Dainese D-Cyclone Gore-Tex Jacket

Dainese D-Cyclone Gore-Tex Jacket

This is the latest Gore-Tex jacket from Dainese, and it has been designed to keep you comfortable in any climate. The D-Cyclone comes with a new laminated Gore-Tex shell, guaranteed to keep the water out whilst allowing moisture to evaporate through the jacket. A removable thermal liner and collar means you can wear this jacket all year round, in any weather condition.

The front of the Dainese D-Cyclone

What’s special about laminate Gore-Tex? Well, it won’t retain water in the fabric like other non-laminate Gore-Tex textile jackets. Meaning that when you're exposed to the worst conditions, the water will just run off, like water off a ducks back as they say. For the rider this means after a long (or short) ride in the rain, a quick shake of the jacket and it will be dry again ready for the next ride. No need to hang it up to dry over night, and no damp smell the next day! For those using this jacket on tour, it means you’re less fatigued at the end of the day, since the jacket isn’t absorbing water, it will remain light, whatever the weather.

The inner lining of the Dainese D-Cyclone

The jacket comes with the usual comfort features you can expect from the latest Dainese range, these include;

• Removable inner collar
• Removable thermal liner
• Air vents on the chest and back
• Waist adjustment
• Neck adjustment
• Wrists adjustment

The jacket comes with CE approved arm, shoulder and back protection. The Wave G2 back protector is included with the jacket, however we feel it’s a bit short to offer full lower back protection. The external material of the jacket is quite thick and remains stiff, offering high levels of abrasion resistance.

The external shoulder detail of the Dainese D-Cyclone

What we like about the jacket is the four fully waterproof pockets; two external and two internal with plenty space for phone, wallet, passport and any other small objects you may want to carry. It offers a comfortable fit with lots of adjustment - we didn’t feel the need to go up or down a size here (our usual size 52 fit very well). The thermal layer certainly keeps you warm without inducing a sweat thanks to Gore-Tex technology. The jacket-to-trouser fastening system has a good amount of stretch to it making for easy fastening to any of the trousers in the Dainese range.

Internal pocket demo of the Dainese D-Cyclone

We found the jacket quite stiff! With the strategically positioned elasticated areas it isn't tight on the body, it just seems to be the laminate material that may need some time relax. This is fine when you're roaming around off the bike but when riding a sports bike we found this stiffness quite restrictive in the shoulder area. On the flip side, when riding an adventure style bike, the jacket felt slightly more relaxed and it was something we could live with it until it softened up. That could take a week or a month depending on how often you ride.

A demo of the stiffness on the back of the Dainese D-Cyclone

The jacket does come with a big price tag, £679.99 to be exact. Still breathing? Good. It does sound expensive, but it really is an investment guaranteed to keep you warm and dry whatever weather you choose to ride in. For the price we'd have liked to see a removable thermal Dainese fleece or soft-shell like the one that can be found in the Sandstorm jacket. 

Compared to a similar spec jacket like Rukka for example, Dainese comes out on top in terms of style.

IG: @Birotar_Jonjo posing in the Dainese D-Cyclone

For those looking to invest in a textile jacket for use 365 days a year, and for many years to come this jacked would not disappoint. 

To purchase you can visit Bike Stop online or in store.

Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoyed it.

BirotarUK 

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TomTom Rider 400 review

Motorcycle satellite navigation - testing the TomTom Rider 400

Map applications on mobile devices have become a popular form of navigation for bikers in recent years. As you already know, mobile phones can be fixed to a bike using various mounts, or they can be kept in your pocket and directions can be listened to via some earphones or a bluetooth headset.

This is great, but what if you want to go overseas? Or If you want to plan a particularly twisty route? Well, that’s where the TomTom Rider 400 comes in.

TomTom Rider 400 - ready for an adventure

Unlike other makes of satnav, the TomTom Rider 400 (let's call it TTR400) allows you to program an unconventional route based on how twisty the road is, or even the altitude! This means you can avoid main roads, and enjoy all those hidden ones that you dream about riding when you’re bored at work.

A screenshot of a lovely twisty road in Northern France

We tested the TTR400 during our recent trip to Italy on our GSXR 1000 (#Bthou on Instagram). We covered approx. 2k miles in 3 days and we discovered that there’s a big difference between using a mobile device and the TTR400.

@Birotar_Max about to set off after checking tyre pressures!

Here are just some of the most obvious differences:

• Battery life
• Device access
• Touch screen ability
• Satellite/mobile signal
• Waterproofing
• Charging
  

After a full charge, the TTR400 lasted for approx. 8hrs and once it was plugged into the charging point on the bike, it didn’t forget our route, which meant there was no faffing around. The TTR400 got well and truly soaked and showed no signs of water ingress. The touch screen usability wasn’t effected by thick soggy gloves and the TTR400 functioned perfectly between -2 – 24 degrees Celsius.

The #Bthou posing just after crossing Mont Blanc

Max, BirotarUK test rider (@Birotar_Max on Instagram), is very good at getting lost. But the TTR400, allowed Max to do the whole journey without taking one wrong turning. This meant that there was no wasted time at the side of the road looking for the correct route. This was thanks to TomTom’s easy-to-follow visual directions on the colour display.
 


Mounting the satnav is super easy thanks to the bike-specific RAM mounting system. This requires some preparation, but once installed, it is a very solid and reliable mount that can be used for a variety of other phones/cameras/satnavs. Preparations to the mount include some cutting of a rubber tube and some minimal bolt/nut adjustment (it took approx 10 minutes to install the RAM mount).

The TTR400 comes with a quick release system, but you can also purchase the anti-theft system for an extra £80. This might be worth considering if you don’t have much space on you to put the satnav away in a pocket. It’s not overly sized, but you’ll notice it in your pocket if you’re stopping for a coffee or going for a stroll.

The moment you pick up the TTR400 you realise that TomTom have worked hard to make this device durable. It’s not so heavy that it will effect your 0-60 times, but you can immediately tell that it s a well constructed device.

The menu, maps and navigation are intuitive and responsive to your movement. The satnav can be used vertically or horizontally, and it will automatically adapt your surroundings with the night and day riding modes.

TomTom Rider 400 night mode

The TTR400 will alert you as you enter an area where speed traps are used, even in France and Italy. The TTR400 will also give you a countdown to the exact location where the cameras are. But we didn’t tell you that!

The TTR400 will tell you the speed in MPH as default, but this can be easily converted to KPH in the settings. We kept the setting to MPH for the duration of the trip, and it was nice to see that the TTR400 gives you a constant reminder of the speed limit and it alerts you when there is a new speed limit approaching.

The #Bthou relieved to be recovered

It was our fault for not being prepared enough, but there was something that disappointed us about the TTR400. On the way down through France on the A26, cruising at the speed limit, the GSXR’s throttle cable failed.  Once pulled over in a lay-by, we discovered that our mobile phones had no signal. We immediately reverted to the TTR for support but unfortunately; there were no emergency service, breakdown or motorcycle dealer information on the device.

The #Bthou being recovered on a rediculous flat bed truck.

This was our own fault completely. We should have written down all the numbers for the emergency services of the countries we would be traveling through, and possibly the break down service details also. But it would have been nice, for TomTom to have thought about emergency situations when loading the software. Fortunately, we were able to walk some distance to access mobile internet and get the bike fixed to continue our journey.

If you are thinking about doing a trip like this, we would highly encourage you take out European break down cover and to bring a spare mobile phone with a sim-card loaded with some credit just in case you get stuck – especially if you are travelling on your own!

Lesson learned!

A big bonus about this satnav is that you automatically receive 'lifetime' maps of Western Europe (45 countries), lifetime TomTom Traffic and lifetime TomTom Speed Cameras - all pre-loaded. It might be worth noting that you can also use this satnav in your car, by purchasing the additional windscreen mount.

Taking all of this into consideration, we can highly recommend the TomTom Rider 400 to any biker looking for a versatile and sturdy navigation system that enables you to reach any european destination, regardless of the weather!

The TomTom Rider price ranges on the package you purchase:

TomTom Rider 40 £249.99 (Lifetime maps of Western Europe (23 countries) and Lifetime TomTom Traffic)
TomTom Rider 400 £269.99 (Lifetime maps of Western Europe (45 countries), Lifetime TomTom Traffic and Lifetime TomTom Speed Cameras)
TomTom Rider 400 Premium £349.99 (Lifetime maps of Western Europe (45 countries), Lifetime TomTom Traffic and Lifetime TomTom Speed Cameras; as well as a Car Mounting Kit, Anti-Theft Solution and Travel Carry Case)


You can find the TomTom Rider 400 for sale on the Bike Stop website.
Do you have any questions? Comment below!

All the best

BirotarUK 

#BirotarUK

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A matter of safety, or style?

A matter of safety, or style?

Addressing the gap between safety and style for bikers.

During our most recent visit to Bike Stop, we started discussing the risk of not wearing gear during a ride. The conversation was prompted by a recent ride out to Ace Café. We spotted a biker wearing casual jeans, trainers and a hoodie on a ZX10R – not the most sensible choice of clothing in our opinion, and we imagine that you might also be thinking the same thing. “I’m only going round the corner, there’s no point in putting my leathers on” said the ZX10R rider.

The reality is that our opinions won’t stop people riding in jeans and a hoodie. Coming off at 30mph is the same, regardless what bike you’re riding. Maybe it’s a culture thing? In Italy for example, many bikers and scooter riders will ride in jeans, and sometimes a leather jacket (and in some cases, a helmet too!). We can see from YouTube videos, that this the case in the USA too.

So the question is – are bikers riding with jeans because of the expense of decent riding gear? Is it a lack of motivation? Or is it because riding gear is just not stylish enough?

We've put together a line-up of 3 riding jeans – that are in every way better, than riding in normal jeans and stylish too.

Here they are; the Dainese Bonneville jean, the Revvit Orlando H2O jean and last but not least, the RST Aramid jean.

The Dainese Bonneville regular jeans retail at £154.99
The RST Aramid jeans retails at £89.99
The Revvit Orlando H2O jeans retails at  £189.99

We can tell you immediately - get a pair that fits not only when you are standing, but a also when you are sitting on the bike. The cramped position of the GSXR means that the jeans ride up quite high and expose the ankle. Then again, we are wearing TCX casual boots - would you wear track or touring boots with riding jeans? That's up to you - but the Bike Stop team will be able to help you find the right fit.

The Dainese Bonneville jeans

The Dainese jeans have the 'nicest' fit in our opinion. A slim 'worn denim' style jean with knee protection, albeit little knee protection. This jean looks the best and is the most comfortable off the bike - but quite a bit more expensive than the RST jean. Making them the premium and quality option - but hey, what else would you expect from Dainese...

Whilst sat on the bike, the Dainese jeans are a little tight around the thigh - but we imagine this would be very different on a more upright machine. None the less, these jeans look great and would definitely fool someone! They don't look like riding jeans at all.  

The RST Aramid Jean 

The RST Aramid jean is the 'baggiest' of the set - but this pair also has the best knee protection. The knee armour on these jeans is much thicker than the others, and the armour takes shape to your knee when sat on the bike. 

The stitched detail on the back pocket is nice to see, usual RST style. From the picture below, it appears that the jeans are long enough to cover the ankle, but unfortunately they are not. This means over compensating in length to ensure that you're ankles are covered if you are wearing a low style boot. 

We found the RST to be very comfortable on the bike, and we were reassured by the knee armour. With this pair being the most affordable, we definitely recommend trying them on for size.

The Revvit Orlando H20 jean 

Ahh, this is a really nice pair of jeans. Warm, comfortable, and water proof. The only thing we thought this pair could improve on is the knee protection. Only slightly thicker than the Dainese jeans, but in all fairness these are all jeans with added protection over your casual denim pant.

We would recommend going a size down in this jean, as we found them a little loose around the waist. Style wise, this is the pair we preferred out of the trio - and it was nice to have a waterproof zipped pocket. Very useful for your phone and change for a brew! 

The water can be seen beading on the top the jeans. It's great re-assurance to know that you don't have to worry about getting caught out by the rain. 

Over-all, this trio of jeans are pretty brilliant. Truly well made and we could recommend them all but it really depends on your budget and what you're looking for in a pair of riding jeans.

A great selection of Men's and ladies jeans are available to view on the Bike Stop website.  

There is one thing we need to address though...

These jeans will NOT protect you in the same way leather or textile bottoms would. You should always wear gear on a ride, but these jeans are 100% better than normal jeans or track suit bottoms.

Just think about what is more important - arriving in style or arriving at all? But hey, who's saying that a leather or textile suit isn't cool?!

Please share if you enjoyed reading this!

All the best

BirotarUK 

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