Harleys roar through Houston: This fashionable motorcycle gang is on a mission to fight AIDS

Chris Salgardo has ridden his Harley up and down the west and east coasts to raise money to find a cure for AIDS. Now the president of Kiehl's Since 1851 is roaring across Texas.

Salgardo, accompanied by amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research) CEO Kevin Robert Frost, British artist Conrad Leach and rock 'n' roll celebrity photographer Travis Shinn, recently made a Houston stop at the Kiehl's Highland Village store as part of their five-day "Texas Ride for amfAR." The foursome traveled from Austin to Dallas for the Two X Two for AIDS and Art fundraiser, with stops in Sugar Land (at the Kiehl's counter at Dillard's in First Colony Mall), Houston and Longview.

"I've never come across so much rush-hour traffic where car drivers are so considerate to motorcyclists."

"I think that Texas gets a bad rap for not being supportive and emphatic to HIV/AIDS causes and I just don't think that's true," Salgardo said. "There's something about Texas, every time I come, the Southern hospitality is amazing.

"To be able to be on a bike, you see the country and you see the small towns like you can't in a car, so it's really a thrill for me."

Leach, who hails from London, said he found Texas drivers courteous to motorcycle riders, which might surprise some locals. "It's a really motorcycle-friendly place to ride. I've never come across so much rush-hour traffic where car drivers are so considerate to motorcyclists. Here I've never felt so welcomed on a motorcycle. First time in Texas, first time on a motorcycle in Texas. I'll definitely be coming back," he said.

The nice thing about a long motorcycle ride in Texas, Leach added, is the amount of miles you can cover in a day. "You can really stretch out and relax and start to enjoy the scenery," he said. "In Europe, by the time you've warmed up, you've arrived at your destination. Whereas here, the journey is everything — and it's wonderful."

The idea to launch charity motorcycle rides came naturally, said Salgardo, who has been riding motorcycles for more than 30 years. The skin care company, which has been in business since before Lincoln was president (1851), has long featured vintage motorcycles in its stores around the world.

In Houston, the band Dovetail greeted the riders and guests, who were treated to scull-themed nail art manicures and photos at the Smilebooth, along with skin care consultations. All proceeds from sales of Kiehl's Limited Edition Ultimate Strength Hand Salve benefit AIDS research, Salgardo noted. (A tube retails for $28.50.)

"Texas is a huge market for Kiehl's," Salgardo said, noting two stores in Dallas (at Highland Park and NorthPark) and one in Houston, with a new store planned to open in The Woodlands at the beginning of 2014. "We're not done with Houston yet. I will be back."

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Source: CultureMap (Pugh, 10/31)

X Games going deep in heart of Texas to Austin

The X Games are going from the glitz of Los Angeles to deep in the heart of Texas.

Athletes with skateboards and motorcycles will be competing in the Texas capital after ESPN announced Wednesday that Austin will be the next North American host city for the X Games.

"Austin over the last several years has really become synonymous with supporting big events," said Scott Guglielmino, senior vice president, ESPN programming and X Games. "The music scene is fantastic. The night life is fantastic and definitely a young, active town."

The home to the University of Texas also has the new Circuit of the Americas sports and entertainment complex, which will be the primary site for X Games Austin. The 1,500-acre complex opened in November by hosting the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix and held a MotoGP motorcycle race in April.

Austin was selected over three other finalists: Chicago, Detroit and Charlotte, N.C. There were initially 13 qualified bids for the Olympic-style selection process, with Austin picked to host for four years starting next May 15-18.

"X Games is a great action sports competition and is an ideal fit for the city of Austin, which has a tremendous fitness orientation, a tremendous action sports community," said Steve Sexton, president of Circuit of the Americas.

Sexton said 16-18 X Games athletes live in Austin, and that a "couple of thousand people" showed up at the State Capitol to watch an exhibition when Austin was announced as one of the four finalists earlier this year.

X Games is nearing the end of its first year of global expansion and transformation, with events already held in Aspen, Colo., France, Brazil, Spain and Germany.

The X Games will wrap up an 11-year run in Los Angeles with this summer's event Aug. 1-4.

"L.A. clearly, Southern California, it's a special home when it comes to action sports and that whole culture, no question about it," Guglielmino said. "But we felt like it was time to move the X Games to a new venue, a new city. We leave Los Angeles with a lot of great memories, certainly. ... We leave after quite a good and prosperous stay, but definitely looking forward to getting to Austin and really growing out the event."

Aspen has been the host of the winter X Games since 2002, but its contract expires after next year's event. Bidding to host winter competition in the United States just ended, with the next site likely to be picked in early 2014.

There are about 350 fully developed acres at Circuit of the Americas, including the 3.4-mile race track with 20 turns, an expansive outdoor live music space for 14,000 spectators and a 25-story observation tower. There is a pit/paddock building with 34 garage bays and two upper levels of hospitality space, and a 44,000-square-foot event center.

Sexton expects at least 100,000 spectators for the four days of competition.

"The ability to host the X Games fits into our overall strategy, to have a multidimensional entertainment and sports destination," Sexton said. "We're more than motor sports. The X Games is kind of one of the first of many steps in the process."


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Source: The Boston Herald News (AP, 7/17)

iPhone Apps for Motorcyclists

If you ride a motorcycle and own an iPhone here are a few iPhone Apps that can help you enjoy both a little more.

Greatest Road: This app helps you find cool roads to ride in your local area. The roads are submitted by local riders, so if you have favorite roads to ride on you can submit some your self. The interface for this App is great, and it is fun to search for nice twisty roads when you have a Saturday afternoon to kill.

Motorcycle Minder: If you ride a motorcycle, you know it takes regular maintenance to keep you and your bike happy. This app helps you keep up with all the maintenance details for your motorcycle, oil change, chain maintenance, tire pressure, etc. It also has a fuel mileage tracker if you want to keep track of mpg’s.

N-Drive GPS: N-Drive is a great GPS App, whether you are on two wheels or four. It provides turn by turn directions, a POI database, and is one of the more feature rich GPS Apps for the iPhone. If you plan on using a GPS on your bike you will need a good mounting system. I recommend using Ram Mounts, they have tons of mounting applications for phones, gps, and any other goodies you might need out on the road. If you do not have a DC plug you may consider installing one of those also, as the GPS feature on the iPhone sucks the battery quick.

Weather Bug App: This App can keep you out of some hairy situations if you are hitting the open road. It provides accurate weather reports and a live radar. No one wants to get caught in a hail storm, this App can save your bacon.

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[via: Rider Groups]

Four motorcycle boot recommendations for men and women

When buying motorcycle boots, a rider generally looks for comfort, flexibility, protectiveness, breathability, waterproof, and something one can wear without losing the feel of one's foot. But the truth is there is no boot yet made that contains all of these qualities.

When trying out boots the most important factor is the initial fit and feel, as the first try usually indicates the comfort or discomfort. Texas Biker Lawyer has two great choices for both men and women.

First, for the ladies, is the Harley Davidson Studded Strut. This is a sexy and stylish boot for women that has an inside zipper for easy on and off, and comes with a comfortable fashionable 2 1/2" heel. Made of full grain leather and a rubber outsole, stacked heels with a narrow toe, the Harley Davidson Studded Strut boots cost roughly around $114.99.

The Durango 11" leather western boots are long lasting, comfortable, great looking uppers for women who are more laid back. They come with a cushion insole with flexible forepart for all day comfort. The hand stained composition outsole looks and feels like leather should. The Durango 11" leather western boots come with a fashionable 1 1/2" heel and costs around $99.99.

The Harley Davidson Men's Booker engineer boots are made out of leather, have a full size side zipper, and are mid-calf length. They are easy to slip on and off and extremely comfortable. Their engineer boot styling and buckled straps at the vamp and the shaft give it a gothic look. They can be found for around $140.99.

The Alpinestars Soho Gore-Tex Boots are a great choice for any man. They have grip on the soles and are easy to step in and out of, thanks to the velcro closure on one side, and it comes equipped with a full length zipper. Made out of full grain leather, they are reinforced on critical stress points, and once broken in they can be extremely comfortable. These waterproof boots costs around $329.95.