READER PRODUCT REVIEW: ICON Bombshell Boots

By Heather McCoy, Scottsdale, Arizona

The average female in America is about 5 feet 4 inches; the average male, about 5 feet 10 inches. The average sportbike rider is (overwhelmingly) male. You can see where I’m going with this. If you’re an average American female, go out and find a stock sportbike you can reach the ground on… go ahead... I dare ya. Unless you’re an Olympic gymnast/power-lifter, mastering the one-cheek butt-slide to keep a 500-pound bike up at a stop requires quite a steep learning curve. Enter the ICON Bombshell boot.

Heather McCoy riding her sportbike while wearing her Bombshell boots with added rubber sole.

Oh sure, I know what your thinking, what serious rider would wear these? With a 3-inch wedge and bondage-begging buckles, I though they looked way too sexy to be functional. And then, balancing on tippy toes, I’d drop my bike again. Dammit! I remembered meeting a Kawasaki factory rep, herself vertically-challenged, who proudly told me, “I ride any bike I want” and pointed to her platformed steel-toed work-boots. Hmmm... time to give these things a try.

Not convinced the $170 retail price wouldn’t be a complete waste of money, I snagged a barely-worn pair on eBay for a hundred bucks. Hmmm... ankle armor, re-enforced shift-zone...hmmm... a bit tight in the calf (couldn’t quite get ‘em zipped up actually), but surprisingly sure-footed. There’s so much support (strong leather, padding, armor), you really (really) don’t feel like you’re wearing heels (I’m not kidding). And then the big test: I threw my leg over my bike and felt this strange sensation: the balls of both feet were touching the ground! I felt an amazing boost in confidence, and thirsty for more, I took ‘em to a shoe-repair shop and had an additional 1 inch platform applied. I haven’t feared a stop since!

As much as I love these boots (I’ll probably never wear anything else), they could be better. The calves are not generous enough for a women’s curves (come on, ICON! I’m 5-feet-2 and weigh 110 pounds). I had them stretched at the shoe-repair shop before I could get them zipped up all the way (which, by the way, was the reason the original owner sold them). Also, the bottom tread is thin and smooth. I’d prefer a thicker, knobby sole for some added traction. 

For function and style though, and for guaranteed conversation-starter pretty much anywhere you go, I give these boots an enthusiastic 4-and-a-half revs. Vroom, vroom, vroom... vroom!!!

PS: Check out the Bombshell’s little sisters: The Hella and The Hella Street Angel for ankle-length versions.

Reader Comments

My calves are quite large due to riding a bicycle for so many decades. I can't get the boot to zip up no matter what and no stretching in the world could make them fit. This is a problem I've had with any boot that goes up the calf...until I walked into Red Wing shoes one day and discovered their motorcycle boots for women. I love the non-skid, oil resistant sole, the heel is perfect for not sliding off the footpegs and best of all, they fit my calves! They do look rather nice, but you can't see the decoration on them since my pants cover them up. I do love the look of the Bombshell, but there's no way they would fit on my calves. I'm 5 feet 8 inches tall, 150 pounds (I'm a body-builder and it shows) and my calves are 16 inches. Anna Edgcomb Concord, CA Saturday, June 19, 2010 I have a Suzuki 1250 Bandit and it's really great to see an article by a woman who rides a sportbike! Love to see more of these. Liz Meade Ithaca, NY Thursday, June 17, 2010 I was skeptical about these because I am short with a very muscular calf (I'm 5 feet 1 inch and 115 pounds), and the tall version won't zip at all, but I tried on the shorter version (yes, there is one) and it works great for me. Both of my bikes -- one a Ninja 250 and the other a V Star 650 Classic -- are lowered but it's still nice to have that extra sense that your feet touch the ground without stretching. Pam Orlando, FL Thursday, June 17, 2010 I love the look of the Bombshell boot. Very feminine looking for a change, however they are not the most comfortable when worn for a while. I am 5 feet 6 1/2 so I didn't need them for height advantage but they are very attractive and the guys love them. I will continue to wear them when attending special functions on my motorcycle. Blayze Richmond, VA Wednesday, June 16, 2010 Page 1 of 3 (12 items) [1] 2 3 Loading…

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