The Complete Guide to Vinyl Wrapping

I can do it, you can do it! DIY ‘Do It Yourself’ – for the Bike

For detailed how to instructions on how to do vinyl wrapping please see my article How to vinyl wrap a motorcycle. This article will talk you through the pros, cons and tips on vinyl wrapping motorcycle fuel tanks and fairings.

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How it started

Vinyl wrapping, for me, started when we bought our first camper van, a Mercedes-Benz Viano. I stood back looking at it and decided that a dark grey just wasn’t the visual impact we were looking for. So I looked into getting a spay job or a professional wrap, but after falling off my chair in shock at the cost…I decided that vinyl wrapping…well, it can’t be that hard…right?

This was when YouTube came into its element, a few hours later I’d watched a bunch of videos and read countless articles, and I vaguely felt ready to go. I committed, ordered the wrap and eagerly awaited its arrival.

Having taken on the challenge there was no way I was going to give up, and yes, vinyl wrapping does take some skill and a lot of time and patience. However, it’s easily achievable as a home job. I started with the van going matt black and 4 years later changing it to matt metallic blue [I fancied a change]. It was at this point I stood looking at the leftovers and eyeing up my Harley-Davidson Street Bob…it was happening! The bike was definitely harder than the van due to the contours of the tank, but it can’t have been that bad as I’ve most recently done a matt metallic red job on the Forty-Eight too.

I would encourage everyone to give it a go, and I hope the below

helps arm you with all the information you need to successful wrap your bike or car!

Make sure you follow me on Instagram @thegirlonabike

Pros of Wrapping

• It’s a completely reversible process so if you get bored, you can simply pull it off and start again, or go back to the original colour
• If it becomes damaged simply redo it [although the wrap will last for years if you want it to]
• Acts as a protective layer, keeping your paintwork in perfect condition underneath
• If you scratch a panel, you can literally just rewrap it, much cheaper than a paint job
• Provides cost-effective customisation options for texture, colours and materials that would normally be very expensive
• At a glance, you can’t tell its wrap and not a paint finish
• Wrap gives the high-end quality of paint at a fraction of the cost

Cons of Wrapping

• There aren’t many…
• It takes time and patience
• If done poorly it can bubble and wrinkle
• You need to notify your insurance that the vehicle colour has changed but that’s a quick phone call
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  Tools Needed

• 3M vinyl wrap [don’t buy a cheaper alternative]
• 3M primer [for complex areas]
• Lint-free cloth
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Felt pad [or soft flat edged item roughly credit card sized]
• Stanley knife blade
• Heat gun or decent hair dryer
• Large picture frame [for wrapping tanks]

Why only 3M?

From my experience, 3M is the leader in high-performance film.   As a product developed with 3M’s vast experience, it really is like the Ferrari of wraps.   No other product comes near.

• It comes ready to use right out of the box as a self-adhesive vinyl
• It handles easily, with a perfect balance between flex and rigidity
• It’s semi-permeable allowing air to escape, preventing and eliminating bubbles
• It is a pressure-activated adhesive, which enables you to apply and reposition until you have the perfect finish.

Yes, there are cheaper competitor brands out there, but ultimately wrapping is a tricky game so why make it harder with inferior materials.  Buy the best and make life easier for yourself!

If you’ve read this and feel ready, then please check out my how to wrap a motorcycle article for all the steps needed for a home-professional job!

Ease of Completion

Honest answer. It’s tricky. It takes patience and a steady hand. But! It is achievable without being a professional. The pro’s will tell you it’s not a home job, but I’m proof it can be!

Crowd Reaction

Mega! The bragging right of being able to say you wrapped it yourself is awesome. If you pick the right colour, the light will pop like no paintwork and draw attention. Vinyl wrapping, and the ability to simply change colour when you fancy it means you can trick people with your new ride [which is simply a new wrap].

People are genuinely fascinated by the wrap finish.

£££

For a motorcycle like a Sportster or DYNA if you buy 3 metres x 1.5 metres of wrap you’ll have more than enough [just in case you have to restart a piece]. Alcohol will be a few quid, along with a foam pad. As you’re doing it yourself, it’s a labour of love so no more costs other than time.

I estimate vinyl wrapping your bike to cost about £120 / €150 / $170

I recommend Motos.pl for buying wrap. It’s a great fast service and the cheapest sources of original 3m vinyl wrap.

Highlights

1. New look for a fraction of the cost
2. Satisfaction of doing it yourself
3. Totally achievable as an amateur

Tips from Experience

• Have a friend help, 4 hands make it a lot easier than 2
• Start with an easier item with the least amount of contour, leave the tank to last!
• Avoid wrapping in cold weather
• Leave plenty of time – don’t try and do it in a rush
• Don’t start if you’re tired; you need patience and energy
• Have some snacks and a kettle for tea/coffee nearby to keep you fuelled
• If the heat gun burns your fingers it will burn the wrap
• Be prepared to write off some wrap and start again if it goes wrong

Overall Rating

Vinyl wrapping gives your ride a totally new look for a fraction of the cost and also protects your paintwork. It does take time and patience, but it’s so worth it for the finish and bragging rights.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

What to pack on a motorcycle

Packing for a two-week adventure on a motorcycle can be daunting, there are always so many things you want to bring but just can’t fit in. Wouldn’t it be great to have a new set of clothes for each day and have the capacity to bring loads? However, we all know the reality – there really isn’t much space! It’s a fine balance between having what you want and having a bike loaded to a comfortable weight for fun riding. Motorcycle packing strategically is key.

Following doing a near 3,000 mile road trip around some of the best riding roads in Europe with Tour1 [read more here] I learned a lot about what to take, as well as a few tricks to maximise the limited space. Packing light but with enough, and it’s easily possible. As lots of you have asked where all my kit was, just two bike panniers and no rucksack, I thought I’d explain what I packed into my two panniers and give you some tips on how I need so little, plus a few must haves!

Kit wise I’m pretty much riding in the same stuff but there is my kit list:

Main riding hear

• Jacket Klim Drifter offering super comfort, water resistant, lots of pockets and full protection. It’s a nice long jacket too so no drafts on such a long ride
• Kevlar jeans Draggin Jeans and Rokker Rokkertech two pairs to give me variation and again both fully protective 👖
• Waterpoor HD Footwear motorcycle boots – great on the bike but also awesome style for evenings
• HJC RPHA 70 helmet with integrated sun glasses

Base layers and pants

• I always take Ice Breaker Marino wool socks but just one pair for the two weeks. Yup, I’m in the same pair for two weeks – washing once mid trip. The magic of natural wool is no smelly socks! Their natural fibres keep them fresh and wearable continually. I promise 😉🧦
• Underwear I rinse out and dry overnight, the benefit of small female nickers, so I’ve took 5 pairs just to be safe 👙 Guys you’re boxers will be slightly bigger of course but again super easy to rinse out with some hotel soap and dry overnight. The hotel hairdryer can always help should they be a little damp.
• Base layers are Klim or Ice Breaker, breathable and warm so easy to rinse out as needed, plus due to the wool content, wearable for multiple days.

Casual wear

• Small tops – I always go for layers so a selection of small tops to pop under and over for different looks and layered warmth is ideal 👚👕 This gives lots of variety too
• Neck buff for warmth
• Jumper for evenings and extra warmth riding
• Pair of shorts to cool down on longer stops
• Bikini to enjoy hotel pools and mountain lakes
• Sports bra and leggings for yoga and stretching
• A small silk dress because you never know when you might want to dress up for a nice dinner. Silk doesn’t crease so it’s ideal for stuffing in a bag and pulling out without worry

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Tech

• iPhone 8 plus for pictures, absolutely great camera and I go by the saying ‘the best camera you’ll ever have is the one in your pocket’ always there ready to capture the moment 📱
• Phone charger USB and I charge while riding on a USB pig tail
• For music, satnav and chatting hubby and I use Intercom to talk and bob away to music. We’ve for the Cardos PactTalk Bold. Absolutely fantastic tech, you can have you music playing and talk at the same time, like you would with the radio in a car. Epic!
• A small tripod for the iphone and a DJI gimbal to get stable shots helps the image gathering

Road side eating

• I love escaping the beaten track and expensive coffee shops so always have my Jetboil for road side food and coffees. A few just add pasta sachets spiced up by some local sausage is always a winner along with a nice coffer. I get coffee sachets with milk power already combined for convenience. This enables a stop in some of the most remote scenic spots and saves a few pennies enjoying the wilderness ☕🍝
• We throw in our For The Shore travel mugs to drink and eat out of too with a titanium travel spoon
• Leatherman knife

The essentials

• Considering the weather is about as unreliable as a herd of pissed off cats, I always have my waterproofs! As a military lover I’ve got my full camo wannabe Gortex jacket and trousers 💦 Not the safest colour I realise but I love them as you will not be getting wet!
• Finally flipflops to let the toes breath in the evenings. I have the Reef pair with a bottle opener on the sole, great for a beer!
• Sunglasses
• Wash kit and make-up, probably one of the larger items I pack to be honest but I wouldn’t want to be without my mascara. I decant everything into small travel bottles to save space and weight and always make sure to have eco soap so that a random wash in a stream is ok.

And that’s all I need. And boy I’m glad I didn’t strap lots of bags on top as the weight would not have been fun on all the mountain hairpins 🤘🏼

Light, nimble and equipped.

What about bike camping? 

Some of you will have seen that I’m also a huge fan of bike camping too, so how to we get that kit on a bike?

My kit list doesn’t really change, I just add a few bits and then use my fully waterproof Overboard duffel bag to strap it across the rear fender.

Camping extras

• Sleeping bag – I’ve got a very small high performance sleeping back for optimum use of space and it just stuffs into a tiny bag
• Roll mats – again I’ve gone for one that is compact but while also offering superb comfort. You have to pay a little more for these once but if you consider that you’re camping and not paying for a hotel it quickly pays for itself and I like a good night’s sleep
• Tent – hubby and I have a light weight compact two-man North Face tent. It’s small and light but big enough for two to sleep like babies
• Travel towel – again it’s small and compact for space saving but ideal for a quick wash in a river or campsite shower

Camp cooking

• I’ve already for the Jetboil listed above so that’s teas, coffees, pasta, ravioli, porridge for breakfast covered, a travel mug and spoon
• All we need to add is BBQ cooking! We tend to use a log fire for fuel, sourced near where camping, and then take a grill with us which slide into a ruck sack easily [one hubby carries]. This can then be propped on logs over the fire and enable us to cook veggies, steak, sausages or what ever takes our fancy

That’s about it! Simple list, minimal extras and light weight / compact enough to put on the back of a Harley.

I’ve love to hear your thoughts so please do comment below or message me on Instagram.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harley’s and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

Pass Masters – Motorcycle Ride the Best of Europe and the Alps

Europe’s best alpine passes strung together into 2700 miles of touring heaven

Words by Vanessa Ruck, Shots by Alex Ruck

Thinking about making an epic road trip? Then get up and go! I guarantee you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. The world is filled by some seriously spectacular roads and stunning, and for me in the UK these views are waiting just a short hop away across the English Channel.

Plunge deep into the Alps and you will soon lose count of how many times you mutter ‘wow’ to yourself as mountain passes, aggressive climbs and plunging descents unfurl before you around every turn. I’ve seen the rugged Alpine peaks countless times as a snowboarder, but I have to say I’ve been naïve to the wonders of mountains in summer time. Picture rugged untouched terrain as far as the eye can see. Snow peaked mountains, cyan lakes, raging waterfalls and rolling highlands. It’s an addictive riding heaven of roads intertwined with steep drop offs, powerful rivers, epic skyscapes and endless switchbacks.

Boarding the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone and throttling across France, Belgium and Germany is hardly a dull schlep, either. The tour route takes you down the stunning B500, and delivers you through endless ribbons of tarmac wrapped in stunning scenery. It’s the ultimate aperitif to a tarmac glutton’s main course.

But when you’re undertaking a 2700-mile-plus road trip like this it’s easy to get stressed out. Have I picked the best route? Are the roads going to be as good as I hoped? Will the hotels be alright? Can I handle the distances between stops? What if I miss the best passes?

But for me, as I packed my last few bits into my panniers to start the adventure of a lifetime, there wasn’t a worry or question in my mind. I had officially offloaded all for that by booking a guided tour with Tour1 – allowing us to simply concentrate on the ride of our life instead.

The tour guys recce everything for you, research all the best routes, test the hotels and pick the ultimate roads, restaurants and coffee stops to make your 13-day ride as perfect as possible. They’ve done the routes so many times that they take the stress out of contingency management, too. Say your Euro Tunnel is delayed by four hours (yup, that happened), they know how to get you back on time with the group. Or what if a landslide closes a mountain pass (yes, this happened too)? You can simply put your feet up with a coffee while they’re planning an equally impressive alternative route. The only variable no-one can plan for is the weather, but in the Alps that can change between passes, let alone days – meaning that the ever-changing landscape comes with equally changeable micro-climates.

In the UK you can get onto a beautiful road littered with sweeping turns and breath-taking scenery, but before you’ve really settled into the flow, the road runs out. Go to the Alps and you can have this all day, every day. If you pick the right tour route you’re going to be immersed in some technical and challenging riding, too. Take the Stelvio Pass, the third highest pass in the Alps.

Stelvio Pass

At 9045 feet, it offers 75 hair-raising hairpins and views that will make your stomach lurch. Or the Passo di Gavia – listed as one of the world’s most dangerous roads. It’s a single-track assent with oncoming cars, bikes and bicycles, potholes galore, gravel, rock slides and unpredictable weather. For some it’s the ultimate challenge, while for others it was a risk too far – but no-one is forcing you to tackle the climb.

St Gotthards Pass

Then there’s the historic St Gotthard Pass in Switzerland. While it’s not a fast road it is both challenging and breath-taking with its cobblestone hairpin bends.

Initially, I was wobbling around like a new-born Bambi, uneasy on the uneven surface, but after stringing just a few switchbacks together I started to realise how much grip was available, and it turned into one of the highlights of the tour. But there are many more passes that are just as good without having achieved such fame or notoriety, and even the roads that connect the passes are often gorgeous valley sweepers that ebb and flow through towns and lush lowlands, providing a welcome breather before the next dramatic ascent. I genuinely had sore abs on some of the days from leaning my 320kg Sport Glide over around corner after corner on so many passes.

There’s confidence and safety in numbers, too. Our gang of 15 thudding Harley-Davidson’s was pretty difficult for drivers to ignore, and the range of experience and skills in the group meant we always had a solution for every eventuality.

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You then have the skills you can learn from such a group too. At a minimum the tour leader is going to be an advanced rider capable of teaching you a few tricks, but at best there will be some agile, smooth and damn awesome riders to rub shoulders with. For me, a Kiwi guy became by favourite back wheel to follow. Learning off his lines, taking guidance from his speed. It was an incredible way to develop my riding. Had I done the same route without the experienced lead I can guarantee I wouldn’t have developed to such a level.

But if you’ve ever ridden in a big group you’ll maybe wonder how on earth you keep 15 bikes together when riding unknown terrain with the lead man on nav duties! Introducing the buddy system. It kept us linked together while also allowing us to ride to our own abilities, the fast riders at the front. Ultimately, each rider was responsible for making sure their ‘buddy’ – the rider behind – knew where to go at any turn off. Ride the straights, stop to wait at junctions. Easy. Doing this mileage in a group really was something special. The looks on locals’ faces as the thunder of engines rolled through, we even had a nursing home out on the pavement when we stopped nearby. Judging by the smiles on their faces they’ll have chattered about us bikers for weeks.

Cultural variances

It was lovely riding between so many countries was the subtle transformation of cultures. While boarder-less in the EU, you could quickly tell you had changed country. The tour threads its way through nine in total, and the transformation of cultures as you cross each border adds a subtly different flavour to each leg of the trip. From gorgeous Swiss mountain lodges, to chiming cow bells and lederhosen in Austria, and seemingly infinite local beers to enjoy after a day’s riding – travelling on a motorcycle gets you closer to every country you ride through.

Along with the incredible engineering of the mountain roads comes a refreshing exposure to the opportunity for natural selection to take control, too. High-altitude passes with sheer drop-offs and no guard-rails, totally exposed hairpins, and the occasional rockslide, herd of cattle or throng of Lycra-clad cyclists adding to the road surface challenges. It’s liberating riding in a place where your safety isn’t cocooned by the health and safety police. It’s sensory overload, too, as the potential for disaster spikes your pulse with adrenaline while your eyes struggle to drink in the scenery, and you try to ensure you don’t start fixating on the drops. It’s a riding nirvana that leaves you really feeling like you’re living on the edge. Quite literally.

Lycra

But something I never anticipated about riding the Alps was racing bodies in Lycra. Yup, that’s Lycra not leathers. The Alps attracts a huge volume of cyclists and with their light weight ballsy set up they can absolutely hoon it down the mountains. They have crazy grip, enabling mind blowing cornering speed. I genuinely found myself behind a clearly very experienced man in skin hugging lycra and I ended up sat following him for a good mile. Partly because the short straights between the tight corners with oncoming traffic was just a little tight to squeeze past and his corners were rapid with his nimble agility. But if I’m honest, I was probably enjoying his firm calves and bottom too. Nuts to think I had a 1745cc engine and he had his legs. Don’t’ worry, I smashed him on the up!

And boy some of the ups were huge! If you want guaranteed pothole free riding, where you can power around any corner with confidence in the rubber to road traction, then Austria and Switzerland are the places for you. 

As a relatively new biker, only really taking up two-wheels after my road traffic accident in early 2014, the Alps offered a huge learning curve for my riding. I can’t even think of a hair pin bend in proximity to home, let alone turn after turn. But diving straight into the deep end with a mountain tour, it didn’t take long to get the feel of the riding, pegs down grinning from ear to ear. And now, having completed a 2,700 mile trip around the Alps I feel more confident and more secure in my every day riding than ever before.

Don’t miss…

• The B500 through Germany’s Black Forest on the way South.
• Cobblestone hairpins might not sound appealing, but it’s a rare treat, and you’ll have to get used to it to ride the fantastic St Gotthard Pass
• The Steak House Braulio, in Bormio – providing you’re not a vegetarian. It’s epic.
• Taking a swim in a mountain lake – it will burn like hell because it’s so cold but it’s unmissable.
• The Passo di Gavia pass – a single-track mountain pass that will scare and thrill in equal measure.

Top tips for touring happiness

• Research the tour, scroll social media of previous trips, read into the details thoroughly and make sure the route, schedule, and likely companions are your cup of tea.
• Pack light! You don’t want to fill every inch of your panniers or be strapping bags on every day. You have to carry everything with you each day, so the less clutter you carry, the happier you’ll be, and the better your bike will handle.
• Pack your swimmers – some hotels have pools but they can’t compete with a dip in an ice-cold turquoise mountain lake in the shadow of the Dolomites.
• Do some loaded practice rides. Riding 150-200 miles per day for 13 days on the trot soon adds up. Do a few long weekend rides to get your body used to spending a lot of time in the saddle.

My Trip Kit

• Klim Drifter Jacket
• Draggin Twister and Rokker Rokkertech protective jeans
• HJC motorcycle helmet, model RPHA 70
• HD footwear boots
• Harley-Davidson Sport Glide [see review here]

Book and go

Tour1 is an official Harley-Davidson tour operator with trips in US, UK and Europe. For more information on their tours check out www.tour1.com

Our tour was ‘Altitude with Attitude’, and is aimed at riding fantastic mountain passes the best bits of Switzerland, Italy and Austria. That means legendary passes such as the Stelvio and Grossglockner Pass, plus 33 others! The tour includes your route down to the Alps and back again, too – which is a great ride in itself. This is Tour1’s most dramatic tour, for experienced riders who want a real adventure on twisty roads on a Harley-Davidson.

Fact File

• Distance: 2160 miles [from Folkstone]
• 2019 Prices start from £2225 for rider sharing a room
• Two riders sharing a room, price each £2225
• Single rider in his/her own room £2855
• Rider and pillion sharing a room £3595
• Prices include Eurotunnel crossing, all accommodation (3 and 4 star), and some meals.

Get in touch via Instagram if you have any questions.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harley’s and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

KTM 200 EXC 2-stroke bottom and top end engine rebuild videos

Watch a full engine rebuild of a 2-stroke KTM EXC bottom end and bottom end. Including getting the transmission, gearing, the crank into the cases, piston, seals and getting it all together.

Bottom End

Top End

It shows how easy it is to do, I learned from the manual and YouTube. If I can do it, you can do it!

Filmed by Alex Ruck @ruckymonster

Music from Bensound.com

Parts from: Wossner Pistons Premier Bikes Ams4ktm Allballs Racing Hot Rods Products Tengtools KTM Big_d_speedshop New Age Products inc Rebels_ring

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harley’s and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

2018 Harley-Davidson Sport Glide Review

The 2018 Harley-Davidson Sport Glide has definitely won my heart and as so many have asked what I think, here’s my review on this new breed of Harley-Davidson:

I conducted my Sport Glide review on a 2,700 mile road trip with Tour1 starting from the UK, heading across 9 European countries, completing over 35 mountain passes, motorway, winding roads and more hairpins than you can shake a stick at.

The Sport Glide offers a big bike in a small package with the new 107 Milwaukee engine (1745cc) laying down 83bhp prior to any upgrades [I’d absolutely love to try one with a Stage 1 and some feisty Vance & Hines pipes]. The power is on tap and delivers plentiful torque for passing on hairpins or blasting past Sunday drivers. I always felt like she had so much to give!

Feel

Despite the size, weighing in at 317kg, Harley have done a superb job of distributing the load. The bike feels light and agile, especially compared to my similar weight 2015 Street Bob, the load is low making for a really nimble ride. Easy for smaller riders to handle yet big enough for everyone. The light feel means it’s easy to push round corners for some peg scraping enjoyment and the V-twin motor drives out of bends and past dawdling motorists with ease.

Comfort

The ride comfort is like no Harley I’ve ridden, smooth and refined. Two balance shafts are calibrated to perfection giving a super smooth ride but with just the right amount of energy to keep its Harley soul as you potato-potato along. Character and comfort perfectly refined. With the mileage we did on alpine roads I have to say I was super content. The riding position and forward controls just felt perfect, equipped with the new suspension that sucks up the terrain. And considering we did some cobbled mountain passes and Italy’s rather pothole riddled roads, I was very pleased with the suspension. For the motorways the modest fairing does a surprising amount too, I felt protected, allowing for minimal wind fatigue.

Look and feel

The craftsmanship is fantastic, tidy welds, extensive use of steel, deep gloss paint and the beautifully engineered panniers, it just screams quality and worth a good chunk of change.

When it comes to design she’s definitely a head turner too. Elegant lines combined with a stocky road presence. The clever quick release panniers, luggage rack and fairing mean you can quickly go from touring to cruising mode too. I really do think it looks fantastic and was rather tickled by how much attention she received.

Synopsis of my Harley-Davidson Sport Glide review

I could see myself happily commuting with its practical luggage, while being a head turner for cruising and yet also offering great comfort for the longer tours. With 2,714 miles together on Tour1, I can vouch first hand.

Yeah, it’s not going to be for everyone, but I can’t stress enough how I wish more people would try a Harley before deciding they’re not for them. This guy is a beast 💖

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

How my love for CTEK started

I guess my discovery of the CTEK battery sense started in the same way that most people fall out with their motorcycle. A beautiful morning, the whole landscape was bathed in the warm glow of the rising sun. The perfect day to ride to work on my Harley-Davidson. It was also a rather important day as I had a job interview. I was a little nervous but I kitted myself up, prepared my mind and headed out to the garage. This was where it all went wrong. Thug, my Street Bob wouldn’t start. Totally flat battery! And I had even started her the night before to check all was ok…. Argh I’m going to be late. I tried to get her going, ‘sputter, sputter, sputter’ and nothing. We weren’t going anywhere.

I assessed the time and decided to plug her in to charge in my CT5 Powers Sport charger and give her a ten-minute boost. Unfortunately, I tried a little too early and without enough juice to turn her over fully I just drained the battery again. By this time, I had no choice but to ditch the bike and go in the car…but I was in bike kit! You can rock up to an interview in bike kit on a bike but in a car you just look silly…. I had to change.

Anyway, long story short…

My bike wouldn’t start because of a flat battery… I had to call ahead and say I was running late due to a vehicle issue but I eventually made it ten minutes late.

I’ve always been really good with my battery maintenance, periodically using a trickle charger and doing battery reconditioning but this morning I knew I needed to do more. The disappointment of getting out to the garage and not being able to ride because of a flat. That sucks. It’s totally preventable so I made it my mission to find a solution…

Introducing the CTEK Battery Sense. So how to I rate it?

You might wonder how you can rock up for an Account Director role in a marketing agency in bike kit, so I’ll divulge. With Bowtex Kevlar leggings you can wear any clothing and have all the protection underneath in the protective base layer. Add my smartest jeans over the top, my bad ass but smart HD-Footwear boots, a nice shirt and suit jacket and of course my leather Richa jacket. Boom, dressed for an interview. Oh and I got the job!

What is it

It’s a small unit that you wire into your vehicle battery and secure under your seat or another concealed position. This little device then monitors your battery state and pings the data straight to your smart phone. You might wonder why bother? Ultimately batteries can get sick, drain of power or die all together, but with the right battery maintenance you can make your battery performance last longer and be considerably more reliable – meaning a more dependable bike, less breakdowns and less money on batteries over the years. The challenge is knowing when your battery needs some extra love. Batteries don’t have a status panel and generally don’t warn you that it’s struggling until it’s too late and won’t fire up your ride.

This smart battery management device gives you the power in your smart phone to know what your battery needs by tracking the health of your battery. The apps free and will update every time you’re in range for Bluetooth [iPhone or Android App].

Another cool thing about it is the ability to have multiple devices paired to the one app, which means if you’re lucky enough to have multiple bikes or vehicles you can sync them all up.

Ease of use

All the data is presented in a really simple visual display within the app; % of battery charge with colour coding, which also directly tells you the action required:

• Sad Red – charge now
• Warning Yellow – charge soon
• Happy Green – Battery ok

You can then see your batteries % history plotted on a graph. This is great for seeing how the deterioration of the battery has happened over time. If it’s a sudden drop in charge you can probably relate it to something being left on draining the power, a steady decline could highlight a battery in need of reconditioning, but a gradual line could simply be a result of being sat for too long. All of which, depending on the severity of the deterioration, can be helped using a CTEK CT5 Powers Sport charger [more to follow on this].

One of my favourite parts of the battery sensor is the alerting function as I’m honestly not going to remember to check my battery regularly – even with a clever app! The app is programmed to warn you of actions so if your battery status changes or reaches a critical level the app will give you a push notification. Similarly, when it’s not managed to connect for 7 days you’ll get a heads up. You can then reconnect and the historical stored data from when you were away will load up too. Never get to your bike and find a flat battery again!

Stats given:

• % percentage of battery charge
• Direction on actions required [charge now or soon]
• Battery temperature [in centigrade or Fahrenheit – 0 °C = 32 °F.]
• Voltage

The Techy Bits

• Suitable for all car, motorcycle and engine starter batteries 4.5AH or over
• Compatible with Android OS 4.4 and higher, iPhone iOS 7 and higher, Bluetooth® 4.0
• Easy to understand smart phone application and monitor with free app download
• Can sync with multiple monitors to keep on top of all your vehicles
• Stores up to three months of stats.
• Notifications if battery’s state of charge falls to a critical level or if measurements not taken for seven days
• 2-year warranty

Limitations

• As it’s Bluetooth you have to be within range of your bike. For me, my garage is a little too far away from my house to get the stats without heading out. But I do walk past it every day coming and going and get the latest info.
• It’s not a limitation of the product so much, but for me on my Street Bob I did have to wiggle about a lot and shift my wiring to get the small device to fit on the battery – probably because I have a few accessories already. I got it working no dramas but you might have to squeezy and tidy a little.

£££

They are on the pricey side at around at around £40-50, however it’s about the price you put on being able to ride and for me having an automatic alert if my battery is needing attention is worth every penny. Avoiding the disappointment of a ‘sputter, sputter, sputter’ is worth every penny.  Also, by monitoring your battery condition, you can prevent a deep discharge occurring, which will result in loss of performance and early replacement.

Highlights

1. Works on all 12V batteries (lead acid)
2. Ensures your battery is ready to go when you are
3. Battery status data straight to your smart phone

Tips From Experience

• I highly recommend getting the CT5 Powersport battery charger with priority, if you’ve got to choose, get the charger over the sensor. With bikes I find they can sometimes be left un-ridden for weeks [winter, holiday away, life being too busy etc.] and so you can leave this plugged in and know that your ride will be ready to go when you are. It’s designed specifically to charge and maintain batteries with three fully automatic charging and maintenance programs – Normal, AGM and Reconditioning. I’m in the habit of having it permanently connected when parked up, it’s designed to be so it won’t over or under charge. It’s easy to use and works with all types of powersport 12V lead acid batteries. It’s kind of magic how a totally dead battery that you thought was only destined for scrap can be fully reconditioned and live on reliably after a CT5 revamp – saves you money on battery’s.

Overall Rating

Small but highly powerful and practical device giving you the confidence that you’re ride will be ready to go when you are. Looks after your battery for the longest life possible to give the most reliable performance so that nothing can come between you and that adventure.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.