Mota Skates

The brand develops equipment for skaters looking for technical gear, both for quad skating and inline skating.

At HawaiiSurf, the Mota selection currently focuses on boots and accessories, especially for roller derby.

Explore our full skating range.

Doug and Julie Glass behind Mota

Mota is run by Doug and Julie Glass, two figures with extensive experience in the skating industry.

They are also associated with creating other brands well known to skaters, including Atom Wheels, Luigino Boots and Bionic Bearings.

This experience places Mota in a highly specialized world of skating equipment.

An established history in skating

L’The founders of Mota have spent several decades developing equipment for skating.

Their journey is associated with wheels, boots, bearings and various technical components.

Mota continues this legacy with products developed to meet skaters’ specific needs.

Mota and roller derby

Le roller derby occupe une place centrale dans l’identité de Mota.

This discipline is mainly practiced on quad skates and involves quick changes of direction, acceleration, braking and contact.

Foot support and boot precision are therefore particularly important.

Mota and quad skating

Mota has developed equipment for quad skating, including boots and various components for roller derby.

Quad skates use four wheels arranged in pairs.

This architecture offers a very different ride from inline skates.

Discover our selection of quad skates.

Mota and inline skating

L’s history and development of Mota are not limited to quad skates.

The brand is also associated with inline skating equipment, including skates, wheels and frames.

This versatility explains why Mota features in several roller skating disciplines.

Explore our inline skating range too.

A performance-focused brand

Mota develops its gear around issues directly related to how roller skates perform.

Support, fit precision, energy transfer and setup customization are important considerations for technical skaters.

These factors become particularly important in roller derby and performance-focused disciplines.

The Mota Max Air Savage

The Max Air Savage is one of the Mota products listed by HawaiiSurf.

This is a boot designed for roller derby.

This type of product lets you build a roller skate from a technical boot paired with a suitable plate, wheels and bearings.

A boot, not a complete roller skate

It is important to distinguish the Max Air Savage from a complete pair of roller skates.

The product listed by HawaiiSurf is the boot, meaning the part that houses and supports the foot.

It must be paired with the other components needed to create a functional roller skate.

Why choose your boot separately?

Building a roller skate from separate components allows you to customize your setup further.

Skaters can select their boot and then choose a plate, wheels and bearings to match their level and preferences.

This approach is particularly common in technical disciplines such as roller derby.

Support for roller derby

Foot support plays an essential role in roller control.

During accelerations, direction changes and lateral pushes, the foot must stay properly positioned in the boot.

Choosing the right size and interior volume is therefore particularly important.

A low-cut boot for roller derby

Roller derby boots generally have a low-cut design.

This design frees up the ankle more than a high-top lifestyle quad skate.

It meets this discipline’s need for mobility and responsiveness.

Choosing the right Mota size

A performance roller skate boot shouldn’t be chosen in the same way as a lifestyle shoe.

The foot should be held securely without excessive pressure or painful pressure points.

Always check the sizing information for the model in question before ordering.

The Mota Heel Lifts

HawaiiSurf référence également les Mota Heel Lifts 7 mm.

These heel lifts add around 7 mm of height under the heel inside the boot.

These accessories let skaters adjust the feel or positioning of their feet to suit their needs.

Why use a heel lift?

Adding a little height under the heel changes the position of the foot inside the boot.

This can change the feeling of support and the rider’s posture.

However, this type of accessory should be used according to the fit and individual preferences.

Building a custom roller derby skate

A roller derby setup can be built from several separate components.

The boot forms the foundation of the fit.

A plate, trucks, wheels, bearings, toe stops, and the necessary mounting hardware are then added.

Choosing your plate

The plate connects the boot to the trucks and wheels.

Its geometry, length, material, and setup directly affect how the skate performs.

A plate designed for derby should be chosen to suit the rider’s shoe size, riding style, and skill level.

Choosing your roller derby wheels

The choice of wheels depends mainly on the surface and the grip you’re looking for.

A softer wheel generally offers more grip, while a harder wheel makes certain slides easier and can behave differently on grippy surfaces.

The rider’s weight and style also influence this choice.

Innovation around the 59 x 38 mm wheels

L’histoire mise en avant autour de Mota et de ses fondateurs mentionne notamment le développement des premières roues au format 59 x 38 mm pour le roller derby.

This type of dimension reflects how specialized this setup is for the discipline’s specific needs.

The diameter and width directly affect the stability and handling of the skate.

L’the importance of bearings

Bearings allow the wheels to rotate around the axles.

They affect how smoothly the wheels roll but can’t compensate for a poorly suited setup.

Regular maintenance helps keep them working properly and prevents excessive buildup of dust and dirt.

Mota and Bionic Bearings

Doug and Julie Glass are also associated with Bionic Bearings.

Their experience with bearings complements their work with the different components of a skate.

It reflects an approach that considers the entire setup rather than focusing solely on the liner.

Mota and Atom Wheels

The founders of Mota also created Atom Wheels.

This brand specializes in wheels and has a strong presence in the world of roller derby.

The two brands are therefore historically connected through their founders.

Mota and Luigino Boots

Luigino Boots is also one of the brands associated with Doug and Julie Glass’s journey.

Luigino is particularly well known in the world of speed skating and technical skate boots.

This experience with skate fit informs the context in which Mota products were developed.

The integrated anatomical liner

HawaiiSurf also connects the history of Mota and its founders with the development of the first integrated anatomical liner for quad and inline skates.

L’the goal of an anatomical fit is to improve the connection between the foot and the boot.

Support and precision become especially important as the intensity of your skating increases.

Quad skates or inline skates?

The two designs offer different sensations.

Quad skates have four wheels arranged on two axles and are especially popular in roller derby, dance, and rink skating.

Inline skates have wheels arranged in a single line and are used for fitness, freeskate, freestyle, and speed skating, among other disciplines.

Mota for beginners to roller skating?

The Mota selection available at HawaiiSurf focuses primarily on technical products and roller derby.

For a first pair to help you simply learn the basics, a complete roller skate may be easier to choose.

A setup built from separate components becomes especially useful once a skater knows their preferences.

Mota for experienced skaters

An experienced skater can make better use of the customization offered by a boot sold separately.

You can choose your plate, wheels and settings with precision.

This freedom lets you build a roller skate that suits your style and skating surface.

Roller derby and customization

Roller derby is a sport where setup preferences can vary greatly from one skater to another.

Position on the track, surface type, weight, skating style and skill level all influence equipment choices.

There is no one-size-fits-all setup for every skater.

Caring for your Mota boots

After use, let the boots dry in a well-ventilated area.

Avoid leaving your gear damp in a closed bag for long periods.

Also inspect the areas where the plate is attached, the seams and the boot components.

Regularly check your roller skates

Roller derby puts equipment under a lot of stress.

Regularly check the nuts, trucks, wheels, bearings, toe stops and plate fastenings.

Any loose or badly worn part should be dealt with before your next session.

When should you replace your components?

Not all parts of a roller skate wear out at the same rate.

Wheels and toe stops are consumable parts that may need regular replacement.

Bearings, cushions and other parts should also be checked to keep performance consistent.

Mota at HawaiiSurf

Find Mota Skates at HawaiiSurf, with a specialist selection of roller skates and roller derby gear.

The Max Air Savage and Mota accessories let you build or adapt a setup to suit your riding style and preferences.

Explore our entire skating range, discover our inline skates and check out our selection of quad skates.