Reliving The Ride | Drift Innovation High-Def Camera LePera Villain Seat

Drift Innovation High Def Camera Cover Spread

Still shot captured near Deadwood, South Dakota, with HD170 mounted on crash bar.

Drift Innovation High-Def Camera
Reliving The Ride
It's getting increasingly popular for folks of all walks of life to document their life's activities with video and still cameras. Then with computer technology the whole world can see you on Facebook or YouTube. There are a handful of companies marketing action cameras to the powersports industry and most of them have their positive and negative qualities. Things such as size, weight, resolution, and cost are some considerations when buying an action cam. Most of the cameras have no way to view what you're shooting or what you shot until you download the memory card. You have to hope you captured what you wanted.

Drift Innovation High Def Camera Hd170 Action

The HD170 camera (top) comes with everything shown here (plus a rechargeable lithium battery). The remote control (with attached wrist strap) is on the left. Helmet, goggle, and handlebar mounts are included as well as cables for TV or computer viewing.

The HD170 camera (top) comes with everything shown here (plus a rechargeable lithium batte

Enter the Drift HD170 action cam that claims it's the first high-definition (HD) cam that has a playback screen and remote control. The 5-megapixel digital camera can shoot in various video modes up to a full 1080p resolution as well as capture still photos. All of the action is recorded to a standard SD memory card (not included; up to 32GB) that can be operated from either the camera's buttons or the extremely handy remote control. A built-in microphone and speaker can be adjusted to the users preference. While not designed for underwater use, this camera is resistant to 0.5 meters.

Easy-to-use menus allow for a multitude of modes, including digital zoom, low-light, burst photos, and time lapse, to name a few. The remote and the screen are the big selling points here, and we had fun playing around with the camera. The HD170 can be purchased from finer camera outlets as well as amazon.com. Check out driftinnovation.com for more detailed information.

Setting the HD170 apart from the competition is the 11/2-inch color LCD screen. The speaker is visible on the top-right of the cam as well as all of the function buttons.
Setting the HD170 apart from the competition is the 11/2-inch color LCD screen. The speake
The HD170 also features a 170-degree rotatable wide-angle lens that ensures level recording regardless of how or where the camera is mounted.
The HD170 also features a 170-degree rotatable wide-angle lens that ensures level recordin
Here's the bottom of the camera with the universal clip attached to the built-in 1/4-inch camera thread. The clip can be removed to attach the camera to other mounts, such as a tripod. The waterproof battery hatch on the back conceals the memory and battery slots as well as the AV-out, microphone-in, and mini-USB output.
Here's the bottom of the camera with the universal clip attached to the built-in 1/4-inch

A deep, comfortable pocket greets the rider while the passenger section, albeit on the small side, got rave reviews from passengers. The little wrinkle on the top of the seat went away after the seat broke in and conformed to our body.

A deep, comfortable pocket greets the rider while the passenger section, albeit on the sma

LePera Villain Seat
Great Style and Comfort
In the never-ending search for touring comfort, the seat is among the first items that gets changed on a bike. There are many options in the seat department and we're often left to decide between form and function. Many of the best-looking seats out there are just not comfortable enough for long-range riding and the more comfortable of the bunch are usually thick, bulky, and unsightly.

With the Street Glide, Harley struck a balance between performance and looks and opted for a seat that is low and relatively narrow. It's also a rather hard seat that can leave you wanting more on a long ride. Aside from not being very plush, the seat is constructed on a plastic base that can leave riders feeling as though they are literally riding on the framerails. Passenger comfort has been compromised as well for better looks.

We wanted to go with a seat that had killer looks but offered a bit more comfort. We contacted Le Pera Enterprises (lepera.com, 818-767-5110), the family-run company that has been building seats for almost 40 years. Aside from great seat styles, all of Le Pera's seats use a formed steel base.

We decided to pick an off-the-rack Villain seat (LK-817, $508) for our '09 Street Glide. The seat is available for '97-later Touring H-Ds. It's possible to order most Le Pera seats with a multitude of stylistic and cushioning options. Covers include all vinyl, leather, or a combo of the two. Custom stitch patterns and colors can be ordered straight from Le Pera. While we went with the standard medium density foam, Le Pera offers Biker Gel that is added to the seat and conforms to the rider and provides additional support and vibration resistance.

If you want style and comfort, the Villain is one way to go. This seat is very comfortable and unique in appearance.

Unlike the plastic bottom on the stock seat, the Villain, like all of Le Pera's seats, features a formed, steel base. Rubber bumpers and felt help to protect your bike too.
Unlike the plastic bottom on the stock seat, the Villain, like all of Le Pera's seats, fea
In less than a minute the new Villain seat was installed using the stock fender mount bolt. The seat flows great with the lines of the Street Glide.
In less than a minute the new Villain seat was installed using the stock fender mount bolt
The stock Street Glide seat is sleek and thin and fits in well with the bike's stripped down looks, but can get a bit uncomfortable after riding for a couple of hours.
The stock Street Glide seat is sleek and thin and fits in well with the bike's stripped do