Product Review: BammBamm's Custom Blanket Roll for Old School Wind Blockage

So recently some readers of my blog post “Ape Hangers: How to combat the flying squirrel effect” asked about the blanket roll on my Softail, where I got it, how much it was, did I really like it, etc.  Well in an effort to answer all those questions and more I am officially doing (drum roll please) my very first product review.  (Sound applause)

Wind buffeting when using ape hangers can be an exhausting experience.  After several hundred dollars and countless hours in the garage I finally was able to find the right fit and style of ape hangers for my Softail as “fit” was the most important aspect in alleviating most of the fatigue that hours of getting blown off of my bike seemed to cause.  No longer was I hanging on for dear life but I still had to maintain a death grip on my bars or hold my abs taught in an effort to keep from being blown around when going at highway speeds.  For short rides this isn’t a problem but my limit was maybe about an hour or so before I was ready to get off for a bit.  I needed a little something extra and began my hunt for a solution that was cool looking, cost effective and fit the design of my bike.

As I stated in my previous blog post, windshields didn’t suit my style and they were very expensive.  Also after my experience in trying to find the right bars I wasn’t too keen on spending hundreds of dollars trying to find the right windshield.  I researched fairings, different bar configurations even those little bikini fairings that people charge hundreds for (I have no idea why, it’s basically a coffee can cut in half strapped just above the headlight).  And as I said before someone mentioned doing it “old school” by strapping a saddle blanket to my bars.  My Softail definitely has a little old school thing going on so I thought I’d look into it.  I found virtually nobody who made blanket rolls so I decided to simply buy a saddle blanket, use a couple of small belts or large dog collars and just strap the thing to my bars.  As you might have guessed this was less than functional so I went to zip ties which while functional looked like crap.  I thought about a Bandit’s Day Bag but honestly, it looks a lot like a duffle bag strapped to the bars, Kuryakyn and T-Bags had a similar if a bit slicker of a design but still didn’t have the look I was going for, too modern, too “slick” if you will.  I wanted something that looked good enough to leave on the bike 24/7/365 preferably using leather. 

One night while pursuing the internet I came across BammBamm’s Custom Leather http://www.bammbammscustomleather.com/#/home

The website offered American made leather blanket roll harnesses with Mexican blankets for a uniquely old school and functional product.  I ordered one which at around $50 was an inexpensive risk, plus it looked way cool.  The gear arrived in short order and I inspected the harness s and blanket.  The harness was black with basket weave pattern and an eagle stamped where the cross strap meets the belted straps.  The leatherwork was definitely nice and the leather itself was thick and sturdy, overall a quality product.  The Mexican blanket?  It was made in Mexico as it should be instead of China or Pakistan (thankfully) and was also of good quality.  It kind of reminded me of a Mexican poncho I had as a kid and the pattern was a nice gray and black color which fit my bikes aesthetics perfectly.

My Ride

Satisfied with the quality of the blanket roll I strapped the blanket up and went out for a ride.  The blanket did everything a flyscreen or low level windshield would and more.  The blanket redirected the wind off of my mid section and redirected the wind making my apes more tolerable even to the point of being comfortable.  I probably grinned like an idiot for a half hour straight while on that ride, I had finally found the answer to my problem after months of searching and what’s more I felt like I could ride my bike until I was bored rather than exhausted.  What’s more is whenever I decide to take a trip somewhere for a day or two there are no saddlebags required.  I just take an extra set of clothes and roll them into the blanket and strap the whole thing down, nice and easy.  Lastly of course if I get wherever it is I’m going and I need a blanket to crash on (no pun intended) I have one handy.  Now of course this thing isn’t waterproof but if you need that I’d be willing to bet the harness would roll up with a tarp just as easily.  The blankets that come with the harness come in several colors and the harness can have either a basket weave option or for those of you with an inner cowboy a southwestern pattern and the added choices of southwestern style buckles and silver tipped straps.



My Ride



So let’s recap…costs literally hundreds less than a windshield, looks cooler, holds valuable gear and in a pinch you have a blanket…it’s a no brainer. 

More about BammBamm



Southwestern Pattern



Not willing to leave good enough alone I contacted BammBamm to learn more about the product, her company, how she makes her blanket rolls, what options there are and of course to learn a little bit more about her craft. Well, she is a new up and coming business and as you might have guessed, with a nickname like BammBamm, Kathy (her real name) is a tried and true biker.  She has been riding for 27 years and she just finished restoring a 1976 Sportster which is now her main ride.  Besides being handy with a wrench she has been working with leather since she was a 12 year old girl and has become quite an expert over the years.  She is a 1 person business, crafting every blanket roll, wallet, holster or whatever you order one by one.  Every piece she makes is custom from the ground up, she uses no machinery and does everything by hand.  It might be worth noting that BammBamm is the only blanket roll designed for motorcycles I’ve seen available online or elsewhere.  Given the price point of her product and the exceptional quality I’d say her products are some of the best deals out there.



BammBamm's Scoot



(Note for all the skeptics out there…I did not receive any compensation for this product review nor will I.  I feel that small businesses are the lifeblood of innovation and the engine that drives our economy.  When I run across people like BammBamm who are doing quality work, here in the homeland against all odds I’ll do everything I can to support them to include writing a review.  It might also be worth noting that there has been no exaggeration on my part regarding the quality of her products.  Disclaimer over, go about your business.) 



Closeup of Blanket Roll




She does wallets, holsters, etc.  Being the LSU Tigers fan that I am, I'm gonna' have to get one of these bad boys.