Bike Kit

Year: ALL

Tried and tested: Lomo 20L Rollbag review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Sometimes, if you’re heading out on a long trip or a short tour, you need some simple luggage to cart your stuff with you. You might not want to wear a rucksack or fit semi-permanent luggage, like...

Fan favourite: How to check your motorcycle cooling system

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Checking your motorcycle cooling system is important. In the past, most bikes were air-cooled. Although that’s a bit of a misnomer; it was a combination of air and oil-cooling, with the oil being...

Keep on stopping: How to change motorcycle brake pads

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

It’s inevitable that if you carry out your own maintenance, sooner or later you will be changing motorcycle brake pads. They are, after all, consumable and will need replacing more or less often,...

Tried and tested: Ring RSC706 Battery Charger review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

There’s little particularly interesting about a battery charger. That is until you have a weakening battery, or are perhaps not planning on using the bike for a while over winter, and you want to look...

Tried and tested: Draper Expert T-handle hex keys review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Many of us will have a set of Allen keys in our toolkits that have been there forever. I know I have – several – and they are generally a bit rusty and a bit unloved. There is though another set of...

Get a grip! Best pliers for motorcycle mechanics

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Any home – or even professional – mechanic knows that sometimes, you need to get strong with a bike. Occasionally you need to go to your motorcycle toolkit and get the big breaker bar for a stubborn...

Tried and tested: T.ur G-Zero winter gloves review

14 September 2023 by Adam Binnie

On the other hand the T.ur G-Zero promises maximum warmth in even the most extreme weather, with a clever double glove structure than keeps unnecessary padding to a minimum too. Passive gloves that do...

Tried and tested: Furygan Blizzard heated motorcycle gloves review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

A decent pair of gloves like these Furygan Blizzards is crucial for anyone who rides throughout winter. Irrespective of the protection offered by the bike – whether from handguards, fairing, bodywork...

Tried and tested: Alpinestars Supertech gloves review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

These Alpinestars Supertech gloves are developed directly from the Italian firm’s MotoGP race products to bring that knowledge and experience to road and circuit riders for the ultimate in...

Fast hands: Best sporty motorcycle gloves

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Once the worst of the winter is behind us and it looks like spring and eventually, summer are on the way, thoughts turn to lightweight riding kit, such as sporty motorcycle gloves. A pair of...

Comms away: How to fit an intercom to your motorcycle helmet

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

If you’re one of the many riders who like to listen to music or hear sat-nav instructions, or make or take phone calls and chat to passengers or other riders, then a motorcycle intercom is just the...

Tried and tested: Jabra Elite Active 75T earbud review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

The Jabra Elite Active 75t wireless earbuds are Bluetooth headphones just slim enough to wear under your helmet when riding your motorcycle. A pair of earbuds or earphones are not the obvious...

Tried and tested: DXR Skoga review

14 September 2023 by Adam Binnie

These DXR Skoga touring boots caught my eye with their low-key looks – the synthetic upper doesn’t shine like leather and under a pair of jeans their slimline profile could almost pass off as a pair...

Tried and tested: Held Spot gloves review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

When it comes to riding in the summer, I like short-cuff, lightweight and perforated gloves like these Held Spots. They feel great on the hands, give excellent feel for the bike’s controls and...

Tried and tested: Dane Fyre heated gloves review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

The march of time affects everything and sadly, it has meant that the Dane Fyre heated gloves are now discontinued, though if you hunt hard enough, you can still find them around albeit in limited...

Tried and tested: Weise Apex motorcycle gloves review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Lots of people favour full length gloves for every ride – the additional protection they can offer over the wrist makes them feel more reassured. I, however, tend to prefer shorter gloves particularly...

Tried and tested: Road Mesh gloves review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

In truth, £30 doesn’t get you much nowadays; a family ‘feast’ at the golden arches, a couple of months of Netflix or a fill-up on most bikes (and not even a whole fill-up on some). However, it will...

Best women's motorcycle gloves

14 September 2023 by Maria Martin

Women’s motorcycle gloves have come a long way in recent years from the standard pink accents we’re used to seeing. Brands have created savvier designs to cater more for women riders, without just...

Tried and tested: Autobrite Direct Extreme Range motorcycle cleaning products review

14 September 2023 by Ryan Gilmore

Since 2005 Autobrite Direct has been offering an excellent range of cleaning products perfect for keeping cars looking better than new. It’s now launched a selection of motorcycle cleaning products...

Care for your bike and the planet: Best eco-friendly motorcycle cleaners

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

We all want to keep our bikes clean. Not only is it the best way to pride and joy looking its best but it’s an important part of its maintenance schedule and a vital way to ensure it’s performing to...

Tried and tested: CTEK CT5 Battery Charger review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

It used to be really easy to look after motorbike or car batteries. You just connected a battery charger that you paid a few quid for from a high-street shop and Bob is your proverbial mum’s brother.

Tried and tested: Metrovac Blaster Sidekick review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

When I first tested this Metrovac Blaster Sidekick motorcycle dryer, it was selling at £150. For that kind of money, I came to the conclusion that I would stick with a chamois leather or a microfibre...

Race trim: Best sporty leather jackets

14 September 2023 by Justin Hayzelden

A leather one piece race suit is the way to go for track riding, but if you want to keep the race look on the road then a sporty leather jacket may be a more practical solution. Most can be paired up...

Tried and tested: Richa Blade review

14 September 2023 by Gareth Evans

These Richa Blade WP waterproof sports boots have served me will so far this year. Together we’ve weathered some impressive weather; most notably massive thunderstorms, both on road and on track. I...

Tried and tested: Alpinestars Faster V2 review

14 September 2023 by Joesph Wright

The Alpinestars Faster V2 is a sporty leather motorbike jacket that pairs protection fit for the track with comfort, practicality and style for the road. It follows the original Faster jacket which...

Tried and tested: Shark Ridill review

14 September 2023 by Gareth Evans

Shark’s Ridill is a low-price, high-feature motorbike helmet that would suit new riders perfectly. It’s not perfect, as you’d expect for a lid at this price point, but for a starting point it’s ideal,...

Tried and tested: Shark Spartan RS Carbon review

14 September 2023 by Adam Binnie

The SHARK Spartan RS Carbon is a sporty-looking touring helmet with a long list of features, impressive build quality and an ECE 22.06 safety rating, for less money than you’d expect. When we...

Tried and tested: DXR Bernie boots review

14 September 2023 by Simon Brown

These CE-approved DXR Bernie boots are billed as breathable and having just ridden two hours up the M5 in 30°C conditions I can confirm that they did indeed remain comfortable for the duration without...

Alpinestars Supertech R10 available now: First full face road helmet from the firm goes on sale

14 September 2023 by Michael Neeves

To compete head-on with the road helmet establishment is the tallest of tall orders, but Alpinestars are on the right track with their new Supertech R10 – the first full face road crash helmet the...

Membrane trust: The best motorcycle waterproofs to keep you dry whatever the weather chosen by MCN

14 September 2023 by Ben Clarke

Motorcycle waterproofs can be a real life-saver – especially in the UK where even the sunniest of mornings can become torrential afternoons. There’s plenty of purpose-made waterproof kit on the...

Winter blues beaters: Best winter motorcycle boots

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

As we head into winter, those of us who ride year-round often turn our attention to biking kit that will provide the best warmth and weather protection, and a good quality pair of winter motorcycle...

Fully loaded: Best motorcycle luggage racks

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Sometimes, you don’t want full-on fitted luggage on your motorcycle. Sometimes, you just want to chuck a bag across the back, strap it on and go. And while this can often be entirely possible with an...

Tried and tested: LS2 Swift racing glove review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

These LS2 Swift gloves are a sporty leather option from the firm best known for making helmets. They offer great feel and protection without breaking the bank. Gloves are an essential part of your...

Self-sufficient touring: Best motorcycle camping tents

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

We said it recently when we looked at the basics of motorcycle camping but it really does bear saying again; your tent is perhaps the most important element of any off grid trip. It is your only...

Cardo Packtalk Edge review: king of comms?

14 September 2023 by Adam Binnie

The Cardo Packtalk Edge motorcycle intercom sits at the top of the firm’s range, featuring all the latest key technologies like Bluetooth 5.2, mesh connectivity for 15 riders and premium sound from...

Tried and tested: HJC C10 review

14 September 2023 by Emma Franklin

An all-new motorbike helmet for 2023, the HJC C10 is an entry-level model and replaces the CS-15. It is the first sub £100 helmet to meet the latest ECE22.06 safety standard, which replaced the...