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Review


A High-End Jacket With Airbag The Helite Adventure jacket includes the Helite “Turtle” airbag vest, which is similar to the Helite Airnest vest we reviewed in 2012. But the Adventure jacket isn’t just about the airbag. It’s an premium jacket in its own right and it’s packed with features. Start with a Cordura shell and a “Humax” water- …

Leather, Luxury, Warmth and Protection The brand-new Spidi Firebird jacket is a looker with a protective inner secret. There’s a full complement of gen-u-wine CE certified (not just approved) elbow and shoulder protectors underneath that cool exterior. And you can even plug in a Spidi EN1621-2 Level 1 and Level 2 certified “Warrior” back protector insert for …

Arai Defiant Gets the Pro Treatment The Arai Defiant Pro Cruise is a variant of the originalArai Defiant we reviewed in June of 2014. The Arai Pro Shade (review) is standard on the Defiant Pro Cruise. Also, the special face shield to accommodate the Pro Shade visor is included. The Pro Shade may seem a bit strange but …

Cheap LED Lights With Big Power The OZ LED Mini Trail Light set is cheap as chips at $49.50. The 10W LEDs put out an amazing amount of light for the price; more light than we imagined. The only problem is the mounts. There’s just one word for them: awful. We finally got it to …

LED Light Strips for Visibility The AdMore Amber LED Array kit consists of a pair of 115 mm long by 9.5 mm wide stick-on LED light strips. They were originally designed to fit in the matching groove on the front of the Barkbusters Storm hand guards (review). The AdMore LEDs can be used as always-on conspicuity lights, as …

Max Volume With iASUS EAR3 Micro Amp and XSound 2.1 Speakers The brand-new iASUS EAR3 amplifier is the latest generation of iASUS amps. We reviewed the original iASUS Diablo mobile amp back in 2011 and the EAR3 is an update to that device. The EAR3 uses the same “mini” form factor as the Diablo and it includes …

Radiator and Oil Cooler Guards Comparison Radiator and oil cooler guards are, for many motorcycles, the best and typically the most cost-effective way to protect your investment…other than keeping it parked, that is. The Cox Racing Group radiator and oil cooler guards kit is just one example of how easy it can be to protect …

Radiator and Oil Cooler Guards Comparison Do we have a fixation on radiator and oil cooler guards? Not really, although their value on modern motorcycles cannot be understated. And as such, being able to evaluate a variety is never a bad thing. The R&G Racing radiator guard is another quality piece, made from pressed aluminum …

Wiha “Pop-Up” Screwdriver and ClicFix Bit Holder The Wiha “Pop-Up” screwdriver or bit driver holds 12 bits in its cushioned handle. Squeeze the two buttons on the side and the magazine pops up. Grab one and go! The hardened bits that come with the tool are perfect for motorcycle work. The 1/4″ drive bit holder …

Another Quality SW-Motech Accessory SW-Motech comes to the rescue once again, with a solid center stand offering for the new 2015 Kawasaki Versys 650 (the LT in this case). The kit is complete (always the case with SW-Motech in our experience) and the hardware is better quality than Kawasaki OE. You’ll have to study the …

All the Charger You Need? The Noco Genius G750 is a 0.75A “entry level” battery charger and maintainer. It’s especially popular for motorcycles and it can be used for lead/acid or AGM snowmobile, ATV or jet ski batteries. This is a very nicely made battery charger and it’s fairly simple to operate; more or less …

A Front and Rear Video Recording System The INNOVV K1 front and rear onboard video recording camera system is an outstanding example of the technologies and capabilities available to motorcyclists today. It is a complete front- and rear-facing video camera and recording system (aka “dash cam”), featuring well-made components. The K1 on-board camera recording system …

A Low Profile 10 Series The Sena 10R now holds the middle ground in the new Sena 10 series intercoms. If it looks familiar, you’re right! This is similar to the Sena SMH10R (review), which introduced the low profile format. In this design, the intercom and battery pack are separate modules. Stick ’em on your helmet, …

Protective Sport Gloves for Women and Men The Racer “High Racer” motorcycle gloves are very protective. These are a sport-type racing glove, with nearly identical features made in sizes for both women and men. They are designed for the track or street rider looking for a high level of protection. The gloves are loaded with protective features but …

A Nicely Designed Remote for UClear Intercoms Introduced by UClear at the 2015 AIMExpo (report), the Editor provided first insight into this simple but very functional remote, referring to it as the “Big Button Remote”. And now that we have one in hand for testing, the description is indeed very apt. It has to be the most …

Moto Guzzi: The Racing Story by: Mick Walker Hardcover: 192 pages Dimensions (in mm): 16 x 253 x 197 Publisher: Crowood Press (2005) ISBN: 1861267355 List Price: $34.95 (£19.95) wBW Moto Guzzi Book Reviews: Moto Guzzi – The Complete History from 1921  |  Moto Guzzi: The Racing Story  |  Moto Guzzi Story  |  Moto Guzzi Twins Restoration  |  Moto Guzzi V-Twins: …

Moto Guzzi: The Complete History from 1921 by: Mario Colombo Hardcover: 487 pages Publisher: Giorgio Nada Editore, Vimodrone, Italy Fourth Edition (February, 2008) ISBN-10: 8879113933 ISBN-13: 978-8879113939 Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.9 x 1.4 inches Dimensions (in cm): 26.5 x 25 x 3.5 thick List Price: $79.95  Available from Alibris at ~25% discount. wBW Moto Guzzi Book Reviews: Moto Guzzi …

Caberg Xtrace and Uptown Helmets Caberg announced the XTRACE convertible dual-sport helmet and the UPTOWN open-face “Jet” style helmet at the EICMA show in Milan last week. The Xtrace is a more focused dual-sport helmet that compliments the Caberg Tourmax reviewed on webBikeWorld, which is the world’s first dual-sport flip-up helmet. The Uptown is a new open-face …

X Means Big Changes to the Corsair Series The Arai Corsair-X (RX-7V in Europe) has been updated with features that are sure to make it more popular than ever. The most dramatic change is the new face shield pivot location and removal system. Called the “Variable Axis System” (VAS), the face shield pivot point is …

Cardo Packtalk Distance Test Results This is an addendum to the Cardo Scala Rider Packtalk intercom review. webBikeWorld readers had many questions about the range (distance) of the Packtalk system under varied conditions and with different numbers of intercoms in the “Pack”. Some early adopters reported disappointing range when using the Packtalk intercoms and that was …

Battle of the Body Protectors A long time ago, I discovered the benefits of ditching the stock protectors included with motorcycle clothing Underwear and wearing protective (“armored”) underwear instead. There are a couple of reasons for doing this. First, the armored underwear is elastic, so it locates the protectors right where they need to be …

Icon Reign Waterproof Boots for Women and Men A sturdy, light weight, nice looking touring boot. But are they waterproof? As my husband can attest, I’m something of a gear collector. I have a whole section in my closet dedicated to riding jackets and pants. There are 4 helmets sitting on the shelf and so …

The Vololights “Brakeless Deceleration Indicator” The Vololights Brakeless Deceleration Indicator is an LED that provides attention-getting visual warnings to following traffic when the motorcycle decelerates. The Vololights consists of a stylish license plate surround, which houses the Vololights system. This includes two high-output LEDs and the electronics are integrated into the top and bottom centre …

Neutrino Black Box “Intelligent Device Controller” Version 2 of the Neutrino Black Box Intelligent Device Controller is the newest and most advanced system from Arboreal Systems. It’s small in size but delivers a large payload. This newest variant has tremendous flexibility as either a set-and-forget or interactive system allowing automated, semi-automated or manual control of …

Posi-Lock Connector Review “These things are a treat to use. I’ll never solder or crimp again if I can help it. I’m going to add a few of each size to my on-the-road tool kit and stock some in my garage. Feel free to quote me.” From Posi-Lock user “P.M.” (More comments below) Electrons and …

Caberg’s “Street Enduro” We published the Caberg XTrace preview in November 2015. The helmet was announced at the EICMA show in October 2015. Call ’em what you want — dual-sport, adventure-touring or Caberg’s “street enduro”, these helmets have become super popular. But the new XTrace has a slightly different take on the formula. It’s slightly more biased …

A Touratech Flip-up Dual-Sport Helmet The Touratech “Aventuro Mod” dual-sport flip-up helmet was announced at the 2015 AIMExpo (reports)in Orlando, Florida. The Aventuro Mod is Touratech’s version of the newSCHUBERTH E1 Adventure helmet (preview), also announced at the show. Touratech partnered with SCHUBERTH to produce the helmet in a mutually beneficial arrangement. Both the Aventuro Mod …

Active Noise Cancelling in a Motorcycle Helmet The Sena Smart Helmet was introduced today at the 2015 AIMExpo in Orlando, Florida. The Smart Helmet is “The world’s first Intelligent Noise Control” helmet, according to Sena. It includes a noise cancelling system powered by an internal rechargeable battery. The helmet is wired for a snap-on Sena …

Arai Improves the Venerated Corsair July 22, 2015 (Press release edited by webBikeWorld.com) – Perhaps the most fabled name in the entire Arai lineup, the Corsair model has long been renowned as one of the most advanced, highest quality helmets available anywhere in the world. Now, Arai Helmet, Ltd., makers of world class, handmade helmets …

The Rise of 3 New Stars The new Bell Star helmet lineup now includes the Bell Star (street/touring), the Race Star (supersport/track days) and the Pro Star (racing). The build quality, cut lines and graphics on display at the 2015 AIMExpo were outstanding. The new helmet appears to be a big step up from the …

X-12 to X-14 Shoei introduced the X-Fourteen at the 2015 AIMExpo show. The X-Fourteen is the latest in a long line of Shoei X-series helmets. Triskaidekaphobics are glad Shoei is jumping directly to the X-14 from the Shoei X-12 (review)! We’ve said this before and I noticed it yet again when I handled the X-Fourteen at …

Adding a Locking GPS Mount to the BMW S1000XR The fully-loaded and getting accessorizedBMW S1000XR (review) has really grown on me. As someone else noted, “riding it brings a big grin”…and I’ll add “no matter the road being travelled”. No wonder my F 800 GS Adventure is being neglected. But as good as everything is on …

Helite Airbag Technology in a Jacket webBikeWorld readers may remember our Helite “Airnest” Airbag Vest review. There are now three good news items to report: first, Helite products are now available in the U.S.A. Second, Helite has expanded (pun!) the lineup, with the new Helite Adventure Airbag Jacket (review). And third, Helite has partnered with Held to …

A SCHUBERTH Flip-up Dual-Sport Helmet The SCHUBERTH E1 “Adventure” dual-sport flip-up helmet was announced at the 2015 AIMExpo (reports)in Orlando, Florida. The E1 is based on the SCHUBERTH C3 (review) with the addition of a new chin venting system, top vent and peak to create the helmet. But if you didn’t know there’s a C3 hiding under that …

Leather and Heat for Winter Bikers This latest version of the Warmthru battery heated gloves are specifically designed for motorcycling. The new all-leather outer shell feels thick and supple. The interior fabric is soft and comfortable and the gloves feature a Hipora waterproof breathable membrane liner. The gloves proved waterproof in the webBikeWorld “Bucket Test”. The gloves …

LED Lights for Conspicuity and Visibility Bright, low power consumption, lighting kit that improves visibility for the rider at night as well as visibility of the rider during the day. The lights are a bit large and well suited for adventure and similar style motorcycles that have ample space and locations for mounting. The importance …

The Brightest LED Turn Signal Replacement? InertiaLED is a new company that makes LED light towers that work with the BMW, KTM and other CAN bus systems. No additional CAN bus load resistor (review)is required, as it is for other types of LEDs on CAN bus motorcycles. So far, the company makes an LED tower that …

The Held Version of the Dual Chamber Glove The Held Air N Dry gloves have an excellent overall construction. They also have the “dual chamber” design we’ve seen before. But this time, it’s a Gore-Tex waterproof chamber on top and a perforated leather chamber on the bottom. That does seem to us as reversed from …

The Stealth Communications System The Sena 10U deconstructs the physical design of a typical motorcycle Bluetooth intercom system. It’s designed to allow you to hide the various parts inside selected helmets for a sleeker installation. This gives you “bespoke” style system that looks like it was designed by the helmet manufacturer. The battery and CPU …

Fixing the Broken Pin on a SCHUBERTH Neck Roll The unique neck roll on the SCHUBERTH C3, C3 Pro, S2 and others snaps into the bottom of the helmet. It’s designed as an added layer to help reduce noise levels and to make the vents more efficient. In fact, SCHUBERTH claims that this design works …