Gadgethead 1.4

MAGAZINE

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ISSUE 1 4

www.gadgetheadmag.com

Buffalo DriveStation

Triumph Speed Triple Brinno Time Lapse Camera

UK

£4.95

INSPIRED BY YOUR SUCCESS

Roberts Radio WhatHiFi Advertorial.indd 1

06/05/2015 15:48

● ADX X05-UE3 ● WOWee ONE Bluetooth speaker ● MiCore ● Brinno Time Lapse Camera ● Shark Motorcycle Speakers Page 10 Editor in Chief Daemon Sands daemonsands@littlegatepublishing.com Sales Director Alex Smith alexsmith@littlegatepublishing.com Corporate Director Anthony Letchumaman anthonyl@littlegatepublishing.com Lead Designer Alina Sandu studio@littlegatepublishing.com Publisher Stephen Warman stevewarman@littlegatepublishing.com Editorial Team

● Alex Smith ● Amy Tocknell ● Daisy Jones ● Gadget Ted ● Steve Warman ● Tom Pullinger

● SteelSeries Stratus XL Wireless Gaming ● Backbeat Go2 Wireless Earbuds ● QNAP HS-251 Fan-less NAS Drive ● SteriPEN Ultra ● Roksan K3 Integrated Amplifier ● iON Air Pro 3 HD Video Camera ● Winbot W930 Page 20

● Buffalo DriveStation ● Rapha Pro Team Bib Shorts ● Rock Jaw Alfa Genus ● SoundMAGIC E50 ● Hickies ● Bow Active GameBarz ● TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio Watch Page 30

● Thule VeloCompact Bike Rack ● Morel Soundspot 2.1 Ultra Triumphant Adventure

● Triumph Speed Triple ● Triumph Explorer ● Triumph Trophy ● Motoair Vest ● One Piece Suit Tuta Nano ● Guantes Softy Touch ● Givi X.01 Tourer Helmet ● TomTom Rider 400 ● Givi Tanklock Bag ● Helite Turtle Shell Inflatable Air Vest ● Bullit Jeans

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ADX X05-UE3 Where to start with this little blue beauty? It’s a step forward for me in the world of Bluetooth speakers.

My previous one is now cowering on the shelf somewhere, the ADX X05-UE3 is amazing for a house hold speaker box and to be honest does hold its own in situations where it should be drowned out, it’s Bluetooth 4.0 connection means I can have a quality connection with great sound within 20 meters of my phone or Bluetooth device, meaning I can listen to an album in the bath with no fear of dropping my dog and

bone in the suds. The bass resonator inside this little ditty means that when using the right pre-set EQs you can get an amazingly powerful sound that is great competition for competitors on the market and for the cost of RRP £79.99 and there is a Sale Price at the moment of £49.99 means it’s a reasonably priced option too. The X05-UE3 is beautiful and easy to carry even if the handle does make it a bit too “clutch bag” for me.

You can get up to 20 hours play time if you use the AUX cable and 10 hours when connected by Bluetooth

WOWEE ONE BLUETOOTH SPEAKER

meaning that a camping trip would never be silent and you won’t have to drag out the 3 stringed guitar and the hippy fella with bad hair and a beanie hat. I wouldn’t sit here and praise it for no reason but it really is a nice piece of gear and for the cost is well worth getting. ADX has done a great job with its look and sound meaning I take my hat off to you and firmly fit this gadget on the shelf. www.adx.uk.com

This is another lightweight and small Bluetooth Speaker, however, as there are now so many of these types of speakers on the market, the designers are having to come up with selling points to differentiate from competition.

What WOWee have done differently with this speaker is to apply a sticky bottom to it so you can push it down to make a really good contact and create even better subwoofer sound. I found this worked best by putting in a Tupperware case and then the sound is truly amplified.

The sound is very good, the design is nice, powerful and it is easy to use. www.woweeone.com

E VIDEO: WATCH TH I91X-K-2JS O / E .B U T U YO Gadgethead Magazine

5

5 great ways to work your core with MiCore Core workouts are great for improving your strength and stamina, but when you’re doing a lot of repetitive exercises it can get pretty boring pretty quickly. And then you remember that you’re tired and you could be doing something else right now, like sitting on the couch with a family sized bag of Kettle Chips. MiCore will totally shake up your workout. With an entertaining series of light-reactor programmes, it motivates you just like a real personal trainer, keeping you focused and bringing out your competitive side.

Ready to work up a sweat? Here are our favourite exercises to do with MiCore! www.micorefitness.com

Sit-ups

Working your abdominal muscles and hips with sit-ups, a simple exercise with a good range of motion.

Lunges

Lunges are one of the best and simplest ways to work your lower body, helping to shape and tone your legs.

Press Ups

The classic upper body builder, it’s easy to modify your press-ups to suit you and to target different areas.

Plank

Feel the burn with this surprisingly effective exercise that can develop strength in your shoulders, arms and glutes as well as your core.

Squats

The new favourite way to get a Beyonce booty, squats are a great low-impact exercise that can improve circulation, posture and digestion.

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BRINNO TLC200 PRO TIME LAPSE CAMERA Time lapse videos can capture incredible things: a sunrise, flowers blooming, buildings being built. Made from hundreds of individual photos, stitching them together into one seamless video can be a tricky and time-consuming task. Now, Brinno makes it easy to take high quality HDR time lapse videos and share them with the world.

With a HDR (High Dynamic Range: 115dB) image sensor, Brinno captures images with vibrant colours, no matter what the lighting. Ultra-big pixel size 4.2um means that even in low lighting it picks up great detail, and it’s easy

to change lenses with the CS-mount interface. With night exposure time up to 1 second, you can capture stunning videos all day long, and all night.

Brinno is incredibly easy to use.

There’s a timer function so you can set when the camera will start and stop recording. It has a battery life of up to 40 days, so you can rely on it even if there is another holy flood. You can even upload your videos to YouTube and Vimeo right away.

When it comes to making beautiful time lapse videos, you can’t beat Brinno on quality or ease. www.brinno.com

SHARK MOTORCYCLE SPEAKERS I have just returned from a trip riding motorbikes to Italy and back, a journey over 9 countries and over 2000 miles, which is my idea of heaven.

One of the bikes we rode was a Triumph Trophy, which is a big comfortable cruiser. It ate up miles and came with a stereo, which I initially thought, was a waste of time however I grew to love it. Covering miles with your favorite music playing is something totally foreign to me but great. Luckily, we got hold of a set of Black Shark Bullet motorcycle speakers and I really wanted to give them a go on my commuter bike.

There is no question that the quality and performance of these speakers is very good. The switchgear clicks firmly and they are reassuringly heavy and, coming with brackets to clamp onto the bars they are designed for big, big bikes.

Although, they sound great in my mind they look way too big. They are so huge they just look weird on a normal sized bike. If you want subtle then you need to look elsewhere.

Again I like the idea of sound on the go but I wont be keeping these on my bike. With technology today I am sure

they will develop into a Âź of the size which is when I would definitely have them. Actually I think you probably only need one. You get two, one for either side of the bars or frame but in reality they have to work hard over the engine and wind noise so you could have a subtle single unit which would work better for me.

Of course, if you have a big assed Harley or Goldwing then they will look just fine. www.sharkmotorcycleaudio.com

Gadgethead Magazine

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This is

clarity

The world’s slimmest 12 watt wireless aluminium speaker

By Audio Dynamix

www.adxspeakers.com

Visit

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ÂŁ5 off with code gadgethead before 15th September

STEELSERIES STRATUS XL WIRELESS GAMING CONTROLLER There’s not many gaming controllers out there designed just with iOS in mind, but SteelSeries was one of the first to do it with the super sleek Stratus. The Stratus XL is the bigger, better upgrade to the Stratus – and boy, have SteelSeries come up with something special.

You just need to look at it to see that. With dual analogue sticks, a four-way D-pad, colour coded face buttons and four shoulder buttons, it’s clear the Stratus XL takes design inspiration coming from the classic Xbox One controller, meaning it looks like a premium device. It feels like one, too, with a smooth, tactile surface, and weighing 280g, enough to feel both

comfortable and good quality. It’s built like the big boys, with sensitive consolestyle left and right triggers. And what’s inside counts, too: its two AA batteries give it an extended battery life of 40 hours, and you can make them last even longer with the dedicated on/off slider.

The Stratus XL is the first iOS controller that actually feels like a proper console controller.

Totally wireless, it’s easy to pair the Stratus XL with any iOS 7 or later device via Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR and a dedicated pairing button for a super speedy connection. But without a mount for iPods or iPhones, you’d have to look at a pretty small screen from a distance, which seems like a bit of an oversight. But if you’re up for fashioning one yourself, or if iPad gaming is what you’re about, the Stratus XL is definitely for you.

At GadgetHead, we were impressed at the Startus XL’s premium quality and precise pressure-sensitive buttons, which enabled faster reaction times and ultra fast gameplay. We reckon it’s perfect when you’re on the go – just pack it in your bag and experience console-style gaming wherever you are. www.steelseries.com

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Why you need wireless earbuds in your life 1. Because wires are a prison for your soul.

When you sleep, tiny sailors practice their knot tying on your earphones.

It’s the only logical explanation. Your morning routine includes a good 40 seconds of scrabbling to untangle your earphones just so you can listen to music and block out the sounds of the outside world. Being antisocial on the tube should not be that difficult. And I can’t be the only one who’s forgotten that my earphone cord is only 30cm long and had my earbuds torn from my head during a late-night rock out sesh in front of Aerosmith music videos on YouTube.

2. Because it’s 2015 and you need to get with the times.

Mankind has been shackled by wires since headphones were invented.

That was a hundred years ago. In that time, the world has seen huge, clunky vinyl records become tiny mp4 files on a computer. Although some people continue to insist that music is ‘better’ when it’s stored on something the size of a dinner plate, no one is debased enough to take traditional headphones over sleek, efficient wireless earphones. Not even hipsters.

3. Because wireless earbuds are better. They just are.

Take the Backbeat Go2 Wireless Earbuds. Just connect them to your smartphone or tablet with Bluetooth, and you’ve got up to 4.5 hours of quality listening time. They come with a microphone, so you can even use them for hands-free calls that will make everyone think you’re talking to yourself. P2i military-grade nano-coating protects your earbuds from moisture – whether that’s sweat, rain, or your tears of joy as you listen to music, free from the nightmare of tangles and snags. www.plantronics.com

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QNAP HS-251

Are you a fan of this fan-less NAS Drive?

The HS-251 is powered by a DualCore Intel Celeron 2.41GHz Processor and is marketed at the digital download generation by offering a silent NAS drive solution. I was given the 2GB RAM Empty enclosure to review, there is also a 1GB RAM version available which is about £20 cheaper. The HS-251 is marketed to the audiophile or home theatre lover as it allows you to enjoy media files without the distraction of background noise, coupled with HDMI connectivity for 1080p video playback and hardware transcoding capability.

A lot of NAS Drives on the market and ugly but you wouldn’t be ashamed of having the HS-251 on show in your living room with a brushed aluminium top and glossy sides and front (covering the drives), the only thing I would say is be careful where you put is as with the bonus points of It being fanless it can get very hot as well!!

Installing the WD RED Drives was simple, take off the cover insert the drives, format them and install the QTS

Operating System. With their being two drives you can only choose JBOD, RAID 0 or RAID 1 arrays, for this test I used RAID 1 which halved my capacity but offered 100% Redundancy. To do this you type ‘start.qnap.com’ into your browser to get to the set-up wizard, you will need to download QNAP QFinder which will then detect your NAS and you then set your RAID type, username and password.

I like the User Interface it offers, looking like a Mac OS Desktop I found it very easy to get around, with the HS-251 linking straight into your TV without the need of another media server like an Xbox I found myself streaming movies in less than 15 minutes. With an RRP of £289.99 it is a little expensive and you need to invest in the hard drives as well but if you have as many media files as I do it’s amazing to have it all centralised, with no noise, no fuss and easy access. www.qnap.com

SteriPEN Ultra When you’re hiking, backpacking, or just travelling off the grid, nothing is more important than having access to clean water. A water purifier is essential for killing the bacteria that cause waterborne diseases, so put your trust in SteriPEN Ultra, the most advanced UV water purifier you can get.

With just a UV lamp, SteriPEN destroys over 99.9% of bacteria, viruses and protozoa, making your water safe to drink in as little as 48 seconds. With a full charge SteriPEN can treat 50 litres of water, and the internal battery can be recharged via

USB by a computer, wall socket or solar charging station, so there’s no need to carry spare batteries. A user-friendly OLED display tells you the treatment, lamp and battery status, so you’ll always know when SteriPEN needs recharging or replacing. Nonetheless, the UV lamp has a lifespan of 8,000 treatments, so you can rely on it for a long time – and the SteriPEN Premium Lamp Life Pledge means your SteriPEN will be replaced after these 8,000 uses.

SteriPEN is safe, fast and effective.

Meeting US Environmental Protection Agency standards and independently tested by the universities of Arizona, Maine and Oregon Health Sciences, SteriPEN has earned the Water Quality Association’s Gold Seal and is even used by municipal water districts and water bottle companies. The low-level UV-C light destroys bacteria without harming your eyes or skin, and the SteriPEN Ultra is small and designed to fit perfectly into water bottles, making each water treatment safe and quick.

The SteriPEN Ultra is an amazing and essential piece of kit: the new musthave gadget for anyone who wants to have an adventure. www.steripen.com

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ROKSAN K3 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

I have been using the Kandy K2 for the last few years and was very pleased with it as an all-rounder providing great sound and available at a very good price, so when I was asked if I would like to review the K3 I jumped at the opportunity.

I was given the Charcoal version to play with, the K3 Integrated Amp comes in three finishes Charcoal, Opium and Anthracite. I definitely prefer the appearance of the K3 which has kept the basic shape but now has a very sleek sexy brushed aluminium throughout the front having got rid of the dials separation plate on the K2, they have also replaced the tape button with a Bluetooth option.

The aptX Bluetooth option built in is very simple to use, pressing the button enables you to pair it to all streaming devices and was quick and simple to use, all you have to do is attach the Bluetooth dongle that comes in the box as well as this you have five line-level ins and moving-magnet phono stage.

FOR VALUE FOR MONEY THIS AMP CURRENTLY CAN’T BE BEATEN. Now to the fun stuff I linked these up to Roksan Tr-5 Speakers (I have reviewed these this month as well) and the Stanton STR8.150 Turntable and pulled out Metallica’s Black Album – the sound it gave off was incredible I whacked it to the top, whacked is a strong term I did it bit by bit because it pushes out such a loud sound but once I got to the top it handled it with control and poise. The basslines were so clear and there was no blue each note was punchy and concise, the whole experience was warm and detailed from top to bottom. So I know it can handle the heavy stuff well, how would it handle the softer side of things? I wanted to see how it could handle the magic of Guy Garvey’s voice so I tried out Elbows Build a Rocket Boys LP and it wasn’t one dimensional at all as well its impressive punchy sound it offered beautiful textures, tone and depth and made me feel like I was front row….. amazing!

With an RRP of £1249 this is amazing value for a quality amp that offers you a complete package, for value for money this Amp currently can’t be beaten. www.roksan.co.uk

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iON Air Pro 3 HD Video Camera When it comes to an action cam, you can’t go far wrong with the iON Air Pro 3. Designed for consumers and professionals, it’s simple to use, but with 1080p video recording, a 2.5 hour battery life and a super wide 160° field of view, it doesn’t lack in features or personality.

The aluminium barrel has a sturdy rubberised finishing, making the Air Pro 3 waterproof down to 15 meters without the need for a case. It’s a quality, durable design, but the Air Pro 3 only weighs 142g – so light you’ll barely notice it mounted to your helmet.

The hardware’s strong, and so is

the software. A 12MP sensor means you’ll always get crystal clear stills, and a G-Sensor with 8 points of image stabilisation counteracts shakiness for a smooth video. Once you’ve shot your HD video, the Air Pro comes wifi ready and with 10GB of free cloud storage, so uploading and sharing your content on the go is extra easy, especially once you’ve downloaded the free iON app.

Surfing, bike riding, driving, white water rafting, mountain climbing – take the iON Air Pro 3 anywhere to record and share your white-knuckle ride with the world. www.ioncamera.com

WINBOT W930 Science fiction writers have long speculated about robots. Will they be used for good? Will they turn against us? None of them seem to have predicted that robots are the window cleaners of the future. But that’s just what the Winbot W930 is – a robot that can effectively clean framed and frameless glass, mirrors and other vertical flat surfaces. What a time to be alive.

The W930 fixes onto the window with dual suction rings, forming a double vacuum barrier, and the onboard motor allows the robot to move while maintaining this vacuum suction. A unique 4-stage cleaning process leaves windows bright and sparkling: first, the front cleaning pad loosens dirt, then one squeegee removes debris and another removes any remaining waterborne dirt, and finally the rear cleaning pad wipes the window dry.

The Winbot even returns to where it began its cleaning journey, so you can easily remove it. An RF remote control comes with each model, so you can operate it from a distance.

The W930 is the latest in a line of award-winning robots from Ecovacs Robotics, and they’re certainly intelligent. Smartmove navigation means the microfiber pad cleans in all directions, no matter what direction the robot is travelling in. And the W930 is equipped with onboard Pathfinder Technology, which measures the size of the glass and calculates the fastest, most efficient path to clean it. Multiple sensors make sure it avoids obstacles like window latches.

If you want to move your home into the space age, then look no further than the W930. www.ecovacsrobotics.com

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Buffalo DriveStation Quad USB 3.0

www.buffalo-technology.com

The DriveStation Quad is the external storage solution offered by Buffalo and we got to try out the 12TB HD-QHU3 model, the DriveStation comes in four sizes 8TB, 12TB, 16TB and 24TB. It is a 4-bay direct attached storage device ideal for small to medium business use and is fabricated with WD Red drives which in our case here are 3TB each.

The DriveStation utilises RAID technology and you can use it in 0, 1, 5, 10 and JBOD dependent on your performance and redundancy levels you require. I used RAID 5 as it is the most cost effective and commonly used option as it is the mean average of the parameters and what I feel you would most like to hear about.

Do read the instructions before plugging it in as behind the front cover plate to allow safe transportation is a piece of cardboard and if you don’t

take that out I would imagine it would soon overheat, the plate is magnetically attached and is easy to pull off with your hands. Behind the cover plate you will see the four hard drive bays and they are easily accessible allowing you to easily fix or replace a faulty drive.

The Drivestation Quad is Box Shaped and black in colour with a matt finish with dimensions of 149 x 154 x 233mm (W x H x D), there are LED lights representing the four drives and a blue power light and turns on and off to coincide with the computers status I backed up the entire server not only for GadgetHead Mag but for Littlegate Publishing which has 60 issues and 7.12TB worth of data which we normally store across multiple Dropbox accounts, the disadvantage of Dropbox is it can go down but with the DriveStation in RAID 5 even if a drive does become faulty you can do a hot swap which is when the HD-QHU3 will automatically power down the faulty drive allowing a safe removal with no data loss or down time as it will be mirrored on another drive. There were moments here and there where the fans kicked in but storing 7TB of data is

a lot of work and I was impressed how quiet it was.

It is built with SuperSpeed USB 3.0 with an interface speed up to 5 Gbps and also comes with 11 licenses for NovaBACKUP and is compatible with Mac OS 10.4-10.9, Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 8.1. The current RRP of the DriveStation Quad 12TB HD-QHU3 is ÂŁ965 but it is a monster and will serve all your SMB Needs.

THERE WERE MOMENTS HERE AND THERE WHERE THE FANS KICKED IN BUT STORING 7TB OF DATA IS A LOT OF WORK AND I WAS IMPRESSED HOW QUIET IT WAS.

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DriveStation™ Quad Direct Attached Storage USB 3.0

HD-QHU3/R5

Huge Capacity Direct Attached Storage Huge Capacity Direct Attached Storage

Buffalo Technology’s DriveStation™ Quad (HD-QHU3 series) is a 4-bay Direct Attached Storage device perfect for demanding SMB. The HD-QHU3 comes fully populated with high-reliability Buffalo Technology’s DriveStation™ WD Red™ drives in total capacities of up to 24TB.

Quad (HD-QHU3 series) is a 4-bay

™ The DriveStation Quad is RAID-enabled customised Direct Attached Storage deviceforperfect redundancy and capacity depending on your specific needs for demanding SMB. The HD-QHU3 and also comes with 10 licenses of NovaStor NovaBACKUP comes Essentials fully populated Business software. with high-

reliability WD Red™ drives in total

The DriveStation™ Quad features the capacity, redundancy, capacities of required up to 24TB. and performance for any demanding user – the perfect solution for backing up large servers, multimedia files, or databases. The HD-QHU3 series is sold fully populated with WD Red drives and total capacities of 8, 12, 16, or 24TB. HD-QHU3/R5

Features and Benefits • 4 bay Direct Attached Storage fully populated with WD Red™ hard drives - Available with 8, 12, 16, or 24TB capacities

• RAID-enabled for performance and reliability - Supports RAID 0/1/5/10/Spanning/JBOD

• Perfect for Server, PC, and/or Database Backup

Features and Benefits

- Also includes 10 free licenses of NovaStor NovaBackup Business Essentials

• Power Saving – Auto Power feature turns on and off automatically with your computer

4-bay Direct Attached Storage •• SuperSpeed connectivity with USB 3.0

fully populated with WD Red™ hard drives with 8, 12, 16, or 24TB capacities • RAID-enabled for performance and reliability - Supports RAID 0/1/5/10/Spanning/JBOD • Perfect for ™Server, PC, and/or Database Backup - Also includes 10 free licenses of NovaStor NovaBACKUP® Business Essentials • Power Saving – Auto Power feature turns on and off automatically with your computer ched Storage • SuperSpeed connectivity with USB 3.0 • 3 year warranty - Available • 3 year warranty

tation Quad

RAPHA PRO TEAM BIB SHORTS Oozing quality, attention to detail and style, the Rapha Pro Team bib shorts, although expensive RRP £190, are worth every penny. It is clear to see that endless design hours have gone into the bold design and neat touches displayed on these bibshorts.

The quality of manufacture, the choice of materials, the stitching, the logos.

No stone has been left unturned in ensuring that Rapha quality is second to none.

In the world of performance cycling attire, is function more important that form? No need to worry there.

Starting at the bottom and working up – Stylish leg grippers ensure the shorts don’t ride up when pedalling.

In cheaper shorts, creases, folds and

HD-QHU3/R5

irritations occur on a long ride but not in the Rapha bibshorts; the pad is super comfortable to sit on, for hours on end.

The material used in the shorts and the quality of the seams makes for a ride of supreme comfort and the straps don’t dig in or hold sweat. The only thing to be aware of really is the sizing; these are pro level bibshorts, a medium size pro is different to a medium sized normal bloke – it would make sense to order a size up. Rapha doesn’t fail you there though, with the hours of cycling you’re bound to do in these bibshorts, and the corresponding weight you’ll lose, you can send these back and exchange for the next size down! www.rapha.cc

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Rock Jaw Alfa Genus

vs.

SoundMAGIC E50 When it comes to in-ear headphones, Rock Jaw and SoundMAGIC make some of the best. They’re the go-to brands for great audio quality. So that gave us at GadgetHead a dilemma: which is best? We came up with the solution by looking to one of our heroes, the great Harry Hill. There’s only one way to find out... fight!

Round 1: Style

When it comes to looks, the Alfa Genus definitely has the edge. Crafted from a hybrid construction of aluminium and ebony with a weaved 1.2m long cord, it’s got the chiselled good looks of a male underwear model. The E50 is

Round 2: Sound

This is when the E50 launches into a frenzied attack. Finely attuned drivers give the well-balanced sound you’d expect in bigger headphones, with great tone and clarity even if you

Round 3: Features It’s hard to tell who’s got the upper hand. Blows are flying back and forth. Both come with extra pairs of interchangeable silicone eartips in a range of sizes for a comfortable fit.

less preoccupied with its appearance, with a sturdy metal earphone body that’s designed to take everything life throws at it. They size each other up. It gets dramatic.

crank up the volume to 11. But the Alfa Genus fights back, with detailed sound and surprisingly accurate bass, thanks to newly designed 8mm neodymium drivers.

Both have inline play/pause controls.

The Alfa Genus has an in-built mic so you can hook it up to your smartphone for conversations on the go, but it’s still a close call.

Round 4: Price After all that, it goes to a tiebreaker: price. At £44.99, the E50 is just shy of the Alfa Genus’ £49.99 price point. But is it worth that extra fiver? Well, that really depends what you’re looking for.

The Victor

In this clash of the mid-range in-ear headphones, no one’s come out on top.

They’re both good devices, and in the

If you’re after good sound and great style, go for the Alfa Genus. But if you’re all about that bass, you want the E50.

end it just comes down to what you like best. Or just get both. You can never have enough audio devices.

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HICKIES

With a strapline as catchy as ‘Laces out, Hickies in’, it makes sense that this responsive lacing system is slick, easy to use and most importantly, fit for purpose.

Hickies are a set of elasticated lace alternatives that claim to be suitable for use in sports footwear, as well as casual shoes and if their website is anything to go by, not only will this system actually IMPROVE your performance, you will look good at the same time. Skeptical? Us? Well no more!

Having replaced the well-worn and knotty laces in some beloved running shoes, the Hickies did look good; in fact, they made my trainers look a lot more fancy. Don’t get caught up admiring your feet though, this is how you accidently slip off a curb and almost twist your ankle on a drain cover.

Don’t expect the Hickies to be a quicker alternative to laces, that is not the goal of the product and if anything, they take a little getting used to and some extra time to use. You have to thread each Hickie, then snap it into place and on your first go, you will take your time to make sure you do it

right, but after that it’s plain sailing.

With an elaborate lacing system selected, I followed the instructions, snapped everything into place and hit the pavement to test them out and I’m never going to look back. No tripping, no laces untying and no loss of performance either, these were a dream for a middistance runner like myself. I comfortably completed an 8k run, with my feet feeling secure and supported in my trainers, while also enjoying a little flex you just don’t get from laces and the circulation in my feet seemed improved.

Move over laces, you’ve been replaced. www.hickies.com

BOW ACTIVE GAMEBARZ

The GameBarz is a fun if slightly ridiculouslooking gadget that takes mobile gaming to the next level. It’s a universal game controller that works with over 300 free games and several mobile devices, clipping easily onto your smartphone, mini tablet or iPod touch. Use it horizontally like motorbike handles or vertically as a sword or firearm – it can handle whatever your game calls for.

At GadgetHead, our favourite thing to use the GameBarz for is definitely driving games.

The GameBarz uses your mobile device’s in-built gyrometer, making for brilliant tight steering. We also love how the lever and stylus can be used as a trigger for shoot-out games, really testing your reaction times. Mobile gaming becomes even more immersive when you stream it to a bigger screen, and that’s exactly what we did with the GameBarz one quiet afternoon. Nothing brings out your competitive side like shooting your colleagues.

Built for heavy play, the GameBarz looks and feels like a solid, good quality product, with soft tactile grips that make it comfortable to use.

According to Bow Active, product testing included a 30ft drop onto concrete, so you can be sure that the tough frame can stand up to hours of hardcore gaming. But we might just keep playing with it to test that out. www.bowblade.net

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TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio Watch All fitness watches are the same right? They track your movement, calculate how many calories are being burned and give you a gentle nudge towards a fitter and healthier you.

That might be true of some models, but the TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio Watch does exactly what it claims to; offers state of the art monitoring during running, cycling and swimming activities.

Perfect for triathletes, the watch has an integrated heart rate monitor that negates the need for a chest strap, while also offering real-time data thanks to the built in GPS receiver.

Basically, it’s like having NASA attached to your wrist. And it looks great too.

Aesthetics shouldn’t play a huge part in the selection of a fitness watch, but we can’t overlook the fact that the design of this item is nothing short of awesome. It just screams cutting edge and can be personalised with the choice of coloured straps, all of which are insanely comfortable and unobtrusive while you are out pushing your own limits.

As a budding triathlete, I put the TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio watch through its paces by taking it out on the road for an 80-mile bike ride (in

the rain), for an 8k run (in the rain also, thanks British weather!) and a two hour session in the pool. To say that it stepped up to the plate would be an understatement. No loss in signal meant I received accurate data and could see how hard I was working at all times and when I needed to push a little more. In short, it made me work better, harder and for longer.

This is not just a sports watch; it’s a personal trainer, a stylish accessory and unrelenting motivation that you can wear. It’s a winner, as am I when I’m wearing it. www.tomtom.com

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THULE VELOCOMPACT BIKE RACK

I transport cycles a lot, albeit my road racers or my kids mountain bikes. Years ago I had a carrier, which sat on the tail gate with straps and arms, horrible really and it didn’t take long to scratch the car. Later I advanced to a tow bar mounted carrier on which the bikes hung from their crossbars on protruding arms. Again not at all ideal as the bikes could swing around and scratch the car or themselves. Not forgetting its illegal to have the lights and number plate obscured.

This offering from Thule seemed to tick all the boxes on safe effective transportation of my bikes. The first thing I noticed when fitting it is how heavy it is, not something my wife could pop on the car.

It is quality and needs to be tough to carry 4 bikes so I was reassured.

Sometimes you just don’t want something made in IKEA. It clips simply onto the tow bar and has a handbrake affair to lock it in place.

This can be locked onto the car as the bikes can be locked onto the

Morel Soundspot 2.1 Ultra THIS FEELS REALLY SECURE AND YOU SOON FORGET ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL WEIGHT carrier using the same one key. This is the first carrier I have used where you could leave the car knowing that everything is safe.

The bikes fit on easily and fast with ratchet loops holding the wheels in place and an arm that secures the frame. The initial set up took me about 30 minutes purely as I refuse to read instructions. Now that it is set up it takes less than 5 minutes to get the carrier on and the bikes.

It has its own integral lights and number plate so I am also legal!

Most of the previous carriers I have used have me looking in the rear view mirror cringing that something is going to move or break however this feels really secure and you soon forget about the additional weight.

Another great feature is that if you need to access your boot the bikes can all move back out of the way safely and lightly so you can gain access and then flick back secure when finished.

This is a quality and well thought our carrier and it is very apparent why Thule leads this market place. www.thule.com

Having two small speakers underpinned by one big subwoofer to give them a bit of bass is a great sound system for a home cinema setup, and Morel has come up with a fantastic way to totally immerse yourself with the Soundspot 2.1 Ultra.

With their spherical shape, the speakers eliminate the resonance and standing waves that you often get with traditional rectangular units. The ‘daddy one’ is a PSW10 subwoofer with a 254mm driver powered by a 200W amp, and the ‘baby ones’ are SP-2s with a bespoke 100mm driver and a 32mm voice coil.

The Soundspot 2.1 Ultra delivers on sound quality, with a great range and depth no matter how loud you crank it up. With several points of sound, it creates a believable soundstage with a good crossover between the subwoofer and small satellite speakers.

Fire it up for a weekend movie marathon and take escapism to another level. www.morelspeakers.co.uk

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EXPLORE. ENJOY.

GIVI 50.4 SNIPER GIVI 50.4 SNIPER sets a new benchmark in the evolution of GIVI’s full-face helmets.

An innovative project, made from a technopolymer compact shell with a sophisticated mechanism for the visor, which can be rapidly released without the use of tools.

• Double visor, removable breath guard, and wind deflector • Removable inner lining made from anallergic fabric

Sponsor of the LCR Honda MotoGP Team.

Find more than 900 accessories at www.givimoto.com

EXPLORE. ENJOY.

MAXIA 4

THE NEW GENERATION OF THE LEGEND GIVI’S most popular top case, totally redesigned.

Stylish as never before, versatile and as strong as ever.

• ABS cover with a new design • Internally strengthened outer edge • Double cover made from plastic and aluminium • New outer band • New optical reflectors with small reflector on the outer band • Capacity: 56 lt

Sponsor of the LCR Honda MotoGP Team.

Find more than 900 accessories at www.givimoto.com

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TRIUMPHANT ADVENTURE Every year Littlegate Publishing organises a road trip to Europe. This year we decided that two friends and myself would ride Triumph motorcycles as far down as Italy.

We had a lot of kit to test on the way, so a few months of planning (in the pub) was essential and after numerous ‘meetings’ to plan our route, we decided we would catch the overnight ferry from Harwich to the Hoek of Holland.

We picked the bikes up from Hinckley in the UK and my first impression was that two of us had chosen well for what was going to be a 3,000-mile trip and one of us had not. The bikes were the Triumph 1200 Explorer, 1200 Trophy and the 1050 Speed Triple, the first two are clearly made for mile munching and the Speed Triple, not so much. We knew from the start that it would be interesting to see how we coped with long motorway miles and tight Alpine passes.

We had a few days with the bikes before we were due to leave, so we took the time to properly fit and test the SatNavs. I’ve learnt from previous experience

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that assuming you’ll ‘work it out’ along the way is an amateur’s approach to cross country biking and not a mistake to repeat. TomTom were kind enough to provide me with their latest motorbike SatNav, the Rider 400, which was quick to fit and featured in our gadget section.

The ferry from Harwich to the Hoek of Holland is only a 1 ½ hour ride from home for us, so we worked in the morning and met for a gentle trundle there to grab a coffee and wait to board. This was my first overnight ferry crossing and as we walked into the cabin it seemed very civilised. This first impression improved dramatically after a couple of drinks. After a sound night’s sleep, waking up in Holland was brilliant and I had to suppress a shiver of horror at the thought of all the times I have taken my three kids to France and endured a day crossing. Never again; sleeping while you travel is the way to go!

“Stay right, stay right” this is the mantra in my mind for the first few miles. Especially as we have recently published an article with TomTom that

highlighted how 71% of British drivers didn’t know which side of the road to drive on abroad and I am loathed to be a statistic in anything.

On all our trips, the first day is the long slog as we use it to get as far as we can, so we can start feeling like we’re really on holiday. I’ve been told that it is a credit to my riding that it takes an overnight ferry and a day of riding for me to get to unfamiliar territory.

Attired in our new motorcycle jeans and jackets from Bull-it, our Air vests from Motoair and Helite, helmets from Arai and Givi and gloves from Tucano Urbano, we were protected from all the dangers of the road but as it was knocking on the door of 40 degrees, we were cooking ourselves. My wife later questioned that riding along must cool you down, thanks to the airflow, but in temperatures like this there was no reprieve. Of course, after so many rides together there is little shame amongst us so we took regular stops to replenish fluids and decompress, stretching out our backs and walking off our aches.

So we roll into Besançon, a citadel dating from the Roman occupation and

a thoroughly nice town to boot. The weather here was well over 30 degrees in the late evening and made hotter as the town sits in a natural geological bowl. Some minor maintenance on the Speed Triple was needed (oiling the chain) and then it was off to maintain ourselves and take on fluids and calories.

The next day we made an early start for Chamonix-Mont Blanc and knowing the Swiss as I do, I’m certainly not going to pay a €40 + carnet charge to use a few kilometres of road around Geneva. The TomTom is set to avoid all but paved road and while this feature is great, it does mean you get dragged through industrial estates and tunnels for ages and ages, whilst we boiled. As soon as we’ve crossed the border, the avoid setting was lifted. It’s a dramatic, all motorway, ride up to Chamonix and you end up at nearly 1100 metres above sea level, even more dramatic when you look to your right and spot Mont Blanc and the Mer du Glacé. The first time I visited Chamonix it was as a travelling teenager, on a motorcycle, on my way back from the south of France

and in 30 years it’s lost none of its charm. It’s filled with ultra-fit extreme sports people whose muscles ripple every time they lift their glass; we were just happy to unzip, unbuckle and unfasten our safety gear, sit on a chair and steam.

We decided to look at two loops to ride over the following days. The first took us down the valley for a short while before heading up towards Tigne through Val d’isere and ending on top of the Col Du Iseran, one of the highest in the Alps and a regular haunt of the Tour de France. We headed back via the Petit col du St Bernard, which turns into the Piccolo col St Bernard with a drop over the top into La Thuile, Italy. A “STAY RIGHT, STAY RIGHT” THIS IS THE MANTRA IN MY MIND FOR THE FIRST FEW MILES. ESPECIALLY AS WE HAVE RECENTLY PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE WITH TOMTOM THAT HIGHLIGHTED HOW 71% OF BRITISH DRIVERS DIDN’T KNOW WHICH SIDE OF THE ROAD TO DRIVE ON ABROAD.

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fabulous run through over 20 hairpins would bring us into Courmeyor and the entrance to the Mont Blanc Tunnel.

What a feat of engineering! Miles of tunnel right under the mountain, with four lanes of traffic. Hot, expensive but worth a look anytime you find yourself nearby.

The nightlife in Chamonix is fabulous and made even more so by the heat, people eating al fresco and promenading all evening. This is the perfect vision of Europe. You’re never far from the view of Mont Blanc or the Agile du Midi, so we decided to catch the cable car to the top. Okay, I say we decided, that is a lie. My cohorts decided and I am too bullish to admit my utter terror of heights so I went along too. It got so bad that I had to disengage from my group, lest they playfully push me over a railing or something equally laddish. I happened to have the opportunity to see a group of German Olympic karateka training in their white kiogis and when you see a team of foreign martial artists pushing themselves through 40 minutes of

grueling altitude training it puts things into perspective. One, I wasn’t going to die up here and two, if they are competing against the British, we’re going to get creamed.

The next day we rode off in search of the Great St Bernard Pass. This is after a short trip into Switzerland, once more via Martigny, winding steeply down through its vineyards on the south side of the valley through oppressive heat.

The top of the pass is a tourist haven and often crowded so this is something I have come to expect in these parts over the last 30 years, but it loses none of its beauty despite this fact. 30 years ago it was hardly known and I feel like I was one of the pioneers.

The following morning we left our first class penthouse chalet in Chamonix with heavy hearts and remarkably light wallets for the final stretch of our trip.

The adventure may have been drawing to a close but not before we got to head right around Switzerland via the Furkha and Grimsel passes.

The Grimsel is surely one of the prettiest places on earth and at this

time of year the rock is almost luminous green with fresh lichen and the air is pristine and clear. On the other side is one of the bluest lakes I have ever seen; perfection, it is one of the two that the country Interlaken sits between. From here we passed the north face of the Eiger and came around to pull up at our hotel in the shadow of Jungfrau, not a bad setting for a one-night stay. A quick walk around Interlaken confirms our worst fears; that the ugly side of tourism has reached its commercial hand this far. No longer are there Swiss Army knife and clock stores, now plastic tat covered in pictures of more plastic tat rule supreme.

I have never had the pleasure of crossing Switzerland by back roads, but was determined to avoid the carnet.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much grass or so many cows in my life. It was beautiful, even if it did smell a bit rural, but then again I live in Suffolk and I’m used to that smell. After this we had the pleasure of riding up the famous B500 biker route, which heads north and south through the Black Forest. This is

another of my favorite places with its wide-open bends and predictable road surface. In some parts it looks more Swiss that Switzerland.

Saving for a narrow escape on the a main road, where a truck ahead of us suffered a full tire blow out that and gave us a much too in-depth lesson on what’s inside a tire, as it came bellowing past us, we arrived at Ettlingen, a lovely old-fashioned and unspoilt German town, without incident. Grateful that we were alive, we treated ourselves to the tastiest, cheapest meal of the holiday and some good old-fashioned hospitality.

We awoke to a grey start on our final day and we were sure we were going to get a dowsing, but a few drops of rain was all it amounted to. There was a slight mix up on the TomTom as were trying to avoid obstacles such as ferries and motorways, however, after riding in circles for an hour we realised we were in a catch 22 situation and needed to open up our search. We added ferries and two minutes later had crossed a river for just 40 pence, after which the

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satnav settled down and took us up the Rhine. There we stopped at one of our favourite haunts: Benno’s Truck Stop in Kaub am Rhine. Benno’s is a renowned biker stop and you order whatever you fancy from the menu and you generally get a Bratwurst (sausage), fries and curry powder. I am sure that every time I go there I order something different but get the same thing, however Benno was particularly generous this time and added a Pork medallion, which again, I had no choice about. You don’t argue with Benno, as rumour has it he is a hardened member of the Hells Angels!

Funnily enough though, I am starting to doubt this hard man reputation as there was a busload of thirty 9-yearold school kids having Bratwursts and it looked like a regular outing to Uncle Benno’s!

After a beautiful ride along the Rhine to Koblenz we had to make the miles up to the ferry so it was motorways all the way back. The time had come to hunker down, grin and bear it. At Hoek we picked up some bottles of wine that had us questioning it’s quality at just €7.50 for three and had a very quick and efficient ferry boarding. We had our usual argy-bargy entering the cabin to see who got the double bed and I won that little battle.

With our bodies aching, we arrived back in old Blighty at 6.30am and rode back to Hinckley to return our faithful steeds. We had had a whale of a time, the Triumphs were fantastic and didn’t miss a beat.

As we had ridden to Italy and back and hadn’t needed the air vests, we decided to strap them to a fence and pop them, to see if they would have been up to scratch. I’m glad to say that they would have worked and I now don’t ride without one!

Huge thanks to Mark and Rick for making the trip so enjoyable. Further thanks to Truimph, Givi, Arai, Tom Tom, Bull-it Jeans, Moto-Skivees, Motoair, Helite and Littlegate Publishing.

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Speed Triple

Introducing in the red corner, weighing in at 214kgs, 1050cc and 133bhp

– the Triumph Speed Triple The Speed Triple is considered by many as the flagship of the current Triumph range and an urban icon but how would it perform outside it’s comfort zone?

After nine days of Autobahns, Alpine passes and extreme heat I’m sad to have to give it back! The 1050cc, inline triple powerplant produces over 130bhp and delivers the power with a punch when needed, yet smoothly at low revs, almost regardless of which gear you are in, thanks to the superb fuel injection system.

The modern twin-tube, twin spar frame gives the bike sharp handling and exceptional front end feel. When coupled with the upside down Showa forks and the four piston, radially mounted Brembo front callipers, the Speed Triple becomes a match for most sportsbikes.

NAKED BIKES CERTAINLY AREN’T EVERYONE’S CUP OF TEA, BUT PERSONALLY I LOVE THEM.

The Speed Triple’s styling goes hand-in-

10mph meant a whole different ballgame;

hand with it’s performance. The minimal

it’s fuel consumption became the worst of

bodywork, the single-sided swing arm, the

the three, the comfort level dropped, and

stubby tail section, with the twin pipes that

a small vibration on the handlebars was

growl as the revs increase nested below,

introduced.

make this one of the best looking and

above 85mph and if it became a problem in

sounding bikes in the streetfighter class.

the long term, the simple addition of some

The seating position is very comfortable which is slightly surprising considering the aggressive nature of the bike.

This vibration disappeared

decent bar ends would probably cure the issue.

The on-

Naked bikes certainly aren’t everyone’s

board display is digital with an analogue

cup of tea, but personally I love them.

rev counter. It has all the functions you

Their performance and handling match

would expect; fuel gauge, 2 trips, miles to

most superbikes but you don’t have to be

go before you have to get off and push, etc.,

a jockey with a black belt in yoga to fit on

and is easy to use –you don’t need a degree

them. The lack of fairing encourages you

in IT to reset the trip! The small bikini fairing

to keep the speed down which keeps the

worked very well; riding at about 50mph,

DVLA happy, but when you feel the need

the air flow seems to lift you slightly, taking

to open it up there’s endless torque to put a

the weight off your arms and making the

smile on your face.

cruising experience very bearable. At the

The Speed Triple is not the fastest,

other end of the scale, cruising at 85mph

lightest or cheapest naked bike on the

(something I did only on the Autobahns!),

market, but if you’re looking for an all-

everything became a bit blustery and it

rounder with a massive grin factor you’d be

was time to hold on a bit tighter! Sitting

foolish to overlook it.

at 70-75mph was perfect for both the bike

 Speed Triple £9,749 Speed Triple R £10,999

and rider, and at this speed, the Speed Triple returned the best mpg of all three bikes, whereas increasing the speed by

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Explorer

Well, this is a big bike, which is a good thing for an Adventure bike. We call

the styling Adventure; the go anywhere look but it is very obvious that the Explorer is made for tarmac roads and maybe a bit light off-roading. Its size, weight and cast wheels are a sure fire give away but it is a good looking bike and well thought out and would make an excellent everyday bike.

Cruise control comes as standard, which is invaluable for those long motorway miles. It keeps your arms relaxed and your focus from the speed monitoring to safety with the added bonus of saving some fuel.

The Explorer’s rider ergonomics are very good accommodating to all sized riders as you get one of the widest selections of seat heights on the market. It’s a very comfortable bike, as you seem to sit in it unlike the Honda Crosstourer I rode last year where you felt perched on it. You can hunker down behind the adjustable screen that worked best for this 5’11 guy in its lowest position. I

SLOW TURNS ARE EASY AND SURE HOWEVER IT’S THE FAST, OPEN, SWEEPING ROADS WHERE THE EXPLORER IS MOST AT HOME.

tried it all positions however the higher it

of heat.

When we went to set off the

went the more pressure I felt exerted on

Explorers kickstand had sunk into the

the top of my helmet.

tarmac and the bike was leaning perilously

Manually adjustable suspension front

close to falling. It took all my strength in

and rear. The rear preload adjuster setting

that thin air to right her, this was the only

can be easily changed according to payload

time I considered how lardy she is, and the

and preference with the turn knob below

rest of the time she is quite nimble.

the rider seat.

Slow turns are easy and sure however

The triple 1215cc engine has been

it’s the fast, open, sweeping roads where

designed just for the Explorer and is a

the Explorer is most at home. High-speed

peach. It delivers strong torque and high

stability is excellent and the Explorer feels

performance that sounds sweet even with

very planted in corners, even ones that

the standard exhaust.

suddenly tighten. The Explorer is a big, fast,

She feels light and agile on the go

fun, comfy motorcycle that’s fun to ride.

however at low speeds she can feel heavy.

Nice to wheelie too!

We were high in the Alps and very tired so

 £11,599

stopped for refreshments in 40 degrees

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Trophy

Now I’m always on the fence when it comes to Meriden or Hinkley. As an

owner of two Triumph Tigers, one 2011 one 1978 I just can’t drop into one camp.

This is different however as I haven’t had the pleasure of a big Triumph tourer before now so Hinkley it is (for now).

First impressions are good, easy power from the 1200 triple, good brakes and easy handling. On the road the weight is no problem but like most of this genre, slow speeds and bike manoeuvres take some thinking about. The centre stand is a doddle to use even fully loaded so A+ for that.

All the gadgets come as standard on the SE, cruise control is fabulous,great for avoiding speed cameras as well as relaxing your arms on a long journey.

One thing I never got bored of was the radio, even abroad it was easy to find a music station to enjoy on the winding alpine roads.

TRIUMPH’S ELECTRONIC SUSPENSION WAS GREAT AT HANDLING THE LOAD AND THE STABILITY IN HAIRPIN TURNS AND FAST MOTORWAY BENDS

Triumph’s electronic suspension coped

at you with no breeze for respite. Not a

well and was great at handling the load

criticism but worth noting if you’re planning

and the stability in hairpin turns and fast

a trip to Spain. Tank range was good as you

motorway bends, yes you can feel the

would expect but filling was a pain with a

weight when you’re going down a 10%

diffuser kind of thing stopping you from

gradient on a bumpy road where the

putting the nozzle in the tank.

Tarmac is melting but it never felt unsafe.

The luggage worked well but lacked the

The brakes are well balanced too, shame

sophistication of BMW luggage and by all

though like most of its rivals the Triumph

accounts the durability. In all the Trophy

chooses to apply the front brake when you

is a great bike if you¹re in the market and

use the rear. I like to drag my rear brake in

have the cash for that kind of thing, don’t

bends so I’m not a fan.

compare it to and RT or Pan just enjoy it for

The seat is adjustable and relatively

what it is, a great tourer.

comfortable after 8 hours in the saddle, the

One thing though there’s no noise so it’s

adjustable screen is great as is the fairing

back to Meriden for me I’m afraid for some

which does a great job of keeping all the

nostalgia.

air and elements off you. So much so in

 Trophy £12,999 Trophy SE £14,599

fact that in 40 degrees of heat it becomes unbearable and the heat is all reflected up

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MOTOAIR VEST

I rode to Italy and back wearing this hi-vis air vest and was so convinced by it that I have added it to my daily commute.

It could have been all too easy to dismiss this as just another safety “thing” to worry about and not bother to persevere with it but I now love what it represents.

Like you, I wouldn’t ride my bike without a helmet or drive my car without my seatbelt and this is an extension of that. At first having to clip and unclip the vest to the bike can seem arduous but it becomes habit,

just like any important safety feature.

Given the mechanics of how the vest works (if you come off the bike, the clip is broken and the vest inflates), it could have been a hilarious scenario in the early stages as would forget and jump off the bike without thinking, however there is enough slack in the clip to allow for such boyish bravado.

On the trip to Italy we had the good fortune to not experience these in their proposed environment ie exploding into a bulging inflatable bubble to protect your spine, neck and ribs.

However on our return to the head

WATERPROOF ONE PIECE SUIT TUTA NANO

I ride all year long, in all weathers so I have very good Gortex riding gear that are fully waterproof and keep me dry regardless of what is being thrown from the skies. However if I suspect it is going to be hammering down I want to cover the Gortex with a light rain suit to keep it dry. My reasoning for this is at some point I will need to put the Gortex back on and I would rather put on dry clothes than wet.

On touring trips it is easy to ring out

office of Triumph to reluctuantly return the press bikes we used on our trip we set them off to see what would happen. You can see that brief video here.

If I am coming off my bike I want this on to protect me, simple as. www.motoair.co.uk

GUANTES SOFTY TOUCH

an over suit than try to dry a full Gortex suit with a bathroom hairdryer not so much on a day to day home to work basis.

The Tuta Nano Sku 730 from Tucano Urbano does exactly what I want. It rolls small enough to chuck in a bag and forget about it. It is roomy and well made and keeps most of the rain off my main suit.

It comes in at just euro 89.00. www.tucanourbano.com

All too often the modern motorcycle glove comes in loud colours, plastic protectors, zips, go faster strips and the list goes on and on.

I wanted some subtle comfortable black leather protective motorcycle gloves to wear bimbling around on my Triumph T140 throughout the UK summer.

Tucano Urbano sent me their Softy Touch SKU 9926m. These are designed to be a winter glove however they are light enough for the UK summer. They are made of super soft leather, fully waterproofed and breathable. They also are touchscreen friendly.

From the moment I tried these gloves on they felt comfortable but like most items of clothing the fit just gets better each time as they mould around your hands.

Euro 59.00 for great quality and style. www.tucanourbano.com

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Givi X.01 Tourer Helmet In the motorcycle world Givi are best known for their quality bike luggage and accessories. However they have taken the move to mix it up in the helmet market and have been given me their X.01 Tourer to test. Endeavour magazine has a team of bikers riding through Europe in July and I will be wearing the Givi so will give an update within that article on what it is like longer term.

My impressions so far are very positive. The first thing you notice is that the price is low with a RRP of just ÂŁ180. I wondered if it was too cheap for a quality helmet however I had confidence in the Givi

A GOOD LOOKING, LIGHT, COMFORTABLE, ADAPTABLE AND WELL-MADE MULTI PURPOSE HELMET. brand. The visor comes Pinlock ready to fit the anti fog lens which in my mind is essential. These come in at around £18. I ride all year round in all types of weathers. I commute, tour, spend days on the back roads and go on group rides. I enjoy the full spectrum of riding and need a helmet that can deliver the same.

The Givi X.01 is marketed as a “dual sport” full-face item with a removable peak and chin bar. If you want an adventure style helmet there are many available however few come in offering such a low price coupled with quality.

The Givi is plushly padded and offers a lot more than its price would suggest.

Scratch resistant, the visor gives a good, clear panoramic view and is rain resistant There is also a drop down internal sun visor activated by a well-positioned lever on the left side of the helmet.

Britain’s spring and autumn’s low sunshine makes such a peak essential if you don’t want to be blinded or

crash. Or both. The chin bar can be removed to convert the full face to an open face and even remove the peak to transform the helmet in seconds.

I found the X.01 to be a comfortable helmet however a mate said it didn’t fit his head at all but as any biker will tell you, helmets need to be shaped for individual heads and this is less an example of a functional failure by the X.01 and more an example of my mate’s oddly shaped noggin.

I would sum up the Givi X.01 as a good looking, light, comfortable, adaptable and well-made multi purpose helmet. Simply put it is a brilliant bit of kit at a surprisingly low price. www.givi.co.uk

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TomTom Rider 400 TomTom Rider 400 is the latest GPS system for your motorcycle by TomTom. I received the premium pack version for my bike and was impressed by the quality in the packaging as well as the product, but then again TomTom has always been about presentation.

It was easy to fit onto my bike with simple instructions. Five minutes and I had a bar mounted SatNav ready to take me wherever I choose. TomTom have developed some extra security provisions for the biker in the form of a keyed locking system so that when you fuel up or take a pit stop you can leave it with the bike.

Personally I wouldn’t entrust any system to anything more than that as I have seen the most secure items on bikes go missing.

You have to love the trill button on the GPS. Avoid the boring road and give me the twisting lanes or the hills, that’s what I say.

Another nice feature is the GPS mount allows you to move the unit between portrait or landscape by flipping it around and it will automatically adjust. On portrait you get to see a lot more of the approaching roads which is naturally useful.

It is also waterproof and glove friendly and all in all a very easy to use and capable sat nav. Well done TomTom. www.tomtom.com

GIVI TANKLOCK BAG I WAS REALLY SURPRISED HOW EASY IT WAS TO FIT AND THE TANK REMAINS UNTOUCHED.

Motorcycle tank bags have been my nemesis for years. I have grown to hate them and swore blind I would never use one again after a magnetic version picked up a hair clip, and I gave the magnetic flaps a good wiggle to ensure a good fit. On removal of the bag I noticed the hair clip on the magnet and I had rubbed off the tank paint down to the metal. Everyday I would be reminded of this tank bag .

My editor asked me to test a Givi tank bag on my brand new motorbike and I laughed.

“But this is the tank lock system and the bag doesn’t touch the tank.” He said. You know when you get asked a question when there is only one right answer so reluctantly I agreed. So you fit a riser plate on the petrol filler cap and the tank bag clips on and off this.

I was really surprised how easy it was to fit and the tank remains untouched.

The bag I have is the Givi 25l, which has numerous compartments, is very well made and looks good. It is shower proof and also comes with its own rain cover and I can fit all my lunch and Mac Book in with loads of room to spare.

I said I would never use a tank bag again however Givi have changed my mind and I am much happier riding with this bag on the tank than a ruck sack full of hard stuff on my back.

Well done Givi on the XS306, a brilliant tank bags with no magnetic issues. www.givi.co.uk

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HELITE TURTLE SHELL INFLATABLE AIR VEST

On our latest motorcycle road trip to Italy this year, all riders were given a Motorcycle Airbag vest to wear. At the top end of the price scale was the Helite Turtle Shell Inflatable Air Vest which I had the pleasure of using. This is the most robust and well-made of the three we tested which you wear like a waistcoat over your riding jacket. It has three simple clips on the front to fasten it against the rider and is attached via lanyard to the bike so if you do come off the vest can be activated to protect your back, neck, coccyx, ribs and chest.

Unobtrusive to wear, you soon don’t notice you are wearing it which was convenient as we were riding through scorching European temperatures and the vest offered the best access to our jackets vents and gave the best chance of cooling airflow.

The quality of the product is high and feels expensive although it won’t dent your budget too heavily. It comes with its own back protector as standard so you can do away with the one in your riding jacket. The arms are well cut away so you have a huge freedom of movement. I found that my first few rides had my helmet rubbing on the neck of the vest however this seemed to lessen the more I rode with it.

This vest is so well made I am confident it will be the only one you will ever buy. It does cost the most of the three however in reality it costs about the same price as a quality helmet.

Once you have ridden wearing one of these you will not want to ride without one. I genuinely think they will become law as the helmet did and I certainly hope they do.

Don’t just take our word for it as here is a short video of Steve Parish also trying it out:

E VIDEO: WATCH TH QADPWBG G -O / E .B U YOUT

www.helite.com

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Save Your Skin Forget what you think you know about motorcycle protective clothing and open your minds to the possibility of something new, that is if you want to walk away from an accident with your body, mind and nerves intact.

Endeavour spoke to Keith Bloxsome of Covec Ltd about developments within the protective clothing industry.

Long gone are the days that Kevlar (an Aramid), in its many guises and strengths, was the pinnacle of protective wonder fabrics and though many riders still cling onto it as the crème de la crème of skin-savers, it has flaws that may not be well known to some. Thankfully, Covec has now burst onto the scene with the perfect combination of protection, style and performance; the veritable holy trinity of high-functioning fashion.

As a keen rider since his days as a pre-teen speedway circuit regular, Keith knows a thing or two about finding the perfect combination of comfort and safety on two wheels and, after a hiatus from bikes, returned to the scene in

2003 only to be disappointed by what was on offer, “Generic Kevlar jeans were everywhere and something of an industry standard, so it seemed. The only thing that separated any of the items, or companies selling them, seemed to be the designs. I was keen to change that and offer something new.”

The question is, why? We’ve all heard the saying ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, so did Keith really need to start hunting for a new wonder product?

The simple answer is yes, “We didn’t go in to this blind, we looked for observable evidence that Kevlar jeans were not living up to the expectations of consumers. Returns

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figures and information showed that Kevlar products were coming apart within six months. This confirmed beyond any doubt that we had to find something better.”

With tough legislation and CE impact abrasion standards needing to be met, the process of honing in on exactly the right protective fabric was not an overnight one, but taking inspiration from NASA, Keith found a material that he wanted to work with and develop further, “There was a yarn that NASA demonstrated a preference for, over Kevlar, so we looked into and started working with it. Able to better handle the elongating, stressing and degradation of threads, that can occur in the event of an incident, this yarn offered incredible potential to fulfill our dreams of the perfect combination of protection and design, with no compromises to the rider.”

Naturally, one of the hurdles being faced by Covec is the unenviable task of re-educating consumers about the flaws of Aramid. Confidently buying thanks to assumptions and anecdotal information, riders are putting themselves at risk of serious, yet preventable injuries. Learning about

new technology, such as the products being created by Covec, could not only save some skin, but actual lives.

“Our technical textiles are chemically superior to Kevlar in that they are non-absorbent, show no signs of flex fatigue, enjoy low thermal conductivity, demonstrate high cut resistance and offer impact absorption. All of this combined makes for an evergreen product that will weather any storm and protect the rider at all times.”

Speaking more about this technical superiority, the limitations of Kevlar quickly come into focus and include: high llex fatigue, high yarn-on-yarn abrasion and it can degrade with moisture; this is catalyzed when the moisture is acid or alkali. Not so with Covec, which is now available in an impressive 20 styles, “We currently have 20 styles to choose from, so riders from every background will be able to find something that suits and appeals to them. From sport and adventure bike riders through to the café racer crowd, there really is something for everyone.”

Offering six second help, the SR6 range of Bull-It jeans, available for both ladies and gents, are infused with Covec material, offering not only

a more stylish way to get about on your bike, but also a safer one. Having ridden in a pair of these jeans (thanks to the inclusive sizing options that mean ladies jeans are available in a 35” inside leg), I can see, and feel, that the ¼ million pound material development investment was well spent.

“I always say that if you’re going to wear jeans to ride in, wear better jeans.

Not everybody wants to wear a full leather kit, especially in the summer months and with leathers offering in the region of four to five second help, in the event of an accident, our products not only match that but better it, whilst offering the stylish look that many people want.”

Keith had me convinced and as soon as I got my SR6 jeans out, the weight, finish and style of them all gave me a huge confidence boost that this was a protective garment that just happened to also look great. A perfect fit in the 10 extra long, they worked well with my boots and solved a problem that, until now, I and many like me have been plagued with – trousers creeping down as you ride. The comfortable higher waist allowed for better lower back coverage, not to mention increased modesty, which made for a far more

focused and enjoyable ride. I was also shocked at the sheer comfort factor of the garment too; no chaffing or bunching up here. On the one hand these are just great looking jeans, but on the other, they offer level of protection that can mean the difference between getting back up after an accident and leaving half of your skin on the tarmac.

A vast sizing and style range, coupled with high quality triple-stitching and cutting edge protective technical yarns mean that Covec is set to change the way we think about riding forever.

Keith concludes by reaffirming, “We want to offer more, for more people. This means more protection, more style options and more sizes so that everyone can get out on their bikes safe in the knowledge that Covec will catch them if they fall.”

LEARNING ABOUT NEW TECHNOLOGY, SUCH AS THE PRODUCTS BEING CREATED

BY COVEC, COULD NOT ONLY SAVE SOME SKIN, BUT ACTUAL LIVES.

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