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BMW NeonShell jacket Highly visible style
By Bill Wiegand #1805684
I’M NOT AN URBAN RIDER. WHENEVER I RIDE IN THE CITY I can feel my heart race and tension levels rise as I face too many intersections with distracted drivers, parked cars about to pull out in front of me or pedestrians who simply don’t see me. But sometimes you don’t have a choice. A car in the shop, a
daughter in town needing transportation, or a bike needing ser- vice—fill in the blank—sometimes there’s no other way. With no other options, I want to do all I can to make my ride a
safe one, and that begins with what I choose to wear. Full gear for sure, but what can I do to make myself even more visible? Road crews and emergency personnel working in the street have long known the importance of being seen. So have hunters in the field. It’s Hi-Vis! Studies have shown that Hi-Vis colors of bright yellow, green
and orange work because they exist in the part of the spectrum that the eye is sensitive to and appear to glow even in low light. Additionally, as riders we’ve got to deal with something called inattentional blindness, also known as perceptual blindness, which is a psychological lack of attention not associated with any vision defects or deficits, and it’s the reason why drivers can look right at an oncoming motorcycle and still pull out in front of it. Hi-Vis clothing helps overcome this phenomenon because
we’ve been conditioned to see “danger” when we see Hi-Vis, and just as our brains have been trained to pay attention to high Hi- Vis, these colors can also help get us noticed when we’re sharing the roads with drivers in a daze as they mindlessly hum down the road. Hi-Vis options have never been greater than they are today,
and part of my urban defense wardrobe is the BMW NeonShell jacket. Though its not a jacket I’d tour with due to it’s lack of ventila-
tion, the BMW NeonShell is a jacket aimed at urban riders and offers them heightened visibility through the use of neon yellow material along the arms, chest and back. Reflective patches are positioned on the chest, shoulders, back and waist to boost visi- bility further still. The Cordura/cotton blend incorporates a water-repellent wax
finish, and thanks to a removable thermal insert, the jacket is also windproof, waterproof and breathable. Removable NPL armor at the shoulders, elbows and back add to rider protection, and two zippered side pockets, two breast pockets and a waterproof inside pocket enhance function. I find the NeonShell jacket to be of the same look, fit and feel
of the BMW Boulder jacket that I’ve been wearing for several years. Adding the insulated liner can comfortably remove the
32 BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2015
chill from a cold spring or fall morning ride, and it is easily removed as the day warms, though the lack of venting can make wearing either uncomfortable when the mercury pushes above 80. Like it or not, sometimes you’ve just got to go into the city. The
highly visible BMW NeonShell jacket can help you make it back home in one piece. The jacket is available in both men’s and women’s sizes, and for more information, visit your BMW dealer. MSRP: $529
Pros: Increases visibility and rider safety Removable armor Looks great
Cons: No venting
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