We thought we’d do something special for 2010…So we though we’d stock Alpinestars.

This famous Italian motorcycle clothing brand is at the pinnacle of elite biking gear.

Worn by numerous top class racers around the world, the Alpinestars range demands respect.

With everything from top quality race suits such as the Racing Replica Suit, to the awesomely cool Breeze Air Vented Jacket (pictured), plus a massive range of trousers, boots, gloves and casual clothes, the Alpinestars range is pretty much unbeatable.

So get kitted out in Alpinestars for the summer and for the open road. You know you want to…

View the Alpinestars 2010 range here

With the crashing economy and rocketing cost of living, how will the motorcycle world fare in 2010?

We take a closer look at three key areas of the industry and what 2010 has in store…

Bike Purchases

Just last week, Motorcycle News reported on price increases across the board on new sportsbikes, including the popular Honda CBR600 and Yamaha YZF-R6.

Here’s what Two Wheel Centre’s managing director, Peter Scott, had to say about the year ahead:

“The bike world has been rocked by the economic downturn, and now because of the weak pound the new bike market is just becoming more and more expensive.

This means there will be a big increase in demand for second-hand bikes this year in the UK, and to make matters worse, the weak pound means people are travelling to the UK to buy these used bikes and export them, which will no doubt cause a shortage of quality used bikes in the UK.

So, my advice would be to buy a second hand bike sooner rather than later - decent ones will be like gold dust later this year.”

Helmets and Clothing

Paralleling this shift towards second hand motorcycles is the migration of buyers scouring high and low for the best deal on motorcycle clothing and accessories online.

There has been an increase in sales of mid-range helmets such as Caberg V2R and HJC IS-16, both £125.99, in comparison to the elite helmets like the new Shoei X-Spirit 2 at £580.00 and Shoei XR-1100 at £379.99. In fact, having noticed this trend, Shoei have dropped the price of their ‘entry level’ helmet, the Shoei Raid II, to be more attractive to the cost-conscious motorcyclists of 2010.

But safety will not be compromised…

However, though cutting back on cost might be a trend to look for in 2010, scrimping on safety will not.

New for 2010, the Hit Air YS high visibility airbag vest is already proving to be a favourite. Retailing at £299.99, these vests are by no means cheap. But the old adage ‘You can’t put a price on your head’ seemingly applies in this instance too, with the high vis airbag vest and the black Hit Air JV Vest being two of the top selling products of 2010 so far.

So it looks like 2010 may well be the year of second hand bikes and mid-range helmets, but quality and safety will still be priority to most bikers.

Motorcycling giant MCN this week published a top ten list of textile motorcycle trousers as voted by it’s readers.

Topping the list were the Alpinestars ST-5 Drystar Trousers at a whopping £179.99, followed closely by the Rukka Unit GTX Trousers - at even more whopping £339.99.

But fighting valiantly in third are the fantastic RST Rift Textile Trousers - at a far more sensible £89.99.

The Rift Trousers are a super pair of jeans, with Knox knee armour and a waterproof and breathable membrane. They can be paired up with the RST Rift Textile Jacket.

RST also took fifth place in the list with the RST Paragon Trousers.

Also included were the Spada Milan Tex Pants (pictured), which are a cracking buy at just £49.49.

With endless brands of thermal clothing available now, it’s difficult to know what to buy and what to avoid.

Well take it from us, the Cold Killers thermal clothing range is bloomin’ fantastic.

The main function of Cold Killers clothing is to provide a windproof shield to the wearer. Sandwiched in between a stylish outer fabric and a soft, thin fleece inner liner is a waterproof windproof membrane, which puts a stop to that terrible chill factor produced by the cold driving wind.

Easily washable, the Cold Killers kit is completely breathable too, meaning that although the wind cannot get in, moisture is wicked away from your body, keeping you warm.

But aside from all this techincal prowess, the Cold Killers range is undeniably stylish.

Finished in subtle detail, you could be forgiven for wearing your Cold Killers Soft Shell Sports Top out to the shops, and the Cold Killers Soft Shell Trouser Liners are certainly more stylish than your standard pair of white cotton long johns.

Still not convinced? Pop down to our showroom and take a look at the range, or…

View the Cold Killers clothing range online.

We have great news for safety conscious bikers - after a seemingly never-ending wait, the brand new fluorescent Hit-Air YS Airbag Vest has finally arrived in the UK.

The standard Hit Air JV Vest has been massively popular with riders in the UK so far, and based on pre-order levels it seems the attention grabbing YS Vest might even top that.

Activated by a pull cord which attaches to your bike, the vest inflates when the cord is dislodged by a force of 35kg - this means that accidental inflation is quite unlikely.

Inflating to protect all the vital organs and vulnerable impact points of your torso, the Hit Air YS Vest provides unprecedented protection that you just can’t get from a normal motorcycle jacket.

Order your Hit Air YS Vest online now.

Click here to view the Hit Air Motorcycle Airbag Jacket range.