International Dealer News IDN 148 April/May 2019 | Page 48

PRO GuIDe OptiMate Ampmatic Rukka 3-layer battery rescue chargers laminate leathers How many times do you hear of riders arriving at an event after driving for many hours, towing the motorcycle on a trailer or with them in their van to find that when it is offloaded there's a problem - the battery is dead! Any number of things could have drained that battery during the trip - the alarm tripped en-route or the key was left in accessory position - but the results are the same. No battery. No starting. No riding. Or if it is entered into an AMD custom motorcycle event, disqualification is staring you in the face! Sure, you can jumpstart the bike, but how long do you need to run the engine to be sure it will start again in the morning? And if it is a lithium battery, well, jumpstarting is simply NOT recommended. The OptiMate Ampmatic range of powerful battery chargers are the ideal rescue - hook it up and the charger does the rest, even for a battery as low as 1/2 a volt. Ampmatic chargers will determine battery condition, then how many amps it can accept to get it back up as fast as possible. The OptiMate 6 Ampmatic delivers up to 5 amps, which is perfect for any size of 12V lead-acid power sport battery, but for a 12V battery sized from 20 to 30Ah, the kind typically found in bagger/touring V- twin motorcycles, the super-powerful new OptiMate 7 Ampmatic delivers up to 10 amps. For 12.8V/13.2V lithium (LiFePO4) batteries, the OptiMate Lithium 4s 5A has a lithium-specific Ampmatic charge programme that will safely nurse the battery back to life and then get it back up to 'start' level fast. When it comes to lithium, TecMate CEO Martin Human says "never JUMP, always charge. A flat lithium battery is very sensitive to sudden high current bursts and you run a high risk of permanent damage, and you might even see a little smoke being released if you jumpstart a dead-flat lithium battery." If it is a small battery, there's no adjustment to be made on any of the OptiMate Ampmatics as the smart Ampmatic processor matches the charge rate to the battery's size and condition. Martin says: "Ampmatic means total ease of use, or as North Americans might say, it's a 'no brainer' charger. Hook up your OptiMate Ampmatic and it gets you up and running as quickly as possible." another new bike-specific hardware kit for the BMW F750GS and F850GS from 2018. Two mounting points secure the full wrap-around aluminium design with a heat-treated aluminium backbone for added strength and impact protection. The kit is compatible with the company's JET, VPS (seen here), Storm or Carbon guards (each sold separately), "so every rider can tailor their Barkbusters to suit their individual style and needs". Rukka is aiming for broad appeal with its new 3-layer aniline leather laminate suit that "offers high functionality, optimum breathability and a trendy leather look", with the "innovative" jacket and trousers protecting against all adverse weather conditions. The suit is wind- and waterproof, and the jacket includes a removable stretch collar to prevent water entry, while perforated leather ensures breathability. There are large air vents on the sides from the hem all the way up, and it includes a removable thermal inner lining with full-length sleeves. The trousers also come with a removable lining and elastic at the inside of the leg openings. The Aramos Corium+Platinum is equipped with D3O LP1 joint protectors (CE standard EN 1621-1:2012) and a D3O All Back Level 1 protector (EN 1621- 2:2014) and features six pockets, four of which are waterproof. RIDEWORX Unanderra, NSW, AUSTRALIA Tel: [phone] [email protected] www.barkbusters.net RUKKA/LUHTA SPORTWEAR COMPANY Lahti, FINLAND Tel: [phone] [email protected] www.rukka.com TECMATE Tienen, BELGIUM Tel: [phone] www.tecmate.com www.optimate1.com Barkbusters BMW hardware kit Australian manufacturer Barkbusters, the leading motorcycle handguard specialist, has released 48 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - APRIL/MAY 2019 www.idnmag.com