USED & REVIEWED

TOP OF THE CLASS IS THIS THE BEST?
SHOEI HORNET ADV HELMET
Price – $999.90. Tinted visor – $109.95

Shoei claims that the new Hornet ADV helmet is the “world’s finest adventure helmet”, and after getting hold of one and riding with it for the last month, I can vouch for that. This really is the finest adventure helmet money can buy.

Sure, you do pay a premium for the purchase, but if you want the best, here it is.

From the moment I took the new Hornet ADV out of the box I was impressed with the Shoei quality, something that is evident throughout the entire range of helmets. The peak was immediately interesting, and I instantly thought, “A lot of wind tunnel testing has gone into that thing”!

When I put the helmet on, it felt just like a road helmet from the Shoei range. Never have I had an adventure helmet that felt as close to a road helmet as this one, and this is where it gets interesting. Not only does the Hornet ADV feel like a road helmet, it also has two distinct advantages which made it even better than a road helmet. First is the extra vision the newly designed visor gives. No helmet I have ever worn has as much peripheral vision as this helmet. The second advantage is the extra room around the mouth for better circulation.

In low speed peak hour traffic, both of these features are welcome. The visor is also Pinlock ready for the new Pinlock EVO insert that comes standard with the helmet, so no more fogging out in the bush on those cold mornings!

Here is a bit of blurb from Shoei about the new Hornet ADV.

“The all-new V-460 visor (peak) was honed to perfection during countless development hours in Shoei’s wind tunnel and on the road to create the perfect balance between aerodynamics and traditional visor functionality. The innovative “wedge” shape along with strategically placed vent louvers allow wind to pass through unobstructed during high-speed riding, ultimately reducing lift and drag. Along with superior aerodynamic qualities, the V-460’s shape was strategically designed to push air into the Hornet ADV’s upper air intake for optimal cooling, all the while maintaining its fundamental purpose of providing sunshade and roost protection during off-road riding.

Rounding out the V-460’s innovative features, easy-to-operate quarter-turn screws allow for quick removal and installation of the visor without the need for special tools.”

The peak is the most stable and fatigueless peaked helmet I’ve ever used.

I deliberately rode faster than normal to see what it would be like and all that wind tunnel testing has paid off,big time.

Shoei’s latest fully removable, washable, and replaceable 3D Max-Dry Interior System II material absorbs and dissipates sweat and moisture twice as fast as traditional Nylon interior, making it ideal for those long days on the road or trail, not to mention being super comfy. Additionally, the 3D-shaped cheek pads are available in multiple thicknesses for a fully customisable fit and the mechanical tabs disengage the cheek pads for easy removal by medical personnel if you have a tumble.

Abandoning the traditional mouthpiece of an off-road helmet, the Hornet X2 provides the additional protection needed in poor weather, and the multi-stage lower vent shutter allows the rider to fine-tune airflow for all riding conditions.

The new Hornet ADV helmet is available in sizes XS to XXL in 4 solid colours and 3 graphic designs, with the price for the solids starting at $879 and the graphics going up to $999.90.

You’ll be seeing a lot of this new Shoei within these pages, it gets a ten out of ten from me! See your local bike shop to grab one, or visit www.mcleodaccessories.com.au SW

ENTER THE DRAGON
DRAGON NFXS GOGGLES
Price – $119.95

To go with my new adventure helmet I also got some new goggles. McLeod Accessories, who distribute Shoei helmets, also handle Dragon Alliance goggles. I decided to try the NFXs goggles, which are the smaller framed goggle from the Dragon NFX range. I got the “Split Red” with the red-ionised anti-fog lens. The goggles come with a 100% UV clear lens, too.

Normally I’m not a huge fan of tinted visors out in the bush and the red-ionised lens may look heavily tinted, but in fact it isn’t. It provides great clarity in all but night time riding. If you are going to ride at night, you can get a Transitions lens.

The NFXs goggles feature armoured venting and a removable rock guard around the nose, four layer slant cut sweat absorption foam and a hypoallergenic micro fleece lining. You can fit up to 29 laminated tear-offs to the lens and the two inch adjustable silicon beaded strap has plenty of adjustment for all sized helmets. Available in a huge variety of colours, with a variety of lenses; visit your local bike shop or www.mcloedaccessories.com.au SW

SMARTER THAN THE AVERAGE BEAR
SJS SMART START
CHARGER 12,800MAH
Price – $139

I’ve had the misfortune of having a flat battery on a number of occasions with my race bike, so I was after a battery pack that could handle firing up my cantankerous beast without fade as well as coping with not being charged itself for quite a while. The result is the mid powered SSC05 unit from SJS – Smart Jump Starters. The SSC05 is a 500Amp, 12.8 Amp lithium polymer technology unit and is claimed to jump start most engines up to 3000cc diesel and 6000cc petrol. I deliberately let my race bike’s battery get as fl at as could be and then I accidentally flooded the thing while testing out the SJS starter. I was surprised that it did not fade and supplied bulk amounts of power to get the beast firing. I was instantly laughing like an idiot and Alana sort of knew I was over the moon with the SJS, because she’s seen the flip side when I can’t get the thing going!

The SSC05 power pack comes in a zip carry case and also features insulated jumper leads, 240V Australian standards approved 15V DC wall charger, 12V DC-15V DC car charger, USB cable and 8 USB interface adaptors, multi volt charging adaptors and cable, and a user manual. So out of all the contents in the carry case,you have a power pack that will nearly charge the space station in a blackout and will jump start the most viciously difficult beast you’ve got. And, if that’s not enough you can get the SSC06 (priced at $199) with enough power to transport you into the next universe, or if you don’t want that sort of power and would like a really tiny unit, you can get the SSC01 for $109. Visit your local bike shop or www.kenma.com.au and smile the days away! SW

EASIER THAN EASY
SJS TYRE PUMP
Price – $39.95

To make life really easy you need a tyre pump that is electric. Just about all electric tyre pumps on the market connect to your battery, which on many bikes requires dismantling of panels and all sorts of mucking around.

This is where the SJS tyre pump comes in. It plugs into one of the SJS Smart Charger packs and away it goes, pumping up your tyres with ease. I was lucky enough to ride an immaculate Z1300 – yep, one of those big six bangers and as I have become accustomed to, the owner usually doesn’t have the tyre pressures up to what they should be. So I tried out the SJS pump on both the front and rear (which had less than 18psi!) and the pump worked perfectly. The gauge on the pump was close enough so that I could switch it off and check with a proper gauge, requiring only a minor adjustment. The unit itself is small enough to pack anywhere in your luggage for touring and is even handy for your car tyres! My floor pump that really gets the sweat going in the hotter months or when you’ve got your riding gear on has all but become redundant, and for that, I am a happy chappy.

Visit your local bike shop or www.kenma.com.au to purchase. SW

PROTECTION OF THE HIGHEST ORDER BERIK FORCE 2.0 RACE SUIT
Price – $1249.95

Having worn my previous all white Berik one piece leather suit for a couple of years now, I thought it time for a change. I have gone for a more understated black with white detail Berik suit, called the Force 2.0 Race suit. This is the top of the range suit from Berik and has many superb features found in much more expense leather suits.

It is made from 1.1-1.3mm premium full-grain cow leather, super tense-tex stretch fabric at the elbow, crotch and back of the knee to provide flexibility and comfort, and a full removable mesh lining with super air tech at the body and calf to offer better comfort and air circulation.

It has CE approved internal protectors for the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, external magnesium protectors at the shoulders and knees to provide maximum protection from impact and abrasion, an aerodynamic hump, perforated areas to improve ventilation,elasticated leather panels at the knees,back of the waist, back armhole for comfortable and flexible movement, neoprene at the collar, cuff and hem to reduce thickness and give greater comfort, double layer leather reinforcement at the elbow, shoulder and seat, Velcro inside front panel to facilitate a chest protector if needed, air-vent at back side for better air exhaust and temperature regulation,memory foam under the collar to give the collarbone more safety and comfort, wrist belt on cuff, tail bone padding and removable knee sliders.

Sizing is normal. I take a size 62 Euro in one piece Berik suits and it was tight when first worn, which is sort of what you want, so that after wearing it a few times the fit is more personalised to your body. And as with all suits off the rack, you will need to get the knee sliders into the right position. With all the flexible parts built into the suit I am not restricted at all on the bike and can move around to get myself into the right position while cornering on the track, swiftly. I also like that the suit features space for my back protector to be comfortable while riding. Be guided by your salesperson when you buy it to get the size you’ll need. The Force 2.0 Race suit is available in sizes S-4XL (up to 64 Euro) and in colours Black/White (as you see here) or a Black/Yellow. See your local bike shop, or visit www.ficeda.com.au SW

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