Tuesday 22 January 2013

Emma's First Blog Entry...



NEC bike show

It’s now the 18th Jan and still no more posts, so I’m giving up on him! This blog is apparently written by me, so I might as well start writing it! Hello I’m Emma.

It’s a little bit late writing this given the NEC Motorcycle live show was at the end of November, but i thought i’d write this anyway, as we did go and get a few things from this. (http://www.motorcyclelive.co.uk/)

The NEC bike show is one of the best know in the UK, and most of the main manufacturers and sellers of bike gear are here. This year Gaz needed a bike jacket and I needed a new helmet and that was about it.

Having finally got to the show (it was a small walk, we had to locate Rob who’d been running round like a small child in a candy shop (he’d arrived at 8:30 so he could make sure he was the first person to the section where you could take a bike out on a test ride). He loves this section, last year it was the R6 and this year was the Ducati Diavel, which apparently is ‘insane’. You do need to take your license with you, but the organisers provide bike gear for you, or you can bring your own.

Having located Rob we started wandering in quite an organised fashion getting distracted at every other stall looking at bits we don’t need and collecting the Carol Nash calendar, until I started trying on bike helmets.  I have a strange shaped head, and a budget of £200. Guess what....

...

I failed, having ruled out every other brand (like normal) I was back on the Shoei’s. Already having the Shoei Quest, which when new was brilliant, but now my weights changed, it vibrates during use on motorways, having started on the multitech, which although was a lovely idea, wasn’t suited to me, leading on the the Spirit II. However, this retails normally at about £500 and at the show was going for as low as £350, and was far too much over the budget so I left it and we carried on until a Dianese store was spotted.

Both Rob and Gaz believe Dainese are worth the money and while Rob was looking at a £400 leather jacket that he really didn’t need, Gaz went to look and see what they had textile wise to go with the gortex trousers he has. He’ll do a review on them when he’s not doing uni work!

I kept wandering looking for a helmet and ended up finding another Shoei quest II in extra small, which was still waaaay over budget, but at £300 it was far cheaper than everywhere else and like a true girl decided it was such a bargain I had to have it.

Review on Shoei  Spirit II

A nicely fitting helmet, weighing very little (1.45kg) it’s comfortable, light, washable liner, pin lock, and  4 star rating by UK Government SHARP scheme . The only issue is it’s a little noisy on motorways but on the whole it’s not too much of an issue given most of my riding is round town and country roads.

MCBlogSpot Rating: 6/10

Bikers World Daventry

Just to big up the staff at Bikers World in Daventry/Rev ‘It and TCX...

I had a pair of Rev ’It Factor 2 trousers which at less than a year old were leaking at the crotch. For a pair of trousers at less than a year old and costing £144 I wasn’t too impressed that they had been leaking for a few months and realising winter was coming, I contacted Rev ’It and was told to take them to a supplier and they’d be taken back and tested. I’d never been to Bikers World before but without any questions they said they’d send them back and let me know.

A month later I was collecting my new waterproof trousers and fingers crossed these will last.

While I was picking up my new trousers i complained that I’d contacted TCX and that they hadn’t  responded to the fact my boots at, again less than a year old, were leaking (and not due to the leaking trousers), I’d tried to contact Nevis but not had a reply to my 5 emails, but Bikers World again sent them off. A bit later they let me know I could pick up my new boots, which although as I’d opted to get the next model up (which cost an extra £20), I couldn't complain at all. That and both men working there recognised me walking through the door, shouted hello and knew why I was there.

Apparently next time I go I need to buy something? I was getting used to walking into the shop and leaving with free or nearly free things. :D

Factor 2 trouser review (the first pair)

They leaked (not good) and didn’t have enough crotch room to swing my leg over the bike with ease. In future i’m sticking to blokes trousers, they have more room for leg swimming.


MCBlogSpot Rating: 6/10

Waterproof TCX Boots


Other than the fact they started leaking in heavy rain, these boots were brilliant, comfortable to walk in and my feet didn’t over heat or get too cold when riding. The fabric by the heel had started to wear after less than a year of use. I will give a review of my new TCX boots once I get a chance to use them!

MCBlogSpot Rating: 8/10 

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