Mar automotive is an engine machine shop in Philadelphia. They specialize in cylinder head repair, and can do pretty much whatever you need done to your motor.

I’ve talked about Mar auto a handful of times on this site but I thought I’d give some more info.

Check them out online here:
MAR Website
MAR Instagram

I first learned about them 8 years ago when I was having an issue with my Honda S2000 car. A couple valves weren’t seating properly. Shit was all under warranty, I took it to the Honda dealer near airport, they took the head off and sent it to Mar. So I called Mar and asked questions about what was actually wrong with the s2000 head. They were friendly nice guys. So I said, hey, can I bring you a motorcycle head? 

Since then I’ve had 3 or 4 heads done by them and other numerous friends have also brought heads to them. They always do a great job and are super quick turnaround. They’re a 15 min drive up frankford ave. They open at 7am ish so it’s easy to go during the week.

I disassembled my cb650 motor the other day to replace the head gasket. Figured I’d bring the head to Mar to freshen it up.

When I was there picking up the head they showed me around. Explained how some of their tools work, and let me snap some pics.

The below pics show the tool they use to shave the surface of your head or cylinders to make sure its completely flat. They can set it to remove a hair… or as much as you want to shave it.

The below pic shows the different angles to the valve seat and he explained how far in they can be.

Below pic is their valve cutting tool to get it perfect. They also measure all your valves to make sure they’re not bent. And what I mean by that is, they could be bent a hair, that you wouldn’t be able to tell, but really, that hair is causing them not to seat properly.

Below pic, he showed me when the seat is recut, and the valve is cut, they pop-push it in to see if the indentation line of where its seating is indeed in the correct spot on the valve.

Below pic. After they get all the valves done, they have a pressure-suction tool which actually measures if there’s even a microscopic leak. Next pic shows the gauge to check each chamber. When he was showing me this tool, I asked if flipping the head over and filling the chamber with oil was a good test, and he semi-laughed and said yes… but not really. A legit tool like what they have is the real way to know.

While I was there he told me a story about how a guy brought a 4cyl, 16 valve motorcycle head to Philly cycle center, and asked for a rebuild. Philly cycle center quoted him $750 ish. The guy said maybe, and then continued calling other shops. Mar talked to him and basically said, our price is $300 ish based on the hours it’ll take on the spec sheet for 4 cylinders and 16 valves. Why was Philly cycle center so much more? Who the hell knows. All Mar does, all day, everyday is build engines, and normally more complex car engines, so I’m pretty sure working on a little motorcycle engine is a piece of cake for them.

If you need to replace a head gasket, or if your bike is smoking or running like shit, do yourself a favor and don’t fuck around trying to replace valve seals and do a valve-job on your own, in your basement… have the head done by experts like Mar.

Years ago when I first got my Kaw z1, the bike actually ran pretty good. I took the head off and brought it to them to have it checked out, and they told me all the valve guides were super loose and all the exhaust valves were bent. Damn, I was shocked. Point being… your head probably is shitty and you don’t fully realize it.

Best logo ever.

Below pic, cb650 head finished. Valves done. Shaved flat. New valve seals. Everything checked out. Head was done in under a week.

Cylinders got a fresh hone job.

Alex Quinn trend setter? I don’t even know whats going on here but it made me laugh (sorry Alex).

Watch at the following times:
0:34
2:26
4:44

And for any ladies that like what they see you can also creep on him in this other Revzilla video:

Grab one Here

Since pics of this helmet have been making their way around the interwebs (Biltwell’s Blog as well as their Instagram Acct), it will probably not come as a big surprise to some of you, but I still felt it worthy of a post.

For those of you who don’t already know the Gringo S is just a Gringo , but with the addition of a tradition face shield. One of the biggest drawbacks of the Gringo was that if you wore glasses, or wanted to wear sunglasses with their three-snap bubble shield, it was nearly impossible to put the helmet on, put your glasses on, then snap the bubble shield into place. The new Gringo S solves that problem with a pivoting clear face shield. Still staying true to the retro vibes, the Gingo S has a stainless screw hinge and button snap closure (for reference my 1973 Buco All Sport fullface has nearly the same design. Like my Pepaw used to say, “don’t fix it if it ain’t broke”).

I, for one, am super excited about Biltwell’s latest iteration of the Gringo and you will most likely see me rocking one come springtime. They will start shipping within the next week or two so if you palms are itchy for a new lid or you have some XMas money burning a hole in your pocket, I would seriously consider picking one of these up.

Check them out Here

*Added style bonus: The gloss black now comes with chrome trim that is absolutely bitching compared to the matte rubber. Additional colors and graphics below.

-Quinn

So Bell has decided to jump on the bandwagon and release the new Bullitt on the heels of the Gingo and Daytona Retro Ride which I reviewed back in October. The new Bullitt is by far a technically superior product than its competitors and comes with a price tag that reflects its high quality and attention to detail (MSRP $399.95).

This lid is SUPER nice. Whether or not you agree with the aesthetics becomes instantly irrelevant once it is actually in your hands. The outer shell is constructed of a fiber composite that is standard on Bell’s high end full face helmets. The composite shell reduces weight and increases the strength of the helmet while providing the lowest possible profile. The design of the helmet is the brain child of Chad Hodge who designed the Bullitt as part of his senior thesis in college (or something like that). He had a kick-starter campaign for awhile to try to raise money to actually produce the helmet, but once Bell got a whiff of this thing they basically brought him on to make his dream a reality.

The interior of the helmet is magnificent. Lined in a super soft suede like micro fiber that is both removable and washable, making it the one of most comfortable full face helmet I have ever worn. The cheek pads in the helmet are equipped with pockets, making it compatible with any universal bluetooth device like the Sena SMH10R or SMH-10. Aside from the lining, the helmet is also adorned with subtle niceties like a chrome bezel, metal mesh covered intake vents, chin vent and a beautifully crafted exhaust vent that make the overall finish of the helmet comparable to the insanely overpriced priced Ruby.

Face shields are available in either bubble or flat form and  come in a variety of tints including Clear, Dark Smoke, Gold Iridium, Yellow and Amber Gradient. Rumors have been floating around that Bell will be releasing a Photochromic shield for the Bullitt like the ones already available for their other full face helmets. This will use the transitions technology which changes from clear to smoke in sunlight.

The shield screws on to the helmet via two pretty large pivot points on each side, which have internal detents making it possible to raise the shield a little bit at a time. This is a nice feature carried over from their higher end RS-1 and Star helmets and is handy when you need a little extra air flow but don’t want to put the shield all the way up. To add to the list of premium features, the shield closure is a leather strap with a magnet attached to it that connects to an invisible magnet inside the chin bar, aka baller.

Color options for the Bullit include Black (gloss), Matte Black, White, Blue and the TT (Pictured). The TT version also comes standard with the bubble shield while the solid colors come stock with the flat shield.

As some of you may know I got a chance to ride in the pre-production version of this helmet a few months ago (see video Here) and I have to say I really liked it. Its a bit noisy, but the comfort and visibility while riding is unmatched. It is pretty stable at speed and your peripheral vision is in no way limited like it is on the Gingo and Retro Ride.

The bottom line on this guy is that if you were thinking of spending $400 on a Shoei, but don’t want to look like a sport bike douche on your vintage or modern retro bike, you should consider the Bullitt. A hefty price tag, but whats money compared to safety and style?

Check ’em out Here.

It looks like Yamaha is bringing back the trusty ol’ SR400 and it is kick start only. I’m liking the direction Yamaha is heading, but at $5990? Seems a little steep for a small displacement kick only bike that will get you run over on the highway.

More details HERE

Their jackets look pretty awesome.

Check out the vid, then their website here.

REV’IT! Oxford

REV’IT! Oxford

REV’IT! Melville

REV’IT! Melville (without thermal liner)

The Melville comes finished with a heavy wax coating that feels almost like rubber. If the ultra rubbery waxed finish isn’t your thing, the Oxford has a nice, more traditional brushed cotton finish that is water resistant. Both jackets are basically the same aside from the finish and come standard with spring loaded snaps and heavy duty YKK zippers that won’t wear out. They also have a storm flap that ensures water doesn’t make it past the zipper.

One of the biggest selling points on these jackets is the removable insulated thermal liner that they come with. With the liner in, these jackets are the warmest I have ever worn. I have to put it on right when I leave the house, otherwise I will start sweating immediately. With the liner out you can easily stretch the jacket in the the late spring and early fall.

Thermal Liner

So if you’ve been looking for that perfect 3 season (Fall, Winter, Spring) motorcycle jacket, but don’t want to sacrifice protection or style you should seriously consider picking one of these up. I bought the Melville in September and have been very impressed with the quality and functionality thus far.

-Quinn

I was home sick from work the other day and I was watching Dr. Oz.
The episode was about what he called “Drive Through Happiness”.
Basically it means making meaningless impulse buys to trigger the reward system in your brain which in turn triggers happiness in short lived hallow manner.

Obviously Dr. Oz doesn’t know jack and can suck it because I’d be happy as a pig in shit every single time I put this jacket on.
Even at its steep $700 price tag.
Right when I saw it I said “damnnnnnn…”
I can’t buy one though… It’s too expensive right now.

You should buy one.

Check it out here

Go buy something.
I just bought a new belt which is about 2 years overdue. ha.

If you’re looking for a new wallet, he has some pretty nice options.

So most of you are already aware that Biltwell has released the Gringo, a retro inspired fullface helmet that mimics the old Buco Allsport’s and Bell Star’s from the late 60’s and 70’s. What many of you many not have noticed is that a little known brand, Daytona Helmets, has released a Gringo Competitor into the market. The Retro Ride is what they are calling it, and it is quite a helmet.

Weighing in at 2lbs 6.2oz, the Retro Ride is about 4oz lighter than a similarly sized Gringo. The difference on the scale might be slight, but in your hand it feels much lighter. The shell is fiberglass which contributes to the low weight and is also advantageous in accidents as it will crack, dispersing energy, rather than just flex, like a polycarbonate/ABS (plastic) shell.

The interior of the helmet is not as refined as the Gringo. The lining is not as plush and made of a cheaper nylon/polyester type material on the “head facing” sides of the pads and mesh on the non “head facing” sides. The cheek pads are larger than the Gingo’s, but I found the added padding kept the helmet more stable at highway speeds. My Gringo tends to lift a tad when cruising along at 80. The poorer quality lining didn’t really bother me and after riding for a couple hours straight in both helmets I wouldn’t be able to tell you which one was more comfortable. To the touch and eye though, the Biltwell wins out on quality.

The over all shape of the helmets are similar, although the Daytona is slightly shorter front to back and has a slightly smaller eye port. This doesn’t really limit your field of vision at all, and makes for a slimmer profile when its on your head. Internal head-shapes are similar as well. The Daytona leans a little more toward the intermediate oval shape than the Gringo, but I found them to be equally comfortable both around town and at speed on the highway. If you have a super round dome I would go with the Gingo. A super narrow dome and you should go with the Daytona. Something in between like my melon and you should be good with either helmet.

One of the cool features of the Daytona is that it comes with a flip up face shield. I will preface this by saying the face shield is terrible quality. It’s super flimsy and cannot be removed easily. It is held on the helmet with two rubber grommets stuck on two plastic nipples that are affixed to the side of the helmet and are NON-REMOVABLE. These nipples are a major downfall for this lid because you cannot wear it without the shield unless you are fine with having black plastic nipples hanging off the side of your helmet. Though it is flimsy and the nipples it is affixed to are black and permanent, the shield is super handy. After riding for two hours in the pouring cold rain with no front fender last weekend I was very glad to have it (my head was the only dry part of my body). Securing it with the snaps at the bottom of the shield is a pain (I tend to ride with only one snapped for ease of use), but having a shield that you can raise and lower with ease is a nice feature on a retro helmet. Lets face it the bubble shields are a pain in the ass, fly off when checking blind spots, and are not very portable. Having a flat shield fixed to your helmet may not be such a bad thing after all, and you’ll be damn glad you got it when it starts raining.

Over all the Biltwell is a better helmet. It feels nicer, is more versatile, and is certainly worth the extra $30. The Daytona, though, is not to be over looked. I think once they release some more colors (black and white is the only color available right now) it will catch on. If they made the shield completely removable and dropped the price to $99 they would have a real winner. After riding in it for a about a week I really like it. It seems to do better on the highway than the Gringo, but I credit that to the shield, not to any aerodynamic advantage. The thicker pads and shield also make it a great cold weather helmet. Since the Shield is not air tight, it doesn’t fog up too bad and defogs quickly once you start moving.

All that being said, if want to abandon the bandwagon and are reluctant to get a Gringo because Ben already has one, or you can’t afford a Joe King masterpiece, the Daytona Retro Ride is a great option. Check them out on Daytona’s website Here and if you don’t already have a Gringo and are thinking of buying one click Here.

-Quinn

PS – A special thanks to A.S. for modeling the helmets so you dirty bastards out there on the interweb don’t have to look at my ugly mug.

The first pair are the Held Warm N Dry. Held has a stellar reputation for making quality gear, especially when it comes to their gloves. Just about every pair of gloves they make are super comfortable as well as functional. Though these puppies are quite expensive at $199, they come with a GORE-TEX and “Thermoplush Fleece” liner to keep you hands dry and warm or Warm N Dry (you see what I did there). Held also seems to have a focus on providing really good tactile feedback when it comes to their gloves, which is the reason I think they earn their keep at the $199 price point. Tactile feel is something that is usually lost with winter gloves. As you add layers between your hands and the controls you loose that intimacy you normally get when you grip up your handlebars and the vibrations of the motor slowly turn your extremities into useless skin tubes.

Held also takes protection pretty seriously. These gloves have hard knuckle protection that is skinned in leather (so you don’t look like a sport bike douche) as well as Super Fabric on the base of the palm. Super Fabric is sort of a new addition to the higher end moto gear brands and is the next greatest thing in abrasion resistance. In the picture below you can see a pad on the bottom left of the palm that has little dots all over it. Those dots are made of some magical material (ceramic) that is 14 times more resistant to abrasion than Kevlar. So, in short, you can slide further on these without burning through the glove.

So if your looking for a top of the line winter glove that will be worth every penny of $199 I would definitely check these things out. I would never spend that much money on gloves, but if you would, buy these.

Held Warm N Dry

Held Warm N Dry

Next up  are two less expensive gloves from REV’IT!. REV’IT! gloves also have a excellent reputation for being very comfortable. The fit of most of their gloves is a little bit wider in the palm than some of the other Euro brands like Held, Alpinestars and Dainese, which makes them feel less restrictive when gripping your controls.

The two gloves I chose are the Zoom H2O and the Element 2 H2O. Both make use of REV’IT!’s proprietary waterproof breathable GORE-TEX knock off liner called Hydratex (Note: Any proprietary waterproof/breathable liner that is NOT made by GORE-TEX will be, on average, 20% less breathable). The Hydratex lining works fairly well at keeping you hands dry in wet weather as well as allowing perspiration to evaporate out through the glove, and is much less expensive than using GORE-TEX. Both of these gloves are constructed of cowhide with goatskin palms and are insulated with a Fiberfill tri-fleece liner.

Personally I really like both of these gloves. I am a big fan of REV’IT! gear in general because they have a very respectable policy of not plastering their logo all over everything like most other moto brands. They also have discrete armor/padding in the knuckles, fingers, and palm to keep you protected without looking like Robocop. Bottom line on these is that they are great gloves that will be comfortable, waterproof and wont completely rob you of all your money. Check them out.

REV’IT! Element 2 H20

REV’IT! Element 2 H20

REV’IT! Zoom H2O

REV’IT! Zoom H2O

Coming from Finland we have a pair of gloves made by the masters of keeping cold weather at bay. The Rukka Pluto is one of the more affordable and understated gloves in Rukka’s arsenal, and come with both GORE-TEX and Outlast liners. The Outlast membrane is a pretty unique material. It reacts to temperature and humidity in a way that regulates your body temperature. The molecules making up the membrane will expand and contract based on the temperature, so if your booking along on the highway and the windchill is 30 degrees the molecules will shrink and tighten up to keep your body heat in. If you are walking around and start to build up some body heat, the molecules will expand and release that heat. It works very similarly to GORE-TEX, but is for insulation instead of waterproofing. Coming in at $169 they are neither super expensive nor super cheap, but come with a lot of useful features for the price. Also they look pretty normal for a winter glove, so if you decide to wear them off the bike you won’t look like an asshole.

Rukka Pluto Gloves

Rukka Pluto Gloves

Breaking into the more affordable options we have the Icon Patrol Waterproof Gloves. I really like these gloves. They are under $100, comfortable, waterproof and warm. They do have some flashier knuckle protection and do not come equipped with a some of the same features that the REV’IT!, Rukka and Held gloves do, but they fit well and do their job. The gauntlet on these is a little longer than most gloves too which is nice for keeping cold and wet weather out of your jacket. Bottom line….affordable and functional. Not much else to say about these.

Icon Patrol Waterproof Gloves

Icon Patrol Waterproof Gloves

Last but not least, if you have a problem with sticking your fingers where they don’t belong or find yourself turkey gobbling and making lewd hand gestures in public settings and you just can’t seem to stop, you may want to invest in a pair of the Rukka Lobsters. I’m looking at you ED.

-Quinn

So I have decided that there has been enough talk about old shitty motorcycles and ways to skirt the law while looking for places to camp, but not enough discussion about motorcycle related gear. We all know (whether or not we admit it to ourselves or others) that at least 50% of why we ride motorcycles is for the lifestyle that accompanies it. We are all narcissists and want to turn heads when we roll up to the bar on Thursday nights. If you are telling yourself as you read this that this doesn’t apply to you and looks don’t matter because you’re a purist and you’d rather stick your dick in the tailpipe of that vintage Moto Guzzi than concern yourself with the latest and greatest in Moto swag, then you are lying to yourself, god, and the motorcycle community at large. Even Ricky cares about how cool his vintage Wrangler denim vest looks despite the fact he has never put a pair of pants in a washing machine.

We all know this to be true so why not indulge. That being said I am going to start a weekly gear post dedicated to the kind of gear and accessories we all like and would buy. Feel free to comment, ask questions or make suggestions for future posts.

My first post will be about one of my favorite helmets out on the market. The company that manufactures this skid lid is called AFX and they specialize in designing and making affordable helmets for all sorts of riding conditions. One of these helmets is the AFX FX-76.

This basic, vintage inspired ¾ helmet is simply amazing. In size Medium it weighs a mere 1lb 12oz where the comparable Bell 500 Custom and Biltwell Bonanza weigh in at 2lbs 5.7oz and 2lbs 3.4oz respectively.

Afx has achieved this by using a fiberglass reinforced plastic shell and a new EPS technology called Conehead. The Conehead EPS is made with two different densities of foam sandwiched together in a way that creates peaks and valleys between the two layers. This allows impacts to be dispersed across the EPS liner rather than through it. This also means that the EPS can be a lot thinner and still provide the same impact protection as a normal EPS liner.

So… what does all this all mean you ask? It means that this inexpensive helmet made by a bargain helmet company is the lightest, lowest profile vintage ¾ helmet on the market that is still DOT and ECE 22.05 Certified and under $100.00. It comes in a variety of solid and metalflake colors as well as a few (very ugly) graphics.

Another selling point on this thing is the head shape. It has more of an oval shape to it that is similar to the Biltwell Gringo or Fulmer V2. It also comes equipped with a super nice black diamond stitched lining.

So if your Fulmer is fucked or your Bell is busted and you’re looking for a new lid to keep you head off the asphalt this may be a viable option for you. Check them out Here and enjoy the pics below.

-Quinn

From left to right: Bell Custom 500, AFX FX-76, Biltwell Bonanza

From left to right: Bell Custom 500, AFX FX-76, Biltwell Bonanza

Spare Parts has been a staple in Philadelphia motorcycling for decades and if you’re a local you’ve most likely met Roland and/or Scott. If you haven’t, stop by a Two Wheel Tuesday at the Abbaye sometime. Good guys and interesting story behind the shop.

Anybody know the people of Cinema Mercantile? Curious if they also ride motorcycles.

These gloves were a great fit with a classic look and knuckle armor that’s flexible until impact. They’ve held up now for months and were put to the test on the 2 week Philly to Canada trip. I’m not easy on my gloves either because on these cycle trips they have to double as work gloves for setting up camp, getting fire wood, cooking, etc. They’re still in decent condition with all the seams intact and the leather is holding up.

So, if you’re looking for some good gloves with a clean look, check these out.

Buy them from Revzilla or go try them on in their show room in South Philly.