AFX FX-37 Review
AFX FX-37 DS Helmet Review The AFX FX-37 DS is a new-for-2009 “Enduro” or “Supermoto” or Dual-Sport styled helmet. It’s inexpensive, relatively comfortable and light weight, but a few quality issues and face shield distortion are problematic. A review of the new book “The Essential Guide to Dual Sport Motorcycling” was recently published on webBikeWorld. …
Sidi B2 Boots Review
Sidi B2 Motorcycle Boots The Sidi B2 boots are an all-around street and sportbike design that could also serve for casual track days. Just about everyone looking for a new pair of motorcycle boots knows about Sidi. The company has many different types and styles of motorcycle boots designed for any two-wheeled purpose that can …
Spark Motorcycle Clothing
Spark Windproof Underwear Review Spark specializes in motorcycle underwear and the Italian company also makes an assortment of other motorcycle related products. This selection of Spark motorcycle underwear is beautifully constructed, soft, comfortable and fits me perfectly. Best of all, everything you see here is made in Italy and now available in North America! What’s …
Shift Torrent Waterproof Motorcycle Gloves
SHIFT Torrent “Storm Series” Waterproof Gloves Review A very inexpensive waterproof glove that also works well in cool weather. Comfortable but without hard armor. The Shift Torrent SS gloves have a slightly fussy cuff, but they’re probably the least expensive fully waterproof motorcycle gloves around. Keep a pair stuffed in the tank bag or under the seat …
Fulmer D4 Helmet Review
The Fulmer D4 “Evil Spell” The Fulmer D4 has a few unique features that help separate it from other inexpensive helmets. Fulmer’s Air Channel Technology ventilation system really does seem to work. It also gives the D4 an interesting and smooth shape that also helps control noise. Strong detents in the visor and an impressive …
Bayco Nightstick Flashlight Review
A Different Kind of LED Flashlight Our own “Texas Joe” sent over a batch of the new Bayco Nightstick flashlights for a look-see. You remember Texas Joe? He’s that all-around handyman, mechanic, vintage motorcycle restorer, V6 Moto Guzzi inventor and chicken-fried steak eatin’ occasional contributor The Nightstick is an interesting new type of LED flashlight that was …
Optimate 4 Review
Optimate 4 Battery Charger Review The Optimate 4 has several microprocessor controlled stages that analyze, desulfate and charge motorcycle and automobile batteries. I evaluated and reviewed the Optimate 3 only a few months ago in the warm and fondly remembered month of August (2008). Wouldn’t you know it — just as soon as that review was published, …
Clear Shot Motorcycle Helmet Visor Cleaner
Clear Shot Motorcycle Helmet Visor Cleaner Very rugged case holds a bottle of lens cleaner solution and two microfiber cleaning towels. I’m not sure if the “perfect” motorcycle helmet visor cleaning kit has been invented. Ideally, we’d have visors that repelled all of the dirt, bugs and water and would never need cleaning. But that’s …
Roadgear LED Vest Review
A Pull-Over Bib Vest With LEDs The Roadgear LED lightweight mesh vest includes separate front and rear LED flexible light tubes. These can provide good visibility in the dark, but not without some issues in execution and construction. I think the visibility thing is catching on with motorcyclists, or at least I’d like to think …
60 Years of MotoGP
60 Years of MotoGP & the World Motorcycle Championship Author: Michael Scott Hardcover, 256 Pages (2008) Carlton Books, London, 2008 ISBN: 978-1-84732-1343 Coffee table books should, at the very least, be filled with wonderful images. Text usually takes a back seat. I’ve seen a few coffee table books that aren’t lately; big massive books that …
HJC FS-15 Carbon Review
HJC FS-15 Carbon Helmet Review Near flawless quality, beautiful carbon fiber, very light weight and comfortable. Good ventilation and an easy-to-use face shield, all at a very reasonable price for a carbon fiber motorcycle helmet. Meets DOT safety standards and Snell 2005 certification. The HJC FS-15 Carbon was named the webBikeWorld 2008 Motorcycle Helmet of the Year! …
GMAX GM27S Motorcycle Helmet
An Open-Face Dual Sport? The GMAX GM27S has good quality and an interesting design. It includes a 3-position LED light in the rear. The GMAX GM27S makes an excellent city, dual-sport or scooter helmet. The huge popularity of the GMAX GM68S, the webBikeWorld 2007 Helmet of the Year, prompted us to take a look at some …
Motorcycle Journeys Guide Books – wBW Book Review
wBWÂ Book Review Background The “Motorcycle Journeys” series of books has been very popular with motorcycle riders. They have also been a huge hit for the publisher, Whitehorse Press. Whitehorse Press publishes many different types of motorcycle books, guides and technical manuals. We reviewed a few of the books from this series in the past. …
Stealth Workshop Powersport Utility Bag
Stealth Workshop Powersport Utility Bag Review Here’s an interesting piece of luggage that’s hard to characterize. Is it a tail bag? A tool bag? Or how about a camera bag, a travel bag or…a lunch box? All of the above actually, although a look at the manufacturer’s website — and a peek inside the bag …
Motorcycle Journeys Guide Books
Motorcycle Journeys Guide Books The “Motorcycle Journeys” series of books has been very popular with motorcycle riders. They have also been a huge hit for the publisher, Whitehorse Press. Whitehorse Press publishes many different types of motorcycle books, guides and technical manuals. We reviewed a few of the books from this series in the past. …
Vemar VTXE Helmet Review
Vemar’s Best Helmet? The Vemar VTXE fits just under the VSREV in the Vemar lineup. In many ways, this is the Vemar helmet of choice. It offers excellent noise control under most conditions and very good build quality. It also has a high degree of comfort for round and neutral head shapes. Good outward visibility …
Roadgear CarbonMaxx Gloves Review
Roadgear Carbon Maxx Summer Vented Motorcycle Gloves A summer vented glove that actually offers some protection. Unique hybrid gauntlet is long on one side and short on the other to help maximize air flow, but the tradeoff is it can interfere with some jacket cuffs. Roadgear has done it again — they sure seem to …
Simpson GS-3 MX Helmet Review
A Simpson Dual-Sport Helmet The Simpson GS3 MX is the company’s take on the Enduro or “Crossover” helmet. It is lacking in refinement compared to other helmets. Note that the face shield is a $100.00 option at the time of publication! Simpson has been around since the late 1950’s, making a wide variety of safety …
Teknic Freestyle Jacket
Teknic Freestyle Jacket Great-looking short jacket with external armor that is also a design feature. Relatively light weight nylon shell makes this a jacket for warmer weather. It has a number of zippered vents on the outside, but permanently attached internal liner prevents most of the air from getting through. Teknic is known for its …
Firstgear TPG Rainier Jacket Review
Firstgear Rainier Jacket Review The Firstgear Rainier 3/4-length jacket has high-quality construction. It also has sophisticated styling and good looks. The TPG “system” includes a comfortable liner that can be worn as a windbreaker. The base layer is optional and costs extra, however. Collar has very limited adjustment. Surprising absence of front placket wind barrier under …
Roadgear Coconut Socks Review
Roadgear Coconut Socks Review Nice socks for wearing under motorcycle boots. But I’m not sure if they perform any better than cotton socks. Also, the fabric pilled after just one or two wearings. We’ve seen many interesting products come and go over the years, but coconut socks have to be about as far out there …
Motorcycle Winter Underwear
Knox Windproof Underwear vs. Under Armour ColdGear Review Knox “Cold Killer” windproof underwear is specifically designed for motorcycle riding and is our preferred choice. Both brands run small, in our opinion, so choose carefully. It seems like just yesterday we posted our review of Under Armour HeatGear. That was in the blistering heat of summer …
Check-Line Electronic Torque Wrench and Torque Screwdriver Review
Check-Line DTW 100 Electronic Torque Wrench and DSD-4 Electronic Torque Screwdriver The Check-Line DTW 100 is a super-nice electronic torque wrench. It works well for motorcycle use, with a useful range and an audible “beep” when the correct torque is reached. This could and should find a home in every motorcycle mechanic’s toolbox (although I store …
Tourmaster Synergy Heated
Tourmaster Synergy Gloves Review These Tourmaster Synergy gloves barely put out any heat, unlike the Tourmaster Synergy heated vest, which pumps out almost too much. In my opinion, the gloves are clumsy, they make my hands sweat, the gauntlets are strange and the wiring connectors get in the way. I really like the Tourmaster Synergy vest but, …
Tourmaster Synergy Heated Vest
Tourmaster Synergy Vest for Heat The prodigious amount of heat is transferred smoothly and evenly through carbon fiber fabric, so no worries about hot spots or wires. Segment-busting price includes the controller that should come with every other heated vest but doesn’t. Also, a wiring harness for the bike that should come with every other …
Zox Nevado R Helmet Review
The Zox Nevado R The Zox Nevado R is yet another surprisingly good helmet from Zox. It’s an excellent value for the money with high quality throughout. The build quality seems way better than it should be at this price point, with one major exception. And it’s also relatively quiet for a flip-up helmet. How …
Vox Flip-Up Modular Motorcycle Helmet Review
Will Pink Get You Noticed? This Vox flip-up has a strange fit, a very narrow eye port and so-so vent parts quality. The Zox Nevado R (review) is way more helmet for the same money, in our opinion. NOTE: Some Vox 803 helmets have been recalled, see below. We were all set to review the Zox Nevado when a …
Philips Active Noise Canceling Earbuds
Philips Noise Cancelling Earbuds Review Decent sound quality with too many wires. Doesn’t work very well to actively reduce motorcycle helmet noise. This one should be quick, because I’m not sure what to say about these Philips “Active Noise Canceling” earbuds. They were recommended to us by some of our readers who commented on our …
Tactical Gloves
Tactical Gloves Interesting gloves not designed for motorcycling. There are probably more appropriate motorcycle gloves out there for about the same price. We receive many emailed suggestions for new products to review; some are good leads while others are put in the “Someday Maybe” pile. But four or five random emails in a short amount …
Comply Noise Reduction Earphones
Noise Reduction Earphones Comply also makes a set of the Noise Reduction Earphones without the volume control. Also, included in the box is a nice carrying pouch with a zipper and a spare set of soft earphone tips. Spare tips are also available for purchase from Comply. I’ve been on the lookout for some motorcycle-specific …
SHIFT Lodown Motorcycle Jeans
SHIFT “Lowdown” Jeans Review Very comfortable; slightly heavier than normal denim; stylish and with Kevlar lining. Also include stretch panels at the crotch and rear waist. SHIFT is another relatively new motorcycle clothing brand attempting to establish itself in the U.S. I’m not sure if the gear is actually made by Shift; I could be …
Joe Rocket Phoenix 4.0 Jacket & 2.0 Pants Review
The Latest Joe Rocket Phoenix Outfit for Summer The Joe Rocket Phoenix mesh outfit is reasonably priced. The jacket fits well and it flows a lot of air. It is also an improvement over the original Joe Rocket Phoenix jacket. But the fit of the pants is a problem and they’re not as well ventilated. …
Roadgear Magnetic Tank Map Holder
Roadgear Magnetic Tank Map Holder Review A thought occurred to me that I could probably draw a graph comparing the increased use of non-metallic motorcycle fuel tanks with the decreased availability of magnetic tank bags. The graph would look like a big “X”, with the non-metal fuel tank curve going way up and the use …
Joe Rocket Phoenix 3.0 Motorcycle Gloves
Joe Rocket Phoenix 3.0 Motorcycle Gloves We counted 18 different pairs of Joe Rocket motorcycle gloves available for sale in their 2007 catalog. The list includes everything from full race gloves (Speedmaster 6.0) to Supermoto gloves and everything in between. Joe Rocket has settled on a few different branded clothing lines. These include the “Speedmaster”, …
Alpinestars Sledge Motorcycle Gloves
Alpinestars Sledge Motorcycle Gloves Not the favorite pair in this comparison The Alpinestars Sledge Street Sport Riding Gloves are one of many different styles of motorcycle gloves offered by Alpinestars. The “Sledge” model is new for 2007; apparently, it’s so new, it hasn’t even shown up on their website as this article was published. The …
REV’IT! Monster Motorcycle Gloves
REV’IT! Monster Motorcycle Gloves The REV’IT! Solar mesh gloves are a summer favorite around here, with just the right combination of air flow and comfort. The Solar gloves were revised last year to incorporate goatskin, giving them a broken-in feel right out of the box. REV’IT! has developed a huge selection of clothing over the years. Their …
Zox Azuma R Helmet Review
The Zox Azuma R Helmet Surprisingly good helmet for the money with high quality throughout. The build quality seems way better than it should be at this price point and, in fact, rivals some helmets costing 3-4 times as much. It’s quiet, it has a nice, solid, clear visor, good air flow and relatively light …
Scorpion EXO-400 Review
The Scorpion EXO-400 Is A Bargain Bargain helmet with quality features, very nice graphics and paint and a few quirks. Heavy, but doesn’t feel it. Probably one of the highest quality helmets currently available at this price point. What’s a more polite term for “bottom of the line”? I guess I could say that the …
Racer Supply RSC2 Motorcycle Gloves
Racer Supply RSC2 Gloves Review Visitors send us many different suggestions for products to review. Some of the ideas work out pretty well, while others are a flop. The time it takes to order the product, run the evaluation, write the article and get it published can vary from days to weeks, depending on the schedule, and …
