Archive for the ‘Product Reviews’ Category

9 Holiday Gift Giving Ideas for your Motorcyclist.

Posted: November 20, 2023 in custom motorcycle, Motorcycle, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle safety, motorcycle touring, Product Reviews
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santa gifts

Why just 9 ideas for your motorcyclist?  Because 10 is too much work!!  LOL

Your biker/motorcyclist, deep down, wants some motorcycle related stuff.  Any parts or accessories for the bike or new gear for them will likely work, but here are a few other items to think about. If you have some different ideas include them in the comments!

9 – Communication Gear – There are several options out there that will allow your motorcycle rider to talk to a group of other riders, listen to music or answer your phone call.  Sena and Cardio are two of the more popular brands.

8 – Battery Tender – Winter is coming and if your rider has to lock away the motorcycle a battery tender will keep the battery fresh all winter.  preparing motorcycle for winter | I JUST WANT 2 RIDE!!.

7 – Cleaning equipment – Take a look at your riders cleaning equipment.  Does it look worn and tattered? Consider replacing their current equipment for new cleaning equipment.  For those times you just want to clean the bike quickly between rides I use and recommend Bugslide.  I am not paid by, but I do endorse Bugslide.

6 – Recording equipment – A GoPro or similar type of device to record their rides.

5 – New riding gear – Do their riding gloves look ratty?  What about their boots or jackets?  Now might be a good time to gift them with new motorcycle riding gear.

4 – Motorcycle related books – There are a lot of them out there.  I just finished reading the memoir of Willie G. Davidson, grandson of the founders of Harley Davison. You can read my review here.

3 – Their bike on something –  and I am not talking about crack or meth.  There are a lot of companies that will take a photo of their motorcycle and put it on mugs, pillows, t-shirts and even make it into a 3d Christmas ornament.

2 – Custom Dynamics Motorcycle Lights – Custom Dynamics makes SUPER BRIGHT, eye catching lights for many motorcycle models. I suggest their ProBeam LED Motorcycle Turn Signals!  I have had them on 3 motorcycles and highly recommend them.  As before, I am not getting paid to promote these motorcycle lights, I just believe in them.

1 – Membership – Motorcyclist need to make sure their rights are not trampled upon.  There are two good groups that help preserve those rights.  Sign your rider up for either or both!

American Motorcycle Association – Membership does not only help in the political arena but also include discounts on products and emergency towing.  The AMA is the largest motorcycle lobbyist group.

Motorcycle Rider Foundation – In addition to their pro-motorcycle lobbying efforts membership will get you a $4000 AD&D insurance policy and regular weekly/monthly updates on what is going on in Washington DC.

*****

Ride On, Ride Safe

Motorcycle Book Review: Ride Free by Willie G. Davidson

Posted: November 14, 2023 in Motorcycle advocacy, Product Reviews, vintage motorcycle
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“Ride Free” is a memoir by Willie G. Davidson, the grandson of one of the founders of Harley-Davidson. The book is a personal history of Harley-Davidson and a man who poured his life force into it. It is more than an autobiography, as it also provides insight into the company’s history, told from Davidson’s unique perspective. He does a wonderful job recounting his memories of family and events that shaped his life and the Harley Davidson motorcycles and the company.

Ride Free is an intimate, personal history of Harley-Davidson and a man who poured his life force into it. The first-person account of how the motorcycles evolved and how the company survived and thrived are riveting at times. His role in changing how the company designed and built motorcycles and his role in advancing the technology of the company.

His point of view tale of how Harley Davidson survived under AMF and how they bought the company away from AMF provided a version of the story I had not heard before.  That alongside stories of the development of iconic motorcycles like the “Wide Glide” and “Fat Boy” make the book a page turner.

Whether or not you are a fan of Harley Davison this is an enjoyable read.  The story of a man that dedicated his life to his family business, started by his grandfather and uncle, and sustained by his father, is worth your time.

I need new motorcycle armor!

Posted: September 11, 2023 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle touring, Product Reviews
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I have a favorite motorcycle jacket, a Harley Davidson “Switchback” that is now ten years old. When I put it on to ride Howard’s Twisted Tongue, I noticed the elbow armor was broken into several pieces.

This jacket has been great for three season motorcycle riding.  It has a zippered, removable textile cover that, when on, provides good wind protection as well as some basic rain protection.  When the cover is removed it is a mesh jacket for those warm to hot days.  There are pockets for elbow, shoulder and back armor built into the jacket.

The modern version of this jacket has zipper vents where you have roll up the vent covers. It looks stupid and is a stupid design.

When I took a closer look at the broken elbow armor, I also noticed that the other armor was breaking apart as well.  The armor that came with the jacket was CE level 1 and was now past it use by date. I needed to replace this motorcycle armor as soon as possible.

I had to go to my local Harley Davidson dealership to find out where they are with a motorcycle I would like to buy and while I was there, I noticed that they had replacement armor for sale.  One trip solved my armor issue, I still have an issue regarding the new motorcycle though.

The new armor is also CE Level 1 but is radically different than what came with the jacket 10 years ago.  The old armor was very thick and not very flexible.  The new armor is very thin and highly flexible.  The documentation stated that upon impact it becomes hard and absorbs the impact, I hope I never have to find out.

During all this I also noticed that the mesh seam under the right arm was coming apart. A trip to the local seamstress fixed that problem.  My favorite motorcycle jacket is showing its age, I wish I could find another motorcycle jacket with the same features.

*****

Ride on, Ride Safe

Motorcycle Product Review:  Women’s Riding Pants

Posted: July 19, 2023 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle advocacy, motorcycle safety, Product Reviews
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motogirls Kevlar pants armor

PRO

+ Comfortable

+ So much easier to get on the motorcycle, their stretchy.

+ Pants arrived in 2 days

CON

–  When the weather gets hot and sticky, the pants can be hard to get off.

–  Your foot can slip into the armor pocket

–  Sizing chart is a bit confusing.

My wife has been looking for armored motorcycle pants for a while.  What she really wanted was armored motorcycle pants made for women. 

She tried several brands and did not care for them as they were too “masculine” in appearance.  I don’t think that anyone can say Sherrie Leggings by MotoGirls has a manly appearance.

My wife purchased the Sherrie Leggins form Wind and Throttle which advertises the leggings as breathable and moisture wicking mesh lining, that helps let air circulate to increase ventilation so you can cool down and get rid of sweat more quickly. There are that, until you are off the bike and without the airflow to help evaporate the moisture.  It can be a struggle to get them off when they are damp or wet after a rain storm.

By the way my wife was also very happy with the folks behind Wind and Throttle! She told me they were very easy to work with and were quite accommodating before and after the sale, that she will be buying more from them in the future.

As far as armor is concerned:

  • CE & UKCA Certified Garment – AAA rated.
  • CE-Approved Level 2 knee protection
  • CE-Approved Level 2 hip protectors 
  • Heavy duty, stretchable and abrasion resistant
  • High Impact areas reinforced with 100% genuine DuPont™ KEVLAR® fiber

My wife has been riding with these leggings for about six months now and really likes them a lot.  She likes them enough that she is likely to get an additional set in the coming months.

*****

Ride On, Ride Safe

Motorcycle Book Review: The Moment Collectors

Posted: March 13, 2023 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle advocacy, Product Reviews
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The Moment Collector is an anthology of short stories from motorcyclists traveling the world. The collector of these stories is Sam Manicom, himself a world traveler on two wheels.

Sam collected twenty tales from intrepid motorcycling travelers. As with all anthologies some stories are more engrossing than others, some writers are better than others. Yet overall, I enjoyed the book greatly.

I was familiar with a few of the authors, Tim Notier for example, but most were new to me. Mr. Manicom provided each writer’s social media information with their stories. A subtle but impactful touch that allowed me to see more about each of them.

As noted above, it is difficult for any collection of stories, or moments, to have every tale a hit. I am giving this book a 4-Star review because it is an anthology and not all the stories were great.

However…. It should be part of your motorcycle book library!

Ride On, Ride Safe

Other books of Sam Manicom I have reviewed: Tortillas and Totems

Full disclosure Sam authored a guest post on this blog, and I paid for this book and was not paid for the review.

Bilt Iron Works Kevlar Motorcycle Riding Pants

Posted: December 12, 2022 in Motorcycle, Product Reviews
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I reviewed an earlier version of the Bilt Iron Workers Kevlar motorcycle pants way back in 2013. The older version received a 4-star rating, but these pants have been improved over the years.

The new Iron Workers Kevlar pants are available in several colors, I purchased the khaki version.  They were more brown than khaki but acceptable.  I read that the sizing was running a little small, so I bought one size up from my normal and it worked out well, a good fit.

They look more like casual office pants than any of the other motorcycling pants I currently own.  With the knee pads removed it would be even more difficult to discern they are motorcycle-based clothing.

Speaking of knee pads, the Bilt Iron Workers Kevlar pants have an external zipper that allows for “easier” access.  I placed “easier” in quotes as it can still be a bit of a struggle to get them in and out, but it is much better than turning the pants inside out to access the armor pockets. This is a plus over many other pants I own.

While the Bilt pants come with armor for the knee they do not come with hip armor, luckily, I have several extra pairs.  Unlike the knee armor the hip armor is not as easy to insert or remove.  The pocket openings face the outside pant leg, and it can be a bit of a struggle to put the armor in place.  Once the hip armor is installed, they are comfortable and snug. This is about the same as other pants I own.

After riding in these pants for a few thousand miles, I have to say I like them quite a bit. While heavy they are not too hot in the heat, and they have some decent wind breaker qualities that help in the cool weather.

The cargo pockets are secured with heavy-duty Velcro and, wow, it is some really heavy-duty Velcro. It can be a bit of an effort to pull the pocket open.  You will not need to worry about the cargo pockets coming open during your ride!  The regular pockets are just regular pockets. This is a plus over other pants I own.

The only downside and it does not impact my rating is the hip armor pockets, they could be better with a pocket opening facing the inside of the pant with a Velcro closure. Some people might complain of the limited use of the Kevlar lining but there is a price point consideration. 

For their price these are very good motorcycling pants.

Motorcycle Book Review: Born Free Motorcycle Show

Posted: February 5, 2021 in custom motorcycle, Motorcycle, motorcycle show, Product Reviews
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The Born Free Motorcycle Show is one of the best chopper jamborees around.  It always gets the coolest and craziest choppers to attend and show off. DicE Magazine covered the show and produced a “Coffee Table” picture book all about the bikes at the show.  

At 300 pages of the coolest motorcycles, choppers, bobbers, racing and culture pictures the book is fun to flip through.  The creativity of some of the builders is hard to believe.

This book will grace my coffee table for quite a while.

Motorcycle Book Review: Tortillas to Totems

Posted: August 5, 2020 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle advocacy, Product Reviews
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Photo provided by Sam Manicom

Sam Manicom’s fourth motorcycle adventure book tracks his and his partner Birgit travels through Mexico, the United States and Canada.  While I have never toured the world like Sam but, he lays out the work involved while making it a fun read.

I say work because he is not reliant on sponsors or doing “viral” things to get attention and “followers”.  He sells stories and does “odd jobs” while touring to have the money to move from point to point.  He does rely on a network of friends and friends of friends to reduce his costs of traveling. The “work” part of global motorcycle touring comes out well in the book.

This book has been in my stack for a couple months and now I wish had moved it to the top when it came in.  It is an easy, fun read that I can readily recommend.

I particularly enjoyed the sections on the border crossings.  I found it funny how it seems that the crossing guards are pretty much the same just with different languages, overworked and underpaid and less then helpful. However, of all the places to cross into the US, Tijuana would be at the bottom of my list.  But no one asked me LOL!

I was a bit surprised that after traveling through the many third-world countries that they travelled, that they were worried about travelling back into the first world.  I understood the worries on cost of travel in the US/Canada but, as their trip unfolded, I like to think that the other worries were abated. 

Full disclosure Sam wrote an unpaid article for this blog a few months ago and I paid for the book.

I liked this book enough that I am going to buy his other books!  4 Stars

Bitten by the Chrome Bug! A motorcycle part I did not know I needed.

Posted: April 7, 2020 in custom motorcycle, Motorcycle, Product Reviews, Uncategorized
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IMG_20200328_112311242

Soooo, bored at home and looking at motorcycle parts. Lo and behold I find a part I did not know I needed, the Kuryakyn Tour-Pak Chrome Lid Grip! Of course, I ordered it right then and there.  Is there a cure for the “Chromavirus”?

IMG_20200328_112610604I must state that I had thought about why there was no “handle” to raise the lid and that it was kind of weird that you had to grab the lip of the lid to push it open. But when I read Kuryakyn’s part description they hooked me “Kuryakyn Tour-Pak lid grips blend in perfectly, while providing ideal leverage to easily unlatch and open the lid in one fluent motion.”

It was not long before it arrived, and it was time to install. Opening the package and reading the instructions it was going to be an easy install.

Four screws, remove old OEM part, put new part on with the same four screws. Easy peasy right. Well yeah, until you notice that the screw heads are stripped.

IMG_20200328_112934358LOL, dummy the screw heads are on the inside of the lid behind the rubber weather seal. Out they came with a Torx T20 screwdriver and off comes the old part. I cleaned the area, surprising how much road grime gets into small spots, and then slipped the new Kuryakyn Lid Grip on and replaced the screws.

The part looks and fits like as if the Tour Pak was sent from the factory that way, and maybe it should have been. I like it, as of this date it is on sale (both chrome and black) for $22 US.  Easy to install and helpful I give it 5 Stars.

 

9 Gift ideas for your motorcycle riding friends and family

Posted: December 2, 2019 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle advocacy, Product Reviews
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xmas 17

Are you struggling to think of an idea for a gift for your motorcycle riding friends and family? Well here are 9 ideas for you to consider some are classics that I have recommend in the past and some are new for this year.x1

9) Got a Harley Davidson fan, try a framed set of Harley Patents. Something to spruce up the garage, apartment or basement.

8) A branded hat. Not sure what kind of motorcycle they ride? Peak in the garage and then find a hat that is the same brand.

x27) BugSlide all in one cleaner, polish and bug remover. I discovered this stuff about 2 years ago. I think it is awesome sauce between major bike baths.

6) Battery Tender – Over the long winter break batteries tend to die.  This motorcycle gift will help your motorcyclist out and make sure the bike is ready to go on the first day of riding season.  I don’t have a recommendation for a specific brand, they are almost all good.  Just get one that comes with the ends that connect to motorcycle batteries.

5) Helmet – Is your bikers helmet more then 5 years old?  If so ask some sneaky questions to find out what they like in a helmet.  Full face, modular, open face, there are so many possibilities… maybe a gift certificate for a helmet might be better.

4) New gloves. I seem to wear out riding gloves every 18 months or so. I also go through many because they are not as comfortable after a few hours as I thought. Give a new pair of gloves to your rider, I bet they will like the thought.

3) Kevlar lined pants, shirts or jackets. Can get pricy but, your motorcycle rider will love you for it.

2) Custom Dynamic Motorcycle Lights. They make super bright, eye catching lighting for WP_20150617_19_22_10_Proa lot of different types of motorcycle. I have several sets on my bike. Take a look at their ProBeam LED Motorcycle Turn Signals, I can’t recommend this product enough.

1) Membership in the AMA – That is the American Motorcycle Association not he medical association (or the version of the AMA in your area).   Membership not only gets you things like emergency towing it gets you a voice in Washington DC.  The AMA is the biggest (but not the only) motorcycle lobbyist group trying to protect your right to ride.  This is, most likely the most important motorcycle gift idea on the list!

American Motorcycle Association

Motorcycle, motorcycling, Harley, Harley Davidson, café racer, café motorcycle, motorcycle safety, motorcycle advocacy, congress, Motorcycle Ride, motorcycle riding, hog, hd, custom motorcycle, harley owners group

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