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Protection

The Black Venture Motorcycle Jacket

June 15, 2017

Hey, everyone! I’m back to talking about products from Black, one of our very own brands that provide great quality without a greatly inflated price tag. The particular jacket I’m going to introduce you to with this blog entry is the Black Venture Motorcycle Jacket.

Just from the look of the jacket it has a tactical, utilitarian style to it thanks to the four pockets that are immediately visible on the front. The texture on the jacket also adds to this tactical look for me personally as well. The Ripstop Polyester, a very strong and durable material, is something I’ve seen a lot on military gear, so the very material its made of and the way the jacket looks because of it already inspires confidence in it’s protective ability. More specifically, confidence in the material’s ability to hold up in a slide and save your skin.

To protect you in an impact, the jacket has CE approved armour in the shoulder and elbows but unfortunately none to speak of in the back. It does, however, have a pocket for a back protector, so I recommend treating yourself to a full armour upgrade. You can get Level 2 armour in the shoulders, elbows and back for just an extra £24.99 with our soft armour set. I use the stuff myself, even tried and tested it and I can’t recommend this armour enough.

A biker also needs protection from the elements, the different riding conditions like the heat, cold and rain. For the colder rides out the Venture jacket has a thermal lining that can be removed easily if you you’re a bit warm or fancy a bit of extra space in the jacket. To keep you dry in the wet weather, the Venture is waterproof, so the jacket should see you comfortably through dreary days and downpours. To keep you comfortable in the heat, the jacket features a wick away back panel to keep you dry on potentially stuffy and sweaty summer rides.

The jacket has an adjustable fit as well with the adjusters on the arms and waist. So you can nip up the jacket to fit you perfectly and reduce the amount of material flapping in the wind. As an added luxury the jacket has a soft fabric and neoprene rolled collar so that the collar doesn’t cause an irritation as it rubs on the neck when fully zipped up, a feature I wish many more jackets had.

On the inside of the waist the jacket has a selection of two zips inside. A shorter zip for a more free connection to your motorcycle trousers. Or a long zip so that you can connect your trousers to make a textile two-piece suit for a more secure and protective motorcycle outfit. The Venture jacket would go brilliantly with a pair of trousers from Black that share the same name- The Black Venture Motorcycle Trousers, so if you’re looking for a kit, I highly recommend the Venture Jacket and Trousers.

The Venture Jacket is described as a commuter jacket, something light and durable that easy to wear and designed to make everyday riding easier. And they accomplish this admirably- the jacket is easy to wear, feels good to wear, has plenty of storage space and the main zip is easy to get to. I would say that the jacket would also be good for touring though. It’s a shorter cut in the wait that your usual touring jacket but it still has all the comfort and features you could want form a touring jacket. To label this jacket as only being suitable for commuters is denying it’s potential to be a great jacket for other purposes. And at £83.99 you’ll be getting a jacket that fulfills those purposes excellently.

Thanks for reading everybody! Until next time!

-MattW at Ghostbikes.com

The Alpinestars M56 DryStar Leather Motorcycle Gloves

June 2, 2017

Hey, everyone! This is gonna be another blog entry about a pair of gloves but this time they’re from Alpinestars! Alpine Stars are still quite new to me, I’ve not been here long enough to have seen them in here before. I’ve only ever covered a pair of Alpinestars boots before, so getting my hands on the opportunity to cover some of their gloves is quite a nice change.

Alpinestars are one of those big brand names like Rev’It or Sidi that everyone knows and some even swear by them. While their stuff has a price tag worthy of a big name, they’ve usually got some great features worth talking about to justify them. And the Alpinestars M56 DryStar Leather Motorcycle Gloves are no different, as expected, they’ve got a lot in them to talk about.

The M56 DryStars are designed as a touring glove. They’ve been constructed for comfort in mind and versatility in function but they’ve borrowed a little bit from their Sport oriented siblings. They’re made out of a tough but flexible premium Leather using a multi-panel chassis for the best levels of comfort, toughness and abrasion resistance. Its even got rubber reinforcements on the thumb and palm to give you a better grip and toughen up the seams. So you can feel safe and assured that your skin is in capable hands [I’m sorry] and that the gloves themselves will hold up in the event of an accident.

Beneath the leather shell is the DryStar® membrane. Its a lining that is 100% waterproof so they should keep your hands nice and dry if the weather gets unpleasant. Its one of the many features that make this glove so versatile and usable in different weather conditions. If you are caught in the rain, as well as keeping your hands dry, the M56 DryStar gloves also have a TPR visor wipe. Its mostly for getting muck and splattered bugs off your visor but they always make me think of windscreen wipers and window cleaners.

Digging deeper into the glove, beyond the DryStar waterproof lining is yet another lining but this one is for both warmth and comfort. The gloves feature Primaloft® thermal insulation, perfect for keeping your hands warm and for braving harsher riding conditions. For added comfort and flexibility, the first two fingers feature accordion stretch material to give them just a bit more flexing room and finer control over your clutch and front brake.

There’s added protection all over this glove. The knuckle armour is made from a hard copolymer, a really tough and abrasion resistant plastic that’ll keep your knuckles safe in an impact or slide. You may have noticed something going on with the last two fingers as well, a bridge of material connecting them. This is one of those concepts borrowed from racing gloves- The bridge of material keeps the little finger from rolling and separating in an impact, potentially reducing injuries such as the little finger becoming dislocated or worse.

There’s additional EVA padding reinforcements on the hand, thumb, finger tops and bottom of the palm that provide provide extra abrasion resistance and also help to improve the fit a bit. There’s a bit more to this glove but this covers all the really important bits. There are added extras such as reflective detailing and a cuff that is designed to go over jacket sleeves to seal out the elements. But the gauntlet of the glove does look like is could still be tucked under a sleeve, I know some people look for that when they’re out for some new hand protection.

Over all I have to say I really like these gloves. While £109.99 seems like a steep price tag, it’s more than justified by the reliable brand behind them and all the features and materials in these gloves dedicated to keeping your hands and fingers protected. We’ve recently got more Alpinestars stuff in, so this won’t be the last of me covering items from our Alpinestars Range

Thanks for reading, everyone! Until next time!

-MattW at Ghostbikes.com

Road Trip Part 6 – The Lid

May 27, 2017

When going on a long journey, especially travelling down motorways, a good helmet is absolutely essential for more reasons than you might think. The key things you and I will need out of a helmet for this purpose are:

A good fit
Sound Dampening
Good ventilation
Anti-fog measures

These are the core essentials of what’s needed from a helmet when going down motorways. There are of course a few optional extras and features you may want but those four points are critical. So why would we want a good fit? A good fit is important because this is going to directly affect how protective the helmet is. I hate to say it- but the longer you’re out on the road, the more of a chance you’ll be involved in an accident. There are some crazy people in cars out there and every minute you’re out on the bike increases the probability of you crossing paths with one. But this is something we already know- we’re bikers. We expect it and that’s why we’re so vigilant. But should the worst happen- that helmet needs to perform to the best of it’s protective ability. So get one that fits you perfectly.

A good fit will also affect the sound dampening. This is more important than it may sound [no pun intended] as Tinnitus is absolutely a thing that happens to people that ride a lot and don’t look after their ears. Riding at higher speeds makes both the engine in your bike and the noise of the wind rushing around your helmet even louder and exposure to these loud noises for long periods of time can really do some damage. So a good fitting helmet will contribute to less road noise. However- despite your helmet being a good fit it is always advised that you wear ear plugs as well.

Good ventilation is a point that is important by it’s self and because it can contribute toward the need for good Anti-fog measures. Your head will be surrounded by padding, which is surrounded by foam, which is all contained in a shell so it makes sense that it can get quite warm in there in the summer. Good ventilation is needed so that you can keep comfortable and maintain concentration on your riding, which would be difficult with sweat dripping into your eyes.

And lastly – anti-fog measures, if you’re wearing a helmet with a visor. This is really important too as it affects your ability to see where you’re going and react to hazards. When you’re riding with the visor down, all that breath is contained in your helmet and is drawn out by ventilation and downward through the collar of the helmet. But your breath is hot and heat rises, so naturally your visor is going to catch some of it. Ideally- you would want a helmet that either comes with a Pinlock Insert or one can be purchased for it. A Pinlock insert is like giving your visor double glazing with a hydrophobic surface which prevents fog from sticking. Allowing you to ride with clear vision and to the best of your ability.

So with all of these points in mind- which helmet would I choose?

My personal choice would be the Bell Qualifier DLX. I’ve already written a blog about the Qualifier DLX before so I won’t go on for too long about it. But in short- it meets all of those core requirements and then beats them by throwing in extras- all while still being a great quality and affordable helmet with prices starting from £169.99 which is a bargain. It’s a well known brand that uses quality materials, their products fit great and you can be certain the helmet is doing all it can to make your ride safer. On top of the core requirements- it also has a few extra features that really drew my attention

It has recesses by the ears, so wearing ear plugs and communications is going to be much more comfortable than in some other helmets of the same or lower price range. It features a recess on the outside for Bluetooth communication devices such as the Bell Sena SMH10. It even comes with a photocromic, transition visor- it tints it’s self! No need to pack extra visors for the sunny days or worry about reaching for your sun-visor lever. In the bright light it will darken and in the darker weathers it will stay clear, all while providing UV protection for your eyes- a fantastic idea. It just seems like a helmet that was made for longer journeys and to make them as comfortable as it can.

So maybe you’re approaching your budget a bit too quickly or perhaps you’ve gone over it already. So you’re looking for a less expensive alternative. Personally- I could stick with the helmet I already have- the Agrius Rage SV and it’s a helmet I’ve already written about too. This helmet already fits me great- it’s comfy, the noise isn’t too much [at least going as fast as 50mph] it’s a really effective alternative at prices starting from £41.99. But there are a few things it needs. Firstly- the ventilation works but isn’t great for keeping the visor clear of fog, so you need to invest in getting the Pinlock Insert for it. And just as an added extra- I would wear a balaclava with it as well as my ear plugs. The plugs and extra snugness in the fit would really help with noise reduction and ensure my ears aren’t ringing by the time I arrive at where I’m going. So for a combined total from £62, it’s a really great alternative at far less than half the price of the Qualifier DLX.

So those are the helmets I would pick for my journey. I’m really hoping I can afford a Qualifier DLX but my Agrius Rage will do the job just fine- minus a couple of luxuries. Thanks for reading everybody! This is the last part of my Road Trip Blog series for now but perhaps when I get back from it- I’ll write a quick something about how it went.

Until next time!
-MattW at Ghostbikes.com

Getting to Know The Caberg Ghost

May 18, 2017

Hello everyone! I’m back with yet another blog about a helmet but this time it’s a Caberg and it’s also an open face helmet. Which surprised me because there are very, very few open face helmets that catch my attention. But this particular helmet is really, really cool looking. It’s aggressive yet sharp and tactical at the same time as being pleasantly simple in shape and design- Just about everyone who comes in store and takes notice of it say so themselves that it’s a cool looking helmet. And yet I’m really surprised they don’t fly off the shelf even faster than they do. I’m of course talking about the Caberg Ghost.

No one could be more surprised that I’ve taken an interest in an open face helmet than me. But I think where this one has succeeded compared to others is in how it’s handled the goggles and the face guard. If you were to take away those two features all you are left with is a pretty standard open face helmet. And if I imagine it without it, I go back to not being such a fan. But with the goggles and face shield- the open face helmet has been transformed into something awesome. It has the, well, openness of an open face helmet with all it’s breathe-ability while still providing protection at the front over the mouth. Not as much protection as a full chin-bar but still, it’s enough so that you’re not choking on the wind and bugs going at high speed. It’s a pleasant cross between an open face and a flip front without the pain of having to deal with goggle straps. It keeps the retro appeal with the main head-covering portion of the helmet while introducing a mean and modern almost SWAT like style at the front. The goggles even look like ballistic SWAT eye-wear.

So aside from looking awesome- what does this helmet even have to offer? People come in, agree that it looks great but seem to be put off by the £219.99 price tag. And I can’t blame them- I would be too. So allow me to tell you a little bit more about the Ghost and justify that number.

First is the shell of the helmet- it’s not cheap stuff. It’s a tri-composite made from fiberglass, Kevlar and carbon fiber- it really is some of the toughest, most advanced shell material you can get. This is absolutely the first line of defense for your head and not just something to hold all the foam inside together. On top of that, it helps to keep the weight of the helmet really low at just 1150g. The interior of the helmet is lined with comfortable, breathable fabrics with leather details and its all removable so that you can keep it clean.

The goggles themselves are anti-scratch, pinlock max vision goggles and the pinlock insert is provided- so you don’t have to worry about the goggles fogging up on you. The chin strap has a micrometric adjustment fastening system, which some people aren’t a fan of but personally I think they’re great. It makes removing helmets so much less hassle than if it were a double D-ring fastening. The face guard is also removable, so if you’d rather ride it without it, you can do that too.

The inside of the helmet has also been “designed to accommodate the Just Speak S Wireless system” according to it’s product description. While it does fit the Just Speak Wireless system, what that really means to me is the the lining at the ears has perforations in them to let sound through and recesses in the foam behind it for speakers. It also means that you have space around the ears for wearing intercom and radio earpieces.

So for £219.99 you’re getting a really protective, really cool, low profile and comms friendly helmet and more. The price tag can seem big but this helmet is packing a lot more bang for your buck than it’s simple design would suggest. But- if you can find it elsewhere for less than £219.99, let us know because we have a pricematch deal where we aim to not just match the price- but we also aim to beat it. So have a shop around and see if you can get some money off from us.

It’s also available in White, the “Legend” graphic and Carbon Fibre which is more expensive but the shell is made entirely out of carbon fibre, reducing the weight to just 1050g

White

Legend

Carbon

And that’s the Caberg Ghost, everybody. I hope I’ve managed to convince you that it’s definitely worth it and that Caberg make great stuff. Thanks for reading!

Until next time!
-MattW at Ghostbikes.com

Introducing the HJC CS-15 Motorcycle Helmet

May 12, 2017

Hi everybody! I’m going to talk about yet another helmet here on the blog. I’ve gushed about various Bell Helmets and even a few of Ghostbikes’ own brands like Shox and Agrius but this time I’ve gone for a change of pace. This time I’ll be talking about a helmet from HJC that I’ve had a bit of hands-on time with – the HJC CS-15 Space Motorcycle Helmet! I’ll be honest, the reason I first took a look at this helmet is because it had “space” in the name and I love my science fiction. And the graphic on the CS-15 Space didn’t disappoint. Its more simple than I was expecting but I’m actually grateful for that because it looks original and it works with the shell shape. It still looks like a bike helmet instead of a flat paint job of an astronaut’s helmet or something, I’m not personally a fan of graphics painted over a shell to give the impression of more shapes and 3D parts unless it’s a proper work of art. I have much more appreciation for a design that works with the shape its on.

The Large size in this helmet weighs in at 1600g which sounds like a lot for a helmet but doesn’t really feel like it. The Medium size that I originally picked up weighs in at 1450g but I didn’t really feel a difference. The shell is kept nice and light as it’s made of an advanced Polycarbonate material and was designed using CAD technology- not just cool words to add to the “space” theme of this lid. The “ACS” Advanced Channeling Ventilation System helps to keep you cool using a full front to back airflow. It flushes heat and humidity from the front vents to up and out of the helmet at the back through the rear exhaust vents.

The visor comes off with a secure ratchet system for quick and simple, tool-free removal and installation. The visor is also Pinlock ready and provides 99% protection from UV light so you can keep fog-free and look after your eyes. You can find another HJC CS-15 visor at Ghostbikes.com and they’re available in a variety of colours as well if you fancy adding a personal touch. The helmet also has grooves for glasses to ensure that people wearing them under the helmet are comfortable and aren’t needing to bend their frames to get them to fit.

The chin strap has a quick-release micro-buckle instead of a double D-ring fastening for fast, no-hassle removal of the helmet which I know for some people is a bit of a turn-off but personally I like them. Especially if I’ve been riding in the cold and my fingers are all numb and frostbitten- it just makes life easier. But the next part is what really impresses me about this helmet. The interior padding of the helmet is not only removable for washing but its also moisture-wicking for keeping you dry, its odor-free and its anti-bacterial. It might not seem like a big deal to some but that feature in an £89.99 helmet is actually really cool and not something I’ve seen often. If anything its a feature I’ve only really seen in Bell helmets that are three times the price or more. But if the price is still a bit steep for you- I challenge you to find it cheaper elsewhere. Because if you can, Ghostbikes.com will not only match the price but they’ll also aim to beat it. So have a look around, let us know and see if you can save yourself some cash.

For under £100 you’re getting a truly awesome helmet, the CS-15 also comes in a few other graphics such as plain in gloss black, matt black and gloss white. The Sebka in black, blue, fluo and red. The Songtan in black, green, pink and red. And The Valenta.

Plain

Sebka

Songtan

Valenta

But I do have to mention that the HJC CS-15 is a very tight fit. I’m normally a medium but I had to go a size up in order to be comfortable in this helmet and everyone else I’ve known here who has tried one has had the same experience. So if you’re thinking of getting one- go a size up. This seems to be a common theme with all the HJC helmets we have in store too. We have other models in our HJC helmet range so if the CS-15 isn’t for you, give the others a look. They’re all fantastic helmets for being such a big name brand with a lower price tag.

Thanks for reading guys! I hope you enjoy the CS-15 as much as I do!

Until next time
-MattW at Ghostbikes.com

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