The Garage162 Blog.
Plans for the 2025 season
Mason Leuck - May 7th, 2025
I will finally be graduating college this coming week, which will hopefully result in more time for me to ride bikes. For the past four years I have been balancing doing well in school, jobs, and trying to work within my race program and I am so glad that I will be able to focus in in a less hectic way. This past semester, I finished with 18 credit hours and 20 hour work weeks outside of studies, which meant my posting on media really slowed. I see this as a net positive, I got to take a look at my program and my socials and think about my goals, what I want to pursue in the future, and what type of media I would like to make.
I have begun taking my fitness more seriously, this has paid off on the motorcycle, I do not get fatigued as easily which results in more consistent improvement. I commute anywhere I can by bicycle, and I run often. I am down 15lb from last season, for free. I can’t think of a spot on my bike that I can lose that much weight affordably! Moving around on the bicycle is huge and I feel like it can help with motorcycling.
This season, I will be riding an Aprilia RS660 that has been built by BobbleHeadMoto. I am so fortunate to have this bike, and I have already set a PB laptime at NCCar on it. The bike feels fantastic, has all of the goodies I would like, and offers tons of room for growth. I am excited to be racing in the ASRA lightweight superstock class and endurance classes. I am hoping to participate in a season of close racing and to improve my racecraft. My ultimate goal for the season is to participate in the races at Daytona this October.
Taking a look at my socials, I have pursued Instagram and TikTok for the past couple years, but the type of content I want to make does not align well with the platforms. I will continue to post on these accounts as I really enjoy the platform, but I will be putting more of my video efforts towards Youtube, which is more conducive to the type of content I enjoy creating. Additionally, my previous content has done relatively well on Youtube and I enjoy making thoughtful long format content. I am excited to see how some of my new videos perform, I have a couple fun ideas.
Overall, I am very excited for what this season will bring. Cheers!
Boblbee Megalopolis review
Mason Leuck - May 2nd, 2025
I recently picked up a Boblbee Megalopolis backpack since I will be commuting to work by motorcycle more often this summer. I needed a bag that had flexible storage capacity, was rigid and supportive on the bike, and had decent internal protection for both a laptop and occasional rain gear if needed. I came across the Boblbee - which meets all of these needs while supposedly serving as a CE lv2 back protector.
The Boblbee bags seemed to have a lot of popularity decades ago, and continue to have popularity in the Japanese market. they are now produced with “Point 65n” labeling, and slightly different design. The 2025 parallel to the Megalopolis would be the GT25L. This bag I picked up from eBay was one of the original models that was sold purely under the Boblbee name with a very cool hardshell look. It can be customized in a variety of colors and accessories can be added to alter the function and look.
Right away the build quality of the bag is apparent, it has very thick padding on both the lumbar area and shoulder pads, which are very soft. It has plenty of room for adjustment, and fits very well over motorcycle gear even with the padding on the shoulders. I have not ridden with this bag for long durations, but I imagine it would not cause any discomfort. The lumbar area is made of some sort of faux leather material, which could cause breathability issues if worn with a lumbar belt. I dont imagine this will become a huge issue on the motorcycle. The bag sits tightly, and I would expect it to do its job of offering protection if needed. Since it is a hardshell, it can be cleaned and polished with automotive wax to maintain a shiny, fresh look.
Aerodynamics of the bag feel better than a softshell unsupported backpack, and since it is completely rigid it does not flop around at all. The internal storage area fits about a 15” laptop without issue and it is held in tightly to the back of the bag. It has stacked organizational pockets on either side of the internal storage, and a zipper storage area in the rolltop. This is plenty of organization for my needs. My one complaint is that it does not utilize the bottom curved area of the bag for storage of flat, tall items.
I have the lumbar cassette external storage upgrade. This adds a claimed 10L of storage, and can be flipped down for easy access, or stowed up to keep it out of the way. I haven’t had the need to store additional items in this attachment, so I typically remove it. in the flipped down position the lumbar fins can be a little floppy as well, which doesn’t affect the function but isn’t confidence inspiring either. I typically leave the cassette flipped up. The bottom roll storage area of this attachment is great when you use it. I would suggest anyone looking to get the cassette to instead consider the tube attachment that is offered instead.
One of my biggest complaints about this bag is that it does not sit well when taken off. The bottom of the bag is the strange curved area, and since the plastic makes contact with the floor it slides very easily. This makes the bag hard to deal with at a cafe or the office. I have found success in hanging it off the back of a chair if I am able.
Overall, this bag has a very niche target market but meets its needs very well. I recommend looking to purchase one used. They can be found for as little as $120 in the used market. The quality of the bag is exceptional, but it is very hard to justify paying the retail price for it ($300). At the end of the day, it is up to each person to determine whether or not the bag is worth it to them, I really like it despite its flaws, but there are certainly better options especially if purchasing retail.
Bison Boots Review
April 29th, 2025 - Mason Leuck
I have been riding in Bison leathers for the past couple years, and they have been fantastic. Unfortunately I did not have a matching pair of boots to go with the suit, which I felt would have really brought the whole look together. I am sure many other Bison customers felt the same way I did, and fortunately Bison has a great answer. They began teasing their boots last racing season with a limited order available to their sponsored riders, and have recently released them to the general market, allowing anyone to design their own pair of custom racing boots.
I ordered my boots this winter, and within a short period of time I had them at my doorstep. I chose to make a custom design - anyone taking this route can expect arrival within 60 days after their design has been finalized. Bison offers some ready to wear boots that can be shipped more quickly than that. They offer the boots in half sizes, and it is a simple measurement with their provided style guide to figure out where you fall on the scale. The offering of half sizes is unique to Bison as far as I am aware, other popular gear companies do not seem to readily offer their flagship boots in half sizes. Bison offers their fitment guarantee on these boots.
The custom design process with Bison is personal and a member of their staff provides design services to you - bridging your vision to the real world look of the design. The design staff is very helpful and can make a design from a simple drawing scanned on paper. I used Adobe Illustrator to make my design with vector graphics. Redesigns cost $25 after a number of revisions. I have never needed to use more redesigns on any of my Bison orders beyond the number they provide for free.
I have worn the boots on all of my rides for the past six months, and I would say they are comparable to a traditional flagship race boot with some nice additions. They offer exceptional peg feel, and very easy mobility. Moving around with the boots on the bike and shifting or using the rear brake is smooth and not cumbersome at all. They have reinforcement in the traditional areas of most motorcycle boots: above the toe where the shifter is located, and on the edge of the toe with replaceable metal toe sliders. The toe sliders are solid and the retention screw is placed in an area unlikely to be damaged. My toe sliders haven’t worn down at all and only have scratches from collisions with the rearsets of my bikes. I do not drop a foot off the bike very often but I would be comfortable doing so. The heel protection is well made and has ventilation, I expect it to continue performing very well.
The fitment of the boot is super flexible, and once broken in they slip on very easily. The internal ratcheting system is super cool and avoids the issues of a traditional slider and string system. I am a big fan of it on these boots and it makes putting them on and off very easy. The system tightens easily and doesn’t create any hotspots. I suggest regularly lubricating the zipper on the side of the boot, as it is close to the grime of the road. The accordion panel attached to the zipper makes the closure easy. The ratcheting system along the cuff of the boot allows for simple adjustment and I have not had it bind on me.
One of the unique features of this boot is the hinged cage around the back of the ankle and heel. This system creates a flexible, but firm area to protect this area of your foot while maintaining freedom of movement. It looks very protective, and extends into the back of the cuff of the boot where it slides in and out. It is very confidence inspiring to have on the boot and I would expect it to provide a ton of rotational stability in event of an off.
Another interesting addition is the reflective panels included on the heel. They can be seen in the photos above. The reflective panel has pretty good performance, and shining a flashlight at it is very bright. I would expect it to increase visibility during night riding.
The boots ventilate very well, the mixed plastic and fabric panel on the shin allows for air to enter, and I was able to get perforated panels included on my boots for extra airflow. Paired with the right socks, they feel like slippers. The boots aren’t overly thick in areas that don’t need it, so they do not insulate a ton of heat. In cooler weather, thick wool socks are good enough to keep your feet warm. As mentioned above, they do ventilate quite well, so the performance is not the best near or below freezing. I would suggest wearing heated socks if you plan on riding in them around those temperatures.
These boots are a serious performer in the racing boot market, and I am very pleased with them. They are competitively priced at $450, and the ability to get a half size fit and custom design opens up the opportunity for anyone to feel comfortable. They offer great mobility and protection, and punch way above their weight class. The custom design is the cherry on top, I am sure we will see a number of people rocking these with some sweet designs around the paddock.
KYT NZ-Race Long Term Review
Mason Leuck - March 27, 2025
Last season, I entered a sponsorship agreement with KYT helmets and committed myself to representing them for the duration of the season. This was a huge step for me and I welcomed it, I was hugely excited to have my first helmet sponsorship and very curious to try out the brand, some friends of mine had used their flagship helmet and had good things to say about it so I was excited for it to be my turn. My initial impression of the helmet was very good, and I enjoyed using it for the whole season. Now that I have had plenty of time in the seat with this helmet, I can confidently say that the NZ-Race is a very good helmet.
Firstly, the helmet is very light - weighing in at around 3lb, it does not create strain on the neck while in use.
The aerodynamics are good, the helmet is very comfortable in the wind even at high speeds. I have noticed an improvement when I am endurance racing, there is noticeably less strain on my neck after prolonged riding.
The ventilation keeps the helmet cool, which is especially important with the black shell on the carbon fiber. I own a white colored one that stays a little cooler - its surprising how much the color makes a difference.
The padding inside the helmet is comfortable, it has maintained its form well and hasn’t compressed very much so the fit is similar to out of the box. It fits true to size, my head is 60cm in diameter and I fit a large very well.
I have heard that the visor can be challenging to change out, I have not had any problems with doing it myself - I can switch from the smoke visor to a clear visor in under 30 seconds. The tactile feel of the visor when inside the helmet is good, it has a clicky feel and stays open well, it also closes itself quite well and snaps shut. It does not have a locking mechanism, but the tension it uses to hold itself closed is plenty. My experience using helmet locking mechanisms has proven it doesn’t make a large difference in a crash - your visor can detach regardless of the lock.
Given the attention my initial review got - I will be providing a list of the most common questions I am asked about the helmet by viewers and in person interactions I have had with it.
Is it really that light? - Typically, I let the person handle the helmet if it is in person. Yes, it is light. Putting it into a number doesn’t communicate that as well as seeing it in person
How is road/wind noise? - I would suggest wearing earplugs regardless of the helmet you are wearing. The helmet does allow some noise to pass through, and it definitely isn’t the quietest in the world, but it isn’t an outlier for helmets of this style. I would say it is comparable to any Arai in terms of noise.
Does it work well with glasses? - Yes it does! it actually has specific adaptation to use glasses inside of it. This helps with comfort if you are wearing the helmet for a long time and this is one of the few helmets I have been able to wear comfortably for a long duration of time with glasses under it.
Does it have issues with fogging? - It can have issues with fogging depending on temperature and climate if you do not use the pinlock insert with it. KYT has a very affordable pinlock insert and I suggest using it if you are riding in the rain or humid, hot areas. I do not have any fog when I am using the pinlock insert.
Can you use it as a street helmet? - The NZ-Race is marketed as a track/racing style helmet, and many track riders have begun using it due to its value and performance, but this doesn’t mean you can’t use it on the street. It works fine as a street helmet but the aero fairing on the back can make it a little long for some lockers (at the gym for example) forcing you to store it vertically.
at $550 for the helmet, it delivers good value and performance. Overall, I recommend it if you are at all interested in the helmet. They can be challenging to find at times directly from KYT as the preferred designs sell out quickly, if you are looking for a cool, track-oriented helmet this is definitely a great one!
Getting Your Motorcycle to the Track
EP. 01
March 23, 2025
Getting your motorcycle to and from the track is a very important component of track riding. It is often overlooked and outshone by other goodies marketed to people getting into the sport - but I would argue it is one of the most important considerations if you plan on owning a track only motorcycle.
It tends to be most convenient if can manage your own trailer instead of borrowing or renting. Being able to leave all of your tools in one place and the extra security and carrying capacity it gives you are huge bonuses. You can additionally use the trailer as a shelter if it is enclosed, and It will better protect your motorcycle and other equipment in the event of inclement weather, as well as give you a dry place to do any work you may need to do.
Renting a trailer is another viable option, and can be very cost effective, but you will sacrifice the customization and potential saved time that comes with an owned trailer. Uhaul rents out motorcycle trailers which can offer additional security and ease of use considering they are designed specifically for motorcycle hauling.
A bike carrier can be installed on your vehicle’s hitch, however the tongue weight of your car/truck’s hitch has to be rated with the proper tongue weight for both the bike and the carrier. There is a gentleman in my area who operates entirely out of a honda element, with his ninja 400 carried on a bike carrier from the hitch of his car. Personally, I would not recommend this as there is lower margin for error and in many cases you can end up exceeding the tongue weight of most cars, if you own a truck that may have the proper tongue weight you are often better off putting your bike in the truck bed.
Putting your bike on the bed of your truck is a very viable option for economically getting to a track day if you own a truck with a long enough bed. To put a bike in your truck bed, you will need ramps and tie down straps to secure it, some companies sell front wheel holders for extra security too. Taking your bike up a ramp into a truck bed can be challenging, so having a friend help spot you can be very helpful.
If you’re willing to put in the effort, you can modify your truck bed to accommodate some of the luxuries that you would normally find in a trailer to make loading/unloading your bike easier.
If your vehicle is unable to tow a trailer or don’t want to learn to tow one, a properly sized van provides a great solution, you can rent a van if you do not own one.
If you go the van route, A bike can be loaded into a van using a bike ramp and some straps mounted inside, it can be very helpful to have a front wheel holder for additional stability.
The same modifications you would make to a truck bed can be done to the interior of a van, with the added benefit of the van being enclosed. There is so much support nowadays for people looking to outfit their vans for any use, so if you want to turn your van into a full fledged paddock vehicle with a fridge, ac, and any other luxury you can imagine, there is likely a way to get it done. I suggest looking through van life forums for your specific van model for inspiration.