Schuberth's S2 was designed with one main goal at heart; to provide the ultimate all-round motorcycle helmet option. And having utilized 90 years of experience with a development cost of 6,3 million Euro (around 245,000,000 THB), the German brand is confident it has achieved its intentions, creating a full face motorcycle helmet that is as suitable for cruising as it is for track days.

It's also Schuberth's most innovative motorcycle helmet to date, boasting among many other features a dual antenna system integrated into the helmet's construction; designed to optimize Bluetooth and radio reception. The integration of dual antennas into the helmet's design is a world first. Their addition means that Bluetooth and radio functions are better and easier than ever to operate, especially when used in collaboration with the proprietary SRC communication system.

And the functions don't stop there. A retractable sun visor and sophisticated, all-new ventilation system ensures rider comfort, while advanced aerodynamics ensure minimal turbulence; reducing wind noise to a claimed 85dB/A at 90km/h.

I started using racing brake fluid shortly after my 1000cc sportsbike revealed its lack of front-end stopping power last year. Before you complain at the idea of using race brake fluid on the road, it fully meets the requirements of the DOT 4 brake fluid specifications, including low-temp performance and longevity. In other words, it's fine for road use where DOT 4 is specified.

I deliberately worked through each brake assembly component on my motorcycle (fluid, then hoses, then pads) to find the problem, and felt the difference when the brake fluid was switched. It helped to firm the performance up a little (it was improved more significantly with braided hoses) but more importantly it helped stop the biggest problem day-to-day for me, a front brake lever having pressure one minute and none the next.

We've tried a few adventure helmets, now it's time to try one of the main leaders in the adventure helmet scene, the Arai XD-3. Not only is this premium-quality helmet made from the best materials, it looks the goods and works well. It's availale from XS to size XXL, and there is an array of plain and graphics color to choose from, the Arai XD-3 helmet in the picture is the Trek-Red Arai XD-3 helmet.

A special feature of the Arai XD-3 helmet is the high-flow peak, which channels air directly into the front vents. This not only directs air into the vents, it is the most stable peak I've ever used on an adventure or dirt bike-style helmet at any speed. A nice finishing touch to show the quality and thought gone into the build of the Arai XD-3 is a blacked-out section under the front of the peak, which keeps light reflection to a minimum.

Keeping you cool, the Arai XD-3 helmet has four top vents: dual intake/dual exhaust ventilation top vents and double delta bridged exhaust vents designed to draw significant volumes of air from the helmet interior.

One the chin bar, there is a large vent that allows masses of air flow. One great feature of the Arai XD-3 helmet is that it also stars interior and exterior controls that flow fresh air to the mouth area or across the shield interior to help prevent fogging: now you can have just the right setting, depending on the conditions.

The knee-slider inhabits an almost sacred place in the wardrobe of many motorcyclists. It's the plastic equivalent of a mission statement: 'I'm a sportsbike rider, and I ride fast'. Equally, leather trews devoid of sliders unavoidably imply the opposite: 'I'm a sensible road rider, and my knees will be getting nowhere near the Tarmac, thanks very much'. Come on, admit it, there's covert politics at work. Fashion-conscious women judge each other by jeans size or brand of handbag; we motorcyclists judge each other by the state of our kit and our kneesliders. You'd better get used to it – and make the right choice for your sliders.

Did you get your knee down? Your friends are bound to ask. And, like everything, your sliders don't lie. If you're the kind of rider who doesn't attack corners with knee-cocked intent, then you're better off riding 'sliderless'. A pair of perennially unscuffed sliders will attract more taunts down the track than a few girls in hot pants.

There're ways to cheat, like using sanding machine or getting angry with a rasp, but cheats always get found out in the end. If you want to wear sliders with credibility, you need to get your knee down for real.

Most road tires will have 5 to 6 millimeters of tread on the front and similar tread on the rear tire when they’re new (depth varies slightly for wider/narrower tires). Motorcycle tire manufacturer’s tests shown tire wear is quite linear, but as the tire gets towards the last millimeter, it actually slows very slightly. Also with the latest compound technology, performance reduction as a tire wears is negligible unlike old tires which could get quite nasty when they got low on tread.

The legal minimum is one millimeter of tread (well, never seen a police officer actually checking the tires).

Advanced production requires tighter tolerance. Making modern motorcycle engines, gears, valves pneumatics and hydraulics, to name just a few, requires honing of their parts with tolerances as tight as +/- 0.0002. As a result, engines, gearboxes and transmissions run quieter, smoother, and have a longer life.

Honing or holing is one of the few metalworking processes where manual machines are still popular and used by many manufacturers and shops for basic bore sizing and finishing. However, as the needs for better quality and tighter tolerance parts increases, the motorcycle industry has responded with CNC holing machines; whereby some machine makers are capable of controlling hole sizes to accuracies of +/- 0.0001 with minimum variation and almost no operator intervention in the process.

The Michelin Anakee 2, the second take on the adventure tire market. Sequels can often be a disappointment. A heap of anticipation, based on how cool you thought the first movie, gets smashed to bits by a lazy cash-cow wallowing in the glory of the original. Jaws 2 is one historic example. Fortunately tire companies can't really afford to pump out cash-cows. By their nature, new tires need to be better, improved versions of the predecessor.

The Michelin Anakee 2, is certainly an improvement. In simple terms Michelin claims the Anakee-2 steps up the performance of the 'old' Michelin Anakee, without losing any of the tire's life. So, more feel, better grip, without the compromise in tire-life you might imagine would be a consequence.

The Adventure/tourer/giant trailie market is one of the fastest-growing sector in Thailand so there is a growing number of adventure riders who are crying out for better grip and feel in what is still a fairly limited sector of the tire market.

Shoei helmets are the safety equipment of choice for some of the worlds top motorcycle competitors who rely on the best equipment when competing.

The Shoei X-Spirit 2 helmet has a shock-absorbent shell with optimum rigidity a mist-retardant CW-1 pinlock visor and an Emergency Quick Release System (EQRS) to safely remove the helmet at an accident. The chin curtain reduces air turbulence in the helmet while the inlet vents on the upper head area, brow and chin ensure fresh air supply while the side vents extract the exhaled air. The Shoei X-Spirit 2 motorcycle helmet is available in four different outer shell constructions for a perfect fit and compact dimension and weights 1450 grams.

If ever there was a demonstration of how far behind motorcycle engineering is compared to car technology, it's in the implementation of variable valve timing, which first appeared on the Alfa Romeo Spider back in the '80s – but didn't make it onto motorcycle until 2008 when Kawasaki came with the 1400GTR.

Motorcycles are very far behind cars with regards to variable valve lift, despite the fact that Honda has used its 'Hyper-VTEC' badge on several motorcycle models over the years, the all has the similar 'REV' system as far back as 1983. Both REV and Hyper-VTEC don't really work as variable timing and lift systems, as on Honda's VTEC cars, but instead just close off two valves – one intake and one exhaust – at low revs, creating an engine that works as a two-valve-per-cylinder unit when it needs high torque but low power, and a four-valve-per-cylinder engine when big power outputs are asked for.

Honda's true VTEC system - used on its cars since 1989 – is a real variable timing and lift set-up, switching between two different cam profiles depending on engine load and revs. It was the first production engine to use variable valve lift.

Now, though, motorcycle manufacturers are finally looking towards true variable valve timing and lift, with both Honda and Kawasaki planning machines that will use such systems in the near future. If you want to know how soon, likely the next model of the Honda CBR1000RR and the Kawasaki ZX10R.

You name it, in this suit, I've ridden through it. From the hottest of days to the coldest of December nights, my Held Hakuna Matata textile suit has seen me through it all. I guess you could say it's been my breed and butter motorcycle gear over the past year-and-a-half, having clocked up just about 30,000 kilometers of wear during that time.

It's a suit I can depend on, regardless of the motorcycle I'm riding or the distance I'm traveling. All I know is that in this kit I'm going to get to my end destination comfortable and dry. And that ticks the box of a quality textile motorcycle suit for me.

But it's not just the comfort that sells this suit to me, it's practicality and style too. There's a pocket for just about everything, waterproof zipper throughout – that actually work – and an easy to remove and refit body warmer integrated into the jacket. It's also kitted with good quality CE approved body armor throughout.