Why does Icon get a bad rap?

FZR6Raven · 07-03-2009, 12:34 PM

Let's just say I mentioned that I recently purchased an ICON leather jacket, and someone said they're not good. In the store the leather seemed to be a higher quality than th joe rockets and such... only the alpinestar and dainese jackets were "better" (read, more expensive). my icon feels solid, durable, and fits me great.

mcwilliamsda · 07-03-2009, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FZR6Raven

Let's just say I mentioned that I recently purchased an ICON leather jacket, and someone said they're not good. In the store the leather seemed to be a higher quality than th joe rockets and such... only the alpinestar and dainese jackets were "better" (read, more expensive). my icon feels solid, durable, and fits me great.

They have wrongfully been labeled as Squid Gear because the "squids" will flock to them because (in my opinion) they look better than most other brands. I still think they make quality stuff. People just seem to attach ICON to squids.... unfairly so too.

mydirtytruck · 07-03-2009, 01:23 PM

Just like to they do to GSXR

YamaSakiATV · 07-03-2009, 02:03 PM

I have a pair of Icon gloves and they are nice. I think one reason they have the Squid rep, is because of the show "Sportbikes" on Speed, with Jason Britton. Thats all they wear on that show and they endorse heavily and they are stunt riders. (Not bashing stunt riders or anything just making that comparison, b/c a lot of people also give the Squid rep to stunters)

Electrical_Tech · 07-03-2009, 02:04 PM

My wife has an Icon Airframe helmet and loves it. And I have a small Icon tank bag that works well too .

Squid's aren't associate with GSXR's .. they're associated with gixxers and / or gixxahs bro

LOL Damn fine bikes no matter how you slice it.

gixxerDANE · 07-03-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electrical_Tech

My wife has an Icon Airframe helmet and loves it. And I have a small Icon tank bag that works well too .

Squid's aren't associate with GSXR's .. they're associated with gixxers and / or gixxahs bro

LOL Damn fine bikes no matter how you slice it.

Damnit my name puts me in the squid catagory!! lol

I have a couple ICON jackets and have had about 10 pairs of ICON gloves. They are all nice and have lasted fine. Everyone has a different opinion on whats the best. As long as you're wearing gear who cares what brand it is!

bassjones · 07-06-2009, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gixxerDANE

Everyone has a different opinion on whats the best. As long as you're wearing gear who cares what brand it is!

This!

Part of the stigma is that all they make is street gear, while most of the other big name manufacturers make high end racing leathers too and then pass that technology along to their street gear. ICON strictly makes street gear and they make it look young and appealing to the hip hop crowd. That's a good thing, though most of the young and hip still don't seem to have much interest in wearing gear. Especially true around here where helmets aren't mandatory. It's nothing to see shorts, hi-tops, wife beater, flak jacket vest, no helmet, etc.... in fact that seems to be standard issue gear for most of the urban biker clubs.

deviationnow · 07-07-2009, 08:24 AM

The reason Icon gets a bad rap is because it seems like most of their stuff prioritizes form over function. My friend's shop had a leather Icon jacket in the showroom with textile elbows. Their jackets also fit on the baggy side, which is less than optimal in a getoff. I'm not sure if it's still the case, but for a while their jackets had a warning patch on the inside which indicated that it had not gone through the necessary testing certifications to be classified as safety gear.

I'm not saying that this stuff will disintegrate the moment it comes in contact with the asphalt; in fact, I've heard lots of positive reviews about how well their gear has held up in a crash. It's just stuff like this that makes you think twice about the quality. After all, skin grafts and hospital bills are not exactly cheap.

dsmgixxer · 07-07-2009, 10:02 AM

i like some of the icon helmets but they just dont fit right.

Disco@cyclesector · 07-08-2009, 06:39 PM

Icon is a good brand. They just market themselves differently. They don't care about what happens on the race track. They design and market their brand and products for riders on the street.

I have met the higher ups in Icon. They are all dedicated motorcyclists with a positive vision.

Stick N Move · 07-09-2009, 02:46 AM

We've been over this a hundred times. It tends to be flashy which appeals to most of the stunter and gixxah crowd. And Icon claims that image is better than the safety of their product.

thatverbal · 07-10-2009, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gixxerDANE

I have a couple ICON jackets and have had about 10 pairs of ICON gloves. They are all nice and have lasted fine.

then why in the hell do you need 10 pairs if they are so nice?

Buy one pair of Held Phantoms (or any quality gauntlets) and you can hold on to them for years.

I think icon is the squidliest, but by the same token I am glad they have squids wearing gear. I feel that if they didn't populate this segment of the market a lot of these kids wouldn't wear any gear, and even icon is better than nothing.

gixxerDANE · 07-10-2009, 12:44 PM

[quote=thatverbal;4118966]then why in the hell do you need 10 pairs if they are so nice?

I usually get the new ones when they come out every couple of months dick! I guess I should have been more specific.

LobsterMagnet · 07-10-2009, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gixxerDANE

I usually get the new ones when they come out every couple of months dick! I guess I should have been more specific.

JESUS CHRIST, man!
A new pair of gloves every 2 months...why?

gixxerDANE · 07-11-2009, 03:17 PM

I get them at cost so why not. Just like to try them out so I can make recommendations to customers or friends. We arent talking about $300 Astar gp pros or anything just basic street gloves.