I live in sunny South Florida so instead of wearing full leather motorcycle jackets, I tend to wear vests. To me, the motorcycle vest is one of the best and coolest motorcycle accessories a biker can own. I have several and depending on my mood, I wear each one of them almost equally.

But not all vests are created the same.

When I first started riding I ordered what I thought was a cool vest and when I tried it on, I knew right away I was going to return it. With that vest on, I looked like a member of the Village People and that was not the look I was trying to achieve.

It doesn’t matter what I think. Each biker has his or her own style and what doesn’t work for me may be the best choice for someone else. Personally, I like the bulletproof style vests and vests that have a crew neck. I also only wear leather vests because to me, they look the best.

If you don’t have any vests, put them on your Christmas or birthday list.

For example, the other day I saw a guy riding a brand 2009 Yamaha Warrior with a pair of Croc Clogs on. Not cool. In my opinion, he might as well have been wearing an alien costume.

The same goes for bikers wearing Santa Klaus hats. OK, I understand why they do it but I just don’t like it. I’ve even seen a biker with a Christmas wreath attached to the front of his bike. Again, not cool at all.

I did a little research and couldn’t really find a lot of options for bikers who want to show they are all about the Holidays. I did find a few t-shirts that every Christmas loving biker should have a wear every Holiday season. In fact, I ordered mine yesterday.

I know it’s the Holidays and maybe I should soften up my attitude a bit. On second thought, no I shouldn’t.  Bikers should always look cool and wear cool and appropriate biker gear all year long. If you see me riding, I will be riding with my “Bad Santa” shirt on and hopefully you will too, underneath a leather jacket of course.

Even if they are overweight and have a big ole Santa Claus belly.

In the spirit of the Holidays, having a big belly and being jolly might be a hit with the kids but it’s neither healthy nor the coolest look for a biker. Some bikers actually take better care of their bikes than they do themselves.

If you are looking forward to the next riding season, here’s a project for you this winter. Take some time out to get in better shape so you can enjoy all the thrills that motorcycling provides.

Exercising can increase your motorcycle riding stamina, prevent lower back pain, increase the comfort of your motorcycle apparel, and make you look great on your Harley or sport bike.

There are tons of ways to drop pounds and inches so I’m not going to go through them. I suggest taking a little time to find an exercise routine that works for you and stick with it. American Iron Magazine has a great section called “Fit to Ride” that has exercises to help bikers. Perhaps asking for this magazine as a stocking stuffer is a good start to better biker health.

This Christmas, I’ve been a pretty good guy and I’m expecting a decent haul of gifts. All of my friends and family know I’m an avid biker so I’m assuming biker gear will be what they get for me.

With that in mind, I thought I’d remake one of my favorite Christmas songs with a biker theme. Yes, it’s corny but maybe it will help you get a few more biker related gifts this year.

Here’s my remake of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Enjoy!

On the 12^th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

12 Leather Jackets

11 Biker t-shirts

10 Shoei Helmets

9 Pairs of Gloves

8 V-rods Racing

7 Honda Furys

6 Pairs of Goggles

5 Hayabusas

4 Pairs of Boots

3 Biker Bars

2 Chrome Rims

AND A BRAND NEW HARLEY STREET GLIDE

Happy Holiday and ride safely into 2010!

During my normal web surfing and motorcycle magazine reading, I came across a motorcycle accessory that is really cool and frightening at the same time. To me, this would make an excellent biker gift. In fact, I bought one for myself!

Cruiser riders who opt to wear half motorcycle helmets will love the Mauls from Solid State Covers. Not only do they protect riders’ faces from bugs and debris, they look incredibly menacing. Next Halloween, I also plan on wearing it to scare the heck out of the kids in my neighborhood. It’s very unique and I have not seen a biker with this item yet.

Couple this gift with a new half helmet from HeadTrip and your biker will be very happy with his or her Christmas. You may have to opt for expedited shipping at this point but it will be worth it.

This could be true for that special biker on your Christmas list. He or she already has their dream bike, loads of motorcycle apparel, every accessory possible, and you are stumped.

Maybe the gift of education is exactly what they want and need.

If you have an avid biker on your Christmas list, sending them to a class about motorcycle repair would be a great way to build on their love of motorcycles. This could be the gift that takes their passion for motorcycles to the next level.

There are lots of options of motorcycles classes too.

• Community Colleges: Community Colleges across the country offer a variety of classes including classic motorcycle restoration. This could spark your biker to decide to build a bike from the ground up.

• Motorcycle Mechanic Schools: Just like Community Colleges, there are schools across the country specializing in certificate granting programs for various brands and groups of bikes. Students can learn how to repair sport bikers, cruisers, or specific brands like Harley or Suzuki. Graduates can seek employment or use the knowledge for their bikes.

• Motorcycle Seminars: Organizations like Motorcycle R &R have weekly seminars helping bikers learn more about their motorcycle. Some seminars are free while others have a nominal charge.

• Online Classes: If your bike has limited time available, then maybe an online motorcycle course would work best. These courses generally cover the basics of motorcycle repair but can give your biker enough knowledge to save money by doing basic maintenance at home.

• Local Mechanic: By searching sources like Craigslist.org or by stopping by a local motorcycle dealer, you may be able to find a mechanic willing to give your biker some private instruction. Perhaps this person can help your biker learn basic maintenance or work on a project bike together.

They say education is for a lifetime. If that’s true, then getting your biker a motorcycle class for Christmas could be that perfect gift.