National Cycle F-16 Tour Shield Review

Notwithstanding the general guidelines on the National Cycle site, buying an untested fairing is always a risk.  For years I relied on Givi A750/60 fairings for their good looks and excellent wind protection.  But when I went to look for a faring for Janna's Bandit I discovered Givi had discontinued the A750 and all similar fairings for whatever reason.  The only universal fairings they still offered were the entirely clear plexiglass models.  Average-looking and not tested.

That left me with few options:  Rifle, Targa, and National Cycle.  The Rifle fairings looked blocky and low-tech, and were surprisingly expensive.  Targa didn't have a faring for the Bandit.  That left National Cycle.

I've never been a big fan of National Cycle fairings.  Stylistically they've always seemed to cater more to cruisers.  They even put chrome parts in their flyscreens.  While I'm happy to buy American not all of us like chrome.  Also, in my experience the mounting kits were both klunky-looking and difficult compared to Givi hardware.  After reluctantly going over the options for the Bandit on the National Cycle site I settled on the  F-16 Tour Shield, which was the least cruiser-ish and ugly of the options.

Overall I was impressed with the F-16's looks and the ease with which it mounts to the bike.  Unfortunately the wind protection leaves something to be desired and there is moderate helmet buffeting at speed.  I've rated the F-16 in four categories:  mounting, wind protection, appearance, and value.

Mounting: 4.5/5

The ease of install is on par with the Givi A750.  It is a 2-point headlight mount with some additional clips that grip the headlight holder, similar to the A750.  My only criticism was that one of the nuts provided with the hardware kit was stripped, so I had to go to the hardware store and find a replacement.

F-16 2-point mount

I added a foam shim on the Bandit's tach and speedometer covers to prevent the fairing from rattling at speed.  Since there is no handlebar support there is nothing to prevent the fairing from rattling against the instrument cluster at speed.  The Givi has this problem as well.

Foam shims

Wind protection: 2.5/5

In spite of the name "Tour Shield," this is really more of a sport or commute fairing.   The fairing height is short and the angle directs wind towards the rider's helmet unless you are tucked in behind it.

Note low F-16 screen height compared to FZ1 screen

Both my wife and I use tank bags so fully tucking in isn't possible.  My wife is about 5'4" and reported helmet buffeting at speed.  I am 5'8" and noticed same, although at about 70MPH it's not too bad if the cross winds are minimal.

Appearance: 4.5/5

This is a somewhat subjective rating but I found the F-16 to be a surprisingly good-looking fairing on the Bandit.   It is unobtrusive and sporty, and the light tint is a nice touch.  Although it is not a nice cafe-styled fairing like the A-750, I am fairly picky and the F-16 doesn't bother me at all.  Unfortunately neither of my photos do the fairing much justice.  The parking sticker on the front of the fairing distorts the photos a little.

Value: 4.5/5

At just under $100 before tax and shipping, this is one of the least expensive fairing options I found for the Bandit.  Considering the quality and appearance of the fairing I thought the price was reasonable.  The plexiglass is a good thickness and there were no blemishes, rough edges, or issues with the fit or finish.


Overall I found this to be a good fairing for short to moderate distances at law-abiding speeds.  The wind and rain protection are minimal so probably best to go with a larger fairing for touring.  A slightly taller version of this screen would be perfect for the Bandit.

Tuesday Morning at Walk-In Court Part 1: Arraignment

On a sunny Friday morning in September I pulled up behind a slow moving vehicle as I was riding down Telegraph lane 2 on my way to work.  After mirror and shoulder checks I moved over the dashed white line to pass the car and was promptly cited by an OPD Motors for changing lanes without signaling, a violation of California Vehicle Code 22107.  Just my luck, I went to traffic school 10 months ago to clear a 5mph-over ticket.

Not much choice but to contest the citation, otherwise face out-of-control insurance rates for 3 years.  As I learned the hard way this is a long, slow process in Oakland.  The first step is called the arraignment.  It starts with lining up outside the courthouse at 7am, an hour before it opens, and takes another 4 hours after that.  So I skipped the gym, got to Oakland at 6:30am, dropped my stuff off at the office, grabbed coffee, and walked to the courthouse to stand in line.  There were 12 people ahead of me when I arrived.  When the doors finally opened at 7:45 the line was around the block.

After going through the metal detector I was shuttled into another line to talk to a clerk.  After another half hour of standing I got an appointment for the first available court session at 9:30, which meant another hour and 15 minutes of waiting for the court to open.  We were given a blue sheet of paper describing the arraignment and trial process.

When the doors opened about 60 of us were shuttled into the courtroom after being sternly warned about cell phones, eating, drinking, sleeping, talking, reading, leaning against the wall, and a lot of other minor things that would get us immediately kicked out.  A woman sitting next to me took out her smartphone to check email and was asked to leave.  She protested but was eventually removed.  There were three courtroom staff sitting at desks:  the judge, bailiff, and court reporter.  They were almost motionless, I couldn't tell if they were doing anything.  I stared at the walls, my watch, my hands, and the court room staff.  Counted the people.  Took note of mode of dress and apparent social status.  Mostly sweatshirts and jeans, only lawyers and staff in office attire.  15 minutes, went by, then 20, 25... A Spanish translator showed up, a few more people filtered into the room.

After a half hour the session started.  Groups of about a dozen names were called forward.  Individually each person had to be charged, declare a plea into a microphone, then respond whether or not they were willing to waive the right to a trial in 45 days.  Noted most charges were for running a red lights.  Oakland is full of red light cameras, and yellow lights have been shortened to catch more people running reds.  The next most frequent charge was driving without a license and/or insurance.  Interestingly the judge was willing to waive driving without a license if the defendant pleaded guilty or no contest.  Mine was the only turn signal violation.

Finally it was my turn at the mic.  Even though I only had to say 3 words I was surprisingly nervous, which didn't bode well for the trial, I thought.  The entire process seemed designed to intimidate.  With a shaky voice I pleaded not guilty and did not waive the right to trial in 45 days.  I was told to sit down.  After another 20 or so minutes the bailiff called my name and handed me a slip of paper with a court date and time.  It was 10:45, I'd been there almost 4 hours.

Motoport Kevlar Racing Gloves Review

Long-Term Report

In researching gear we'd need for our 2010 Alaska tour we were warned about flying rock hazards on the Alaska Highway.  My touring gloves at the time were a pair of Helimot B365 deer skin gloves.  While excellent in quality and construction, Helimot doesn't believe in hard armor and I was concerned that the knuckle protection wouldn't be adequate.  So I purchased a pair of Motoport kevlar racing gloves.

For those who don't know Motoport, they are a small motorcycle apparel manufacturer in Southern California who specialize in textile commuting and touring suits.  They are also an Internet cult phenomenon and about as contentious as motorcycle oil in online forums, owing in part to the claims and wording on their web site.  The Motoport controversy deserves its own post.

There are many excellent options for protective riding gloves so why buy a glove from a controversial company constructed of questionable materials?  First, about seven years ago I was in the market for a commute suit and I got curious about the company's gear.  I took a chance and bought a Motoport stretch kevlar touring suit and found it to be well-constructed and comfortable.  I expected the same from their gloves.  Second, in my experience the kevlar material dries faster than leather and I thought that might be important on a trip to Alaska.  Third, I thought a textile glove might be more comfortable for long trips than a leather racing glove.  Finally I thought it was an interesting and unique idea to make gloves out of stretch kevlar and was interested in giving it a try.

I was warned that the sizing ran small so I ordered a size larger than usual.  I'm usually between medium and large, so I ordered large and they fit well.

These are recent photos of the gloves.  They're nearly three years old and I've ridden over 40k miles in them.

Motoport kevlar racing gloves

 

Overall the gloves performed well on the Alaska trip and they've been good commuting gloves.  The stretch kevlar fabric is interesting, it feels a little like thick spandex and does not seem like it would resist tearing or abrasion at all.  Yet, after three years of constant use the gloves show almost no wear and the stitching is still in good shape.  There is some insulation or padding in the gloves so they're comfortable in temperatures down to the upper 40s.  There is some air flow in the knuckle protector so they're not terrible in hot weather.  I've rated the gloves in six different categories below:  comfort, durability, protection, control feel, useability, and value.

Comfort: 4.5/5

My Helimot B365s are the comfort standard by which I measure all gloves.  The Motoports are not quite there but the kevlar material is surprisingly comfortable.  I can ride in them all day without any glove-related hand discomfort.  I haven't noticed any issues with internal seams or stitching causing irritation.  The padding dulls some bar vibration.  Combined with the air flow this is a good 3-season glove.

Durability: 5/5

This is where most gloves fall short in my experience, and where the Motoport gloves excel.  After 40k miles the gloves show very little wear.  Many areas are double-stitched and have double-layers of kevlar fabric.  None of the stitching is coming apart and the material hasn't worn through anywhere.  I had a pair of Held racing gloves I could see my fingertips through in less time.  I expect they'll go at least another couple of years.

Protection: 3/5

There are some good protective features in this glove but it is lacking in other features I consider standard in a mid-range racing glove.  This is the biggest issue I have with the glove and the reason why I wouldn't recommend it for track or high speed use.  I recently emailed my concerns to Motoport but haven't heard back yet.

There is a layer of thick gray kevlar material sewn onto the palm and fingertips.  This double layer is a nice feature and with the double stitching I think the glove would hold up well in a slide.  The plastic knuckle protector and carbon-fiber finger sliders on the top of the glove are good protective features which I consider standard in a racing glove.  There are velcro wrist closures on the top of the glove and on the cuff.  This is another feature I consider standard in a racing glove.  The stitching has held together well and I'm not afraid that the glove will hole or shred in a crash.

On the other hand, most purpose-built racing gloves have a gauntlet style cuff with hard armor, padding, and sliders to protect from wrist fractures and abrasion.  The Motoport glove has a short cuff with no armor or padding of any kind.  This is a concern.  Most track-oriented gloves also feature pinky brace and roll protection and this glove has neither.  The protective features seem more touring oriented than track oriented.  I think a wrist or pinky fracture is a possibility in a crash at speed.  I would highly recommend wearing a 3rd-party wrist brace with this glove.

Control Feel: 3/5

Control feel is a trade-off between comfort, protection, and sensitivity, and it is hard to get it right.  The double layer of kevlar in the palms, while a good protective feature, also makes control feel slippery.  This has improved and become tolerable with age, but compared to a kangaroo palm glove, or even the gel-padded B365s, the feel is less confidence-inspiring.

Useability: 2.5/5

This glove is good in a variety of in-season temperatures thanks to the light insulation and air flow in the knuckle protection.  The padding in the palms makes day-long rides more bearable than a thin-skinned kangaroo palm.  However there are no additional features to make the gloves easy to use or wear.  My biggest complaint is that the short narrow cuff is difficult to get over jacket sleeves.  I've tried wearing my sleeves over the cuff and this seems unconventional and wrong.  I've never worn any other gloves under my sleeves.  Additionally there is nothing to prevent the top wrist closure from escaping its plastic ring, which it often does.  Finally, many touring gloves include a visor wiper on the left forefinger which this glove lacks.

Value: 3.5/5

On the Motoport web site it says, "You can't compare this glove with any other glove."  In some respects that's actually true.  It's difficult to know what standard of comparison to use to asses the value of Motoport's stretch kevlar gloves relative to other gloves.  I've found no other synthetic gloves I'd trust at highway speeds.  The closest I found would be Aerostich Vegan Gloves.  I've never worn a pair so comparison is speculative, but at $57 with some reviews claiming the stitching came apart under normal use, I doubt the Aerostich gloves are in the same category.

On the other hand, relative to leather racing gloves in the same price range, Motoport's kevlar gloves lack safety features I consider standard in a mid-range track-oriented glove.  Specifically pinky protection and a gauntlet-style cuff with wrist armor.  From the standpoint of hand protection, Alpinestars, Teknic, and Icon make track-oriented gloves in a similar price range with superior protective features.

Finally, in comparison with my Helimot B365 touring gloves, I believe the Motoports are on par in terms of safety and comfort.  While they lack some of the useability features they also cost about $50 less, and I believe they wear slightly better.  However Motoport does not market their kevlar gloves as touring gloves, they call them "Kevlar Racing Gloves."  This is perhaps a bit misleading and throws my rating system off, since I believe the Motoport glove is really a touring glove.

Helimot B365 and Motoport

Conclusion

Motoport continues to offer unique and often controversial products for people who enjoy trying something different.  I found their Kevlar Racing Gloves to be a lot like their other products I've tried:  well-constructed, comfortable, different from anything else on the market, and perhaps falling a bit short of their ambitious marketing claims.  I'd rank it as one of the better touring glove options available today.  However it is marketed as a racing glove and as such falls short in protective track-oriented features.