Dragon Youth Goggles

A good set of dirt bike goggles is a must in my book. If they are fogging up or uncomfortable its keeps you from seeing obstacles on the trail.  

Last weekend my son got the opportunity to try out a set of Dragon youth goggles for the fist time. I've heard some buzz about their goggles, but this was our first chance to try out a set. The first thing I noticed after pulling them out of the box was a feature I wish my goggles had, which was the silicone strips on the back of the strap to help hold them in place. As for the fit, they work well in a youth helmet and my son kept telling me that "they feel so soft of my face". One important observation I had while on the trial was that my goggles repeatedly fogged-up during the ride when we would stop, and he never had any issues.  

Overall the goggles performed great, and my son was happy with the fit and look. I was also happy with them, so I will be picking up a pair for myself. Dragon Alliance offers many styles and colors along with tear offs and tented lenses. For more information or to order a set of your own check out www.dragonalliance.com Read more

Atlas Adult Neck Brace

The best way to test out the durability and comfort of a dirt bike product is try it out on an 8 hour-100 mile ride.  This past weekend, at the Flint Ridge Dual Sport, I strapped on an Atlas neck brace to see how it stood up against the competition.  But before I talk about that experience, I'd like to first step back to a few days earlier when I received the brace on my doorstep.  It was obvious that the brace was a little different then other brands I have used before, specifically due to its low profile design and wider neck area.  Another characteristic that I thought was unique was the overall lack of plastic clasps.  At first I wasn't sure about this since I was used to latching other braces, but after putting it on, I realized it goes on and off easy.  Plus, that is one less aspect that can break.

Okay now lets get back to the ride.  After gearing up, I realized my helmet had more freedom to move. Since the Atlas brace has an opening of 6 1/2" with others having around 5 1/4", I found that it was no longer necessary to apply Glide to my neck to prevent the neck brace from rubbing.  Another aspect I liked about this particular brace was how it allowed my hydration pack to fit. I was able to buckle my upper strap without it pulling back on the brace. After approximately 100 miles of riding I had no comfort issues with the Atlas brace, and was able to experience the benefits of more-than-normal helmet movement through out the ride. It was great to leave the ride without the irritation of two rub marks on my neck.

Thanks to the comfort and performance of this neck brace, I will be switching to the Atlas neck brace for future rides. Get more information at www.atlasbrace.com Read more

Matrix Concepts A2 Dirt Bike Stand

Since my son has started riding and enjoying dirt bike riding, we picked up matching Matrix Concepts A2 Aluminum stands; one for my bike and a A2M mini stand for his bike. We all know stable platform for washing and working on your bike makes the job easier, plus who wants to keep moving their bike forward to get the tires clean? The big bike stand is 17" tall which allows you to get both of the tires off the ground, but you don't have to strain to get the bike on the stand. The feature I like most is the large 11"x 11" platform with replaceable rubber padding. This large platform allows you to move the bike around on the stand to get a different angle, yet keeps the bike nice and stable. For me compared to my old stand it made changing the oil easier.  Also, the rubber padding keeps the bike from sliding around or off the stand. Another feature I like is the low weight of the stand. it is under 10lbs, which makes it easy to carry around. One thing I did notice is on a painted garage floor when dismounting the bike the stand wanted to slide and make things a little more sketchy. A rubber mat is on my shopping list to help with this issue as well as minimize paint peal due to gas getting on the floor.

Over all the stand is very well made, welds look nice and clean and the look is very professional. With 15 different color variations, Matrix Concepts has a stand that will match your personality. Check out www.matrixracingproducts.com for more information.

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AFX FX-17 Youth Helmet

Getting your kids involved in dirt biking is a sport that not only you can enjoy together, but you also don't mind watching, coaching, and giving up your weekends to do. The hard part with this sport is that none of the gear is provided, and its not cheap. Keeping up with a growing kid can not only break the bank it can also make you buy gear that is just a little big this season, but will fit next year. I'm not saying I'm not guilty of this but it's unsafe, and loose gear can rub raw spots from all the movement.

Recently my 8 year old son had the opportunity to try out AFX's FX-17 youth helmet and adult helmet. The aspect that drew me to try out this helmet was the removable comfort liners "cheek pads" come in different sizes to accommodate for your growing child. The shell of the helmet is a common standard size with the comfort liners ranging from youth small to large. Not only does this make the helmet fit snug, but it is also an improved solution compared to buying a new helmet every season. At around 14 dollars for replacement comfort liners, your son or daughter can have three different helmet sizes for just over 100 dollars. The helmet includes several key features. It is DOT certified. It has removable liners to help with keeping the helmet clean and fresh. It also has plenty of ventilation both in the front and back. An adjustable visor is included as well.

Overall this helmet is priced right and it has the key features that should be looked for in all helmets. The replaceable comfort liners make it a helmet that can be worn for many seasons or shared by multiple children. One word of advice is make sure you measure your kids head twice before purchasing any helmet, as I found out my son has a large head like me, and the youth size was too small, but it does fit his younger brother and sister perfect which means they are one check mark closer on their mothers list to being able to ride with us also.  My 8 year old ended up getting the AFX FX-17 adult helmet which fits him great, and for the younger ones it will be a nice transition to stay in the same style of helmet for many years. For more information check out www.afxhelmets.com. Read more

Outdoor Products Ripcord Hydration Pack

Carrying water and tools while riding is not only important but necessary on a dual sport, hare scramble, or enduro. Over the past few years I have tried a few hydration packs that I like but they never seemed to hold quite enough or couldn't withstand the abuse I put them through.

This past weekend I tried the Outdoor Products Ripcord Hydration Pack for the first time. It not only carried all the tools and gear I wanted to bring, but also was more comfortable than other packs I have. It has a total of 4 zippered pockets of various sizes, most have dividers or straps in them to keep everything organized and in place.  The largest pocket is big enough to carry 3 tire spoons, large zip ties, a KTM tool kit, and a spare tube. The smaller lower front pocket fit an air compressor, spare bolts, valve stem puller, multi-tool, air gauge and small roll of tape. The top pocket is perfect for carrying items that you need quick and easy like a cell phone, extra money, driver license, insurance card, and registration. So far the only thing in the fourth pocket is a folded up poncho, but it will make a perfect place for GoPro batteries and memory cards. "See picture below" Another aspect that makes this hydration pack stand above the rest is the insulated water suction hose that comes on it on most packs this is a $20 option you can buy. This will keep me from having to blow the water back into the bladder to keep it cold or just get past the first few sips of hot water. When it comes to fitting, the straps are durable and extend far enough to fit over your chest protector, and gear. It also has a sternum strap and lower back strap to keep the pack from bouncing around while riding. 

So far the Outdoor Products Ripcord Hydration Pack has proved itself to be useful in carrying both tools and water along with some extra gear. It also has a few aspects that sets it apart from the competition like the insulated water hose, and the large amount of storage. At this point I have one ride using this pack so check back to see how it holds up by the end of this season. 

Check out www.outdoorproducts.com to get a pack of your own. 

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Best Dual Sport Rides

Dual Sport riding over the past few years has grown in popularity, and riders are seeing it as another way to get some seat time in with their buddies. Due to other obligations like work and family's getting to ride every event is not possible for most riders. Due to this the question I see brought up, and argued over is which Dual Sport is the best. To help fellow riders find which event they want to try out, and use their vacation or time away from the family I created a poll to find the best Dual Sport in each state. This polling will take place at forum, so riders can explain why they feel the ride they voted for is the best, and give details about the ride. To vote for the rides you feel are the best in a state go to the Forum under best Dual Sports, or you can follow this LINK. At the end of the year the club that holds the event with with the most votes will be awarded the best dual sport in their state award for them to post on their flyer or web site to promote their event. 

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Laminating Dirt Bike License Plate

If your dirt bike riding consist of dual sports or enduro rides then having a license plate is required. If your license branch is anything like mine then breaking your plate or needing to replace it is a pain in the you know what.

The way I keep from replacing my plate is by having it color copied then laminated. The easiest way I have found to do this is by going to your local copying store, and have them make a color copy of your plate. They can fit two plates on one sheet of paper this will allow you to get two for the price of one. Then have them laminate it with something around 10 mil. thick. After this is complete cut out your plates and bolt one to your bike.

I always carry the real plate in my camel bak, so if I was to get pulled over, and the officer said anything about it I can bolt on the real plate.

Have a tip of your own you would like added to the page email me at mark@usdualsports.com



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Sena SMH10 Dirt Bike Helmet Communications

One of the biggest inconveniences of dirt bike riding is not being able to communicate with the group of riders that you are with. How many times have you turned around to find that no one else is around? So then you are left to wounder where they went and hope that no one is needing help somewhere. This issue forces a rider either to just sit back and wait to see if they catch up, or double back and take the chance of having a head on collision with another rider. 

A good form of communication would really relieve this riding strain. The good news is now Sena has a blue tooth headset that allows riders to talk with up to 3 others at the same time, as well as answer your phone and listen to MP3 player all while riding through the middle of the woods. Most often I have used the headset to talk with other riders, but on a long dual sport ride it will be nice to have some music on the road sections. 

While testing this product I was impressed by the amount of distance in the woods the units worked, and by how clear the sound came through. The other thing that surprised me was how much more riding you can accomplish because your buddy can say "Hey I turned left up here", therefore saving the confusion of trying to figure out what direction everyone went. The Sena Bluetooth unit proved most useful when we came face-to-face with a group of ATV's coming at us on the trail, and we were able to relay that information to the rest of the group before we had any safety trouble. 

Another advantage (that I don't get to take advantage of yet), is the ability to talk to your kids when your riding with they or trying to help them out on the track. All you would have to do is switch the unit to intercom mode and you can talk live (instead of when they get back and they have already forgot the situation). 

The specific unit that I ahve been using is the Sena SMH10 dual pack. It was simple to install in a closed face helmet, but I should add that it also came with everything you need for and open face street helmet. If this site gave out awards for the products that were tested, Sena would get the product of the year since it adds safety, and is useful in more ways then one. Below you will find a video of the helmet communication in action. 

If you have any quesitons about the Sena units contact mark@usdualsports.com

Or Visit www.senabluetooth.com





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Fasst Company Flexx Handlebars

Riding 80-100 miles in a day on a dirt bike takes a toll on your body and your bike. I have found there are ways to make the journey a little easier and more forgiving on your body. The last dual sport that I attended after the first day of over 100 miles my body was feeling it, especially my left wrist. I didn't wreck and hurt my wrist it was just the constant jarring while riding and holding up my weight on down hills. Needless to say, the second day of riding wasa little painful and not so smooth.

I figure I have a few options in order to address this issue. One is
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