My first pair of motorcycle boots was pretty terrible. I don’t recall the model name but they were of the lowest echelon from the Frank Thomas lineup. They had no hard armor on them and no adjustable parts. My Frank Thomas leather pants were so baggy they didn’t allow for the full closure of the boots. This struck me as a safety issue, that and the fact that after only two weeks with the boots my rearsets had worn a nice hole through the heel. Not exactly confidence-inspiring. I returned the boots to Cycle Gear using their excellent return policy. I walked out of the store with some brand new Alpinestar SMX-Plus boots. These immediately felt like heaven compared to the Frank Thomas boots. I don’t remember the price I paid because part of it was paid off using the store credit from returning the Frank Thomas boots. I used the SMX boots for a full season and this past summer decided that I wanted to try some other boots, just for fun. I ordered my self a set of Sidi B-2s, and while they don’t feel as sturdy as the SMX boots they were so much more comfortable I immediately sold the Alpinestars.
Alpinestar SMX-Plus BootsAs my first real pair of good motorcycling boots these were pretty great. They were stiff in the beginning but once broken in allowed for pretty easy walking. Make no mistake, it was very obvious audibly that you were wearing these boots because they squeak like crazy. I would frequently just wear these boots under my jeans but regretted doing it in public because they made so much noise. While riding the boot’s sturdiness was nice while on the balls of your feet. You don’t have to use your calves as much in order to ride on the balls of your feet. Up-shifts were also quicker because the boot wants to be at a ninety-degree angle. If you force it below that in order to get under the shifter its tendency to be at a right angle assists in forcing the shifter upwards. I also used these boots in rain quite a few times for hours on end in some instances and my feet never got cold or wet. The boots dried nicely and were back on the street the next day. The ratchet closure calf system made it very easy to adjust for different leathers. You could also close it down tight enough on just your naked calve that air would hardly get in there. The thing that bothered me the most about these boots was getting them on an off. I liken it to putting on a ski boot. First there’s the easy pull lace system. Then you Velcro the slack from that to the inside of the boot, then pull up the side zipper, then ratchet the top closed. It wasn’t all that time consuming, but it was enough effort that if I was in a hurry I might just leave the boots behind in favor of my street shoes. The heels on the back of the boot are also at a near forty-five-degree angle making it very hard to grab the kickstand feeler. Overall a very sturdy boot with some good adjustable features but its sturdiness numbed me to the controls a little bit.
The Good: The price is very reasonable for how much adjustable stuff this boot has. Adjustable calf ratchet system is great for all pants. Inner shoe-like area allows plenty of room for leathers. Laces, zipper and ratchet system means your foot is going no-where. Hard armor over heel and ankle. Replaceable toe sliders. Reflective piping on front of boot. Kept me warm/dry during harsh rain. Comes in black, blue and red.
The Bad: Kind of stiff and clunky for walking around. Laces, zipper and ratchet system means it takes a little effort to put these boots on. Only has replaceable toe and heel sliders. The hard armor over the heel makes flipping out the kick stand a chore. I felt a little numb to the controls in these boots.
Following picture taken from newenough.com
Sidi B-2 BootsI picked these boots up for $220 shipped from newenough.com and I couldn’t be happier. These boots feel very light and make excellent street boots. Walking around in them is very easy. I once spent an entire day wearing these boots and never got uncomfortable. I also test drove a manual car and had no problems. It’s very easy to point your toes up and down which could be good and bad I guess. When riding I can very easily feel out the shifter and the brake lever. With other boots I’ve had it feels like work to get your toes back out from under the shifter. With these Sidis I can just slide back over my Sato rearsets without a problem. I have not tested them in the rain yet but I’ve been on a couple 50-degree rides and my feet don’t get cold. In hot weather however they can get pretty warm as they have no breathable material. The shin plate, ankle and toes sliders are all replaceable and you can replace them with Vertigo parts. Getting in and out of these boots is very easy. A simply pull of a zipper and all you have to do is slap the Velcro down and you’re off. The zipper comes up about ¾ of the boot meaning the Velcro around the top can be adjusted for different calve sizes. I’m not sure how adjustable this really is but it works really well for switching between my leathers and my jeans. If you’re skeptical about getting a tall “racing” style boot for the streets get these boots. They’re not loud. They’re not uncomfortable. They’re cheap, and if you wear them under jeans people will hardly notice.
The Good: The price. Their flexible light feeling makes movement easy. Replaceable shin plate and heel and toe sliders. Interchangeable parts with the Vertigo boot. Easy on and off thanks to a single side zipper with Velcro cover. Velcro adjustable calve means there’s some room in there for baggy leathers, or big muscles. Boot-style heel makes it easy to flip kickstand out. Very easy to feel controls and move around on rearsets. Can point toes up and down very easily which is nice since my brake lever practically points at the ground.
The Bad: Their flexible light feeling makes me wonder if their as protective as other stiffer feeling boots. Do not breathe very well; users may experience swamp foot. Only comes in black.
Following picture taken from newenough.com
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