These clever Bar Cuffs not only make it easy to tie down your motorcycle for transport, but are also guaranteed not to scratch your chromed or powder-coated handlebars.
The multi-patented Bar Cuffs cost $US49.95 (about $A75 plus postage) and are made of stainless steel so they won’t rust like many tie-down hooks.
They feature rubber inserts to prevent scratching and slipping and save you the hassle of putting something soft between the nylon straps or hooks and the bars.
Bar Cuffs
Adam Ewles says his invention will support up to 900kg of strain, so they should be suitable for all sized scooters and motorcycles.
Dirt bike
Scooter
They are also able to be locked in case you are storing your bike on a trailer overnight.
Bar Cuffs come in a pack of two with extra inserts in different sizes to accommodate various sized bar diameters.
You can also clamp then right over the bar grips and the eyelets will self tighten.
Note that you will still need nylon straps to tie down the rear of the bike.
Riders in the current cold snap should check out these American Gerbing Gyde S7 Gloves which are heated via two lithium-ion batteries.
These comfortable gauntlet gloves are not cheap at $US249.99 (about $A370) plus postage, but they should keep your hands toasty and dry in the most extreme conditions.
They come with a dual mains charger to charge both batteries at the same time, but it’s an American parallel two-plug connection.
You can twist them to Aussie mains 45-degree angles with pliers or use a convertor. It takes about three hours to charge them to 100%.
The Gerbing Gyde 7v lithium-ion batteries slip into zippered pouches on the back of the gauntlet section.
With the batteries tucked away discretely, each glove weighs about 250g. That might seem heavy, but once they are on, you don’t notice the weight.
Unlike some other heated gloves, there is no need to plug them into an external power source so there are no messy wires.
And because they are electronically heated, they don’t beed to be as thick and cumbersome as a lot of non-heated winter gloves.
Even so, they have Primaloft insulation that is thinner on the palms allowing plenty of feel on the throttle and levers.
Heated elements
To operate, plug in the batteries, turn them on, slip them inside the pouch and zip them up.
They are now in standby mode which will last all day long.
You can easily turn the heat on when needed via the big silicone button on the back of the gauntlet.
Press again to turn the heat up and down in three stages represented clearly by green, yellow and red lights.
The hottest (red) setting is 57C (135F) and almost unbearable.
However, it would be most welcome if you happen to be crazy enough to ride in a blizzard.
In the hottest setting, battery time is only two hours, but who rides more than two hours in such conditions?
They will last six hours in the lowest heat setting (green) which is 25% heat and plenty warm enough right down to 5C. Medium setting (yellow) lasts about four hours.
If your hands get too hot, turn them off and the insulation traps and holds the heat for ages, depending on the ambient temperature and your speed which determines the wind-chill factor.
The heating elements are right throughout the gloves, which means on the backs of your hands, the palms and right down to the fingertips.
If you have hand grip warmers on your bike, you simply won’t need to turn them on.
Composition
The gloves feel extremely comfortable with a soft, felt liner.
There are two fastening systems at the wrist and end of the gauntlet to make them secure and keep out the cold wind.
They come with handy touch-sensitive pads on the first fingertips of both gloves to use on your GPS or smartphone screens.
The second fingertips and the palms have a grip pad so your hands don’t slip on the bars.
There is also a convenient chamois on the back of the thumbs to wipe your visor.
However, there seems to be no impact nor abrasion protection.
But if you want to stay warm and dry on your ride, they are perfect.
I held the gloves under a tap for several minutes and got no water penetration.
Water just beads off the AQUATEX breathable water-resistant membrane.
The unisex gloves come in black only in sizes small to XXL with a sizing chart available.
If there is no room in your luggage or under your seat for a toolkit, you can still rely on this handy Andy Tool from Andy Strapz.
This multi-tool is 18 tools in one small stainless-steel device that slips inside a handy pouch that you can attach to your belt, slip in your pocket or under the seat.
Australian motorcycle accessories and luggage experts Andy Strapz have some clever and useful gear for motorcycle travel and this magic little combination Andy Tool is no exception.
It is made of #420 Stainless with 48HRC hardness and includes the following features:
Flat Screwdriver
#2 and #3 Phillips Screwdriver
Bottle Opener
Box cutter
5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13 and 14mm end spanner
4, 5, and 6mm Allen key
1/4- and 7/16-inch end spanner
The Chinese-made tool costs just $18 with free untracked postage and comes with a pouch and a five-year warranty.
“It won’t rebuild a basket case resto but it might just get you out of trouble,” Andy says.
“Tightening a loose screw or bolt is often left because pulling out the tool roll can be a pain.”
This handy Andy Tool may be the easiest alternative!
For the first time, women’s riding jackets are among a new crop of leather and textile jackets tested by MotoCAP as researchers start advising riders about their service at seminars across the country.
The world’s first motorcycle clothing safety ratings program has added six textile jackets and nine leather jackets to its growing list of 128 products.
It includes seven jackets designed exclusively for women and two advertised as “unisex”.
The only other women’s gear tested and rated in the past year since MotoCAP began were women’s leggings.
Top jackets
For women, the $650 Dainese Mike Lady jacket scored the highest MotoCAP protection rating with three out of five stars.
Dainese Mike Lady jacket
The unisex $1495 Klim Badlands Pro also scored well with a protection rating of three.
Klim Badlands Pro jacket
For men, the $500 Merlin Hixon men’s jacket scored the highest MotoCAP protection rating of this batch with four stars.
Merlin Hixon jacket
All 15 jackets listed were awarded between half and two stars for the MotoCAP thermal comfort rating.
The latest round of testing results come as researchers from the Deakin University who carry out the MotoCAP testing have been giving seminars to riders to explain what the service is about.
Senior researcher Christopher Hurren will give a seminar this Saturday (10- August 2019) at the Scarborough Community Centre, 163 The Esplanade, Western Australia.
He was invited by Dave Wright of the Motorcycle Riders Association of Western Australia who successfully applied for a grant under the Road Safety Community Grants Programme.
Riders and rider group representatives can attend from 10-11.30am and motorcycle dealers and motorcycle clothing retailers from 1-2.30pm.
Contact Dave Wright for more information and to reserve your place via 0418 954 424 or email, or visit their Facebook event page.
It follows seminars by leading researcher Liz de Rome for Q Ride in Queensland a few weeks ago and for the MRA in Victoria a few months ago.
Chris says he will brief riders on MotoCAP aims, how a rider can use it to select the right gear, what is tested and why, plus “some of the science that we do to back up our work”.
When Chris delivered a similar presentation in New Zealand in February as part of the “Shiny Side Up” tour, the main questions were:
Q: Who funds the program?
A: MotoCAP is a not-for-profit organisation in partnership with and funded by: from NSW – Transport for NSW, SIRA and the NRMA; from Victoria – VicRoads, TAC and RACV; from South Australia – DPTI, MAC and RAA; from Queensland – TMR and RACQ; from Western Australia – the Western Australian Road Safety Commission; plus the Australian Motorcycle Council and the New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation.
Q:How many garments are tested a year?
A: It was launched in September 2018 and has so far tested 128 articles of clothing including 64 jackets, 29 pants and 35 gloves.
Q: Are any companies getting on board with the program?
A: Despite invitations, no manufacturer has yet come forward to have their gear tested.
If you are interested in having a MotoCAP researcher talk to your riders group, click here to contact them.
DGR founder Mark Hawwa says Skram Motorcycle Eyewear is “a product that as motorcyclists we wanted to wear” and was a joint effort by him, colleague Rocco Repice and optometrist Elias Combes.
The flexible sunglasses cost $199 with earlybird investors getting some extras.
They are claimed to have 100% UV protection with shatterproof glass that makes them the “most protective” sunglasses on the market.
Mark claims they “searched for years testing over 50 different lenses until we found the set that we could put all of our trust into”.
Skram style
They come in three styles with a choice of brown tortoise shell or black frames and clear or yellow lenses that increase tint when exposed to the sunlight.
Prescription lenses will also be available for $99 extra ($79 for earlybird Kickstarter backers).
“Most importantly it had to be adaptive in different lighting conditions. Meaning no longer do you have to carry two pairs of glasses around. No longer do you need to change lenses,” Mark says.
“It is perfect for those who wear open-face and 3/4 helmets as well as those who like to ride with their full face helmet visor open.”
However, the glasses are not wrap-around, nor do they have gaskets to keep the wind out, so we’re not sure how they would go at highway speeds.
Riders should be careful of windburn in their eyes which can lead dry, itchy eyes and possibly blurred vision.
Funding goal
The Skram fundraising goal to go into production and start shipping in November is $A20,000.
Already more than $6000 has been pledged with about seven weeks to go.
They guarantee backers will get their money back if they do not meet their November delivery deadline.
If you’re sick of fiddling with the fiddly screws to mount your Bluetooth intercom, this budget EJEAS Quick20 is worth considering with its excellent audio quality.
It is Chinese made (as most Bluetooth units probably are!) and costs just $A185 each ($US129, €113,￡103) through their EJEAS website.
Quick clasp
Slimline unit
This unit is as slim as the top-of-the-line Sena 30K which is good for reducing drag and wind noise.
It features a fast-attaching bulldog-clip-type clasp attachment, so there is no need for fiddling with small allen keys and tiny screws that you can drop and lose.
Clasp attachment
The clasp simply grips the side of your helmet. There is also a stick-on pad and velcro attachment, if you prefer or your helmet doesn’t have access.
I thought the clip-on clasp might shake loose, but it hasn’t moved after prolonged riding in high winds and on bumpy roads.
However, the control unit doesn’t lock into the clasp firmly and while it won’t shake loose, you can bump it off when taking off your helmet, so be careful.
Bluetooth
As for the quality of the Bluetooth 4.2, it’s excellent.
It will only link up with one other EJEAS unit and won’t connect to other Bluetooth brands I have, but it does work very well between the two units.
It pairs quickly to your phone, GPS or another EJEAS intercom with handy audio prompts and always re-pairs when you turn the units on.
In fact, if you go out of range, it will revert to music or FM if you’ve been listening to them and will automatically reconnect once back in range.
They claim range up to 1200m, but it starts getting crackly about 800mm and you need line-of-sight connection.
Deploying the antenna improves reception a little as well as improving weak FM signals.
Use the antenna
Controls
The button arrangement is similar to the Sena units with a rotating knob and central “multi-function button” (MFB) that is easy to access even with thick winter gloves.
However, the raised motorcycle icon which is the on/off and intercom button can be difficult to find with thick gloves.
There is a separate FM button on the back and a “RST” reset button on the top that quickly turns off the unit.
Not sure why you need the RST button as you can turn the unit off and on using the motorcycle icon button by holding it for two seconds. Perhaps that’s a second you can save!
I also found that holding the MFB button two seconds only ever switched the unit on at the second attempt.
The rotating button handles both volume adjustment and radio station selection or skipping/replaying music tracks. To toggle between functions you have to hit the MFB again which makes it a little confusing.
Selecting FM stations is also difficult as there is no audio prompt to tell you the station you have selected.
Audio
The thick and large diameter speakers provide excellent audio quality with nice bass and plenty of volume.
But that makes them quite bulky, so they may not fit in some helmets.
However, there are soft foam covers you can fit to the speakers to improve comfort against your ears.
It also comes with a choice of boom microphone for open-face helmets and bud mic for full-face.
Despite the loud wind noise in this helmet, the microphones effectively dampen background noise even at highway speeds.
Switching between music and intercom or phone calls is easy with a touch of a button.
But there is a delay of several seconds during which time you might think it’s not working and hit the button again.
After a while, you learn to have some patience and trust it will work.
Messy wires
One thing I don’t like is the messy speaker and mic wires.
Also, the plug is big and hangs low, getting caught on the collar of some of my jackets as I turn my head.
Even though this is made in China, the instructions are well written in easy-to-understand English. But the print is way too small for me to see even while wearing my reading glasses!
Conclusion
If you want high-quality audio and only need two-way intercom, the EJEAS Quick20 is well worth the money.
Nolan helmets may soon have active noise-cancelling systems after signing a deal with Norwegian tech startup DAAL.
DAAL issued a media release saying their innovation would “give motorcyclists the chance to ride their bikes at highway speeds without the discomfort of tiring and potentially damaging wind noise”.
“This system also enables the rider to listen to music or talk to fellow riders in a quieter environment than today,” they say.
“By use of so-called active noise cancellation (ANC), the DAAL team has developed a technology that significantly reduces wind noise for the rider, without interfering with important traffic sounds like sirens and horns.
“For us, it is all about providing riders the freedom to get out there and enjoy the ride, without worrying about their hearing.”
However, DAAL founder and CEO Dag Axel Aarset says their system is different to other active noise-cancelling systems.
“Unlike generic noise cancellation headphones, our system is developed specifically to perform in the harsh and demanding noise environment inside a motorcycle helmet – and actually performs well for wind noise,” he says.
I have tried several active noise-cancelling earphones and agree that they can’t cope with loud wind buffeting.
Active noise-cancelling systems generate a reverse sound wave of the background noise and play it through the speakers to cancel out the unwanted, harmful noise.
It requires a microphone next to your ear as well as speakers. There is also a power pack in the back of the helmet. However, they say their system weighs the same as other intercoms.
DAAL tech being tested in a Nolan helmet
Tested and verified
Their prototype has been tested and verified for speeds up to 140km/h. The product is expected to be available in the market in 2020.
While the system is separate to an intercom, we imagine Nolan will integrate it with their N-Com Bluetooth intercom.
DAAL marketing manager David Schecroun says they “cannot go into the specifics of the project goals at this point”.
“We want our system to be compatible with both helmets and communication systems in the future,” he says.
DAAL tech in testing
“The collaboration between DAAL and Nolan is a joint effort to make our technology as effective as possible within the constraints of the Nolan helmet, but we can and intend to work with other helmet manufacturers to make sure our technology can fit into more than one line of helmets.
“Our long-term goal is to reach as many helmets as possible, probably through an aftermarket solution that may include some sort of communication features.
“Today our focus is on the mutual benefits of collaborating with innovative first movers such as Nolan, where we can offer a competitive edge before ANC becomes the norm for motorcyclists, while at the same time we can see a clearer way towards the total market.”
They aim to launch their product globally in mid-2020.
DAAL was established in 2016 in Trondheim, the technology capital of Norway.
Italian helmet maker the Nolan Group was recently bought by French motorcycle company 2Ride Holding, makers of Shark helmets, Bering and Segura motorcycle clothing and Bagster bike luggage.
The Sena +Mesh Adaptor is designed to seamlessly and easily link riders into a group conversation without broken links. We sent rider Jim Hulme out to test the $259 unit on the road with his riding partners. Here’s his review:
Out of the box
The +Mesh adaptor click-locks into either a rubber-strap-connected base or a surface-mount adhesive base. The adaptor containing the electronics and screw-on antenna easily separates from the base with the press of a button.
For my test, the rubber strap base could not be used on my BMW handlebars as there is no available handlebar real estate.
So I tested it in my jacket front pocket, inside my top box and finally on the pillion grab handles.
While mounted on the grab handles, it was easy to reach and activate the mesh intercom because Sena has provided it with a nice big button on the front of the unit.
The waterproof rubber-sealed USB port for charging can be difficult to access.
Setup and range
The +Mesh adaptor is easily paired with your Sena headset, then it automatically connects each time.
The 30K in the test was used to create a mesh group and the +Mesh client (Sena SRL integrated into the Shoei Neotec II helmet) was added to the group. During use, the main button could be used to leave and return to the mesh group as required.
The +Mesh adaptor is claimed to have 800m range in an uninterrupted straight line.
My experience with measured stops and voice quality checks verified this is accurate.
Connections
Sena claims it works with both Bluetooth4.1 and Bluetooth3.0 models, however, the audio quality is best with Bluetooth 4.1 models.
The +Mesh Adaptor takes up one of your bluetooth intercom spaces. If your headset is capable of connecting with three other headsets for four-way intercom, the +Mesh will take up one of those three spaces, leaving two spaces remaining for bluetooth intercom connections.
At least 2 mesh devices are required to be in a Mesh Intercom.
My use of two Sena SRL models provided almost flawless performance, but connections between the SRL and a Sena 30K were frustrating.
The biggest problem with the SRL is that it is not possible to use while charging. It also has an “irreplaceable rechargeable battery”, so when the battery ages, you have to buy a new SRL.
However, the 30K can connect to others in either “bluetooth intercom” mode which requires pairing, or mesh intercom which doesn’t require pairing.
Link and sound quality
Once the mesh link is established, increased distance and lack of “line of sight” due to curves and hills etc have a dramatic effect.
While the sound level can be still good, speech is unintelligible.
In most cases, this will recover as the link path improves, but can sometimes remain poor. This is a problem I experienced in other Sena devices such as the 30K.
To fix it, try disconnecting/reconnecting the link or turning it off and on again.
I also experienced intermittent, short, loud “screaming” sounds which my 30K partner could not hear.
I thought it was caused by the +Mesh adaptor, but later testing between two 30K units in a mesh connection resulted in some similar noise, but less often.
Following the adaptor test, we changed to two 30K units and tried them in normal paired connection and mesh connection.
In normal paired connection, there were significant sound quality issues, failure of the link after separation, and this didn’t recover without a reboot. There was no apparent increase in the range.
Then we changed to mesh connection and while the sound quality was not always perfect, the overall communication satisfaction was better.
As the two units recovered from the lost link connectivity, they seamlessly reconnected to the mesh. As reported with the +Mesh adaptor, the occasional loud screeching noises were still happening but not so often as when using the adaptor.
Conclusion
I think the +Mesh adaptor provides a better functional experience when connecting dissimilar units.
They also improved range and sound quality over a mesh of more than two units as they enhance the network signal strength.
The combined cost of the adaptor and your existing communication unit is significant so unless you really needed to use it to participate in a group of mesh users, you are probably better off just buying a 30K instead.
When you park your motorcycle at your local cafe or service station and don’t want to carry your helmet, you are faced with a wide choice of locations to hang your helmet on your bike.
But which is the safest?
The answer may depend on your motorcycle.
There is only one place you should NOT put your helmet and that is on the ground.
Ants or other bugs could crawl in and create some havoc several kilometres down the road when they suddenly start to bite or get in your eyes or ears!
So which is the safest and best place to store your helmet on your motorbike?
Panniers and top box
Can-Am Spyder F3 Limited has a huge top box that stores two full-sized helmets
The best place to secure your helmet is in big, lockable panniers or a top box if you are lucky enough to have them.
These keep your helmet in the shade, away from the elements and away from prying, thieving eyes.
It also cannot be damaged by someone bumping into or even knocking over your bike.
Helmet lock
If your bike has a helmet lock, they are quite secure.
Unfortunately, some modern bikes don’t seem to have them.
There are also some problems with hanging it here.
First, a thief can easily cut the strap and take your helmet. Yes, it destroys the helmet but thieves could just be using your helmet to steal your bike and make their getaway!
On some, your helmet may also be able to rock back and forth in the wind which could scratch its nicely painted surface, or worse, your visor.
Also, people squeezing past your parked bike might scratch your helmet or visor.
Your helmet is also exposed to the elements.
And because it is either upside down or on its side, you could come back to a helmet filled with rain, dust or even someone’s litter or cigarette butt!
Seat
This is perhaps the easiest and most common method of temporarily storing a helmet on a bike.
Depending on the seat this can be safe or very precarious.
A passerby’s knock or even strong wind could send it tumbling and a drop from that height could write off the helmet.
It’s also very noticeable and easy for someone to steal.
Your helmet is also open to the elements, although by being the right way up, at least it won’t collect rain like it does when on a helmet lock. Just remember to close the visor!
If you do store it on the seat, the most secure way so it won’t roll off is to have the visor facing the side with the sidestand.
Tank
Like the seat, it depends on the bike and is open to the same problems of security.
Hang it on the handlebars
The quickest and easiest place to hang a helmet is on the handlebars.
This can be secure, especially if you can get it over bar-end mirrors to stop it slipping off.
However, this can still be a precarious position where the helmet can easily fall if the bike is bumped.
It could also compresses the interior foam liner if you hang it with the helmet facing down. Compressing the liner can make your helmet fit more loosely and decreases its ability to protect your head in a crash.
However, it may be ok if your helmet allows you to rest it on the chin bar as in the photo above.
You can buy special helmet hooks or use a carabiner to hang it off the bars via the Double-D clasp (if it has one).
Helmet hook
But again, you have the problem of the helmet filing with rain and dust and being stolen.
If you do hang your helmet on the bars, make sure it’s the right bar as this is safer than the left bar which slopes down when the bike is on its sidestand.
Footpegs
The same goes for hanging your helmet on the footpegs.
It may seem more “secure” because it is not in plain sight, but I saw a pedestrian walk past a bike and accidentally kick the helmet because it wasn’t easy to see.
The helmet, rolled about 50m down the road. A write-off!
If you do hang it off the footpegs, make sure it’s on the right side, opposite the side stand, as they can slide off the down side because of the bike’s lean.
Cables and alarms
If you choose to hang or store your helmet on your bike, it may pay to secure it with a wire locking cable.
Some are made of tough titanium and some even have alarms if moved.
If your bike doesn’t have a secure place for storage, you can always carry your helmet in the bag it came in or buy one of these convenient EZ-GO shoulder straps.
EZ-GO helmet strap
Where do you store your helmet? Leave your comments below.
The latest is the Australian-designed Forcite MK1 which has an LED light strip rather than HUD and includes a HD, wide-angle camera, Bluetooth and VOIP intercom and handlebar-mounted control unit.
Forcite
The advantages of aftermarket tech is that you can swap it to your new helmet when you retire the old one.
Argon Transform
The Argon Transform comes as several Bluetooth-connected stick-on units for the side, front and back of the helmet, plus a screen on the inside of the chinbar.
They combine a see-through head-up display with a Bluetooth handlebar controller, inbuilt GPS unit, plus front and back cameras.
Whyre claim the front and rear units weigh only 150g and balance each other out.
Rear camera
Riders will be able to see tailor-made info such as caller ID, GPS navigation arrows and speedometer, as well as what’s behind them. Video is recorded and stored on an SD card or accessed via an Argon app.
Rider’s view of the periphery screen
It will also allow riders to access specific ride statistics, Argon settings, a social community and a logbook that records last maintenance dates, spare part changes/cost etc.
The intercom has range only up to 100m, but the speakers are claimed to have active noise-cancelling which should mean clear sound without background wind noise and no need for earplugs.
(Never put your helmet on the ground like this unless you wants ants or other bugs in your helmet!)
The offline built-in GPS does not require data and operates in remote areas where phone reception is weak.
Argon claims the lithium-polymer battery will last for eight hours on a charge.
Whyre has launched an Indiegogo Campaign to get a $US25,000 and is already a third of the way there.
Early customers will get the Argon Transform for $US398 ($A570) compared with the retail price of $US795 ($A1140). They plan to ship in February 2020.
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