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Motorcycle Travel Other Motorcycle Blogs Travel Tips You Must Be Trippin' - Click on the Title to View Entire Article

All About Motorcycle Tires

When your motorcycle is in motion, your tires are the only parts of the bike that touch the ground. And yet, so many riders pay little attention to those vital components, nurturing them only when they fail – which is too late. Understanding more about your motorcycle’s tires and how to care for them properly…

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BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Fuller Moto KTM Other Motorcycle Blogs

Urban Assault Machine: Fuller Moto’s KTM Duke 690

Urban Assault Machine: A custom KTM Duke 690 from Fuller Moto
What’s your perfect urban runabout? When Bryan Fuller of Fuller Moto wanted something light and quick for navigating the streets of downtown Atlanta, Georgia, he picked the KTM Duke 690.

At only 330 lbs dry with compact proportions, and powered by a punchy single-cylinder motor that’s good for 70 hp and 69.8 Nm, it’s an ideal choice. And when Bryan found a brand new 2013 Duke at a good price at the local KTM dealer, he couldn’t resist.

Urban Assault Machine: A custom KTM Duke 690 from Fuller Moto
“Atlanta has lots of tight, old narrow streets with plenty of cars to navigate quickly,” Bryan explains. “Large bikes designed to cross the whole country on freeways just don’t fit the job.”

“The test ride was impressive: power is incredibly strong but the clutch is so light you can practically use your pinky to actuate the clutch. Quite handy while trying to get to the shop with a coffee.”

Urban Assault Machine: A custom KTM Duke 690 from Fuller Moto
“I call it the ‘Scalpel,’ because you can cut a curve like you’re on a knife’s edge. A flick here, a merge over there. Power into a wheelie and make a stoppie at the next light.”

Bryan wasn’t too nuts about the Duke 690’s hyper-modern styling though, so he did what he calls a ‘two day hot rod’ job on it.

Urban Assault Machine: A custom KTM Duke 690 from Fuller Moto
By the second day of ownership all the plastics were on eBay, then the tail section was tossed and replaced by some basic fabrication to hold the stock seat in place. With the license plate zip tied on, Bryan rode the Duke around town for the next couple of years, smiling all the way.

Bryan’s a master hot rod and custom bike builder though, so the Duke 690 was never going to stay that way. Finally, he hauled it onto the bench for a proper Fuller Moto redesign.

Urban Assault Machine: A custom KTM Duke 690 from Fuller Moto
First on the list were the KTMs stock radiator—it was too ugly for Bryan’s taste, so he tasked Wes Hines at the Fuller Moto shop with adapting a pair of aftermarket units. Wes also simplified the wiring harness and ditched the ABS.

The project had hardly started when it changed gears. “Tom Arbeiter stopped by for a visit,” explains Bryan. “His company Industrial Depot supplies shops like mine with all we need to do our jobs.”

Urban Assault Machine: A custom KTM Duke 690 from Fuller Moto
“Tom was looking for a new bike to ride to his facility in Gainesville, north of Atlanta, and I hate seeing my friends ride stock bikes! I felt with all the great support his company has given us over the years, I should make him a good deal on the KTM. That’s when the real custom work started.”

It’s the svelte new metal bodywork that catches your eye first, but there’s an equally distinctive change out back. Bryan sourced a single-sided swing arm from a Ducati Monster S2R, and the rear wheel from a Ducati 1198.

Urban Assault Machine: A custom KTM Duke 690 from Fuller Moto
With a little modding, the swinger was hooked up to a Fox shock that was rescued from the shop bin and rebuilt by CompuTech.

Then Bryan got cracking on the new bodywork, by first playing around with it at his home garage. “I take some of our projects home to lay out how things will look during my free time, working around the family’s schedule,” he explains. “The Yamaha Big Wheel BW80 is one of my favorite rides and a big inspiration on this.”

Urban Assault Machine: A custom KTM Duke 690 from Fuller Moto
Welding rod was tacked together, along with chipboard and masking tape, to get the basic shape right. Then Bryan headed back to the shop and roughed the final forms out of metal. “Most of my days in industry have been spent metal shaping,” he says. “So it’s here I feel the most happy and confident.”

Namesake (and Fuller Moto linchpin) Bryan Heidt then took over, finishing off the parts and making them work. That meant re-using parts like the OEM fuel pump, gauge and vent, so that the Duke 690 would ride as stock but look a whole lot better.

Urban Assault Machine: A custom KTM Duke 690 from Fuller Moto
Peek under the tail, and you’ll see a louvered bottom panel. That’s functional—it keeps air flowing to the filter, which runs under the seat. The seat up top was upholstered with some leftover aircraft-grade synthetic leather, leftover from another project.

Tom naturally wanted the bike to promote Industrial Depot, so the Fuller Moto crew put their new Multi-Cam water jet machine to work—and cut out the front radiator guard with the company’s logo.

Urban Assault Machine: A custom KTM Duke 690 from Fuller Moto
The headlight mount brackets inspired the triangular grid pattern; it’s repeated on the panels that fill in the gaps in the trellis frame, and on an insert in the end of the exhaust can. (The exhaust muffler’s a universal-fit MotoGP style item source off eBay.)

The side panels hide all the wiring, all of which is held in place with 10-24 ARP 12-point fasteners—standard practice at Fuller Moto. Up front is a LSL headlight, retrofitted with an upgraded projector and halo.

Urban Assault Machine: A custom KTM Duke 690 from Fuller Moto
‘Daisy Duke’ was originally going to be finished in orange (frame) and raw metal (bodywork). But Tom’s corporate ID is black, white and green, so car designer Murray Pfaff was called in to help design some graphics. Mike Lewis shot the final paint, and Chastin Brand worked a little pin striping magic.

The final result is a 70 hp urban whip that now weighs less wet than it originally did dry—and looks a damn sight radder too.

Urban Assault Machine: A custom KTM Duke 690 from Fuller Moto
“I’m really proud of the result,” says Bryan. “It’s the perfect bike for short turns and bursts of speed. She barks a nasty single rumble and disappears into the dust leaving others behind.”

Daisy Duke debuted this past spring at the 2018 Forged Invitational on Jekyll Island, Georgia—the event’s second running. She’s now back to Fuller Moto for a final shakedown and delivery.

“Only bad thing,” says Bryan, “is that once Tom has it, I’ve lost my ride! Maybe a new Duke 690?”

Fuller Moto website | Facebook | Instagram | Images by (and major thanks to) Steve West of Silver Piston Photography

Urban Assault Machine: A custom KTM Duke 690 from Fuller Moto

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Cruising Other Motorcycle Blogs

Spoken Moto in Bend, Oregon is a Custom Bike Hot Spot

Spoken Moto in Bend, Oregon

Coffee in the morning, craft beer by night, and a steady rotation of motorcycles make Spoken Moto a hot spot for the two-wheeling tribe in central Oregon

After scoring a large cache of Japanese streetbikes from the ’60s and ’70s on Craigslist, two partners branch out to open their own multi-faceted shop.
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Cruising Other Motorcycle Blogs

Simplify Ride Planning With TomTom’s New Rider 550 GPS

TomTom’s New Rider 550 GPS

TomTom’s latest features a glove-friendly 4.3-inch touchscreen and a faster quad-core processor along with Wi-Fi updating

TomTom’s Rider 550 GPS is an new motorcycle-specific satellite navigation device with appealing features like weatherproofing, Wi-Fi updating, and lifetime maps.
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BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Other Motorcycle Blogs Yamaha motorcycles

Best Kept Secret: A Yamaha TRX850 revamped in Moscow

A Yamaha TRX850, revamped by CCW in Moscow
If you’re looking for a donor for your next build, look back to the 1990s. That decade is chock-full of untapped potential—hidden gems that might not have been big sellers, but now offer great performance at bargain prices.

We’re quite intrigued by the Yamaha TRX850 in particular. First launched in Japan in 1995, then in Europe a year later, it was something of a parts bin special. It was powered by the same 849 cc parallel twin as the TDM850, but with a 270 degree firing interval.

A Yamaha TRX850, revamped by CCW in Moscow
MCN said it was “a match for Ducati’s 900SS in its day, but it never sold well.” And it wasn’t bad looking either, with a trellis frame that mimicked the Ducati it was trying to nick sales from.

But is it customizable? One relatively young custom shop in Moscow thinks so. Chemisov Custom Works were handed a 95 TRX850 and an open brief, and responded with this angular café-fighter.

A Yamaha TRX850, revamped by CCW in Moscow
CCW is a two-person team, made up of Ivan Chemisov and his wife, Lyudmila. They’ve been operating for less than two years, but Ivan has plenty of prior moto-experience. He’s worked as a mechanic for sixteen years, including a stint wrenching for a race team.

A desire to do more creative work prompted him to launch CCW, and before long a friend booked in the TRX850 for a makeover. Even better, he gave Ivan and Lyudmila complete creative freedom on the project.

A Yamaha TRX850, revamped by CCW in Moscow
The couple drew inspiration from the most unlikely source. They’d tied the knot in Georgia a month before the build began, with the Ushba Mountain in the Caucasus range as a backdrop.

So the tank and tail of the TRX850 would symbolize the mountain’s distinct twin peaks, and the polished and black finishes on the bike would hint at the ice, snow and rocks that cover the mountain.

A Yamaha TRX850, revamped by CCW in Moscow
But before Ivan could whip up a new design, he had to bring it back to spec. The TRX850 hardly started, ran badly when it did, and made poor compression. So he tore into the motor, did some head work, and replaced a whole list of parts, including the valves. Then he installed new air filters, and rejetted the carbs with a Dynojet kit.

All of the Yamaha’s original body parts, including the fairing, went in the bin—revealing more of that pretty trellis frame. “Visitors at the workshop constantly asked the same question,” Lyudmila tells us. “From what Ducati is the project being built?”

A Yamaha TRX850, revamped by CCW in Moscow
But with the bike stripped down, Ivan noticed that the frame design was not symmetrical—which gnawed at his perfectionism. So instead of just editing the subframe as planned, CCW ended up tweaking the central part of the frame too.

The TRX’s new bodywork is a monocoque affair, which Ivan shaped from aluminum using the only tools available: a wooden mallet and his hands. The fuel pump’s hidden under the tank, to keep the design as compact as possible.

A Yamaha TRX850, revamped by CCW in Moscow
Ivan’s always had a close connection to racing, and that’s influenced the smaller details. The seat is bare bones—a single layer of race foam, to keep weight down. (In fact, the entire tank and tail section weighs just four kilos). And the tank breather tube integrates with the radiator and crankcase breather tubes.

There’s more metalwork lower down, in the form of a set of aluminum wheel covers. Finished in gloss black, they add some presence to the bike without appearing bulky. Getting them to fit meant modifying the front brake setup, and Ivan built in angled valve stems, so that you can still pump the tires.

A Yamaha TRX850, revamped by CCW in Moscow
With respectable 135 mph performance and handling out the crate—and a limited budget—there wasn’t a need for excessive chassis upgrades. CCW simply added braided brake hoses, and upgraded the reservoirs.

They reworked the top triple tree though. The ignition was moved, and LED built idiot lights into the triple. The stock dials gave way to a single tacho; in keeping with the race theme, there’s no speedo.

A Yamaha TRX850, revamped by CCW in Moscow
The stock clip-ons were replaced with a new set from LSL, mounted lower for a more aggressive stance. LED turn signals were installed in the ends, with a pair of square LED headlights doing duty up front (one each for high and low beams).

There’s another nod to Ushba up front—a mountain-shaped plate that doubles up as a headlight mount and triple clamp reinforcement.

A Yamaha TRX850, revamped by CCW in Moscow
Out back is a side-mounted license plate holder, which also carries a taillight and turn signal combo LED. The whole bike’s been rewired too, with most of the components—including the battery—now stashed under the tank.

CCW kept the bodywork polished, and finished almost everything else in black. Little parts like levers were polished, and all the fasteners were swapped for stainless steel items.

A Yamaha TRX850, revamped by CCW in Moscow
A pair of stubby stainless steel mufflers with built-in dB killers finish things off, mounted to the stock headers via custom connector tubes.

The overall vibe is muscular and mechanical, even if it doesn’t look particularly comfortable or practical. But this is completely intentional, born out of Ivan’s love for performance machines that are built to go fast rather than far.

A Yamaha TRX850, revamped by CCW in Moscow
“In our ideology of customization, style and functionality stand in first place,” says Lyudmila, “and comfort and practicality go to the background.”

Between budget restrictions and the condition of the donor bike, it took CCW a year to finish the TRX850 off. Now that they’ve broken onto the scene, we’re hoping their next project kicks off soon.

With any luck, it’ll be another forgotten 1990s jewel.

Chemisov Custom Works on Instagram | Images by Lyudmila Chemisova

A Yamaha TRX850, revamped by CCW in Moscow

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Cruising Other Motorcycle Blogs

Honda CTX700N vs. Kawasaki Vulcan S vs. Suzuki Boulevard S40

middleweight cruiser brawl
Bikes

These three beginner middleweights give recreational riders lots of appealing features in the middleweight space

With features like Honda’s DCT, Kawasaki’s adjustable ergos, and Suzuki’s chopper styling, the middleweight cruiser class is full of beginner-friendly options.
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Gear Reviews Motorcycle Clothing Reviews Motorcycle Jacket Reviews Other Motorcycle Blogs REAX Ridge Textile Jacket Web Bike World

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket Hands-On Jacket Review

First, some background: REAX is a new riding apparel line recently launched by Comoto Holdings – that’s RevZilla and Cycle Gear to you and me. I am fortunate to have friends working within this group, who were willing to speak candidly with me about it, on the condition they be left anonymous.

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket Full Back View

The gear is being marketed directly to the Millennial generation, and that was readily apparent to me as I started seeing the Cycle Gear advertising for it in particular. It is widely believed within the company that this group, in particular, has pretty specific tastes when it comes to riding apparel, and REAX is tailored to meet what they believe those to be.

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket Full Unzipped View

Colors, branding, and styling in these products is decidedly low key. Bright colors, large logos, or anything that would be considered avant-garde styling wise is strictly off the table. If you are old enough, as I am, think 1979 and prior.

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket Closeup Interior Neck Logo

Although made with modern materials, and with modern safety features, no new ground is being broken by its appearance. This, I was told, is exactly what Millennials want. Completely modern in function, but with an older look.

Shopping Now? We Recommend:

webBikeWorld has worked closely with RevZilla over the years to provide our testers with products to review. In addition to being a great site to shop from, they’re also a great partner.

RevZilla

Free shipping on orders over $40
30-day no-nonsense return policy
Excellent selection of all major brands
Awesome pricing

Buy This Helmet on RevZilla

Construction

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket Black Color

The Ridge is a textile jacket, marked as being constructed from 95% nylon, and 5% spandex. I was not able to find out specifically anything about the weight or weave of the outer shell material. It looks and feels like 600 denier weight to me, with a tight enough weave to provide a relatively soft feel.

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket Interior Tag Information

A spandex stretch panel is sewn in over the shoulders, and runs under the arms, along with a similar panel over the elbows, providing better freedom of movement. The arms are also pre-curved, and do not bunch up inside the elbows when on the bike.

Color selection for this jacket is limited to two – charcoal and black, which is the one tested here, and “Loden”, which I think could be most readily compared to olive drab.

Logos and branding, as mentioned above, are quite subdued, with the largest being the REAX logo embroidered into the rear of the jacket’s neck and a very small one embroidered on to the bottom front right of the shell. The logo embroidery is barely any darker in color than the rest of the shell, and it does not stand out as a result.

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket Back View of Black Jacket

One of the nicest features in this jacket is the removable black interior liner. It is windproof, with a nylon exterior shell, elastic cuffs on the wrists, and a soft fleece interior. Two zippered hand warmer pockets are on the outside, along with mesh hat style pockets on the inside. The left chest also features a zippered pocket, which is surrounded by orange stitching. A small orange elastic loop is attached to the rear of the neck, there for attaching the liner to the jacket via a nylon loop with a snap fastener, attached to the jacket’s neck.

The liner is so nicely made, that it stands alone as a garment you would likely wear by itself once off the bike to keep chilly air at bay.

Attachment of the liner to the jacket is very well thought out. Two zippers, one for each side, are used to attach the liner, in addition to the aforementioned snap. Once zipped up, the zipper pulls go into fleece-lined garages, preventing the pulls from resting directly on your neck. I like this separate zipper design, versus the type that uses one that has to go around the entire circumference of the jacket. Having one straight pull, up and down, makes attaching and removing it less fussy than trying to make the zipper follow a curve.

The Ridge features waterproof pockets in the outer shell in the places you would expect to find them – two zippered hand warmer types in the lower front, and a zippered waterproof Napoleon pocket in the left chest. The tail area features a full-width zippered rabbit style pocket, presumably for storing the liner when removed. Two hat style pockets are found inside, made with the same mesh the jacket is lined with. A hook style metal key ring is attached inside the left front hand warmer pocket – a nice touch.

The jacket also features a lot of ventilation zips – eight in total. Two are in the upper chest area, one on each forearm, behind a hook and loop adjuster cuff, and one on each side of the torso, running front to back, in a slight curve as it runs around the side of the body. Two very small vent zips are found on the rear of the arms, over the tricep area. The vents on the sides are also tack stitched inside, to prevent the mesh liner they open to from being torn.

This jacket is marketed as being fully waterproof. The main waterproofing layer is bonded directly to the interior of the outer shell. The main zipper in the front features a wide drainage flap, designed to catch any water that gets through and direct it down. This zip can be operated from the top, or the bottom, opening or closing either way. The exterior zippers are also equipped with pulls, allowing easy operation with gloved hands. Zipper pulls all nest into nicely made garage ports when closed.

All exterior zippers in this jacket are YKK Aquaguard types – not Aqua Seal. Although these zips are quite water resistant, they are not truly waterproof. More on these later.

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket Closeup Magnetic Collar Clasp

The neck area of this jacket is another place where it is exceptionally well thought out for comfort. The top 2.5 inches (6.35 cm) is lined inside with microfleece, featuring what I believe is a neoprene roll at the top edge, with an Adam’s apple cutout of the same material in the neck closure flap.

The best feature of that closure is a large, strong, and well-placed magnet, that holds against similar magnets sewn into the liner. It is extremely easy to open or close with gloved hands and stays where you left it.

The rear of the jacket features belt loops for attaching to riding jeans and a zipper that can be used to connect it to matching REAX pants. Although I did not test to know for sure, I suspect this zipper will also be compatible with other brands of riding pants as well.

Last regarding construction, is quality. The Ridge is made in Vietnam, and I was not able to find a single flaw in its stitching or material. All seams in it are sealed. That is really saying something, as I am really looking hard for any nit to pick. There weren’t any. It is genuinely well made.

Safety

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket SAS-Tech CE Level 2 Armor

The Ridge features SAS-Tech CE Level 2 armor in the shoulders and elbows. I really like an armor of this type – it is highly flexible, making it comfortable and unobtrusive to wear, and at the same time, is able to better protect you than hard plastic armor can should the need arise, owing to its shock absorbing qualities.

The outer shell of the jacket features an additional layer of material sewn on where the armor sits, and the inner lining has well-designed pockets that make getting the armor in and out easy to do. Kudos to the REAX team for reaching for the good stuff here.

As good as that is, the Ridge does not include a back protector. Although it features the pocket sewn into the back to hold one, inside that pocket you will find a piece of foam that does not provide safety of any kind. If you are considering this jacket, consider what it will cost additionally to add the back protector.

Also, with regard to safety, the Ridge really does not feature any truly reflective material. Although it is said to feature “Subtle Reflective Highlights”, in practice, it really does not. The zipper garages are, I am assuming, the aforementioned reflective bits. I am assuming since they simply don’t reflect any light. This is a place where the styling/marketing mission of the jacket got ahead of its function. Know if you are riding at night, other motorists will not see this.

Shopping Now? We Recommend:

webBikeWorld has worked closely with RevZilla over the years to provide our testers with products to review. In addition to being a great site to shop from, they’re also a great partner.

RevZilla

Free shipping on orders over $40
30-day no-nonsense return policy
Excellent selection of all major brands
Awesome pricing

Buy This Helmet on RevZilla

Fit

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket As Shown On Model

Fit, overall, with the Ridge is what I would consider being average. I am 6’ 0” (1.82 m) tall, and weigh 180 lbs (81.6 kg), and found size “Large” in this jacket to be quite comfortable in its cut, sleeve length, and length overall top to bottom. If you are not able to try it on first at a Cycle Gear store, order whatever size you would normally wear. If you aren’t sure, both the folks at RevZilla and Cycle Gear can help guide you with regard to what exactly you need, size wise.

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket As Shown On Model

I think it strikes a nice balance in its length, not sportbike short, nor ¾ length adventure tour. This is one of the places having a two-way main zipper can be handy – if the jacket is bunching up uncomfortably at the bottom when on the bike, you can easily unzip it some from the bottom up.

The long 9 inch (22.8 cm) forearm vent zips easily allow enough space for gauntlet style gloves to be worn underneath the sleeves.

Function

This is where I ran into what I believe are the two biggest problems the Ridge has – ventilation and waterproofing.

Ventilation

I’ll start with the ventilation, or the lack thereof. In fairness, I should mention that all my road testing of the Ridge is being done in the southeastern part of the U.S, in the summer. 100 F degree heat, and high humidity, from late spring into early fall are the norm here. The jacket, however, is being marketed as a true four-season, year-round, piece. If you happen to live in a climate that isn’t quite so hot, you might be less critical of this particular aspect than I am.

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket Front Chest Zipper Vents

With that said, as I mentioned before, the jacket is equipped with eight ventilation zips, that simply do not work. Even when the zippers for them are opened, the ventilation openings themselves will not stay open. The vents on the chest have flaps that cover the zippers – great for helping to keep water away from them. Not so great when trying to get them open to move some air.

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket Side Chest Vents

The long vent zips, on the sides of the torso, will kind of stay open when unzipped. However, their placement is pretty neatly blocked by your arms when outstretched to a handlebar. The small vents on the rear of the arms are hard to explain, owing to their small size and placement – exhaust air possibly?

REAX Ridge Textile Jacket Arm Cuff Vents

The remaining vents, on the forearms, are the most effective in the jacket. With gauntlet style gloves on underneath them, however, the area remaining to try and catch any moving air is pretty small.

Adding some means of holding the vents open would drastically improve their function, as some other brands of jackets have done. This, however, would change its appearance, something I think mattered a lot to its designers.

Waterproofing

Next up is the waterproofing. The Ridge is marketed as being a truly waterproof jacket. It is – mostly.

Again, in fairness, testing of this claim is harsh – being blasted with a garden hose. The good news is that the jacket held the water at bay for several minutes of this treatment. The bad news is that the water eventually found its way in. To replicate this abuse on your bike, you would have to ride some distance in a monsoon.

Water pretty quickly will begin making its way into the neck area. Although the magnet neck flap design is very nice for a day in/day out use, you can only cinch it as tight against the neck as the magnets will allow. For me, this left a gap, and the water flowed in.

The zippers themselves are not fully watertight. The rain flap behind the main zip is effective, directing water getting through it down. The ventilation zips on the chest, however, eventually leaked inside the jacket.

The waterproofing on the shell itself, however, is truly waterproof. None gets through it.

Conclusion

The REAX Ridge is a well made, well thought out riding jacket, with just a couple of things that hold it back from getting a better rating from me. If you really like the low key way it is styled, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how good it is.

Its construction is first rate, no issues there. The inner liner, in particular, is a treat.

It is being marketed as being waterproof. Although it is more resistant than most, it is not waterproof.

Its safety is only OK. Two things have my attention there, first and foremost the lack of a back protector. At its price point, I feel like that should have been included. Second is the lack of any reflective quality. Street price as of this writing – $479.00.

The four-season claim simply does not make the grade. With the fantastic liner this jacket has, and the lack of ventilation, I am looking forward to wearing it once it cools off some. For riders in hot climates, the Ridge is really a two-season jacket for fall, and winter.

Pros

  • Low key styling appeals to riders who appreciate it
  • Liner is nice enough to be worn alone off the bike
  • Easy to use magnetic collar closure stays where you put it
  • True to size
  • Very well made in both stitching and material

Cons

  • Back protector must be bought separately
  • Not entirely waterproof
  • Ventilation simply does not work in hot climate
  • No real reflectivity for night time use

Specs

Manufacturer: Reax Moto
Price (When Tested): $479.99
Made In: Vietnam
Alternative models & colors: Charcoal / Black, & Loden (Olive Drab)
Sizes: SM/MD/LG/XL/2X/3XL
Review Date: July 20, 2018

Shopping Now? We Recommend:

webBikeWorld has worked closely with RevZilla over the years to provide our testers with products to review. In addition to being a great site to shop from, they’re also a great partner.

RevZilla

Free shipping on orders over $40
30-day no-nonsense return policy
Excellent selection of all major brands
Awesome pricing

Buy This Helmet on RevZilla

REAX Ridge Image Gallery

The post REAX Ridge Textile Jacket Hands-On Jacket Review appeared first on Web Bike World.

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BikeExif Bobber Motorcycles BSA motorcycles Custom Motorcycles Other Motorcycle Blogs

Model Bobber: A custom BSA by a Tesla clay sculptor

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
We all know that car and motorcycle design studios are packed with supercomputers. But they still rely heavily on low-tech, life-size models too, produced by skilled clay sculptors. And that’s even true of cutting edge companies like Tesla.

Richard Mitchell is a clay sculptor for Tesla: he’s responsible for fine-tuning the complex shapes of world’s best-selling plug-in electric cars. “I love creating something unique that you can see and touch, all from a two-dimensional drawing.”

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
He’s helped design some of the most futuristic cars on the road, but he’s also got a thing for classic and custom bikes. In his early 20s he started getting into vintage motorcycles—and specifically English marques like BSA, Triumph, Norton and Vincent.

“For years I’ve kicked around the idea of building one,” he tells us. “The only bike I’ve built before was a mildly custom 1971 Honda SL-125. And although I’m mechanically inclined, there were skills I lacked.”

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
Those feelings of doubt slowly faded after Richard moved to Los Angeles in 2010 and began working for Tesla.

It was an exciting time: the company was still small in those days, so Richard found himself rapidly skilling up to handle occasional welding, fabrication and painting duties for the prototypes.

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
“But outside of work, I was bored—and wanted a personal project for my free time,” he says. So he placed a Craigslist ad, looking for a BSA motorcycle “and/or parts.”

Within hours Richard got a message from a guy with a BSA Thunderbolt. “I went to check it out. It was a true basket case: the bike was in about a dozen boxes. But it did seem to be ‘all there’ and it included a non-numbers matching but complete engine and an unmolested frame.”

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
The original plan was to do a quick build: a simple, stripped-down bobber with black paint and off-the-shelf parts. “I figured it’d take about 6 to 12 months to complete,” says Richard. “But none of this came to be true!”

The closer the BSA got to being a roller, the more ideas sprung to mind. Extra components were tracked down, measurements and drawings were made, and parts machined.

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
“Somewhere along the line, a theme emerged,” says Richard. “I wanted to take the late-model unit-based BSA and make it appear as if it had been dreamt up in the 1940s or 1950s.”

“I wanted to hide anything modern, and anything off-the-shelf I would try to modify or merge with hand-made pieces.”

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
The engine was taken care of too. It turned out to be a perky 1966 A65L (Lightning) engine, and Richard got it meticulously rebuilt by his good friend John French. The crankshaft was rebuilt too, and new rods added.

SRM provided a new camshaft and high volume oil pump. The cases were machined for new bearings and bushings, and the barrels were machined .040” over before new pistons and rings were installed.

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
The dual carb cylinder head was cleaned up, and new valves, guilds, and springs were installed. On went a set of polished Amal 930 carbs—the Premier spec version with a hard-anodised slide and precision-engineered idle circuit.

Gases now exit via a modified set of BSA Wasp scrambler exhaust pipes.

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
Turning his attention to the 1968-spec frame, Richard started by removing the factory swingarm and seat mounts so that he could weld a custom hardtail into place. The rear section, built by David Bird, drops the bike 2.5” and lengthens the wheelbase by 4”.

Jake Robbins of Vintage Engineering in England built the custom girder fork, amplifying the vintage look Richard was after. Then Richard redesigned the friction levers and water-jetted new ones out of steel to make them more unique.

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
He also built a new lower yoke, slightly changing the geometry to give the front end a bit more rake, without going outside the limits of the factory steering damper.

One of Richard’s favorite pieces on the bike is an eBay find: a 1952 Smiths Chronometric ‘Revometer’ speedo. He’s also fond of the original Lucas aluminum heat sink and the zener diode, a regulator that sends excess voltage back into the frame when it reaches a threshold.

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
Each wheel is completed with powder coated hoops, new stainless spokes and period-correct Firestone tires—3.25-19” at the front and 4.00-18” at the back.

The front brake is a BSA twin-leading shoe, with extra detailing and brass mesh vents added, and the rear brake is a BSA quick-detach ‘crinkle hub.’

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
Richard’s made a few special pieces for the BSA, including the battery box—which holds a 4-cell lithium battery, the voltage regulator, and a 20-amp fuse.

He also built an oil catch-can that does double-duty as a breather, and a brass tube to hold the bike’s registration papers, mounted to the license plate bracket.

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
To avoid using zip-ties, he’s made about a dozen leather straps with aged-brass snaps to hold the vintage-style cloth-covered electrical wires to the frame. The slender rear fender stays are custom-made too, with water-jetted mounting pieces—including the one used for the solid brass LED powered taillight.

“When it came to the paint, I wanted to do the work myself,” says Richard. “I chose two classic Porsche colors: Graphite Gray and Glacier Gray Metallic, which were both used on the 50th anniversary edition 911.” The result is worthy of a pro shop.

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
The low-key, sophisticated paint is offset with gold leaf striping—which, incredibly, Richard had never attempted before. “It took a few tries but I couldn’t be happier with the results. I added a little nod to the original BSA ‘Made in England’ decal, only now in gold leaf and relocated to the hardtail.”

It’s a breathtaking build. It’s also one of those rare machines that looks even better the closer you get to it. So last year, Richard took it to The Quail Motorcycle Gathering in Carmel, California, where it won second place in the Custom/Modified Class.

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell
“This was a dream come true,” he reveals. “Getting that type of response for my first ground-up build meant a lot to me. It also got me hooked on wanting to build more.”

We hope Richard does continue building. Isn’t it reassuring to see someone immersed in the high tech world of Tesla applying their skills to an old-school build like this?

Richard Mitchell Instagram | Images by (and thanks to) Paulo Rosas of Speed Machines Design

A BSA Thunderbolt bobber by Tesla clay sculptor Richard Mitchell

Categories
BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Other Motorcycle Blogs

Custom Bikes Of The Week: 22 July, 2018

The best cafe racers, scramblers and bobbers of the week
A Brazilian custom powered by a Roll-sRoyce helicopter engine, Steve McQueen’s Husky 400 goes to auction, a classy cafe kit for the Royal Enfield Bullet, and a jaw-dropping Jawa custom from Russia.

Steve McQueen’s Husqvarna 400 Cross
Steve McQueen’s Husqvarna 400 Cross Whether you bow to the King of Cool or not, Steve McQueen’s impact on motorcycling culture remains as potent today as when he tore around the desert, shirtless, on his Husqvarna for On Any Sunday. Now that very bike, the 1970 Husqvarna 400 Cross, will fall under the hammer of Bonhams during this fall’s vintage festival at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham.

Steve McQueen’s Husqvarna 400 Cross
As you can see from the images, the bike has remained virtually untouched since its co-starring role. Combine all that authenticity and patina with legitimate traces of McQueen sweat, and well-heeled, nostalgic petrolheads will undoubtedly be throwing bundles of cash at this lot. Bonhams expects the Husky will command between $70k and $100k, but I’m betting that number will rise before the Husky finds its final resting place in a hermetically sealed room.

All kidding aside, there’s no denying the allure of this iconic bike and the movie it starred in. It’s where we learned some truths like “you never know how fast you’re going, until you fall off” and “desert racers are nice people.” [More]

Tarso Marques Dumont helicopter engine motorcycle
Tarso Marques Concept Dumont If you’re a Formula 1 fan, the name Tarso Marques may ring a bell. The Brazilian former Minardi driver has turned to building custom motorcycles in his retirement, under the banner TMC Dumont—and this latest creation is insane.

It’s powered by a 300 hp Rolls-Royce helicopter engine, so Marques and his team of imagineers had to develop a one-off continuously variable transmission (CVT) to transfer the power to the rear wheel. And that wheel, much like the one out front, is a 36-inch hubless unit. It’s mounted so the bike will skim across the asphalt with just enough ground clearance to allow ants to scurry beneath it.


Despite its absurdities, it’s hard to deny the elegance of the alien-meets-Tron aesthetic. The fit and finish is absolutely stunning, and spooling up that motor would undoubtedly clear a line through the thickest of traffic. Of course, corners may be a bit tricky—and keeping it topped up with AvGas would be expensive. Provided it can climb the curb to roll into the station in the first place. Oh, and I wouldn’t advise leaning back at speed. [More]

Garth Allison’s Honda CX500
Garth Allison’s Honda CX500 We’ve seen all manner of builds based on Honda’s CX500 emerge over the last few years. Few are as faultless as this Renault-yellow cafe racer from furniture welder Garth Allison. That’s right: this stunning mix of show and go didn’t roll out of a professional build shop, but is the passion project of an enthusiast with an unwavering vision and an incredible skillset.

The build itself took over three years and, Garth admits, was inspired by Sasha Lakic’s CX500 cafe racer. With a wrecked CX in his possession and the workshop of his day job at his disposal, Garth stripped the Honda down.

Garth Allison’s Honda CX500
The cleaned-up and cropped frame was treated to a powdercoat finish. Garth mounted up a carbon fiber Buell ducktail to the new seat, and widened the swingarm around 15mm to squeeze in some meatier rubber.

A set of forks from an R1 had their internals shortened 30mm before being fitted up, and the rear shock from the same donor found its way out back. Garth also took to the powerplant, and shaved three pounds off the flywheel before balancing it—so the power from the poor man’s Guzzi would spool up with more fury.

This hard work is definitely worth salivating over and we’re not the only ones to think so: Garth took home top honors at the Laverda Concours, winning both the judges’ and peoples’ choice trophies. [More]

Royal Enfield kits by J&D Custom Motorcycles
Royal Enfield kits by J&D Custom Motorcycles Apart from Ural and its sidecar rigs, few brands have remained as true to their original creations, both mechanically and aesthetically, as Royal Enfield. Especially the timeless Bullet. And because of that timelessness, Jay Patel of Jakarta’s J&D Custom Motorcycles has taken to building a gorgeous, extensive and minimalist cafe racer kit that will bolt up to Bullets both old and new.

Working with a 1957 example, Jay worked tirelessly to design and develop a thirty-five part kit that can be bolted on by shadetree mechanics, turning stock Bullets into sleek little cafe racers.

Royal Enfield kits by J&D Custom Motorcycles
Nearly everything has been accounted for, including the sleek new bodywork—which includes a front fairing, scalloped tank, and a seat and tail unit. All can be fitted without any cutting, grinding or welding.

The kit is more than just lipstick and mascara. It will also include an extensive revision to the stance, handling and electrics. A new set of wheels, both front and rear, is included. Plus a revised swingarm, newly machined triples, clip-ons, and a complete loom kit to hide the spaghetti. If you’ve got a Bullet kicking around and have been thinking of a project, this kit looks a great place to start. [More]

Custom Jawa 500 by Zillers Garage of Moscow
Jawa 500 by Zillers Garage Take note of the name Zillers Garage. Dmitry Golubchikov and his Moscow-based crew are turning out some absolutely incredible machines that are equal parts meticulous and unique. Case in point, this jaw-dropping Jawa 500 that used to spin wheels as a speedway machine.

Dmitry and his crew decided to scrap essentially everything but the engine to create a steampunk boardtracker. That motor needed some re-working, and as well as a new ignition system, Zillers also changed the valve timing to lower compression from 17:1 to a more manageable (and streetable) 11:1.

Custom Jawa 500 by Zillers Garage of Moscow
The engine was then fitted into a handmade frame and mounted to a refurbished gearbox from an old BSA. Oil is fed through some exquisite copper piping that now draws the vital fluid from a handmade tank—which is an art piece in itself.

The handmade details continue. Everything from the front end, including the copper shocks, to the rear disc has been milled from lumps of metal. Cold steel is softened by the inclusion of wood, which has been tastefully transformed into a new seat, tank badging and grips. The story in the link is well worth the read but you’ll need Google Translate to make sense of it. [More]

Custom Jawa 500 by Zillers Garage of Moscow

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Fieldsheer Gear Reviews Leather Motorcycle Jacket Reviews Motorcycle Jacket Reviews Other Motorcycle Blogs Web Bike World

Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket Review

I take safety seriously and encourage ATGATT riding. From that perspective, the jacket is second only to a helmet in terms of safety and impact resistance. Having the right jacket can be the difference between bumps/bruises and skin grafts. When choosing, one should always prioritize the jacket’s ability to protect you over other factors.

This is especially true when performance riding comes into play. If you venture out on the track or windy roads and have performance on your mind, your jacket needs to keep up. This needs for type of riding prioritize abrasion resistance, but also airflow and comfort. Getting hot, sweaty, and sticky under your gear is more than just a little uncomfortable.

The Fieldsheer Suzuka I have here is an example of a sport jacket that doesn’t require many compromises. The Monaco leather is perforated in all the major areas (more on that below), and it comes with a removable Thermo-guard liner. Level 2 armor is present on the shoulders and elbows, and there is a foam backplate. The Suzuka is designed to seamlessly integrate with the matching Fieldsheer Rider pants.

Words/Photography: CameronModel: Bryce

Features

  • 1.2 – 1.4mm partially-perforated Monaco cowhide leather
  • Phoslite® reflective panels in the arms and rear speed hump
  • Removable Thermo-guard liner
  • Integrated CE Level 2 armor in the shoulders and elbows
  • Thermoplastic armor on the elbows/shoulder (to complement CE L2)
  • Leather stretch panels underneath the arm, sides of torso, and back.
  • Plenty of pockets
  • Zipper integration with matching pants
  • EVA Rear aerodynamic speed hump and back protector

Looks

Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket

There’s no mistaking the Suzuka for anything other than a race jacket. Armored shoulders and a tapered waist, combined with its close overall fit, give the Suzuka an aggressive and racey look.

The back features an aerodynamic speed hump, solidifying the Suzuka’s aggressive and athletic posture. The top of the hump has perforated material, and when you’re moving along, it does a good job sucking in air and sending it down your back.

Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket

The white/black/yellow scheme is quite aggressive and badass looking; high-visibility strips are found on both arms and the sides of the front/back sections. It very much looks the part and stands right next to popular jackets in this segment, such as the Alpinestars Atem, Dainese Racing 3, and Scorpion Clutch.

Protection

Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket

When it comes to protection, my preference is leather over textiles. I prefer leather, in part because of its superior abrasion resistance, but also because of how it feels to wear. Often, textile jackets are stiff and take a long time to break in. By the third wear, the Suzuka had noticeably relaxed in the arms and felt more natural to wear.

Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket

The Suzuka is all leather – even the stretch panels on the torso, arms, and back. Integrated into the leather is CE level 2 armor in the shoulders/elbows, with reinforcing plastic armor surrounding them to supplement their protection and impact resistance.

Back protection is provided via the protective hump and removable foam backpad. Both the hump and the backpad are made of an anti shock foam material.

The thickness of the leather varies from 1. 2mm – 1.4mm, which is a good balance between weight and protection.

Comfort

Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket

The Suzuka is a comfortable jacket, though it’s more comfortable on the bike than it is off of it. The pre-formed shape of the jacket makes it a little awkward to walk around in. I find I have to leave it undone when I’m not on the bike or else my mobility is noticeably hindered.

Out riding is where the Suzuka feels at home.

Airflow

Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket

The Suzuka breathes extremely well. Hot weather riding in leather can be sweaty, but the Suzuka does a good job in keeping you cool due to the extensive use of perforated leather. Perforations run up the front sides, actual sides, shoulders, back, and arms. All sections enjoy strong airflow, especially once you’re doing 30 mph or more.

Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket

The rear speed hump is a surprisingly good air dam, drawing a strong flow that travels down your back. This effect is amplified when you’re tucked forward a bit, with air flowing over and behind the helmet.

If you live somewhere hot but want the protection and style of a leather race jacket, the Suzuka is a well-ventilated choice.

Heat Management Via the Thermo-Guard Liner

The Thermo-Guard liner is removable. It lines the entire jacket, and zips into place in the torso and snaps at the wrists. When in place, the jacket is noticably tighter. The Suzuka is much warmer with the liner in place; airflow from the perforations no longer hits the skin directly. This is great for Alberta’s arid climate, where the temperature falls a fair bit in the evening once the sun’s set.

You don’t want to wear the liner on its own, though. Some jackets come with liners that look like light rain shells, and are made to be seen. The Suzuka’s liner doesn’t look bad, but it’s definitely not something you’d wear without the rest of the jacket.

Fit

I’m 6’2” and 195lbs, with a 43” chest and 36” waist. The Suzuka size 44 fits well in the chest and shoulders; the 35” sleeve stops just shy of my hand. The fit is somewhat restrictive (the Suzuka has a “riding” shape pre-formed in it already), but when in the riding position it’s quite comfortable.

I find the jacket a little shorter than I prefer. An extra 0.5 or 0.75” would have been excellent. As-is, my shirts tend to poke out the bottom.

Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket

Straps on both sides allow you to relax or tighten the waist. Like most race jackets, it’s a tight fit. The tight fit is most noticeable in the arms and shoulders, although you’ll also notice it in the chest and back when stretching your arms. You can open the wrist area via the zipper, which improves airflow and relaxes the fit a bit.

Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket

You’d think that a tight-fitting jacket wouldn’t be too great with respect to comfort, but the Suzuka will surprise you there. The numerous stretch areas do their job, and so you can reach most things easily. You won’t be the most successful hugger, but you’ll have no problem operating your machine or navigating the walk to/from.

But it is still a race jacket, after all.

Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket

A complaint I have is that the chest zipper would sometimes unzip itself by a few inches after I reached for something. This happened more frequently when I was wearing a backpack.

Pockets a Plenty

Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket

If you’ve got stuff to carry, the Suzuka’s got a place to put it. Both the removable liner and the leather jacket proper have pockets, with 6 on the leather and 1 additional on the liner. All pockets can be sealed, most with zippers.

The left chest pocket is large enough to carry a Samsung Galaxy S9, small keyring, and a thin wallet. All the pockets are reasonably sized, affording you a fair amount of storage.

Making Connections

A full-circumference waist zipper connects to the matching Fieldsheer Rider pants, turning the pair into a complete race suit (I did not receive the Rider pants to test). If you would wear a race suit but don’t want to do so all the time, the Suzuka and Rider combination is a good choice that offers you the option to wear each individually.

Quality

Tough single-stitching is the name of the game throughout the majority of the Suzuka, with armored shoulder and elbow areas being double-stitched.

The quality of the jacket is really good. There aren’t any cut corners in terms of how it’s put together. The leather itself is soft and supple, which helps in both the feel and in actually putting it on/taking it off.

All this leather and good-manufacturing comes with a cost, though, and that’s in the weight. The Suzuka isn’t a lightweight, though it’s no Sumo either. If you’re looking for a lightweight jacket, though, I’d look elsewhere.

This Jacket’s Worth Your Interest

Fieldsheer isn’t as well known as the bigger players, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t a strong competitor. As the Suzuka demonstrates, Fieldsheer makes some pretty good stuff. In fact, we called the last Fieldsheer jacket we reviewed (the Adventure Tour) the best all-season ¾ length jacket you can buy for under $400.

Someone looking for a quality leather race jacket that has good protection, lots storage, and is suitable for three-season (or four-season if you live in the south) riding will find a lot to like in the Suzuka. I won’t go so far as to say the Suzuka is the best race jacket you can buy for $500, but it definitely plays with the big boys and is worthy of your consideration. Recommended.

Pros

  • Lots of storage and quality-of-life touches
  • Lots of armor
  • Well ventilated and comfortable
  • Made well
  • Leather feels soft
  • Two year warranty

Cons

  • Backpad armor could be tougher

Specs

  • Manufacturer: Fieldsheer
  • Price (When Tested): $499
  • Made In: Bangladesh
  • Alternative models & colors: Black/White/Blue, Black/White/Red, Black/White/White
  • Sizes: 40 – 52
  • Review Date: July 2018

Fieldsheer Suzuka Image Gallery

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