I tend to write
down everything I read about motorbikes (well mostly) and post it on my
web - it keeps my old brain ticking over. This blog pertains to
motorcycles and articles I am interested in and includes some video
reviews with no adverts.
I
receive no
remunerations from any third party mentioned herein. However if you have
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In 2024, I
purchased a Honda NX500 Adventure Motorcycle to add to my two sports bikes in
the garage. Unfortunately, bike lust remains and the
Triumph T120 Bonnevilleis lurking at the
back of my mind and on my wish list.
There is no doubt that the T120 would be my choice for a retro 1960s style
motorcycle. However, it is just bike lust and may never happen. I ride
(alternatively) each of my three bikes and I enjoy their different
characteristics but perhaps a fourth bike would be too much?
________________________________
6th July 2024
Confidence with Age!
BugMoto has produced an interesting video on riding a motorcycle in old age -
________________________________
21st June 2024
My New Helmet!
It was time to purchase a new
helmet to be used with my sports motorbike as my previous Shoei NXR matt black
helmet was well passed its 5 year 'Health and Safety' limit. Having previously
used it without any issue, I decided to purchase the newer variant, the Shoei
NXR-2. I went for the Capriccio TC10 version as shown in the image below.
The main reason for the NXR-2 was its light weight (one of the lightest helmets
in the marketplace). I liked the red/black colour which is set down on a matt
finish. I knew there would be no problems with this helmet. The fit was exactly
the same as the previous NXR model and the central locking visor and new air
vents proved an excellent improvement. I purchased the Shoei NXR-2 Helmet from
Saltire Motorcycles.
The Shoei NXR-2 is a nice snug fit with a safe D ring fastening and very
comfortable on my head (59cm/Large). It is very quiet at 70mph on the dual
carriageway; albeit, I always wear a cotton tube around my neck and up over my
nose. I have already worn my new helmet in heavy rain at high speed wearing my
Oxford Advanced Storm Collarand like my
previous NXR model it kept out the weather. The icing on the cake - it
looked cool when I am out and about on my matching coloured
Triumph Speed Triple RS Motorcycle.
________________________________
12th June 2024
Klim Ai-1 Rally Airbag!
The other day I measured all
my motorbike jackets using the
In&Motion Sizing Tutorial video and was pleasantly surprised to
find that there was
enough
room in all of them (even wearing my thermals inside my Rev'It Gore-Tex
Touring/Adventure jacket) to fit a
Klim Ai-1 Rally Airbag, with Level 2 D30
back protector and Level 1 D30 Chest Protector. I can even wear my backpack
provided I allow room (10cm/4 inches) between the shoulder straps and my body. In the UK,
Sportsbikeshop supply a Klim Ai-1 Rally
Airbag with the In&Box Control Module included in the price. You then download
My In&Box App
to your Smartphone and register your control
module and membership rental plan. The default mode supplied with the control
module is Street Mode and you can also add Track and/or Adventure for an
additional monthly rental cost.
If the airbag is inflated due to a spill, you
can purchase a new In&Motion Inflator Canister to easily replace the used one in
the airbag. And, provided the airbag is not damaged, it can sustain 3 inflations
before it has to be sent back to
In&Motion for
checking before it can be used again. Full information at
In&Motion Tutorialswhich includes My In&Box
Activation video as shown below. Scroll down the In&Motion Tutorials Page to the
'How Can we Help You' question and answer section for more advice.
The Klim Ai-1 Rally variant has superior chest and back protection to the
Standard Klim Ai-1 one. I am seriously
considering the purchase of a Klim Ai-1 Rally Airbag as soon as it becomes
available again. Apparently it is in short supply and it is rumoured that it may
be upgraded to include shoulder protection - hence the delay.
________________________________
5th June 2024
Dog Tags &
Dedicated Knee Armour Protection!
Apparently motorcyclists are
30 times more likely to be involved in a road accident than car owners. When I
am out and about on one of my motorbikes I always
wear
set of dog tags around my neck from
Armydogtags.
I purchased
a
set 10 years ago as I figured that dog tags could prove ideal in the
case of an accident.
I went for the 'Special Forces' type which
are all
black including the chain and I have my name and address on one tag and my next of kin details with
phone numbers on the other.
Despite some recent videos from motorbike reviewers about their reasons for NOT
wearing armoured clothing, All my motorbike jackets and trousers have armour protection
pads slipped in. However, with regards to my trousers, I leave in any hip
protection armour but remove the knee armour. For a guaranteed fit over my knees
I use a pair of heavy duty Forcefield Grid Knee
Protectors which fit over each knee like a stocking with 2 sets of Velcro draw
in tags for each one. The Forcefield website seems to be under some sort of
construction at the moment but
Sportsbikeshop has different types on offer.
No matter how careful I ride, no matter if I stick to within the speed limits, I
have lost count of the times I have had to swerve to avoid an oncoming vehicle
on the wrong side of the road at a corner or someone coming out of a driveway
onto the main road. Shit happens, especially when riding on diesel oil spills
from trucks and buses at roundabouts, and especially when it is raining, and
very often luck has a lot to do with escaping injury, even death on UK roads.
Of course, there are no absolute guarantees of protection, especially during a
'high side' at speed which can throw you up and high into the air and tumble
when you hit the deck. In this video, the guy got off lightly as his speed was
not too excessive and the fall was not from a great height. One of these days, I must
invest in an airbag system and a matching jacket for use when I am riding my
sports bikes.
________________________________
28th May 2024
Hydrogen Powered
Motorcycle!
Having watched this video,
there is a small fortune to be made by anyone who offers professional hydrogen
conversions for combustion engine motorcycles. Of course, the hydrogen
electrolysis conversion would have to be installed inside the bike rather than
fitted at the rear.
To all intents and purposes, the converted motorcycle would look - just
like the original.
A combustion engine motorcycle which runs on hydrogen gas and all you require is
a regular top-up of water - now that would be a game changer.
________________________________
23rd May 2024
Honda NX500 Motorcycle
- 1st Country Ramble!
After my Honda had received its 600 mile service, I decided to take it
out for a country ramble up in the hills of Duns and on some proper
off-road trails. The following video, finally made up my mind that at my
age, off-road riding was not for me. I was very fortunate that my tyres
were not damaged on those rocks and that I did not crash and damage my
new bike. In any case, having searched the internet for designated
off-road motorbike trails up in the hills of Duns in the Scottish
Borders of Scotland, I came up short. The last thing I want is to fall
foul of a farmer who resents me riding on his land.
However, riding the bike on those narrow 'single traffic' roads on the
hills, overlooking Duns and the Scottish Borders proved to be very
enjoyable. This was one of the reasons for
purchasing the Honda NX500 and it is working out very well.
________________________________
14th May 2024
Motorbike Reviews!
YouTube is the preferred media format for
motorcycle reviews and there are countless reviewers spouting their views on the
latest 2024 motorcycles and even the older models. Of course, most are seeking
financial rewards for their hard work in preparing a professional video review
for us to watch. Having tried my hand at making a motorbike video review, I was
less than satisfied with my efforts and I now fully appreciate those
professional reviewers and what they must go through to produce a video.
Is there any merit in watching those reviews and the answer is a resounding yes,
especially for a youngster starting out and planning to get their first bike.
These videos broaden your knowledge regarding all the aspects of owning and
riding a motorcycle. However, if you are VERY lucky you will come across an
honest salesman who will take onboard what you want to achieve with a motorbike
and point you in the right direction, even if he cannot supply the bike of
choice. Of course, there is no substitute for taking a dealerships demo bike out on an extended
run, perhaps for a couple of hours and road tested on all the different types of
roads. A road test is not full proof but coupled with a decent video review from
an honest reviewer, it will provide you with the best analysis of a bike and
whether it is suitable for you.
One of the best motorbike video reviewers on YouTube is
Mark Pulling but of
course, if you are seeking a review on a particular motorbike, it may not be in
his portfolio. However, there are humongous amounts of video reviews out there
and invariably a quick search will bring up one or more, on the motorbike you
are interested in. Mark's review on the new 2024 Honda NX500 Adventure
Motorcycle put
my video review of my NX500 to shame -
________________________________
14th May 2024
The Joy of Motorbiking!
Someone who likes to tour the UK or any other
country on his tourer will
enjoy the feeling of freedom, where his thoughts regarding the troubles of the
world and even his own life are far removed as he concentrates on his riding
down the highway and taking in the pleasant views. The guy on his adventure bike
on casual country road rambles and who enjoys off-road thrills has certainly put
everything else at the back of his mind. Then there is the guy on his
sports bike, carving up those twisty corners and he certainly has no other thoughts,
due to a massive adrenalin rush and his brain being fully occupied in keeping
his body alive. I guess Guy Martin
sums up motorbiking best, “the reason I do it, is because if you do it
wrong, it will kill you.
If you think it’s too dangerous then go home and cut your lawn and leave us to
it.” Of course, Guy was a TT racer but riding a motorbike on UK roads is
also dangerous. There are a myriad of
quotes to describe the joy of motorbiking and the one which best encapsulates the
above is “your bike is discovery; your bike
is freedom. It doesn’t matter where you are, when you’re on the saddle, you’re
taken away.”
I have one great
regret; I wish I had passed my motorbike test at 16 years old, back in the 1960s instead of
waiting until 2014. I must book bed and breakfast on the Isle of Man before I
get too old. The Isle of Man TT commences on the 27th
May and I have a comfy seat in front of my television and some beer to watch the highlights. In the meantime, British Superbikes, World
Superbikes and MotoGP are back on the TV.
________________________________
13th May 2024
Amazfit T-Rex Ultra
Watch!
I purchased my
first smart phone in January 2022, a
Sony 5 Xperia IIIand a sport series
Amazfit GTR 3 Pro smart fitness watch to pair
with it. Its a terrific combo and as well as being a fitness watch which also
monitors my heart beat, oxygen and stress levels, I can
receive and answer telephone calls on it, especially when my smart phone is
buried in an inside pocket of my motorcycle jacket. The watch operating system is from Zepp and they also provided an excellent fitness app for my smart phone. The
watch also receives text messages, emails and notifications from my phone.
My watch still holds its charge and has never let me down. Over the years, I
have collected some nice analogue watches but these days its the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro which is permanently on my wrist, even when
riding my motorbikes.
However, I am considering purchasing a more rugged watch, especially for when I
am snorkelling in the Forth Estuary and the
Amazfit T-Rex Ultra is top of my list. It
has all the features of my existing Amazfit watch and more. It can be purchased
from Amazfit or from
Amazon UK. The great thing about the
Amazfit watches is the sheer number of different digital faces that you can
select from the watch operating system and download even more choices from the
internet.
________________________________
8th May 2024
DJI Osmo Action 4 Camera
I am considering purchasing a
DJI Osmo Action 4 Camera for my
photography when I am out and about on my motorcycles, especially on my new
Honda NX500 Adventure Bike when I am country rambling. Of course, I own a
professional camera but when you are out on a motorbike, it requires to be
stored in my backpack and is not easily accessible, especially when I only have
a few seconds to achieve the shot.
Recently I completed a video of me riding various roads on my Honda NX500 which
was reasonable but my in-expensive
Crosstour CT9900 Action Camera which
produces excellent video and photographic images proved very noisy when I was
travelling at speed on a motorcycle. Of course, I am not a motorcycle vlogger
but it got me thinking, I am out and about on my bikes a lot and I often come
across a wide variety of wildlife and landscapes; why not purchase a better action camera
to capture the moment from my bike? I
watched the video below and after checking out the
DJI Osmo Action 4 Camera Specifications I
was impressed. The temptation to purchase is strong and
Amazon UK are selling the Osmo 4 for £289,
albeit the camera requires a
SanDisk 256Gb Memory Card costing £24.99 as
it does not come with one.
A neat
video comparison on the DJI Osmo Action 4 and the GoPro Hero 12 -
________________________________
10th April 2024
Scotland's Terrible
Weather - New Winter Clothing!
Over here in Scotland during March and April we
are experiencing terrible weather. Storm winds, heavy rain and
periods of extreme cold,
especially
when riding a motorbike. My Honda NX500 adventure motorcycle has proved to
be an excellent choice and thanks to the weather I have been able to fully
develop new clothing for this year's late Autumn and Winter periods.
My
fully sleeved
base layer, 10 year old
Rev'It Gore-Tex touring jacket and
Rev'It Gore-Tex
trousers with their thermal layers and heavy Richa
Gore-Tex gloves kept me dry but even with my Honda NX500 motorcycle's
heated grips warming my palms, the back of my hands were
freezing.
Worse still, after a few miles on the dual carriageway, the areas under my arms
were also freezing. My new
Oxford Advanced Storm Collar
did a great job of keeping the rain and cold of my neck and my
Alpinestars boots were fully waterproof and cold proof thanks to my thermal
socks.
In an effort to combat the cold, I put on my skin tight fully sleeved
base layer, and then a fully sleeved M&S Marino Wool thermal vest. To
top of the two layers,
I purchased an
Oxford Advanced Expedition MS Midlayerwhich was a tight slim fit and when zipped up, it pulled the layers
tight in against my body. On went the Rev'It Gore-Tex jacket and
Rev'It Gore-Tex
trousers with their thermal layers, my Alpinestars boots, my Oxford Advanced Storm Collar
and I
also purchased a pair of
Rev'It Fusion 3 Gloves which are
Gore-Tex winter gloves specifically designed for wearing with heated grips.
Finally, the cold was kept at bay, and the summer weather (hopefully)
will soon be here but next winter I will be out and about on my Honda NX500
wearing my new clothing to combat the worst of the Scottish weather.
________________________________
27th March 2024
My New Honda NX500 Adventure Bike
at 600 Miles!
My Honda NX500 adventure motorcycle has proved to
be an excellent choice. During the last few weeks, it
has easily handled the high winds and heavy rain in the worst
of the Scottish weather. The
suspension and tyres inspire confidence, even around rain soaked corners. It is now
in the garage waiting for its first service appointment, which unfortunately is
in early May, due to the workload of the Honda dealership.
More in my
Honda NX500 Adventure Crossover Reviewon
this websiteand
this
is an unprofessional video review about my Honda NX500 Adventure Motorcycle. It covers
my experience of riding the bike on various types of road in Scotland
and a couple of emergency brake tests at 70mph and 60mph.
At the very end of the video, I voice
my conclusions about my bike.
The video was made using an in-expensive Crosstour CT9900 4K Action
Camera and produced using an old version of Power Director Software
which only renders in HD and not 4K.
________________________________
27th February 2024
Becoming a Biker!
If you are young or old, becoming a
biker is fairly easy and it is a gradual migration. At the very least, at 15
years and 9 months or over, you can apply for a provisional motorcycle licence
or
providing you have a car driving licence, you can then head off down to your local
dealership who usually provide a day’s CBT course on one of their 125cc
motorcycles which will give you a CBT certificate.
Sure, you may not enjoy it, you may simply walk away, but think of the
challenge. And if you like the sensation of riding a motorcycle, all you have to
do is purchase a 125cc motorcycle, pop on a L plate, purchase protective jacket
and trousers, a helmet, gloves and boots, and you are set for the road. It is
addictive and to step up, there is a ‘Government Theory Test’ on a computer and
advanced riding courses available. These, depending on your age, will gradually
get you into a 650cc and later an even larger 1,000cc motorcycle. I went through
the entire process at 65 years of age and I have enjoyed every minute of it.
There are lots of second-hand 125cc motorcycles, because every day, other bikers
are graduating to larger machines. Of course, you can purchase a brand new 125cc
motorcycle and later when you sell it and step up, you will not have lost much
money. The brand new
Yamaha MT125 is a 125cc motorcycle (image below) that
weighs in wet at a lightweight 142Kg and costs £5,102.00 in
the UK.
________________________________
27th January 2024
Toyota Changes the Goal Posts - Goodbye EVs!
I have
written many times about 'Hydrogen Electrolysis' - that school experiment which
can be industrially upscaled to produce hydrogen gas to propel electrical power
plants and combustion motor vehicles. JCB have already manufactured a hydrogen
gas combustion engine which is propelled by hydrogen gas produced from an
upscaled electrical hydrogen electrolysis plant. Toyota have also joined the
hydrogen gas combustion engine club.
However, Toyota has moved one step further and is set to kill of the future of
EV (electric battery) vehicles. Imagine a vehicle filled with a tank of ordinary
tap water which is electrolysis converted within the vehicle to produce hydrogen
gas and drive the vehicle's hydrogen gas combustion engine -
enough
room in all of them (even wearing my thermals inside my Rev'It Gore-Tex
Touring/Adventure jacket) to fit a
especially
when riding a motorbike. My Honda NX500 adventure motorcycle has proved to
be an excellent choice and thanks to the weather I have been able to fully
develop new clothing for this year's late Autumn and Winter periods. 
freezing.
Worse still, after a few miles on the dual carriageway, the areas under my arms
were also freezing. My new
I purchased an
