It’s that time of the year in the northern hemisphere where riders are either a) riding, or b) planning to ride. Are you looking for new gear to help you along the way? More specifically, are you looking for Ducati-branded sport touring gear made by Spidi, Held, X-Lite, and Arai to keep you warm, dry, and protected?
If so, the fine folks from Bologna have just the thing for you. There’s a matching jacket and pants in both men’s and women’s sizes, a textile-leather hybrid glove, a modular helmet, and a full-face one as well. Let’s dive in.
Gear Up:
First up, we have the Tour C3 textile jacket and matching pants. Both are produced exclusively for Ducati by Spidi. The jacket features a shell made of 600D polyester with water-repellant coatings, as well as a removable thermal, breathable liner that’s also water-repellant and is designed to be worn separately if you prefer. There’s also a second fixed membrane H2Out liner. If you’re a heavy pocket user, be aware that this jacket only has two exterior and one interior pocket, so it’s a little light in that department. I have zero idea why you’d want to iron this jacket, but Ducati also says that it’s iron-safe to 110 degrees Celsius (or 230 Fahrenheit), so feel free to iron away below that temp if that’s your thing.
Meanwhile, the matching C3 pants are built similarly, except with no removable thermal liner. They do have an H2Out waterproof, breathable, windbreaking membrane, as well as CE-rated armor for knees and hips. Like the corresponding C3 jacket, these too can be ironed to the same temperatures. Side note: Does anyone actually iron their bike gear? Asking for my general curiosity, and probably yours, too, since Ducati points this feature out in its online shop.
Gallery: Ducati Touring Gear 2020
Next up, we have the Strada C4 gloves, which are a mixture of cowhide, goatskin, and textile pieces stitched together by Held. There’s a Gore-Tex lining, as well as Shock Absorber material across the back, knuckles, ulnar head, and wrist. PVC knuckle protectors also get a layer of Superfabric that covers them. Ducati claims they’re 100 percent waterproof, and feature two adjustment straps on the sleeve and wrist. Additional features include a wiper insert and double stitching in all abrasion-prone areas. Do not iron, period, per Ducati. (Seriously, I have never ironed any bike gear in my life, and inclusion of ironing instructions is genuinely perplexing to me.)
Finally, we get to one of two new helmets Ducati is offering. The modular Horizon helmet is based on the X-1004 X-Lite shell, and features a sun visor with UV 400 protection. It also has a double safety chin guard system that offers excellent ventilation. The composite laminate outer shell comes in three sizes, with only the chin guard being polycarbonate. It’s eyeglass-friendly, and the interior is both detachable and washable. It’s homologated to P and J safety, meeting both integral and jet safety standards in Europe. ECE certified.
Ducati’s new full-face helmet, the Black Steel (with or without the hour of chaos, presumably depending on how you ride), is based on Arai’s Renegade V model. It’s meant for use on naked motorcycles with upright riding positions. The outer shell is made of Super Fiber Laminate (SFL) surrounding multi-density EPS foam. Ducati claims that airflow circulates at a rate of about 14 liters per minute. Like most other helmets now, it also features a detachable and washable liner. It also features Arai’s Facial Contour system, which the company says is “an elastic foam support in the cheeks that compresses and expands” to offer a more comfortable fit, since it covers both the cheek and jaw areas. ECE certified.
These new items are all available directly from the Ducati online store, or may be available through your local authorized Ducati dealer as well. Check with your local dealer to be sure, since different items may have different availability in different places. Prices range from 199 Euros (US $228) for the Strada C4 gloves up to 719 Euros (US $822) for the Black Steel helmet if ordered directly from Ducati, and may vary even more depending on your local market.
Source: Ducati