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Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 |
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Posted 17:00:00
Filed under Movie Review Product Review
Author: Mike Werner | Location: Normandy, France
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Score:
Plot: 4
Acting: 3
Visual: 3
Sound: 3
Nudity: None
Gore: None |
Not your usual biker movie, since the crazy motorcycle riding gang is a bunch of young kids riding 2 stroke Yamaha dirt bikes, but apparently the plot is based on a true event, though I'd say a lot of artistic liberties were taken. The lessons learned from this movie is that it's better to stay in the office and work late...
This 92 minute long made-for-TV movie was released in 2004, and is a bit slow starting, and a bit slow moving, followed by spurts of fast action. Nevertheless, it's interesting since I guess there are pockets of really weird people out there, specially in the big desert. But the movie lacks some facts, since it's based on true events. If it really is the case, it would be nice to know a bit more.
During the first half of the movie, there's little motorcycle action, but that gets remedied in the second half.
Quotes: "Everyone is someone's bitch."
Plot: Fed up with their mundane, ordinary lives, four wannabe thrill-seekers get more than they bargained for when they attend a wild rave in the California desert. Josh and his pals are up for some sex, drugs and rock and roll...not necessarily in that order. But these burning sands, it turns out, are home to some of the deadliest creatures known to man The Scorpions, a local biker gang led by sadistic, machete-wielding Dom. Soon, without warning, what began as a spirited road trip devolves into an agonizing battle for survival. Gorgeous Genevieve Cortese also stars in this masterpiece of mayhem about weekend warriors who are forced to become the real deal...or die!
Verdict: Not bad, bit slow at times, but interesting. But again, bikers are the bad dudes. Have a look at the video below.
Click here for many more photos of Death Valley 
Click here to see Death Valley's entry in the IMDB
Death Valley Trailer (53 seconds)
Read related Biker movie reviews:
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Movie Review: Death Valley
Technorati :Biker Gang DVD Motorbikes Motorcycles Movie Review Summary |
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Posted 13:00:00
Filed under Product Review Helmets Video Feeds
Author: Mike Werner | Location: Normandy, France
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Yesterday I reviewed the Raleri PCShade motorcycle helmet visor, a Photochromic visor, that changes its tint depending on the strength of the sunlight (click here to read ). The change in tint takes between 4 and 5 seconds, and if you want an immediate change, you'll need to use the Raleri LCDrive. Here is the review of the LCDrive.
Raleri's LCDrive is not a Photochromic visor, it's a LCD screen, meaning it runs on electricity. But no worries, there's no battery involved, the visor is powered by light cells. The LCDrive is quite revolutionary, since you don't need to do anything (apart from installing the visor inside your helmet). Once you go out riding, if the sun comes out, it becomes dark immediately. Very handy.
Installing the visor is very simple. You remove the visor of your helmet, clean it (if not you'll have spots), remove the protective cover, and place it inside your helmet against your current visor. It's that simple. The Raleri visor has an adhesive outer ring, but the adhesive is not permanent, so you can remove it at your leisure and place it inside another helmet.
Nolan 103 with Raleri LCDrive installed
For this review, I used a Nolan 103 motorcycle helmet. The reason I used it, was because the Nolan is fitted with an 2nd visor used for anti-fogging, and I wanted to see if it would create any effects.
Here you can see the visor installed inside (arrows).
Installing the Raleri LCDrive was extremely simple. Just have a look at Raleri's short video below, and you'll see why.
Raleri LCDrive Visor Install (3 minutes 2 seconds)
The Test
I went out for a ride on the Ducati, through a large forest and two tunnels. The visor worked fantastically. The change is done in nanoseconds, it's that quick. Coming out of a particular tunnel, right into a strong sunlight was great. The moment the sun hit my helmet, the visor was dark. Despite the Nolan having a sun visor, I did not need to use it at all.
Later I entered in my enclosed swimming pool which has a very high degree of humidity, and always fogs up my glasses. I tried it with twice, once without the Raleri visor, and once with it. There was almost no difference in the fogging up speed, maybe slightly in advantage of the Raleri. After a while, the visor equipped with the Raleri de-fogged faster, so an advantage for the Raleri.
Below is a short video of the Nolan equipped with the Raleri. I placed by iPhone inside the helmet and then proceeded placing my hand over the light cells. You'll see the visor becoming clear immediately, and when I remove my hand, it becomes dark again. It was the only way I could think off to show you how fast it works.
Raleri LCDrive Test (7 seconds)
Summary: The Raleri LCDrive is not cheap, but definitely worth it. Even if your helmet has a sun visor, there's no fumbling involved getting it down when there's a sudden strong sun. You can keep your hands on the handlebar, and your attention focussed on the road and traffic. That's worth the money.
Cost: €216
Availability: Now
Click here for to access the Raleri site where you can order the visors .
For more information on the Raleri LCD visor, click here
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Product Review: Raleri LCDrive Motorcycle Helmet Visor
Technorati :Helmets Motorbikes Motorcycles Photochromic Product Review Review Visor |
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Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 |
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Posted 12:30:00
Filed under Helmets Product Review Video Feeds
Author: Mike Werner | Location: Normandy, France
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When I mentioned the Raleri Photochromic motorcycle helmet visor sometime ago (link ), I got a lot of comments and emails from readers. There's a big interest in such a product. Raleri were kind enough to send me some samples of their visors for me to test and review.
This review is for their PCShade product. The visor changes tint depending on the strength of the sunlight, much like some glasses you see on people (you know the kind, when someone walks into a room from the outside, and the glasses remain dark for ages...). Initially I was a bit sceptical about this, having had glasses ages ago that did the same. But there no reason to be worried, since technology has evolved in the Photochromic field. The Raleri PCShade changes tint rapidly. In about 4 to 5 seconds, your visor fully changes tint!
To place the Raleri visor inside your helmet takes a few seconds. It really is simple, even for a two-left handed person like me. I initially placed the visor inside my BMW EVO 4 helmet. The Raleri does NOT replace your current visor, but is inserted inside the helmet, against the current visor.
Raleri visor behind the BMW visor (the Raleri is normally clear, but there was sun when I took the photo)
The BMW EVO4 helmet with the Raleri PCShade visor (sorry for the dirty helmet). I placed the Raleri high up, so I could make a video showing you the difference between the normal visor and the Raleri.
Have a look at the video below, from the Raleri company itself, on how the visor is inserted. The advantage of the PC Shade visor is that it is not placed permanently, you can take it out in seconds, and place it in another helmet (do watch out for the size, since they have 3 different sizes).
Raleri PCShade Visor Install (3 minutes 2 seconds)
I did a run on my Ducati using the visor, and must say, it worked as advertized. Going through a road in the forest, where it was pretty dark and sober, coming out of the forest into the sun, the visor changed quickly. Within about 5 seconds it had reached maximum darkness, but already within a second or two, the visor had changed its tint sufficiently for me to see without squinting.
It's a bit difficult to show you the changes, since I'd need a very small camera inside my helmet, so instead, I'll show you a static view, i.e., I placed my iPhone inside my helmet and walked it from the garage to the garden. The garage is dark, and the first steps into the garden the sun is behind me, but there's a strong glare coming from the reflection of my wife's car. Then I turned into the sun.
I then walked into our enclosed swimming pool area where it is always very humid to test what would happen with fogging. There was no noticeable difference between with or without the visor; the visor fogged up. But the fog cleared up faster with the Raleri, so that was a positive surprise.
The first part of the video shows the "trip" without a visor, the 2nd part is done with the Raleri visor. Towards the end of the video, you'll see the difference in tints if you look below the Raleri visor. You'll see the grass in two different colors. The visor barely changes tint in the daylight when the sun is behind me, which is what it should do. But when I turn into the sun, it becomes dark.
NOTE: There's no audio. Sorry for the spots on the BMW visor, it has been used extensively.
Raleri PCShade Test (49 seconds)
I also tried the PC Shade on a Schuberth C2 helmet, which has a double visor, and that worked fine. Obviously, the C2 has its own built in sun visor, so there's little need for a Photochromic visor, but it shows that you can use it almost anywhere.
Summary: I was impressed. It works very well, and for the price, it's a worthwhile addition. If you're just going to the local Starbucks, there's little need, but if you're planning on longer journeys, where you'll be going through tunnels, forests, or other darker portions, and then into lighter portions, it's very handy to have.
Update After publishing the review, I have learned from Raleri, that like with all photochromic gear (glasses, etc), they loose their changing ability over time. According to the manufacturer, the PCShade is good for a full riding season. But the interesting addition is that the visor will turn a light shade of pink, which is useful for riding when a high contrast is needed, like during fog or snow. So, it's an added advantage. Use it for the summer as dark visor, and when the fog and snow comes, use it for contrast.
If you want an instantaneous dark or light visor, you'll need to Raleri LCDrive visor, a LCD based visor. Tomorrow will be reviewing and testing the Raleri LCDrive visor. Click here to read the review of the LCDrive .
Cost: €36.90
Availability: Now
Click here for to access the Raleri site where you can order the visors .
Click here for more info on the Raleri Photochromic visor .
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Product Review: Raleri Photochromic Motorcycle Helmet Visor
Technorati :Helmets Motorbikes Motorcycles Photochromic Product Review Review Visor |
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Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 |
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