Introduction
crosstrainingenduro.com You want to buy a motorbike. Or new boots. A helmet. An anodized billet alloy gas cap. Most of us go online to research the product before we throw money at it. Here are some handy tips for how to research products on line and get the information you really need. Welcome to Cross Training Adventure, we are into all things dual sport and adventure on the east coast of Australia. Deciding which motorbike to buy? What are the best motorbike boots? The important point? Be sceptical! In the old days, motorbike journalists were critical and interested in the truth. Today? The vast majority of so called reviews are just promotional tools for the manufacturer. For example, Fly Racing does well with 4.8 out of 5. Keen on adventure riding in Australia? Check out our vids. Thor runs a close second at 4.6. And Fox is limping along with only 3.3 and a lot of unhappy customers. Do you have any further tips for how to research products? Any horror stories with poor quality or customer service? Let us know in the comments. heck out our reviews of various adventure bikes and dual sport bikes. Which dirt bike should I buy? Best motorbike boots? We like doing seriously critical reviews. Manufacturers make some really bad mistakes. and there is a lot of dodgy crap being sold out there. Instead of glowing dual sport reviews for kickbacks or free product, we will try to keep the buggers honest. So subscribe. Or don't subscribe to our Cross Training Adventure riding channel. The main thing is get out and ride while you can with dual sport riding or Adventure riding in Australia, Canada, Vietnam, Romania and beyond! So check out Cross Training Adventure. They might be doing objective reviews, but it's a warning sign that money is part of the equation which makes it harder for them to be critical. So how do you find honest reviews? Instead of just googling reviews, try typing these terms with your search. Problems. Known issues. If you like dual sport riding in Australia then you might like our adventure riding vids. Long term review. This search for Fox Instinct boots quickly reveals issues with breaking buckles and soles and heels falling off. You can also go onto various forums and Facebook pages and ask for people's experiences with a certain product or bike. Again, be sceptical. Just because one guy hates a particular bike or product does not mean it's bad. You are looking for a consistent theme. For example, when we first heard about straps coming off Airoh and Leatt helmets due to rust, we had to google around a lot to establish it was not just an isolated incident. What else? Be more sceptical as the brand gets bigger. Typically a brand starts as a family business that is passionate about the product. Unfortunately, motojournalists are usually more interested in money than the truth. If a review isn't trying to be critical, it's usually just a big ad pretending a review. As they grow, quality can decrease as the emphasis on profit grows. This is often when production is moved to China too. An accountant for a major brand told us they more than doubled their profits by moving to factories in China as they did not reduce their prices. He said this is common practice across a number of brands. We recently looked at boots and came up with this list. Of course, Chinese production does not automatically mean crap quality, but it's certainly something to watch out for. We have occasional detours to places like Vietnam, Cambodia, Romania and Canada. This is one of our three channels, there's also a Cross Training Trials channel, and a Cross Training Enduro channel. All three are equally dodgy. We are the 27th most watched dirt channel in Uzbekistan. We have won the polished turd award five years in a row. And we have a world record 25 class action lawsuits for inaccurate information. We think the whole motorbike scene is getting too commercial. So called dual sport riding reviews are just glossy ads nowdays. Everyone is trying to sell you stuff you don't need, convince you to buy the latest model with anodized coffee cup holders for your trips to the coffee shop. Of course if you are cashed up and into bling, go for it. All we are saying is there's also the budget option for adventure riding. And it won't hold you back. Why? We reckon it's 80% the rider and 20% the bike. So the Cross Training Adventure focus is just get out there and have fun on two wheels. Instead of obsessing over the latest blinged out Beemer, which tyres to fit or spending a fortune on your suspension or billet alloy gas cap. So most of our adventure riding vids will feature the much loved bush pig, the Suzuki DR650. And we've done a 10 part series on how to unleash the mighty beast that lurks within. What else? Cross Training Adventure actively avoids sponsorship.
#crosstrainingadventure #adventureriding #adventurebikes #dualsportriding
#dualsportbikes
Video
You want to buy a motorbike.
Or, new boots., A, helmet., An, anodized, billet, alloy, gas, cap., Most of us.
Go online to research the product before we throw money at it.
Here are some handy tips for how to research products on line and get the information you really need., The, important, point?, Be, sceptical!, In, the old days, motorbike, journalists were critical and interested in the truth.
Today? The, vast majority of so called reviews are just promotional tools for the manufacturer.
An, example?, I googled for Honda CX500, reviews., Some, online magazines, just regurgitate the manufacturer's ads and call it a review.
Other magazines actually do ride the motorbike, but just say how wonderful it is.
Watch for fake criticism, such as "at first, we didn't like the suspension, but we adjusted the clickers.
And then it was amazing!".
Unfortunately, motojournalists are usually more interested in money than the truth.
If.
A review isn't, trying to be critical, it's, usually just a big ad, pretending a review.
What about social media, influencers? Again, be sceptical of Youtube channels and Facebook pages, like mine, that do so called reviews on motorbikes and adventure products.
Look out for those useless video reviews where they just line up products on a counter and talk about them.
Or unboxing, a product.
Give me, a break! What about those more detailed reviews where they test them? Usually.
The understanding is "I will give you free or discounted motorbike stuff.
If you say, nice things about it".
Look out for social media, influencers offering prizes and constantly referring you to their affiliate.
Marketing links.
They might be doing objective reviews.
But it's, a warning sign that money is part of the equation, which makes it harder for them to be critical.
So.
How do you find honest reviews? Instead of just googling 'reviews', try typing these terms with your search.
Problems., Known, issues., Long term, review.
This search for 'fox.
Instinct boots' quickly reveals issues with breaking buckles and soles and heels falling.
Off., You can also go onto various forums and Facebook pages and ask for people's experiences with a certain product or motorbike.
Again, be sceptical.
Just because one guy hates a particular motorbike or product does not mean it's.
Bad.
You are looking for a consistent theme.
For example.
When we first heard about straps coming off Airoh and Leatt helmets due to rust, we had to google around a lot to establish.
It was not just an isolated.
Incident.
What, else?, Be, more sceptical as the brand gets bigger.
Typically.
A brand starts as a family business that is passionate about the product.
As.
They grow, they are often bought out by bigger companies, or in cases, like Fox or Suomy, by huge investment, companies.
As.
They grow, quality can decrease as the emphasis on profit.
Grows.
This is often when production is moved to China too.
An accountant for a major brand told us, they more than doubled their profits by moving to factories in China as they did not reduce their prices.
He said, this is common practice across a number of brands.
We recently, looked at boots and came up with this list.
Of, course, Chinese production does not automatically mean, crap, quality.
But it's, certainly something to watch out for.
Look for the tiny print on the outside of packaging or inside labels.
With motorbikes.
It seems KTM is now making this transition.
Occasionally, a brand will feature.
A feedback section on their official Facebook page.
This can give an overall indication of the product quality and customer support.
For, example, Fly Racing does well with 4.8 out of 5.
Thor runs a close.
Second at 4.6.
And Fox is limping along with only 3.3 and a lot of unhappy customers.
Do.
You have any further tips for how to research products? Any, horror, stories with poor quality or customer service? Let us know in the comments.