California Superbike School Review
Re-Learning to Ride With the California Superbike School Maybe you’re a fairly new street rider or maybe you’ve been riding for some time. Perhaps you took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Beginner’s Rider’s Course and even the Experienced Rider’s Course once or twice to help keep those skills updated. You’ve also read every book you can …
Yamaha FJR1300
Diagnosis: MBS (Multiple Bike Syndrome) Chances are pretty slim you’ll find any articles about Multiple Bike Syndrome in the AMA magazine. That’s the Journal of the American Medical Association, by the way! But there’s another AMA journal where you can read about MBS: the one that’s published by the American Motorcycle Association. Some of us …
Stainless Steel Brake Lines
Stainless Steel Brake Line Upgrade (Redux) We bring all of our senses to task when riding a motorcycle — with the possible exception of taste! — to operate the machines below us and maintain a certain level of safety. It’s as if we become part of that machine in some manner; there’s a constant flow …
River Road Balaclava
River Road Balaclava Review Editor’s Note: A balaclava (aka balaclava helmet) is defined as “a cap that is close-fitting and woolen and covers all of the head but the face.” I did some research to try and find the origin of the word, but to no avail. However, I did come across some interesting British …
Trans-America Trail Ride Report
The Suzuki DRZ-400S on the Trans-America Trail Glen and I returned safely from our adventure ride on the western portion of Trans-America Trail. We successfully completed the trip, reaching Port Orford, Oregon on September 4, 2013 around 4:30 pm, after 13 days on the trail. So, how did the mighty 2003 Suzuki DR-Z400S (blog), which I …
Motorcycle Wheel Re-Spoke, Part 2
Motorcycle Wheel Spoke Adventures Part 2 Part 1 (“Re-Spoke Motorcycle Wheels“) described my experiences at re-spoking a motorcycle wheel for the first time. That article covered the “what, why, and how” of the project. I had also mentioned in that article that I would be doing another spoke job in the near future. This time, …
Suzuki DR-Z400S Frame Brace
Home Made Frame Brace for the Suzuki DR-Z400S In this series, I have been preparing my 2003 Suzuki DR-Z400S for a ride on the second half of the Trans-America Trail. In a previous article, I installed the IMMIX Racing luggage rack (review) on the bike. But I became concerned about how much weight the Suzuki’s frame would …
Sena SMH10 User Report
5,000 Miles With the Sena SMH-10 Summary Audio quality and volume were first class. Battery life is impressive. But the delay in the VOX is a problem. Editor’s Note I lent Chris a pair of the “Version 1” Sena SMH10 intercoms for his Trans-Labrador trip. Sena now has an updated version of the SMH10 …
BMW R 1150 GS
Multiple Bike Syndrome Part II: My BMW R 1150 GS Frequent webBikeWorld visitors will remember my “Multiple Bike Syndrome” article, where I described some reasons for owning two motorcycles rather than only one. If you recall, I had just purchased a brand-new 2006 Yamaha FJR1300A to add to the stable. I was tickled with the …
Multiple Bike Syndrome Part II: My BMW R 1150 GS
BMW R 1150 GS Summary Frequent webBikeWorld visitors will remember my “Multiple Bike Syndrome” article, where I described some reasons for owning two motorcycles rather than only one. If you recall, I had just purchased a brand-new 2006 Yamaha FJR1300A to add to the stable. I was tickled with the new ride and proceeded …
Hyper Lites Review
Hyper Lite Motorcycle LED Lights Anyone that has spent time on two wheels — either on a bicycle or a motorcycle — knows what a never-ending battle we have as far as our safety is concerned out there on the highways. Other highway users (i.e., everyone else) seem to have taken the term “multi-tasking” to …
Sena SMH10 Rider-to-Passenger Report
The Sena SMH-10: A Rider-to-Passenger Intercom Just to spice things up a bit, I added some photos of the Sena SMH10R, the newest Sena intercom that trades the “Jog Dial” for a new low-profile shape. We’ll have a review coming soon. A Long-Distance Trip I wrote two previous reviews of the Sena SMH10 intercom (“Sena …
Stubby Tire Tools
Stubby Tire Tools Review Stubby Tire Tools are easy to use and they provide good leverage to get the job done without damaging your rims. They are a welcome addition to the tire changing equipment in my garage. Early in my career as an Automotive Technician (we were just “mechanics” or “grease monkeys” back then), …
Re-Spoke Motorcycle Wheels
Adventures in Motorcycle Wheel Re-Spoking With a Suzuki DRZ400S This is not intended as a complete “how to” article on re-spoking a motorcycle wheel. Instead, the intention is to relate the problems I encountered along the way when I recently re-spoked a set of wheels for a Suzuki DRZ400S. Perhaps some webBikeWorld readers will benefit …
Sena SMH10 User Report
Part 2: 4,000 Miles With the Sena SMH-10 on the Trans-America Trail I loaned Chris another Sena SMH10 intercom pair for his latest adventure, a trip on the Trans-America Trail. This was the latest version of the SMH10, with the most recent firmware update. Chris is an experienced intercom owner and user but has limited …
Avon Storm ST Sport Motorcycle Tires
Avon Storm Motorcycle Tires on the FJR 1300 Observations and Ruminations Go to any motorcycle specific website and you’ll find what are often referred to as “recurring, never ending topics” and most of them revolve around either tires or motor oil. Ask the question “what’s the best tire or oil for my bike” and you’ll …
Throttlemeister Cruise Control Review
The Throttlemeister Cruise Control This is another article in an ongoing series to make my new 2006 Yamaha FJR 1300 the “Ultimate Sport Tourer”. Having been spoiled by my ’99 BMW K1200LT with such luxuries as heated grips, heated seats, six-disc CD changer and fully electronic cruise control, I decided I was going to need …
HJC Sy-Max vs. Sy-Max II vs. Sy-Max III
HJC Sy-Max vs. Sy-Max III Comparison Yeah, I know — if you read my report on the HJC Sy-Max II helmet latch failure, I said I�d be looking for another brand of helmet. But then I heard about the Sy-Max III and after an exchange of e-mails with the engineers at HJC, which included some detailed …
Zero to Sixty: A Dakar Adventure
Zero to Sixty: A Dakar Adventure By: David Mills Paperback or eBook, 183 pages Publisher (Self Published): Trailblazer Guides February 2014 Dimensions (inches): 6 x 9 inches ISBN: 9781483408446 Cost: $14.99+$3.99 S/H paper; $8.99 eBook I was aware of the Dakar Rally, or what was originally known as the “Paris to Dakar” Rally, but I really …
Rotopax Fuel Pack Review
Rotopax Fuel Pack for the Suzuki DR-Z400S During the planning stages for our assault of the western half of the Trans-America Trail, Glen and I knew that we would be crossing some desolate areas void of fuel stations. This is similar to our Trans-Labrador Highway ride (report) in 2011, when we also needed to carry additional fuel. …
Michelin Anakee III Tire Review
Michelin Anakee III Tires Summary When I first purchased my (used) 2002 BMW R 1150 GS (review), my intentions were to explore more unpaved roads. It wasn’t long before I discovered that riding off-road requires an additional set of skills, especially when riding a bike as large and heavy as my GS. You can learn …
Michelin T63 Tire Review
Michelin T63 80/20 Dual-Sport Tires I found the Michelin T63 tires to be reliable both off-road and on the pavement. They have excellent tire wear for a knobby off/on road type tire. The T63’s handled whatever surface we encountered on the western half of the Trans-America Trail with aplomb. They provided good grip on the …
Teiz Motorsports Sahara Jacket Review
Teiz Motorsports Sahara Jacket The Teiz Motorsports Sahara jacket is a comfortable, functional garment. It served me well throughout the entire 15 days of the western portion of the Trans America Trail ride. The fit — bespoke in this case — was great and if you don’t notice your gear when wearing it, it’s doing something right. The …
Sidi Adventure Gore-Tex Boots Review
Sidi Adventure Gore-Tex Dual-Sport Boots Review The Sidi Adventure Gore-Tex boots are the top of the Sidi Adventure-Touring boot lineup. They’re a quality piece of riding gear and they’re not inexpensive, but serious riders may discover that these boots will probably outlast lesser types. The height of the Adventure Gore-Tex boots doesn’t work on my …
Suzuki DR-Z400S Clock Repair
Repairing the Digital Clock – DR-Z400S The Suzuki DR-Z400S clock is part of the electronic dashboard display. Apparently, the clock can go bad while the rest of the display still functions. A completely new digital instrument cluster will cost plenty, but it’s possible to fix the clock. Here’s how I did it. Regular webBikeWorld visitors …
Motorcycle Tool Tube Storage
Motorcycle Tool Tube Stash Box As I mentioned in my Motorcycle License Plate Stash Box review, there’s a serious lack of places to mount, store or hide things on my 2003 Suzuki DR-Z400S. This is a big difference compared to my other adventure bike, the 2002 BMW R 1150 GS (report). One big question with the Suzuki …
Motorcycle License Plate Stash Box
Stash Box for the Suzuki DR-Z400S When I purchased my 2003 Suzuki DR-Z400S, it never entered my mind where I would store the registration and insurance card on the bike. On all of my previous and current, bikes there has always been a convenient, secure place to keep that sort of paperwork, either under the …
Touratech Adjustable Folding Shift Lever
Touratech Adjustable Shift Lever Review I was planning a ride across the Trans-Labrador Highway in Canada in the summer of 2011. While planning for this trip, I was concerned about riding my 2002 BMW R1150GS (review) on the hundreds of miles of gravel roads. I don’t ride off-road very often, so I had a real fear of …
Teiz Motorsports Navigator
Teiz Navigator Outfit Review The Teiz Motorsports Navigator two-piece outfit is a delight to wear. It is comfortable with ample venting and insulation and it is made with quality components and obviously some thought about a motorcycle rider’s needs. I think Teiz Motorsports has put together an excellent product at a competitive price point. At …
King of Fleece Motorcycle Seat Cover Review
The King of Fleece to Prevent Wet Butt Syndrome (WBS) Most stock motorcycle seats are perfectly fine for shorter rides in sunny weather. But if you spend a fair amount of time in the saddle — and not just the “Iron Butt” types — then chances are you do a bit squirming around on that …
Continental TKC 80 Motorcycle Tire Review
Continental TKC 80 Tires The Continental TKC 80 tires provided excellent performance both on and and off road. More: Dual sport tire sizes, information and photos from the 2012 Dealer Expo. webBikeWorld readers may remember my recent review of the BMW GS Off-Road Riding Skills DVD, which sparked an idea: to ride the Trans-Labrador Highway. Soon after, my …
Flip-Up Helmet Safety
HJC Sy-Max II Helmet Latch Failure I normally wear a full-face helmet when I’m riding a motorcycle unless I’m evaluating a flip-up for a webBikeWorld review. My feeling is that the advantages of a flip-up helmet usually do not outweigh the disadvantages. I also find flip-up helmets to be generally heavier, louder, less comfortable and …
Throttle Days Mexican Adventure – wBW Video Review
When Rick asked if I could review the Throttle Days Mexican Adventure video, I was recovering from some surgery and wasn’t allowed to do much of anything else, so the timing was perfect. I had purchased the previous video in the series, Throttle Days Dual Sport Adventure (review), based on the positive webBikeWorld review a few years ago. Having found that video mildly …
BMW GS Off-Road Riding Skills DVD – wBW Video Review
BMW GS Off-Road Riding Skills A friend and I occasionally talk about a fantasy ride to Alaska, but it has so far remained one of those dream rides that probably won’t happen. A ride like that would take 5 to 6 weeks, time enough to enjoy all of the sites along the way and not …
Cardo Scala Rider G4
5,000 Miles With the Sena SMH-10 The mainstream Cardo scala rider G4 is one of the most popular Bluetooth helmet communications systems on the market, with a loyal following around the world. But I still see if as another leading edge example of a product whose potential has not yet been realized. The G4 is …
Handy Motorcycle Table Lift Review
The Handy SAM 1000 Motorcycle Table Lift Well-made motorcycle table lift that is often used by professionals and in motorcycle dealerships and repair shops. Many options are available and the table can lift up to 1,000 lbs. (453 kg). If you’ve ever considered purchasing a motorcycle table lift for working on your bike then you …
Tourmaster Sentinel Jacket
Tourmaster Sentinel Rain Jacket Review The Tourmaster Sentinel jacket is an excellent choice for an outer layer rain and foul weather garment. It meets the claim of being both 100% waterproof yet it has some ventilation, which makes it more comfortable in warmer temperatures. The jacket has adequate storage in the three outer pockets and it stows …
Cycle Hill Motorcycle Tire Changer Review
Cycle Hill Motorcycle Tire Changer In my previous review of the No-Mar tire changer I mentioned that motorcycle owners can save money by changing their own tires. Most people wouldn’t even think of changing the tires on their car, but changing the tires on a motorcycle is another matter. It’s not that difficult — as …
Echo Quick Release Review
Echo Quick Release Helmet Buckle Review The Echo Quick Release helmet buckle is easy to install and use. It’s an inexpensive and very effective alternative to fumbling around with the usual D-ring helmet retention system. Some motorcyclists like the tried and true double D-rings and strap for securing a helmet onto one’s noggin. This arrangement …
K&N Air Filter
K&N Air Filter Review The K&N air filter offers a possible increase in power and longer air filter changing intervals. But the K&N air filter must be cleaned and oiled using a special procedure. When I purchased my 2002 BMW R1150GS last spring it was with the knowledge that it had seen very little use …