New Toys to go with the New Bike

Well as I said in the last post Terry and I both got new helmets. My old helmet was starting to see a bit of wear, mainly around the chin guard where I carry it when not wearing it, the lining was starting to come undone. The whole helmet was also starting to get a bit too loose on my head, so that if I turned my head a little bit while riding it would move just enough to not be straight, and really annoy me. I was starting to think that I'd gotten a size too big. Not to mention the old helmet, while I love the design on it, just doesn't go with the new bike! So while we were in Newcastle, we stopped into a new bike store that I'd never seen before. It had a good range of helmets, but none that I really liked. Terry, on the other hand, found just the ticket.

He chose this Shark Evo-line series 3

The main reason he chose it was because he hates full face helmets, but also sees that he needs one for highway riding. So he has two helmets, one open for round town and one full faced for highways. The open face is standing up to the test of time quite well, but the full face one is starting to show some wear, mainly in the lining. This little beauty does both!

As you can the chin part that folds up, actually clicks into place way back on the helmet, so it's safe to ride with it like that.

He seems to like it, it's just taking a bit of getting used to how to unclip the swivel bits, and while the first trip he said it was quiet, the ride the other day he said it was so noisy he couldn't even hear me over the Sena. We think that the visor isn't closing properly, I guess it's just one of those things you have to get used to, it is a touch awkward to adjust things just because nothing is where he's used to it being. Other than that he's loving the convenience of it all. And of course he loves the red! It also has a handy sun visor inside that's great for us glasses wearers.

Mine is another Shark, I wanted Shark because I loved my old helmet so much. I was looking and looking, and while at Robertson's (where I bought the bike) I had looked at a few over a couple of visits. There was one that I kept going back to, but I wasn't really sure about it because it was an extra small. Now I knew in my head that if the last helmet was a small, and is too big for me, then the extra small would be right, but I just wasn't sure.

So the last time I was in there the guy spotted me eyeing it off again, try it on again he said. Then he helped me to decide by telling me he'd give me a deal on it. Oh I just cant pass up a bargain, either that or I'm a sucker!

It has the things I want, it's a smaller size, and while that felt a bit too tight at first, I have to admit that after only a couple of short rides it's already feeling very comfortable. It also has the sun visor that I was really after, no more being caught at night with a tinted visor that I had to lift up so I could see, and freezing my face off at the same time.

Plus I really loved the design. I don't know if I'm imagining it, but I also think it's quieter than my old helmet was, I was always impressed with that in the old one.

Both helmets have spots for you put on the Sena easily, they also both have sections cut out for you put on your glasses easily, which was just a bonus. The lining doesn't go round the chin guard like my old one, so I'm hoping that means it wont fall apart like the old one did. Oh yeah and it has a little clip that lifts the visor up just a touch, to help un-fog you on cold mornings, haven't tried that yet.

Now I'm just working on finding a way to take my stuff with me on the bike. I have ordered a backrest/rack and expect that to arrive sometime in the middle of next month from USA. I haven't been able to ride to work as I cant take all the stuff I need, like lunch.

And then the solution presented itself a little while ago, I saw a post on Theo's blog where he reviewed a bag from a place I'd never heard of before. I checked out the site, www.vikingbags.com and was pretty impressed with the prices and the range. Before I'd had much of a chance to really think about it, I was asked if I'd like to do a review for them. I've never been approached to do a review for anything before, I'd seen a few on other blogs though. I am not really sure that it's something I'd do, I am not really a promotion type of person, and I knew that I couldn't lie about something .. so I told the contact that. And got a good response, please tell it like it is was the gist of the response. Well if they are that confident in their product well why not.

I do like the looks of their stuff, and I've already spotted just the bag that I like. I should receive it soon, and the review will come along just as soon as I can get it on the bike to test out. Oh and they have an Australian site too www.motorcyclehouse.com.au which is great, no more waiting months to get things from America.