Harley-Davidson look to the future

Mention the Harley-Davidson marque in a conversation and most people - whether they're motorcyclists or not - will reply with words such as "archaic", old-fashioned", "slow", "agricultural" etc. The latest news from the Milwaukee-based manufacturer, though, seems to be giving the lie to that.

After having made headlines worldwide recently for having made it onto Donald Trump's "enemies of the people" list, the Motor Company is back in the news, this time to announce its plans for the years to come, in the shape of a whole raft of brand-new bikes. Let's take a closer look.

LiveWire

The Harley-Davidson LiveWire - sparking a great buzz

Of all the un-Harleyesque bikes that the Wisconsin-based marque is introducing over the next couple of years, the LiveWire is the one that will be the most discombobulating to Harley cognoscenti and ignoramuses alike. For one thing there's the riding position, which errs towards the sports roadster end of the spectrum (anybody who's ever ridden a Buell will be on familiar ground). But most importantly - this is an electric motorcycle! That's right: no pushrod V-twin, no "potato-potato", no vibration-per-piston-stroke ratio, no more stopping to "pump gas", as our transatlantic cousins say.

Qwart helmets - High-tech and hand-crafted

France has for a long time had a tradition of manufacturing quality motorcycle gear; companies such as Shark, Furygan, Segura and others are well-respected for their products throughout the world. Continuing in this tradition the French startup company Qwart, based in Saïx in southwest France, creates and manufactures a range of handcrafted designer crash helmets.

The range of Qwart helmets covers two models, the full-face Phoenix helmet and the open-face Hemi helmet. The Phoenix comes in two versions, the "Slick", which does not have a faceshield (Qwart make a bespoke pair of goggles that integrate seamlessly with this helmet); and the "STD" (for "standard"), which is equipped with a faceshield.

Gear News: Fuel "Sergeant" jeans

Following on their recent presentation of the Downtown jacket, Fuel Motorcycles have just brought out their new Sergeant motorcycle jeans.

These smart jeans, which look cool whether you're riding your bike or just hanging with your riding buddies down the pub, are available in two versions, "Waxed" and "Sahara". Just like the Downtown jacket, don't be fooled by their stylish look; they're up to speed on the protection front, too.

Sergeant Waxed Jeans

The Sergeant Waxed jeans are made with premium 12.5 oz denim on the outside, waxed for waterproofing, and an anti-abrasion aramid fibre lining on the inside. They are cut in a traditional five-pocket style, with an extra pocket on the right thigh closed by a waterproof YKK zip. They feature heavy-duty suede strips on the outside of the thighs and on the inner part of the lower leg, with quilted panels on the front. They also have stretch panels at the knees that allow you to move freely on the bike. The Sergeant Waxed jeans are equipped with Level 2 body armour at the hips and knees. The knee protectors can be fitted and removed easily via pockets with an opening on the outside. The jeans' tapered fit makes them easy to fit inside a pair of riding boots.