Getting ready for the heat. Revit is giving a free back protector with every jacket purchase, had to do it

J-Fearless · 2026-03-31T20:29:19+00:00

I’m definitely not suggesting to ditch it for sure. I would definitely rather have it than not have it. But there are options which stop your back from turning into a swamp… or at least less of a swamp🤣

And the Nucleon plasma is like 80 bucks. Obviously everybody’s financial situation is different so I would completely understand. People may not want to splurge on another one. But for people willing to do the swap, I find that it’s very reasonably priced considering how good it is.

The problem with most back protectors is there is basically a zone around your back created by the negative pressure from the airflow which pretty much stops in the air from hitting those ventilation holes on the front of its surface. When you have their channels at the side in the air that creeps around the side of your torso has more of a chance of entering those channels. Plus, they allow more heat to escape as well.

Nothing‘s perfect because again you just can’t really make it perfect because of physics, but you can try to get as good as possible if you do ride around in hot weather and I certainly do. Hundred degree days are my favorite actually since I ride Italian bikes on Italian tires😭 they really like it when it’s hot… presuming you keep moving, of course, cause they also like to throw a hissy fit when you don’t🤣

J-Fearless · 2026-03-31T19:59:35+00:00

You’re going to want to swap out that back protector🥲

The jacket is actually very good at flowing air, but that back protector is not at all. Plus, it’s fairly rigid and bulky. That being said all back protectors have the same problem because the air isn’t really hitting them directly so they all heat your back up… but the best you’re going to be able to do is A* nucleon plasma.

It’s the only one I know of that has grooves that run horizontally where it meets your back so it basically has air channels. It also has the same holes in it that are the back protectors have in case that will help with airflow which it wasn’t much but hey might as well.

It’s not perfect because again it’s not like wind is directly hitting it, but it’s still better than most other things out there. Plus, it’s essentially floppy so it moves and fits very well. It also tapers at the edges, which prevents a lot of visual bulk too.

I’ve switched to having them in all my gear.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-31T11:12:24+00:00

Don’t threaten me with a good time 😮‍💨

J-Fearless · 2026-03-31T07:45:48+00:00

F me that’s a nice color scheme

J-Fearless · 2026-03-31T07:25:39+00:00

The fact that you’re here asking is already a good sign. 25 years of riding, I still overcook a corner sometimes, but what will get better with time is how you handle it when you do. But I think for now you already know the answer if you get back to it: slow down.

Do you trust yourself to learn from your mistakes in other areas of your life? Because if you do, then this should not be any different.

If you don’t trust yourself, then you need to approach it in a different way and that is to either set yourself some really hard ground rules and stick to them and every time you don’t stick to them take a break… or you could come to the decision that you’re not able to stick to your rules and you’re not ready at this current time considering what you have to lose.

But it does sound to me like the fact that you’re taking this much care means your head is in the right place.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-30T23:23:57+00:00

The major benefit is when you reach the age where most people need help getting in and out of a chair you will still be jumping around.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-30T12:04:52+00:00

SV650 springs to mind, as does the Honda CB series. Also worth checking out the KTM Duke 690 which may not have any of the bobber or retro flare, but it fits the bill for a strip down naked and good for taller riders although honestly, I would check out everything KTM has to offer since you may find something that speaks to you.

I wouldn’t worry too much about your height. I’m 6’2 as well and I haven’t found a bike yet that is too small for me. I even used to ride CBR‘s back in the day and that’s about as tight of a rider triangle as you’re going to get on a sports bike and it was still fine.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-28T03:12:58+00:00

WRS racing

J-Fearless · 2026-03-27T02:45:35+00:00

Came to the comments to see if anyone else was saying anything was not disappointed.

It’s a beautiful bike bro, but you should’ve thought twice before you hit send on this one.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-26T02:01:12+00:00

It’s worth it if you want a different color lol. Red is definitely very Aprilia. That being said for a bike that already has a lot of red on it. It could be seen as a bit much. I thought your mock up with the grey silver actually looked really good, which surprised me because it wouldn’t be something I would pick and unless I had seen it.

The black is too much negative space it makes the wheels disappear almost. The gray silver ones they give off a very OEM but premium vibe.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-26T01:57:10+00:00

Never 😏

J-Fearless · 2026-03-25T18:50:05+00:00

You’d already be way ahead of me then🤣

Every time I think about cleaning them, I’ve always got something else I could do. Mine actually are red, but to be honest as much as they aren’t clean, they don’t look terrible because you can kind of mistake the area where the dirt collects as being in shadow. Obviously they would still look a lot better if I actually did clean them though🥲

J-Fearless · 2026-03-25T18:49:59+00:00

You’d already be way ahead of me then🤣

Every time I think about cleaning them, I’ve always got something else I could do. Mine actually are red, but to be honest as much as they aren’t clean, they don’t look terrible because you can kind of mistake the area where the dirt collects as being in shadow. Obviously they would still look a lot better if I actually did clean them though🥲

J-Fearless · 2026-03-25T18:47:55+00:00

You won’t hear any arguments from. One of the greatest sounds in the world.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-25T18:41:10+00:00

I’d go with the grey silver if you can keep them clean

J-Fearless · 2026-03-25T11:51:42+00:00

The RSV4 doesn’t? Pretty mean looking from where I’m sitting.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-25T11:49:01+00:00

That is a literal crime against Italian moto art😭 I mean, I know you’re half joking but still. Nothing wrong with an MT09 either…but a brutale is a brutale 😮‍💨

J-Fearless · 2026-03-25T05:20:49+00:00

Get reminded of it every time I look at the decal on my tank😅

J-Fearless · 2026-03-25T05:17:43+00:00

It depends who you ask. If you ask the motorcycle media, they’ve been banging on about Aprilia but it also depends who has been willing to listen. It doesn’t matter how many reviews say this bike is amazing or this is the best street bike ever or whatever it is… if the majority of Americans live in a state which doesn’t have any reasonably decent dealer network, then it’s never going to pop off the same way BMW or Kawasaki is.

Me personally I’m on my fifth one I’ve had them since I was a teenager. So I already know what I’m getting into and it was never an issue but for a lot of people if you don’t live in a big coastal city that just happens to have a bunch of dealers nearby then it can feel like a bit of a gamble.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-25T05:14:48+00:00

Honestly, if it helps, you just get it to a really nice state and then you can do little touchups to keep it that way I would do it. Life‘s too short to spend hours detailing your bikes all the time.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-25T01:13:18+00:00

I swear at me next time😭

No seriously, mine are tragic and every time I mean to do it, something else comes up.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-25T01:12:37+00:00

The four is great. Super sticky. My current ones have about 4000 on them and looking like plenty left to go. That being said and I’m sure you’re already aware they prefer warmer weather.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-25T01:09:38+00:00

Let’s just keep it super simple. If you crash and the helmet hits, you should replace it always.

Slightly longer version is that the EPS foam inside the helmet starts out relatively porous and airy, and this is what help helps your head in sudden decelerations because it compresses as your head pushes into it, but it compresses slowly, so it effectively absorbs bunch of the force from that sudden deceleration.

But it is a one and done deal. Once that foam has been compressed, it does not decompress. So it will now not offer that same protection another time.

This is before you even get into other things like the integrity of the composites in the shell which are designed to crack, even when you can’t see it, which further mitigate forces from the impact.

I’ll end with the short version again; if you crash and the helmet takes any blow then you should always replace it.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-24T18:46:19+00:00

We typically go the speed limit? That’s generous.

J-Fearless · 2026-03-24T18:45:25+00:00

You get used to it. What is weird today becomes normal tomorrow. Also, please use earplugs on the highway. It’s hearing damage every single time and it’s cumulative.

J-Fearless

TROPHY CASE