Few motorcycle racers inspire the level of admiration that Kevin Schwantz has done. The American Grand Prix legend is still hugely popular 23 years after his retirement. Mainly because he either won or crashed. His first win came at the first race of his debut full season in GP racing at the 1988 Japanese Grand Prix. And he went on to take 25 victories in an incredibly competitive era of motorcycle racing. It meant beating the likes of Wayne Rainey, Mick Doohan, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Gardner, and Randy Mamola. And to celebrate 25 years since his 1993 World Champion title, these amazing limited edition Alpinestars Schwantz Supertech R Boots are being released.
Kevin Schwantz may have retired from Grand Prix racing before the first Alpinestars Supertech boot was introduced in 2002, but he was still capable of standing on the podium at a high level as recently as 2013. Just 5 years ago he took a podium at the Suzuka 8 Hour event, at the age of 49. And the limited edition Alpinestars Schwantz Supertech R Boots take their colours and design from his 1993 livery. Which means they look pretty amazing.
Perfect if your approach to corners is to wait until you see God, and then brake.
The design and the iconic number 34 will be familiar to any Grand Prix fan. And it suits the Supertechs nicely.
I’ve never met a pair of Alpinestars boots I didn’t like. And over the last 16 years, the Supertech R have evolved at the top of the range to give the best combination of protection and comfort. That means a microfibre main shell giving flexibility, durability, water-resistance and low weight. Now the front flex area which has been redesigned with TPU over breathable mesh and shaped areas to improve abrasion resistance and natural movement.
The top gaiter is synthetic leather reinforced with PU. And all the protection has been continuously updated including the new TPU shin protector ergonomically shaped to spread impact energy out. The replaceable TPU and aluminium toe slider has a new screw fixing. And the polymer heel plate slider is also replaceable and protects from impact whilst also reducing friction. Which explains why the Supertech R boots are CE certified.
The Alpinestars Schwantz Supertech R Boots have the same lightweight rubber compound sole as the normal editions. Along with the separate internal bio-mechanical ankle brace made from a fibreglass re-enforced polyamide compound which works with the outer structure of the boot to absorb even more flex and rotation from an accident. Which means less pressure and risk of hyper-extension injuries to the lower legs.
Let’s be honest. If you have the money and the inclination to buy a limited edition Kevin Schwantz pair of top spec Alpinestars boots, then you’re probably not too bothered about reading through the technical specifications in too much detail.
What you’ll want to know is that the Alpinestars Schwantz Supertech R Boots are available in Men’s Euro Sizes 39-48. And given the limited numbers, you won’t want to hang about. The list price from Alpinestars is the same as the standard and Limited Edition Supertech R boots at $499.95. But if that’s a bit pricey, then you can also buy an official Alpinestars Schwantz hat or T-shirt based around the same design.
We’d imagine Kevin might have been given a few pairs, so keep an eye out for someone wearing them and riding a classic mid-1980s road-going Suzuki RG500. We featured the bike as it was being worked on before being shipped out to Mr Schwantz himself.
Leave a Reply