Motorcycle Clock

by Rick K. for webBikeWorld.com

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Time is a relative concept, right?  Especially when riding a motorcycle.  Unfortunately, time seems to be getting more and more precious as each year passes. 

No one seems to have any time to do anything any more!  It's a lucky motorcyclist indeed that doesn't have to worry about getting home or making that next appointment.

A good time keeping device, whether it's a clock or a watch, has become somewhat of a necessity in today's ultra-paced, over-caffeinated world. 

But a watch doesn't cut it on a motorcycle - definitely too hard to peel off a glove and unfasten a Velcro'd cuff just to take a glance at a wristwatch.  Kind of dangerous, too...

There are a couple of motorcycle clock retailers out there, but Formotion has to be the King of Motorcycle Clocks.  They've been around for some time now, and their product line has greatly expanded from their original little motorcycle clock. 

They now offer dozens of different types of clocks, including the tiny stick-on Spot Clock shown here in many different colors and configurations.  They also sell compasses, clock mounts and be sure to check out the really cool-looking N-Wave watch!

I'm a time freak, no doubt about it, and my latest favorite is a Casio Waveceptor solar powered "Atomic" watch.  It looks great and it is dead accurate. 

Every time I've checked, it's exactly, and I mean exactly, coordinated with the master clock at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.  Hey, if I'm going to be a clock watcher, I may as well be watching an accurate clock!

So when I came across this Formotion Spot Clock, I just had to grab it.  It's relatively expensive at $19.95, but Formotion has packed it with some really nice features. 

It's waterproof to 3 ATM (atmospheric pressure), which is the minimum waterproof specification for Formtion clocks (some of them are tested to 5 ATM). 

The movement is made in Japan by Citizen, and the body is alloy with a 316L stainless steel back.  Formotion also claims that the clock is vibration proof, but I'm not sure what that really means, because I couldn't find any specifications for this claim.

The Spot Clock is available in a bunch of different color combinations, with a choice of white, red or black faces and silver, black, white, red and even a purple-colored bezel.  The clock weighs only 10 grams, or 3/8 oz.  It's only about 21 mm (about 3/4") across and 9 mm (about 3/8") thick. 

Formotion added a good quality 3M double-sided tape on the back with the exposed side covered.  There's a piece of vinyl that must be removed (not easy if you don't have sharp fingernails) and it seems to stick to just about anything. 

I attached it to a rear-view mirror on my bike, but it was too far away for me to see, so I relocated it to a spot on the instrument cluster.  The clock is small enough to fit about anywhere, but it's size is also a slight drawback, especially for those with, uh, more mature eyes. 

After looking at a few of the clocks that are offered, I think the white faced clocks are easier to see because they have better contrast against the black hands.

The Spot Clock has a sweep second hand that moves once per second.  The outer bezel can be rotated, but it's hard to move and I'm not sure it's worth it anyway, unless you really need to mark the time of the beginning of a ride for some reason.

I'm not sure what type of battery the Spot Clock uses.  Formotion recommends that the clock is taken to a jeweler to replace the battery.  They also have a battery replacement service at an expensive $22.50.

Formotion offers a 90-day satisfaction guarantee on their products.  They also have an interesting lifetime guarantee: if it ever breaks or gets scratched or even dirty, send it to them with $22.50 and they'll refurbish it or replace it. 

This isn't a bad deal on the more expensive $40-50 mounted clocks, but probably not a bargain for the $20 Spot Clock.  But as they say in these parts, "it's better than a sharp stick in the eye".

So if your motorcycle doesn't have a clock installed as original equipment, don't fret.  Formotion probably has one that will look just as good or better.  The only problem is that the old "I didn't know what time it was" excuse will no longer cut it with your significant other!