Aside from a helmet, boots are the most important piece of motorcycle protective gear in my collection. Over the years I’ve unofficially settled on the
Sidi Crossfire TA boots and
Sidi Crossfire SRS boots as my favorites. These Italian kicks are top choice for their level of performance, comfort, safety and durability. Since they introduced the new hinge style, the only complaint I can muster is with the soles. Compared to other brands, the Crossfire external sole is hard and lacks grip on the footpegs. Now the Italians offer a specialized
Sidi SR-MX Enduro sole, and since I spend most of my time in the woods, this was high on the list of must-try products.
The traditional sole is relatively smooth, which helps it slide along the ground when dragging a foot, but it provides little grip when trying to plant a foot, especially on rocks, logs or uneven terrain. It also doesn’t stick to the footpeg. The Enduro sole has deep lugs that mimic a logger boot. They allow plenty of edges for the peg teeth to bite into and control over the motorcycle is immediately improved. Occasionally the foot will get hung up on the footpeg, but it’s not as bad as I feared. It’s typically in a situation where the rider needs to slide their foot quickly outward for balance. A few rides is all it takes to get used to being a little more deliberate with picking the boot up before moving it off the peg.
Extra thickness from the Enduro sole isn’t noticeable to me. There hasn’t been any need to reposition the brake or shift levers and the riding position is unchanged sitting or standing. The sole is held in place by 17 quarter-turn screws. It took a good hour to swap both of them. Some of the screws were badly worn in the foot arch, so I made sure to rotate them to the toe or heel so they won’t become completely inoperable. A better option would be to replace all the screws with a new set, which Sidi also sells.
These soles are 40 bucks, which sucks when you’re already spending $525 on the boots, but they’re absolutely worth it in my opinion. I generally prefer how the TA sole transfers feel to the foot. Now that the Enduro sole is installed I’ve jumped into my SR boots again and won’t be switching back anytime soon. The Sidi brand seems more popular with off-road riders than with motocross racers in the U.S., but these soles work great on muddy motocross tracks as well. They were a must-try item when I first saw them, but after finding that that they improve safety, comfort and control, they’ve been promoted to the must-have list.
The
Sidi SR-MX Enduro Soles are shipped as a pair and can be found at
Motorcycle-Superstore.com. They come in sizes 41/42, 43/44, 45/46 and 47/48.
MSRP: $40
