You might think waiting a year to test an item would be a negative – but not when talking about rain gear. I found these gloves in Naps motorcycle accessory shop Yokohama over a year ago and got them for my 2020 touring but last summer was very kind and […]

A milestone reached. I’ve clocked 100,000km touring Japan on my 2014 Yamaha FJR1300. A few notes on the experience so far and my evolving views on what I might ride next. Long Term Ownership Experience The FJR1300 has been a very reliable motorcycle. Problems have been minor but one item […]

I’ve updated from a Nolan N44 EVO to a Nolan N70-2 GT. I might be a bit of a Nolan helmet fan – this is my third. Prior to the N44 EVO I wore a Nolan N43 Air. The N70-2 GT, like my previous Nolan’s is a modular helmet. You […]

I recently picked up a new tank bag to see if this is an answer for carrying my camera gear. I’ve been on a merry-go-round with cameras since I returning to still photography from video. I progress from small pocketable models to bigger models and twice now ended up with […]

This winter instead of being in SE Asia I found myself in Japan but I have been getting out for small local rides on the coastal roads that remain free of ice. Whilst the temperatures can be cold the right gear makes all the difference and the item I found […]

You probably never will. They are there and they work. Eyes you will think about. You know you need a helmet shield, goggles or safety glasses otherwise without protection your eyes will be damaged. Same applies to your hearing. Personally I enjoy the zen of riding. Open road, machine and […]

How much you need navigation depends where you ride. I never used any prior to my first ride outside Australia and I could navigate regional Philippines with offline maps, but things ramp up. Riding through Europe or large cities in Asia you appreciate navigation and in my experience phone apps […]

I am pleased with my Macna Vosges jacket but had reservations about using a similar 3 layer system in riding pants however when I saw the Macna Fulcrum pants at 55% off it seemed too good to pass up. Seems like Macna are leaving the Japan market as all their […]

Part two of upgrading my summer mesh jacket. Quick recap, in part one I decided I was not satisfied with the level of protection my RS Tachi Crossover summer jacket offered. Living and riding here mostly in cooler climate I have become accustomed to wearing more substantial gear than the […]

On my Autumn tour I wanted to ride directly north via the Tokyo expressway. That runs underground extensively where a traditional GPS has no signal but some phone navigation apps work underground using cell tower signals so it seemed an opportunity to revisit phone based navigation half a day for […]

Despite crashing into a fence when first learning to ride I went on to have a casual approach to protective gear. I think that came from living in sub tropics where it was very hot. Mesh jackets, ventilated gloves, rider jeans and similar items best suited the climate. When reviewing […]