Over the past few months we have been running this new gear from Ixon, Five & GoPro in all kinds of conditions on all kinds of bikes. Here’s what we think of it so far…

IXON BURNING JACKET

PRICE $499.95
COLOURS Navy, Black or Tactic Green
SIZES
Mens: S-4XL
Womens: XS-2XL

CASSONS
www.cassonsmedia.com
(02) 8882 1900

The outer shell on the Ixon Burning is claimed to be waterproof and I can vouch for its ability to keep moisture out, having ridden through several downpours on various bikes without getting wet. For those who like the tech jargon, the outer shell is made from a breathable material with an integrated XDRY membrane and taped seams.

The outer shell’s breathability ensures that, unlike jackets with a separate plastic rain liner, you don’t get all sweaty when wearing the Burning. In fact, without the thermal liner fitted and with the arm vents open it’s cool enough on warmer days to confirm its all-seasons claim. There are also weather-protected exhaust vents in the back of the jacket for increased airflow.

When the weather is cold, zip up the vents, insert the thermal liner and the Burning provides an astounding amount of warmth for what seems like a lightweight jacket. The thermal liner has zippers to connect the main body and there are zips to connect the cuffs, along with three snap buttons at the collar to ensure a tight fit that doesn’t come loose.

 

Both the outer shell and the thermal liner feature soft collars for comfort and there are bicep snaps and Velcro cuff straps to ensure a precise fit.

When it comes to crash protection, the Burning comes standard with shoulder and elbow protectors, and space to fit a back protector. I pinched a lightweight D3O back protector out of another jacket which fitted in the Burning perfectly, and didn’t add a lot to its weight.

There are three external pockets – one of which is in the forearm and is big enough to fit a phone – an inside pocket and a pocket in the thermal liner. The Burning also comes with a zip-attached hood so you can wear it as a comfy weatherproof soft-shell jacket when off the bike.

The Burning isn’t cheap at nigh-on 500 bucks but it is without a doubt one of the lightest and most comfortable textile motorcycle jackets on the market, and really is an all-seasons option. 4.5/5 stars

FIVE RS3 EVO AIRFLOW GLOVE

PRICE $84.95
COLOURS Black
SIZES S-3XL

MOTO NATIONAL
www.five.motonational.com.au
1300 885 355

Sometimes the thought of trying to get your sweaty hands back into a pair of sticky gloves on a hot day can almost drive you to taking the car, but not if you have a pair of these Five Evo Airflows in your kit.

These short summer gloves are as comfortable and light as a pair of MX gloves, but with significantly more protection. The topside features a ventilated honeycomb fabric for ample airflow, but with a built-in metacarpo-phalangeal (knuckle) protective shell, while the palm is made from synthetic leather with a built-in palm slider for durability and protection.

The RS3 Evo has a comfortable Airprene wristband, claimed to minimise perspiration, and a simple Velcro closure system.

Importantly (these days), the index fingers are touchscreen compatible.
I have used these Five gloves throughout what feels like an extended summer of riding and have been impressed by the comfort they provide, and the ease with which I can get my hands back into them on a hot day, thanks in part to the pull tabs that allow you to get a good grip to pull them back on.

I can’t vouch for the RS3 Evo Airflow’s crash protection characteristics, and I don’t plan to do so, but they have certainly stood up well to a full season of hot road riding conditions. 4/5 stars

GOPRO HER0 10 BLACK

PRICE $429.95

GOPRO
gopro.com/en/au

 

I’ve been running my GoPro Hero 10 Black for a couple of years now on various mounts and it produces some stunning video footage as well as surviving a high-speed off at The Bend, but it’s not without its faults.

I bought the GoPro online prior to a two-week trip to the Himalayas and it coped well with the altitude, dust and various weather conditions. Since then I have used it on various bike launches, tests and shootouts, and you can see some of that footage (albeit compressed) on the AMCN YouTube channel (@amcntv) on videos such as the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 launch and the 2023 Nakedbike Shootout.

One of the highlights of the captured footage is the GoPro’s fantastic image stabilisation, of which there are various settings you can choose from. The Hero 10 Black is easy to use thanks to its touchscreen and footage automatically uploads to the cloud with a subscription, which is a good back-up plan in case you lose your camera and its micro-SD card.

 

One of my pet hates is the limited battery life so I never take the GoPro anywhere without a couple of spare batteries. It also crashes on occasion, requiring the battery to be removed and refitted to reset it.

I have added a few accessories, including a Media Mod (which saved it at The bend) with built-in mic and facility to plug in an external mic, a Flexible Grip Mount, a Handlebar Mount and an aftermarket helmet chin mount.

Overall the Hero 10 Black is a high-tech action camera that provides great footage but chews through batteries like a puppy attacks your favourite pair of slippers. 3.5/5 stars