Holiday Gift Guide for Cruiser and Harley Motorcycles

[video transcript]

Holiday Gift Guide for Cruiser and Harley Motorcycles

So, all I know is that my giftee is a cruiser. Their bike looks something like this, angled at the front, shiny in the middle, probably low-slung at the back. Maybe I see them go out in leather chaps. Maybe they mention the words Harley and Davidson.

What do I do?

Klock Werks Kleanwerks Kleaner Kit

Well, every cruiser likes to keep their ride clean- it’s just a fact of nature. So the Klock Werks Kleanwerks Kleaner Kit makes a great stocking stuffer. It comes with three different 4oz cleaners – for matte, shiny and metallic surfaces. Then I get two polishing gloves and a microfiber cloth.

The whole shebang will fill the tiniest corner of your saddlebag, so it’s easy to take on the road. My only annoyance is that the kit costs 38 bucks, which is really too much for some fabric and chemicals. That, and Klockwerks spelled Kleaner with a “K,” which is stupid.

Bobster Foamerz II

Another general cruiser gift would be something like this. It’s a Bobster Foamerz II pair of sunglasses.

Whether your cruiser rides metric or Harley, brain bucket or full face – they can use a pair of these.

The half helmet users love to wear sunglasses because they typically don’t have face shields. And no matter what you saw on Sons of Anarchy, leaving your eyes open to blinding rays and bumblebees isn’t cool.

Then for the ATGATT warriors, this is a nice hot-weather option. When the mercury climbs, you pop open your visor and throw these on instead. Voila – more airflow.

I recommend Bobster for riding glasses, because they tend to do a few things better than your average sunglass company. This face foam is closed cell, so you won’t get dust in your eyes . Then the frame is flexible, so they’re relatively easy to wear under a helmet. Also the temples are rubberized, so they’re less likely to fly off your head on the Trans Canada.

These Foamerz – in Amber – cost 19 bucks, which I think is a steal. But beware that black and orange screams Harley-Davidson and some cruisers would rather die than fly HD colours. So, if you don’t know which team your giftee plays for, spend the 21 dollars for the regular smoke version instead.

Black Brand Tech Rider Glove

Now , another cool present would be something from Black Brand.

Black Brand is the new label for Tucker’s cruiser gear. It used to be called River Road – which had a pretty good reputation for classic leather kit. But when Tucker rebranded, they updated a bunch of their stuff.

Case in point – the Tech Rider Glove . In the River Road days, this would have been a couple chunks of cow stitched together with a piece of old fishing line. But under Black Brand, it’s become a sophisticated riding glove.

We have a mixture of top grain leather and cool mesh – who knew that was possible. And instead of chainmail and iron, I get modern memory foam on the knuckles. Then there’s comfort gel on the palm, which is great for cruisers because their bikes tend to vibrate a lot .

And on the fingertips it’s pure witchcraft – CellTouch material that lets you poke at shiny things like this.

The Tech Rider is a quality glove. No one has Black Brand gear yet, and at 60 bucks it’s within the gift budget ballpark.

Cruz Tools RTH3 Harley-Davidson Tool Kit

This next present will take a bit of reconnaissance on your part. Ask your giftee what they think of Harley-Davidson, and see if they fall into a violent rage or start reciting love poems.

Because if they ride an HD, odds are they’ll love one of these. It’s the Cruz Tools Roadtech H3 Harley-Davidson Tool Kit .

Harleys rattle themselves apart – a lot of bikes do. And for the last few years, the Motor Company has not supplied stock tool kits. So that’s left a lot of riders in need of something like this.

Cruz Tools owns the game when it comes to this stuff. I’ve got wrenches for all the common HD sizes, locking pliers, pressure gauge, Allen keys – hex and star – mini socket set, spark plug socket and gap gauge, multi-head driver … Also, if I’m being honest, the stuff I use most in the field: zip ties, wire, and tape.

Cruz Tools even threw in some thread locker because … yeah. Harley guys will know why.

The kit costs 140 bucks and I think it’s worth it. They’re lifetime warranty tools and that never comes cheap.

Also I should mention that you can get Roadtech sets for metric bikes, BMWs and older Harleys with the teardrop cases as well.

AirHawk R Cruiser seat

Now , if your partner, mother, father, sister or brother has ever complained about a sore butt … well that’s an easy one.

AirHawk has been kissing asses for a long time and they’re pretty good at it. The idea is simple – no contact points down the middle, which alleviates pressure on the tailbone and other sensitive areas. Plus, all these air channels mean lots of ventilation and less sweat.

This is the AirHawk R Cruiser seat, but you can also get the AirHawk 2. It’s the exact same, except for the air bladder is made from polyurethane plastic instead of neoprene rubber.

Long story short – the AirHawk 2 is cheaper but it doesn’t last as long. Personally, if I’m spending over 100 bucks for a seat cushion, might as well spend a smidge more and get one that won’t die on me.

For what it’s worth, I find that these are most comfortable with very low air pressure inside.

Alpinestars Brera Jacket

And finally, let’s say that I want to go really big on my gift. Like 600 bucks, screw Santa, I’m the holiday hero.

Then I’m gonna buy the Alpinestars Brera . Because this is the nicest leather jacket I’ve worn since I started reviewing moto gear.

Every cruiser loves cow, and Alpinestars is offering a lot of it. This is premium, full grain calfskin. That means it’s softer than a grown-up cow would be, it retains the original texture of the hide and it will develop a patina over time. No two Brera jackets are exactly the same.

Of course, it’s durable. Leather always slides well, and I get CE armour in the elbows and shoulders, plus an empty pocket for a back protector should your giftee want to buy one.

What sets this jacket apart – for me – is the cut. It’s slim fitting, the sleeves are narrow and pre-curved. But I have gussets here on the arm, here on the back, and zippered expansion at the waist. That means I can have a tight euro fit, a baggier American fit … I can yank all the armour out and the Brera won’t bag and sag on me. It’s a really versatile, classic, all-around motorcycle jacket.

And A-stars even held back on the branding, which is very mature of them. Only a modest, embossed logo on each shoulder so when styles change, when brands rise and fall, the Brera will still be timeless.

So, that’s a brilliant gift that any motorcyclist would want, it comes in black or brown, perforated or non-perforated, and it concludes our cruiser video.

But our stockings aren’t full yet … more motorcycle gift ideas coming up.

Holiday Gift Guide for Cruiser and Harley Motorcycles