The Streetburners were my first motorcycle boot. I was looking for a low-cut boot, as I didn't think I'd need anything too aggressive right away. I thought I'd be puttering around my local parking lot for months...I never thought I'd take to motorcycling so naturally. I admit, I was shopping more for looks than safety at the time, and I hadn't even taken the MSF course yet. I wanted boots that looked like a regular daily wear boot, or a sneaker. I tried a lot of such boots, like the Shift Kicker, some of A* riding shoe offerings, and the Sidi Slash. Those all looked great, but none of them fit very well, or gave me the sense they'd save my ankle and foot in a crash. The Sidi Streetburners were alot more expensive than the rest of the shoes, and did NOT fit the bill when it came to looks. They look very technical, not like a motorcycle boot in disguise. I reluctantly tried them on, and minutes later was forking over $250 without a second thought.
FIT 10/10
Perfect fit for a low cut boot. Unparalleled fit due to the fastening system. The same fastener on the Vortice is on this boot, across the top of the foot, and it absolutely locks the shoe in place. Read my Vortice review for more details about how cool this fastening system is, but together with the velcro strap across the ankle, this is the king of low cut boots when it comes to fit. It seriously feels more custom than laces on a shoe do. Brilliant system.
COMFORT 10/10
They feel great on the bike, and they feel just as good walking. I have no issues walking in these. Would I want to hike miles in them or walk all day? I couldn't say that about any motorcycle boot or shoe worth it's salt in the protection department. But these are as comfy as any, and I don't feel I would ever need to pack a pair of 'real' shoes with me if I were going anywhere. Get off the bike and go, stay on the bike and ride in pure comfort.
SAFETY 7/10
These are as safe as any low cut boot/shoe, and I'd wager safer than most. The toe slider is very nice, and replaceable. The heel protection is the same level you get in a race boot. The ankle protection is sufficient in a ride-around-town shoe, and has a little extra reinforcement and a little ankle slider. Great stuff. But it is still a low cut boot/shoe, and it won't protect against twisting at all like a full boot will. Hence the 7/10. Also, while this boot is pure comfort, it comes at a cost. At the back of the boot, it cuts down below the ankle to expose the Achilles tendon entirely. Now, this is part of what makes it so wonderful to walk in, but it is what it is, and I cut a point off for this alone. I think they could have made it just as walk-able without exposing the tendon entirely. My goalie skates have a flexible rubber piece that covers the tendon but allows range of motion. I need it to protect against an errant skate blade. Add that to this boot and you have perfection for a street shoe. As it is, I think it does this boot a bit of a disservice.
TECHNICALITY AND FEATURES 10/10
Sure fire 10 od 10...it's basically the Vortice hacked off at the ankle. The fasterners are excellent, the ankle strap is basic velcro but works wonders, the ventilation works and keeps your foot cool and dry. Very high tech for a low cut boot/shoe.
LOOKS 8.5/10
I warmed up to the looks pretty quickly, but they certainly aren't a stealth boot. Not at all. Between the red dials, sliders, and gadgets and the bulbous shiny black heel protector they don't look like anything you'd wear off the bike. Not a tennis shoe or daily wear boot at all. BUT, they actually look really really cool under your jeans nonetheless. They stick out, not like a sore thumb, but like something quirky and oddly stylish. My wife, who doesn't like how the Vortices look and is always quick to comment on how shitty everything I own looks (she's European, nuff said) loved them immediately. I thought for sure she was going to roll her eyes at me, but I didn't even get them out of the box before she proclaimed them officially "cool." I now love them, but looks wise they might not be for everyone. Give em a chance.
PRICE 8.5/10
These are pretty much the most expensive low cut boot/shoe on the market. And when you outprice Dainese, that says something. HOWEVER, you get what you pay for here, and I think it's worth the money. And $250 isn't way out in front price-wise...the other high end price monsters are all around $225. And considering the 10/10 comfort and fit, I'd fork over $250 again in a heartbeat. I'd give them a 9/10, but that Achilles protection is nagging at me, so I docked it a half point. If you are the highest price boot, your boot should be perfect. And this is just slightly less than perfect because of that one issue, IMO.
My Streetburners:
FIT 10/10
Perfect fit for a low cut boot. Unparalleled fit due to the fastening system. The same fastener on the Vortice is on this boot, across the top of the foot, and it absolutely locks the shoe in place. Read my Vortice review for more details about how cool this fastening system is, but together with the velcro strap across the ankle, this is the king of low cut boots when it comes to fit. It seriously feels more custom than laces on a shoe do. Brilliant system.
COMFORT 10/10
They feel great on the bike, and they feel just as good walking. I have no issues walking in these. Would I want to hike miles in them or walk all day? I couldn't say that about any motorcycle boot or shoe worth it's salt in the protection department. But these are as comfy as any, and I don't feel I would ever need to pack a pair of 'real' shoes with me if I were going anywhere. Get off the bike and go, stay on the bike and ride in pure comfort.
SAFETY 7/10
These are as safe as any low cut boot/shoe, and I'd wager safer than most. The toe slider is very nice, and replaceable. The heel protection is the same level you get in a race boot. The ankle protection is sufficient in a ride-around-town shoe, and has a little extra reinforcement and a little ankle slider. Great stuff. But it is still a low cut boot/shoe, and it won't protect against twisting at all like a full boot will. Hence the 7/10. Also, while this boot is pure comfort, it comes at a cost. At the back of the boot, it cuts down below the ankle to expose the Achilles tendon entirely. Now, this is part of what makes it so wonderful to walk in, but it is what it is, and I cut a point off for this alone. I think they could have made it just as walk-able without exposing the tendon entirely. My goalie skates have a flexible rubber piece that covers the tendon but allows range of motion. I need it to protect against an errant skate blade. Add that to this boot and you have perfection for a street shoe. As it is, I think it does this boot a bit of a disservice.
TECHNICALITY AND FEATURES 10/10
Sure fire 10 od 10...it's basically the Vortice hacked off at the ankle. The fasterners are excellent, the ankle strap is basic velcro but works wonders, the ventilation works and keeps your foot cool and dry. Very high tech for a low cut boot/shoe.
LOOKS 8.5/10
I warmed up to the looks pretty quickly, but they certainly aren't a stealth boot. Not at all. Between the red dials, sliders, and gadgets and the bulbous shiny black heel protector they don't look like anything you'd wear off the bike. Not a tennis shoe or daily wear boot at all. BUT, they actually look really really cool under your jeans nonetheless. They stick out, not like a sore thumb, but like something quirky and oddly stylish. My wife, who doesn't like how the Vortices look and is always quick to comment on how shitty everything I own looks (she's European, nuff said) loved them immediately. I thought for sure she was going to roll her eyes at me, but I didn't even get them out of the box before she proclaimed them officially "cool." I now love them, but looks wise they might not be for everyone. Give em a chance.
PRICE 8.5/10
These are pretty much the most expensive low cut boot/shoe on the market. And when you outprice Dainese, that says something. HOWEVER, you get what you pay for here, and I think it's worth the money. And $250 isn't way out in front price-wise...the other high end price monsters are all around $225. And considering the 10/10 comfort and fit, I'd fork over $250 again in a heartbeat. I'd give them a 9/10, but that Achilles protection is nagging at me, so I docked it a half point. If you are the highest price boot, your boot should be perfect. And this is just slightly less than perfect because of that one issue, IMO.
My Streetburners:
