For nine months of the year the weather is perfect. Daytime temperatures hover around the mid-60’s to mid-80’s making it warm yet comfortable. For people with outdoor activities such as soccer, baseball, and motorcycle riding it is the perfect place to be.

Of course there is the summer when temperatures stay above the century mark consistently for weeks at a time. It is one thing when the daytime high is over 110 degrees and sometimes 120; it is quite another when the temperatures are still over 100 in the middle of the night.

This of course is miserable especially on vehicles. There have been days when I seriously considered wearing oven mitts to drive just so I would not burn my hands on the steering wheel. Windshield sunshades are not a fashion statement in Arizona; they are a necessity.

It’s not just the interior of a vehicle that takes a beating. Car and motorcycle batteries really take a hit in the hot weather of Arizona. While most of the country can make a battery last through it’s allotted warranty that won’t happen here.

In many cases a battery will need to be replaced as often as 24 months. I was feeling pretty good when Trina’s Suburban lasted almost three years. There was dancing around the garage and a prayer of gratitude to Mr. Diehard and his battery manufacturing.

Today though was not a happy day. I went to the garage excited that the weather was now perfect for riding my Harley Davidson Night Train every day. I loaded up the saddle bags with my laptop and briefcase for a ride that would ultimately end up at work.

It’s funny; when I am in the car I try to find the shortest distance between home and the office. When I am on my bike the exact opposite is true. It takes me three times longer to get to my destination. It is not because the bike is slower but rather I look to find ways to be on it as long as possible.

The joy and enthusiasm was short lived this particular day. As I climbed onto the bike and pressed the starter, I was not rewarded with the throaty sound of the Twin-V engine coming to life. I was instead greeted by the all too familiar sound of clicking from a battery that no longer has any juice left.

Initially I hoped that I had somehow left the accessory switch on or perhaps the security system had drained the battery. After a few hours on the recharger though the results were the same. With a quick wrench I removed the battery and placed it in the car.

While I went through the bike looking for possible faulty connections Trina took the battery down to the dealership to see if perhaps my charger was bad. When my cell phone went off with a message from Trina I almost didn’t want to look.

The diagnosis was the worst-case scenario. The battery failed due to the heat and needed to be replaced. This was most frustrating since the bike had been ridden very little due to my shoulder surgeries and subsequent rehabilitation.

Trina brought home a new battery and it was quickly installed. What a difference that made, the engine immediately turned over and before long I was headed down the road to anywhere. The clock is now ticking on this new battery as the heat of summer will return much too soon.

I’m trying to find alternatives to keeping this battery working longer. I’m just not sure I am going to be able to talk Trina into letting me park the Harley in the family room.

Besides the physical dangers brought about by inattentive drivers there are also environmental issues that cause problems for motorcyclists in Arizona. Although we get only ten inches of rain per year it seems as though that rain all comes in the course of just one day.

There are also the extreme temperatures that exist in the southwestern desert. It is not unheard of to see summer temperatures reach 120 degrees or hotter. During the winter it is rather common to see early pre-dawn temperatures drop to the teens making it somewhat difficult to dress appropriately.

It seems as though the longer I am in Arizona the more difficult I find it to accurately guess what the temperature is. There are days I would swear that the temperatures are over 110 degrees only to find that it is only 87.

As my buddies and I ride we are continually commenting on the weather and temperatures with guesses differing by more than 20 degrees. I finally decided I needed to find some way to accurately measure the temperatures to try and settle some of the outrageous guesses that come from riding for hours in the heat.

During one of my near weekly trips to the Harley-Davidson dealership I happened to find a bike accessory that would perfectly fit the bill.

Harley-Davidson has developed a Master Cylinder Clamp Thermometer that attaches to your bike’s handlebars at the master cylinder. The thermometer then displays the temperature using an analog dial.

The dial face comes in either silver or black to match your bike. The housing is chrome which allows the thermometer to blend into the handlebars making it fairly inconspicuous. Besides face color, you can also choose between Celsius or Fahrenheit temperatures.

The thermometer is an analog device with temperature readings between zero and 130 degrees Fahrenheit. The gauge numbers show 120 degrees but minor marks go an additional ten degrees.

Installation is extremely simple. All that is required is to remove one screw from the master cylinder clamp, thread the screw through the thermometer clamp and replace the screw on the handlebar.

Based on initial testing the temperatures are fairly accurate when compared to the local bank signs I’ve come across when riding. While this is not a must-have accessory, it has eliminated a lot of discussions about how hot or how cold it is during a ride.

The gauge face is very easy to read even while riding providing a way to quickly glance at the handlebars to see what the temperature is. Now when someone asks me if it’s hot enough for me I can respond with the temperature quantifying exactly how hot it is.

With temperatures now cooling off, I’ll be putting the hydration jacket in the closet and finding something that will keep me a little warmer. In times like this I turn to my Harley-Davidson Alternator jacket.

This leather jacket utilizes what Harley-Davidson Motorclothes refers to as “Switchback Technology”. This is more of a marketing term than anything else but in a nutshell it means that the jacket is capable of transforming from a full leather jacket into a textile mesh jacket.

The front and rear panels of the jacket are zippered from the base of the sleeve across the chest and back. During the cooler morning rides the jacket can be a cool weather leather coat blocking the chilly wind from reaching your body.

As the daily temperatures heat up making a full leather jacket too much, the rider is able to unzip the front and back leather panels removing them for storage in your saddlebags. The jacket then becomes a mesh jacket allowing good airflow.

The top of the sleeves remains leather to offer protection in case of a fall. The jacket also includes pouches for flexible body armor protecting elbows, shoulders, and spine (with an optional spine pad) in case of fall. The sleeves include elastic and snaps to allow them to be more form fitting to your arms eliminating a lot of the flapping that comes with other jackets.

Removing and replacing the panels is a fairly straightforward exercise that doesn’t take much time or effort. If early morning temperatures are colder still, the jacket could be included with a sweatshirt or insulated garment making this jacket perfect year round for riders in the southwest.

The jacket is a standard black leather with orange embroidered Harley-Davidson across the front. With the panels zipped off the mesh jacket is also black with an orange Harley-Davidson logo on the right breast. The sleeve has a Harley-Davidson bar and shield logo embroidered on the black leather. The jacket contains two zipped pockets for warming your hands and includes an inside pocket for storage.

This is a very versatile jacket that will keep you warm in the cold air and cool in the warm air. It is the perfect jacket for fall and spring riding where temperature ranges are greater. It is comfortable and stylish. Removing the body armor makes this a casual jacket that can be worn around town off the bike as well.

First and foremost biking gloves should provide protection to the rider’s hands. The road can be a very unforgiving thing when your skin comes in contact with it especially at riding speeds. Protection is not the only factor though.

I doubt there are many of us who would wear armored gauntlets to ride in. A glove must be comfortable and allow some feel of the controls. Then there are the ever-present elements whether it is the bitter cold, blistering heat, snow, rain, or wind the rider always seems to be battling something.

Riding in Arizona, especially during the late spring to early autumn timeframe the biggest issue you have to deal with is heat. With temperatures over 100 degrees it becomes difficult to find gloves that will protect your hands without putting them through some type of heat inflected torture.

I am always on the lookout for a pair of gloves that will allow me some protection while being able to keep my hands cool. There are several different styles of gloves from half-finger, to three-quarter finger to full gloves.

I tend to prefer a full glove. Not only does it allow a bit more protection but it also saves me from burning my fingers when I grab the clutch or the front break. When you’ve been riding all day in temperatures over 100 degrees those grips and levers can get kind of hot.

I happened across a pair of Held Air gloves and decided to give them a try. The gloves are a combination of leather and fiber. The palms are lined with leather for long wear. They are reinforced around the thumb area to prevent premature holes from forming.

The back of the glove is made up of a combination of leather and mesh fiber. The back of the knuckles and fingers have leather pads offering protection if you happen to fall. The rest of the back is mesh, allowing air to reach your hands.

One of features of these gloves I especially liked was that the fingers have a mesh section. This means that while riding you can flex your fingers and get a blast of air inside your glove.

The gloves come in two colors. There is the standard black, which I bought or there is a light gray color that may actually be cooler in the hot sun. The gloves are slightly curved in a natural arch so that you don’t have a bunch of material wad up in your hand when you grab the grips.

The quality and craftsmanship are first rate. Held put these gloves together with high quality materials and as a result these gloves wear very well. After two seasons these gloves still look like new. The leather is colorfast treated so after a day of riding I am confident I will not pull my hands out and have them covered with black dye.

These are great warm weather gloves that I am able to use for all but the coldest riding temperature. You could safely use these for three seasons if you added a thin glove liner making them great since you no longer would have to carry two sets of gloves for varying temperatures.

I’m definitely a fan of the Held Air gloves and may even pick up another pair just to have once this pair finally wears out which from the looks of these may be quite some time.

Lately there has been a lot more negative press surrounding the use of after-market exhaust systems. Residents and other drivers are complaining of the noise pollution that accompanies many of the systems.

The complaints are most often the result of a biker installing an exhaust system without the necessary sound dampeners making their bike extremely loud. I have been on rides with bikers whose exhaust systems are so loud that they set off automobile alarms just from starting the bikes.

We all love a deep throaty sound that the Harley-Davidson Twin engine makes but bikes need to be aware of how loud their bikes have become otherwise we are destined to have legislature introduced that will limit the products that can be used on the street.

Already there are several states considering noise laws that make it unlawful for riders to install many products due to the amount of noise that the pipes produce.

The stock exhaust system on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle has been designed as a compromise between performance and sound. When I first bought my Night Train I was surprised to hear how quiet the stock pipes were. Most of the bikes I had been around before had modified exhaust systems.

For the first three years I rode with stock pipes on my Night Train and was under the impression that they were adequate for the type of riding I was doing and I was conscious of the noise implications and did not want to be identified as part of the problem.

The funny thing was that during those years I had several close calls with motorists who pulled in front of me or changed lanes as if I did not exist. I am a very defensive rider so I was able to steer clear of a potential accident but the trend was making me very nervous.

After my wife witnessed one of these close calls she made the comment that somehow the drivers of cars need to be more aware of cyclists. About this time I decided that I really wanted to change exhaust systems to something a little more open.

I selected the Vance & Hines staggered Big Shots exhaust system. I liked the look of the Vance & Hines pipes and was impressed with their reputation.

I was a little concerned about the noise level; I wanted something a little louder than stock but not over bearing. With the new exhaust system in place I started the bike up. I immediately knew the difference between this exhaust system and the stock system.

They are indeed louder than the stock pipes but are still within a reasonable sound range. Talking to my neighbors they admitted the bike was now louder but none of them would classify the bike as being obnoxious or overly loud.

With the new exhaust system I quickly noticed a difference. With a less restrictive flow than the stock exhaust there was an increase in acceleration. Besides the new pipes I also installed a change to the bikes jet system to make sure it was receiving the proper mixture of fuel.

I’ve been quite happy with the Vance & Hines exhaust system. Whether directly attributed to the bikes or some other factor I have not had the close calls I did before on the road. I believe the slightly louder pipes have resulted in drivers being more aware of my bike and therefore are less apt to change lanes or pull in front of me.

The quality of the exhaust system is first rate. The stainless steel pips with built in heat shields remain perfectly polished and lend a more street savvy look to the bike. The bright chrome pipes are a distinct contrast against the blacked out look of the Harley-Davidson Night Train making it all the more impressive.

While I do not condone extreme exhaust modification and believe we are all responsible for maintaining a level of peace by minimizing noise pollution I do think that a little more noise than the stock pipes are warranted to make sure the other drivers notice us. It’s a change I would definitely make again if given the opportunity. This bike upgrade may just have saved my life.

From a readability perspective the gauge is first rate but somewhat limited. I prefer having a gauge that shows not only the current speed but also has a tachometer for monitoring RPMs. For a Softail owner you basically have two choices.

The first choice is to add a separate tachometer gauge. Harley-Davidson offers such a gauge in a three-inch gauge that mounts to the center of the handlebar. While this is the least expensive choice for adding a tachometer, it does require adding yet another item to the handlebar.

I like the handlebar relatively free of clutter so the thoughts of adding a gauge front and center was not something I was interested in. Besides the gauge it would also require additional wiring to tap into the bike’s electronics, which is yet another connection to manage while you, are on the road.

The second option replaces the existing speedometer instrument gauge on the tank with a combination speedometer and tachometer. This provides one single instrument gauge rather than two. The tachometer speedometer combination also is a five-inch gauge making the face easier to read as you glance down.

The combination gauge also is plug compatible with the existing wiring harness for the factory speedometer meaning that there is no splicing or additional wiring that needs to take place making it a very simple installation.

To order, you must visit your Harley-Davidson dealer who will verify your mileage on your existing instrument panel then order the new gauge. When it arrives it will have the mileage entered into the odometer. It’s kind of a crapshoot as to whether the mileage will match. I guess if you noted the mileage then took the bike home and left it parked until the new gauge cluster arrived it would probably be close. Mine ended up being within 15 miles of the estimate I had.

The new instrument cluster comes with simple instructions and it took less than half an hour to complete the transformation. When I started the bike the tachometer immediately registered as did the speedometer so it’s basically foolproof to install.

At first I thought the tachometer would just be informational or a nice-to-have addition to the bike but I find myself monitoring it more often than I would have guessed. The face of the gauges is quite easy to read.

Harley-Davidson offers several different types of faces to their gauges. I went with a traditional black faced gauge with speed listed on the top half and the tachometer listed on the bottom. The style is very close to the stock gauge giving the bike a traditional look. The instrument panel is lighted making it easy to see both in daylight as well as night.

You can never have too much information when you are riding so this has been a valuable addition. It’s also one more way for you to customize your Harley-Davidson motorcycle to make it unique.

While there are several jackets made for riding in the cold, riding in this kind of heat is not something that many people have to endure so manufacturers have been somewhat reluctant to develop riding gear for severe heat.

Although many ride in just a T-shirt, I would rather have something on my upper body that will protect me in case of an accident. The problem is finding something that will wick away moisture while still providing the necessary protection.

A jacket is advantageous during summer riding even during hot temperatures. The reason for this is that a jacket protects the rider from the hot sun beating down on him during the ride.

To date a rider had two choices when it came to protective riding jackets. There were leather jackets that protected very well but tended to be rather warm in the desert climate. There are mesh and lighter weight leather but these still tended to trap the moisture inside causing the rider to potentially overheat.

The other choice was textile jackets more commonly known as mesh jackets. The textile jackets allow air to flow through the mesh fabric to promote the removal of moisture. Many of the brands include some type of removable body armor that protects the rider from any mishaps.

The historical problem with jackets during summer riding has been one of moisture management and body cooling. When a rider sweats, air will evaporate the moisture and cool the rider. Too much though and the rider could dehydrate making for a dangerous riding situation. Too little and the rider could overheat.

Harley-Davidson Motorclothes division came out with a new jacket to help with the war against heat. During the spring they introduced what they referred to as a hydration jacket. This is a mesh jacket with special compartments that can hold hydration pouches.

The pouches contain polyacrylite crystals. When soaked in cool water the crystals expand. The expanded pouches are then added to the jacket. During a ride, air flows over the pouches cooling the rider allowing him to retain a lower body temperature.

The polyacrylite pouches are reusable. According to documentation that comes with the jacket the pouches are good for 50 rides or one year whichever comes first. Additional pouches are available for purchase from Harley-Davidson.

I was curious whether this jacket would live up to its billing. I bought the jacket and brought it home. The temperatures have been hovering around 100 degrees so I figured this would be the perfect time to try them.

Soaking the pouches takes approximately five minutes and I used cool water from the refrigerator since water coming out of the tap in Arizona really isn’t that cold during the summer. I was surprised how much the pouches swelled.

Besides being larger they were also a lot heavier. Adding the pouches to the jacket increased the weight of the coat by a measurable amount. Unfortunately I was so eager to try the jacket that I didn’t even think to weigh it but my guess was it was four to six pounds heavier.

I got on the bike and went for a ride. According to my bike thermometer the temperature was 101 degrees. I didn’t notice the weight of the jacket while I was wearing it. It felt fairly comfortable. The mesh jacket allowed for decent airflow.

I was skeptical of the polyacrylite crystals but I have to admit they really did work. It was much cooler with the pouches in place and almost made the ride bearable. Just to test and make sure it was not all in my head, I removed the pouches and put them in my saddlebags and rode home.

While the jacket had good airflow it was just warm air blowing from the atmosphere and I was much hotter. I am going to continue to use the hydration jacket during the warmer months and I’ll try to update with longer-term usage experiences.

As a software developer I seem to have to carry things around a lot. Whether it is my laptop computer, or a series of documents that I have to review I seem to always have something in my briefcase.

The backpack idea I thought was good but quickly learned the weight of a backpack seems to shift at precisely the wrong moment and when temperatures are nearing or over triple digits they can be pretty hot stuck to your back. Besides, can you really look cool riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle while wearing a pink My Little Pony backpack? Hey, you use what you have and I don’t want to talk about why I have a pink My Little Pony backpack.

Obviously I needed a different way to carry items on my bike. I considered a rear fender rack and the associated bungee cords but I was worried that my laptop and other items may not be as protected as they need to be. I also considered a rack bag but I could not find one that was capable of holding what I needed without looking like a wart on the back of the bike.

I finally decided that saddlebags were my best bet for storing the items I needed while allowing the bike to retain its outlaw look. Well as outlaw as a computer programmer on a motorcycle can look.

I was feeling pretty good making the decision for saddlebags but that feeling didn’t last long when I learned that there were about a million different types and brands of saddlebags. I definitely didn’t anticipate the sheer number of saddlebags that were available.

After several days of research and visiting what seemed like every web site on the Internet I finally decided on a set of bags. I decided on a set of bags from Boss Bags. The reviews I read were very positive and really who could possibly resist a set of bags strong enough that a guy could stand on them without the bags sagging or breaking?

After a series of measurements I selected a set of 36C bags. It seemed a little awkward ordering them, I wasn’t sure if I was going to get a set of motorcycle saddlebags or a leather bra. While on the phone with the salesman he explained what the numbering system meant.

The 36 represents how many cans of beer will fit inside of each bag. That means this set of bags is capable of holding 72 cans of beer if fully loaded. Not only did these bags seem perfect for carrying my laptop and briefcase but on the weekend I could be the most popular guy at the Harley Owners Group if I showed up with 72 cans of beer.

The Boss Bags saddlebags were made of very high quality materials and I loved the quick release system that used compression fittings to get the bags on and off the bike. These bags were the perfect companion giving me the storage option to hold a jacket, my briefcase and my laptop.

Unfortunately at work we change computer manufacturers and the company standardized on a larger laptop. Suddenly the 36C bags were no longer large enough. The depth of the bag was slightly smaller than a 15.4 inch laptop would fit and the tear drop style make the top too small to get a laptop inside. I was once again in the market for a new set of bags.

Given the high quality and workmanship of the Boss Bags I went back to the company and worked with their customer service department to find an appropriate bag that would work for me.

I didn’t want anything too big but given the laptop sizes that are in use today I was forced to go with the 42C bag. I was concerned that these bags would be huge, something I really didn’t want. Boss Bags customer service assured me that the bags were not gigantic and that they felt like I would be happy with them.

The final decision came after Boss Bags offered a money back guarantee if the bags did not work out. That eliminated all fears I had and I placed the order. Like the 36C, the 42C represented the number of beer cans that would fit in the bags so I was now capable of carrying 84 cans of beer. I was quickly becoming the premier beer transportation system for Arizona.

With the larger size, the 42C bags require more than just replacing a couple of fender bolts with quick release posts. These larger bags came with their own mounting plate that has not just the quick release posts on the top but also a lip on the bottom to support the larger bags.

Installation was very easy with a minimum amount of time and tools required to complete. I eagerly mounted the bags then stood back to look over the bike. I was worried it would look like my bike had developed breeder hips but that was not the case at all. It retained the same style and look as it had with the 36C bags in place.

The opening is large enough that I can easily slide my briefcase and my laptop into the bag with room left over. The larger size does not deter bike handling either. The larger bags do make it a tight fit with the rear turn signals but no adjustment was necessary and I didn’t have to relocate the lights like I thought they might.

Overall I have been extremely happy first with the Boss Bags 36C and ultimately with the Boss Bags 42C saddlebags. The leather looks great and with minimal care has remained looking like new despite daily use. If you’re looking for a set of saddlebags for your bike I suggest you try Boss Bags, you won’t regret it.

We took a couple of short rides and while they were a lot of fun, we found it difficult for us to communicate while on the bike. There were times when I wanted to ask Trina whether she wanted to stop at a particular place or continue on the trip. Likewise Trina wanted to let me know when she needed something without having to resort to one handed sign language while clinging to the back of my jacket.

Clearly we needed some way to communicate that was a little more accurate and easy than our rudimentary hand signals. At the same time I needed to find something that would let me know when my cellphone rang when I was riding alone. There have been times with Trina or the kids are trying to reach me to let me know they needed me to pick something up or if there has been a change in plans.

Given these requirements I began to research what options there were available for motorcycle communication devices. As I searched for information, one name continued to pop-up, Cardo. Cardo offers a series of wireless communication devices that connect to a rider’s helmet that allow riders to communicate between bikes.

I liked the idea of being wireless. The last thing I needed was to be connected to the bike or to another rider via a cable. I know myself too well to believe that I would not forget to disconnect the wires and the result would be yanking them out leaving the communication system broken.

Cardo offers several types of communication devices. After reviewing the features of each I decided that the best option for me was the Cardo Scala Rider Q2 system. This communication device not only will allow you to talk to other riders but will also act as a Bluetooth headset for a cell phone and as a hands free speech device for a GPS unit.

I decided to purchase two Scala Rider Q2 sets since it really wouldn’t do me any good to talk to Trina if I only had one set. I ordered the Q2 systems from Revzilla, who is quickly becoming my favorite online retailer for motorcycle rider accessories.

The Scala Rider Q2 devices arrived in a few short days from when I placed the order. They came boxed separately with all the parts to install them. The Scala Rider Q2 comes in two parts.

The first part is a clamp that attaches to the left side of your helmet. It has a boom mike that can be threaded into the front of the user’s helmet inside to allow you to speak to the unit. The boom mike is directional so you do have to make sure that you orient the microphone the right direction for it to pick up your voice.

The clamp also has two wired speakers that are threaded inside the helmet under the pads and oriented on the left and right side of the helmet. Placement for these speakers is crucial otherwise it is hard to pick up the voices. I had to make several minute adjustments to the speaker placement to get the sound just right.

The speakers are mono speakers when used with Scala Rider Q2 device. Newer models of the Q2 include a jack on the helmet clamp that will allow you to connect the cable from an MP3 player to the device which will allow the speakers inside the helmet to play music in stereo. For those who do not have the MP3 jack on their helmet clamp, you can purchase replacement clamps on the Scala web site that include this functionality.

Once the clamp, mike and speakers have been installed, the next step is to charge the Scala Rider Q2 device. According to the instructions you should charge the Q2 for 5 hours before setting it up for the first time. There have been occurrences where not fully charging the device before set-up have caused problems so I did not take any chances and followed the directions perfectly.

Once the device is charged, you will need to pair the Q2 devices together so that they can talk to each other. This is simply a matter of pressing the buttons on the side of the Q2 in certain combinations until red and blue lights flash to validate that the two devices know about each other. It took me a couple of tries to get the two Q2 devices to recognize each other but ultimately they did.

After pairing the two Q2 devices, my next step was to pair one of the Q2 devices to my Apple iPhone. Again this was a matter of holding down the buttons on the Q2 device until it entered Bluetooth mode then setting my iPhone to search for discoverable devices. Once the iPhone found the Q2, I was required to enter a code into my iPhone to finish the discovery process. The code is “0000” in case you miss that in the manual (I did).

According to the documentation that came with the Scala Rider Q2, if you have a GPS device you should pair it with the Q2 and then pair the GPS with your cell phone. Since I do not have a GPS, I just skipped that part.

Besides Bluetooth headset support the Q2 also offers an FM tuner with a six station preset. It took a little bit to get the local radio stations tuned in and set. It requires you to have good hand eye coordination since you are pressing buttons in sequence while the helmet is on to make sure you can hear the stations. My best recommendation for this part is to have patience. It can be a little frustrating but if you just relax it’s not too bad.

Once I had both Q2 systems installed and set it was time to give them a try. Trina and I jumped on the bike and went for a short ride. When the Q2 is turned on it is voice activated and allows the rider and passenger to talk. Unlike many other communicators, you are not limited to the walkie-talkie syndrome where only one person can talk. We could each talk and carry on a conversation.

The Scala Rider Q2 does have some precedence in the order of communications. If you are listening to the FM radio and the passenger begins talking the radio will stop and you will get the other person. If you get a call on your cell phone it will take precedence over either the radio or the other person. That seems a little backwards until you remember that the cell phone could also be the GPS so the device first thinks you need to know where you are then you can tell the other rider and finally you can relax to a little music.

The overall quality of the Scala Rider Q2 is very good. It took a little bit to get the speakers places appropriately so that the unit was loud enough to hear. There was also a little bit of a learning curve to navigate the buttons on the device to get it in the proper mode and functioning where you wanted it to.

Both the clamp and the Scala Rider Q2 are well protected from the weather meaning they work well whether it is sunny or raining. The hot summer of Arizona did not seem to impact the operation of the Q2 unit adversely so that was very good news. The documentation suggests that the Scala Rider Q2 has a range of 500 meters or 1,640 feet in wide open terrain. In areas that are more confined the range drops to 250 meters or 800 feet which is still adequate. You can pair three Q2 devices together to talk with two other riders.

Overall the Cardo Scala Rider Q2 has met my requirements allowing me to communicate with my wife wirelessly while we are riding. It has also provided me with a way that I can safely answer my cell phone while I am riding so that I don’t miss an important call. With some full face helmets the boom mike can get in the way or not fit properly. Cardo offers an alternative clamp that replaces the boom mike with a low-profile wired mike to fit easier. Overall I would not hesitate to recommend the Cardo Scala Rider Q2 system to anyone looking for a wireless communication device for a motorcycle.

For those of you who are not sure what a modular helmet is let me explain. By the way, until that night I had no idea what he meant when he said modular helmet. When I heard that term all I could think of was a helmet made out of Lego blocks; that’s not what it is.

A modular helmet has the outward appearance of a full-face helmet. The visor goes up and down like you would expect from a full-face helmet. The difference though is that on a modular helmet the entire front of the face is hinged so that the rider can lift the entire front of the helmet up basically turning the helmet into a three-quarter helmet.

The benefits of this are that you are able to combat some of the claustrophobic effects of a full-face helmet. The other benefit is that if you have to throw up, you can get the helmet out of the way. No lie, this was listed as a benefit by the salesman. While I have never had to test this theory it is good to know the helmet can facilitate that.

The Harley-Davidson Modular Helmet is actually a rebranded HJC helmet. I wore this helmet for the first couple of years I was riding. It was relatively comfortable and seemed to work as advertised. While it did not have a lot of vents, it remained comfortable even during the Arizona summer months.

Wind noise was relatively low making this one of the quieter helmets I have ever worn. I did like the idea that the entire front would rotate up to give me even more air flow if it got too hot riding. One thing that did bother me was that the helmet tended to lift when riding at higher rates of speed. When riding at freeway speeds it almost felt like the helmet would pull my head right off my neck.

At first the lifting effect did not bother me but through additional riding I found myself fighting with the helmet trying to find a riding position that would minimize this. I decided that when a helmet began to require me to change my riding stance or style it was probably time to look for a new helmet.

I began my quest to find the perfect helmet by first listing out the requirements that a helmet must adhere to in order to be considered. The top two items on my list were protection and comfort. The biggest reason to wear a helmet is to protect you while you ride. Protection should therefore be paramount when considering a new helmet. While the modular helmet met DOT safety requirements, it did not meet any others due to the fact that the front was hinged. Because of this I decided to forego that feature and focus instead on a full-face helmet.

Since I was now going completely full-face, comfort became even a bigger factor. In so many full-face helmets your head is literally smashed between pads making you feel like you head is in a vise. That is not a comfortable feeling especially when riding a long distance.

After developing a list of criteria I did a tremendous amount of research and ultimately chose the Shoei X-Eleven Norick 5 helmet. This helmet met all of my criteria and was also the most stylish helmet I came across.

Not only does the X-Eleven comply with DOT helmet standards but also adheres to the Snell M2005 requirements. This means that my head will be protected should the helmet be forced into use during a crash.

I was concerned with airflow but after trying the X-Eleven I came away very impressed. There are vents throughout this helmet that assist in wicking away the moisture from inside the helmet. There are openings below the face opening as well as above the visor and two vents on the rear of the helmet near the top. All of these work in conjunction to move air throughout the helmet.

All of this airflow does come at a price. There is additional air noise from the air blowing through the helmet. The helmet interior padding does assist in dropping the noise by absorbing some of the sound waves but this helmet is a little louder than the modular helmet it replaced.

I was replacing my helmet due to the lifting problem I had while wearing the modular helmet. The X-Eleven is much more aerodynamic than the modular helmet and I found none of the lifting problems I had with the other helmet. In fact I didn’t notice any difference between normal street riding and freeway riding.

The padding on the X-Eleven surrounds your head and face but it does not feel constrictive at all. Shoei did a very good job designing the padding system allowing all of the pads to be removed in order to be cleaned, something that is definitely beneficial after a lot of use. Given the number of pads it is a good idea to take a couple of pictures before removing the pads to make sure you remember how they all went together. It’s not hard but can be a little overwhelming looking at all the pads when they are out of the helmet.

Overall the Shoei X-Eleven has been a great helmet. Shoei offers several graphic styles and color choices You are bound to find one that matches your bike or your personality. I definitely would recommend the Shoei X-Eleven helmet to anyone who is looking for a comfortable lightweight full-face helmet.