Deutsch Connectors for Motorcycles
Deutsch Connector Review You’ve probably seen them as an OE (original equipment) installation on your motorcycle. But individual motorcyclists can also use these weatherproof and sturdy connectors. Here’s an introduction to Deutsch connectors and a quick how-to on rolling your own. Look closely at the wiring on your motorcycle and chances are you will find …
BMW Functional Socks
BMW Functional Socks Review Available in cotton or wool-based technical blends, BMW Functional Socks are comfortable, functional and durable, with a great return on investment. Socks are an essential layer but they don’t typically get the same consideration as outer components of the ATGATT (all the gear, all the time) approach. As motorcyclists we spend …
Gaerne Off-Road Boots Review
Gaerne GX-1, SG10 and SG12 Motocross/Off-Road Boots Review There is no denying the purpose of these three pairs of Gaerne boots. Some serious motocross and off-road performance is at hand with the multi-purpose Gaerne GX-1 or the more focused SG10 and the flagship SG12 boots. Gaerne understands the requirements needed by both serious motocross to …
UClear HBC200 Review
UClear HBC200 “Force” Intercom Review Putting it all into perspective – the HBC200 remains the absolute champion regarding audio processing and intercom performance. This is despite the fact that its effective intercom range of 700 to 800 meters is still outclassed by one or two other systems. Not having to install and use a boom …
Sidi Armada Boots Review
Sidi “Armada” Boots Review The Sidi Armada Gore-Tex Boot is “two boots in one”. The boots feature an upper ankle support system that can be removed, which converts the boots from adventure touring to street or sport use. A Gore-Tex liner keeps out the water and a heavy-duty sole provides traction. It’s an interesting concept, …
BikeComm BK02
BikeComm Group Intercom Communications System Review The BikeComm BK02 delivers on its promises in a big way. It provides wireless shared stereo audio to rider and passenger while hosting a variety of wired and wireless peripherals including two-way radios. The BK02 package may seem expensive, but in comparing the sum of all its parts, it …
Sena SM10 Review
Sena SM10 Stereo Bluetooth Transmitter Review The Sena SM10 Dual Stream Bluetooth Stereo Transmitter is a timely and cost effective solution that allows both a rider and passenger to share audio from connected devices. This includes portable music players, navigation and radar warning devices and even wired motorcycle sound systems. Basically anything that has a …
Micatech Pack Rack – Micatech Top Case
Micatech Pack Rack Review and Micatech Top Case Review Like my earlier wBW review of the Micatech Roof Racks (review), this submission is also long overdue… Unless I use the excuse that it was meant to be a long term evaluation of course! Short and sweet: the Micatech Pack Rack, when used alone or with the …
Motorcycle Reflective Vests
REV’IT! Athos vs. Oxford Bright Top Reflective Vest Review The Rev’it Athos Air and the Oxford Bright Top Active reflective vests are excellent examples of lightweight comfortable hi-viz garments that won’t impede while greatly enhancing comfort. Both vests are excellent examples of hi-visibility Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The Rev’it Athos Air has higher quality overall …
BikeComm Hola Intercom Review
BikeComm Hola Motorcycle Intercom Review Part 3: Hola Intercom Ride Report As a long-term effort there has been lots of opportunity to use all of the Hola systems with different helmets while riding different motorcycles under differing riding conditions. The first thing that needs to be mentioned is how much the firmware updates and upgraded …
UClear WT300 Spider Bluetooth Adapter
UClear WT300 “Spider” Bluetooth Adapter Review An excellent universal Bluetooth audio adapter, the UClear WT300 “Spider” streams stereo sound from any connected device. It also connects a two-way radio with your motorcycle Bluetooth intercom system. The WT300 kit comes with a wireless Push-to-Talk (PTT) controller that can be attached to the handlebar or elsewhere. The …
Cardo Scala Rider G9 Review Part 2
Cardo Scala Rider G9 Intercom Review Far more feature-rich than the Scala Rider G4 (review), the latest addition to the “G” family isn’t much bigger, but it is definitely better. For example, the Cardo Scala Rider G9 has the best (i.e., most responsive) audio gain control I have experienced. Combined with near-silent functionality, the G9 intercom …
Cycle Case Motorcycle Luggage Review
Good Stuff and Cheap! The Cycle Case Hi-Viz line of soft motorcycle luggage has excellent quality. The luggage is built to a low price. But the availability of the Hi-Viz yellow color and the quality make this an excellent choice. Simply designed and very functional, the four Cycle Case products in this review install quickly …
Clearwater CANopener Review
Plug-and-Play Lighting Solution for BMW Motorcycles Part 1: Introduction and Overview The Clearwater CAN Opener connects Clearwater lights to the CAN bus system on BMW motorcycles. This allows owners to control the lights with the bike’s existing switchgear with no additional modifications. The CAN Opener switchgear monitors onboard signals and does not affect the BMW …
HuRob HSB-S100B Intercom
HuRob HSB-S100B Intercom Review It is relatively safe to say that most of us have one or more devices for communicating when riding our motorcycles. The predominant medium for those communications is wireless, with Bluetooth providing a rapidly evolving capability. As Bluetooth has evolved so have the platforms and systems that utilize this wireless medium …
Shorai BMS01 Charger Review
Shorai BMS01 Battery Charger Review The intent of this review is to take a look at the Shorai LFX charger, which is intended as a custom solution offered by the manufacturer. Whether or not Shorai designs and manufactures the charger or whether it is produced by a subcontractor to a provided design specification (probable) may …
BMW Adventure Bags
BMW Adventure Dry Bag Review The BMW Adventure Saddlebag Liner dry bags are big, bold and meant to go the distance, just like the BMW R1200GS Adventure machine that they are designed for. They also fit perfectly in or on the BMW Adventure pannier system. As a soft compressible dry bag, their uses on or …
AltRider Headlight Guard
AltRider Headlight Guard Review The AltRider Lexan Headlight Guard Kit is an example of what experience, knowledge and involvement in the motorcycling community can deliver: clean simple design, visual appeal and durability for the long haul. AltRider makes headlight guards and auxiliary light guards and both are worth considering for safety and protection. My experience …
BikeComm BK02 Group Intercom Communications System Review
BikeComm BK02 Group Intercom Communications System Review Borrowing a page from the Editor’s playbook used to introduce the Sena SR10 Bluetooth hub (review), this article will first provide a brief initial overview of the new BikeComm BK02 system. The BK02 uses a Bluetooth hub as its core component. It provides a capability requested by many motorcyclists — …
Bluetooth For Motorcycle Helmets
The Future of Motorcycle Bluetooth Time and technology continues to march on and to survive, a technology like Bluetoothhas to evolve, expanding its horizons. Through iterative and progressive version specifications, Bluetooth has and is responding to the challenges and opportunities. The technology is now more widely recognized and supported than at any other time in its …
BMW Santiago Boots Review
BMW Santiago Boots Review The BMW Santiago boots are typically classified as an Adventure Touring boot, but don’t let the moniker fool you; they can do more — far more. Understated traditional styling hides most of the boots strengths and capabilities until they are worn and used. The Santiago boots are supremely comfortable with hard-to-beat …
Trail Tech Equinox LED Lights Review
Trail Tech Equinox LED Lights Review A little sunshine with a little rain (actually a lot) describes my ongoing experience with the Trail Tech Equinox LED 35 mm lights. This auxiliary lighting kit is simple to install, easy to use and affordable, but the jury is still out on the functionality aspect… Wet weather took …
Iasus Throat Mic Part 2
Iasus GP3X2 Throat Mic System Review – Part 2 Part 2: Using the Iasus GP3X2 and Conclusion This section will describe iPhone and Blackberry Adapter For those of us with an iPod, iPhone (Gen 1 thru 4) or one of the RIM Blackberry models, the Iasus adapter kit with the 93 cm (36.6 in) long …
MachineArt Moto X-Head Cylinder Guards
Protection for Oilheads I’ve never had a bad experience with a MachineArt Moto product. And the new X-Head DOHC cylinder head guards keep that record intact. Designed for the BMW R1200RT engine, they add virtually nothing in way of weight. But they add everything in way of protection and looks. Once again, timing is everything. …
Falco 480 Raid Boots Review
Falco 480 “Raid” Boots Review Style, protection, function and comfort are key descriptors that come to mind when assessing the Falco 480 RAID motorcycle boots. Getting in and out of the boots via two strategically-placed straps and large over-flap couldn’t be easier. These boots reflect the high standards maintained by Falco and will undoubtedly provide …
Waterproof Power Ports
3BR Weatherproof Power Ports, Cables and Connectors 12V or 5V DC water-resistant power ports to keep your mounted and portable accessories juiced up and functioning while on the road. Sometimes a plan just comes together and when it does, it’s good — really good. Last fall as I started to develop the winter maintenance and …
Contour GPS HD Video Camera
Contour GPS HD Video Camera Review There are lots of reasons to like the Contour HD series video cameras — size, weight, durability, ease of use and superb video and more. The Contour GPS with Bluetooth on board made further resistance futile on my part; I have been assimilated, and gladly. In an effort to …
UClear HBC 100
UClear HBC 100 Motorcycle Bluetooth Intercom Review Using the UClear HBC 100 Intercom To put the HBC 100 intercoms to use, press the Answer button for two seconds. The status indicator will blink Red once then begin pulsing Blue with an accompanying welcome tone generated in the headset. To turn the system off, hold the …
Powerlet RapidFIRe Heated Clothing Review
Powerlet RapidFIRe Proform Heated Jacket Liner Powerlet RapidFIRe Heated Glove Liners Powerlet Dual Wireless Temperature Controller The new Powerlet RapidFIRe heated clothing line represents an innovative and completely effective solution to an age-old problem: how to keep warm, comfortable and safe while doing what we all love — riding on two wheels. I have never …
Micatech Motorcycle Luggage
Micatech Roof Racks Review This is a long overdue Quick Look of the Micatech Roof Racks — it has only taken six months or so to complete. But in reality this is OK, as it has been time well spent in validating the functionality and durability of these versatile and attractive additions to my aluminum …
Dispatch 1 Motorcycle Power Distribution System Review
Dispatch 1 Review Technology has given us some ingenious solutions, but it can also bring significant problems. For example, we now have many different and wonderful electronic gadgets, toys and accessories for the modern motorcycle. But they can introduce a problem: providing the different levels of electric power and then managing the power requirements for …
Firstgear HT Overpants Review
Firstgear HT Overpants Review If you want what is arguably one of the best heavy duty textile outer garments on the market, then these pants, albeit slightly flawed, are the solution. Firstgear continues to offer a wide size range for the HT and other product lines, one reason why their products may be in such …
Building the Ultimate Adventure Motorcycle
Building the Ultimate Adventure Motorcycle The Essential Guide to Preparing a Bike for the Journey of a Lifetime Author: Robert Wicks Format: Hardcover, 176 Pages ISBN: 9781844258369 Publisher: Haynes Publishing Illustrations: 300 color Size: 8.25 x 10.5 x .4 First Published: July 2010 (UK) List Price: $34.95 This is the third book in a Haynes …
Kriega Drypack Motorcycle Luggage Review
Kriega US-5, US-10 and US-20 Drypack Luggage Keeps Gear Dry A set of Kriega Drypack luggage was a long overdue item on my wish list and I now regret not having acquired it sooner. The products live up to the claims and the set has become an indispensable part of my motorcycle luggage collection. A …
Giant Loop Motorcycle Luggage
Giant Loop “Coyote” Saddlebag Review My luck with evaluating luggage continues to hold. The Giant Loop Coyote Saddlebag may not be the largest capacity piece offered up by Giant Loop. But fitted on the motorcycle it was designed for, it will do just fine, thank-you. For those who have struggled over the years in adapting …
CTEK Solar Pulse SP-5 Battery Charger Review
A Solar Battery Charger For Your Motorcycle Acceptance, technology and marketing combine to make solar-powered devices extremely viable. And they’re also available for so many applications and the PulseTech Solar Pulse SP-5 is one of these. From a functional perspective it is self sustaining, costs virtually nothing to maintain and provides an essential maintenance function. …
Pulsetech Solar Battery Charger Review
PulseTech Solar Battery Charger Review Acceptance, technology and marketing combine to make solar-powered devices extremely viable and available for so many applications and the PulseTech Solar Pulse SP-5 is one of these. From a functional perspective it is self sustaining, costs virtually nothing to maintain and provides an essential maintenance function. It is worth a …
PulseTech Xtreme Charge Motorcycle Battery Tester Review
Test Your Battery Charge With the PulseTech Xtreme For most of us simple is good and simply functional even better. In this regard the very portable PulseTech Xtreme Charge Quick Battery and Alternator test device makes perfect sense. My advice: get one, keep it close and use it. When we purchased the product, it was …
