When it comes to crappy spring weather, riders living here can sing “Don’t Cry for Me Minnesota” to the melody of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” and really mean it. Below is a screenshot of what might be the worst-ever NWS (National Weather Service) seven-day forecast for April 16th in Duluth Minnesota. It was issued four days ago. Our typical spring weather is so bad it is actually funny. This year it’s been even worse. Locals have learned through long experience to laugh when bad weather happens and everything atmospheric goes against them because there is nothing they can do about it. Every rider living here gets this.

Arguably, our reliably terrible spring weather is one of two reasons we ended up making some of the planet’s best rider’s gear. Combine truly rotten riding conditions (1) with wanting to ride a motorcycle extra-badly after suffering through one of our typically frigid, dark, and snowy Minnesota winters (2) and the solution (3) is an Aerostich R-3 armored textile rider’s coverall. It’s as simple as 1 + 2 = 3. These suits are highly wind and weatherproof, comfortable to wear, and very quick and easy to put on and remove. Another example of ‘circumstance being the mother of invention’.

Aerostich R-3s, like many other models of Aerostich gear, work great for all kinds of riding situations and scenarios. Still, none of this was ever calculated to help you look like a cool bad-ass, or any other kind of hip or knowing rider. Rather it’s moto-gear as a simple and slightly geeky piece of equipment that is a functional tool more than a moto-fashion statement. It’s simply about riding more.

So if you enjoy looking at yourself in mirrors or the picture windows of passing stores and shops, this gear is probably not for you.  But if, in addition to riding your motorcycle more often, you also enjoy showing up at the occasional meeting, or your regular workplace, or running routine errands on your motorcycle and having people look at you quizzically and sometimes ask: “Are you riding a motorcycle???” because the immediate weather at that moment happens to be noticeably less than ideal, I hope you will take a look through our online click-functional and pageable catalog here.

You’ll be welcome there.

This really was an unbelievable and terrible seven-day forecast for mid-April, even for here.

Enjoy the ride. - Mr. Subjective

PS - The R-3 mentioned above is the current and most advanced ‘third generation’ of the Roadcrafter one-piece suit, which is the product the Aerostich business was founded to manufacture forty years ago. You can watch a short video showing the early real-world testing of the R-3 here:

PPS - The payoff for all this misery (yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus…) comes in July and August when the weather, camping, and riding around here are all super nice. And to celebrate our 40th Anniversary this year, we are planning the Very Boring Rally 5, too. It will be a little different than past VBRs (1-4). Instead of a single weekend gathering, all during these two months everyone showing up at our HQ will receive a swag bag with a VBR5 T-shirt, event pin (pin while supplies last), and assorted other stuff. Free. In addition, there will be a random variety of famous, semi-famous and infamous moto-related speakers and storytellers some days, sharing their life and riding experiences in the Road Grimed Astronaut Lounge (AKA the garage part of the Aerostich building) which has already been set up with tables and chairs. Light refreshments are a possibility. So come and visit us this summer and enjoy the area’s best everything, including the weather. More info about the event and the area’s many accommodations and attractions is here. We’d love to see you.

Edited to add:

This showed up in Mr. Subjective's email. You can't make this stuff up.

For context: A few days ago, we were just shy of surpassing the record for the snowiest winter in Duluth. After Thursday's snow, we broke it... Yay?