2022 Honda CRF250 review

Track: Grittenham 

Conditions: Tacky with a few dry slick spots

Quick backstory

A few weeks a go i did a local club race at Grittenham. Unfortunately my bike blew a gasket before i even had chance to hit the track. Luckily my brother in law had a pretty much brand new stock 2022 Honda CRF 250 and was kind enough to let me borrow it for the day as we were in separate races. 

We all know Honda are one of the most successful motocross brands in the world, especially during the 80s and 90s. In previous years its really only been Tim Gajser flying the flag in the world scene with Ken Roczen and the former Geico Honda team in the states. More recently we've seen the likes of Chase Sexton emerging in the 450 class and young Aussie Jett Lawrence piloting the bike to 2 championships already. So i think its fair to say the 2022 Honda CRF 250 is capable of winning races at any level.  

The CRF250 has had some serious upgrades and not just in the looks department. 

First Impressions

As it was a borrowed bike i didn't want to play around with things like suspension too much, but he was happy for me to fiddle around with different maps and bar position etc.

The first thing i noticed was how narrow the bars felt, not just in width but in diameter too. The Honda comes standard with Renthal’s 839 fatbar, which is quite a low bend compared to some of the other bends they offer. The standard Honda grips are also quite hard and durable and don't lean much in the way of comfort. Personally this would be one of the first things i would change as i think the lack of padding on the grips is the main reason the handlebars feel so narrow. 

The other thing that is apparent straight away is how thin the bike feels. Honda have really tried to shed weight and lose some of that bulk around the rad scoops on the 2022 model, and they've definitely succeeded. The benefit of having the narrower body means you can really get a good grip with your knees when riding, giving you more confidence and a more controlled feeling on the bike. It also allows you to widen your knees and really let the bike dance underneath you. If you find yourself in a situation where you're getting a bit out of shape you can widen your stance and let the bike soak up the bumps and do the work for you. Rather than other brands where you may have to rely on strength and muscle to pull yourself out of a sticky situation. Honda have always been synonymous with cornering and this bike is no different, however they used to suffer with stability in a straight line when the track starts to get rough. Due to the new narrow chassis you don't sacrifice as much stability in the fast straight line sections of the track and you can really charge in to the corners.

The power

Now the Honda CRF250 has always had great bottom end power but lacked a bit of mid to top power. Personally i don't think the 2022 is much different, Honda have definitely improved the mid to top area but i found my self searching for more power on some of the faster sections. I was gating top 3 against 450s so the initial blast when you slam on the throttle is pretty good, but when i was coming out of corners and wanting to give it a handful it left me almost trying to push the bike along with my body until it got up to the top of the revs. After speaking to other people with the bike it seems this was a common opinion, this could be improved with an after market exhaust system (Yoshimura seemed to be the most popular) and an after market filter cage. The standard filter cage, like most modern 4 strokes comes with a spark resistor (a metal mesh designed to stop sparks igniting your filter). The problem with the spark resistor is that it robs BHP as it restricts the amount air being sucked in to the engine. An after market filter cage is something that could give it a bit of extra power for not a lot of money; and I've never in my 22 years of racing seen a filter catch fire. Fiddling around with gearing could also potentially help with the mid to top power but with gearing what you gain somewhere you will sacrifice somewhere else. So this is something that would be more rider preference, if you carry good corner speed you may want to look at going down a tooth or two on the rear sprocket and vice versa if you're looking for a more explosive power.

As far as top end goes the CRF 250 performs well. There is a long straight at Grittenham and it was the perfect opportunity to stretch little reds legs. Like i said i was racing with 450s and didn't find myself getting yarded down this long straight which i was very impressed with; and even made a couple passes on other 250s based on pure top end speed. So all in all power wise, the CRF 250 has great bottom end, falls off a little in the middle but picks back up once it is up on song.

Forks,shock and balance

The Honda comes straight out of the crate with 49mm Showa coil spring forks and Showa rear shock with a Honda pro link. Showa make great suspension straight out of the box and this is part of the reason the Hondas handle so beautifully in the corners. Like i said before, this was a borrowed bike and was set up for someone weighing probably 10kg lighter than myself. I did find my self blowing through the stroke on the forks and shock on a couple of the heavier landings, as well it riding quite low on the rear. Even with the wrong set up i got a pretty good feel for the suspension, and got the feeling that given an hour or two to set it up for my self i could have the bike handling really well. Like most suspension companies you can of course purchase a higher level of suspension, this being the Showa A-kit. However i would really try and make sure you're getting everything out of the stock kit first before spending thousands of pounds to upgrade it. The stock suspension is probably one of the best straight out of the crate and you can really get it working incredibly well. 

In terms of balance, even though the suspension was a bit soft for me i didn't experience any pitching come in to the corners. With the forks being so soft i was expecting to have a lot of weight on the front wheel under braking, but the bike was well balanced and utilised both fork and shock under braking. Also coming out of corners under power the bike squats down but not so much so that it blew through the stroke when hitting acceleration bumps. Overall the balance and suspension work really well together and does give you a lot of confidence to charge your turns.

Mapping and launch control

There are 3 different types of map on the Engine Mode Selection Button (EMSB):

Mode 1 - standard, a consistent power curve and easy to ride

Mode 2 - smooth, a slower bottom end with a steady build

Mode 3 - aggressive, a sharp power curve, with lots of bottom end and quick pick up

I tried all 3 through out the day and to be honest no matter what the conditions, if you are a relatively good rider (senior level or above), i think you will want mode 3. I just found that mode 1 and 2 were just a little gutless and underwhelming. If you were looking at doing a super hard pack race with next to no traction you may want to try mode 1 but i personally feel mode 1 and 2 are aimed at beginners with very little experience.

There are also 3 different HRC launch control options. Unlike the engine modes these would be beneficial on different surfaces.

Level 1 - 13,000rpm, dry conditions and expert level

Level 2 - 11,750rpm, dry conditions and standard level

Level 3 - 10,000rpm, muddy conditions and novice

The expert, standard and novice level are based on a standard dirt start with relatively decent grip. What i want to focus on is the conditions for your expert and standard ability riders. Level 1 is what i used all day during the races as it was quite grippy behind the gate and i needed get the jump on the 450s. Level 1 is what i think you will find yourself using most of the time. However, i think level 2 would be quite well suited to either a concrete start or a mesh start, where you don't want maximum revs and you almost want to ride away rather than being super aggressive. Finally, level 3 is aimed at wet sloppy conditions where higher rpm’s will cause too much wheel spin and no actual forward movement. The lower rpm’s allow a much more useable power and will get you off the gate better than someone who is revving it like a normal start.

Now a quick course on how to initiate both the HRC launch control and the EMSB. To activate the HRC launch control, whilst the bike is idling pull in the clutch and press the start button down for 1 second, the LED button will blink once then release the start button. This will activate level 1. To activate level 2 whilst keeping the clutch in hold the start button down for another second, the LED will blink twice and this will activate level 2. Repeat this again for level 3 and the LED will blink 3 times. Once you've got your chosen level just do a start as normal.

To pick your engine map you're going to want to start the bike, and while idling hold the small clear button on the black box by the clutch for 2 seconds. The LED will then flash once signifying you're in map one. Repeat this process to get to map 2 & 3.  

The little black box that can get you out the gate and across the finish line first.

Other notable changes

Since the induction of the CRF250 back in 2004 Honda have switched back and forth between a twin pipe exhaust and the traditional single exhaust. Back for 2022 is the single muffler, which personally i do prefer. Not necessarily power wise but its just easier on the eye. Along with ditching the twin exhaust and a whole new frame the 2022 model is a whole 3kg lighter than the 2021 model.

The seat and plastics have a whole new design to, with the seat being 10mm lower at the back to aid rider movement and the number of 8mm bolts holding on the plastics has dropped from 6 to 4 either side.

Another bit of information i think would be useful is that the 2022 CRF 250 takes 1.35L of oil. Not necessarily something thats better or worse but just a FAQ for most MX riders.  

The 2022 model has resorted back to the traditional single exhaust system much like the 2010-2013 models.

To sum up the 2022 Honda CRF250 is virtually a new bike from the frame up compared to the 2021, but it still has that great feel you get from a Honda when cornering. Is it the perfect bike? No, but with a few of your own personal tweaks you could get it damn near close. There is also no denying the looks of this bike, it has that factory look straight out the crate that you really do only get from a Honda. Were i in the market for a 250F it would definitely be on my short list of ones to buy.

Tested and written by Brad Wheeler

SCOTT prospect goggle & SCOTT prospect WFS goggle review

Recently i have had the opportunity to try out a few pairs of SCOTT prospect and SCOTT prospect WFS (Works Film System), and this being England they've been put to test in everything from dust to deep mud. The SCOTT prospect is the standard tear off goggle and the prospect WFS is their roll off system.

SCOTT was formed way back in 1958 and entered motocross in 1970. For those who are long time moto fans, you will know SCOTT is about as engrained in to the sport as anyone. They've long been the supplier of goggles for the Pro Circuit Kawasaki team as well as riders such as 2018 SX 450 champion Jason Anderson, 2 x MX2 world champion Jorge Prado, 2020 MX2 champion Tom Vialle,  Malcom Stewart, Max Vohland to name a few. If their reputation alone isn't enough to make you want to buy them then the fact they keep turning out high end goggles now in 2022 maybe should.

Putting the WFS prospect through the race paces

I’ll start with the prospect tear off goggle. The prospect comes with SCOTT’s truview lenses, which are lightweight and block 100% of harmful UV rays. Unlike all other traditional tear off goggles with 2 tear off pins, the prospect comes with 4 tear off pins. 2 on either side, so rather than one pin either side in the middle there is 2 pins either side one at the top and one at the bottom. The idea behind this is that the tear offs fit tighter to the lens and give the rider better vision as a result. 

The SCOTT prospect also makes use of SCOTT’s lens lock system which works by the outriggers being pulled forward away from the frame, the lens then inserted and then the outriggers pushed back to their normal position locking the lens in place. The lens has 4 locking pin holes rather than other goggles that have grooves around the outside. This means it would take a serious impact or something very strange to knock the lens out. I don't mind admitting I used Oakley Airbrake’s before the prospects and changing the lens was very easy on the Oakley’s. It can be a bit fiddly to start with on the SCOTT’s if you're new to doing it, but once mastered it is a great system. With this in mind i will be doing a short video on the best way to replace a lens on the SCOTT prospect. 

Just a small look at some of the awesome designs Scott has to offer

Moving away from the lens and on to the foam. The feel and comfort of a goggle is perhaps the biggest factor in choosing a brand. Like i said, i used to use Oakley goggles and i thought they were comfy, that is until i tried on a pair of the Scott prospects with their NoSweat 3-layer moulded face foam. I am not exaggerating when i say its how i imagine putting my face in a cloud would feel. Just instant comfort. The foam moulds to your face and with the outriggers, as you tighten the strap it is evenly distributed across your face. The long and short of it is, i believe the Scott prospect to be the comfiest goggle on the market.

Now, on to the WFS roll off system, and with a lot of tracks around the UK implementing a tear-off ban roll offs are becoming increasingly popular. So a decent roll off system is paramount to any goggle company who wants to thrive in todays market. 

The WORX lens pins keep the tear offs tight to the lens for improved vision

The WFS (Works Film System) comes with a 50mm large film which is the largest roll off film on the market, this increases your overall field of vision making it easier to see bumps and ruts in wet muddy conditions. The WFS also comes with a anti stick grid with mud flap. The anti stick grid is a clear thin bit of plastic in the shape of two large rectangles joined in the middle that sits between the roll off film and the lens to stop the film sticking to the lens in wet conditions. The mud flap sticks to the top of the lens and acts as a little hood for the roll off film. So, basically the film glides under the mud flap so if you get roosted or it is raining, the mud/water will run down on to the front of the roll rather than getting in between the lens and roll causing you an absolute nightmare. 

Another unique thing about the WFS is that the canisters can be clipped directly on to the WORKS lens pins for easy installation that requires absolutely no tools. This means you can switch between a tear off goggle and a roll off goggle with out having to pick up a tool and one lens does it all. Which personally i think is pretty cool. 

Last but certainly not least is the integrated canister design. Simply put, the canisters are situated behind the out riggers unlike all other brands which sit in front. This means that should a stone or any other debris flick up and hit the goggle the outriggers will protect the canisters and stop them from smashing open and your roll off film flapping everywhere. So no more spending time wrapping electrical tape around your goggles to hold the canisters together, with the WFS you can be confident that they are ready for what any race has to throw at them.

Just like changing the lens in the Scott prospect tear off goggle, putting the canisters on for the first time can seem a bit confusing so i will post a short video on how to do this also. 

The WFS also comes with all the same perks that the normal prospect comes with, such as the truview lenses and lens locks systems.

The only negative i can think of, and this really is the only thing i can come up with. With the goggle  being one of the largest on the market you may want to check it fits in your helmet before spending your money. It will however fit in most well known brands but better to be safe than sorry.

So £90 for the tear off goggle and £130 for the roll off system i personally think its a good bang for your buck and well worth the investment. Especially when you factor in that you could buy the Scott prospect WFS goggle and pretty much have two pairs of goggles, in that you could unclip the canisters and use them as standard tear off goggles. 

All in all both are great goggles and i would highly recommend them to anyone who is in the  market for new goggles

No denying the Scott Prospect looks awesome 

Tested and written by Brad Wheeler

SHIFT 3lack Label kit review

 SHIFT 3lack Label

The first thing I noticed when I got the gear out the bag was how light it was; in particularly the jersey. The jersey is a thin stretchy material that falls nicely over the body with enough room to get a body armour/roost protecter underneath if needs be. The sleeves benefit from a tapered fit rather than the traditional cuff, which in my opinion helps decrease the chances of arm pump as the sleeve gets gradually tighter down the arm rather than having one fixed tight point around the wrist area. 

The shirt as well as being incredibly thin is well ventilated around the chest and side of the torso; this is noticeable when riding as it directs the air flow under your arms and around your back.

The pants were made of quite a durable material for the most part with some stretchy areas which made it easy to put on over a pair of knee braces with out it snagging on them. Around the knee area is a stretchy, breathable material which hugs the knee area stopping them from moving up or down the leg when riding. The black label pants; like the shirt, are also well ventilated around the upper thigh where the material is a little thicker than the rest of the pants.

The inner waist of the pant also comes with a rubber strip to help grip the shirt and stop it coming untucked during riding which i myself suffer with a lot.

The pants also have leather on the inner knee which offer more grip on the bike as well as being well insulated against the exhaust and engine. So far i have not experienced any cracking or tearing of the leather after washing; which i used to have issues with on other kits. The leather is still in good condition and very soft; I will keep an eye on this though after a few more washes.

As far as the fit and the sizing, as a rule I am a comfortable 32” pant and Large jersey. The jersey is a good fit and very true to its size. However I am right on the limit in when it comes to the pants so if you are thinking about getting the next size up from your normal size I would recommend you do.

I have worn the kit a total number of 7 times so far and i am yet to notice any wear marks on either jersey or pant. I will re visit this half way through the season with an update as to how well it is holding up with various weather, race and washing conditions.

SHIFT claim that the 3lack label line “out perform and out styles everything in its class”, and at just £187.00 for the jersey and pants it is really hard to argue that. The gear really does everything you would want it to, it is a great fit for the every day rider as well as the more serious racer. If you do prefer a more fitted feel maybe take a look at the 3lue label line. A review for the 3lue label will be available shortly

 

5 things i liked:

1: The light weight feel

2: The tapered sleeves

3: The ventilation on the jersey

4: The stretchy material around the knee area

5: So far the durability of the leather on the inner knee

Written and tested by Brad Wheeler

Just1 J18 MX helmet review

 Just 1 J18 MX helmet review

Upon first glance the Just 1 J18 helmet is sleek and stylish. It’s well crafted edges help in the J18’s aerodynamics allowing air to pass freely over and through the helmet. The helmet is designed and manufactured in Italy, and one of things Italians are best known for is fashion and style. So the helmet definitely will not be lacking in the looks department. There are just a few little details in the design that just set it out from the rest, such as, the screws that hold the peak in place are not just circles, they're in the shape of a “J1”. A nice little touch I thought. Also the front mouth piece of the helmet is removable so no need to spend hours with a thin screw driver trying to pick the mud out, you can simply remove it, clean it, and re-fit it. The peak also comes with a way of adding an extension piece, so no more duct taping an old lens to your peak, now you can look like a pro with a purpose built extension.

Just 1 have recently released they're 10th anniversary edition helmet and gear line this year, and 10 years in the helmet game isn't a whole lot when you think other companies such as Bell and Arai which have been around for decades. That being said this doesn't stop the J18 coming fully equipped with the latest in helmet safety. The J18 comes with multi-directional impact protection (more commonly known as MIPS). The MIPS system itself is a low friction layer that sits between the EPS foam (expanded polystyrene) and the helmet liner, and allows for a sliding motion of 10 to 15mm in all directions. This aims to reduce the transfer of rotational motion onto your brain. In short its at the forefront of helmet safety. It also comes standard with J.1.E.R emergency cheek pad removal system, this makes the removal of the helmet in an accident easier and safer for the paramedics, with the removal of the cheek pads you can remove the helmet with less resistant, thus taking the strain off of the neck.

The J18 comes in a whopping 30 different colour ways, so plenty of choices when it comes to matching it with your kit and boots (if you go in for that sort of thing). As well as a wide array of colours you can also get it in sizes ranging from XS-XXL. The J18 uses the classic double D retention system to fasten the helmet, the same as most helmets on the market. It also weighs just 1250 grams making it one of the lighter helmets on the market and you do really notice this when you're riding in it. In particular when its muddy, when your helmet is covered in mud you be grateful for the J18 and its light weight shell. 

I have been using the J18 with Scott Prospect goggles, which are known to be one of the widest and biggest goggles on the market. The goggles sit comfortably in the helmet so what ever your choice of goggle there is no need to worry about if they will fit or not. The J18 also has a section around the middle of the helmet for your goggle strap, with a ridge top and bottom it stops the goggle strap from slipping up or down when riding. 

Now to the price tag, £315.00 is what you're going to need for the J18. For that price you get a hell of a lot of helmet, when you think that other brands with the same safety technology are upwards of £450.00. So don't let the brands lack of history in motocross put you off of what is a great  helmet, it may not be rich in heritage but it is rich in looks and safety.

All Just1 helmets are available at https://evenstrokes.com/

Tested and written by Brad Wheeler

ARMA energy review

ARMA

For anyone who has ever listened to the Pulp MX show or watched AMA supercross/motocross over the past year or two; chances are you will have seen or heard ARMA being spoken about. This is because people like Jeremy McGrath, Adam Cianciarulo, Chad Reed and Nick Wey are all part owners of the business. With people like that backing it, it was always going to make some noise, but it is not just all noise. I’ve had the opportunity to try out all four of their products (FIRE, BLITZ, RELOAD and the newest edition HYDR8) over the last few weeks.

All loaded up for a day at the track.

FIRE: ARMA say that the morning is the best time to take FIRE, 1 scoop in 8-10 ounces of water. They have 2 flavours at the moment, orange crush and strawberry lemonade, I had the strawberry lemonade, which to me tasted a little bit like a bag of skittles. For the first time round I stuck to the manual and tried it first thing on a day I was riding, but found by the time I actually got down to riding I had used a lot of that fire energy up. The next time I had it when I got to the track, as I was at signing on, walking the track etc. For me this was the best time to take it as it was just kicking in as I was getting my helmet on for practice. I would imagine the time it takes to kick in closely reflects the size of the person. For example if you are 7ft and 16 stone you may not notice it as quickly as someone who is 5’5 and 11stone. 

BLITZ: This is more of a supplement designed to be used before, during and after your workout. , they just have the one flavour at current which is the berry blast which is a nice fruity blend with a few little kicks. This is suitable at any point during the day, from listening to other people and some of the head ARMA guys I've learned that a lot of them choose to mix the FIRE and BLITZ in the morning to make sure they stay hydrated as well as focussed. Learning this was big game changer, where as before i was drinking the 10 ounces of fire then trying to drink a litre or two of water before riding to make sure i was hydrated. I was then able to mix the BLITZ and FIRE and not have to worry about trying to drink so much water.

The heads behind ARMA have made sure that there are no banned substances in BLITZ so you do not have to worry about a knock on the door from WADA.

All the ARMA products can be mixed up right at the track.

RELOAD: Now for me this is the one that I had the most benefit from. If like me you suffer with a few aches and stiff muscles the next day after riding, this is for you. ARMA suggest you use it before a weight work out, cardio work out and post work out, but for me post riding was the best. First go around I mixed it with water, and i have to be honest it was a tough one to get down. I had a deep chocolate flavour instead of the very vanilla which is their other flavour, so in my mind that needed to be more of a milk shake. ARMA say you can have it with water, milk, on your yoghurt, porridge, pretty much with anything. Milk was the best for me and made a nice chocolate milkshake flavour drink. I found that if I drank it with in 30mins of my last race i had no issues the following day. Those aches and pains were a thing of the past. So this one I really recommend to anyone who would like to feel brand new again after a hard day at the track.

HYDR8: This is ARMAs newest edition to their line up of supplements, HYDR8 has a mixture of specific sugars, bioavailability enhancers and electrolytes to keep you performing at an elite level. There are 2 different flavours of HYDR8; watermelon and lemon & lime. At current I am using the watermelon flavour, which quite literally tastes like watermelon flavoured squash. HYDR8 is a great one to just stick in a water bottle and just sip at throughout the day. Personally during the summer I filled up a 2Litre bottle with it and froze it the night before riding, it was great way to stay cool and keep hydrated throughout the day, especially if you are someone that struggles to drink water. The HYDR8 can also be added to BLITZ and FIRE to give you that bit extra on a hot day or on a day where you just feel you need that little bit of a boost. 

The thing I like about the ARMA line is that unlike generic supplements on the market, it is made by racers for racers. The guys behind have been there and done it and know what it takes to succeed at any level. So overall I think they all have their own benefits and I feel its certainly worth the investment if you are fed up of feeling tired and lethargic at the track as well as stiff and sore the next day. They offer different types of packages but I recommend the ARMA pro kit. This consists of:

1 x ARMA Blitz

1 x ARMA Fire

2 x ARMA Reload

All packaged up in a cool ARMA box for easy storage. 

In my opinion if its good enough for the King of supercross then its plenty good enough for me.

All ARMA products are available at https://evenstrokes.com/

Written and tested by Brad Wheeler 

Battle of the roll offs

OAKLEY AIRBRAKE VS FOX VUE Stray

On first glance it is clear which is the pricier goggle. The Oakley Airbrake roll off system is slim line and sleek on the frame, where as the FOX VUE looks more like a traditional roll off system. However is looking flash necessary better though? 

In the past I've been an airbrake man after being taken in by the hype in its early days. I now however have had the chance to run the FOX VUE and Oakley Airbrakes in the same day at a REVO British championship round, so they have had as a good a test as any.

Putting the Fox VUE through some race paces

I’ll start with the FOX VUE Stray, retailing at £115.00 and only £18.00 for a pack of 6 roll off films its a good bang for the buck. The goggle fits well on my face and the 45mm strap with the adjuster means you can easily tighten or loosen the goggle to fit the shape of your face. The wider strap also grips the helmet better so it does not move around when you are riding. They also benefit from a 45mm roll off film compared to the standard 36mm on most other roll offs. This increases your field of vision and when you are in the heat of battle this could be the difference between getting in that rut and not. The canisters may not be as sleek as the airbrake but they WORK! Anyone who has ever been in a situation where you've really needed a roll off, all you care about is that they continue to work and the FOX VUE do just that. FOX have really perfected simplicity with this. No bells and whistles but they do exactly what you want them to do when you are out on track. 

The only little snag I encountered was during setting up the roll offs. I found it was a little fiddly to get the cap of the canisters back on once I had set up the rolls. However I've chalked this up to my inexperience with the goggle and I'm s ure after a few times setting it up it would become easier and easier. Apart from this the goggle was easy to set up and worked instantly with no problems. The cord has a good recoil so the toggle isn't left dangling like it can on some goggles after a few pulls. 

FOX’s TruLock system makes light work of getting the lenses in and out and with its pre curved design glare is no longer an issue.

Like most of FOX’s other products the colour ways available is nearly endless so plenty of options for you to match it with your set up.

The VUE roll off comes with 2 mud strips, 2 roll off films and a spare spindle. 

On to the Oakley Airbrake then. Retailing at the £175 mark and a bag of 6 rolls costing you £29.99 it is certainly the most expensive goggle on the market, but is it worth the extra money.

Oakley really were one of the first goggle companies to adopt the wider roll off system. In 2013 Oakley introduced the airbrake range with its easily interchangeable strap and lenses and its kind of been the bench mark for goggles since. In its early days the Airbrake had a problem with its small canisters not being big enough to hold a whole roll off film when it was covered in mud. Oakley remedied this with some bigger canisters but if like me you try the after market films rather than the genuine ones to try save some money you'll be disappointed to know that this is not an option. I tried an after market roll in them and just had issues with it sticking and not recoiling properly. After switching to the genuine rolls that issue was resolved and it had a smooth pull system. The airbrake is a lovely goggle to work on, its easy to remove the caps on the canisters and insert the rolls. You do however have to be very precise when setting them up as they can be quite temperamental if not done correctly, for example after qualifying i didn't manage to get all the dirt of the pull cord and it caused it to be very stiff and not retract correctly.

If you choose not to run the mud strip you can easily switch between a roll off and tear off goggle, it just a case of swapping the canisters out for tear off out riggers and tagging the wire off the lens. Much like the FOX VUE the roll off film is 45mm wide offering a better view of the track and better peripheral vision.

The Oakley Airbrake does look trick

In my opinion the FOX VUE roll off system wins this one. It does everything the Airbrake does for £60 less. No it may not look as slick and fancy as the Oakley airbrake but it is still a trick looking goggle and when you're 20 minutes in to a race and you can still see where your going and you're roll off cord is still working you're not going to care. Also if you used a bag of rolls a weekend and you race 40 weekends of the year thats a saving of nearly £500, i don't know about you but thats money that could be spent on something else. For these reasons id recommend anyone in the market for a new roll off system purchases the FOX VUE goggle.

Written and tested by Bradley Wheeler