reviews
Arai Vector-2 Review
Arai Vector 2 Helmet Review The new Arai Vector 2 is a careful evolution of the original Arai Vector (review), with a few new tweaks to make it…better, of course! The ultra-plush Arai interior is still there (thank you!) while the excellent ventilation system has been improved even more. Visibility is also improved, along with the …
Alden Wrench Review
The Alden Wrench Set Is…Different The Alden wrench has a unique design It combines open-end wrench with ratcheting function. It’s very useful in certain situations where there isn’t enough room to swing a conventional wrench. Hand polished 17-4PH stainless steel. 30-day satisfaction guarantee. Note: As of June 2011, Alden Wrench was bought by Chicago Brand Industrial …
Sears Craftsman Motorcycle Lift
Sears Craftsman Motorcycle Lift Review Works well but is not a replacement for a proper motorcycle lift table. It may be hard to find a safe balance point on some motorcycles. Just about every motorcycle I’ve ever owned had a center stand. When I purchased the Triumph Thunderbird Sport shown here, it crossed my mind …
Leatherguard Leather Treatment
Leather Protection Leatherguard is a clear spray treatment claimed to protect leather from water, wine and other liquid spills; mildew and moisture; scuffing and fading. Unique water based formulation with no solvents; it’s also claimed to be non-toxic and environmentally safe. A small amount goes a long way. It seems to work well and it’s …
Electrochromic Visor
e-Tint MX-8 and AX-9 Liquid Crystal Anti-Fog Visor Inserts An LCD Anti-Fog Visor Insert! Our 2008 Dealer Expo report included an article on a unique and interesting new product for motorcyclists: an electrochromic visor. It wasn’t quite ready for retail at that time and after more development, it started shipping in August 2009, when it was introduced as …
Leatt STX Brace
2011 Powersports Dealer Expo Live Report A Leatt Brace for Street Riders The Leatt Brace is designed to help prevent neck and spinal injuries that might occur during a crash. These injuries have scary medical names like hyperflexion, hyperextension and lateral hyperflexion; axial loading and posterior hypertranslation. I hate it when I get posterior hypertranslation …
Bell Custom 500 Preview
Bell Custom 500 and “Skratch” Limited Editions Bell Custom 500 and “Skratch” Deluxe Limited Edition Helmets Bell had the Pinstripe Guru “Skratch” make up a line of very, very cool Custom 500 helmets in a limited edition. These lids hit so many buttons, they give me chills! Retro, cool, vintage and, well, they definitely bring …
Bell Revolver Helmet Preview
Bell Revolver: First Look Bell has been on a roll and every one of their helmets reviewed on webBikeWorld over the last few years has been a hit. Bell seems to have nailed the price/value equation and the Bell Revolver just may be another winner. Well know for sure pretty soon, as we have a …
Bell Moto-9 and Bell Moto-4
The Bell Moto-9 is the latest version in a long line of Bell motocross helmets. The Moto-9 pioneers some new features that you will see on upcoming Bell street helmets. These include magnetic cheek pads; the cheek pads attach to the inside of the helmet with the same magnet system used on the Bell chin …
Bell RS-1 Preview
Bell RS-1 Bell Announces the RS-1 Note: The Bell RS-1 review is now live. The RS-1 slots between the Bell Vortex (review) and the top-of-the-line Bell Star (review). That’s a pretty small slice, because the Vortex is an excellent helmet that has many of the features of the Star at a street price of only $134.99. The Bell RS-1 has …
Vemar Jiano EVO TC Preview
Vemar Jiano EVO TC Helmet Preview (DOT Version) A Vemar Chimaera for the U.S.A. The Vemar Chimaera, aka Vemar Jiano EVO TC in the U.S., was first introduced at the EICMA show in November of 2010 and described in my report on the2011 Vemar Helmets. The Vemar Jiano EVO TC is now just coming online …
2011 Powersports Dealer Expo Live Report
Haber Helmet Ventilation System HAFT: Haber Air Flow Technology Remember the AFX FX-11 “Lightforce”? I didn’t think so. Nevertheless, it was a good idea — perhaps slightly ahead of its time. The FX-11 featured an on-board battery system that powered a light and an internal fan. The idea was that the fan pulled air through the …
Klim Enduro Clothing
Klim Adventure Rally Jacket and More Have you noticed something about my 2011 Dealer Expo coverage so far? There are a lot of cool accessories to show you, but…where’s the clothing? Glad you asked! It’s not because I’m ignoring the topic; it’s just that there isn’t as much clothing on display as there was in …
Flexit Light Review
Risk Racing “Flexit” LED Light Review The Flexit light is a unique flexible LED array that can be bent and shaped to focus the light. It’s unlike any other LED flashlight or work light and it sure is different, but it could use a few tweaks to make it more useful as a work light. …
Warn HID Lights and XT15 Winch
Warn HID Lights and XT15 Winch Who knew Warn Industries made motorcycle lights? Not me. There are usually dozens of ATV displays at the Powersports Dealer Expo each year; after all, the word “Powersports” is shorthand for ATVs, snowmobiles and “jet skis”, aka PWCs or “Personal Watercraft”. I usually don’t pay much attention to the …
Rigid Industries Dually and Dually D2 LED Lights
Rigid Industries “Dually” and “Dually D2” LED Lights Rigid Industries makes LED and HID lights for the military, police, off-roaders and motorcycle use. They had on display a very interesting LED light called the “Dually”, along with its near-twin, the “Dually D2”. These are heavy-duty aluminum housings that measure approximately 3 inches by 3 inches …
Akuma V-1 “Ghost Rider” Motorcycle Helmet Review
The Akuma Ghost Rider We’ve brought you some very interesting, unique, hard-to-find and downright curious products in our reviews over the last 6-plus years. Finding cool motorcycle goodies is always a thrill for us and I hope it is for you, too. It isn’t very often when a motorcycle helmet hits each of those buttons; …
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 …
Sidi Power Gloves Review
Sidi Design Series Power Gloves Race gloves made from goat skin with functional air scoops and all the bells and whistles. The split main knuckle protector is interesting and adds some comfort to the gloves. But the price is a bit steep and the gloves aren’t that different from other similar imports. Note: As of 2013, Sidi …
Arai Profile Review
Arai “Profile” Helmet Review Arai is making a big marketing push with the Profile, so I thought I’d start out by deconstructing some of their sales propaganda to see if I could sort out some of the claims. Arai says that the Profile has “so many new features and such a completely new and unique …
Gaerne GRS Motorcycle Boots
Gaerne GRS Motorcycle Boots Review The Gaerne GRS boots have a cumbersome entry system but the boots are comfortable once they’re on. Gaerne is not one of the most widely recognized names in motorcycle boots, at least in the U.S.A. But you may recognize some of their sponsored racers. The list includes Makoto Tamada (MotoGP); …
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 …
SCHUBERTH C3 USA Review
SCHUBERTH C3 USA DOT Helmet Review SCHUBERTH has made a big commitment to the North American market and the big news here is that there isn’t much news. That’s because the DOT version of the C3 is nearly identical to the popular ECE version of the helmet in every way — and that’s a definite …
2011 REV’IT! Spring and Summer Clothing
First Look: REV’IT! 2011 Spring and Summer Clothing The winter/summer motorcycle clothing review cycle will never make sense. Cold-weather clothing can’t be reviewed until winter arrives and by time winter arrives, spring clothing is on its way to the dealers’ shelves. Does the word “irony” come to mind? It was only a couple of weeks …
Gore-Tex Membrane Types
Gore-Tex Membranes for Motorcycle Clothing The use of Gore-Tex brand products in motorcycle clothing has increased dramatically in the last 10 years. The technology developed for what is now called the Gore-Tex membrane was first developed in 1969. That technology is now available in a wide variety of Gore-Tex branded membrane types that have been …
Shift Kicker Street Shoes
Shift “Kicker” Street Shoe Review The new Shift Kicker Street Shoes are very comfortable and stylish. The shoes (boots) are easy to use and easy to wear, due to the speed-lacing system and quick-click locking buckle. Perforated leather on each side flows a lot of air, so these should be perfect for summer, if and …
Shinko Motorcycle Tires
Shinko “Smoke Bomb” Tires Announced January 18, 2011 – How about this: the Shinko Smoke Bomb tire! Available in blue, red or purple smoke colors. That’s right — not an April Fool’s prank! The Smoke Bomb tires will pretty up your burnouts (or make you even more obnoxious, depending on your point of view). Spin …
Milwaukee Heated Jacket
Milwaukee M12 Heated Jacket for Warmth and Style The Milwaukee M12 Heated Jacket is a good looking, high quality jacket. It uses a standard Milwaukee M12 (12 Volt) battery module to provide even warmth to the upper chest and back. The jacket may or may not work as a liner for motorcycle use but it’s …
Gerbing Core Heat Battery Heated Vest Review
Gerbing Core Heat Heated Vest Review The Gerbing Battery Powered Core Heat Vest Liner takes the chill off, whether you’re on or off the bike. It is very lightweight and thin, allowing it to be used under any motorcycle jacket, despite Gerbing’s claims to the contrary. Gerbing is well known in the motorcycling community for its …
Tourmaster Sentinel Jacket
Tourmaster Sentinel Rain Jacket Review The Tourmaster Sentinel jacket is an excellent choice for an outer layer rain and foul weather garment. It meets the claim of being both 100% waterproof yet it has some ventilation, which makes it more comfortable in warmer temperatures. The jacket has adequate storage in the three outer pockets and it stows …
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 …
BKS Motorcycle Clothing
BKS Gloucester Waterproof Trousers Review By far the best-made and most comfortable motorcycle trousers I’ve ever worn — and probably the least stylish. Motorcycle trousers aren’t very exciting. Helmets, jackets and gloves give you plenty of ways to express your style and individuality, but trousers are much of a muchness and tend to go unnoticed. …
365 Motorcycles You Must Ride
365 Motorcycles You Must Ride wBW Book Review 365 Motorcycles You Must Ride Author: Dain Gingerelli, J. Michaels C. Everitt Published: January 2011, 325 pages Motorbooks International ISBN: 978-0-7603-3474-4 I’ll have to admit to a few false starts with “365 Motorcycles You Must Ride”. I didn’t quite know what to make of a book that is …
Caberg HyperX Helmet Review
Caberg HyperX Motorcycle Helmet Review The new Caberg HyperX is a unique modular helmet with a removable chin bar, making it highly versatile for street riding, touring or adventure touring. The quality construction and solid feel sets it apart from other helmets of this type. Crossover Helmet Review Series: ▪ X-Lite X-402GT Review ▪ Caberg HyperX Review …
Cortech Scarab Winter Motorcycle Gloves Review
Cortech “Scarab” Gloves Review A warm and waterproof winter riding glove with styling and protection of a sport riding glove. I don’t like not riding my motorcycle. Although there are occasionally some good reasons not to ride. Perhaps I need to carry some equipment to or from work that day. Or maybe groceries are needed at home …
2011 REV’IT! Gore-Tex Winter Gloves
2011 REV’IT! Gore-Tex Winter Gloves The new REV’IT! Bastion GTX, Alaska GTX and Orion GTX gloves are comfortable and very nicely made, with looks and features that match the new REV’IT! GTX jackets and pants. GTX is Rev’it-speak for Gore-Tex and these winter gloves feature the new ripstop Cordura on top and leather on the …
Zox Genessis Review
The Zox Genessis RN2 SVS Helmet The Zox Genessis flip-up has a nice surface finish, a comfortable liner and decent face shield. But its other features and functions just aren’t quite up to par. The weight and ventilation problems also make this helmet difficult to recommend. Be sure to check out our 3D video and …
EZE Bleeder Motorcycle Brake Bleeder
EZE Bleeder Brake Bleeder Review The EZE Bleeder lives up to its name. It’s an easy way to bleed motorcycle brakes or a hydraulic clutch with a minimum of fuss. Reference: Bleeding Motorcycle Brakes With the Actron Vacuum Pump Review Flushing the old and dirty brake fluid from your motorcycle’s brake system may seem like a …
Ducati Carbon Fiber Belt Covers
Shift-Tech Carbon Fiber Review Carbon fiber parts, in the form of belt covers, fenders and other bits are probably among the most frivolous of motorcycle accessories. When done right, carbon fiber looks great. But there’s a lot of poor quality carbon fiber out there, which can make even an expensive bike look bad. The Shift-Tech …
