...a special award to the first person who mails in with the rest of the title.

Anyway. New boots. My trusty old boots were looking quite distinctly second hand after five years heavy use. The fact that they also got used in anger last year when I came off at Mallory Park also meant that they were probably in need of replacement. But what with? They were comfortable and I know they work well in a crash... Well serendipity is a great word. Appropriate, too, because someone came along with an offer I couldn't refuse. And I ended up with a shiny new pair of Alpinestars SMX Plus boots. Red ones, at that, which perfectly replace the outgoing pair.

Now there are a few things you need to be aware of with these boots. They aren't even remotely multi-purpose. They are race boots, pure and simple, and if you wear them on anything other than a sports bike and with anything other than full leathers you will look silly. Sorry, but that's how it is. They are physically large, very conspicuously shiny and armoured and actually look rather like the boots an Imperial Guard stormtrooper would wear in a Star Wars film. Apparently. Ahem.

Let's have a closer look...

Normal bike boots have a single skin of leather or similar material with a lining and various bits of armour, padding and the like sandwiched between the two or bolted onto the outside. And of course in principle any boot has to be much the same. Top end Alpinestars boots differ in that they have, in effect, an outer boot and an inner boot. The inner boot is made of lightweight material and is flexible to give you mobility and breathing space. The outer boot is extremely rigid, with just the minimum articulation needed to be able to function as anything other than a splint. Think ski boot and you'll not be far off.

Putting these boots on is a bit of a pain to be honest, though getting them off is far more straightforward. Undo everything. Yes, everything - side zip (all the way to the bottom, please), top catch and inner boot laces. Slip your foot inside and pull the inner laces tight, attaching the velcro tab on the drawcord to the purpose-fitted patch inside the front of the boot. The laces are made of of kevlar (so they won't rot) and are pre-laced with a spring toggle on them. All you need to do is pull and slide the toggle down - no bows to tie. You also need to make sure your trousers are outside the inner boot but usually inside the outer one. Now do the side zip up all the way, again attaching the velcro on the zipper to the patch inside the top part of the boot. And finally tighten the top adjustment ratchet catch, making sure that your trousers aren't going to be folded in a way to create sore spots later. At this point you notice just how secure your feet feel once everything is done up. You also notice how incredibly comfortable these boots are to wear. They literally feel like your favourite slippers. Just with a bit of armour added.

On the move it gets better still, as the design of the boot allows a cooling airflow that stops your feet from getting too rank, even on the hottest day, while the hard outside armour doesn't interfere with the sensitivity you need for gearchanges and braking in any way at all. A neat trick.

The only downside I have found to actually wearing these boots is in the shape of the heel. I'm used to using my heel to hook the sidestand down before I get off. These have protruding armour which makes the heel too rounded to get away with that, at least on my GSX-R. I'm sure it's OK on other bikes (in fact I know it is because I've tried) but it's still something to bear in mind. Still, when did you last see Karl Muggeridge or Kenny Roberts Jnr worrying about sidestands? That's what mechanics and pit crews are for, right?

Alpinestars boots aren't cheap. Indeed, the SMX-Plus is their second from top of the line boot, and at a retail price of £189.99 it's really not cheap at all. But it's beautifully made, fantastically comfortable and feels about as safe and secure as any piece of motorcycle clothing can feel. I believe I may just be a convert - certainly in my book these boots are worth the price.

SB