September 2012 - CityBike

technology, just with more conventional
dual-density foam. Kali is to be
commended for pushing the boundaries
of protective engineering in a market that
usually puts a higher value on styling and
other non-safety features.
Find out more about Kali at your local motoshop
or by going to kaliprotectives.com.
HELMET AUDIO: CARDO SCALA
RIDER G9 POWERSET
You can’t escape it—with so many ways
to communicate, privacy is becoming a
rare commodity. You are expected to be
reachable 24 hours a day, seven days a
week, with folks calling, texting, Tweeting,
emailing, Facebook-ing and expecting you
to be responsive to all of it. How do you
hide from it all? Well, you could practice
law, which apparently excuses you from
the need to answer the phone ever again, or
you could leave your helmet conspicuously
on your desk—nobody expects you to take
a call on your bike.
At least they don’t for now. Bluetooth
headsets for motorcycles have been in
service since around 2006, and though the
early models left much to be desired, they
are getting better and better. The Cardo
Systems Scala Rider G4 we tested last year
demonstrated all that—it was the first selfcontained
BT headset we tested that was
actually functional at freeway speeds on an
unfaired motorcycle. That’s the litmus test
for us, because if you can’t wear earplugs
and hear crisp, clear audio at 75-plus miles
per hour, what’s the point of wearing it?
Well, Cardo Systems’ Scala Rider G4
($290) and G4 Powerset ($500) is a system
that can deliver that kind of performance,
so when the non-motorcycling population
starts seeing the majority of motorcycle
riders wearing these things, you can forget
about using your helmet as a refuge from
the constant storm of electronic media. Oh
well, at least you’ll still be able to ride.
The G4 was already very good for groups,
but the G9 is even better. That’s thanks
to a few innovations on the G9. Like
the G4, the G9 allows a simultaneous
conversation with three other riders, using
very good voice-activation technology
and outstanding speakers to minimize the
“whats?” and “say agains?” But the G9 adds
the “One + 8” feature, which lets the user
pair with up to eight other Scala-equipped
riders (even those with older models) and
then use the Voice Command feature to
call that specific rider by name.
The intercom’s claimed max range is a
mile, and we found in testing found that
yes, indeed, in optimal conditions—line
of sight in good weather—the range is
just about a mile, but unless you’re riding
somewhere with flat, straight roads, you
can lose contact in just a few turns on a
twisty road or a block or two in the urban
office-tower canyons.
Another innovation the G9 offers is a
social-networking aspect. When a user logs
in to the Cardo Community website and
his headset is plugged into his computer,
the site detects the headset and displays
its settings—VOX sensitivity, FM radio
presets, etc. It also shows a buddy list of the
paired riders associated with that headset,
and there’s even a function to look up users
the rider may know to add to the buddy list.
It’s like Facebook for your headset.
Pairing is now simpler with the G9. To link
two G9 headsets, you just put the headsets
Photo: Bob Stokstad
in standby mode and then have them
gently nasty-dance together—they pair
automatically. If your buddy list is full, the
buddy you haven’t spoken to for the longest
time will be bumped off (you probably
didn’t like riding with him much anyway).
You identify your buddies by the names they
have chosen for themselves, and you can
scroll through the list of paired buddies.
In use, it’s a hell of a thing. There they are,
your riding buddies, and if you’ve been
riding with them for a while, you can now
talk to them whenever you want. And you
can’t ignore them, because it’s rude. The
only thing you can do is go faster so you
go out of their line of sight, but that means
you can only ride with those slower than
you, or you will be trapped listening to
stories about their kids/theories about the
Trilateral Commission/complaints about
various ethnic groups. And if you’re used
to just communicating with your lovely
wife or wonderful husband with just the
occasional brush on the knee or squeeze
on the tushie, let’s just say you should start
saving for the divorce attorney now.
That’s
because, like
the G4, audio
quality on the G9 is
superb. Both the microphone and speakers
work just as advertised, if you install and
use them correctly. A speed-sensitive audio
booster kicks in and makes music, podcasts
or Ned’s description of the 23-pound bass
he caught in 1987 resound in your skull
with perfect clarity, even through earplugs.
We frequently find we’re having phone
conversations and the other conversant
has no idea we’re riding a motorcycle, and
we’re also impressed with the reception,
ease of use and decent sound from the FM
radio. The rechargeable (from a USB port,
easy to rig up with your bike’s 12v system)
lithium battery gives seven days of standby
time, 13 hours of talk time and charges in a
few hours. It works with any Bluetooth 2.1
device including radar detectors, GPS units
and smartphones. You can also swap the
boom mike for a plug-in mike on the G9,
to work better with full-face helmets with
close-fitting chinbars.
It’s spendy, but the functionality and good
design of the Scala makes it a favorite for
staff rides. Get it at your favorite motoshop
or head to cardosystems.com to
order online.
LEATT BRACE
A few months ago I was asked to “test” the
Leatt neck brace and write a review. I agreed
to try it out but I really didn’t want to “test”
its effectiveness—crashing sucks! After a
few phone calls I learned that not only do
they make the very popular off-road version
but they were hard at work on a street
version as well—color me interested. A few
weeks later a package arrived containing
both the GPX off-road ($299 to $699) and
the STX road version ($399).
A few weeks later I had a little time to sit
down and try to get the brace assembled
in anticipation of my next dirt adventure.
It came with the only tool you need but to
get the perfect fit, you first need to put your
gear on and have a couple hours to try the
different spacers for a perfect custom fit—I
thought I was good to go, but that’s when I
discovered that it was a little too tight after
I put my chest protector on and I had to
leave it behind. I was a little bummed, to
say
the
least,
since
I had
watched
several
AMA
Supercross races
and noticed that
almost every single
competitor was wearing
a Leatt brace. Let’s be honest:
this device could literally save your
neck.
Back home I was determined to not let
this happen again. I got the manual, pulled
all the extra pieces out of the box, put my
gear on and sat there until it fit perfectly. I
(finally!—ed.) was now ready to ride and
review the brace.
Since I also ride sportbikes I pulled the
street version out of the box to work on
getting it set up as well. However, I found
the street version is really best for sport
touring or touring, because it prevents
your neck from bending back so you can’t
get into an aerodynamic tuck. If you are
commuting, or into sport-touring, this
would be great addition to your protective
gear. But I still had the off-road GPX; I was
going dirt riding and this time it was set up
and I was ready to shred.
First off, putting the brace on is easier if
you lock one side then slide the brace on
sideways around your neck, then lock the
other side into position. Finally, pull the
straps down around your chest to prevent
the brace from riding up, clip the straps
together and you’re ready to go. Once on
the bike and riding I found the brace was
hardly noticeable except when looking
up or behind, which really shouldn’t be a
problem since you shouldn’t be looking
behind you while you’re riding anyway.
Overall, if I
had read the
instruction
manual
and taken the
time to put my gear
on and get the fit
customized for me
before I went riding
that first time, I would
have saved myself a lot
of time. Hopefully if
you’re thinking about
buying a Leatt neck
brace for street or
dirt this article will
save you that time
and frustration
because I don’t
think anyone can
argue that this is probably one of the
most important protective devices for
motorcyclists since the back brace.
I am a sucker for protection and probably
wear too much but when it all goes wrong it’s
usually worth it, because when I do crash, I
usually crash big! Hopefully we will never
find ourselves in a situation where we need
or wish we had this device, but I am glad
it’s out there and will be adding one to my
off-road kit. Thank you to Dr. Leatt and his
team of engineers for their research and
devotion to saving our necks. You can find
the Leatt brace at your better Bay Area gear
shops or by pointing your browser to leattbrace.com.
—Jason Potts
Honda CRF70F
Now in stock!
Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing. Please respect the
environment, obey the law, and read your owner’s manual thoroughly.
September 2012 | 8 | CityBike.com
September 2012 | 9 | CityBike.com