Motorcycle Gear Reviews
This section includes motorcycle gear reviews with testing conducted by Rider magazine editors. Gear reviews include apparel, parts & accessories, helmets, electronics and tires. If you are looking for a certain type of gear, use our browse by type option to see one gear category at a time.
Richa Spirit Motorcycle Jacket and Pants Review
Arden Kysely
May 3, 2012
The Richa Spirit jacket and pants that debuted in our Armored Textile Buyer’s Guide (Rider September, 2011) are back for a closer evaluation. To recap the basics, Richa sews the Spirit clothing from abrasion-resistant Schoeller Dynatec fabric treated with its NanoSphere coating to combat dirt and stains. Inside... Read more »
Rider Book Review: Motorcycle Journeys Through North America by Dale Coyner
Reviewed by Clement Salvadori
May 1, 2012
WEBSITE EXCLUSIVE! Simply the creation of this book is impressive! Dale Coyner decided to take a look-see at nearly all of the United States, and a goodly part of Canada, and figure out where the best rides are. That is a lot of real estate to cover, and probably some five million miles of possible... Read more »
Ventura Light-Guards Review
Greg Drevenstedt
April 26, 2012
Popular bolt-on accessories for adventure touring bikes—the Jeeps of the motorcycling world—include bash plates, engine guards, hand guards and anything else that will protect the bike from damage in the event of a crash, a tip over or a bushwhacking ride through dense bushes. Even if you don’t... Read more »
Tour Master Sentinel Rainsuit Jacket and Pants Review
Greg Drevenstedt
April 26, 2012
Much of today’s textile motorcycle touring apparel has some type of waterproof or water-resistant barrier built into it. Either the outer shell has been treated and/or has a water-resistant membrane sealed to the backside of the fabric, or a removable liner is zipped inside. Both strategies work to... Read more »
Shorai Battery Review
Arden Kysely
March 7, 2012
Six months and 6,500 miles ago, I carved nearly six pounds off of my F800GS simply by replacing the lead-acid battery with a 2.3-pound Shorai unit. This new-tech battery is so light I could easily throw it across the room. Is there anything inside the carbon composite case? No liquid and no lead, for... Read more »
Olympia Moto Sports AST2 Touring Jacket and Ranger 2 Over Pants Review
Greg Drevenstedt
February 28, 2012
Some gear we evaluate here at Rider is aggressively tested in a short period of time, used while racking up as many miles as we can but against a tight deadline so our review will be published in a timely manner. We want you, dear readers, to get reliable tests of the latest gear as soon as possible,... Read more »
Road Heroes: Motorcycle Adventure Travel Tales, Part 1 DVD Review
Greg Drevenstedt
February 28, 2012
A tiny fraction of us will ever summit Everest, rocket into outer space or spend years traveling nonstop around the world. But we’re often mesmerized by the tales of those who complete such endeavors, the personalities of those willing to take on such challenges often as bold and fascinating as their... Read more »
Firstgear Express Waterproof Boots Review
Rider Magazine
January 27, 2012
Motorcycle boots come in a dizzying array of shapes, sizes and styles. There are state-of-the-art road racing boots, king-of-the-mountain motocross boots, pole-climbing engineer boots, general-purpose slip-on boots and everything in between. They’re made of leather, plastic, rubber and various other... Read more »
KTM-Thor Force Knee Guards Review
Greg Drevenstedt
January 27, 2012
When we requested a KTM 690 Enduro R test bike a few years ago (read our 2009 KTM 690 Enduro R road test), I asked KTM’s press relations guy to send me a set of KTM-Thor Force Knee Guards to evaluate. I wore them on test rides of the 690 Enduro R in the Los Padres National Forest, the Carrizo Plain... Read more »
Alpinestars XL Transition Gear Bag Review
Greg Drevenstedt
December 30, 2011
Everyone has luggage, and most of us have motorcycle luggage—tankbags, tailbags, etc.—to carry essentials while on the road. Gear bags are designed to carry a helmet, gloves, textile or leather apparel, boots, back protector, you name it. They’re popular among dirt bikers to secure all of their... Read more »
