Helmet, Sensor, Wrench And More - Dirt Rider Tested - Dirt Rider Magazine

I have a history with Bell helmets, and a lot of it is good. So when the new Moto-7R arrived, I was ready to give it a try. I wasn't, however, very optimistic. The Bells of the previous five years hadn't fit me well, so I began this test a little hesitant.I'm an XL in most helmets, and this lid's sizing was spot-on. It is snug going over the ears, but comfort is good once it is on. The light weight (especially for an XL) adds to the comfort. The new 7R is close-fitting and padded enough to stay put without squeezing any hot spots on my noggin. I've had older Bells that felt great in the pits, but when I got a little sweaty, they would fall down over my eyes when I landed jumps. Others I loved only after I cut ear holes into the liner. No problems like that with the Moto-7R. The finish and detailing on the helmet are nice. This one is the Metzger Replica, and like the Godfather's, it has a giant eyeball under the visor as well as on top of them. I say them because two visors are included with the helmet, as is a plush-lined protective bag.The venting is good in hot weather, but it comes at the price of being loud compared with more closely padded lids. The liner is easily removable for washing, but the ear pads attach with hook-and-loop closures, and it is trouble to get them back in place. With the removable pads out, part of the helmet upholstery stays in, so it will remain dirty unless you wash both the helmet and the liner.Compared with high-end helmets, the price is reasonable, the finish is staying shiny and seems tough, and none of the parts have gone missing except for a little plastic grill thingie on one side. I'm taking credit for that. A branch hit the side of the brain bucket like a Louisville Slugger. The impact caused the little part to pop off, but my head was no worse for wear. And ultimately, that is the key to helmet approval: I trust this $229.95 lid with my head. -Karel KramerReal Rider Tested
O'NEAL Hardwear Jersey And Pant
O'Neal's Hardware apparel line is its top offering. As such, my expectations were high. MSRP for the pant is $149.99, and the jersey is advertised at $49.99. These prices are right in line with those of other manufacturers, but if I am laying down 200-plus bones on some new riding gear, I feel I should be getting the best. And in many ways O'Neal met my expectations.There are six well-styled colors to chose from, ranging from the traditional-red, black, blue and yellow-to the more exotic-lime and the as-tested chocolate. I found the look appealing. The colors are bold and vibrant with just enough tasteful styling. Appearance is half the battle, but more important are fit, function and durability. While testing at the 24 Hours of Glen Helen race, I literally wore my gear the entire time, even during nap time.The pant fit well, with my only complaint being that the foam hip pads are uncomfortable ( I took them out after my first riding session). The knees and legs offer enough room for knee guards or braces without being sloppy. Fit around the waist was just right with enough adjustability in the belt to be snug and comfortable. Flex panels in the front and sides facilitated transitions from sitting to standing. Construction is top-notch with reinforced stitching in the right places. I liked the look, feel and comfort of the real leather knee panel, which proved its worth in four-stroke headpipe protection. Vented panels in the front as well as a vented inner liner helped keep things cool.The cut of the jersey creates a fit that permits the use of an underprotector without being too loose if one is not used. The arm cuffs are narrow to keep the sleeves in place but not too tight to induce the fear of arm-pump. Material is very light and comfortable, with ventilation in the arms and front. Reinforced stitching on the bottom, collar and seams added to the durability.After washing, the colors remained vibrant, and I noticed no frayed edges or loose strings, which I attribute to quality craftsmanship.Overall, I was very pleased with the gear. I find the styling and color options (even the UPS-inspired chocolate) appealing to my taste. But most important, everything fit well and was comfortable even after the 24-plus hours of time we spent getting to know each other. I would hand over my hard-earned dollars without reservation for this gear.Moto 911
Pain-Relieving Spray
Some dude at the SurferCross event handed me this bottle right before I crashed. Naturally, running my head into the ground gave me a very sore neck, and the bottle was right there saying, "Pain relief." So I gave it a try. It sprayed right on, and the cooling sensation that immediately occurred felt like Bengay or Icy Hot on steroids. I was convinced this stuff worked: In about two minutes, my neck was less sore and a lot less tight. In fact, after application the spray continued to work for about 45 minutes. I thought the test was over.Well, the next day my sore neck came back, so I gave it a spray and got the same relief and improvement. But I remembered being told by the rep (dude) that after 45 minutes to an hour, a second application works wonders. He was right. It was even more effective than the first one in the amount of pain-killing penetration I felt. A third application a few hours later revived the effects. It was all I needed to get me through the day in relative comfort.I've since used the spray on my wrists, ankles and knees when the need arises and have felt similar results, especially on the second application, making it much more comfortable to ride when I'm soreNow, the label does mention the spray helps prevent arm-pump, so I enlisted my brother, who gets the worst arm-pump known to man. He is a two-lap wonder. Wanting to add a few laps to his rides, he solicited my help for a cure. He laughed as we sprayed Moto 911 on and said with skepticism, "It's just like Bengay!" But after staying out for a few extra laps (at least four), he came back and inquired, "What is that stuff, it really works! Where can I get some?"Moto 911 is a drug and you should use as directed (FDA-approved drug facts and instructions are included). It will also clear out a small room with its strong-smelling aroma-think methanol. I now keep Moto 911 in my truck and motor home and use it regularly. It costs $6.95 for a 1-ounce bottle and $18.95 for 4 ounces, and it seems to be going a long way. My original 1-ounce bottle is empty after three months. It works as advertised and is especially convenient in spray form. -Jimmy LewisShok-SpotR Helmet Impact Sensor
Did you know that even if a helmet looks fine after a crash, it might be damaged to a point well beyond failure? Shok-SpotR knows, which is why it has created a helmet impact sensor. The calibrated device simply sticks onto the back of your lid, and the sight window activates (turns red) if a significant impact that has reduced your helmet's effectiveness has occurred.I stuck a Shok-SpotR onto my most used lid, and quite a few hard races and minor crashes failed to accidentally activate it. Satisfied with this, I performed a Myth Busters-like test, putting a gallon jug of water (a rough equivalent to an 8-pound head) inside of an old Shok-SpotR-equipped helmet and dropping it from 6-inch increments onto the ground. After several drops, the plunge from 611/42 feet finally activated the sensor. Suffice it to say, had a head been inside of the helmet for this impact, the wearer would have been asking the same questions again and again. While the act of dropping a water-jugged helmet on the ground isn't an accurate gauge as to the impact sensor's capabilities, the unit didn't break or fall off, and it didn't fail to activate, either. Personally, it brings me some extra peace of mind knowing there is a working warning in place to keep track of my helmet's effectiveness. And at only $24.95, you can bet your ass I will be running a Shok-SpotR from now on. -Chris DenisonPowerSeal USA Cylinder Repair
I got a free bike. Yep, but the 1989 CR125R's cylinder was thrashed from a broken piston. I chose the repair and replating route with PowerSeal USA. All I had to do was buy a new stock piston and send it in with my cylinder. Turnaround time was two weeks-not bad since I timed my repair with peak snowmobile-fixing season. Since the ring had chewed the upper exhaust port, additional welding was required before the cylinder could be recoated. The total cost was $165 for the recoating, $50 for the welding and about $10 in shipping. When I opened the box, I couldn't believe it was the same cylinder I'd sent in. It was perfect. All the studs and the entire power-valve assembly dropped back in cleanly, and the piston clearances were just like new.The bike now performs just like a fresh bike, and after I put some hours on the motor, a visual inspection into the exhaust port confirmed that the cylinder wall looked perfect. I highly recommend PowerSeal, especially after comparing the cost of older cylinders (if they are still available) and seeing how much cash you can save by replating a thrashed cylinder. -Jimmy LewisKawasaki 18-Volt Cordless 1/2-Inch Drive Impact Wrench
You want an impact tool to have enough power for any job on a bike, and you want control of that power. This tool has a grip on both. It charges fast, and I can work those little moto-jobs with it for over a month without a recharge. It struggles, but it has the power to remove large fasteners, such as rear axle nuts, if given time. On the flip side, it has the finesse to snug small bolts like those in a clutch cover. I don't use the impact to tighten small bolts. I just run them in and use a T-handle to tighten them. The point is, the Kawasaki has the control to run them in and not overtighten them. At $139.95, this cordless impact is extremely reasonably priced for a tool of this type. Tim Allen types need one, but even less-addicted tool junkies will find this is a great chance to own a new Kawi for under $150. -Karel KramerTech Sox Motoxtreme Socks
I've tested some pretty good motorcycle-specific socks before, but after a few rides in my new Tech Sox MotoXtreme socks, I was blown away. Since I sweat a lot and my boots usually become a swamp, my feet can become uncomfortable in a short time. These socks minimized that problem, and my lower leg and toes stayed nearly dry during my first ride. The foot-specific (left and right, as indicated by small white letters) socks actually have varying thicknesses: They are padded at the heel and the toe and thin at the forefoot to provide venting. The materials list isn't ordinary, either. It's called "high-performance filament yarn with polymers," and there's 3.37 claimed miles of it in each pair of these babies! Plus, it's anti-microbial. If the fresh smell after each wash was any indication (some of my other socks never smell good after the first ride), then that feature worked, too. The toe area is seamless, and the fit, available in seven different sizes, including youth, is true and snug. They won't bunch up and pinch, plus the socks' padding actually works. And after three solid months of use and abuse, they look and feel like they are brand-new, whereas most socks start loosing their stretch about this time. The only downside is that they don't raise up high enough for knee braces, but the manufacturer says those are coming soon. At $21.95, or $16.95 for youth, they are pricey, but you get what you pay for. -Jimmy LewisRoc Stompa Pro-Stomp Footpegs
It's not easy to write with an Australian accent. But the blokes in charge of Roc Stompa footpegs totally nailed it. These cool, new boot mounts, distributed by Die Hard Racing, are similar to other Allen-bolt-laden pegs, but the Roc Stompa Pro-Stomp set has some differences: The teeth are not adjustable and are actually installed Allen-head down. Also, these pegs have more than double the amount of teeth. While that sounds like an advantage, I found that the abundance of teeth actually gave me less grip when packed with dirt. I think less pins (or stock pegs for that matter) actually work better in most conditions because your boot more easily grips between spaced-out pins and teeth.For that reason, I'd check out Roc Stompa's X-Stomp series (less pins and less cost). In the dry stuff, these trick-looking pegs work great with their huge, secure platform. At $199.99, you can get Pro-Stomps to match your ride. They look sweet, but for that much cash I'd rather stomp on stock pegs. -Jesse ZieglerMotion Pro Float Bowl Wrench
Simple and effective and perfect for a fanny pack-that pretty much describes Motion Pro's float bowl wrench. It is made from 6061-T6 aluminum, and its 12-point hex head and thin design make it able to access even the most cramped float bowl locations. The $14.95 wrench may not be the longest for leverage, but tapping the wrench with a rock or another tool removed even the tightest bowl nuts. -Jimmy Lewis