Adventure riding range inspired by the classic desert racing era

Dainese has unveiled its new ‘Dunes’ line at the Bike Shed in London, taking inspiration from the classic years of the Paris-Dakar rally to fit in with the growing retro-adventure zeitgeist.

With bikes like BMW’s R nineT Urban G/S and Moto Guzzi’s new V85TT taking inspiration from the 1980s heyday of the Dakar event, when unlimited twin-cylinder bikes were allowed to compete, there’s clearly a demand for clothing to match. That’s where the Dunes range steps in as part of Dainese’s retro Settantadue range. Settantadue is 72 in Italian, and refers to the date when the firm was founded.

The line features jackets named after specific stages of the Paris-Dakar. The Kidal, Alger and Kayes are men’s jackets, while the Djanet and Kiffa are aimed at women.

The £589.95 Kidal is the most expensive of the range, a ¾ length, four-pocket leather jacket available in ‘feather grey’ or ebony. Alger is a range including two textile jackets, a ‘morel’ coloured one for £429.95 or the ‘feather grey’ with additional sewn-on badges for an extra £20. Matching trousers will set you back £219.95.

The female range starts with the £269.95 textile Kiffa, in feather grey or red, while the Djanet is a £399 leather design in black or red.

The Dunes range also includes gloves, shoes, boots, T-shirts and bags. You can see the full range here.

From April 21 2018, all new motorcycle clothing is deemed to be Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). To meet this legislation, it must be tested to a recognised standard. For more information on the law, click here.