You can imagine the British military sitting all their new recruits down in a room and forcing them through all 90 minutes of this video. I’m not going to suggest you do that.

There are loads of interesting parts, though, so I’ll call some out for you here. First, two minutes of how this particular four-speed drum-brake Norton 16H works. There are cutaway “skeleton” parts and everything. The narrator walks us through basic motorcycle functionality (which still applies!).

Then, five minutes of all the parts of a motorcycle and what they do. At your left hand: ignition control (spark advance), exhaust valve lifter (compression release) and clutch. At your right: “air lever” (choke), front brake, and throttle. Left foot is the gear shift, and right foot is the rear brake. These things were complicated.

“The foundations of learning to ride must be well-laid. A bad habit is very difficult to cure, but a good habit is never lost, and it’s just as easy to learn.” Well said!

What Else Is In There?

Around the twelve minute mark, you’ll see instructions on how to start the bike.  I, for one, am very happy to ride modern bikes after watching this. Until 21:30 it’s all function and control.

After those “elementary” how-tos, the starting on a hill tutorial applies to any of today’s machines. The video then even covers apexing a turn, and how not to do it, with adorable animation. “The best way to learn is to follow an experienced rider.”

There is, predictably, quite a lot of emphasis on maintenance. It covers the entire motorcycle, all systems, top to bottom, with symptoms and solutions, starting around the 26-minute mark. The gems: “Dirt, like love, will find a way,” and “keep your motorcycle up to concert pitch.” So British.

Antique ADV Riding Techniques?

If all you’re interested in are ADV (“cross country”) riding techniques, start the vid at the one-hour mark. Stand on the pegs! Let the bike move around under you! Throttle control is the keystone of cross-country riding. Not much has changed, friends.

The post How To Ride a Motorcycle, 1942-Style appeared first on Adventure Rider.

A Cushioned Skid Plate

AltRider claims they’ve redesigned the humble skid plate, with a first-in-the-industry “Energy Absorption System,” specifically for the R1300GS.

The AltRider Skid Plate still mounts directly to the engine case in front, and the centerstand at the rear, but between those two mount points, the plate basically has bump stops. Additionally, the rear of the skid plate is a “dual material design” laminated together. 

What Is It?

The “Energy Absorption System” is a series of rubber bits (“custom elastomers,” that is, stretchy and squishy synthetic rubber) designed with varying density (harder on one side, and squishier on the other). This, says AltRider, acts like a dynamic suspension, and not only shields the bike from impact with 4mm of TIG-welded anodized aluminum, but dissipates shock. A good bash off a rock, then, gets absorbed by the whole plate, instead of just denting one part.

Photo: AltRider

Here’s how AltRider describes it:

To effectively absorb the force of an impact, the Energy Absorption System components are molded using an engineered elastomer with CNC machined stainless steel plates. This ensures when the skid plate flexes from impact, none of that energy is transferred directly to the engine. The stainless-steel plates provide a robust mount while still decoupling the impact from the engine.

Fitment

The plate itself covers the bike’s exhaust headers and catalytic converter, as well as the lower engine case. It fits very tight and tidy against the bike, without looking like you’ve bolted on a giant lump of metal. Additionally, this skid plate is a permanent install, and does not need to be removed for oil changes.

For those of you who would like to see the fun video-slash-advertisement that AltRider has put together for this thing, you’re in luck. Here it is on YouTube.

It’s currently available for pre-order, with availability listed as the “second quarter of 2024,” which should be any moment now. Retail is around $450. More pictures and info is available at the AltRider website.

The post AltRider’s New Energy-Absorbing Skid Plate appeared first on Adventure Rider.

But those of us who wear gear when we ride have also likely experienced the occasional event, that turns out to be a non-event. And this is the reason I am an ATGATT rider. I’m always in a full-face or modular helmet, armored jacket, decent gloves, boots, pants. I don’t have riding gear, I have a riding wardrobe. And that wardrobe is for one thing: to keep me riding.

Hey, Let’s Talk About Motorcycles

If you’re reading this site, I’m going to guess, like me, motorcycles are one of your favorite things. Riding them, working on them, talking about them, smelling them, sitting around staring at them. Doesn’t matter. They’ve always been my favorite. One of my first words (no shit) was “motorcycle.”

You have probably heard the old “live to ride another day” axiom. I don’t want to ride “another day.” I want to ride this afternoon, tomorrow, and the day after that.

An Unplanned Stop

A few years ago, I was commuting on a warm but misty morning on Route 3 in Billerica, MA. I went to slow down for my exit, and the clutch lever on my KLR loosened suddenly with a “clunk” and the engine did not disengage. I instantly knew my clutch cable had snapped, and there I was in the exit lane, in fairly heavy traffic, in 5th gear.

That engine had some torque, and downshifting without a clutch was not something it wanted to do. If there hadn’t been cars stopped at the end of the exit ramp I think I could’ve turned right and made it through. But there were, and in my attempt to sneak around them, I hit the wet fog line with my front tire at a pretty good angle, and down I went. In a moment I was on the ground and my bike was under the back of a Volvo.

I had time to think “WTF? Am I … crashing?”

I always kept a close eye on the cables at the bars. Lesson Learned: lube that pivot, and pull back the boot to inspect the clutch at the engine side. Photo: Kate Murphy

Sorry, Volvo

The car I’d (only kind of) hit was piloted by a guy who was also a rider, and he was super gracious about the whole thing. It was not a new car, but I’d added a scuff and knocked his tow-hook cover cap loose.

Photo: Kate Murphy

When the adrenaline wore off, and the (very) local shop (shout out to Billerica Motorsports here) came and picked up the KLR, I called a co-worker. She came and picked me up (I was 0.7 miles from work but motorcycle boots are not great to walk in). I was only a little late to work, and had to get a ride home that night.

And that is the end of the story: Because riding gear. No hospitals, no road rash, no recovery.

The bike took a little damage, but that’s what crash protection is for. Photo: Kate Murphy

How The Gear Did

My helmet (a Scorpion modular) was toast. I had hit something (I have no recollection) on the way down. A Volvo bumper? Pavement? My top triple? The chinbar was pretty smashed and I had a fat lip. It had done its job, and I tossed it.

My (Joe Rocket mesh) jacket had a tear on the left elbow, right where the elbow armor sits. I had no injury to my elbow.

My (Joe Rocket Alter Ego) riding pants were scuffed on the outside of the left leg, with tears, again, where the hip and knee armor sits. I had a very small abrasion on my calf, just above my boot, but no injury to my hip or knee.

My left Rev’It glove had a scuff on the palm, and I had no injury to my hand.

My Sidi boots caught the worst of it, as one was under the bike as it slid. The plastic plates on the boot got pretty scuffed up. My feet had no injuries.

These were not new boots at the time of the crash, but the armor was untouched. I do not like to think about what my ankle would have looked like if this protection had not been in place. [Photo: Kate Murphy]

Roll The Next Bike Out

I owned multiple helmets then – still do. I have multiple bikes, and the aforementioned wardrobe. The day after that crash, I suited up and rode to work again.

That’s the key benefit of armored riding gear that nobody talks about: it lets you keep riding. It turns small events into non-events. It turns moderate events into small events, and definitely mitigates large events. That armor means hitting the pavement will hurt way, way less than without it. It means not every crash ends a trip, or even a day. Pick the bike up, straighten the brake lever with a rock and ride on.

The post Riding Gear: The Benefit Nobody Talks About appeared first on Adventure Rider.

All that is to say: it’s cheap and easy to install a Bluetooth communicator in your current full-face, modular, or ¾ helmet. You can install one in any modern helmet that covers your ears.

The install detailed below is specifically a Cardo system going into a Bell Star DLX helmet. I have installed Cardo and Sena systems of many flavors into Arai, Schuberth, Shoei, HJC and now Bell helmets, so I’ll say here: there are a few details that differ between helmets but they are similar for the most part, and installation procedure is pretty generalized.

Make Sure You Have Everything

First, open up the package and make sure everything is there. There are four things you’ll need to install: Speakers, the unit’s base, a microphone, and the unit itself. 

Prep Your Helmet

The Bell has speaker “placeholders” behind the cheek pads. Photo: Kate Murphy

Next, pull out the helmet cheek pads (they are held in by snaps) and anything else that seems to be in the way. I install the wiring around the edge of the helmet, so I generally pull off the skirt around the base, as well.

Note the comm system’s base will need to be forward of the skirt’s anchor point. Photo: Kate Murphy

Step One: Speakers

Start with the speakers. Since the comm will be mounted on the left side of the helmet, the speaker with the longer wire goes on the right. Every modern helmet I have installed any communicator in, has indents to accommodate the speakers. This Bell has indents that are filled in with small pieces of foam. Remove those, install the correct hook-and-loop in the spaces, and set the speakers into the indents. Generally I place them so that the wires aim for the crown of the helmet, so they can be led up and out of the way. There should be some space in the helmet’s speaker indents, so you can adjust the speaker placement to be exactly where you need them.

Speaker wire goes up and back, so it can be secured. Photo: Kate Murphy

Step Two: Install the Communicator’s Base

Next, once the speakers are fitted, find the spot to mount the communicator’s base. It will come with two options: a clamp or stick-on. The “fingers” of the clamp slide up into the helmet between the outer shell and the inner hard foam, and there are spots where the helmet skirt slides back in, so install it to either side of these posts. I install mine a bit forward. Work the “fingers” up into the helmet and make sure it’s not easily coming loose. Sneak the wires into a gap in the helmet foam.

Step Three: Route the Speaker Wires

Now, route the wires. The right side speaker wire can either be loosely placed under the soft helmet crown padding, or, as I prefer, wedged around the edge of the helmet. I tend to install all communicator wiring where it absolutely cannot move. The more a wire moves, the more the tiny metal wires inside will fatigue, and eventually break. An “orange stick” is a great tool for this. It’s made out of soft wood, so there’s less chance you’ll damage the wire insulation, but it will help you wedge the wire up between the hard foam and the helmet shell. Be very careful not to damage the hard foam.

Be very gentle with these tiny wires. We want them perfectly secure. Photo: Kate Murphy

Step Four: Find a Spot for the Plugs

Sena communicators use tiny plugs to attach the speakers and mic that can sneak into any indent inside a helmet. Cardo uses a large, standard 3.5mm aux jack, though, so you’ll need to find a good spot to hide that. This Bell has a good spot just under the left speaker. You can also stuff it between the soft helmet liner and the skirt on reinstall, but I like mine more hidden.

The cheek pads, snapped in, will hold all this in place. Note the placement of the wires from the base; needs more slack. Photo: Kate Murphy

Step Five: Place the Microphone

Next, find a good spot for the microphone. If you’re installing in a full-face helmet, you’ll use the small wired mic. If you’re instead using a modular or shorty helmet, you’ll need the boom mic. (Note, some systems come with both as a default, and some (Sena) systems are helmet-type specific in the packaging. Pay attention when you purchase, and make sure you’re buying the correct model).

This Bell has a nifty rubber strap in the chinbar that serves as a great wire anchor for the mic. Other helmets do not, but you will have hook-and-loop fastener to stick on there. Make sure to use a little rubbing alcohol to clean the area before you do so, so it sticks. The mic should be as close to right in front of your mouth as possible, with preference to placement just between your nose and upper lip, or just barely off to one side. This way your speech will be as clear as possible through the communicator, but won’t pose a hazard to your chin in an unplanned off-bike excursion.

A modular helmet will need a boom microphone, and that installation is the same. Just be sure the microphone can reach the front of your face and place the hook-and-loop stickers accordingly.

Microphone placement, with options for moving it around later. Photo: Kate Murphy

Step Six: Secure the Rest of the Wires

Now, place the microphone and plug it in. Route the wiring from the communicator to the left side speaker and microphone. Tuck the wiring away as securely as possible, using the orange stick to wedge it into gaps in the hard foam. The goal here is to make sure all the wiring stays as still as possible while you don, doff, and ride in the helmet. Again, these tiny wires fatigue easily.

Reinstall the helmet skirt, making sure the wiring has enough slack. Snap the cheek pads back in and make sure all the wiring is secured behind them, and nothing will rub on your ears while you ride.

The helmet skirt gets reinstalled after the base, so everything is tidy. Photo: Kate Murphy

A quick note about this Cardo: it is the Packtalk Edge, which means the mount is magnetic. It’s easily the best communicator mount I have experienced among (many Sena SMH10, 10C, and Cardo Packtalk Bold) systems I’ve installed. The SMH10 mount is fragile and easily missed, and the 10C wears out too easily on the communicator (expensive) side. I have a strong preference for a communicator that detaches from the helmet for charging. Group trips often see a bunch of comms all plugged in at the same outlet at the end of the day. The Edge has the advantage of an updated USB-C charging port, so I won’t have to pack a separate micro USB to charge my helmet.

The Bell Star MIPS helmet is slightly pickier than other helmets I’ve installed communicators in (the easiest being a Shoei Neotec), but reassembles more easily than any Arai I’ve worked with.

The post Installing a Helmet Communicator appeared first on Adventure Rider.

I was once just like you. I knew I should wear them, but I couldn’t find an earplug that I could stand for more than an hour. Every single one I tried, hurt me to wear, some more than others. But I already have tinnitus (without hearing loss) and I don’t want it getting any worse. Wind noise is brutal. If motorcycling were a profession, OSHA wouldn’t let an employer force you to do it for more than half an hour per day, because of the potential hearing damage. That damage is cumulative and permanent, so I set off on a quest.

I’ve spent a lot of years trying to find earplugs I can live with. None of these came to me for testing. I bought them all myself, and wasted a bunch of dough in the process. I have had custom foam plugs fitted, too, but those aren’t even worth a mention here except that I cannot wear them at all without pain.

Small Ears

It turns out my problem is, I have really small ear canals. Once I figured out they were even an option, I started hunting down small-sized earplugs. I don’t know if this is a gendered issue, that is, if women have smaller ear canals than men, or if it’s random. I think some people just have small ear holes and I’m one of them.

Corporations and their marketing departments must think women have smaller ear canals, though, because there is an abundance of pink “for her” foam earplugs. In this case, they don’t cost any more, on average, and they’re easy to find when I drop them so I tried a few of those out.

Washable/reusable earplugs are super handy. Foam plugs last me about a day; these last years. Photo: Kate Murphy

A while ago, I sprung for a set of “Eargasm” ear plugs (with a name like that, how could I resist?), as well as several iterations of EarPeace models. More recently, EarPeace released the “Moto Pro” so I tried those too. All of these came with me on a recent multi-thousand mile road trip so I could test them out side by side.

I found a handy online DIY earplug test, and here are the quick and dirty, number-free results from that:

• Hearos “Sleep Pretty In Pink” NRR 32 – Pass
• Mack’s “Dreamgirl” NRR 30 – Pass
• Rite Aid Ear Plugs NRR 32 – Pass
• Howard Leight Laser Lite NRR 32 – Pass
• Eargasm “High Fidelity” (in small) “-21dB” – Pass
• EarPeace “Moto Original” (in small) – Fail
• EarPeace “Moto Pro” (“Max protection” in standard; these don’t come in small) 24dB – Fail
• EarPeace “Sleep” (in small) 26dB – Fail

That all said, the EarPeace plugs barely fail, and at a very low volume. When I swapped from one earplug to another during a ride, I could not tell which had a higher NRR; they all blocked noise well. And I heard voices and music through my helmet comm much better with them in, than without. So it came down to fitment.

Fitment, Worst to Best

Eargasm

Photo: Kate Murphy

Yeah, I expected better, but nope, these are seriously painful. They’re fancy and expensive, but they do not work in my ear canals. Total fail, waste of $40. Couldn’t make it 20 miles without needing to tear them out of my head.

Howard Leight Laser Lite

Photo: Kate Murphy

These are the plugs all my friends love. Everyone I know wears these or the green “Max Lite” plugs, but even those hurt after about an hour into the day’s ride. I could never get comfortable in them. They’re better than the Eargasms, though.

EarPeace Moto Pro

Photo: Kate Murphy

I think it’s because of the “standard” size, but after about an hour that solid plastic filter in the soft plug really makes its presence known. Especially so if it’s a very bright day and I’m doing a lot of squinting, which makes my ear canals even smaller. Ow.

Mack’s Dreamgirl

Photo: Kate Murphy

These are better, but the foam is still a little too stiff. A headache that originates in your ear canal is a total stinker. Maybe about an hour and a half without pain, but it ramps up fast.

Hearos Sleep Pretty in Pink

Photo: Kate Murphy

These are, oddly, too long. I discovered that if I snip a couple of millimeters of material off the outside edge so that the plug doesn’t make contact with the inside of my helmet (that is the WORST), they still seat properly, without pain and without that low-volume noise that helmet contact generates. Seating foam earplugs too far into your ear canal can inspire some really righteous headaches, turns out. Getting these seated just right is a chore, but if they’re in right, they’re great.

Rite Aid plugs

Photo: Kate Murphy

For an “oh shit I don’t have any earplugs left” emergency purchase, these turned out to be pretty fantastic. No trimming necessary, and hours-long comfort. Who knew? And they’re even purple. And cheap, if I recall correctly. I note that Rite Aid has now changed their packaging and the color of their ear plugs; the “ultra soft” plugs are available in what a friend rightly calls “rubber dong beige” but hey, better than pink, I suppose, for a lot of men.

EarPeace Sleep plugs

Photo: Kate Murphy

These are pretty comfortable, and reusable, and much less expensive than the “moto” branded EarPeace plugs. They do not have an attenuated filter, just a small squishy plug-within-a-plug that blocks noise. They work. Heck, I can’t tell the difference.

EarPeace Moto Original

Photo: Kate Murphy

Easily the most comfortable ear plugs I’ve ever used. Their published NRR, with the “max” filter, is only 19, which is fairly miserable. That said, earplugs I can wear all day without pain, and which are washable and reusable, count for a lot. Any hearing protection is better than no hearing protection, so I’m sticking with these (and the Rite Aid plugs for backup, even if I have to buy them in the RDB color).

The post Earplugs for Small Ears: Tested appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Yes, we know it was posted on the first of April. We here at ADVRider got into the game with a couple of prank stories as well. But we gave this one a couple of days, and there’s no indication that Ryan was joking about his “motorcycle armor is kinda useless” stance.

Hope It’s A Joke

There’s no knowing wink, no clues in the notes, no obviously ridiculous sources cited. It’s one six-minute single-take walk along the beach.

The Take

First, he lays out the fact that the gear most of us wear is clunky (sure). Then, details the standards that said armor is built to – which are mostly EU specs. And he states motorcycle armor in general is too small and too thin to be useful.

The Gaps

The researchers looked at “a few thousand motorcycle crashes with known injuries” and that “the benefits could not be detected, specifically in relation to fractures.” Anyone who has ever fallen off a motorcycle will tell you that fractures are not the only injury we face in that regard.

The Internet Is Forever

So, yes, maybe it was an April Fool’s gag and we’re all dummies now. But that video is going to stay on the internet well past that one goofy date. And new riders will come across it, assume he’s right, and forego the armored gear.

Ow, My Knees

But I want you to do me a favor if you’re on his side: go outside in your jeans and drop to your knees on the nearest slab of asphalt. Don’t sweep it first, just go knees-first, pebbles and all, at zero mph,  into that blacktop. You’re going to get creative with language when you land.

Here’s the thing: we’re going to break bones if we crash. A bad crash will have us in a hospital. Fractures, dislocations, sprains will happen. But he’s focusing on the wrong thing.

Survivorship Bias

A bunch of folks I know had a great discussion about this vid, and it came down to survivorship bias. The riders who end up in the statistics that Ryan cites do not paint the whole picture. There are many of us, myself included, who have had minor getoffs during which we sustained no injury at all precisely because the armor in our gear took the brunt of the impact.

Heck, I stuffed my KLR under a Volvo during my commute one damp morning when I lost traction on a fog line. And then I picked myself up and went to work. I had no injuries because I fell on my padded gear. My knee and elbow armor did their job, the ankle armor on my boot got super scuffed, and my helmet did not live to see another day, but I was fine.

So yes, armor could be better. But it’s absolutely not useless. Those of us who crash, get up, swear, take some ibuprofen, pick up the bike and continue on with our lives are unrepresented in the data.

Here’s one of the inevitable responses. It’s four times as long, but the detail is worth it.

Don’t Be A Fool

Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet. And the corollary to that is, the best way to find the right answer to anything, is to post the wrong answer as fact. People will come out of the woodwork to tell you how wrong you are.

The post Please, Keep Your Armor In Your Gear appeared first on Adventure Rider.

In our last conversation, co-founder Robin Murphy told me all about Audyse’s new tech. Two full years ago, the product was deep in R&D. Now, they’ve nailed down their offerings.

New Hearing Prevention

Their product, an app-driven, AI-enhanced active noise filtering system that can be mounted in your existing helmet, is very close to market. Let me break down the buzz words a little.

A smartphone app helps you configure the tech’s preferences and settings. The active noise filtering system “[analyzes] the sound waves around you and then [produces] an opposite sound wave that cancels out the unwanted wind noise.” The AI is there to identify the important noises and treat those with preference – that is, to let things like sirens and horns through. 

Speakers have a foam surround to help block noise. [Photo: Audyse Technologies)

More Accurate Than Earplugs

The main difference, the team says, between this tech and the way earplugs block noise, is that earplugs don’t actively target all frequencies of wind noise. Ear plugs block a lot of noise, but they don’t target the specific frequencies, and are pretty bad at blocking the lower frequencies, of persistent wind noise.

The Products

Their two upcoming products, AudyseRIDE and AudyseCORE, use the same tech in different form factors. CORE integrates with your existing helmet communicator – Cardo or Sena – so you don’t lose out on that functionality. RIDE is a standalone unit, offering Bluetooth capabilities to route your smartphone functions (music & phone calls) into your helmet. Both forms offer up to 30dB noise reduction.

The AudyseCORE plugs into your existing helmet communicator. (Photo: Audyse Technologies)

Yes, it’s yet another dongle you’ll need to keep charged for a ride, but the team is aiming for a 20+ hour battery life in the RIDE headset. That way, it will last you the weekend. Both charge via USB-C and will charge to full in about an hour and a half. Audyse’s team labels them “water resistant.”

Timing

The official launch for both products will be in July 2024, though Murphy told me the CORE units will probably start shipping in March of this year. They are currently accepting reservations for both.

The smaller CORE, which integrates with your Sena or Cardo, will retail for $120 USD. The standalone RIDE retails for $270. You will need to make sure your helmet is a modern design and has pockets built in for speakers. Otherwise you might be taking a scalpel to your helmet foam (but really, it’s probably time to replace that relic). 

Fitment Specifics

And yes, the speakers are more than just small pancakes. They have a padded surround, to help with noise filtering. It looks like they’ll make getting your helmet on just a little more complicated. You’ll need to gauge: is all this worth it for the hearing protection? Audyse is hoping your answer is yes.

The post Update: Audyse Technologies Noise Reducing Headset appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Different Countries, Different Standards

You will note that helmets sold in Europe are subject to stringent helmet standards, and must submit their helmets to a third party for testing. And not just one helmet – ECE demands up to 50 samples, depending on how many shell sizes the company sells. Arai, for example, produces several shell sizes, and must test each of those sizes against ECE standards. Snell, SHARP and FIM are voluntary tests for street helmets, though a FIM FRHPhe-02 rating will be required for FIM-sanctioned events. That’s an expensive process.

ECE 22.06 was updated mid-2020. FIM FRHPhe-02 will be in effect come 2026. Snell is updating their standard to be in effect by April of 2024.

DOT LOL

Helmets sold in the US are not subject to federal safety standards. All helmet laws are state-by state, and some states do require the use of a DOT-approved helmet. Manufacturers test against DOT standards at their whim. There is no third party certification. Helmets comply by the DOT standard through trust alone. The DOT standard also does not include any testing of the face shield. The US DOT will occasionally acquire helmets for testing, but has no real way to take “novelty” helmets off the market.

Snell Updates

Snell standards, again, come in two different flavors. M2025D is what you will see on helmets in North America and Japan. Snell will put the other, M2025R, onto helmets in the rest of the world, since it meets ECE R 22-06 standards as well. The only difference between the two is the peak acceleration rating (M2025R: 257g/275g M2025D 243g/275g).

Helmet manufacture is a closely guarded trade secret, but we can probably say the difference between helmets with the two ratings comes down to internal padding and hard foam construction. Since Snell’s last update from the M2020D and M2020R ratings, they have added a new oblique impact test. This points the helmet straight down (face first) to measure impact on the inner head form.

We Love Charts

There is a spectacular chart over at Ultimate Motorcycling which details all of the most-updated standards and what they test for, about ¾ of the way down the page. It details exactly what the tests do, and what the limits are, so you can see for yourself what each of the standards really means. It’s especially helpful to folks ordering helmets across borders. 

When we’re shopping for helmets, we want to make sure they’re worth wearing, so keeping up on what the standards mean is a good idea.

The post New Helmet Safety Standards appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Honda has just surprised and delighted fans of its middleweight supersport by reintroducing the CBR600RR. Eleven years after the last redesign, and six years since there was a new model year of the bike in the EU, they’ve unveiled the newest CBR600RR for the 2024 model year.

All About the New CBR

Before you get too excited: yes, this bike has been on the roads in Japan for a couple of years already. No, we don’t know when (or if) it will make it to North America.

While you’re puzzling all that out, a clarification: Honda has been selling the last-generation CBR600RR in North America while simultaneously selling the updated one in Japan (and Thailand, and Australia, apparently), and zero in Europe. Why this makes any sense is left to the reader. Perhaps a decade-old design was cheap enough to produce for the Americas, while definitely not up to Euro 5 emissions standards.

At any rate, Honda’s news at EICMA has a bunch of middleweight supersport enthusiasts very excited.

And why not? It just got a whole lot smarter.

Redesigned Outside

This new CBR is much more than Bold New Graphics. To be fair, it has those too, in tasty red-white-blue Honda Racing livery, on a fully redesigned sport fairing. It has dual LED headlights at the front and retains the single undertail exhaust. Let’s look at what’s between all that.

Photo: Honda UK

Redesigned Inside

The liquid-cooled, inline-four, DOHC engine still displaces 599 cc just like the last iteration, but is now Euro 5 compliant with updated valve timing. It puts out 119 hp (gaining 6 hp over the previous generation) at a screaming 14,250 rpm, and 46.5 ft-lb of torque at 11,500. That power is delivered via chain final drive and an assist/slipper clutch and quick-shifter, standard.

Bigger Brains

Honda has fit this middleweight with the same electronics package as the CBR1000RR. That includes a 6-axis IMU-based brain (roll / yaw / pitch) so it always “knows” where it is in relation to the road. Also, it has a nine-level traction control system with slip rate control, five power levels, engine braking management, five ride modes (three preset, two customizable), cornering ABS, and wheelie control. And if that isn’t enough, it also has an electronic steering damper under ECU control, automatically adjusting to the bike’s speed.

You’re going to want to turn the sound on for this one.

Suspension and Brakes

A set of Showa 41mm Big Piston inverted forks and Honda’s Pro-Link system with a fully adjustable rear shock, with 4.7 and 5 inches of travel, respectively, all help keep the Dunlop Roadsports2 on the road. A pair of radial-mount four-piston calipers on 310 mm discs up front, and a single-piston caliper on a 220 mm disc out back, haul the bike to a stop.

Stopping the bike isn’t a difficult job, though, because all that totals a claimed wet weight of just under 426lbs.

Do we need to mention the full-color TFT dash? Will anyone really be looking at it while riding?

Availability?

The bike will be available in Europe in the aforementioned HRC livery and, of course, black. European pricing is yet to be published.

The post Honda’s Redesigned CBR600RR: Faster, Lighter, Smarter appeared first on Adventure Rider.

The new Himalayan gets some glamour-shot drone footage. (Photo: Royal Enfield)

Introduction

B Govindarajan, the CEO, presents the bike saying “the motorcycle… has everything you [want] but nothing you don’t need” for adventure motorcycling.

He goes on to call it the “Bruce Lee” of the motorcycling world, because it isn’t about “big, mighty, intimidating,” but instead about “agility, balance, precision and high capabilities.” That’s marketing speak defending the small motorcycle in a big motorcycle market.

The Specifics

Mark Wells, Chief of Design for the Himalayan, introduced the all-new Sherpa 450 engine for the new Himalayan. Also new to the model for this generation is ride by wire. That means it also has (two) ride modes. The new 452 cc single-cylinder engine is water-cooled. The bike’s ABS is switchable, and the gearbox now has six speeds. RE’s new engine puts out 40.2 hp and 40 nm of torque (that’s 29.5 ft-lb if you’re counting). Peak torque is reached around 3,000 rpm, though, which is pretty good for a small thumper.

Royal Enfield’s New Engine: The Highlights Photo: Royal Enfield

“Everything is new. Not even one bolt is carried over from the previous model,” says Paolo Broventani, Royal Enfield’s Chief of Product Development.

The new bike features 43mm Showa USD cartridge forks, a steel twin-spar frame, LED headlights, an adjustable seat, and a 17-liter (4.5 gal) gas tank. Suspension travel is 200 mm (nearly 7.9 in) front and rear.

The standard seat height adjusts from 825 to 845 mm (32.5 to 33.3 in), and the low seat from 805 to 825mm (31.7 to 32.5 in). Wet weight is published at 196 kg (432 lb). Actual price is not available yet.

More Electronics

Wells also explained that Royal Enfield worked closely with Google to develop the Himalayan’s new “Tripper” dash layout. It integrates music, maps, and everything else Google offers for dashboard-to-smartphone connectivity. But he very conspicuously did not call it Android Auto, and also did not mention anything about Apple compatibility.

The new Himalayan’s full-color Google-compatible “Tripper” dash is very tidy. Photos: Royal Enfield

Availability

It will be available in five (5) different colors! Slate Poppy blue, Hanle Black, Kamet White, Kaza Brown, and Slate Himalayan Salt. That is some kind of record for a motorcycle manufacturer, at least in North America, where each model year, we get any color you like as long as it’s black, and maybe one other color, if we are very lucky.

Five different colors! (Photo: Royal Enfield)

Availability of the new Himalayan is a little fuzzy. Global preorders began 7 November 2023, delivery in Europe is touted as “early spring” of 2024. North America should see the bikes later in 2024.

The post Royal Enfield Unveils the All-New Himalayan appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Labor Is Expensive

As detailed in the video, GoreTex itself isn’t really all that different from any other waterproof membrane these days. The difference between expensive and inexpensive “waterproof” gear isn’t so much the materials but the construction. Well-constructed gear will always be more waterproof, because a poorly-sealed leaky seam with a hole in it is going to leak no matter what it’s made out of.

Breathable… Sometimes

Ryan touches on GoreTex’s breathability, but does not articulate well that its waterproof breathability (due to those forces he does articulate, pressure and humidity) is directional. Further, its pores might be smaller than a water droplet, but they are not smaller than water molecules. Suspend water in air and you’re sticky no matter what.

Wrong-Way, Water

I bet if you have run heated grips in cold rain, you have felt your waterproof gloves fail. GoreTex “breathes” best when one side of it is warm and one side is cold. For most outdoor activities, the person is on the warm side – so keeping the moisture on the cold side is a-ok. Unfortunately while motorcycling and holding heated grips, we’re on the cold side. That’s when the membrane fails, “breathing” the rain right onto your cold fingers, and you stomp on over to the ADV Forum to ask “are there REALLY any truly waterproof gloves out there?”

We’re Special

Compared to all of the other outdoor activities GoreTex is marketed toward, motorcycling is a somewhat unique use case. We need our gear to keep wind out when it’s cold, let wind in when it’s warm, protect us in case of an unplanned excursion off the bike, and oh yeah, keep us dry in the rain, too. And all this needs to happen at speeds over 50mph. 

The waterproofing/breathability job is a lot harder when you add the physics of motorcycling into the mix. Photo: sunrise_studio/Shutterstock.com

Sweaty Either Way

And here’s Ryan, traipsing through … a rainforest. On foot. In his motorcycle gear. To prove he’s getting sweaty, I guess. All of us who live in humid climates know, it doesn’t have to be Gore-Tex to get you sweaty in that situation.

The basic rule is, if it’s waterproof it doesn’t breathe. If it breathes, it’s not waterproof. Here’s the thing: GoreTex has never been “breathable” in the way motorcyclists need breathability. And that is fully down to garment construction.

The Real Use Case

I want armored textile motorcycle gear that vents well in the heat. And when I say “vents well,” I mean wind should come through. If it also keeps me dry during a rainstorm, that functionality is less the waterproof barrier itself, and more the construction around the seams and vents. That means waterproof zippers or flaps that don’t let water in, and vents that go all the way through to the inside of the jacket when those vents are open. Oh! For bonus points, make it fit tall women, too. Yeah, I know, I’m still looking for that unicorn.

It’s Called Rain Gear For a Reason

After a quarter century of riding motorcycles in all kinds of weather and getting soaked even in Gore-Tex, I carry separate rain gear.

To FortNine’s point: Gore-Tex on the label doesn’t guarantee anything. You’re on a motorcycle, and that teaches us to have a little …fortitude.

The post More On FortNine Vs GoreTex appeared first on Adventure Rider.

I know, we’ve all done it, but this was extra stupid: I had left the saddlebags on the bike with (count them with me) two (2) 16-oz bottles of water in the uphill bag. The sidestand on this bike is long enough, and the extra weight made the bike squat enough, that a small nudge and the bike just fell away from me as I sat beside it, helpless and swearing.

That was the last straw.

The Forced Purchase

After pulling the bike upright and checking for damage (one dented top-box, one loose mirror, and one slightly cracked air compressor housing, sorry air compressor) I hopped on the internet. The 310 forums had been singing the praises of the T-Rex adjustable side stand, so, you know, “buy now.”

You’ll note, as I did, that this stand is available in several places online including eBay, but the T-Rex site itself has the best price. So, $119.95 USD with free shipping, and four days later, I had my replacement stand.

Worst Center Stand Ever

Getting the old stand off, of course, necessitated putting the bike on its center stand. Using that thing (you’ll remember here that it is a cheap, shitty off-brand thing) convinced me that I’ll be removing and replacing that, too. But first things first.

The bike comes with a small plastic side stand switch guard. Removing that involves a 10mm nut and washer, and a circlip. A wrench and some circlip pliers made short work.  A 5mm allen bolt holds the side stand switch on; remove that and the switch can be removed and hangs out of the way. 

Circlip pliers makes taking this off easier, or you learn why they’re called “jesus clips.” Photo: Kate Murphy

The springs must be removed, and for this you need a spring puller. If you don’t own one, they’re $6-$8 and are very, very useful. I recommend buying yourself one. Pulling the springs rearward off the stand is the way to go here, the large outer spring first. Try and pull them forward off the bike-side mount point on the bike and you risk pulling the bike off its center stand.

8mm Stand Bolt

The bolt that holds the stand on is an 8mm allen head, and threads through from behind the stand’s pivot point. There’s barely enough clearance to get at that bolt with a socket wrench when the center stand is deployed. If you have trouble loosening that bolt keep in mind that it threads into the stand itself, so as long as you’ve set your wrench to “loosey” you can gain more leverage by moving the stand itself.

As shipped, the T-Rex stand is set at its lowest bolt hole. Too short! Photo: Kate Murphy

And that’s it – the stand is off. If you compare the two stands, you’ll measure, too, that the new stand is as tall as the old one when the bolt is in the fifth hole up from the foot. Since I want the stand just slightly shorter, I set it to the fourth hole up, and snugged the 10mm bolt and 5mm allen-head screw (convenient!) until they were tight.

Options! Whether you’re installing a new suspension or lowering the bike there’s a setting that should work. Photo: Kate Murphy

Installation, as they say, is the reverse of removal. First, though, I took a wire brush to the threads on the stand bolt.

Nice and clean. Photo: Kate Murphy

I wiped off the surface of the plain bearing where the stand bolt travels, and regreased it. Then I applied blue Loctite to the now-clean bolt threads.

Finally, I positioned the stand, put the bolt through, wobbled it to make sure it seated, and snugged it to spec. 

The springs were way easier to install than to remove, oddly. Small inner one first and then large outer one, the spring puller made quick work. Pop the switch guard back on, snug that bolt down, and Robert is your mother’s brother.

Snug up that bolt so the stand is solid. Photo: Kate Murphy

Before I took the bike down off its center stand, though, I grabbed the foot of the retracted kickstand and found that it wobbled in its upper half just enough to make noise when I pushed and pulled on it. So I snugged its nut and bolt down more, and kept checking, until that wobble was gone. Side stands are important, and I do not want this failing on me because I installed it stupid.

The post BMW G310GS Build: T-Rex Adjustable Side Stand appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Tool Clearance Problems

The bar risers took me the longest to get bolted to the bike, because I didn’t own a tool that would reach up under the top triple, to secure the nuts and loosen the bolts that hold the bars on. Yes, you read that right: the handlebars are secured to the top triple with through-bolts. Any wrench I owned, got wedged underneath by frame, bodywork, forks, the horn, before it got a good grip on the nut.

Really Long Socket Extensions

Off to Harbor Freight, and I bought myself the longest half-inch drive non-wobble socket extensions they carried. With a foot and a half of extension, I could put a socket on that nut without running into bodywork, forks, or frame. One wrench above and one below, and the bars were loose. But then I had another issue.

Really long socket extensions.  Photo: Kate Murphy

Floppy Bars

The handlebars are floppy. Like, REALLY floppy. Once I got them loose them from the bike they just wanted to go everywhere. I couldn’t get them and all the cables up and out of the way for the riser install.

To keep from pinching anything, I ended up tossing some tie-downs over the garage ceiling rafters and suspending the bars from above. I used cam-buckle straps, so that I could fine-tune the height of the bars as I worked. Since I only have two hands I wanted to be able to loosen or tighten them very slightly.

I wouldn’t trust these rafters to hold a bike up, but they’ll sure hold the bars up. Photo: Kate Murphy

Install the Risers

Once I got that whole process out of the way, the bar riser install was a relative piece of cake. Wunderlich supplies giant bolts (not the same size, though, as OEM, so make sure you have that socket at hand too) that go through the top triple, through the risers, and then into the lower bar bracket. 

The bar risers, bolts, nuts, and the bike’s clamp, easy with the bars suspended. Photo: Kate Murphy

Snug those down. The nuts are nylock, so no worries about them coming loose anytime soon.

The risers bolt to the clamp on top and the triple below. Photo: Kate Murphy

Reposition the Bars

Then the fun of positioning and securing the bars themselves: you can mark the bars where they meet the clamp when you begin, but most likely you’re going to want them in a different place than when you started. That was my case. I tilted them back toward the seat just a skosh.

Let the suspended bars down a little, torque the bolts to spec… Photo: Kate Murphy

Check Your Clearances

Before torquing those to spec, I turned the bars lock to lock to make sure I had enough clearance in the cables to keep the risers on. Good news! Modern motorcycles seem to be a lot more forgiving about bar risers than the old ones we used to ride. Are manufacturers actually listening to us?

That lock-to-lock test did warn me that my mirrors are hitting my windshield at full lock. Instead of moving the bars from where I liked them, though, I loosened and repositioned the mirrors.

You wouldn’t think this small adjustment would have an impact but… Photo: Kate Murphy

Thanks, Wunderlich, for another quality upgrade. The risers have made a comfortable bike even comfier.

The post Wunderlich Bar Risers appeared first on Adventure Rider.

More Women In the Sport == Better

Women riders make up about 20% of the overall riding population these days. Those numbers, as well as the number of all motorcyclists on the road, is climbing. The more people who take part in the sport, the safer it makes the roads for the rest of us. At some point, hopefully, everyone will at least have a friend who rides.

And the more women who ride, the fewer times all of us will have to field questions like “isn’t that a bit heavy for you?” or “did you ride that here all by yourself?”. And if my dream comes true, someday soon a group of women all riding their motorcycles together will be exactly as remarkable as a group of men all riding their motorcycles together. That is to say, not remarkable at all.

The Source

Vicki Gray of Motoress founded IFRD seventeen years ago. The description on that website reads: “International Female Ride Day was established with several goals. Its “Just Ride!” call to action unites women globally and makes normal and known, the diverse numbers of women enjoying motorsport and powersports activities.”

Seriously, Just Go Ride

Celebrating the holiday created for women motorcyclists is easy: if you’re a woman and you have a motorcycle, get out and ride it! Don’t want to ride alone? There are tons of IFRD events happening. Hop on the internet and search for women’s riding groups in your area.

Women Adventure Riding groups pop up all over Facebook, local ones and global ones. The busier ones have posted IFRD rides for you to join. And of course, “International Female Ride Day Global” has its own Facebook page.

Resources

You can also find women’s riding groups and resources like the Litas, or SHEAdv, or Women Riders Now, or WIMA-USA and WIMA World – lots of groups have organized rides, or have suggestions about how to celebrate or show your support. 

As we all know, you don’t have to be a joiner to get out and ride a motorcycle. It’s always nice to have an excuse to ride. Solo rides are some of the best rides I’ve ever had.

And you don’t have to join an event that celebrates the day. Got a group you ride with, and they’re going out for lunch? Ride with them. Have something else entirely on the calendar? Ride there instead!

Got a ride lined up? Tell us about it. Did we miss some great resources for women riders? Pop ’em in the comments!

The post The 17th Annual International Female Ride Day appeared first on Adventure Rider.

I’ll go nose to tail with all of the pieces I have bolted to a (borrowed) PanAm. The bike in question is a black 2021 Special model, with adaptive suspension. The owner is a lovely neighbor of mine here in New Hampshire named Megan.

Megan and her beloved PanAm, on a very cold day in New Hampshire, before we added all the Wunderlich parts. Photo: Kate Murphy

As a side note: I was a little hesitant about working on (a) someone else’s (b) Harley because all my tools are metric. No worries, it turns out: the bike is metric, and where it isn’t, it’s Torx. Unlike my 310GS, the Harley seems built to be worked on. Every single fastener I touched was in a place that made sense, and didn’t require any special tools or a double-jointed extension for access. It went back together the way it came apart, every time. Is it worth two of my Super Tenere? I still have my Yamaha, so… not yet. But everybody gets to do their own math, there.

Headlight Guard

Wunderlich makes a headlight guard for this bike that is more than just a flyscreen. This is a beefy light protector. Note that it is the “guard,” not the grill. It’s constructed with a heavy clear plastic panel through which the headlight shines unimpeded. It is also “foldable,” which means that without tools you can pull the guard forward to clean out any mud, bug guts, snow, etc., that might get caught behind it.

Pull those two rubber nipples off the top corners and the guard folds forward for easy cleaning. Photo: Kate Murphy

Installation involves first popping the nose fairing off the bike. Like a GoldWing, the PanAm’s nose fairing is all plastic-knob into rubber-grommet. Just yank it directly forward off the bike and off it pops. Beneath, the headlight guard’s frame bolts to the Harley’s subframe without getting in the way of anything. Bolt it all on, pop the nose fairing back on, and your guard is in place.

The guard ships with a film over the plastic so it’s not scratched in shipping. Photo: Kate Murphy

The fantastic thing about all of the Wunderlich pieces is, if you know what you’re looking for you see them all, but if you don’t, they all look like they simply belong on the bike.

Windshield and Reinforcements

The Marathon windscreen replaces the original windscreen with a broader, smoother surface. The company also sent along the left-side reinforcements to keep the larger screen steady at speed. The PanAm has a tool-less adjustable screen, and the reinforcement slides right up alongside that adjuster. What was originally plastic is now metal, with the same adjustability but now much stronger. This was a fiddly install, only because that adjuster has a lot of moving pieces. The instructions could have been clearer – because these pieces ship worldwide there is very little text; the instructions are all photos. Sometimes those photos are not the best, or the angle makes things confusing.

So many moving parts. Photo: Kate Murphy

After this installment, though, the rider also bought the right side windshield reinforcement along with the device carrier bar that links them, and reports that the entire assembly is more solid and quieter than the stock setup.

This broad, flat windscreen creates a very clean airflow. Photo: Kate Murphy

TFT Display Visor

The TFT Display Visor installs with zero tools and in seconds. It literally just snaps over the bike’s stock TFT screen.

This is literally the only instruction step included, and it’s not even necessary. Photo: Kate Murphy

A small addition that makes a huge difference – that screen is much easier to read in bright light now.

A minor install that makes a big difference. Photo: Kate Murphy

Handlebar Risers

These Handlebar Risers pick the bars up and back a little over an inch. Even if you’re relatively comfortable on a given motorcycle, bar risers can make a huge difference in long-ride comfort. Happily, Harley-Davidson saw fit to give all the cables plenty of slack, so we didn’t need to mess with a thing on install.

Like everything else, these bar risers look like OEM. Photo: Kate Murphy

Four bolts that hold the bars down come out, the risers bolt into those holes, and then the bars bolt onto the risers. The only “gotcha,” if you’ve never done this before: lay an old towel over your tank before you begin. The bars are heavy and they will move around and scratch your tank once they’re not bolted down anymore. An easy install (use a torque wrench) and our height-challenged rider finds new worlds of comfort and control, because she doesn’t have to stretch at all to reach the bars.

You can see clearly how the risers pick the bars up and back from their original position. Tighten everything down a little at a time… Photo: Kate Murphy

Tank Bag

This is the same Wunderlich tank bag system those fine folks sent along for the 310GS, only the bag for the Harley is quite a lot bigger and is expandable. The base for the tank bag bolts onto the tank shroud, with two bolts up front. The rear of the base loops through a frame attachment point under the seat. The bag clips onto the base, easily removed and reinstalled at fuel stops. The entire process, base and all, is about a ten-minute install.

Another super easy install. The bag is roomy. Banana for scale. Photo: Kate Murphy

The Wunderlich bag fits securely on the base without any flopping around. The base fits securely on the tank so there is no danger of paint or trim damage. The bag is waterproof and lined in blue, so it’s quite a lot easier to find things in there than in an all-black bag, especially in low light.

Side Fairing (“Sight Cover”)

You wouldn’t think a side fairing (which Wunderlich calls a “sight cover”) would make much of a difference beyond smoothing out an unsightly spot on the bike, which it does. But the design of the “scoops” built into this piece directs engine heat away from the rider. This is noticeable even in early spring New England weather. It will probably be a huge relief in late summer. Again, this one is a three-bolt install and very easy to do.

An easy install that helps keep the rider cool, and improves the look of the bike. Photo: Kate Murphy

Ignition Coil Guard

This one is exactly what it says on the tin: it is a guard for the bike’s ignition coil, which hangs off the side of the bike. Two bolts out, two new bolts in, and a tipover won’t mangle your coil. Pretty slick.

Aktivkomfort Seats

Our PanAm rider loves her new “Aktivkomfort” seat. She’d prefer the low version, though, since the new Wunderlich seat is slightly wider at the front than the stocker. That always makes the reach to the ground just a little bit more of a stretch. The wider seat does provide greater comfort on a long trip, but makes moving the bike around at low or no speed more of a challenge.

Wunderlich’s Aktivkomfort seats seem to offer more active comfort for the rider than the passenger. Photo: Kate Murphy

Her passenger found the new passenger seat a touch on the too-hard side, but they only have a few hundred miles on the seats, and she thinks they will break in a bit more. Also, materials seem to be stiffer in the cold, so perhaps once the weather warms up here in New Hampshire, they’ll find the seats a bit more compliant.

Side Stand Improvements

If you have ever stood a PanAm up off its side stand and then put it back down again, you might, as I did, note that it seems a bit… weeny for the beast of a bike it supports. The spring isn’t particularly confident or strong. The tang is difficult to locate and get your boot on, both when the stand is stowed and when it’s deployed. Some of these side stand related extras help fix that. If you have purchased them all, note there’s a distinct installation order that will help you not to repeat anything in the process.

If you have both the sidestand support spring and the sidestand assist, install them together, with the spring first. First, bolt the extra spring’s mount point to the bike, then to the side stand, along with the assist. Wunderlich helpfully sends along a spring puller, but since I already own one (which is arguably better) we used that instead.

It is good of them to send along a spring puller, but if you have a real one, use that instead. Photo: Kate Murphy

It’s easier to pull the spring toward the rear of the bike onto the retracted stand, than it is to try to pull it down onto a deployed stand. All of this should, obviously, be accomplished while the bike is on a lift or its center stand.

Here’s the sidestand assist in action. Without it, the sidestand tang (that small black bump) does its best to hide. Photo: Kate Murphy

The side stand switch guard bolts on after both of those are installed, and will help keep your stand safety switch from getting wrecked by rocks or road debris. As most of us already know, a pooched stand switch can leave you dead in the water, as it were.

The extra (front) side stand spring, assist, and guard all play together very nicely. Photo: Kate Murphy

The side stand enlarger fits over the foot of the stand. It could use some shaving down at the inside corner. Deploying the stand with it installed means having to tip the bike quite a lot to the opposite side. It wasn’t a real problem for me, but the bike’s owner, at 5’5” and with a 30” inseam, does not prefer that particular feature.

The rear corner closest to the bike can get in the way of a shorter rider deploying the jiffy stand. Photo: Kate Murphy

Passenger Seat Recess Cover (“Splash Guard”)

There’s an empty spot on the bike over the rear tire, where, if you carry a passenger regularly like Megan does, allows all the rain splashed off the rear tire, onto said passenger. The passenger seat recess covers hang from the same two bolts that hold the passenger peg frame on the bike.

They blend right in, but they keep the rain off. Photo: Kate Murphy

They may not look like much, but they effectively keep rain and mud from flying out the sides of the bike. And when you’re riding in the rain, anything that helps you keep dry is a plus. Again, a two-bolt install per side, loosen the passenger peg frame bolts, slip these covers between that and the frame of the bike, and tighten them back up again. Super easy.

Center Stand Handle

The Center Stand Handle is the only piece we couldn’t use. It was redundant to the H-D branded luggage the bike already sported. The handle uses those same two passenger peg bolts that the Recess Cover does, but the hard luggage frame also shares that same mount point. There are only so many things you can string onto a given bolt, and none of the bolts supplied would allow the handle, the luggage rack, the peg frame, and the Recess Cover, all at once. We had to make a choice, and the rider (of course) chose to keep her luggage rack on the bike. Like everything else, the handle is a sturdy piece of equipment, but unfortunately redundant in our situation.

We’d need some loooooong bolts to fit that handle. Photo: Kate Murphy

As usual, the Wunderlich pieces were mostly a pleasure to install, and on the most part, quite straightforward. The only exception to that was the windscreen reinforcement. That could be solved with clearer instructions, though. 

As an added bonus, Wunderlich sends all of their pieces in fabric bags, cardboard boxes and dividers, and waxed-paper envelopes. There is nearly no plastic packaging. Even the tank bag arrived in its own blue fabric water-resistant bag that can be reused as a stuff sack. This company is dedicated to reducing plastic waste, and they tackle that at the source.

The post Wunderlich Accessories for the H-D Pan America appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Crash Bars

The bike has not, thus far, sported crash bars. I had to remove my recently-installed aux light brackets to fit the bars, but that’s OK; the light mounts grabbed the crash bars just as well as the brackets. More on the lights in a different installment.

I had so far been quite impressed with the quality of Wunderlich parts; these were no exception. When it comes to this German brand, you definitely get what you pay for. They are not an inexpensive solution. Compare the price, however, to the parts you don’t have to replace when you drop your bike.

Protection for the Engine and Tank

The upper and lower crash bars are both a two-piece set. The hardware supplied with the lower bars includes a small plastic “plug” that fits inside the bars in the front, where they meet. Each bar attaches to the side of the bike with a three-bolt mount pattern. The top bolt replaces an engine mount bolt through the frame. The lower two mount to unused, threaded holes along the bottom of the engine. You must remove the stock (plastic) bash plate to access them, but that is easily done by pulling its four 12 mm nuts.

Wunderlich lower (engine) crash bar fitted with stock bash plate removed Photo: Kate Murphy

Small Installation Struggle

On the starboard side, the engine mount bolt hides behind the water pump’s coolant hose. That bolt was the only real struggle on this install. Wunderlich’s directions warn you: do not remove both engine mount bolts at once. Install one lower crash bar, and at least thread the replacement bolt into the engine, before removing the bolt on the opposite side. Even though I followed those instructions, I still popped a scissor jack under the engine, just in case.

That bolt threads directly into the engine case, demanding care not to cross-thread. Push that hose away to get a straight shot. Photo: Kate Murphy

Pull the Bolt, Smash the Hose

Once you pull the original bolt out from behind the coolant hose and fit the crash bars you will notice that when the instructions suggest you will need to “push the coolant hose to one side” they really mean it. A large bolt that threads directly into the engine block and is pushed hard to one side seems to beg to be cross-threaded on installation.

I will admit: I contemplated draining the coolant and removing that hose for this install. But, with enough finesse (and force), I was in fact able to displace the hose enough to give the bolt a straight shot into the engine. Whew! I left it loose-ish, and threaded the lower two bolts into their respective mount holes. Then I tightened up that top bolt in preparation for removing its counterpart on the other side.

Mate the Parts

The port side, with no coolant hose in the way, went a whole lot smoother. The plastic joining plug needed only a little bit of persuasion with a small dead-blow hammer, and then the two halves were one, everything lined up, and I torqued all the fasteners to spec.

A much cleaner approach for the install on this side (Photo: Kate Murphy)

Clever Join

The upper crash bars joined the lower ones with something like a clamp fastener. The lowers have no holes to accept the upper bars; the uppers have two holes and two half-circle hard rubber mounts. This is a very clever system that allows for a little “jiggle” in the system. We’ve all fit aftermarket parts to our motorcycles that needed a BF Hammer, or a drill, or a bench grinder, or more extreme measures. These, to my great relief, did not require any of those measures. All of the bolts and spacers lined up pretty perfectly. The upper bars only needed a little bit of pressure to thread into the mount points under the nose of the bike (into the notoriously terrible threaded clips BMW used on this bike)

A clever way to attach the top (tank) crash bar to the lower (engine) crash bar. Photo: Kate Murphy

Nest the Bars

The upper crash bar set nested, one bar into the other, where they met in the middle. I applied white lithium grease there before mating them, because I am used to parts rubbing together, losing their finish, and rusting out. Even without the grease, I don’t think these bars would do that. I didn’t even need a dead-blow to get them mated.

I might, some day, wipe off the grease. Photo: Kate Murphy

A One-Beer Job

After torquing everything to spec, I took a break and noted that the entire process, including photography, took me less than an hour. 

The fit and finish of these crash bars is superior to any other bars I’ve fitted: SW-Motech, AltRider, Givi, and a bunch of others I don’t remember. 

Next Up: Axle Sliders

The Wunderlich axle sliders, front and back, installed just as easily as the crash bars did. The sliders themselves are hard plastic pucks. Each set has a threaded rod that feeds through the BMW’s hollow axle.

Threaded rod, washers, bolts, pucks. An easy install. (Photo: Kate Murphy)

New Front Wheel Bolt

For the front wheel, Wunderlich supplies a replacement axle bolt with a hole through it to accommodate the axle slider’s rod. Simply remove the stock axle bolt, replace it with the supplied bolt, and torque it to spec. 

Pull the old one out, pop the new one in.. (Photo: Kate Murphy)

I put some blue Loctite on the threads of the rod, threaded the end cap on one end finger tight, and ran it through the slider, the axle bolt and the rest of the axle. Blue Loctite on the other end, tighten both end caps down and Robert is your mother’s brother.

The little nuts in the center gets torqued with a wrench on both sides, and you’re done. Photo: Kate Murphy

Rear Axle: Daylight Clear Through

The rear is slightly easier, since there is no axle bolt to replace: the axle is open-ended on both sides.

The threaded rod requires blue Loctite on the threads, to keep the cap-nut in place. It is easier to Loctite and thread the “downhill” side of the rod, slide it up through, and then Loctite the threads on the “uphill” side, drop the slider, washer, and nut onto the threads, and then torque everything to spec. This way you’re not fighting gravity and dropping parts.

The barest of taps gets the rear slider into the axle hole, then torque to spec again. Photo: Kate Murphy

Tank Pads

The tank pads I had on the bike were “Nightcat” brand off Amazon and were, truth be told, just fine. Reviews said the material would break down after too much UV exposure and get sticky. Since Wunderlich sent along new ones I nipped that particular problem in the bud.

To their credit, the old ones peeled right off. They might be re-usable. (Photo: Kate Murphy)

The old pads had one solid coating of adhesive. Wunderlich’s are simply outlined with adhesive. Time will tell if these hold up any better. They look great, though, and are thicker, so offer more give and grip.

Instead of one backing, there’s an outline of adhesive strips. (Photo: Kate Murphy)

Placing and centering the pads just meant pilling the backing off the adhesive at the corners, then sneaking it out from behind the placed pad. Easy! And they look great.

Easy install, great looking. Photo: Kate Murphy

Impressive Parts

Truly, generally speaking, all of the Wunderlich installs I have done so far have been the easiest, most straightforward installations I’ve done on motorcycles. I’ve installed a lot of aftermarket parts, and Wunderlich’s reach the tastiest intersection of clear instructions, beefy pieces, quality fasteners, and good engineering. Everything lines up. While I still followed the traditional practice of leaving all fasteners loose until everything was in the correct position, I never had to jiggle, whack, pound, bend, lever, file, grind, or otherwise manhandle Wunderlich pieces to get them to fit my motorcycle. To be clear, they sent me these parts gratis for review, but working with them has made me a dedicated customer.

Crash bars and axle sliders mounted; the bike is now protected from falls. Photo: Kate Murphy

Also, the BMW US Rider Academy in South Carolina uses Wunderlich crash bars on their bikes. They wouldn’t talk to me about it on the record, but think about it this way: BMW makes crash bars. Their own academy, where people drop those motorcycles a lot, uses Wunderlich. ‘Nuff said?

Retail

Here lies the “good quality, easy to install, inexpensive — pick two” part of the game. Wunderlich is good, and easy to install, but not inexpensive. They continue to fall under getting what you pay for. The tank pads retail for $80. The lower “engine protection bars” retail for $302. The upper tank protection bars retail for $310. The front sliders and rear sliders retail for $90 each set. All told, not totally out of bounds for solid protection like this.

The post BMW G310GS Build: Wunderlich Armor appeared first on Adventure Rider.

What Is It?

The SheADV program has been creating a space for women to connect since 2015. Since motorcycling is still quite a male-dominated sport, it’s important for women to have a space of our own. SheADV aims to provide that space.

From a monthly online get-together, to the aforementioned revamped website, to female-focused training, to resources to find good ADV gear, SheADV’s entire goal is to support women who participate (or want to participate) in the adventure motorcycling community.

The Monthly Meetings

They describe the monthly “Trailside” meeting as “our very own space where women can feel comfortable discussing all sorts of essential two-wheel topics in the company of other women riders.” The press release describes it thusly: “Each meeting features an instructional conversation led by top-level female motorcycle trainers and women working in the industry, in addition to an interactive chat that allows women to ask questions and connect with the community. Trailside gives participants inspiration and insights about how to get started, improve their skills and prioritize safety and responsibility while riding in the backcountry.” I looked at that and signed right up, because that sounds useful. 

A New Website

The current SheADV website has a little bit of information along with a big banner that says “SheADV is getting a tune-up!” so stay tuned for the new hotness there.

Women-Focused Training

SheADV’s female-focused training and meetups are scheduled at several upcoming events and get-togethers. A few of them are listed on the current SheADV website and include the Women’s ADV Training & Desert Adventure Rally in Bisbee Arizona, on April 5-9, 2023, and the RideBDR Elephant Butte New Mexico Fundraiser Ride Weekend on April 20-23, 2023 in Elephant Butte, NM (Note, the dates listed on the SheADV website have a typo here; 20-23 April is correct). Of course, both Touratech Rallies, the All Women’s Adventure Rider Training at the Touratech Rally West (in Plain, WA June 22-26) and the All Women’s Adventure Rider Training At the Touratech Rally East (in North Haverhill NH on August 17-28), are great resources for women’s ADV training.

More Help With Riding Gear

I look forward to the ADV gear resources they land on. I, and every other woman I know, has trouble finding decent riding gear. Any help in this area is absolutely welcome.

Why Women-Only Spaces?

If you’re wondering why women need focused training, I’ll relay a short story. I rode sweep at on a women-only ride at Dirt Daze a couple of years ago. One woman, very new to riding (not just dirt riding, but riding at all), rode in front of me and took a slightly wide line up a craggy, loose, uphill left turn. Other than the wide line, she did everything else right, corrected, and powered up the hill.

When we all got to the top and stopped for a break I went over and high-fived her: “Way to power through up that hill, you did great!” She was expecting heavy critique for the wide line, not a congratulations for doing everything right afterwards. Used to constant criticism from the men she’d been riding with, she was already beating herself up in her head. The more anyone is criticized, the more we think we’re never going to get it right. In circles of women, it is all about the encouragement.

Remember, I told everyone in the group, when I ride sweep, I am never critiquing you. I am always cheering you on! When we say “empowerment,” this is what we mean.

The post SheADV Gets a Revamped Website, Refocused Goals appeared first on Adventure Rider.

First up, some replacement parts. The bike, if you may remember, got an el-cheapo windshield and sidestand foot shortly after I brought it home. Wunderlich has graciously upgraded these parts. Next, a tank bag from the German aftermarket parts supplier—I have not installed a tank bag on the bike at all, so that’s totally new. 

The Old Windshield

I had bolted a larger-than-stock windshield to the little GS almost immediately after purchasing it. I spent $30 on it, and it was serviceable; impressive, even, for the cost. Installation involved some persuasion. The bolt holes aren’t spaced correctly for the bike, so you sort of have to flatten it out to line up the holes, and then hold it there while you thread them in to avoid cross-threading anything. It also wiggled and howled a bit – but only a bit – at speed. And, it interfered with the bike’s mirrors with the bars at full lock. All in all, a fine cheap windshield but with some annoying features.

Old windshield on the left, New Wunderlich on the right. Photo: Kate Murphy

The New Hotness

The Wunderlich Marathon Windscreen, on the other hand, retails for $249 US. Instead of simply re-using the four original bolt holes (as the cheap no-name windscreen did), the Wunderlich screen comes with a reinforcing frame, which reaches down to the dashboard mount bolts.

The windshield mounting hardware makes it evident it’s serious business. Photo: Kate Murphy

First, the windshield’s frame bolts to those original mounting points. The top bolts secure the secondary mount points that reach down into the dash. Then, the screen itself bolts to that reinforced frame, at wider set points, for an overall much more stable mounting system. Installation was a breeze, everything lined up perfectly, and it is rock-solid at speed. It is not, however, adjustable at all.

Installation was a snap, once I wiped the anti-seize off everything. Photo: Kate Murphy

So Much Better

The totally smooth surface and reinforced mount of the Wunderlich screen means the wiggles and howls are totally gone. There’s no buffeting or turbulence behind the screen, and very little distortion. And the bike feels a whole lot smoother on the highway. It doesn’t transfer any vibration or resonance into the frame of the bike.

The view from behind the windshield: totally clear, very little distortion. (Photo: Kate Murphy)

Now, you may be wondering, as I did, if the price difference between the cheap no-name windshield and the extremely nice Wunderlich windshield is worth it? And the answer is: it depends. 

Awesome Comes At A Price

When it comes to brand-name (read: high-end) windshields, the Wunderlich is not out of bounds in its price range. And if you’re riding long distances at high speeds the wiggling and howling of a cheap windshield will really (if you’ll pardon the expression) get on your tits after a few hours. The upgrade is a welcome relief. Similarly, if you’re doing a bunch of tight maneuvering, hitting your windscreen with your mirrors all the time gets old fast, too.  If your 310 is your knockaround bike and you’re never going to go over 40 mph for any real time on it, maybe the cheap windshield works out just fine. I’m very happy with the upgrade, though.

A Stand Foot Upgrade

The old side-stand foot was an Amazon find, cheap as hell, and that cheapness meant installation was a bit of a struggle. It made the side-stand a bit too tall for the bike, and getting the stand up and down meant leaning the bike waaaaay over to starboard. Luckily, this is a small, light bike and I am not inseam-challenged.

Installing A New One

After I pulled the el-cheapo foot off, Wunderlich’s replacement practically jumped right onto the stand’s foot. All I had to do was right the bike in my garage, slide the new foot under the stand, set it down and “click,” it was in place, perfectly sized for the bike, and level. Three bolts and corresponding sunk, conical washers hold the foot in place. And it ships with a tiny bottle of blue threadlocker for the task.

The new foot is a slightly different shape, and thinner, than the old foot. That means the stand isn’t as tall (even a millimeter or two helps here) and deploying and retracting the stand is less work.

Three little bolts and a perfect fit. Easy install with a T25 bit. One down, two to go! Photo: Kate Murphy

Value For The Money

The comparative value? Again, it’s a personal calculation. The cheap ($14 US) foot works fine, but the thickness makes the bike unstable, especially when loaded. Wunderlich’s foot ($60 US) works better, installs much easier, and its footprint makes deploying/retracting the stand easier (but still not as easy as nothing). Both of these pieces are huge improvements over the previous installations. Having limited previous experience with the brand, I am impressed by the quality and engineering of the pieces I’ve installed so far. Which leads us to…

The Elephant Tank Bag

The Elephant Classic Tour tank bag fits the 310GS with a dedicated tank-bag base. The bag ($230 US) and the base ($117 US) are sold separately, since the base is motorcycle-specific. At the front of the bike, the base attaches with 1” webbing threaded underneath the bike’s frame just behind the steering head. Remove the seat and the two fairing bolts at the back of the tank, and then reinstall them through the two holes in the tank bag base.

Front and back of the Wunderlich tank bag base. Photo: Kate Murphy

The bag then attaches to the base with a large slide-release buckle on 2-inch webbing at the front, and two strips of hook-and-loop fastener at the back. Pulling the bag off the bike is about a five-second proposition. To access the gas cap, you pull the bag off the base and then pull the flap (secured with hook-and-loop fastener) up. There’s your gas cap!

The mounting system makes accessing the gas cap very easy. (Photo: Kate Murphy)

Small But Useful

I’ve always run tank bags on my bikes, some huge and some small. This one comes in around the middle, on the smaller side. It will hold your wallet, phone, a small bottle of water, and your GPS case. Much beyond that and you might be hurting for space. It’s a smallish (10L) bag meant for daily use, not a huge bag for heavy travel.

The bottom of the bag is convex, following the curves of the tank, so it’s smaller than it looks. Banana for scale. Photo: Kate Murphy

Waterproof? Waterproof!

Unlike every other tank bag I’ve ever used, this one is waterproof right out of the gate, including the zipper. There’s no waterproof cover for it. I wish this was the case everywhere, because pulling over to put a cover on your tank bag in the rain is always a drag. 

Paper Maps? How Droll

The bag does not feature a map pocket (that’s sold separately if you want one), but I almost always run a GPS so I don’t list a map pocket high on my priority list these days. It does feature a MOLLE-compatible holding system, an integrated outer elastic tie-down, and a pass-through at the front for your charging cables.

The tank bag in action. Photo: Kate Murphy

Solid Mount

The way the base anchors to the bike, and then the bag to the base, means the entire business doesn’t slide around or feel wobbly at all. It mounts solidly to the bike while maintaining easy on/off.

All in all, I’m rather impressed with the quality of the Wunderlich aftermarket pieces. They mount easily to the bike and are great quality. It’s all in solid you-get-what-you-pay-for territory. Two big thumbs up for all these installs.

The post BMW G 310GS Build: Wunderlich Windshield, Stand Foot, Tank Bag appeared first on Adventure Rider.

The Class

The 800NK’s classmates, like Kawasaki’s Z650, Yamaha’s MT-07, Honda’s CB650, and KTM’s Duke 790 all see success in this segment. CFMoto also currently offers a 650NK. The 800cc engine increases power and acceleration in a still-small package. 

CFMoto & KTM

Speaking of the KTM 790 Duke, you might know that CFMoto has very close ties with KTM these days. The Chinese manufacturer’s 800NK is essentially a mirror of the 790 Duke.

The Deets

Here’s what we know about it so far! The 800NK’s 799cc parallel twin engine delivers either 99 or 100 peak horsepower, depending on where you read about it, and 59.7 ft-lb of torque. Its upside-down forks terminate at four-pot dual-piston J.Juan calipers. The bike’s 57.7-inch wheelbase is suspended fully on KYB components, fully adjustable at the front and with preload and rebound adjustment out back. The whole of it weighs in at 186kg (410lbs) which is really light for a bike in this segment.

Ride by wire means three ride modes (Street, Rain, and Sport) and the rider selects the mode through a full-color TFT dash.

The Style

CFMoto’s updated styling sees a pretty cool V-shaped LED headlight up front in the “angry face” theme we see in modern motorcycles. Love it or hate it, the ability to style a light with LED can only help us be noticed on the road. Instead of a single bulb in a round housing, we get interesting and unique shapes to distinguish us from other road traffic.I know not everyone does, but I like the trend.

The Price

We don’t know anything about pricing for the 800NK yet, but word on the street is it will come to the US. We can get a ballpark by looking at the 650NK, which goes for about $6,500 US, and the Duke 790’s price of $9,200. US consumers will definitely not pay more for a “CFMoto” motorcycle than a KTM, so my guess is right around the $8,000 US mark. 

The post CFMoto Pulls The Covers Off the 800NK appeared first on Adventure Rider.

How They Work

The watches have an accelerometer and a gyroscope built into them. The devices combine information from these two sensors to determine you’ve had a mishap. The feature was first introduced around 2018, but more recently, they’ve been fine-tuned to detect things like crashes in traffic.

Motorcyclist in Utah Rescued

Over this past weekend, a motorcyclist in Washington County, Utah reaped the benefits of his own smartwatch. It detected when he rode his bike off a cliff. The reporting doesn’t specify if he was wearing an Apple watch or some other brand. No doubt, the sudden collision followed by a lack of movement or response to its alarms, triggered the watch to alert the local authorities.

Emergency services located the rider, life-flighted him out of the area, and expect him to recover.

Do You Have Service?

Now, before you rush out to grab the latest version of a crash-detecting internet device, make sure you know how it functions. From Apple’s support page: 

If you’re in a severe car crash and unresponsive in a location without a cellular or Wi-Fi connection, iPhone will attempt to contact emergency services using Emergency SOS via satellite, where available.” 

See Apple’s explanation for Emergency Services satellite availability here. Spoiler: only the iPhone 14 and 14Pro running iOS 16.1 or later have this functionality. Your phone must be on and connected to your watch.

Buried Dispatchers

Also keep in mind the situation emergency call center dispatchers found themselves in, in some popular ski regions, recently. Summit County’s emergency services in Frisco Colorado was flooded with over 185 automated smartwatch emergency calls in a single week. Apparently area skiers were having altogether too much fun. Their enthusiasm confused their watches.

Too Much Fun

What’s the difference between a fun day on the slopes and a potentially deadly crash? To Apple watches, apparently exactly nothing. Skiing isn’t the only activity that confuses these devices. Other high-impact sports and activities can and do set off automated emergency calls.

So, yes, you should certainly research all the new gizmos that will protect or rescue you in the event of an unplanned off-road excursion. But keep in mind that nothing is a panacea. Your crash notifications can be lost in a sea of happy skiers.

The post Utah Motorcyclist Alive Thanks To Smart Watch appeared first on Adventure Rider.

That’s because the vehicle stolen was one 2018 Genuine Buddy 170i scooter. The owner of said scooter is none other than Terry Francona.

Boston’s Beloved

Baseball fans everywhere might recognize that name: he’s the manager that led the Boston Red Sox to two World Series championships. The first of those was the same year he was hired, 2004, and the Sox had not won a World Series since 1918. He is understandably beloved in Bean Town.

Cleveland’s Buddy

These days Francona lives in Cleveland where he manages that town’s team, the Guardians. It’s said he rides that scooter to work and back, eschewing any kind of ride-along or guard, and high-fives all the folks he meets along the way. He is obviously similarly beloved in Cleveland. 

And that’s why it seems everyone was stunned to find that someone had stolen his scooter! Now, times are tough, that’s true. It often feels like anyone will steal anything that’s not glued down. And Francona reportedly does not leave his ignition key in the scooter. Someone has to have pushed it, or tossed it into a truck or van. But it makes you wonder if the thief knew whose scooter it was.

Not A Pricey Scooter

It also makes you wonder about the IQ level of that thief. The scooter isn’t worth much—a used example of a Buddy 170i from the Genuine Scooter Co might fetch $3,000 if you’re very lucky and it’s in pristine condition. But it’s said Francona commuted on that thing all year round, through all kinds of weather, in Cleveland. That means around five years of salt, snow, sand, and whatever else lines the streets in that city.

A photo of a new Buddy 170i from the Genuine Scooter Co website, for reference.

On the other hand, it’s a 168.9cc four-stroke scooter that’ll do 55 mph.

Word Is, It Has Been Recovered

Not to worry, though! As soon as Francona reported the scooter missing, it seems as though the entire city went looking for the scooter. The perpetrator was not going to get away with it. And he didn’t – the scooter has been recovered.

It makes you wonder, though – was it a case like the (probably apocryphal) theft of Mr Rogers’ car? That thief, the story goes, returned the car with an apology as soon as he found out whose it was. Any Cleveland baseball fan would probably do the same.

The post Someone Stole the Wrong Scooter appeared first on Adventure Rider.

You may remember her from the last time we pointed her out, whether with her calendar or her travel guides. Or, you may remember when our own Justin ran into her at Overland Expo! 

Here, Try This Bike

Honda loaned her this 2022 Africa Twin Adventure Sport ES DCT for a whole summer. True to form, she put 10,000 (yes, ten thousand) miles on it in that time. She even did a “SaddleSore” ride and put a thousand miles on it in 24 hours. Now we get a really thorough review of the bike.

Specs and Interesting Features

First, she gives us a thorough breakdown of the bike’s specs as well as seat height and all of its features. She also gives us a great trick she uses to hop on the bike and pick up the side stand. Those of us who ride big, tall motorcycles know the occasional struggle of getting a loaded bike off the kickstand when it’s a bit downhill. She uprights the bike off the side stand first, and then hops on – nice trick!

One feature that’s new to me: cornering lights. Those are really cool. She says the seat could be more comfortable; in fact the seat is her main complaint. The bars could be rocked back a touch to make her reach to the bars easier.

A TFT Emulator

Zito clues us in on a Honda TFT screen simulator. This teaches you how to use your bike’s screen setup without poking at it for hours in your garage, or, worse, while riding. What a great offering!

All About DCT

She thoroughly reviews all the drive modes and the way the DCT works. The ride modes are key, and her complaint about not being able to feather the clutch (because there isn’t one) is common to Honda’s DCT bikes. She drags the brakes instead of feathering the clutch, but certainly there’s concern about long-term brake life with that technique.

Bigger Motorcycle == Less Fatigue

The biggest advantage of the Africa Twin, to Zito, is the size and comfort of it. Compared to her CB500 she found the Africa Twin much less tiring to ride. And again, those of us who ride big Adventure Tourers know this feature well. A small bike will beat you up a lot more on a long trip.I very much hope Honda lets her keep the bike. She puts a LOT of great motorcycle content out there, and obviously, truly loves the machine.

Beware, though: if you’re in the market for an Africa Twin, this video might push you right over the edge!

The post “The Magpie” Rides An Africa Twin appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Bolting New Stuff On

I fixed both of these issues fairly inexpensively. Both upgrades cost me around $30 US, each. The hand-guards came from AliExpress, and the replacement rear turn signals, eBay. Gotta love online shopping.

The guards ship with instructions, but those instructions don’t really help. Photo: Kate Murphy

Easy Install

The hand guards bolted onto the bike in a little less than an hour; that’s with me taking my time and snapping pictures as I went. The packaging for the hand guards included instructions, but as instructions go, they were pretty terrible. As with anything that bolts to a motorcycle, the best bet is to assemble it loosely, and then secure it to the bike loosely, and tighten all the bolts up as a final step.

The two-piece guard bolts together, and to the mirror mount point, with one bolt and clip. Photo: Kate Murphy

Two Bolts And You’re Good

Once I bolted the handguards together into one piece, I was able to use the supplied longer bolt to attach the guard to the bar-end, and hang the other mount point over the mirror stalk. One gotcha to keep in mind: the right side mirror mount is reverse-threaded. 

Unscrew your mirror, mount the hand guard, screw your mirror back in. Photo: Kate Murphy

Definitely Not Armor

These handguards keep the wind off, and that’s all. They could offer a slight amount of 0-mph lever protection, and might keep the errant sapling from whacking you right in the fingers. But they do not feature any kind of non-plastic backbone and are definitely not stout brush guards. These things will absolutely fall to pieces the moment they hit pavement with any kind of speed.

Fits right over the bar end Photo: Kate Murphy

All told, for an easy bolt-on process and decent wind protection at thirty bucks, I’ll take it. I know the limitations of the product, that they are not for protection from anything solid. They fit over the stock bar ends instead of replacing them, and show decent ease of fitment.

Turn Signal Problems

The stock turn signals argue with the SHAD luggage rack Photo: Kate Murphy

I also installed shorter-stalk rear turn signals to ease the “interference fit” of the original signals with the rear rack. I will say, I wish I had known before installing the luggage that this would be an issue. The signal replacement would have been a much easier “while you’re in there” while I had everything apart for that install. If you order questionable eBay turn signals like I did, pull your seat off first, find the signal plug, and test them both out before you begin the too-deep install.

Much More Work Than Anticipated

Instead of “while I was in there” installing the luggage rack, I had to tear the bike down to the rear subframe. The turn signals connect to the bike with a nut and bolt. That nut hides, inaccessibly, inside a lower cover. That cover’s mounting points hide beneath the rear side fairings. and those fairings, side luggage racks’ top bolts, and rear rack must all come off to remove the signals.

It’s times like these, I really appreciate working on motorcycles in a heated garage. Photo: Kate Murphy

Assembly Is the Reverse…

Other than the extraordinary amount of disassembly needed, the turn signal replacement was a very straightforward task. It really was exactly as easy as “unplug the originals, and plug the new ones in.” Of course, there was some zip-tie removal and reinstallation as well. Once I had the signals in place, and all the wiring secured, it was just a matter of reassembly. 

Installed: The shorter replacement right signal vs the longer OEM left signal Photo: Kate Murphy

G 310 GS: 200-Level Wrenching

I think owning and repairing a KLR for a decade, or maybe working on my SV650, has spoiled me for easy bikes to wrench on. I did not count on having to pull this bike down to the subframe just to swap out its turn signals.

Heck of a job, but worth it. Photo: Kate Murphy

The longer I own a bike, though, and the more I pull it apart and put it back together, I find, the better we know each other. If I had to do any side-of-the-road troubleshooting on this machine, I now know exactly what it takes to pull the tail apart, or yank the front plastics and tank shroud off. And these days I know to bring a handful of spare fairing bolts and clips with me when I travel, too.

The post G310 GS Build: Hand Guards and New Rear Signals appeared first on Adventure Rider.

About the Builder

The man doing the build in the video is Aaron Colton, who, according to his website, is “one of the most recognized Street Freestyle riders in the world.” He’s also a pretty accomplished bike builder. To have spent as much time around motorcycles as he has, it’s no surprise he can pull a bike apart, and put it back together, better than it was.

The Bike

The patient today is a Yamaha PW50. It’s the cutest little starter bike for a tiny little kid. Not only that, but it’s the very motorcycle Colton learned to ride on, when he was a kid.

It all starts, of course, with a good cleaning. The bike looks so much better afterwards. Aaron continues with a complete tear-down. The bike is so small and adorable, it looks like the “easy button.”

The wheels, engine case and forks get powder coated in some really lovely colors. Among them, a gloss metallic black frame, bright pink fork lowers, white wheels, and a gorgeous metallic bronze on the engine case. After the colors and engine disassembly, it’s time for the rest of the bike. There’s a surprise when it comes to the bike’s old graphics, though.

This Yamaha is a 1993 model. As much as we don’t want to think about it, 1993 was 30 years ago. Yamaha does not offer very many parts for 30-year-old machines these days, so the graphics are No Longer Available. Because he has contacts, Colton traces the graphics, scans them, and emails them to someone who will create new graphics for the bike, from scratch.

The Rebuild

Fast-forward through a carburetor rebuild, then an adorable scene with the new owner of the bike: Colton’s 4-year-old daughter. She helps hold the heat gun to pull the stickers off the gas tank. Colton then sands down the plastic to restore it, and rebuilds the forks.

The PW50 has no clutch, and has a shaft final drive. It’s a pretty perfect learner motorcycle. Colton makes it look pretty easy to rebuild, too. New Parts Day arrives with a bunch of boxes. Then, an assembly montage ends with a gorgeous little gem of a drivetrain. The engine, transmission, and final drive comprise a single, adorable unit that Colton then builds the bike around.

The Heartwarming Birthday

You’ll need to watch the last few minutes of the video to see four-year-old Luna ride the newly-rebuilt PW around a field. It’s a heartwarming scene, and honestly makes those of us whose parents weren’t supportive of our love of motorcycles a little jealous. Go little Luna!

The post A PW50 Rebuild To Warm Your Heart appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Not an Easy Install

To that end, I’ve installed Koso Apollo heated grips on the G310 GS. As some inmates had warned me, the stock grips put up more of a fight than I have ever experienced. I’ve installed replacement grips (some heated, some just new) on a lot of motorcycles. This took the cake for a bear of a job. That wasn’t the fault of the new grips, though.

I’ve been a fan of Koso’s Apollo grips for a few years now, ever since a friend of mine gifted me with a set. They put out a lot of heat; that’s their job. But they do it elegantly, with a fantastic low-profile single-button controller, unlike some other brands that need cockpit space for the separate knob.

Aftermarket, Not OEM

To be clear: I bought these grips myself, for the princely sum of around $120 USD, after looking up what a set of OEM heated grips for the 310 would cost me. No, thanks, BMW; I’ll stick with my known quantity here. Note, though, that the BMW grips replace the entire throttle tube assembly. At the bars, this is an easier replacement, but it does require more disassembly of the bike to access the stock accessory plug behind the headlight. I didn’t do that.

Pull Off the Stock Grips

The first step is getting the original grips off. That was, like I said, a challenge at best. Once you start, there’s no turning back, and there’s no saving those stock grips. I prefer to make every change and upgrade to my bike thoughtfully, so that it’s easy to return it to stock. That was a definite no-go here.

Photo: Kate Murphy

None of my tricks worked. I stuffed a small flat-head screwdriver between the grip and the tube. I mashed the tip of a compressed-air blow-gun in there too. The only way to go was to cut everything off. I soon found out why: the stock throttle tube is textured, and the stock grips are flimsy.

Photo: Kate Murphy

This involved a LOT of cut, pull, cut, pull. I have never had a bike fight me like this. Whew.

Trim and Sand the Throttle Tube

After cutting off the rubber grip, there was no way the new grip would fit over the textured throttle tube. So I went at it with a box cutter, shaving down all of the nubs on the grip. After I got that relatively smooth, I broke out the 60-grit sandpaper and went to work.

This is a filthy job, and you’ll end up with black plastic dust everywhere. I recommend having a vacuum handy. Photo: Kate Murphy

The texture in the plastic gives a good clue about making sure you’re sanding everything down evenly. I still used a micrometer to make sure I was keeping it mostly circular and similar along its length. 

Photo: Kate Murphy

You’ll see in the photos that I initially left the plastic ring molded into the tube on the inside of the bar intact. This was not a good plan. I did have to cut that all off, again with the box cutter and the sanding. Without doing that, the new grip would not have enough clearance to mount to the bike and still allow reinstallation of the bar end.

Photo: Kate Murphy

Once I got all of that sanded down with 60 grit, I finished with 120 grit to smooth everything out. I stopped there, though, to give the glue a good rough surface to stick to.

Cut the Left Hand Grip Off

The other side was much easier, though still did not come off with compressed air. I cut that one off, too, but that came off clean with only a little glue residue.

Photo: Kate Murphy

Clean the Surfaces

I cleaned both bar surfaces with 90% isopropyl to make sure there was no grease or oil on anything. Then, the mildly-scary part: installing the new grips. Koso includes a small tube of cyanoacrylate glue. I toss that in a drawer for later use, and haul out the better stuff: Super Glue branded “extra time control” gel glue. This gives you a little (but not a lot of) breathing room. I covered everything with old towels (sometimes even the gel glue splashes), donned nitrile gloves, got a dead-blow mallet ready.

Not a paid endorsement. This stuff is just awesome. Photo: Kate Murphy

Know Your Goal

I’m going to stop here and suggest you visualize where the wires and button will line up on the bike, and make sure you have a plan in mind for final position. The grip control is one button, which should face rearward, and all the protruding wires should not interfere with anything. You’ll have to work quickly, so visualizing the finish line is the way to go.

Work Quickly

I spread the glue on the throttle tube and zipped it on! And pounded it the rest of the way with the mallet. Even then, I needed to trim some of the grip off the end to make sure the throttle snapped closed, even with the bar end installed. The other side went on just a smidge easier. 

Photo: Kate Murphy

Route the Wires

I routed the wiring along the brake and clutch wires, using the stock wire holders where I could, and zip-ties everywhere else. I made sure the throttle-side wire had enough play to fully open the throttle without straining anything, and secured it from there. Then, I removed the bodywork covering the gas tank, to route the wires underneath and backward under the seat.

Worst. Fasteners. Ever.

I’ll say this here: I’ve been a BMW owner and rider since 2005, and I’ve worked on a whole bunch of BMW motorcycles, my own and others. This 310 is the first one I have ever seen with fairing bolts and clips made from an alloy of tin cans and cheese. Nearly half of the fairing bolts were cross-threaded into their clips from the factory. Removing everything took longer and was much more difficult than I was expecting.

Power Distribution

With the fairing off, I was able to route the grip wires under the tank and then under the seat. I took the opportunity to install a small fused power distribution block and relay. I tapped the trigger wire to the relay from the accessory wire at the bike’s fuse block (it’s easy to figure out what’s what in there; everything is labeled), and powered the distribution block through the relay from the battery. Now I have three empty slots for further installs, and the whole thing is keyed to the ignition.

A lovely little fused power distribution block. Photo: Kate Murphy

Tucked under the spare fuses, the power distribution stays put but is easy enough to access when I want to wire anything else up. Also note, I removed and reinstalled the battery anchor, to route all the wires underneath it and to one side of the battery. This will keep everything still, and the seat won’t pinch any wires.

Photo: Kate Murphy

Replace Those Fasteners

Reinstallation of the fairing went as well as you might imagine. Cross-threaded bolts remained cross-threaded, and several didn’t want to tighten back up at all. I went online and bought a full set of replacement fairing bolts and clips, because I definitely don’t want to deal with any of that again. Another very un-BMW feature, these cheesy fasteners.

The clips and fairing bolts were so bad, the “oh shit kit” did not help. Photo: Kate Murphy

The Grips: The Deets

The grips themselves work great and I’m very pleased with the install. The controller flashes white when I turn the key to start the bike, letting me know they’re powered and ready. They have five heat levels, and the indicator light changes color to let you know what level they’re on. When you push the button they go up each successive short push: blue (20%), green (40%), yellow (60%), orange (80%), red (100%). If you want them off altogether, from any level, hold the button down for three seconds and the grips turn off. All of these colors are easy to discern at a glance, even in bright sunshine. If the grips flash purple, that means they’ve noticed the battery is low, and in that case they turn off automatically. 

The Koso grips have a slightly larger circumference than the stockers, and they’re more comfortable to me. They’re also slightly stickier. I don’t have a problem holding the throttle open for a long time.

Installation: Grips 10/10. Very pleased. Bike: 2/10. Get it together with your fasteners, even on the cheap bikes, BMW. It’s like working on an old Kawasaki!

The post BMW G310 GS Build: Aftermarket Heated Grips appeared first on Adventure Rider.

ASMR for Riders

Even if a Honda CR250 isn’t your cup of tea, motorcycle-wise, watching this tear-down and rebuild from RRC Restoration is strangely hypnotic. Keep in mind, this is (according to the author) more than 2000 hours of work distilled into less than half an hour of video.

The bike isn’t in terrible shape to begin with, just well-used and a bit neglected. It obviously needed a bunch of work. The frame-up restoration turned it into a thing of beauty.

Here’s the video; before you click “play,” get yourself a cup of coffee or something lovely over ice. Best part: no annoying music, just shop sounds. Aaaah.

Pulling It Apart

Getting down to bare frame doesn’t take too much effort. That’s probably because the bike itself is small, and the engine is a two-stroke, which means that’s lightweight too. Each component comes off without too much of a struggle. That might be the magic of video editing, though.

First, he strips and repaints the frame. Then, the wheels (though the way he places the wheel on the tire machine gives me the jeebies; that’s not how you do that). The wheel components go out to be re-anodized, and then he relaces the wheels with new spokes and trues the wheel, and pops some new tires on. The rear wheel, of course, goes a lot faster than the front.

Putting It All Back Together

He blasts and replates all the swingarm parts, replaces all the bushings and bearings and reassembles, then does the same with the rear shock. Sadly, we don’t get to see his fork rebuild here, but if that’s something you’re interested in seeing in-depth, there are fourteen more videos of this build with much more detail than this one. And yes, one is dedicated to the fork rebuild.

He pulls the engine, transmission, and clutch apart, down to its components, and blasts, repaints, cleans, and replaces as necessary. Look how beautifully those frozen bearings drop into the heated case. All the gears, shafts, shift dogs piece together. Then the crankshaft; the case pops on, and it’s time for clutch reassembly.

Learn Along the Way

Anyone who doesn’t understand how a clutch works, only needs to watch this: outside, inside, outside as the friction plates, steel plates, and clutch springs mate the engine power to the transmission. A shiny new single piston and new rings pop right on the end of the connecting rod. The cylinder and head aren’t complete without a shiny new spark plug, and then it looks so easy to pop that little engine right back into the freshly-painted frame.

Carburetor, airbox, drive chain, exhaust—t goes quickly to the end. He skips all the plastic restoration, but listening to that thing fire up at the end (and see the shop full of smoke) is sheer glory. You can almost smell it.

The post Motorcycle Mechanics To Soothe Your Soul appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Now, a Wisconsin-born young lady, Bridget McCutchen, is aiming to break Avellano’s record.

Preparations

She spent about a year planning her route, with the help of some other young folks who had already accomplished that goal. In order to qualify for the Guinness record, she has to meet some specific criteria: she will need to ride the same bike for the entirety of the journey. She is not allowed to stay in the same place for more than two weeks. Also, she needs to cross the equator at least once. Finally, the journey will need to total 24,900 miles (40,075 kilometers). Her trusty steed for the adventure is a Kawasaki Versys-X 300.

Route

She started out, of course, from Wisconsin. Then, she stopped off at the Overland Expo, to meet and talk to folks who have done more extensive motorcycle travel than she has. She then knocked around the US a bit before entering Mexico. She’s currently somewhere in South America, if I am reading her Instagram correctly. Her plan is to make it to Ushuaia, Argentina. If you look that up on a map you’ll see it’s at the very southern tip of South America.

From Ushuaia, she’ll have to ship her bike to Europe (probably Spain). After knocking around Europe for a few miles, she’ll have to figure out how to get to the other coast of the Pacific Ocean. 

Border Problems

Her options for that leg of her trip, unfortunately, are a bit limited. In order to get through to that coast, her options are China, Iran, or Russia – none of which are feeling very friendly toward Americans right now. Borders being what they are, they’ll be her biggest obstacles. Anyone who has traveled extensively by motorcycle knows that the people of any country are not the government, so if she can get in, she’ll most likely be OK traveling through. Maybe. Her current plan is Russia, but she knows that might have to change.

Follow Her Travels

Her Instagram handle is “bike.will.travel” and it looks like she is having the time of her life, even if the road isn’t always easy.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Bridget McCutchen (@bike.will.travel)

From her website:

Part of the reason I’m traveling around the world is to show that the motorcycle demographic is changing. I represent the new generation of riders. Young women who enjoy motorcycling are a growing force; they are people who want to be more present, enveloped in the world, not encapsulated in the bubble of a car.

I love that sentiment. It gives me so much hope. Best of luck, Bridget! Stay safe, we’re rooting for you!

The post RTW Record Attempt: Bridget McCutchen appeared first on Adventure Rider.

The BMW G310 GS build continues. This time I’m testing out some soft bags for the bike. The SHAD TERRA TR40 Adventure Saddlebags that SHAD sent me for review are, in short, pretty impressive.

Soft-Luggage Problems

The hard vs soft luggage debate is one for the ages. My admittedly-dated experience with soft luggage left me with a somewhat sour taste about it. True, it’s more forgiving to your body parts when you drop your bike. And it’s useful when you don’t have any other option, and is generally inexpensive. It’s often strap-based and easy to mount to a bike, but can rub in all the wrong ways and wreck the finish on your bike. Soft bags are rarely fully waterproof, so if you find yourself in a deluge you better have made use of the old gallon-size zip-top bag packing trick. Also, they often only secure to the bike with hook-and-loop fasteners and zippers, so theft can be a real issue.

Photo: Kate Murphy

The Advantages Of Both

SHAD’s TR40 bags, though, blur the lines between soft bags and hard luggage. Their locking plate and 32L capacity combine a soft-bag form-factor with some real hard-luggage advantages. 

First, note that they have a hard molded plastic mounting plate on the back. They must mount on a rack, on the bike. Despite the lack of information on the SHAD website, the TR40 bags are compatible with both the SHAD 3P and 4P rack systems. If the only SHAD rack available for your bike is a 3P rack (which is the case for the G 310 GS), that’s OK. The TR40 bags definitely mount to the 3P rack.

Turns out, they are not the cheap strap-on soft luggage of old.

Photo: Kate Murphy

Locking Soft Luggage

The bags have an ingenious key-based locking mechanism which both locks the bags to the bike, and also locks the bags shut. Turn the key to roll down a pair of hard plastic nubs that secure the beefy aluminum buckles, to then open the Velcro closures on the top of the bags. Leave the key turned and pull out the locking tab, to pull the bag entirely off the rack. Once you understand how it works, securing or removing the bags happens in seconds, just like hard luggage.

Photo: Kate Murphy

Even locking soft bags like these won’t stop a determined thief with a sharp knife, to be sure. But the locks on these TR40s will prevent a random curious idiot from making off with your stuff.

Waterproof

The roll-top closure keeps a casual rainshower out, but a frog-strangler might find its way in. Happily, the bags have a drain hole at the bottom and ship with inner waterproof liner bags included. That combination ensures your stuff stays dry. Note: the waterproof bag liners are just that: liners. They are not heavy, beefy RF-welded drybags. They’re small, and easy to pack, and they are not meant to be used alone. 

This is the inside of the bag liners, with tape-sealed sewn seams for light weight and waterproofing. Photo: Kate Murphy

There’s also a small bag that can hold those liners (or other odds and ends), as well as a fuel bottle harness. Those two strap to the outside of the TR40 cases so you don’t have to find space for them inside. It’s nice knowing your camp stove fuel is secure, but has no chance of leaking into the rest of the stuff in your luggage. Alternately, you can pop a water bottle in there for easy access.

Even the lettering on the bottle harness is reflective. Reference: That’s a 20 oz (591ml) MSR bottle. Photo: Kate Murphy

Deets

Construction is 600-1200D polyester with the heavier “extra resistance” fabric in predicted “impact zones.” The bottoms of the bags are reinforced. They feel very beefy, and I don’t doubt they’d survive a decent slide down the road (or two). They certainly won’t be torn open by an errant sapling or tree branch while you’re exploring the woods.

Here’s a quick explainer video on how the bags and locks work. 

A MOLLE-compatible system of loops on the front and back of each bag means you can strap down all kinds of stuff to the outsides. Each bag is expandable through a system of six cam-buckles. Also, all of the grey lettering and details on the bags are reflective, to aid in visibility.

All the grey you see on the bag is reflective. Photo: Kate Murphy

Small On the Outside

Mounted on the bike, they’re much less noticeable than hard luggage. Empty and with the cam-buckles pulled tight, they take up very little space, and add very little weight to the bike. The top opening is extremely convenient, and the bags are deep.

Photo: Kate Murphy

I noted that throwing a leg over this bike with the TERRA hard aluminum luggage is a bit of a reach. The TR40 Adventure set is smaller front to back. That means mounting and dismounting the bike is much easier, even in my winter gear, than with the hard cases on. Empty, they’re much thinner, too; I don’t have to take them off in order to park the 310 in my tiny garage with its two big sisters. Hard luggage sits stacked in a corner; this soft luggage stays on the bike.

Big On the Inside

Expanded, these bags swallow a lot of stuff. On my next ADV camping trip, these will come in super handy. Not only will I be able to fill them with stuff, but I’ll be able to strap stuff down using them as tie-down points. Sure, soft luggage isn’t sticker-friendly, and they’re slightly fiddlier to access than hard luggage is, but these bags are a great example of the breed. Secure, small, waterproof, and lightweight, there’s no reason to take them off.

Photo: Kate Murphy

Buy the Shad Terra saddlebags here at Revzilla.

The post BMW G310 GS Build: SHAD TERRA TR40 Adventure Luggage appeared first on Adventure Rider.

In The Development Phase

Audyse Technology is in the R&D phase of producing a noise-cancelling helmet speaker system designed to fit into a motorcycle helmet. Murphy was inspired to create the tech after having some experiences like we probably all have. He went on some long rides and noticed his ears were ringing for some time after he got off the bike.

Earplugs Don’t Do It All

Earplugs work for a lot of us, but Murphy found the published noise reduction frequency range of most earplugs isn’t sufficient to stop all the hearing damage from wind noise. Murphy says:

Based on this information, we see that for typical foam ear plugs, they are less effective at stopping sounds below 500 Hz, compared to higher frequencies (i.e. 500 Hz and above). Our solution is being developed to improve on the noise reduction provided by foam ear plugs, while still enabling you to listen to music, communicate, etc. – something that ear plugs don’t address.

Frequency-Specific

Riders often find earplugs with a good Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) and call that good. Murphy finds, though, that some frequencies come through:

Motorcycle wind noise primarily occupies a very low range of frequencies below 500Hz with very specific peak frequencies, but the precise frequency characteristics vary depending on the type of motorcycle (speed, fairing, riding position, wind, etc). Low frequency sounds are transmitted more readily through solid materials – for example, the type of materials that might be used to passively cancel higher frequency sounds. An everyday example of this is how you can hear the bass (low frequency sounds) from music playing on the other side of a wall more than you can hear the treble. Active cancellation is most effective at these low frequencies. …Our device is designed to target primarily the under 250 Hz range utilizing electronic noise canceling, simply because this is the range in which the majority of the damaging sound is located.

Sharing Information

Audyse’s CTO, Jim Millan, Ph.D., is planning a series of blog posts on their website, explaining all of the research they have done and are doing. And it’s all about noise levels, but also sound frequencies, and where hearing damage occurs.

Photo: Audyse

Helmet Fitment

Their goal is to make their tech brand-agnostic when it comes to helmet fitment. The necessary form-factor of a noise-canceling system is a “muff” style. It needs to fit around, and somewhat seal off, a rider’s ears, inside a helmet. That’s a challenge from a fitment perspective. They’re working on it.

Availability

And on that note, the system is not ready for purchase or shipping yet. They’ll be testing it in 2023, and hope to get it on the market by the 2024 season. Their price-point aim is around $300 USD.

Competition

Now, yes, we’ve seen products like this tentatively pop up on the market before. Some of them end up as vaporware, and most only fit one helmet. The anticipated universal fitment sets Audyse apart. The only hitch might be the fact that most of us who use a bike-to-bike comm system are already committed to a brand. Will Audyse eventually be more than a helmet headset? Will they be able to pair with, and talk to, Cardo or Sena? That’s a tough nut to crack, but definitely worth exploration.

The vibe of the founder is very much riders-helping-riders. Everyone involved is an enthusiastic motorcyclist looking to improve tech in that space. We’ll keep an eye on them, and send good vibes (but not too loud).

The post A New Noise-Cancelling Helmet Speaker System? appeared first on Adventure Rider.

We’re Always Learning

Since its launch, international helmet standards and regulations have changed and updated. Therefore, to keep up with experience and research happening every day, the UK government is updating SHARP. They’re doing so with the the help of the Transport Research Laboratory. The TRL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Transport Research Foundation, a non-profit “established for the impartial furtherance of transport and related research, consultancy, and expert advice.”

Look Up Your Helmet

You can see the current state of their helmet rating system at the UK government SHARP website. It is loaded with information. 

TRL will update the SHARP scheme by reviewing a mountain of data, thusly:

Using its extensive collection of literature, TRL will review and critically appraise the scientific evidence base relating to motorcycle helmet safety, head injury criteria, relevant national and in-depth motorcyclist collision data and international motorcycle helmet test and assessment protocols. A gap analysis will then be performed to identify, evidence and recommend possible amendments for the enhanced SHARP test and rating protocols.

Call For Data

And they’re not just using data that they have already collected. They are currently, actively calling for more information and evidence. The project is aiming “to identify the evidence base for key factors associated with motorcyclist collision data, motorcyclist helmet impact mechanisms, head injury criteria and testing approaches.”

Benefit For All Motorcyclists

Even those of us who do not live in the UK will benefit from this research and study. Road-going motorcyclists all over the world wear helmets and, unfortunately, crash in them. All of us will benefit from research into how helmets protect us and how they don’t. This research will help improve helmet design. 

This project, called “SHARP 2025,” is currently collecting data for analysis. They are obviously aiming for a completion date in 2025, and we will keep you updated when that happens.

The post UK Government Updating “SHARP” Helmet Ratings appeared first on Adventure Rider.