AIMExpo 2014

In his opening remarks, general manager Larry Little joked that he was in the "fun businiess." With over 500 exhibitors, and expectations to draw a crowd of over a million attendees, the 2014 American International Motorcycle Expo was no laughing matter, and certainly lived up to its mantra of being a force of change in the motorsport industry. With the AIMExpo's growing success, it is no wonder that many of the industry leaders chose the four-day event in Orlando, Florida to make the North American debut of their 2015 line up.

On The Tech Front: Among the top draws in the technology department, Sena, a California based company well known for top of the line helmet mounted communication systems, announced the Sena Prism. The Prism is the companies first adventure into the digital video recording market, and what an adventure it looks to be. The Prism boasts an impressive list of features that puts it years ahead of its completion. Voice controlled on and off, voice activated recording, and the ability to wirelessly record audio through your Bluetooth enabled intercom, are only some of the features that are sure to make this a favorite among riders wanting to record their adventures on the fly. Sena- specialists in Bluetooth technology are the first to offer duel Bluetooth enabled intercom, allowing a rider to talk on their phone, or intercom, without dropping the secondary voice prompts of programs like a GPS running in the background. Building on this technology, Sena’s prism will offer the first video recording device to allow voice activation and audio confirmation of recording. As Roger Hanne, with Sena’s Northwest group put it, “Riders will no longer have to take the camera off their helmet, or ask their buddy if the light is on when they want to ensure they are recording. The Prism tells you it is recording.” At a sticker price of $399, the Prism comes in at the top end of the video recording market, however with the long list of accessories included in the box, things like helmet mounts, goggle mounts, duel suction device, RAM compatible locking mounts, water proof case, and handlebar mounts, and no need for an add on audio kit, the Prism packs a lot of bang for the buck.

Sena Bluetooth's expansion into Digital Video recording offers voice activate on/off, as well as audio confirmation of recording status. If it's anything like Sena's 20s, it will be a quick favorite with riders. Riding Gear: Having just completed an 1800 mile trip ranging from 40 degrees and raining to 92 degrees and sunny, I was eager to check out a company that I had some history with.

FirstGear- of Fort Worth, Texas brought their full catalog line up for 2015 and I was eager to dig through it. My experience with their Kathmandu jacket left a positive impression in my mind, and it was nice to see that that first impression was correct. As a long distance adventure rider, you take your environment with you, and are often forced to ride in less than optimal conditions. No company seems to grasp this concept better than FirstGear. From their well ventilated Mesh Tex Jackets, to the mid range touring Jaunt T2, all the way up to the extreme TPG Expedition Suit, features such as built in waterproof out shells, breathable materials, and mesh backed ventilation in the chests, arm pits, and arms, gives the rider increased options for body temperature control. Most of FirstGear’s line up features the D30 T5 CE rated armor. The Kathmandu jacket features this armor in the shoulders and elbows. The advantage of the lightweight, extremely flexible reactive armor is that you barely notice the armor when the jacket or pants are worn, unlike bulky non-flexible rubber armor that shifts and sticks inside the flex points of your jacket or pants. In addition to outerwear, FirstGear offers a variety of options for base layers and intermediate weight insulation layers, along with a high quality line of heated gear. Both the lower priced Heated Jacket Liner, and the higher priced Waterproof Heated Jacket line have an aesthetically pleasing and practical design, lending itself for use as a lightweight jacket about town.

In addition to offereing high visibility versions of many popular jackets, FirstGear also features reflective pin stripping for added safety in low light and rainy conditions. These Boots are Made for Riding- another bright spot in the riding apparel department was Forma- motorcycle boots. After my recent experience of riding through 6 straight hours of cold hard rain, having my old army boots fill with water and stay full, I had a greater appreciation for the importance of a good riding boot when you are facing putting on a 1000 miles in less than 20 hours. My trip to the Forma booth was informative. Darren Waite, president of Forma was on hand to answer questions and describe the design and manufacture process. Though in outward appearance they share many of the same design styles as other motorcross, road racing, and adventure boots, the quality differences I noted between manufacturers all seemed to come down to one thing- the buckle! Being a down hill skier and avid cold weather climber and hiker, I have a bit of a thing about buckles. For a boot they need to be strong, reliable, and most of all easy to operate. Forma boots seemed to have all of those characteristics, in addition to some quality materials that worked form into function. Not All Butts are Created Equal- I may have just completed the Ironbutt Association’s Saddlesore 1000, but I do not have an iron butt! Far from it. Fortunately the folks at Moto-Skiveez have a solution for all those riders who have walked away bow legged and bruised after hours in the seat. With a background in bicycle racing and motorcycle racing, the designers at Moto-Skiveez combined the latest in sports technology to create the ultimate in wearable padding. Developed at the TMF research facility in Verona, Italy, Moto-Skiveez offer three options for riders based on riding style, ADVENTURE, SPORT, and CRUISER. Howl at the Moon- It’s always a pleasure to meet people that create some of the products you love, to share stories, ask for advice, and learn about the design process. Fortunately for me, David and Frank from Wolfman Luggage were on hand at the show, showing off the latest in off road and travel gear. A big fan of waterproof, lightweight, and versatile luggage, I shared with them my recent experience with their Expedition Dry Duffle and the Expedition Tank bag I mounted on my G650GS. What most impresses me about the Expedition Dry bag series is how well thought out the mounting system is, and how easily it installed to the bike with no additional straps or modifications required. Another thing that impressed me about the Wolfman dry bags was the quality of the material. Build to the same standards as waterproof drybags for kayaking and watersports, but thicker and with more robust seam welds, when you talk about bomb proof, the Wolfman Expedition Series is sure to last a lifetime.

Ducati's 2015 Scrambler makes it's North American debut.

For those needing to escape the monotony of the nine-to-five rat race, or the occasional zombie horde, Motoped's black ops edition boasts a 500 mile range without stopping, among other necessities, like a crossbow!

After a dizzying four days, I felt like I had talked to a million people and walked a hundred miles. In a sea of motosport products and companies, there were some clear favorites, and some products for 2015 that are sure to be on everyone’s Christmas list this year. With over 800,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor displays and exhibits, and over 500 vendors, and a plan to expand the V-twin crowd, if you are attending the 2015 AIMExpo, bring your compass or GPS and some comfortable walking shoes!

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Wayne Mitchell is an Emergency Medical Technician, Adventure Racer, writer, and organizer of the Keys2Freeze Charity ride 2015. He lives with his wife and two kids in Key West, Florida.

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