Heated Clothing now, while we still have some!

Rain Gear - One of the best investments any rider should make is in a good set of rain gear.  Our best selling gear is the BMW one-piece ProRain and the 2 piece RainLock Suit.  This raingear will stand up to pretty much anything you can throw at it and still keep out the wet stuff.  This time of year it's not a matter of if you're going to get wet, it's when. 

Why?  A lot of customers ask us why they need rain gear when they have the latest in year-round touring gear.  Here's a little insight about "waterproof, breathable membranes" (some of you already know where I'm going with this):  Chances are your daily riding gear has either one of these membranes, or some type of waterproof breathable coating that's been applied to the fabric (usually to the back of it).  When it comes to cost of new riding gear, some is directly related to how the waterproofing is applied. You'll find that the best of the best riding gear out there will usually have a Goretex or Schoeller Sea Change Membrane included.  These climate membranes work very well and keep you warm and dry, most of the time.  However, some membranes, especially lesser brands or waterproof coatings, will eventually leak.  Why?  Although it's usually not published, most waterproof membranes have a time / pressure limit on how long they can hold up, or keep out water.  It might be 1 hour, 2 hours, at 40 MPH, 60 MPH and so on.  This rating depends a lot on how porous the material is.  Regardless, once a membrane reaches its pressure limit, it essentially starts to work in reverse, or pass vapor the wrong way!  In the heaviest of rainstorms, particularly what seems like daily fare in the northwest, many of these membranes will do just that, again noting that some are better than others.

So if you're riding gear leaks, is there something defective or wrong with it?  Well, sometimes, but also not necessarily.  If your gear leaks in one spot, there may be an issue with a seam where the membrane pieces joined together, perhaps a seam seal failed.  But if it seems to leak all over, or the same place on both sides, you most likely have pushed the limits of the gear, or it's simply old and the membrane has broken down over time due to UV damage, not following washing instructions, stress or pulling, etc.  It doesn't make the gear junk or unusable, but it does mean that a good set of rain gear might be something you should invest in, in case the rain doesn't let up (like usual in the northwest).

We should mention that these membranes are delicate, so washing them with the wrong products, or treating them with some type of spray-on that's not recommended by the manufacturer can ultimately dry out or damage the membrane / coating.  So can acid rain, or putting your gear in too hot of a dryer.  If your gear is older, you might consider products like Nikwax.  They make both a wash-in solution and a spray-on product to rejuvenate old waterproofing that won't further damage the garment. 

Hope this sheds a little light (and rain) on riding gear.  Be prepared, the rain is here!

Did you know? We work on all brands of motorcycles! - Love your Honda, Kawasaki or Ducati but your local dealer is either too far away or doesn't meet your specific needs?  We've partnered with local OEM suppliers and aftermarket vendors enabling us to source all your aftermarket, OEM and routine maintenance items, for whatever you ride.   Need an oil change on your GSXR?  How about tires for your KTM?  Let us know what you have and how we can service all your motorcycling needs.

Speaking of service, be sure to check out our winter service specials!

Fall closeouts going on now!  - We're in the process of marking down a bunch of stuff that is either discontinued or out of season.  Check our sale rack and closeout section for the latest deals.  Select items being added weekly!

Bill Niwa | Apparel Manager | apparel@ridewest.com » Jeff Conlin | Parts Manager | parts@ridewest.com » Sean McCoy | Parts Advisor | sean@ridewest.com

» Ask MotoAdventureGal » By Alissa Clickenger

Dear MotoAdventureGal:

Alisa Clickenger is MotoAdventureGal. On a motorcycle, she's crossed the USA multiple times, ridden up to Alaska, all over Europe, and traveled solo to Argentina in 2009. She rides and writes for a living, and leads a women's motorcycle tour that teaches and empowers women to tour in groups or alone. 

» WomensEmpowermentMotorcycleTour.com 

» Alisa@WomensEmpowermentMotorcycleTour.com

» A Message From Our Owners » 

Have been thinking about purchasing a new BMW motorcycle?  Now is the best time and the following explains why we say this.

Ride West BMW is once again having a good year.  As of the end of the third quarter (September 30) the dealership has sold 196 new BMW motorcycles, placing us fourth in the country in terms of new unit sales.  Ride West is always one of the top performers, consistently ranking in the top ten for most of the seventeen years we have been in business.  And yet we have dilemma.  You may have noticed over the past several years that as we approach the end of summer we have very few new motorcycles to sell.  This is caused in part by BMW's allocation program, in part by our own success and in part by our geography.  Here is an analysis of the problem.

BMW introduces new models in late summer to early fall.  They want to start the new model year with fresh inventory so throughout the summer they are emptying their warehouses of the current model year stock.  So as the summer progresses the availability of bikes shrinks and the motorcycles we have to sell diminishes. 

Ride West's problem is that, being a high performing dealership, we sell out of all of the stock we are allocated well before the new models are introduced.  And next years allocation can not keep pace with our growth projections.  Ok you say, why don't we just place our order and have BMW produce those bikes for us.  The answer is because BMW Motorrad does not operate that way.  They take a "snapshot" of our inventory in late February, when we are loaded with bikes, and it appears that we have plenty to sell.  Problem is, our best selling season has not yet begun and when it does, we sell out quickly.

The third problem is geography.  Being a Northwest dealership our best selling season starts in April and runs through September. Often times the late summer through September is our best, since it is some of our best riding weather.  We normally have more demand than supply and end up selling out of many models well before this time.  BMW is acting in reverse, emptying their warehouses anticipating the new models.  Consequently, lacking supply, we are unable to find bikes for our customers. We normally like to have 75 to 80 new motorcycles in inventory, which cover most colors and option packages of all the models.  In early September this year we had three units to sell, plus a couple of demonstrators because we had sold everything else.  This is not an uncommon situation.

There is a point to this story and it is this:  If you are considering purchasing a new BMW motorcycle, do it now!  We have the bikes in the colors and options that you want.   The demand for these bikes is growing every year so get what you want while we have a large selection to choose from.  There truly is no better time than now.  And thank you in advance for your business.