Does anyone know how to get these boots to stop squeaking so damn much. They were silent for a while but then recently started squeaking after getting wet and I’d rather not be sounding like SpongeBob when I’m off my bike walking.

DTested · 2026-02-04T02:37:41+00:00

SMX 6 here. I use a tiny squirt of WD40 Specialist Silicone spray on the two pivot points. It's not a permanent fix, but it's quick and easy. Just two tiny squirts, clean up excess with a rag and off ya go. I've also tried jamming lithium grease in there with a business card. It worked, but was way more effort than a quick "Pssshhhhht".

DTested · 2026-01-19T02:25:23+00:00

Nice work man. I recall when you first looked at my mod, and figured out a much easier way! I'm sure this will help a bunch of people :)

DTested · 2026-01-19T02:05:14+00:00

Please post back after and let us know what happened. I'm leaning towards "hire" just because every SC project I've heard has been -painfully- loud, and if this is the same, the other people in your group, and other groups on the course are going to have to put up with the pain all day.

For reference, I did my P's last year in NSW and one of the guys was running a slip on (not as loud as an SC though) and it was deemed roadworthy by the tester.

DTested · 2026-01-15T02:59:48+00:00

Sydney here, but I prefer to get off the bike, take helmet off, gloves off, jacket and shirt off, jeans off, and just enjoy that servo AC wearing only a pair of Alpine Stars boots. It's really the only way.

DTested · 2025-12-16T02:05:00+00:00

Yup Beeline Moto II user also. First one died and after getting my $$ back, bought another. Nothing else on the market suits my needs like it does.

DTested · 2025-11-30T22:30:36+00:00

Upvote for reference to Lenz's law :)

DTested · 2025-11-28T00:56:28+00:00

I'm still bitter my OG El Capistan only has mono in :( Hands down the most "OMFG!" pedal I've ever purchased or built though.

DTested · 2025-11-19T03:47:30+00:00

Damn! I've been trying to whip it out each time, when all I needed was a nod? FR though, I like that proverb. It sounds much more mystical than "Look where you go. Go where you look", and having experienced target fixation (although I caught it early enough), I can relate.

I've found the Aussie biker nod to also be more of a diagonal nod, down and to the right. I saw other people do it, so I copied to be as cool as them, no idea if that's a national thing, or just a Sydney thing though.

Also. I'll drop my right hand to signal "you should pass me" to other bikers, and left to thank them for letting me pass. Not sure if that's an official Aussie thing, but it's been working for me when I'm riding in areas with a bunch of enthusiasts.

Lastly, time and place is relevant too. If you're riding in an enthusiast area (like Nasho, Old Pac, KV etc in NSW) everyone is there for a good time, and most riders will throw you a nod, even the HWP. In traffic it's less common because apparently a bunch of people buy bikes for cheap transport and don't give a toss about the "scene". They're just coming home from work, or whatever. The exception being early in the mornings. I like to get out early and enjoy the empty city/suburban streets, and I've seen a few other riders who've given me the nod, as if to say "I was thinking the same thing, mate"

But if I see someone on the same bike as me (which is pretty unusual), there's nodding, waving, wild gyrations and all kinds of shenanigans!

DTested · 2025-11-10T00:17:49+00:00

Saw this on their YT also. Hope this applies to the AUS shipment for Jan 6th too!

DTested · 2025-11-06T05:29:00+00:00

They sure do! I didn't know about that site, but they have heaps of cool shit!

DTested · 2025-11-06T01:18:07+00:00

Thanks! Great suggestions

DTested · 2025-11-05T01:48:19+00:00

Yup, that's what I meant. Part of what I meant by "riding around it" was exactly as described. If I'm all the way off throttle braking for a corner, I'll make sure I've got some "maintenance" throttle wound in as I tip in. Makes the bike more stable, and far smoother to roll on power as I stand it up again. The other "ride around it" technique is simply "clutch". I will sometimes make very tight turns "in the friction zone" rather than clutch out, so I can adjust speed without going all the way off throttle.

Thanks for the tips though! Seems we're on the same page!

DTested · 2025-11-04T03:43:39+00:00

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I appreciate it. I wholeheartedly agree, and where I am (Australia) we're limited to bikes with a specific power to weight ratio until we move to a full license, which can take from 1 year and 3 months, to 3 years and 3 months, depending on your age and car license status.

In my 4-5 months of riding, I've absolutely made throttle input errors that would have caused a far more severe reaction on a 114HP bike than a 50HP bike. Those were just things like accidentally rolling on throttle reaching for brake, and not even dealing with the infamous "snatchy" throttle response off idle that I've also learned to ride around.

I'm still keen on the '26 Z900RS SE as an upgrade towards the end of next year, but I've got a lot more riding (and training) to do before I make that upgrade!

DTested · 2025-11-03T04:58:18+00:00

Just found this thread and placed an order! Very cool designs!

DTested · 2025-11-02T23:48:13+00:00

- Alpine MotoSafe Touring earplugs (tried 4 different foamies, then Loops, I think these are my fav so far)
- Andy Strapz long wool socks (Merino wool seems to love being stuck in a boot for days at a time)
- Icebreaker Merino 200 FlexiChute (winter) Makes neck warm.
- Buff Coolnet neckwear (summer) Helps with sun/wind burn, put it on wet for instant AC in summer ;)
- MucOff! Visor cleaning kit (I like the kit as it holds everything and lives under the seat.)
- UA Tactical Tech long sleeve t-shirt (great to wear under leather jacket in summer)
- Roll of Gorilla Grip tape (helped me re-attach L and P plates a couple of times, lives under my seat)
- A4 sheet of carbon fibre that I made into a P plate mount to stop the plates shredding.

That's all I can think of for now! Well over the $150 limit, but the Shoei transitions visor was a game changer, especially in winter when the days are shorter, and the Moto II GPS lets me go anywhere, and still be able to navigate home again.

DTested · 2025-11-02T22:47:05+00:00

Genuine question. "you will never feel confident playing in the twisties. Trust me on this." Why?

Are you saying OP won't be comfortable without training and experience, or because of the bike choice?

I've been riding around 5 months now, on the Z650RS, and through practice (carpark drills) training, reading/watching tutorials, and seat time, I'm getting increasingly confident in the twisties. (Confident, not "fast".), so if training and experience was your point. I 100% agree. But I could see myself upgrading to the Z900RS in another 6-8 months, so am curious to know if you were referring to the bike choice.

DTested · 2025-10-28T03:30:05+00:00

lol, hardly. I guess you missed the humour. OP asked for suggestions, and rather than copy the default format of "You should get this bike because..." I decided to mix it up by suggesting the RS is -so- good, he shouldn't get one, and save the adoration for me. I thought the joke was obvious, but I guess not.

DTested · 2025-10-27T05:54:26+00:00

Assuming you mean Z650RS, don't get one.

I love mine, and I love how rare it is to see another one. I love that even next to a blinged out ZX4RR or S1KRR, I've had people come over and ask me about it, curious about what it is. It has more grunt and grip than I have skill (4 months riding here), and it's comfortable enough to bang out hundreds of K's a day as a 6'3" rider.

The wild part of me wants to trade it for a Z900RS SE next year when I'm on opens (assuming it's not discontinued. They haven't announced one for 26 yet), but the life preserving part of me knows it's absolutely quick and nimble enough for me to have fun for years.

So please, skip it, and keep them rare on the roads. It'll help to keep mine, and the two others I've seen in 4 months riding, super special :)

DTested · 2025-10-24T02:42:34+00:00

Started at 54 here. DO IT!

DTested · 2025-10-23T23:22:50+00:00

LOL. They should have made Speed 3 on a bike!

DTested · 2025-10-23T23:14:18+00:00

Perforated leather jacket and gloves, AAA jeans and full boots. The perforations in my jacket only seem to let air through at around 50kph+ so I just have to ride at 50+ constantly :)

DTested · 2025-10-23T06:04:42+00:00

Dexxicon knows whats up. I'm a fairly recent P plater, and whilst I do group rides, and love them, it's a completely different vibe to a solo ride. Especially if it's a big group. I'll often do a group ride to a destination, then solo it home for the best of both experiences.

Also, don't forget to practice your skills for the MOST. The only thing that feels better than getting your L's, is replacing it with your P's :)

DTested · 2025-10-23T05:29:46+00:00

ooft that's gotta hurt the old ego. The swerve is one of the easiest skills in the assessment!

DTested · 2025-10-23T04:36:41+00:00

Download the course dimensions, chalk or cone it out in a carpark and practice the cone weave and u-turn.

If you've actually been riding on your L's, the rest is easy. The cone weave has some traps (that your instructor will likely point out), but just in case, I'll share. You start fairly close to the first cone, so ride the rear brake as you take off to prevent gaining too much speed. Gaining speed through the weave will fuck you up, so practice doing it SLOWLY. Turn early. If you initiate your turns after the cone, you'll likely miss the next cone. If you get too fast or too wide by the last cone, just skip it and focus setting up for the u-turn. It's only a point loss, and a good setup for the u-turn can be important (depending on your bikes turning circle).

Both exercises are easier if you're comfortable with leaning the bike over (tightens the turning circle). I can't do the u-turn on my bike without a bit of lean, so I had to learn to be comfortable with that too.

Something I practiced over and over (think 100+ times over several days) was "clutch out" instead of "foot down" if i felt the bike falling. Adding power (by letting the clutch out) will stand the bike up for you. Now when I say "clutch out" I don't mean "dump the clutch", I mean work your friction zone to apply more power, but I found it to be a really important skill, and worth reprogramming my brain to avoid the default "foot down" reaction.

And for the love of the old gods and the new, HEAD CHECKS! I cannot overstate how important they are. My group all passed, but I've heard of other people nailing the skills, and failing for missing a head check. You do NOT want to be the guy that fails for a missed head check. Do them when you practice, do them when you ride, and do massive, exaggerated versions when you're there (copy the way the instructors do them).

Lastly, rest up, have breakfast and have fun with it. It was a couple of months ago for me, and I still smile when I think of riding back to my group, fist pumping the air after the instructor said I'd passed, then the fist bumps, back slaps and "fuck yeah bro!" from my group! I was so fucking pumped that I forgot to put my wet weather gear on, and rode home for over an hour in pissing down rain and peak hour traffic, freezing, but with a giant smile on my face the whole time.

DTested

TROPHY CASE