review
KBC VR4R Carbon Fiber Helmet Review
KBC VR4R Carbon Fiber Helmet The new KBC VR4R Carbon fiber helmet is a real beauty. It’s also about the least expensive carbon fiber motorcycle helmet available today. But the design is somewhat compromised by flimsy-feeling vent hardware, which is unfortunate and something KBC needs to address. I’m not sure exactly when carbon fiber motorcycle …
BMW Ride Smart Reward Program
BMW Motorrad USA Introduces Ride Smart Reward Program More wBW: Motorcycle Reviews | Product Reviews | Vintage & Classic Motorcycles March 29, 2012 – BMW Motorrad USA is pleased to announce the “Ride Smart Reward” program for all new and returning riders who are recent graduates of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Basic RiderCourse (review). Now through December 31, 2012, MSF …
Nolan N-85
Nolan N-85 Preview March 29, 2012 – Here’s one more very late entry from the 2012 Dealer Expo: the Nolan N-85. I took the photos and video of the N-85 at the Dealer Expo but I was waiting for the final specifications from Nolan before publishing the information. At the time, it wasn’t certain whether …
Caberg Duke Review
Caberg Duke Helmet Review The Caberg Duke is new for 2012 and it replaces the popular Caberg Konda (review) and the Caberg Trip (review) before that. The helmet is comfortable and it’s quieter than average. It also has surprisingly good outward visibility. The Duke is 100% made in Italy and it continues the Caberg tradition of style, features, functionality …
AFX FX-140 Review
AFX FX-140 Helmet Review The AFX FX-140 has a unique style and a few interesting features that belie its low cost. It’s comfortable and quieter than expected, but the face shield on this example isn’t as optically clear as it should be. Colors include High-Vis Yellow and “Safety Orange”, which surely has to be the …
Vemar Storm Helmet Review
The Vemar Storm is Brewing! The new Vemar Storm has better build quality and higher-spec features that you might expect in a helmet in this price range. But some of those features are biased more towards style than function. Overall, the Storm is an impressive helmet for the money. It’s impressively quiet and comfortable and …
Grace and Grit – wBW Book Review
Grace and Grit by: William M. Murphy Softcover ISBN: 978-1-933926-40-7 Publisher: Arbutus Press Publication Date: April 2012 180 Pages. B&W Photos. 6″x9″ List Price: $18.95 webBikeWorld.com Book Review by Rick K. It’s simply part of human nature to think of ourselves as more innovative and inventive than any of the previous generations. This is especially true …
Joe Rocket Reactor 2.0 Jacket
Joe Rocket Reactor 2.0 Jacket Review A hot weather jacket that is a happy medium between keeping you cool and keeping you protected. Beating the heat. When the temps go up people tend wear clothes that cover less of their skin. This of course allows more air to flow over the skin, which then helps …
Tourmaster Transition Series 3 Jacket
Tourmaster Transition Series 3 Jacket Review The Tourmaster Transition Series 3 jacket formula has been proven with continuous upgrades over a decade or more. It’s a do-it-all, quality garment that’s loaded with features and the price is very reasonable. If your budget demands buying one jacket that will meet multiple requirements, this is it. The …
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 …
Joe Rocket Highside 2.0 Motorcycle Gloves
Joe Rocket Highside 2.0 Motorcycle Gloves Review A lightweight gauntlet street glove for everyday use.Sequels are often done to extend the life of a good premise and hopefully even improve upon the original. Motorcycles are great examples of when new versions are often improvements on the previous one. Just when one thinks “They got it just right …
Sena SMH5 Review
Sena SMH5 Intercom Review The Sena SMH5 offers a lot of performance at a “How do they do it?” price. It’s small, easy to use, feature-rich and designed for “every day use or casual riders who require must-have features at an affordable price”. The mounting system is simple and robust. The SMH5 slides on to …
VQuattro Gloves
VQuattro Motorcycle Gloves Introduction Introduction to VQuattro VQuattro is a new company, based in France, with an extensive line of motorcycle, scooter and street gloves and boots. The company was started by a group of people experienced in the glove industry through their work for other glove manufacturers. To paraphrase the marketing information in the …
Nolan N104 Review
Nolan N104 Helmet Review The Nolan N-104 is another brand-new flip-up helmet for the 2012 model year. It’s a definite upgrade from the Nolan N-90 (review)and previous N-series flip-up helmets. It’s also a competitor to the new Shoei Neotec (review), yet the two helmets are quite different in many ways. All of the moving parts on the …
Shoei Neotec
Shoei Neotec Helmet Review The Shoei Neotec is new for 2012 and it’s a careful evolution of a long history of Shoei flip-up helmets. The Neotec features include outstanding build quality, superior ventilation and plush comfort and more. It would be difficult to find a fault with the Neotec, although there’s no getting around the …
Sena SMH10 4.0 Firmware Update
Sena SMH10 4.0 Firmware Update NEW! Part 2: Tips, tricks, installation and many rider comments added below. The Sena SMH10 intercom firmware 4.0 update is now available! Also, Sena released an Apple Macintosh compatible version of their updating software, available here for registered SMH10 owners. To obtain the updating software for either a PC or Mac, you must first …
UClear WT300
UClear WT300 “Spider” Bluetooth Adapter Preview February 23, 2012 – In addition to the new UClear HBC200 intercom (preview), UClear also announced the new UClear WT300 “Spider” Bluetooth adapter at the 2012 Dealer Expo. (From a UClear press release) – The UClear WT300 “Spider” Bluetooth adapter connects Bluetooth headsets to create wireless, hands-free group communication capabilities. …
UClear HBC200 Preview
UClear HBC200 “Force” Bluetooth Intercom Preview February 23, 2012 – UClear formally announced the new UClear HBC200 “Force” intercom system at the 2012 Dealer Expo. We reviewed the original UClear HBC100 (review) last year on webBikeWorld and were very impressed. The HBC100 is a unique intercom, with a microphone system that uses their military-spec, patented “Adaptive Beam …
Akito “Desert” Pants Review
Akito Desert Pants The Akito Desert pants pair with the Akito Desert jacket (review) and they can be attached with a waist zipper. The pants have the same basic quality of construction and stitching as the jacket, with the same issues. See Part I: Akito Desert Jacket Review Please refer to Part I of this two-part review, which describes the …
HJC RP-Max Helmet
HJC RP-Series Helmets for 2012 February 19, 2012 – Hang on — you’re gonna love this story! I’m not even sure how to describe what has to be the strangest product announcements I’ve witnessed. HJC released a new line of helmets (I think) at the 2012 Dealer Expo, but the launch is very confusing, to …
Sena SM10
Sena SM10 Bluetooth Stereo Audio Adapter Preview February 21, 2012 – In addition to the new Sena SMH-5intercom, Sena also introduced the new Sena SM10 Bluetooth Stereo Audio Adapter system at the 2012 Dealer Expo. UPDATE: Sena SM10 Review! The SM10 is a surprise and it responds to the many webBikeWorld Sena owners who have been asking …
SCHUBERTH S2 Preview
February 21, 2012 – The 2012 Dealer Expo is over but I have a few more reports to post. SCHUBERTH formally introduced both the SCHUBERTH S2 and SCHUBERTH SR1 (review) helmets at this year’s event. We reviewed the SCHUBERTH SR1 late last year and it was named the webBikeWorld Motorcycle Helmet of the Year in our annual awards. 2011 …
Interphone F5 Preview
Interphone F5 Intercom Preview February 19, 2012 – Just a quick note to let you know that Interphone is back in the U.S.A. The Interphone F4 (review) was/is one of my favorite intercom systems, only because it’s simple and easy to use and I’ve used it enough to know how to work it without a …
Suzuki DR650 Engine Case Guards Review
Suzuki DR650 Engine Guards Extra protection for both sides of the DR650 engine. The guards are available for the DRZ400 and Honda XR650R. Easy to install and slightly expensive but made in the U.S.A. I’m pretty much beyond the “must have” list of goodies for the DR650 but there are so many cool gadgets available …
VQuattro Squadra Gloves Review
VQuattro “Squadra” Heated Motorcycle Gloves Review The VQuattro Squadra gloves are the company’s top-of-the-line offering for 2012. The Squadra gloves incorporate all of the excellent features found in the VQuattro Lazio gloves (review), plus a very unobtrusive battery-operated heating system. The price is actually not out of line with other battery or wired heated motorcycle gloves. But you …
Torchmate
Torchmate Plasma CNC Cutting System February 19, 2012 – OK all you shade tree mechanics: here’s something I bet you don’t have in the garage (but wish you did!). A Torchmate CNC Plasma cutting table! I always make a point to stop by the Lincoln Electric booth at the Dealer Expo each year. I drool …
Handy Motorcycle Lift
Handy Motorcycle Lifts and Accessories February 19, 2012 – I’m happy to report that Handy is back! Handy Industries was well known to motorcyclists and motorcycle dealers as the manufacturer of high-quality, heavy-duty, made in American lifts. But the company apparently failed and went under in 2010, much to the surprise of everyone in the …
Shoei Neotec Helmet Safety
Shoei Neotec Helmet EPS February 18, 2012 – I met one of the Shoei helmet designers at the show and he had a cutaway version of the new Shoei Neotec (review) that was recently reviewed on webBikeWorld.com. This cutaway sample is very interesting because it illustrates why we discovered that the upper ventilation is so good on …
2012 Bell Helmets
Bell Helmets for 2012 February 18, 2012 – Bell Helmets is well known to motorcyclists around the world and the company has been on a roll over the last few years. Bell is known for their innovative helmets, of course. But they also have probably the best and most varied collection of graphics and colors …
2012 Teknic Clothing
Teknic Freestyle, Sprint and Supervent Pro February 18, 2012 – A lot of time has passed since we last reviewed any Teknic gear — too much time. There’s no reason for this — it’s just an oversight. The brand sort of disappeared off our radar for some reason, even though the company can always be …
AFX FX-140 Preview
Limited Edition Euro-Style Flip-up February 17, 2012 – We have received more emails from webBikeWorld visitors about this helmet than any other, so the AFX booth was my first stop at the 2012 Dealer Expo. The FX-140 has been selling for some time but for one reason or another, we just never caught up with …
Tourmaster 2012 Clothing
February 17, 2012 – (Note: I’ll have more on the 2012 Tourmaster line coming soon but here’s a quick “teaser” look for now). I’ll admit: I have a soft spot for Tourmaster clothing. This is probably because of a pair of Tourmaster overpants (review) that were my first “serious” motorcycle apparel item. Believe it or not, I …
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 …
Akito Desert Pants
Akito “Desert” Pants Review The Akito Desert pants pair with the Akito Desert jacket (review) and they can be attached with a waist zipper. The pants have the same basic quality of construction and stitching as the jacket, with the same issues. See Part I: Akito Desert Jacket Review Please refer to Part I of this two-part review, which describes …
Akito Desert Jacket
Akito “Desert” Jacket Review The Akito Desert jacket and pants are priced to sell, no doubt about it. But while it may seem like there’s a lot here for the money, we have some serious reservations about the quality of the stitching, materials and construction. So is it possible to spend less on an entire …
SaFRace Motorcycle Gloves
SaFRace SR-128 Motorcycle Gloves Review The new SāFRāce SR-182 motorcycle gloves have several interesting and unique protective features. They look rugged, they feel tough and they’re actually pretty comfortable. The word “SāFRāce” was designed as a catchy marketing phrase for the glove brand. I had to search through the Unicode character map to find the “ā” HTML code (ā) for …
American Made Boots
Thorogood American Made Boots These Thorogood American Heritage Signature series hiking boots are not motorcycle boots. They are, however, extremely comfortable, with soft “broken-in” leather and a cushy sole. The surprise is that they are also Union-made in the U.S.A. I frequently get emails from webBikeWorld visitors asking if I know of any motorcycle gear that is …
Falco Mixto Boots
Falco “Mixto” Motorcycle Boots Review The new Falco Mixto boots combine street and adventure-touring style with a waterproof membrane at an excellent price point. They’re comfortable, roomy, easy to wear and made in Italy. Falco has introduced a huge new lineup of motorcycle boots for the 2012 model year, which I previewed in my report from …
Richa Spirit Jacket
Richa Spirit Police Jacket February 19, 2012 – The Richa Spirit jacket (review) was formally introduced at the 2012 Dealer Expo by Vega Helmets, the importer and distributor, and Richa Clothing. Richa is a European (Belgium) manufacturer who has been making motorcycle gloves and clothing for more than 125 years. That’s a long time in anyone’s book! …
