The handguard kit comes with a new set of bar end weights. They are slightly longer than the standard weights that the bike comes with. I suspect they are only needed to give the grips a bit more space for your gloved hands. Longer bolts and a nice set of tapered washers are also supplied.

They are a worthy addition to the bike and I reckon do a better job than heated grips in really cold weather… Obviously having heated grips with these would be fantastic but the missus keeps an eye on my monthly expenses

Pic courtesy of Moto Guzzi.

The music thing is pretty cool. I plug my mp3 player in to my helmet, switch on my helmet. Said son then switches on his bluetooth helmet and then we can talk to each other whilst having music piped in at the same time. Cool!

Son has said that the helmet is very stable at speed and voice comms are perfectly usable up to the legal UK speed limit.

I’ll report back soon with some pictures and a better report on how he’s finding the Nolan. Thanks go out as always to Mike at UBG for supplying the helmet and bluetooth kit.

Initial tests are excellent with full stereo music from my iPhone and initial test calls appear to be of a high quality. My dad did comment that the call was a bit quiet and this could be that I was talking quieter than usual due to the fact that I can hear myself inside the helmet. We’ll see.

So the plan now is to use it for a week or so and then report back on its performance. I’ve never had on bike music before so its gonna be a new experience for me…. Cant wait…

Pics and more info to follow over the coming days.

Below is a really crappy initial shot (sorry) of the new style keyboard that the X-Series uses.

This 701 is N-Com ready meaning that it will accept Nolan’s bluetooth system which allows full stereo music, GPS, rider to pillion and rider to rider comms. Its a brilliant system but does cost a bit so ive got to wait a few months before splashing out on that. For now though, take a look at Dolly. Road test to follow…

I’ll report back with pictures and thoughts on it once i’ve got it and have done a few miles…

What I know for sure is that I don’t need anything big. I’ve got a 35 litre Kriega R35 ruck sack (excellent bit of kit) for my main on bike storage. I know that I am limited on what will fit my bike because I have a plastic tank so all of the magnetic bags are obviously out of the window. I also know that I don’t want a soft bag because I will sometimes only carry a warm set of gloves, phone, wallet, ear plugs and disc lock. That means that half the time the tank bag will be half empty so I’m specifically looking for a bag that’s semi rigid so that it wont flap around when out on the open road.

I’ve set my budget to the slightly higher end bag and will pay for a product that’s right for the job. Buell make a branded soft tank bag that will fit my CityX like a glove but from my research I don’t believe its a particularly good product. Its good but there’s better available. Givi do the 440N which is technically a soft bag but due to its shape and size could be classed as semi rigid. The problem is that it looks a bit too funky for me. We’re all different but for me it’s not what I’m looking for just now. Its a good bag that’s magnetic BUT can be converted to fit the newly released TFS – tank fitting system. This converts a number of their bags into a quick release style bag for plastic tanks.

Another brand that I don’t believe is flashed around in the UK that often is Rex Marsee. RM as they will be known as for the rest of this article have been in business since 1969. They were the first company to come up with the magnetic tank bag back in 1976 although their product did not make it into production until 1979. With this kind of history I believe that they must know their stuff and therefore have put a bit of intelligence into their designs. One product that I am interested in is their 6 Liter Ciao Borsa semi rigid bag. Its obviously small and has a nice clear plastic map holder in the top. The bag zips on to a quick release base that straps around your tank. It is also available with a clever release system for bikes that have a more traditional fuel tank than my Buell. The other bag of interest in their range is the 10 Liter bag. This bag has a unique hard clear plastic lid on the top of it. A great place to store a GPS or map. It can also be powered from the bike by means of a quick release wire loom that’s wired in to the battery of the bike.

I’m currently in talks with Mission Motos to obtain an RM bag for use and review. Watch this space…

Ive not been using my Shark Evoline helmet on the Buell much. It just doesn’t seem to work well on the colder days. This is due to the amount of open space at the bottom of the chin guard. I get a sharp jet of cold air right up into the helmet which at 5am is not a nice thing. Its fine on the hot summer days when its warm and dry but in the cold, its a no no. I might eBay it as I’m not sure it’ll get much use over the winter. I’m using my Arai Astro R all the time. The R is an excellent helmet. I feel so secure inside it. It’s warm when required and cool too on the warmer days. The venting is excellent. I would definately buy another one when this one is worn out.

I’m still wearing my biker jeans alot. I’ve got the Icon jobbies with integrated aramid on the crash zones. Their style fits nicely with the Buell. I have another pair of jeans with aramid fitted into the arse. My problem with those is that they are too hot at the moment. I suspect i’ll be wearing them more once autumn arrives.

Boots wise, i’m still wearing my Hein Gericke ankle boots. They are really comfortable on and off the bike. I walk to and from the office in London so a pair of ankle height boots are a good compromise for me. They suffered badly when my last bike, a Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport kept dumping oil on them but it’s definately helped em stay water tight

I’ve bought a new disc lock for the bike coz my last Abus Granit 68 would not fit it. The new one is an Abus Granit quick 37. Ive also bought the optional mount for it and have mounted it in front of the number plate. The down side is that it gets the crud hitting it off of the rear wheel. The good side is that I have a disc lock at hand when ever I need one. I didnt want to carry it around in my pocket just in case i had an off…. I disc lock and ribs dont mix…