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We often tell people
that webBikeWorld's mission is to search the planet looking
for unique motorcycling products. We get a charge out
of finding something that's really out-of-the-ordinary and letting
people know about it. Well, here it is folks -- this has
to be the most unique and out-of-the-ordinary product in the
webBikeWorld inventory! I never imagined that a simple
hanger could be so high-tech! And you know what?
If you own a riding jacket or pants, or a set of leathers (or
even if you don't), you need this product!
I was intrigued recently by a small ad that I found in Road
Racing World magazine that had some photos of Black+Gray's selection
of products. And an eclectic selection it is -- everything
from ergonomic race timing boards to traditional and digital
pit boards to unique plastic wheel chocks for transporting motorcycles
-- and also the Hi-Per hanger, all designed, developed and manufactured
by Black+Gray in
Garrison, New York.
It seems that when you find a group of focused and well-thought-out
designs like these, there's usually a dedicated motorcyclist
behind them. And that's certainly the case here -- André
Grasso is an Industrial Product Designer with an "all consuming
interest" in motorcycle racing. André is also the
Principal in Index Industrial
Design and Development, an industrial design consulting
organization for various products and industries. When
André finds a problem, he designs and develops a solution, unlike
the rest of us who just sit there and whine "Why doesn't
somebody invent......".
 If
you've ever hung a set of leathers -- or even a leather jacket
-- on a cheap wooden or plastic hanger, you quickly realize
that there's got to be a better way. No hanger I've ever
found either has the shoulder width to correctly fit a jacket
with modern armor in the shoulders, much less hold the weight
of a complete set of leathers and gloves. In fact,
until the Hi-Per hanger, I hadn't even tried to hang up my leather
pants; they're just too heavy and thick for normal hangers.
André must have spent a huge amount of time and money to design
the Hi-Per hanger. As an ex-Journeyman Machinist who's
also had some experience with various parametric CAD design
software applications, I can tell you that the Hi-Per hanger
isn't something you cook up on a cocktail napkin. Between
the overall product design, making the molds for manufacturing
the plastic shoulder arms, cutting the 0.125" thick aluminum
plate (with a water jet cutter?), and assembling the clips...well,
let's just say that there can't be another hanger anywhere in
the world that has this much thought put into it!
The Hi-Per hanger's extra wide (3") shoulders are designed
to support street or track leathers no matter what type of padding
might be underneath. They're also adjustable -- they can
be moved out so that the hanger is either 17.8", 19.2"
or 20.8" wide. André claims that the hanger will
hold 150 lbs. of gear, and I have no doubt that he's tested
this. The aluminum hanger itself is brushed and powder
coated with a clearcoat, so it should never face any oxidation.
The Hi-Per hanger's "Power Clips" are made of 0.0625"
aluminum also, and they can be moved to fit in any of the four
holes on the bottom of the hanger. There is a very powerful
spring inside each clip with three rubber tips. The combination
of the powerful spring and the rubber tips will hold just about
any item of clothing you can think of without damage.
There's also an optional Power Clip you can purchase to hang
on the center hole which will hold a pair of gloves. The
Hi-Per hanger is available in several configurations: the HP-1
for pants only; the HP-1G for pants and gloves; the HP-2 is
for a jacket only; the HP-2G for jacket and gloves; the HP-3
for jacket and pants and the ultimate, the HP-4 seen here that
can hang a jacket, gloves and pants simultaneously. What's
nice about the system is that you can buy any model and add
to it later by purchasing extra Power Clips.
By the way, one more benefit of using the Hi-Per hanger system
is that the wide shoulders of the hanger allow a lot of air
to flow under the garments. This can prevent odors and
mold from growing in damp, sweaty items.
So let's see -- you spent $15k on that new Ducati, another thousand
bucks on a jacket, pants and gloves... what's another few bucks
to have the best! And just think of how envious your pals
will be when they see your leathers hanging on the Hi-Per hanger
at track day!
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