wBW Quick Look: Hand Kind Hand Cleaner Summary:  A different type of hand cleaner with an environmentally conscious formulation works very well. Editor’s Note You know it must be the dead of winter when I’m writing and you’re reading a 500+ word article about hand cleaners! But this product is different enough to deserve a close …

The Shoei X-Twelve The Shoei X-12 has superb build quality, paint and graphics. But, it’s very difficult to get around the fact that this helmet is very expensive And that may be a difficult obstacle for many to surmount. We ran a “First Look” of the new 2010 Shoei helmets back in 2009. That included …

BikeVis PodMod LED “Twinkler” The PodMod is a modulator for the BikeVis Bullets LED accent lights. The modulator causes a “twinkling” effect which enhances the visibility of the BikeVis LED lights. The BikeVis “Bullets” LED accent lights (review) that we added to the Multistrada put out a lot of light for their tiny size and they definitely …

Dainese D-System D-Dry Jacket Review Classic styling, excellent construction, unique D-Dry liner and probably the best venting of any non-mesh 3/4-length jacket I’ve tried makes the D-System D-Dry jacket a four-season standout. Search webBikeWorld for the keyword “Dainese” and you’ll find just three articles featuring that storied brand. And if that isn’t sad enough, two …

Super-Powerful Rechargeable LED Flashlight Extremely powerful for its size, the Clearwater LED flashlight throws a focused  beam of white light that is simply amazing, especially considering it has only a single LED. Somehow during our correspondence regarding the Clearwater “Glenda” LED driving lights we reviewed recently, Clearwater mentioned that they also manufacture an LED flashlight. They asked …

Nexx XR1R Helmet Review The new Nexx XR1R is definitely different, with a unique shape, very light weight and outstanding outward vision through the large eye port. The internal shape is also adjustable by using the included pads, which allow a semi-custom fit for different head shapes! Nexx has quickly built a reputation for building …

New REV’IT! Gear for 2010 November, 2009 – Hard to believe it’s already Thanksgiving, November of 2009! This is the time of year when the motorcycle clothing manufacturers announce next year’s new products, to give the distribution chain a chance to place their orders and make room for the new gear. REV’IT! won’t be attending …

Sub Zero Thermals for Near-Zero Weather Very soft and comfortable no-nonsense thermals. Snug fit and flexibility makes them almost seem to disappear when riding. Excellent compromise between fabric weight, breathability, moisture wicking and wind blocking. This has been a year of strange weather for us. We’ve had endless rain and cool weather in the Spring, …

wBW First Look: 2010 REV’IT! “Sand” Jacket The REV’IT! Sand jacket is a replacement for the REV’IT! Off-Track jacket (review). That one was reviewed a couple of years ago and it slips in just under the top-of-the-line REV’IT! Cayenne Pro (review) jacket. The Off-Track was originally designed as more of a street version of the also-popular Cayenne Pro. The Off-Track didn’t have …

An Alternative Firstgear TPG Jacket. Firstgear quality has improved dramatically over the past several years. The Teton jacket and Escape pants are proof. The jacket has many useful features. And with the optional Firstgear TPG “Basegear” layers and the included zip-out liner, this is a true all-around system. The liner is exceptionally comfortable and stylish …

Spidi H1 Life Vest wBW Quick Look Lightweight vest is a “4-in-1” deal with high visibility; reflectivity; a built-in back protector and four pockets! Easy to use, easy to wear, comfortable…and a great idea! We’ve reviewed some interesting high-visibility clothing items over the years. Some were specifically designed for motorcycling, while others were not. But we’re …

The RF-1000 Replacement: Better or Worse? Take the RF-1000, one of the most popular motorcycle helmets ever, and make it even better, with higher quality. Top it off with a Snell 2010 approval and there you have it, the new Shoei RF-1100! My RF-1100 First Look impression hasn’t changed: the RF-1100 has a superb build …

Falco Podium Motorcycle Gloves Review Buttery soft leather is so pliable, the gloves feel like second skin. Lightweight and very comfortable, the Falco Podium gloves could easily become and all-time favorite. The concept of value is interesting and complex. To most people, value probably equates with the word “bargain” — but that seems too simple …

Clearwater “Glenda” LED Driving Lights High-quality motorcycle driving lights with all the benefits of LEDs add excellent visibility and surprising power for their size. Motorcycle lighting and the promise of improved visibility have been among the most popular topics for webBikeWorld reviews over the past 10 years. Check out the right-hand column on the page …

Shoei RF-1100 First Look Note:  The Shoei RF-1100 is also known as the XR-1100 in Europe. After running a rather strange advertising campaign that introduced the helmets about one month before they were actually on dealers’ shelves, the new Shoei RF-1100 was finally released on October 1, 2009. We purchased an RF-1100 in the TC-1 …

Diamond Gusset Defender Jeans Review Very comfortable and good-looking jeans with a Kevlar bonus! Denim jeans have been popular with motorcycle riders since, well, since the beginning of time, and with good reason. First of all, no doubt about it — they’re really comfortable. They also flow a lot more air than any leather or …

Sony Bluetooth Adapter Review An inexpensive way to listen to music while riding. Both devices are relatively easy to use and quickly pair with everything I’ve thrown at them. Many webBikeWorld visitors have asked about a wireless system that would allow them to listen to their MP3 player, iPod, GPS or other electronic device while …

The Fiamm “Freeway Blaster” Horns An old standby motorcycle horn and sometimes hard to find. Authoritative car-like tone but with disappointing results in our sound level readings. These have to be the most sought-after motorcycle horn replacements used today, but for some reason it isn’t all that easy to find a true pair of high/low …

Vemar CKQI Bluetooth Motorcycle Helmet Unique looks and modular design with removable chin bar looks good both ways. Excellent Bluetooth system that’s easy to use and seems to pair with anything thrown at it. Good build quality. Narrow internal shape and very thin padding mean it may not fit everyone. If, according to Merriam-Webster, one …

The Transitions SolFX Photochromic Visor and the Akuma Chameleon Photochromic Visor Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better and that it couldn’t be done, how about this: A photochromic visor that turns from clear to…mirrored! But wait — that’s not all! The Akuma Chameleon isn’t just photochromic; it’s a true Transitions SOLFX brand …

REV’IT! Jerez Motorcycle Gloves Top-of-the-line race gloves from REV’IT! with all the bells and whistles. Many protective features including very large and thick protective armor, especially on the back and wrist. Comfortable and surprisingly cool in hot weather. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on (or in) a pair of REV’IT! Jerez gloves since I first …

Akuma Phantom II MFR Motorcycle Helmet Review Ultra-light carbon fiber helmet is comfortable, has good air flow and is relatively quiet. The Akuma Phantom II is designed as a no-nonsense “Made For Racing” (MFR) design. Another first: the Akuma Phantom II is the first motorcycle helmet to have a genuine Transitions SOLFX brand photochromic visor …

LEDwear Aurora LED Safety Jacket This is an updated version of the originalLEDwear LED jacket reviewed in March of 2009. The LEDs can be cycled through three different modes for the ultimate in visibility. See Also: LEDwear LED Backpack Cover Review I’ll admit that the new LEDwear Aurora LED jacket and the original we reviewed in March …

LEDwear LED Rucksack Cover Review Interesting backpack cover that easily fits over a motorcycle backpack to to greatly increase visibility. The LEDs can be cycled through three different high-visibility modes when desired. See Also: LEDwear Aurora LED Jacket Review Just as we were about to publish the article on the new LEDwear Aurora LED jacket, this …

Zeus ZS-3000: A Snell Certified Flip-Up! The Zeus ZS-3000 is the first Snell certified flip-up helmet in the U.S.A. It has excellent quality, a solid-feeling helmet shell and a comfortable liner that is removable and washable. The helmet is also convertible to an open-face “Jet” style. The ZS-3000 is Snell M2005 certified in the small …

Shift “Fury” Motorcycle Gloves Lightweight summer gloves are comfortable and provide excellent ventilation. The tradeoff is the relatively thin fabric in some areas. This is the time of the year, at least in the top half of the globe, that motorcyclists think about the “perfect” pair of hot-weather motorcycle gloves. Perfection, of course, doesn’t exist. Will it?  Could …

Nolan N43 “Air” Motorcycle Helmet Review Excellent ventilation and wonderful visibility combined with comfort and very good build quality make this the new hot weather champ. We’ve had our ups and downs with Nolan helmets — more downs than ups probably, but the new Nolan N43 is a definite winner. Nolan is a curious company. …

Shift Avenger Jacket Review Comfortable jacket works surprisingly well in warm weather. The wild “Rasta” colors are also highly visible and the jacket is available with several other unique graphic patterns. If you’re a smaller motorcycle clothing manufacturer competing with the big guys, what do you do?  Don’t follow — lead! It’s a story that has been …

Icon Tarmac Ventilated Motorcycle Boots Review Very comfortable on and off the motorcycle and surprisingly comfortable for walking. The Icon Tarmac boots also feature good air flow. They have a “no-lace” design, which makes them easy to slide on and off. The Kochmann Scout boots are our short motorcycle boots benchmark. With a good combination of protection …

Sidi Coibuss Gloves Review Lightweight summer gloves for the hottest days are comfortable and well made. It seems like the glove reviews never end. I guess that’s a good thing, right? The problem is that it seems like it was just yesterday that we finished a huge series of cold weather motorcycle glove reviews for 2008. And here we …

Wider Is Better, Right? See the updated information at the end of this article regarding the tire sizes for the 1986 BMW R65 (and possibly other Airheads!) It won’t fit… or will it? It was that time again — the every-few-thousand-mile decision. New motorcycle tires!! My 1986 BMW R65 was ready for new skins. This …

World’s First Snell Certified Flip-Up Motorcycle Helmet! Zeus is back! And they’re nearly ready to start distributing helmets in the U.S.A. again very soon. Long-time webBikeWorld readers will recall that the original Zeus ZS-508 flip-up (review) was one of our favorite flip-up helmets back about 8 years ago. Many webBikeWorlders also sent us their feedback and comments …

First Look: Vemar CKQI Modular Bluetooth Helmet The new Vemar CKQI has to be the coolest-looking helmet on the planet! It’s a true modular by our definition; that is, the chin bar can be removed and the helmet can be used as a “Jet” style helmet. And it gets even better: the CKQI (missed opportunity …

Nexx X60 Review One more pair of beautifully executed “retro” helmets with modern features and styling. This is Part 3 of our three-part series on “retro” motorcycle helmets. The Nexx X60 is yet another type definition of the word “retro”. This helmet represents the most modern styling interpretation of the trio. The Nexx X60 also …

Retro is IN! Another beautifully done retro helmet with an interesting mixture of modern and classic styling touches. The Cromwell Spitfire is yet another color in the retro palette; this one is a perfect example of applying the retro design philosophy, because it is a very modern take on a very classic look. Compare the …

The All-Around Arai Helmet A solid replacement for the Quantum, the RX-Q has the usual Arai quality and attention to detail. Nothing is really new here though — no revolutionary venting system, face shield or other radical features. The liner material feels a rougher and the padding isn’t as plush as the old Quantum II, …

Davida Classic Jet Helmet Review A handcrafted timeless classic! The “retrofication” craze seems to have taken hold everywhere — and the motorcycle industry is probably as infected as any. At first I ignored this phenomena, thinking it was a fad. Then I begrudged it, thinking it was holding back the evolution of design. After all, …

Paul Smith Ducati Sport Classic Oil Cooler Radiator Guard Paul Smith is at it again!  His Ducati SportClassic fork protectors (review) have become so popular that he’s started producing and selling them with a new company, CustomDucati, to handle the orders. Here’s his latest creation, and this one is just as useful: the CustomDucati SportClassic Radiator Guard. …

DuPont Teflon Chain-Saver Dry, Self-Cleaning Chain Lube DuPont Teflon Multi-Use chain lube is one of our all-time favorites. DuPont Teflon Chain-Saver is now commercially available also with a slightly different formulation. We reviewed DuPont Teflon Multi-Use chain lube back in 2005, and it’s quickly become a favorite with many webBikeWorlders. There are a few good …

Teiz Cross Continent Mesh Suit Mesh one-piece suit with many features at a very low list price. I discovered the Teiz Motorsports “Cross Continent” one-piece suit on the first day of the 2009 Powersports Dealer Expo (report) in Indianapolis, Indiana Due to some construction in the downtown Indianapolis area where the Expo is usually held, many of …