Quick kit tests
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE LATEST PRODUCTS BY R DE’S EXPERT TEAM
Weise Dakar Adventure jacket £259.99
IMPRESSIVE SPEC and a long list of features for a reasonable price. At first the jacket feels large and slightly heavy and bulky (especially with the removable waterproof and thermal linings both in place) but once you’re on the bike, the fit is fine. There’s plenty of stuff to customise / fiddle with, including a removable storm collar at the neck, a large detachable pocket on the lower back and a pocket for a drinks pack (though the pack itself isn’t included). Four venting panels can be opened in hot weather (two on the chest and two on the back) and once undone, all four flaps fold back into the jacket to be zipped away. It’s a smart system, if a little fiddly, both more effective and less convenient than simply pulling a single zip open or shut. Two-way zips on both arms running from shoulder to wrist allow even more breeze in. There’s Level 2 armour at shoulders and elbows and a Ce-approved back protector built in as standard. Waterproof outer pockets really keep their contents dry too.
Weise Dakar Adventure trousers £199.99
THE MATCHING Dakar trousers secure to the jacket with a full-waist zip and use a similar system of zip-away venting panels on the thighs. The normal pockets are too small and skinny but are supplemented by larger and more accessible Velcro pockets on the sides of the thighs. Level 2 knee armour is soft, flexible and comfortable but occasionally needs a slight nudge to keep in position, while hip armour costs an extra £12.99. Like the jacket, the trousers also come with separate and removable thermal and waterproof liners. However, the waterproof liner isn’t very breathable – with it in place, you’re definitely aware of a sweatiness, even with all the vents open. The liner also makes the ankle cuff slightly narrower and trickier to fit over adventure boots. Nonetheless, the trousers complete a decent adventure suit with a full set of CE armour for under £475. MARTIN FITZ-GIBBONS
HJC RPHA 11 £349.99
NEW FOR 2017, this has been my firstchoice lid for the past six months. It’s very comfy, with a delightfully plush liner – it does leave a slight pressure point on my forehead, but most lids do. It’s only averagely quiet but is stable at speed and pretty light, weighing a measured 1370g with all the trimmings fitted. I adore the visor mechanism, with its secure central clip and the easiest quick-change system I’ve ever used. Both clear and light-smoke visors come in the box plus a single anti-fog insert, which is essential as the venting isn’t great. Be handy if it came with one for each visor, though maybe that’s being greedy given this is already a lot of very high-quality helmet for £349.99 (or £319.99 in plain colours). MFG
Knox Hanbury Studio gloves £69.99
A CLASSIC-LOOKING short glove with proper scaphoid protection: those were my only parameters when searching out a new set of gloves. But seemingly that’s a lot to ask, because Knox’s Hanbury gloves were the only ones that tick both boxes. However, there’s only knuckle padding, so it’s still a compromise.
They look great and after a few rides, they’ve broken-in enough to be perfectly comfortable for day-long use. There’s enough finger-feel to use my helmet’s D-ring fasteners but the build quality and full-grain leather construction gives the impression of something that’ll do the job should I throw it down the road. They’re reasonably priced at 70 quid but I’d rather pay a bit more if it got me some proper knuckle armour. LEE SKELLETT
Rev’it Orlando H2O jeans £199.99
THESE WATERPROOF riding jeans are about as comfy as any I’ve used before, thanks mostly to the low-profile Seesmart knee armour. It’s still CE Level 1-approved but there’s so little material to it that it’s hard to believe it’ll perform as well in a crash as more conventional stuff. The waterproof aspect is clever, though not perfect. Most of the time it’s great but it makes them too sweaty for hot summer days. They look cool though. LS
Hydropel £29.99
YOU APPLY THIS posh polish after cleaning, polishing and waxing the bike. It forms an extra layer to protect the finish, its name-generating boast being how it makes the water bead and run off quickly. I applied it to one side of the Z1000SX but not the other, just in time for plenty of wet weather and… well, I struggled to spot the difference at the end of a ride. Spraying the bike with a hose made it obvious that it really does work - but is it worth £30 a bottle? Not for me, I’m afraid.