Bike Accessories - Extras.

I bought this to use while motorcycling to work and I have not been disappointed. It has numerous different pockets which are all well protected by strong zippers. All of the straps are adjustable and there are two waist straps for added security. The outer chord at the back has reflective qualities so it is more visible at night and the price was good too. Purchased from Camping and General for £17.99 I could not fault it. Having a capacity of 30 litres it easily carries all the items I require for my journey to work and there is plenty of room left for other items. For those into styling the colour was a good match for the bike and the jacket so it does not look out of place.

Features:

If you are going to be storing your bike in the Winter like myself you are going to need a battery charger that monitors the condition of the battery and keeps it in "tip top" condition. The optimate 4 battery charger has all the necessary features required to keep your battery performing at its best. It has it's own self diagnostic test to confirm correct operation. A central LED column display shows delivered current. This provides the user with information on the state of charge and the state of health of the battery. All weatherproof connectors now feature "glide-guide" inserts for easier connection. The Optimate 4 battery charger comes complete with two connection leads, one with crocodile-clips, (TM-74) the other a fused connection lead with eyelet terminals and waterproof end cap, (TM-71) this can be wired directly to the bike battery terminals and left in a convenient place for connection to the charger, (see Charger Lead Layout for fitting details). An optional 2.5 meter extension lead, (TM-73) is available for around £5.

Features:

Input: 220 - 240v AC, output voltage: 12V DC.	Optimate 4 Battery charger optional 2.5 meter extension lead (TM-73). Optional 2.5 Meter Extension Lead.
Automatic self-diagnostic test.
Two-stage recovery action.
High power maximum output current of 0.8A.
Enhanced battery testing.
IP64 weatherproof enclosure.

The bike came with a pretty basic cheap and nasty tax disc holder that was mounted near the rear chain on the swinging arm so as you can imagine it was vulnerable to getting pretty dirty and wet in bad weather. I wanted a holder that was waterproof, (the original one wasn't as I found out) and one that I could mount to the front of the bike in a less vulnerable position.
I found a tax disc holder that I liked on sale at Amazon.co.uk that looked like it was the same colour blue as my bike, (at least it was pretty close) and it boasted all the features I wanted. Costing as near as makes no odds £15 it was not the cheapest one on the market but it does the job and I liked the look of the curved hexagonal outer profile.

Features:

Waterproof gasket seal.	Front fork tax disc holder alternative mounting point. I used the bolt that houses the front fender to the forks as it was rubber mounted! (I had to put a bend into the backing bracket so the nuts did not rub on the fender). Alternative Tax Disc Mounting Point.	Front fork tax disc holder alternative mounting point. I used the bolt that houses the front fender to the forks as it was rubber mounted! (I had to put a bend into the backing bracket so the nuts did not rub on the fender). Double Bend In Backing Plate.
Carbon fibre effect backing plate.
Rounded hexagonal outer profile design.
Anti-tamper stainless steel nuts and bolts.
Anti-shock rubber mounted fixing sleeve.

This was purchased just in case I needed a quick fix on a puncture to get me home because unlike on a car carrying spare wheels is a bit difficult. The idea is to remove the puncture object with the pliers and screw in one of the plastic plugs and snap it off. The theory is that this will block the hole. The tyre can then be re- inflated using one or two of the pressurised gas containers. The kit comes with a carry bag that you can load with the bare essentials to keep under the seat. Designed as a temporary fix to get you home the tyre needs to be checked out by a proper tyre repair centre afterwards.

In The Kit:

1 pair of pliers to remove the puncture object.	Full contents of the Cargol "turn and go" puncture repair kit. Puncture Repair Kit Packet Contents.
1 piece of chalk to mark the hole in the tyre.
4 Plug keys and protective caps to plug the hole.
4 16g pressurised CO2 cartridges to inflate the tyre.
1 Cartridge to wheel valve adapter.
4 Spare plastic valve caps.
1 Carry bag for easy storage under the seat.

I have been looking at various tank bags so as to be able to do away with carrying a rucksack where possible. I would have liked one that uses an adapter on the tank ring with a quick release mechanism to detach the bag, (for fuel filling and security reasons) these types of bag however seem somewhat expensive for what they are. Discussing this with a friend he said I could have his old Oxford tank bag that uses magnets and straps to secure it to the tank. At first I thought this would scratch the tank paintwork but decided to give it a fair trial first and so far no scratches. It is a bit awkward to undo the head stock strap each time especially if I have got my gloves on but at the end of the day the price was right as they retail at around £40.

Features:

Magnetic flexible side flaps to suit most steel tanks.	Oxford 1st Time Magnetic Tank Bag shown here as it would be used on the Yamaha FZ6 Fazer tank with the magnetic side flaps folded out! Note: this type of bag can only be used on steel tanks! Oxford 1st Time Magnetic Tank Bag Shown In Use..
Zipped side pockets.
Zipped top flap with inner pocket and velcro seal.
Zipped clear top map or document pocket.
Carry handle, head stock safety and shoulder strap.
Water resistant not waterproof!
Luggage capacity 18 Litres, 36cm x 32cm x 16cm.

I have been thinking of buying a satnav device for the bike but was somewhat stunned at the price for motorbike dedicated satnav devices. The recommended good ones were coming in at close to £600 which is a bit out of my budget range. I have an old Navman "Spirit" S100 for my car that according to the PDF manual has a Bluetooth feature to link up with a headset. Unfortunately on further investigation this is a PDF manual for the S100, S150 and the S200 and the S100 does not have Bluetooth. It does however have an adapter for earphones or headphones so I plan on giving it a try to see how it fares using "in ear" earphones with a crash helmet. Obviously the device is not waterproof so I will need to devise a quick release mechanism so it can be transferred to pocket should it start to rain. Battery life is going to be another concern as the headphone socket adapter plugs into the same socket as the power lead and you can't use both at the same time.

Features:

4.3" Super flat wide screen touch screen.	Front view of the Navman "Spirit" S100 satellite navigation system showing the menu options on the touch screen. Navman S100 Touch pad.	Rear view of the Navman "Spirit" S100 satellite navigation system. Navman S100 Rear View.
'Spirit' software with Glide Touch.
Memory expansion using Micro SD card.
Display resolution 480 x 272 pixels.
Dimensions 78mm x 130mm x 13.5mm

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