Look good and stay dry and comfortable in the new Powells-ST jacket from iXS. This full-featured touring jacket features a polyester shell with 2-layer solto-TEX waterproof membrane, a removable thermal liner and six vents, and it includes CE level 1 shoulder, elbow and back armor. The Powells-ST is available in a variety of colors in men’s sizes S-9XL (some sizes limited in color) and women’s sizes S-6XL (some sizes limited in color) for $279.95.
The smartphone has become the universal device, providing us with multiple means of communication, access to the Internet, a camera, a GPS and much more. Mounting a smartphone to your motorcycle allows you to use it for navigation as well as audio prompts, music and calls if paired to a Bluetooth helmet communicator.
Mounts are like mousetraps — everybody has tried to build a better one. There’s a wide variety of mounting systems, most of which attach to the motorcycle’s handlebar, as well as a wide variety of phone cradles. The cradle is a critical part of the design because having a phone come loose and bounce down the freeway at 70 mph is heart wrenching, not to mention expensive and inconvenient. That happened to one of our staffers a few years ago, and I’ve been wary of smartphone mounts ever since.
Quad Lock is an Australian company that has designed a simple yet rather ingenious mounting system. It starts with the Quad Lock smartphone case, which is made of tough, smooth-yet-grippy polycarbonate with a shock-absorbing edge-to-edge shell. On the back of the case is a slightly raised dual-stage lock that Quad Lock says is strong enough to lift 160 pounds. The lock’s rim has four cutouts that match the four outer tabs on the mount. Place the phone on the mount so the tabs fit into the cutouts, turn the phone a few degrees right or left until the tabs slide under the lock’s rim and it clicks into place. Presto, the phone is secure. To release it, just press down on the blue lever and rotate a few degrees until the phone pops out.
Installing the Quad Lock handlebar mount took only a few minutes using the provided hex wrench. With a little practice, locking the phone into the mount and releasing it again became second nature, and once the phone is secure it can be rotated 90 degrees to change the screen’s orientation between vertical and horizontal. Riding with my iPhone XS in the Quad Lock mount, it didn’t vibrate and when I used my hand to wiggle the phone it never budged. To manipulate the phone’s screen (when stopped of course), you may need touchscreen-friendly gloves.
The Quad Lock mount is light, compact and unobtrusive when not in use. The black-only case is available for a wide range of Apple iPhone, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy models. A moto mount kit that includes the case, handlebar mount and waterproof “poncho” cover costs $79.90. The kit with a mirror mount is $69.90 or a fork mount is $89.90. Once you have the Quad Lock case, there are also mounts for your car, bicycle, belt, arm (for exercise), desk, wall or tripod, as well as a 1-inch ball adapter.
Wax and polish in one go with Muc-Off Speed Polish ($12.99). Simply spray it on and buff to a deep shine. Speed Polish contains pure carnauba, the hardest naturally occurring wax, for durability and protection, as well as beeswax, which is what creates the deep, glossy shine. It’s specifically formulated to leave a fast and easy water-resistant barrier on your motorcycle’s bodywork and metal parts. Suitable for use on paint, chrome, plastic and carbon fiber.
Combining high-end off-road-level protection with a boot that’s comfortable on or off the bike, the Adventure 2 Mid Gore-Tex is a unique twist on Sidi’s best-selling adventure boot. This waterproof/breathable mid-height boot features replaceable ratchet straps, a bonded sole, a slim non-bootie design, a Velcro upper closure and reflective heel panels, and is CE approved. The Adventure 2 Mid Gore-Tex is available in men’s Euro sizes 42-48 for $349.99.
Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental is now called South America Freedom Moto Turismo, reflecting its expansion into Peru, with exciting new tours into the less-traveled northern part of the country. Ride through some of the most spectacular scenery of the Andes, including cloud forests, UNESCO world heritage sites and twisting high-mountain passes. Tours include paved, dual-sport and unpaved routes; see website for schedule and pricing details.
Idaho-based Klim has been crafting adventure apparel since 2010, and in that time has built a reputation on its commitment to putting durability and safety ahead of fashion. For many hardcore ADV enthusiasts who spend most of their time off-road it’s the gold standard of gear, but only recently has Klim set its sights on adventure touring, and we’re mighty glad it did. On a recent trip to the Gore-Tex facilities organized by Klim, we got an in-depth look at the company’s design philosophy and a first look at its 2020 adventure-touring collection, which includes the Artemis women’s jacket.
It’s immediately clear this is a jacket built to a purpose, not a price. Constructed with a nylon and polyester, laminated two-layer Gore-Tex waterproof shell, tough nylon stitching and D3O CE Level 1 elbow, shoulder and back armor, the Artemis carries a CE AA certification for overall impact and abrasion resistance. There are straps at the upper and lower arms and waist to dial in fit and keep the armor where it needs to be, and double YKK front zippers for opening up the bottom of the hip-length jacket when seated.
The Artemis, which was designed by a woman, is an eminently travel-ready piece of apparel that includes clever features such as a passport/cash pocket hidden behind the back protector and a not-so-hidden medical ID card pocket at the left wrist. Other pockets include large handwarmers, several inner zippered pockets and smaller chest and upper arm stash pockets.
Ventilation is pretty good for a fully waterproof Gore-Tex garment, including the Artemis’ signature zippered Cross Core vents in the under-bra area. There are also vents at the forearms, biceps and on each side of the back protector. It will never flow as much air as a jacket with mesh panels, but that’s the price paid for not having to carry a rain suit. (By the way, the most comparable men’s Klim jacket is probably the Carlsbad).
The Artemis is available in five attractive colors in women’s sizes S-2XL and comes with Klim’s five-year Gear Protection Guarantee that replaces your damaged apparel after an accident, free of charge. At $559.99-$699.99, it’s not cheap, but you can rest assured that for your money you aren’t getting a piece of fashion apparel — you’re getting something that was carefully and thoughtfully designed to protect you. It’s just icing on the cake that you look good too.
For more information, call (208) 552-7433 or visit klim.com.
The StealthPack Jacket from Scorpion EXO offers clean, streamlined styling with a surprising little secret: a 20-liter backpack so subtly integrated into the chassis you wouldn’t even know it was there. The backpack, which includes a waterproof laptop compartment, is fully adjustable and ergonomically designed to distribute weight evenly across your torso. The StealthPack is available in Black, Gray or Sand in men’s sizes S-5XL for $199.95-$214.95.
Continental has announced a new German-engineered sport-touring tire for the demanding rider, the ContiRoad. This tire features zero-degree steel belted construction for excellent high-speed stability, a proprietary RainGrip silica compound for wet conditions and a new MultiGrip compound that promises great dry traction with long-lasting tread. The ContiRoad is available in two front and seven rear sizes; see website for pricing.
D.I.D’s 120-link VX Series chains ($122.80) are high-performance, low-friction, long-life X-Ring chains that fit numerous street and off-road motorcycles ranging from 350 to 1,100cc. The increased rigidity of VX Series chains reduces pin flex for a smoother ride and better throttle response. Compared to D.I.D’s VO Series O-ring chains, the VX Series offers 32% to 41% (depending on size) longer life thanks to D.I.D’s patented X-Ring seal.
I see a lot of HJC lids when I’m out and about with other riders, which is no surprise: they’re attractive, functional and easy on the wallet. Its CL-17 has been a bestseller and a workhorse of the lineup for years, and for 2019 HJC released a new model to replace it, the i10. Its advanced polycarbonate composite shell has a fresh, modern look, with crown, forehead and chinbar intake vents and always-open exhaust vents at the rear, and the Taze graphic we tested (shown above) also features subtle silver reflective striping on the front, top, back and sides. The liner is removable and washable and the Pinlock-ready visor snaps on and off easily. The i10 is also ready to accept the optional built-in SmartHJC 20B or 10B Bluetooth communication system, or it can be used with a separate system from a manufacturer like Cardo or Sena.
My i10 was comfortable right out of the box, with ample room for speakers. I would say fit is intermediate oval that leans just a hair toward round oval, but I didn’t experience any hotspots or pressure points. The chinbar and forehead vents are super easy to use with gloves on, but for some reason I struggled to locate and operate the top vents at times, usually when wearing thicker gloves. The visor is easy to use too, with a large tab front and center that eliminates the fumbling at traffic lights I’ve experienced with some other brands, but I wish it had a smaller initial “de-fogging” opening. I also miss the convenience of a built-in drop-down sun visor, but if that’s a deal-breaker for you, HJC’s i70 (reviewed in the October 2019 issue and here) is a nice step up for not too much more dough.
With a lower-priced lid like the i10, your primary concessions are in the comfort category; at 3 lbs., 9 oz. my size small i10 is nearly 5 oz. heavier than a similarly featured high-end competitor. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but after a full day of riding that third of a pound can become apparent. That said, the i10 is still a lot of helmet for the money, especially given it carries the newest Snell M2020 certification in addition to DOT. It’s available in sizes XS-3XL (3XL is DOT only) in five solid colors starting at $149.99, and in three graphics starting at $169.99.
For more information, see your dealer or visit hjchelmets.us.
