On my recent trip to Dakar I meet the guys promoting the Leatt Brace – helmet for your neck device, and at the time I was impressed with the design and feel of the lightweight unit. I noticed a few of the Dakar competitors trying them out and after talking to a few riders the general feeling was they thought it would definitely offer them good neck protection, especially when riding at speeds through the dunes where most crashes see the riders flung over the bars head first spearing towards the ground.

Since returning from Dakar I’ve noticed reviews by Racer X on the brace www.racerxcanada.com/news/3084/racer-x-canada-tested-leatt-brace

And also Transworld Motocross… www.transworldmotocross.com/mx/features/article/0,13190,1568085,00.html

But by far the most moving thing I’ve seen relating to the neck brace and the call for greater protection awareness is from David Bailey, one of the biggest legends of our sport. He talks for roughly 13 minutes on film and doesn’t hold back on making the call for the big guns of motocross/supercross to make a stand and support the need to spread awareness to the dirt biking community. It’s a must watch, check it out here …

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2540171359427789623

Take the time to check the links out and see for yourself the advantages of wearing such a device, whether you’re racing, trail or adventure riding, or even just play riding. It could save any one of us from serious injury…

The Leatt Brace

2006 Dakar moto winner Marc Coma blasts out of a cold river crossing during the first stage.

It started as a gathering of old mates while I was recently in Sydney saying my good-byes before heading OS. It ended up being a full-blown mini race in the back of Wonka’s yard. Big boys riding little toys. More laughs, cheers, abuse, fun and take-outs than thought possible in one day. There was myself, Goba, Bushwacker – who got the ball rolling, Wonka – who supplied his backyard, Goodtimes – who like always brought his big smile and an esky full of beers, D-Train – who turned up with his race-face on, a little twisted but there all the same, the Jones bro’s Bud & Ed – never one’s to miss out on any action, also sporting an esky full of cold beer, Shagga – the youngest of the crew with his mini and a kicker to make things a little crazier, Brownie – an all-round top bloke and one of the fastest mini riders in Oz, well a lot faster than most of us, and last but not least Pig and Goat – Bushwhackers’ dog and Wonka’s Goat, who fell in love at first site, but that’s another story. Read on for a rundown with pics on how the day unfolded…

Capt: Wonka and Brownie gettin into it while the track was fresh and beggin to be riden.

I love computers and technology, and sometimes I really hate it. Like last night I was around at a mates house, Jake, who helps me out with my website when it gets way over my head. We had to update the Zoom gallery because too many bugs had crept in and uploading anything was a real pain in the arse. All was going OK until Jake turn to me and said, “Shit Goba. Think all you pics on the server have been deleted while updating Zoom.” Yeah right mate, I said. But he wasn’t joking hey, which means all of my photos I’ve been uploading gradually over the past 12 months have to be uploaded all over again. Frustrating hey.