July 13, 2018

INTRODUCTION

Summer is well on its way here in the northern hemisphere. Summer in Mexico normally equals a lot of rain but so far we’ve been lucky. Guido, Tom and I drove through some beautiful arid landcapes on our way to Guanajuato City and we did not feel a drop!

This week’s Moto Intel Report covers a beautiful ride report written by Tom, and Guido is reviewing a bike that he has been eyeballing: the lightweight and powerful 2018 Yamaha Tracer 800 GT. I write about Sena’s new top-notch communication system and Tom tests some of the best summer gloves and gives battery maintenance advice.Now, without further ado, let’s get rolling…

Jasper

EPIC ROUTES

Vancouver Island

Last week we wrote about the ‘Triple Nickle’, a tricky but rewarding ride for the more experienced riders among us. We received quite a few reactions on this post, and David, a long time Scenic user, recommended a camping place (less than $20 per night) just North of Zanesville at the dam – great tip David, thanks!

This week’s epic route is in Canada’s far West in beautiful British Columbia (pardon the pun). Just over a year ago, I had a chance to escape my busy routine and spent 9 days in Canada, of which 2 on Vancouver Island. Unfortunately, I drove the west-side of the Island in a rental car, but I was impressed by the natural beauty of the place. The ancient forests, Oceanside views, the ghost town of Jordan River and winding roads up from Port Renfrew to Tofino are breathtaking…

Scenic user Brent just took the trip and highly recommends it for this summer. Just make sure you fill up your tank to the brim as there are few gas stations in this remote place.

Tom

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Motorcycles

2018 Yamaha Tracer GT

In the search for my new motorcycle, two MIR’s back I came to a shortlist containing the Honda Africa Twin and the Honda VFR800X. Meanwhile a new contender has entered the game and it looks very promising: The 2018 Yamaha Tracer 900 GT. The regular tracer is often compared to the VFR800X.

It seems that Yamaha, for the 2018 update, went through all the fora, websites etc. and improved that which was most complained about. Add to that the extras you get with the GT version, like cruise control, panniers, quick shifter, color TFT display and the list goes on; meaning you’ll get a whole lot of bike for your money. A lot more value for money than with Honda for sure. But is it enough? Here’s a detailed review video on the 2018 Yamaha Tracers.

Jasper

MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE

Maintenance – Battery checks

Having a good battery is not just a must to start your motorcycle, it is truly a safety issue. It’s important to check it frequently, especially as some bikes don’t have voltage meters.

A quick battery checkup takes up little time and can be done by anyone with some basic knowledge about motorcycles. The only thing you need to test a battery is a multimeter (autoranging or fluke digital meter). In order to perform a standing voltage test, just connect the negative lead to the negative post and the positive lead to the positive post and select ‘V’ on autoranging multimeter or 20 Volt DC on the scale.

Any motorcycle with a regular 12V AGM or lead-acid battery should ideally show a charge of 12.7V or higher. Anything below 12.7V, but above 12V points at a discharged battery, charge it and crank it! Once the voltage of the battery sinks under 12V, you can still try and charge it, but chances are that you have to replace it.

Tom

GADGETS

SENA Communication System

Sharing your emotions on an epic route as described by Tom is one of the best parts of riding together and there isn’t a better com system available than Sena’s state-of-the-art model 20S.

This top notch gadget comes with a cool feature that creates a seamless blend of your audio transmissions, so no more annoying breaks. Needless to say this is a sponsored article, so when you order using this link, we get a few bucks for that much needed gas.

Jasper

MOTORCYCLE CLOTHING

Gear – Klim induction gloves

A couple of moto intel reports ago, I reviewed the Klim induction jacket. The verdict? Expensive but superb.

This time, we take a look at the Klim induction gloves. Klim’s top of the range summer glove is designed for perfect breathability in 90+ Fahrenheit (30C+) temperatures. Mesh material between the fingers and around the wrist gives a pleasant airflow at high speeds. The abrasion resistant leather and Kevlar padding in the palm of your hand and the carbon finished knuckles offer optimal protection.

Tom

PIC OF THE WEEK

General confusion

A very recognizable picture for many of us, this is what you get when you ask other visitors for directions. Thanks for sharing Michael Sharps! Here are all pics we received.