by Rick K. for webBikeWorld.com

I love flashlights, no doubt about it.  I'm not sure why, either.

I guess they bring back memories of my Boy Scout days and the motto "Be Prepared".  Surely a flashlight and a good knife are two of the absolute must-have items when preparing for any contingency.

A modern instantiation of the Be Prepared motto could be something like owning a BMW R1200GS that's been equipped with aluminum panniers, brush guards, GPS and extra-knobby tires and using it for the daily commute. 

After all, you never know when you might have to head out into the wilderness of suburban D.C. for a couple of months and survive on wits and rugged equipment, right?

Tool freaks certainly recognize this logic.  The worst thing that could happen to a tool freak is to start a project on the motorcycle or car, reach into the toolbox and find that the correct tool is not available. 

All of this adds up to a good justification for why you can't have too many flashlights.  Just suppose you get that call tomorrow morning from the Smithsonian asking you to swing by and inspect the bore of their recently acquired Scott Squirrel?  You and your Streamlight will be perfectly equipped for the job!

Always on the lookout for new and interesting portable light sources, I found this Streamlight Stylus Reach at a Police supply store.  I'm afraid to ask why the Police would want what is basically a bore scope that looks suspiciously like the ones that are used by the Doctor for inspecting, uh, the nether regions of 50-year-old males, but let's just call it a flashlight - one that's just right for motorcycle owners.

It's small and thin enough that it seems like a toy at first touch.  But the Streamlight Stylus Reach has an aircraft specification aluminum tube body with a threaded cap (tiny O-ring included) on one end to cover the three AAAA batteries.  Streamlight doesn't fool around with the batteries either - the Stylus Reach comes equipped with some of the best batteries available, the Energizer e2 Titanium. 

Streamlight claims that the Stylus Reach is waterproof and unbreakable (their words).  It carries a lifetime warranty and a 10-day money back guarantee if you're not satisfied. 

In addition to the aluminum casing, it has a (claimed) unbreakable single 100,000 hour LED that puts out a lot of clean, white light for its size, a 60-hour burn time, and a pocket clip.  It's also available with a blue LED, which is said to be easier on the eyes. 

The Stylus Reach is about the same diameter as a pencil, and the flexible gooseneck arm that holds the LED attaches to the body of the light by snapping into a retainer clip.  The flashlight operates just like a ball-point pen, by pressing and holding the button on one end for a quick shot of light, or by twisting the end cap to the "on" position to maintain a continuous stream of light.  The clip can also be used to hold the light on the outside of your shirt pocket, and the flexible arm can then direct the light on to the work if necessary.

The gooseneck is made from flexible metal with a copper and PVC lining.  It's slightly stiff, and it doesn't hold a 90-degree position very well, but those are minor quibbles.  The Stylus Reach is 34.5 cm long (13.5"), including the 159 mm long aluminum body.

Conclusion
The Streamlight Stylus Reach is a high-quality LED flashlight that works great for stowing in a chest or tank bag pocket because it's so small and thin, yet powerful.  It works as both a general flashlight and as a scope to peer down into the bowels of your motorcycle during repairs. 

It works especially well at night, because the light can be directed precisely on to the working area with hardly any spillover that can ruin night vision. 

It isn't a complete replacement for a big, powerful hand-held flashlight, but considering its size, it's a nice alternative and functional light source.  It is slightly on the expensive side, at nearly 20 dollars, but considering the lifetime warranty, I think it's worth it.

Streamlight Stylus Reach LED Flashlight
Available From:  Streamlight	Suggested Retail Price:  $19.99
Colors:  Black Weight:  48 g (1.625 oz.)	Made in:  U.S.A.
More:  wBW Flashlight Page

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