Dainese Tempest D-WP Boots Review

Dainese Tempest D-WP Boots Review It's official, winter is here and for us Brits that brings a lot of rain. Bike Stop have sorted us a pair of Dainese Tempest D-WP waterproof boots.

The first thing that stands out, or doesn't, is the looks. For us they are 'understated' but that's probably because we are used to a sportier boot. Compared to our set of TCX race boots, the Dainese boots are heavier and there are no toe sliders. But then again, when you're touring the UK or Europe, you might not be toe and knee dragging at every opportunity. Well, most of us wont.

The Dainese boot is an all season waterproof touring boot that offers great levels of protection. They are comfortable on and off the bike, the flexible joints are in exactly in the right place which makes walking very comfortable and eliminates that stiff race boot waddle! 


These boots aren't Gore-Tex, but the leather is treated and the boots have a waterproof liner. From what we've found so far, the water just runs straight off the boot. There is a thick sole that offers lots of grip - no problem for those muddy car parks we often find outside a roadside brew stop.

If we're spending a day on the bikes knowing it will involve a lot of walking we usually wear a pair of TCX X-Street boots, which will offer all day comfort and a more relaxed trainer look.

Whilst the Dainese boot may not have a 'race appeal' we feel it would be perfectly comfortable and would stand up to a day of riding and walking around without any issues.

We think there is one important thing to remember here; it depends what you want from a boot. If you want to have the flexibility to be able to commute through summer and winter with the piece of mind that you will stay warm and dry, but also not have to worry about looking like a power ranger in race boots - then we think these boots are right for you. After all, you could get away with a pair of Kevlar Jeans over these boots and not look like a biker.

The boot has a reinforced gear shifter guard which means you aren't going to wear through the boot after a year or two of gear shifting. We found the boots are quite thick meaning we had to adjust the shift lever to get the boot under giving a precise gear change. Not much of a problem if you're on a touring bike, but could cause issues if your changing boots a lot depending on what you use the bike for.

The boots are easy to get on and adjust with the side zipper and velcro closure. There is also an upper velco fastening for calf adjustment. The boot comes certified to CE - Cat. II - EN 13634 standard meaning you can trust these to protect your feet and ankles in an off.

For a modest £149.99 these represent pretty good value and we are sure they would handle all weather with no problems...

The Dainese Temptest D-WP boots are available to buy from Bike Stop.

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BirotarUK 

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Developing The New BMW Concept Stunt G 310

Developing The New BMW Concept Stunt G 310

The passionate process of design, with Alexander Buckan.

The new BMW Concept Stunt G 310 looks like a fantastic bike to ride, which usually means that those involved with the design have had a lot of fun in the creative process from conception to delivery. To tell us more about this enjoyable journey is senior advanced designer Alexander Buckan.

How many people in the team worked on this design study?

Well, BMW design projects are usually a team effort and in the case of the G 310 this was no exception and the following were responsible: Ola Stenegard, Volker Hohdorf, Vianney Selosse, Bianca-Maria Hoffmann and myself, along with the entire BMW Motorrad Design Team under Edgar Heinrich.

So what role did you play?

I was the responsible senior advanced designer for the bike. It’s hard to clarify the role exactly – you could call it a kind of ‘design grandfather’ spiced up with a bit of experience – but it’s a part-management role, to make sure that everybody does what I want, ha ha! Seriously though, I’m in charge of managing the designers and acting as a kind of link between the workshop, the designers and the marketing guys!

How difficult was it to achieve the aggressive, yet agile design language necessary for a stunt bike?

I wouldn´t say “how difficult was it…”, because it was simply a gigantic pleasure to develop this kind of bike, for all of us! How often do you get the chance to do something cool like this – to chop bits off? Usually, with series production bikes we have to add and cover up additional things!

Who came up with the idea of the ‘stunt tail’ and how well does this feature work?

I guess the idea was born when the designers and Chris Pfeiffer sat down together. Usually, stunt riders just take a bent tube, but now with our milled aluminium ‘stunt tail’, the opening in the centre was designed to fit perfectly to the shape of Chris´s foot, so the whole arrangement is perfectly aligned according to Chris´s proportions – a bit like a made-to-measure suit.

So, precision and emotion is our BMW claim – and this special tail is part of that precision – we are always trying to do a bit more than the others!

What was Chris Pfeiffer’s input in this project?We called Chris Pfeiffer to convince him to support us, and right from the beginning he was involved with deep passion. So he came to Munich and we discussed the project and threw ideas back and forth until, finally, we came to the conclusion it would make more sense to lock them (Vianney, Chris and the bike) in a room together and let them fight it out! So after a couple of months this stunt-beauty was born.

And the special stunt modifications?

We did numerous stunt modifications, together with Chris´s expertise. Our single focus was to provide the best possible handling properties to the rider. We put the silencer in an upright position between the engine and the damper, it is ideally protected and doesn’t limit the stunt rider´s movement in any way. It sounds good too: even though you might not see it, you´ll surely hear it – it’s diabolic, rad, crying like there is no tomorrow!

We added a lockable throttle to ensure constant speed, even though the rider’s hand is not on the throttle! We put on a larger, second brake at the rear, which allows the rider to activate braking on the rear wheel by using the middle finger of the left hand. It can even be operated at the same time as the clutch. Add to that foot pegs on the front axle and in the seat area, and the red crash bar, and you’ve got a lot going on!

What elements of the finished bike are you most pleased with?
Nothing! That might sound surprising but it´s perhaps in the nature of things in the design world to always be unsatisfied. If you would ask an artist about his latest painting, it would be probably the same – this is the burden of all creative jobs!

On the other hand, if it wouldn´t be like that, if you aren´t hungry for more challenges, then you can sink into complacency – into meaninglessness! Because if there is no need for you to change something, then everything stays the same because the world is nice as it is…

But now I have to stop because I’m getting too philosophical, but maybe this does answer the question of what my job entails: never stop pushing the designers to new limits…!

How was the reaction from Brazil, where it was first unveiled in public?

At first, they were a little bit sceptical about how BMW will bring their standards in terms of quality and value into the small engine displacement category, but after the BMW Concept Stunt G 310 was unveiled they were quite a bit surprised: “if this is BMW´s answer for that Segment, then welcome to Brazil, BMW!” They are pretty sure now, that if BMW will do a serious production bike in this class it will become the benchmark in this new segment.

Apart from the Brazilian national colours, what other paint scheme do you think would look great on the G 310?
I don’t know, but I guess you can compare this bike with a beautiful woman. If the shapes are nice, you can dress her up with anything and she still looks great!

Find out more about the BMW Concept Stunt G 310.

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BirotarUK 

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Thinsulate thermal waterproof gloves review

Thinsulate thermal waterproof gloves review

As bikers we all have different budgets and needs when it comes to gear, so what’s on the market if you have a very limited budget but want to stay warm and dry?

LDmotorcyles sent us some Thinsulate thermal leather gloves to try out and we put them through their paces. If they can handle hot pizza they can keep the cold out, right? Maybe...

The gloves have a nice soft lining and offer a comfortable fit after following their size guide, they aren’t too bulky either. The Thinsulate lining does its job and hands are kept toasty warm, the rain has stayed away whilst we’ve had these gloves but we’re told the waterproof lining does its job too (we will update you on this). The supple leather feels like it could be a bit thicker from a protection point of view.

For us they lack a lot of protection, but that could be down to what we ride and the miles we do. There isn’t any knuckle or finger protection, and the leather feels a bit thin on the palms. In the event of a slide we’re not wholly convinced how they would perform, but we’ve got to take into account the price here. These gloves are available for £13.99, a bargain? They will definitely keep your hands warm and will offer some protection. These will be better than wearing no gloves at all, thats for sure.

Whilst these gloves may not appeal to sports bike riders or anyone racking up the motorway miles they would be good for someone on a small CC bike who is nipping around town. It is worth noting LDmotorcycles do offer a thermal glove with protection for £24.99, another bargain we think...

Here is a closer look at the glove, with some comparisons to the other end of the market.

Check out our review of the Dainese Ergotour Gore-tex glove. 

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BirotarUK 

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BMW K1200S or GSXR 1000?

GSXR 1000 or K1200S?

A couple of months ago, on our hunt for our next bike, we found ourselves looking online. Our ideal machine, HAD to fit the following criteria:

• Our lady fleet rider must be able to ride it
• It must be comfortable enough to commute
• It must be comfortable enough to tour on
• It must be able to perform on track
• Over 120hp would be nice

We imagine that most people want to be able to do everything on their bike too, and it's so easy to get carried away - especially when you're not 100% sure what you want. You soon realise that you can get another bike for the money, and after reading all the reviews and watching all the videos, you become aware of bikes that you had never considered. 

We wanted to keep an open mind, and for that reason we considered the following bikes:

• BMW K1200S
• Fireblade
• GSXR 1000
• GSXR 750
• ZX10R
• R1

After some research and several conversations with people who owned these bikes, we decided to book a test ride on the K1200S and the GSXR 1000 k6. Coming from the GSXR 600 SRAD and the R1200GS, we felt that we could trust the BMW and Suzuki brands. 

The K1200S was the first bike we tested and what we really liked about the K1200S was that the tank range and more upright position enables you to ride for longer, but 160hp means plenty of fun on track too.  

With it being quite heavy (227kg), we did think it would be difficult to change direction quickly on track. But the ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment), heated grips and ABS make this faired beast really attractive. Not to mention, pillion comfort and re-sale value!

Everything about this bike was great. Honestly! There was no wind wobble in the mirrors, the vibes from the driveshaft were hardly noticable (unlike some of the reviews we have come accross), the screen was very well positioned... The list goes on.

This bike is incredibly well made, and you can tell this immediately - but it did lack something.
  
Something that was noticable when you step off the bike and look back as you walk away. It just didn't give us that 'tingle' that you get when you step off a superbike. It has a different kind of appeal, it gives you the confidence that you can explore the road and carry on exploring with the peace of mind that the bike will not skip a beat. And this bike should be praised for that.

And the Gixxer, well – it's plain nuts, but it just will not be as comfortable in the long distance stuff as the BMW. On the 45 minute test ride (after taking out the BMW) we immediately noticed the scrunched seating position, the restricted space in front of you (and behind you), and the aggressive acceleration - which was addictive.

Like the BMW, ~160hp means it will be seriously fun on track, both on the straights and in the bends (if we can put the power down).

After the test ride – it took us a while to make up our minds. We loved the relaxed riding position and the torque of the BMW, the luggage, the screen, the dials...

But the GSXR is just so sexy.

Ah! Are we the only ones that do this? Back and forth from one bike to another.

Let's face it, both bikes are awesome - and both deserve to be recognised for how excellent they are. You could argue that they don't deserve to be compared because they sit in different classes, but we genuinely were interested in these bikes for different reasons - at the same time. 

Yes, the GSXR is better looking, it feels faster and will probably gives you more 'street cred' - but when you're riding, is it really that important what you're riding? As long as you're enjoying yourself, that's all that matters.

Did we go for the Bimmer in the end? No.

Why? Well you already know. Because #‎Bthou and because we could still go for the Bimmer in 10 years time.

We managed to save a few pennies by going with the GSXR 1000 k4 instead too - win win!

P.S. - the #Bthou is seriously quick on track! We can't wait for the next track day..

All the best
BirotarUK 

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