This coming weekend is the TKO Extreme Enduro at the Trials Training Center in Sequatchie Tennessee (just West of Chattanooga). The Trials Training center is one of the coolest venues to watch an event for several reasons. #1, you watch from any location you care to hike to, and #2 it could literally be a state park, it's that beautiful. Of course you are going for the racing, which is unlike anything else you will see off road. These guys go through, over, and down stuff you would have a hard time hiking over. Its the Tennessee Version of the Erzburg Enduro.
The Knockout format is unique as it constantly whittles down the field until only the fastest and toughest compete in the final money round. Amateurs race twice on Saturday, The first race is 2 laps over a 13 mile course with a 2 hour time limit. The fastest 75 advance. The second race is one lap over the 13 mile course with the fastest 40 advancing to the pro rounds on Sunday.. We actually have several riders from the Knoxville area giving it a shot. For all the specific details check out their website www.TennesseeKnockoutEnduro.com. If you can make it, I highly recommend it.
It's been a while since I've done a product review. Probably because its been so long since I've bought anything new, and anything that was worth talking about. I tend to wear my dirt bike helmets well past the point when they should be retired, and I finally got around to getting a new one. (By the way, I have a 15 year old MSR for sale. Only used on weekends)
What I found, and am tickled to death with, is the Kali Prana FRP. If you haven't heard of Kali, don't worry. I hadn't either until I saw them at Sportcycle KTM in Maryville, TN.
My requirements for a new lid were: Safety, Great Fit, Comfortable while wearing glasses, light weight, removable liner, Non-stupid graphics, and a reasonable price. The Kali nails all of these.
Kali uses a new technology / design for their helmets called Composite Fusion Plus. In a nutshell, what they do is make a helmet with two densities of foam that reduce the impact to your noggin. You can go to their website to get all the details ( www.kaliprotectives.com ).
Their brain buckets are ECE and DOT rated, but not Snell. The lack of a Snell rating is no doubt because of their design which absorbs more impact. Not a bad thing. Also not a bad thing is the weight, only 1250 grams, or about 44 ounces.
I took these pictures after my first ride with the helmet, so if you see any scratches they are ones I put on myself. On this last ride we rode through some underbrush that could have stood a good chainsaw, but hey, that's what we do sometimes. The Fit and finish of the new helmet was super nice.
Also super nice is what all the Helmet comes with. It has a soft cover bag (not shown), and a vary nice carry bag (shown).
In addition, the helmet comes with an extra set of thicker cheek pads to tighten up the fit if you prefer, and a set of Camera mounting hardware. The very middle piece of the visor is removable, and you can insert the optional piece to which different camera mounting brackets attach. Pretty sweet if you're a Go-Pro guy.
This helmet is available at Sportcycle KTM in Maryville (865-681-7895) for less than $200. Of course other colors are available. Kali makes Street bike helmets also.
