Nice Bike, Man! Alpinestars Launches Interactive Social Media Campaign

October 24, 2016

#NiceBikeAlpinestars

Last week I found myself in the pristine office and manufacturing facilities of Southern California’s Arch Motorcycles. To anyone who has aligned themselves with the two-wheeled lifestyle, that would be treat enough. But we were there to witness the #NiceBikeAlpinestars and Oscar by Alpinestars social media campaign launches.

With the Arch Motorcycles warehouse floor cleared of desks and other fixtures that make the work day go by, Alpinestars dropped in custom bikes galore, the spring 2017 men’s fashion line, samplings of the OSCAR line, and most importantly, tacos.

Of course, the question everyone reading this will be asking themselves is, “What is #NiceBikeAlpinestars?” In a sentence, it’s an interactive social media campaign.

Alpinestars will be working with local artists to create murals where riders can plant themselves in front of, and snap a few photos with their bikes. That’s it, no purchase necessary; it’s a place where people can post a photo of them and their bike, but more importantly, share their stories about riding.

Building a community, local or national, is a huge part of riding. How many of us got into motorcycles because of family or friends? How many were inspired by the armor clad rider cruising down the street? The anecdotes will pour out the moment that anyone turns the tap, but that’s the beauty of it. Marketing ploy? Sure, I’m quite the cynic, but even the most jaded lot can’t help see the fun in it.

On that note, let’s dive into the history of Alpinestars directly. Long before my time, Alpinestars produced the OSCAR line. It was a bold proposition; a company known for mountaineering entering into the world of fashion might seem like a dubious prospect at best, but remember, this was coming from the mind and hands of Sante Mazzarolo, the man who pioneered action sports equipment as we know it.

And that audacious move paid off; Alpinestars took top honors from the Fashion Academy in Turin, Italy, with the OSCAR line. The logo used was the era-fitting, spiral logo; hypnotic and engaging, it seems to be as relevant today as it was in 1967.

In today’s motorcycle market, Oscars by Alpinestars, is hitting at just the right moment. Call it what you want, but I see no problem with having classically styled riding gear that offers modern functionality and protection. Arch Motorcycles put it on display for us with a quick promo video, starring the Arch staff.

At the end of the night, Alpinestars, along with the help of Arch and countless supporters, did something that should resonate with a lot of riders. It was an opportunity to catch up with friends that I rarely get to see outside of more formal engagements, and in a lot of ways, I suppose that’s what being on a bike is all about. I can only speak for myself, but I’m here for the experience, and seeing the world from the perspective of a helmet is something that I’ll always be glad to take part in.

But let’s put some of our Southern California readers on the spot. When the murals go up, the first person to nail a good photo of a stoppie will get some swag from the drawer. Be sure to follow the Oscar by Alpinestars Instagram page, and use #Nicebikealpinestars.