My friend Angry Dave gave me this old rundown Yamaha Verago 750 a couple years back, cos he worked at a dealership in SD and it was just sorta lying around. I thought it was awesome, amazing actually, and I took a couple lessons with him but soon the battery died and I just sort of let it sit there for about 9 months. Collecting dust, and perhaps a bit of ocean-infused rust. Then I went to Chile and met this cousin who does bike trips through Bolivia and into the Amazon, and I was like, “Crap, I gotta get me all up in that trip.” So I came home, and like a cosmic coincidence that week I was invited by Honda to learn to ride again. So I did. And from that day forth, I have had a romantic love affair with motorcycles.

Stuff like these Borsalino helmets make my lust amplify like powdered rhino horns for the Chinese.

Classic, elegant, and unassuming. Light years from the Jesse James school of machismo, steroid-addled Choppers and skull-adorned vehicular tomfoolery. It is what all bike apparel should be. Me want some. Sure, some are a little over-fancy pants, but I dig the classic edge. The Falconer (via BikeEXIF) had this to say about them:

“Borsalino has been synonymous with Panama hats for over 150 years. And now it’s making motorcycle helmets. The venerable company is based in northern Italy, betwixt Turin and Milan, and has expanded its brand to include menswear, watches, and even fragrances. I’m not sure if I could bring myself to wear a Borsalino helmet, but they are truly beautiful objects.”

I completely disagree with the last statement, however — I most surely could bring myself to wear them. Happily.

A full gallery below: