TESTED

ADVENTURE SPEC MONGOLIA JACKET ADVENTURE SPEC AQUA PAC JACKET

AS MONGOLIA £299.00 – AS AQUA PAC £235.00 www.adventurespec.com

The AS Mongolia jacket The AS Aqua Pac has clever draw strings top and bottom to keep everything dry

The AS Aqua Pac waterproof outer jacket

Now that we ’ ve passed the Summer solstice, doubtless members of the Wiltshire Group would have been down to the Henge in their finest robes, the perennial question of seasonal riding gear pops up. A phone call to Adventure Spec for their advice produced a Mongolia Trail jacket and Aqua Pac over jacket, all part of the ADV Layering system.

The Mongolia jacket is designed as an outer layer for hot weather riding, just what’ s required for 30 degrees C conditions. It is supplied with CE certified Forcefield, Level 2, five-piece armour. The construction and use of materials is quite complex; military-grade mesh forms the body of the jacket then 1000D Ballistic Nylon panels are used to reinforce the key impact and abrasion areas which are edged with hi-viz silver material. Features include two good sized front zip pockets, and a large rear pocket, zipped at either end, in which I stored the Aqua Pac (which folds into its own pocket), a 500ml water bottle and a pair of gloves.

After a six-and-a-half hour event including a break for lunch I felt comfortable. I’d had one minor off, ridden through a single shower of rain which got quite cool as I had convinced myself it was going to stop at any moment so didn ’t get the Aqua Pac out. I can see that as the only drawback, because if you get wet and keep riding, a high-airflow mesh jacket will dry quickly and you loose body heat. Hot tip – when it rains, stop and get the jacket out straight away. Under the Mongolia jacket I had a Craft long-sleeved ventilation T-shirt which was just about right for the conditions. The jacket cuffs have Velcro straps for adjustment, as does the Aqua Pac, which accommodates virtually any type of glove.

The Aqua jacket has clever draw strings at the top and bottom and is waterproof and breathable and it comes in handy for walking the dog on warm, wet days too.

The Adventure Spec layering system is very versatile and makes a lot of sense. It may have been developed for the Dakar Rally but it performed pretty well around Dorking too. ■ Rick Kemp

Contact: www.adventurespec.com 01422 882997 Adventure Spec is o ering TRF members 10% o from now till 20 August. The discount code is TRF-STAY-COOL.

TESTED

KENDA EQUILIBRIUM

www.kenda-moto.co.uk

There are some things you know you shouldn ’t do. Fitting a tyre you haven ’t used before on a Saturday for an event on the Sunday is one of them.

The tyre in question is the Kenda Equilibrium, Kenda, as you can see supports the TRF by advertising in Trail. The Equilibrium is a hybrid tyre half way between a trials and an enduro tyre. It is described as having trials-type centre tread in a sticky compound with braking ‘ scoops ’ and motocross-type shoulder blocks for more aggressive cornering. The tread is moulded on a soft carcass to allow for maximum grip.

The Equilibrium is road legal and only available as rear fitment. It comes in two sizes 110/100-18 and 120/80-19 and can be paired with any Kenda front enduro or MX tyre.

It’ s an impressive-looking doughnut of a tyre particularly when compared to the OE Mitas on the editorial Fantic. A quick check on the rolling circumference measurement gave the Kenda about 75mm (3ins) more which has the effect of raising the overall gearing by 3.6 %.

Any way back to the fitting, the tyres were changed and with the wheel back in the Equilibrium proved to be a rather snug fit in the swingarm. So snug in fact that the wheel had to go back a good way in the adjusters to get clearance between the tyre and the front of the swingarm. Long story short, original chain was now too short, had some spare 520 but needed another spring link to join it on, then discovered that all 520 link pins aren ’t the same diameter… Only thing left was to change the tyre back to the original and load the bike up ready for the Sunday

’ s LDT. By the time the next LDT came along six

weeks later I was sorted, new longer chain (old one was knackered anyway) and the rear wheel spinning without the tyre rubbing. It was during the hot spell in early June, you know, the one after the wet spell. So the going was pretty good, the open byways were dry but not dusty and it was soft through the woods with the occasional water splash. Twelve psi rear and 16 psi in the front tyre were my, finger in the wind, tyre pressure settings.

On tarmac the Equilibrium was fine, I used the rear brake occasionally just to see how the tyre worked and it didn ’t lock up unexpectedly and it drove out of corners well with no squirming. After a short while I just rode the bike with full confidence that the tyre wouldn ’t do anything unexpected. On the green roads it was pretty much the same story. The rear end felt planted on the soft, level surfaces and the grip on slimy adverse cambers was impressive even when trying to explore the limits. When it came to the water splashes, the bike never threatened to get plugged in the gloop even at slower speeds which suited me as I don ’t favour the high speed approach and then having to stop and clean your goggles/visor.

Getting grip instead of spin was something of a novelty but I must confess to not having trail ridden with a standard trials tyre. However this characteristic is part of the Equilibrium ’ s eco appeal, leaving tracks rather than grooves is preferable when it comes to conservation. So far so good, I’ll be keeping the Kenda on for a while yet, because I like it and I want to see what sort of mileage its ’ sticky ’ compound can deliver. ■

Rick Kemp

Friends

OFTHETRF

The following businesses are offering discounts to TRF members

58% Discount Suzuki GB bikes.suzuki.co.uk/owners/acu-licence-holders/ On parts for ACU licence holders

38% Discount John Banks Renault on Traffic Vans

25% Discount EBC Brakes Direct www.ebcbrakesdirect.com Brake and clutch components

20% Discount Custom Lids www.customlids.co.uk Discounts available on all motorcycle clothing Flexiplates visit: www.flexiplates.co.uk Quote code TRF15 Herbert & Ellison Discount on seat refurbishment www.herbertellisonupholstery.co.uk/ Home By Seven Get a copy of Steph Jeavons book at stephjeavons.com by using code TRF20 for 20% discount

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Viewranger www.viewranger.com Discount on digital maps code: TRF2017

10% Discount Fantic CCM Gas Gas EC Spares www.hainesmc.co.uk Quote code TRF2020 with membership number on an e-mail after placing your order online Rally Raid Products www.rally-raidproducts.co.uk Discount available on all custom Rally parts Midwest Racing www.midwestracing.co.uk Available on parts, accessories and clothing Premier Bikes www.premierbikes.com KTM franchise with discount applying to parts and clothing Endurotek www.endurotek.co.uk Parts and accessories Manchester Xtreme www.manchesterxtreme.com Please quote your TRF membership number PC Advanced Motorcycle Training http://www.cbtanddas.co.uk Bolt Bikes www.boltbikes.co.uk Gerbing www.gerbing.eu Discount code is TRF10 EDZ www.edzdirect.com Base-layer clothing Discount code is TRFC_ 10 Bike Revival www.bike-revival.co.uk Shock Absorber specialist J&S Oxford www.jsaccessories.co.uk MX Zone www.mxzone.co.uk IAM www.iamroadsmart.com Trail Riders Warehouse www.trailriderswarehouse.co.uk

10%off using code TRF10 Rewire Security Tracking, cameras, CCTV, alarms www.rewiresecurity.co.uk Dirtbikebitz Bike parts, riding gear and helmets www.dirtbikebitz.com Opie Oils & Service Parts https://www.opieoils.co.uk// Nomad ADV Lightweight travel & rally gear www.nomad-adv.com Fowlers of Bristol http://www.fowlers.co.uk Smith & Allen Lubricants https://www.smithandallan.com Transylvania Trails http://www.transylvaniatrails.com Bikefix Discount on servicing and repairs www.facebook.com/Bikefixyeovil Dirtbike Express https://www.dirtbikexpress.co.uk Fraser’s of Gloucester 5% on spare parts www.frasersmotorcycles.co.uk Moto Junkies motojunkies.co.uk 10% discount on guided tours on trail and tarmac in the Welsh countryside

Various Discounts TrackIt247 www.trackit247 .com Up to £18 off trackers and 20% off live tracking fees Centre Trail, France www.centre-trail.com 15 Euro cash back on booking Enduro Tyres www.endurotyres.com Special rates Trail Rides Wales www.trailrides-wales.com Free guides for members on selected days Bike Seal bikeseal.co.uk Catalan Adventure 10% off accommodation and 50% off bike hire