review
Parabellum Windshield Review
Popular Windscreen for BMW Motorcycles I’m not really sure what got me thinking about replacing the stock windscreen on my 2000 BMW K 1200 LTC. I’ve been using a Laminar Lip (review) for nearly 100,000 miles now and have been satisfied with the performance, although it does have a few drawbacks. The primary issue I have with …
Draggin’ Liners Review
Line Your Jeans With These Comfortable; not as hot as you might think; protective and easy to wear. I’ve been wearing a pair of generic Kevlar-lined jeans for my motorcycle commute to and from work. I can use the locker room to change out of the jeans and into khakis or something more comfortable to …
Roadgear Bungee-in-a-Bag
Roadgear Bungee-in-a-Bag Reversible bag with an attached bungee cord net inside keeps everything nice and tidy. A bungee cord is a pretty amazing device when used correctly. Some motorcyclists swear by them; others swear at them, but just about everyone carries a couple of them “just in case”. Bungee cords are right up there with …
TCX SS Performance 2 Boots Review
TCX SS Performance 2 Boots Review The Oxtar TCS Sport boots I reviewed back in 2004 have been my all-time favorites for a number of reasons. They fit perfectly; they’re easy to put on and take off and they’re comfortable (or as comfortable as a sport-oriented motorcycle boot can be). And they flow a surprising amount of …
PIAA LED Lights
PIAA “High Intensity” LED Conspicuity Lights I feel kind of silly writing about a product that I couldn’t really find a use for. But, you never know — I’m sure some webBikeWorlders will be interested, and one of you must surely can figure out how to put these to good use? I found these PIAA …
Shark RSR 2 Motorcycle Helmet Comparison
Shark RSR 2 Motorcycle I recently became the proud owner of an Arai RX-7 Corsair Nicky Hayden Laguna helmet and Shark RSR 2 Kasuaki Fujiwara racer replica. Being an avid race fan, it has been my goal to one day own a racer replica helmet. But I was waiting for a good deal first because …
Nolan N103 Helmet
Nolan N103 Flip-Up Motorcycle Helmet The Nolan N103 is the latest version of this popular flip-up helmet. It’s well made, loaded with features and feels substantial, but it’s 2008 — shouldn’t 21st Century technology be giving us lighter helmets? Each flip-up we review seems to be heavier than the one before… Let’s see — we’re …
Shark Evoline Helmet Review
Shark Evoline Helmet Review The Shark Evoline is a new helmet design that picks up where the ROOF Boxer (review) left off. It’s more functional than a simple flip-up helmet because it is dual homologated as both a full-face and “Jet” style helmet. This means that it’s legal to wear the Evoline with the chin bar rotated …
AGV Stealth Helmet Review
AGV Stealth Helmet Review The Stealth sits at the top of AGV’s “Street Road” collection (GT Series in Europe). This lightweight has sleek lines and it flows large volumes of air with a unique front chin vent. AGV has a long and storied history, with riders like Giacomo Agostini, Barry Sheene, Kenny Roberts, Johnny Cecotto, …
Joe Rocket Speedmaster Pants
Joe Rocket Speedmaster 5.0 Perforated Pants Review Ask me what the Joe Rocket brand represents and I’d probably say “a line of decent, serviceable motorcycle apparel, sold at reasonable prices”. While their products might not be the most stylish or the most innovative (although I’m sure they’d argue with that), one thing’s for sure: you …
Motorcycle Horn Comparison Review
Motorcycle Horn Comparison Review Motorcycle owners can usually improve on those wimpy stock horns, but it isn’t always as easy as it…sounds. In a strange twist of reverse logic, somebody somewhere along the line laid down a rule: the smaller the vehicle, the quieter the horn. Think about it — big 18-wheeler trucks have horns …
Hella Supertone Horns
Hella Supertone Horn Review Surprisingly loud reading on our sound meter and the loudest in this comparison. The Hella Supertone horns have a brash and somewhat annoying sound that should definitely get noticed! This pair of Hella Supertone horns reads “Made in Germany” on the front diaphragm and “Made in India” on the rear part …
Stebel Magnum Horns Review
Stebel Magnum Motorcycle Horns Review With a sound tone that is similar to the Fiamm Freeway Blasters, the Stebel Magnum horns have slightly less volume but also offer an authoritative tone. We purchased the Stebel Magnum horns in England and the retailer had them listed at a rating of 139 dB, a figure that we …
Stebel Nautilus Horn Review
Stebel Nautilus Max and Compact Horn Seemed very loud while it lasted, all 3 seconds of it. The horn failed after about 4 beeps. Our Stebel Nautilus Compact was inoperative right out of the box, so Stebel has some work to do on the quality of these horns. Not recommended. I’m not sure if we’ve ever given …
Stebel Nautilus Compact Horn Review
Stebel Nautilus Compact Horn We didn’t get a chance to hear this horn, because it was inoperative out of the box when brand new. Based on this and our experience with the other Stebel Nautilus we tried, we can only give this Nautilus a “Not Recommended”. UPDATE: See the Denali Soundbomb Horn Review. A nearly identical replacement for …
The Fine Art of the Motorcycle Engine
The Fine Art of the Motorcycle Engine by Daniel Peirce Veloce Publishing, August 2008 Hardcover, 144 Pages, Color Photos and Text ISBN: 978-1-84584-174-4 Price: $39.95 or £19.99 I’m a gearhead, no two ways about it. I came to this realization back in the early ’50’s in the same way that a kid might suddenly realize …
TCX Jupiter Boots Review
Motorcycle Boots Are Also Comfortable for the Street The Jupiter 2 XCR is a short style boot that is suitable for riding, yet comfortable off the bike as well. It has a quality design and solid construction, and would make a good choice as a commuting or casual riding boot. Italian boot manufacturer TCX, formerly …
British Motorcycle Gear BMG Rapido Gloves Review
BMG “Rapido” Motorcycle Gloves High quality gloves with all the right features at an amazingly low price. Secret vent holes make a difference in warm weather (details below). And the triple wrist attachment keeps everything secure. British Motorcycle Gear has been around long enough now to call it an institution. Hard-core Britbike owners know BMG as the American go-to …
Roadgear H20-Tec Waterproof Gloves Review
Roadgear H20-Tec Waterproof Motorcycle Gloves Roomy summer/fall touring glove for riders who are uncomfortable with large swatches of carbon fiber and padding. Roadgear makes a ton of motorcycle gear, including a large selection of gloves. The Roadgear H2O Maxx leather mesh gloves (review), the Roadgear Multi-Season Adaptive Tec gloves (review) and their “Boss” winter waterproof gloves …
BrakeAway Motorcycle Cruise Control Review
Cramp Management With the BrakeAway Cruise Control and the Throttle Rocker Our bikes have sensors to let us know when the temperature is too high, the oil pressure is too low or the battery has just died. My aging carcass is equipped with a Dead Butt Warning and a Sore Back Alarm. And, on long …
Ducati GT 1000 Loose Fuel Tank and Spreading Problem
GT1000 Fuel Tank Spreading Problem We received a few emails recently from GT1000 owners who were asking if we knew anything about a problem with loose GT1000 fuel tanks. Apparently, some owners have been experiencing a “spreading” problem. The polycarbonate fuel tank material starts to spread or sag and the front fuel tank holders no …
OGK FF-5 Helmet Review
The FF-5 is the latest helmet from OGK and it follows in the foot steps of its worthy ancestors. OGK has a knack for getting air to flow through a helmet for rider comfort. They also know how to reduce weight and how to exploit aerodynamics in a way that other helmet manufacturers don’t, won’t …
GearRatchet Vortex Socket System
GearRatchet Vortex Socket Set Review Excellent addition to any tank bag! My continuing search for the perfect motorcycle tool set continues. In this case, “perfect” means excellent quality, easily carried and fairly complete. During the search, I came across this very interesting ratchet set while cruising the aisles of the local Ace Hardware store. It’s …
Moisture Wicking Cooling Ice Pack Shirt
An Ice-Packed Moisture Wicking Cooling Shirt Moisture-wicking shirt with four pockets for “HydroCOOL” ice packs. The inserts are soaked in water and frozen, then inserted into the shirt and provide relief from the heat…while they last. Every year about this time, motorcycle riders living south of about 42 degrees of latitude start their annual search …
Roadgear Commuter Max Large Motorcycle Backpack Review
Roadgear “Commuter Max” Motorcycle Backpack There are pros and cons to using a motorcycle backpack. But one thing’s for sure: if you need a backpack bigger than this Roadgear “Commuter Max” version, buy a trailer! The recent upswing in fuel prices has created somewhat of a boom in motorcycle commuting. There are also many new …
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 …
Rev’it Air Mesh Jacket Review
REV’IT! “Air” Mesh Jacket Review The Rev’it Air jacket is new for 2008. It’s designed for hot weather riding and it offers sophisticated styling with high levels of air flow with Rev’it quality and a competitive price. The Rev’it Air jacket is new for 2008 and it’s the lightest weight hot weather jacket in the Rev’it …
REV’IT!! Air Blend & Fighter H2O Boots Review
REV’IT!! Makes Boots! The new interesting short boot style is available in two formats. The Air Blend mesh and the Fighter H2O, which is waterproof. The boots are nearly identical in every other way. REV’IT! has 9 different types of boots in their 2008 lineup, including four different types of short motorcycle boots. There’s probably …
Rev’it Mistral Pants
REV’IT! Mistral Mesh Pants Review Stylish mesh pants with Rev’it quality. These fit better than the Rev’it Airvent mesh pants we reviewed several years ago. With the zip-in Hydratex wind- and water-proof liner, these could be three-season pants, depending on your local climate. Get ’em while you can though; our sources tell us that the Rev’it Mistral …
Shift Carbine Motorcycle Gloves Review
MTech Racer and Shift Carbine vs. Teknic Violator Motorcycle Gloves – Part II Pre-curved fingers and thick leather protectors with stretch material to keep everything together, the Shift Carbine gloves are another worthy alternative to the old Teknic Violator gloves. This is the second of a two-part series comparing modern alternatives to an old favorite, the …
MTECH “Racer” Motorcycle Gloves Review
MTECH Racer Motorcycle Gloves Review Quality protection at a relatively inexpensive price from an Italian manufacturer of high-tech leather motorcycle clothing. It’s been a long time and my hands have passed through many gloves, but truth be told, I hadn’t found a replacement for my old and trusty pair of original Teknic Violator gloves (review). Alas, …
Metzeler Lasertec Tires
The Classic Metzeler Lasertec Back about, oh, 6 years ago, I replaced the tires on the 1986 BMW R65. Of course, being smarter than the BMW engineers, I knew better which size tires to choose. I wrote a long, boring and pompous article about it and ended up ignoring the advice of the owner’s manual, despite my …
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. …
Great Motorcycle Legends
Great Motorcycle Legends By; Richard Renstrom Paperback: 128 pages Dimensions (in inches): 8.5 x 11.0 x 0.4 Publisher: Haessner Publishing, Inc. USA (1977) ISBN: 0877990573 This is another in our series (6 so far) of book reviews covering rare, out of print or hard-to-find motorcycle books. Great Motorcycle Legends was written by Richard Renstrom. He …
Sqwincher Drink Mix Review
Sqwincher FastPack Electrolyte Replacement Drink You may think that Sqwincher is a wild ‘n’ crazy item that’s only peripherally related to motorcycling, but bear with me. I was cruising through a local county fair a couple of weeks ago, and while I was walking through a building that housed a sort of farmer’s household items …
Vemar VSREV Helmet Review
Vemar VSREV “Italy” Helmet It’s good to see Vemar back in the U.S.A. Meantime, the brand has been popular in other parts of the world for some time. The VSREV has a different and interesting internal shape. It may please some owners who may be having a hard time finding a comfortable fit with other …
