Spring fashion gets cool at Barnett’s Harley Davidson

This gear not just for bikers

Las Cruces Bulletin

Are you gonna’ get your motor running and head out on the highway? Are you looking for adventure in whatever comes your way?

If these words strike a chord with you, then you’re surely familiar with the name Harley Davidson. With spring officially here, maybe you’re unpacking that vintage leather jacket, dusting off that retro black helmet and gassing up your own bike for the first ride of the season. And where better to get ready for the warm Las Cruces weather than at the ultra-cool Harley Davidson motorcycle store? Barnett’s Harley Davidson, 2600 Lakeside Drive, is stocking the shelves and both floors with the hottest trends in motorcycle culture for the summer of 2016. From leisure wear and accessories to the iconic motorcycles themselves, Barnett’s has anything you could image for bike fans and aficionados.

First, every cyclist needs rad gear. Spring and summer styles in the motorcycle world mean one thing: the color black.

“Summer is all dark,” said Mando Martinez, motorclothes associate at Barnett’s. “Black goes with everything. It’s the color everybody loves.”

Just because the clothing tends to black doesn’t mean there isn’t a wide variety of designs and styles on the floor at Barnett’s. The warm weather necessitates cooler fabrics, so much of the spring inventory, though dark in color, is made with 100 percent cotton or mesh, with moisture-wicking properties and UV protection right in the fabric.

The Black Label Collection, which is geared toward 18 to 28-year-old men, is a newer clothing line at Barnett’s. Martinez said, “A lot of younger riders like to dress up to go riding. With the Black Label Collection, guys look cool on the bike, and they look cool when they get to the party.” The Black Label clothes come in a “slim” size to better suit the demographic. And for the older guys who are “not so slim,” Martinez said, vintage designs are a big thing this year.

“These new shirts all have snaps and buttons, like from years ago,” he said. The basic plaid shirts also sport manmade “oil stains” to mimic the look of a garage mechanic. The shirts, adorned with retro decorations and faux oil stains, along with the Harley Davidson name, run in the $65 to $80 range.

Accessories like gloves and jackets come in a lightweight mesh material which allows cooling airflow during the ride. One smart new item is the “hydration vest,” which gets soaked in cold water for a few minutes, and when rung out and worn, acts like a mobile evaporative cooler that stays cool for up to three hours. Hydration head wraps and caps also are available.

Barnett’s has on display 10 different iconic Harley Davidson leather jackets, ranging from $160 to $895. If you can’t find a leather jacket that makes you look cool at Barnett’s it’s just not going to happen.

Let’s not forget about the ladies who ride just as hard as the men. The store has a surprising number of items that will appeal to women: purses, carry bags, suitcases and pet supplies, as well as home furnishings and comfort items such as towels, robes, blankets and jewelry.

Chris Belarde, HR manager and marketing specialist, expects the retro shapes and colors of the bikes themselves will appeal to women. A Heritage Deluxe Soft Tail motorcycle, which demands to be the center of attention, is detailed with a turquoise reminiscent of the 1950s. “That color is called “Teal and Crushed Ice,” he said.

“The larger fender in front and the leather saddlebags have a nostalgic look,” Belarde said, which brings back memories for riders of a certain age.

Brand name products often come with a high price tag, but Belarde mentioned there’s a whole upstairs area that features “last chance items,” which are not made any longer but carry the high quality of the Harley Davidson Company. Shopping has never been cooler.

Barnett’s Harley Davidson can be reached at 5411440.