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reviews


Xena XN15 Motorcycle Disc Lock Alarm High-quality, hefty disk lock includes a shrieking 110 dB alarm. It serves as a good deterrent for a would-be thief and a warning for the owner if the lock is accidentally left in place before riding off. Appears to be high quality and more robust than other disc locks …

Tube Shaped Chain Oiler is Easy to Hide The Cameleon oiler is relatively easy to install and it has some advantages over other automatic chain lube systems. The Cameleon system is simple, it has very few moving parts and the oil is stored in the hose, which can be easily concealed. We’ve avoided the topic …

Star Clean “One Step Metal Treatment” Metal Polish There are few things that get my attention like the words “easy to use”, “time saver” or anything that promises “one step”.  Add “no buffing” and I’m sold. Yep, I’m lazy.  My mother used to tell me that all the time.  My answer (now that I’m an …

SHIFT Streetfighter SS Waterproof Motorcycle Jacket Comfortable jacket for street or touring is adaptable to a wide variety of weather conditions. Good looks and relatively low price make it a bargain. Buddha stopped answering the 14 questions, and I long ago stopped answering this one: “What’s the best four-season motorcycle jacket?”. That quest is something akin to …

Teknic Freestyle Jacket Great-looking short jacket with external armor that is also a design feature.  Relatively light weight nylon shell makes this a jacket for warmer weather.  It has a number of zippered vents on the outside, but permanently attached internal liner prevents most of the air from getting through. Teknic is known for its …

Cardo Scala Rider Q2 Teamset Motorcycle Bluetooth Intercom Well designed, fully featured Bluetooth version 2.0 communications device. With a quality mono two-speaker headset, its trim and lightweight design, multiple functions and ease of use, this is a big advancement in concept, execution and potential. Pairing integrity, a function that is key to overall system performance, …

BMW Racing Motorcycles: The Mastery of Speed by: Laurel C. Allen and Mark Gardiner Hardcover: 174 pages Dimensions (in inches): 9.25 x 6.75 x 0.937 Publisher: Whitehorse Press; (March 2008) ISBN: 978-1-884313-65-3 List Price: $29.95 More:  wBW Book Review Index  |  Book Reviews by Rating  |  Vintage, Classic, Antique Motorcycles Page  |  Motorcycle Repair and Maintenance Article Index Mark Gardiner is …

New Name, Decent Helmet Excellent quality is a surprise at this price. Non-movable top vents. Sizing runs small. Very nice selection of graphics. Brow vents in visor. Relatively quiet. Slightly short in front-to-back dimensions. I’ll admit it: I hadn’t even seen a SparX helmet, but I knew I wouldn’t like them. Why?  Well, it was …

The Steel Horse URRS05 Motorcycle Rear Stand This is the updated version of the originalSteel Horse rear stand we reviewed some time ago, the URRS05 features removable and adjustable heads at the top of the lifting arms. The heads can be flipped to fit bikes with or without swingarm spools. Dual wheels spread the weight and …

February 21, 2008 – Rev’it has developed the Apache boot, a completely new type of motorcycle adventure touring boot that incorporates many new and interesting features. One of the most interesting features of the Apache boot is the lugged sole.  A lot of thought has gone into the lugs and the soles, which are designed for …

Acebikes SteadyStand Review Motorcycle Front Wheel Chock The Acebikes SteadyStand is well made and easy to use. Its light weight and simplicity belies its strength and sturdy feel. I’ve seen several different types of front wheel stands or chocks over the years. They come in a few different styles, but most of them seemed to me …

First All-Mesh 3/4-Length Jacket Announced February 19, 2008: REV’IT! will also be introducing the Sirocco (alt: Scirocco) jacket in 2008. The Sirocco is designed for warm weather, and since we get more visitor email about good warm weather clothing than we do about cold weather clothing, I’m betting that this jacket will be a big hit. The …

Rev’it Cayenne Pro February 19, 2008 – The annual Powersports Dealer Expo show officially opens on Saturday morning each President’s Day weekend.  I usually wait until Sunday morning for my annual visit to the Rev’it booth, when things slow down a bit and while everyone else is still recovering from the previous night’s entertainment. This year …

February 18, 2008 – Other than some interesting new colors and graphics, there wasn’t much in the way of new clothing technology at the Indy Dealer Expo that I found — with two exceptions. Rev’it had their usual lineup of interesting, evolved and advanced motorcycle clothing, and I’ll devote an entire page to their new lineup, …

The Vemar Jiano Flip-up Helmet UPDATE: See the Vemar Jiano Review February 19, 2008 – I took a quick look and a couple of photos of the new Vemar Jiano flip-up (modular) motorcycle helmet at the 2008 Dealer Expo (more…). I don’t have much information other than what’s on the Motonation website. But since then, we have published …

An Integrated Soft Luggage System The FAMSA 260 is a well integrated system of tank pad, tank-bag and two side tank-pannier assemblies. The tank panniers mount and are removed quickly without disturbing the main tank bag fitting. The FAMSA motorcycle-specific systems (260 series) fit perfectly. And the overall design reflects an understanding of user needs. …

Zeus ZS 2100B Review Intended to go after the top-end cross-over style of helmet, Zeus has taken a current model and with one minor addition, created a very viable alternative. Overall quality and finish is not up to Arai standards, as an example, but from a function perspective it is very close and even ahead …

Firstgear Rainier Jacket Review The Firstgear Rainier 3/4-length jacket has high-quality construction. It also has sophisticated styling and good looks. The TPG “system” includes a comfortable liner that can be worn as a windbreaker. The base layer is optional and costs extra, however. Collar has very limited adjustment. Surprising absence of front placket wind barrier under …

The Original GoPro Hero Action Cam Buy it, use it, enjoy it, and if necessary, share it. Be tolerant of its shortfalls and limitations. Be happy, for the price, and for what you get, it cannot be beaten, at least for now. Be prepared, for never-ending comments about its size, look and functionality. While not …

REV’IT! Factor Women’s Motorcycle Pants REV’IT! has an extensive line of women’s motorcycle clothing for all seasons. This is the combination of the “Cami” top and “Panta” bottom base layers. Also the “Factor” Ladies Trouser. And the women’s version of the “Fahrenheit” gloves and the “Jade” boots. All of this gear makes a great year-round …

Motorcycle HID Headlight Conversion This wasn’t my first attempt to add aftermarket HID lighting to my 2004 BMW K1200LT. Last spring I fell for a “too good to pass up” $129.99 eBay conversion kit sold by CQ Lighting (similar kits can be had for under $80 now). Ten days after making my payment, I received …

The Essential Buyer’s Guide: BMW GS By: Peter Henshaw Paperback: 64 pages Dimensions (mm): 140 x 195 x 6.0 Publisher: Veloce Publishing; (Feb 2008) ISBN: 978-1-84584-135-5 List Price: $19.95 (£9.99) We have a ton of books queued up and ready to review in the webBikeWorld library. I’ve been having too much fun reading them and, as …

Salclear Anti-Fog Treatments: TT, TT-X, D-mist and D-mist+ Here’s another installment in our continuing search for the “perfect” motorcycle visor anti-fog treatment. Until a visor is invented that absolutely and completely resists fogging under any conditions, there will always be room for one more anti-fog spray. If you recall, we recently compared four different anti-fog treatments; …

January 28, 2008 – Ducati today announced the 1098 R, claimed to be “the lightest, most powerful twin-cylinder bike ever” with a true competition-level traction control system supplied as standard for maximum track performance. This is the Ducati press release on the bike: The 1098 R is Ducati’s ultimate Superbike.  Ducati calls the engine “the …

Oxford Hot Grips Are AKA “Heaterz” Well known, well made and well tested, the Oxford HotGrips just plain work. They may not be the most cutting edge heated grip on the market, but they are still one of the best in terms of reliability and performance – they sure do keep the hands warm. Oxford …

Warmthru G3 Fingerheater Battery Heated Gloves and G1 Battery Heated Glove Liners Battery heated gloves have a great deal of potential for motorcycle riding and they will hopefully equal the heat generated by wired gloves someday soon. This is more of an update or report than a review, and it serves as the final installment of …

Lectra Sox Battery Heated Socks Review We tried everything we could think of but just can’t seem to get any heat from these socks. Battery heated clothing has been evolving and improving each year. I have no doubt that one day we’ll have thin, flexible, light weight and warm clothing that maintains exact temperatures with …

Luggage Locker Motorcycle Tail Bag High-quality, custom designed luggage that can be secured to the motorcycle. This is a review of the Luggage Locker Elite Seat Sack. First off, let me say I have been strapping things to motorcycles since 1992 and this is one of the finest pieces of luggage I have purchased. These …

Neck Tube Warmers or “Gaiters” for Motorcycle Riding Each of these products will block the wind and add comfort and warmth in cold weather, and they’re recommended for motorcycle riding in winter. The Biker’s Comfort in Action “Bike Pit” neck gaiter has a comfortable fleece lining. The Knox “Cold Killers Maxi Tube” and “Hot Hood” …

An HJC Low-End Helmet The bottom-of-the-line HJC CS-R1 has nice graphics but mediocre venting, a slightly strange internal shape and a flimsy face shield that fogs easily. But, in a 2012 update, I discovered that it works very well indeed on the BMW scooter (blog)! Is more better? Yes for horsepower; no for just about everything …

The Original VholdR Action Cam A nice motorcycle video camera with a useful form factor, but now surpassed by more advanced cameras. I’m not sure when the phrase “camcorder” supplanted “videocam”, which is a contraction of “video camera”. But VholdR calls this device a “wearable camcorder”, so there you have it. Wearable is probably stretching …

Motoport Police Kevlar Pants Review High quality pants offer good protection and are useful in many different environments. My goal was to find a pair of pants with a high level of protection throughout the garment. The pants also had to be practical to wear even in the warm, humid weather that is typical here …

6″ SuperBrite LED Truck Light for Use on Motorcycles The subject of auxiliary and LED brake lights has been a very popular topic with webBikeWorld visitors for many years. We started reporting on LED lights before they were being used on motorcycles. This was back when LEDs were rare, expensive and not very bright — …

Olympia 4298 Gore-Tex “2in1” Commander Gloves Somewhat innovative in design but execution is less than perfect. Sizing is restrictive; all that bulk overwhelms the functionality and feeling that a glove, no matter what its intended use, should provide. Obviously weather-proof and warm, the glove is better suited for ATV or snowmobile use, rather than daily use as …

Make Your Own Bluetooth Adapter! After thinking about it for the best part of two years, I finally purchased an Autocom Active plus intercom system. It worked brilliantly as promised — straight out of the box! Having bought the Autocom and laid it out (as suggested in the excellent article by Spyder), I was confronted with …

Shark RSX “Intense” Long-Term Report We published an Owner Report on the Shark RSX in December of 2007. It was submitted by “Mr. Monk”, who really liked his RSX in the “Eagle” graphics designed for the U.S. market. The helmet looked and sounded pretty impressive. And since I’m a big fan of Shark helmets and I’ve been …

Orina 118 Motorcycle Gloves Review Completely waterproof in the webBikeWorld “Bucket Dunk” water trials. The liner and thick insulation makes the gloves feel stiff, numbing control feel and making for a longer reach to the levers. No knuckle or wrist protectors. The Orina 118 gloves are decent enough but not outstanding cold weather gloves. The …

Roadgear Coconut Socks Review Nice socks for wearing under motorcycle boots. But I’m not sure if they perform any better than cotton socks. Also, the fabric pilled after just one or two wearings. We’ve seen many interesting products come and go over the years, but coconut socks have to be about as far out there …

The Shark RSX Eagle So I went ahead and bought the Shark RSX helmet that I emailed you guys about. All I have to say about it so far is WOW. I felt uber-patriotic when I first saw it. The screaming eagle on it sealed the deal for me. I dig it, hardcore. The liner …

Jett Battery Heated Vest: Take 2 We reviewed the original Jett battery heated vest in October 2006. Jett made a few changes to the 2007 version so we decided to post this report. The original Jett heated vest was a breakthrough. It allowed motorcyclists to stay warm without wires! We’ve been predicting the eventual dominance of battery …