PRODUCT REVIEW – BILTWELL BONANZA LE RACER HELMET – VINTAGE/GLOSS WHITE
The crew at Biltwell continue to impress with yet another tasty Limited Edition design for the now legendary Bonanza open face lid.
The vintage pearlescent off white is accented with a gloss white strip and fine gold pin striping. It has an unashamedly retro feel and works well with more classic styled customs.
I’ve had mine for a month now, and as per my other Bonanza lid, it fits well, is comfortable, and reasonably quiet for an open face helmet. It makes a change to be wearing something a little more subtle than my usually lairy lids.
The Bonanza’s interior features a custom-shaped EPS safety shell and a hand-stitched liner with moisture wicking brushed Lycra panels and open-cell foam padding for breathability and comfort.
The Bonanza has an injection-molded ABS outer shell with hand-painted finish and an expanded polystyrene inner shel. It features a hand-sewn brushed Lycra liner with contrasting diamond-stitched quilted open-cell foam padding. It meets DOT safety standards, but hasn’t been tested for EU certification. It’s fastened via a rugged plated steel D-ring neck strap with adjustment strap end retainer.
Biltwell is a company born from the alternative custom scene, and their products cater specifically to the needs of custom builders and riders. With this latest LE Racer helmet they’ve excelled themselves yet again.
PRODUCT REVIEW – AXO NORSTAR TRANS-AM BOOTS
Having thoroughly enjoyed Dirtquake and ScambleOn! this summer I’ve been carefully planning my next years domination of dirt. To succeed we all know we need the right gear, and I’m not shy of a purchase in that respect.
As I have an aversion to pretty much all contemporary motorcycle gear I searched ebay for a pair of vintage motocross boots, but every pair I came across were so rancid and rotten I couldn’t face the thought of stepping my delicate pinkies into them. Randomly my google search up popped the AXO Norstar Trans-Am boots.
These are brand new boots manufactured by AXO styled to recreate the legend of the Norstar boots that were popular in the early 1970′s motocross. They’re built from high grade leather and have six adjustable straps for a perfect fit. They are reinforced in the toe, shin, ankle and heel. They are accented with the classic red, white and blue stripes and chrome panels. The Trans-Am boot is part of a larger vintage line that includes Trans-Am gear and Trans-Am gloves.
These are a comfortable boot right out of the box, and the straps allow for a firm fit. (give yourself ten minutes to get them on!).They’re more tactile than my Tech 3’s in as far as I can actually feel the pedals and levers. They can be ridden on the road as well as in the mud, and offer a high level of protection. These boots are also very warm, so could be the ideal winter boot. And of course they look the business.
These are currently on sale on the AXO website in the US, and even if you ship them to the UK you’ll save some shekels even paying the duty.
PRODUCT REVIEW – DRAGGIN K LEGS LEGGINGS
So we all know armoured leather trousers offer the best protection for your pegs when riding your bike, but we’re pretty much all guilty at some time or another of wearing just jeans or chinos on a bike. Leather’s great, but not always the quickest, or most appropriate option.
Draggin’ have come up with a great solution, the K Legs. These are a full DuPont™ KEVLAR® long john that can be worn under any trouser. They can be slipped on underneath your pair of favourite pair of selvedge jeans or duck chinos, or even a suit trouser if the need be.
Draggin Jeans’ patented positioning system ensures that each of the primary contact points are well covered. Secured with heavy duty stitching, the K Legs are specifically designed and positioned to keep skin safe at all legal speed limits.
They’re double KEVLAR® and non-allergenic and fully washable, and the fabric softens with wash and wear. They’re breathable, flexible and comfortable, and of course easily removable once you get to where you’re going. They’re not bulky, so fit under pretty much anything. They also add an extra layer of insulation, so in the colder months will keep you warm.
I love these, it now means that I can wear what I want on my bike and have a pretty high level of protection. Of course there’s no armour, but I’m not going to get skinned alive if I slide up the road. These are a really practical solution, they pack down quickly once removed and take an instant to get on and off.
PRODUCT REVIEW – SCOTT USA 83X SAFARI FACEMASK
So you’re wearing your open face with goggles, footling along at seventy (we wouldn’t dream of going any faster officer) and it starts raining. A pleasant little jaunt is turned into a torturous ordeal as your face feels like it’s having needles fired at it. Or you’re doing a bit of gentle green lane-ing and splat, you get a mouthful of cow shit.
Not if you’re wearing your Scott 83 Facemask.
This retro styled motocross face kit is great. It fits well, is insulating, and well looks pretty mean too. It comes with an anti-fog lens in many shades – light-enhancing or tinted. It’s lined with hypoallergenic face foam and is held on place with a durable silicone lined strap.
It’s great for cold weather blasts and frightening old ladies, and is a useful piece of kit if you’re considering holding up your local sub-post office (not that we condone such bad behaviour).
Unleash the inner hooligan in you.
TOUR MASTER SILK GLOVE LINER
So the summer’s over and autumn is here. There are plenty more good riding days out there, but the temperature can start to vary wildly. There’s little more wretched than finding yourself with the wrong gloves and your digits starting to freeze.
The Tour Master glove liner is the perfect solution. it a 100% silk knit liner with a well insulating wide lycra rib wrist band. These are thin and sized well to set snuggly inside outer gloves. They also provide added comfort and helps prevent throttle blisters.
They’re perfect for those cold weather rides adding 5-10 degrees of usefulness, and when it’s warm the gloves are easy to stow away. Just stuff them in your riding jacket pocket and you always have them with you.
it’s always the tiny things that make all the difference.
via The Bike Shed
