It feels like spring is very late late! But actually i’ts quite normal that only at the end of March the weather is warm enough and the roads are free from ice and snow. I was able to ride gravel roads yesterday (at least here in the most southern parts of Finland) and it felt so good!! The 90km’s route I made was like this:
And ofcourse I had Insta360 Ace Pro attached to my helmet and I made a video!
This is mind blowing! It’s revolutionary. Until now everyone who wanted to talk to the video while riding a motorcycle had to install either a mic with the wire (so called Lavalier microphone) or somekind of wireless microphone inside their helmets. I was using one of the best ones (RØDE wireless Go II) and I did find a place for the microphone inside my helmet but then there was the problem of the reciever and the adapter on the side of the camera.
The sound quality from this RØDE microphone was very good! But because of the rain I did brake 1 mic adapter last summer. Then on december 2023 they released this new Insta360 Ace Pro camera and it has bluetooth connectivity!! I didn’t even realize this when I bought it. But about in the same time when I got this new camera the DJI Osmo Action 4 shared new firmware update that allowed it to be connected to DJI Mic 2. That was the first time when I knew something quite important was about to happen! In DJI’s version you still need to install this microphone inside the helmet. Only few weeks later Insta360 released new firmware that had already more than 5 different helmetphone Brands and models that was supported by Insta360 Ace Pro camera!! I had Sena 30K and it was not on the list…. So I sold my helmetphone and bought the new one! It was Sena Spider ST1 and to pair it with Insta360 Ace Pro you do like this:
I knew that when you are using helmetphone microphone they have this “Advanced Noise Control™” that will block all ambient sounds (sounds from the outside of your helmet). So I started testing how can I easily disconnect the helmetphone from the camera so that camera’s own microphone will record all sounds when I’m not talking to the microphone. It can be done but it’s not very easy.
Finally today (3rd of february) it was so warm weather so I decided I will install the battery to my bike. And because my bike’s engine started like it was not winter at all… I decided to go for a ride! And ofcourse test how this Sena Spider ST1 will work as a microphone in insta360 Ace Pro camera. Here is the video:
As a result I can say that yes, you can here the engine sound on the video. But it’s not too loud. Actually if I will use music on the video it will cover pretty much all engine sound… So I will try to remember to disconnect the helmetphone (microphone) when I don’t want to talk to the video. And when I want to talk again I need to stop recording and connect the helmetphone to the camera again. And start recording again (Sounds little bit complicated here! But it isn’t.)
I’ve neen using Insta360 cameras now little bit more than one year. They are as good as DJI cameras especially when they offer also these 360 cameras. Those are definitely an update for everything there was before these interesting cameras. I realized pretty soon that there’s no sense to have two separate 360 cameras so I started to look for a new action camera… And Insta360 had quite perfect timing when they released new Ace Pro camera. I ordered it right away when it was published. When I got the camera I made “UnBoxing” video to youtube (Only in Finnish):
And today I went first to Billnäs to make some video there, Then I visited in Hub Feenix and got some animals also to this video. I had my “old action camera” insta360 One RS with this new insta360 Ace Pro. SO you can compare the picture that these cameras make in low light snowy landscape with 4K 30fps.
The winter motorcycling is quite challenging! First you’re collecting the best and warmest clothes to put on you. You get dressed up for 1 hour (or something) and then you go out without even knowing if the bike will start?
I was really waiting this kind of weather! The frozen ground makes the gravel roads little bit slippery (Or too slippery like you will see later in this post!) and the riding is more challenging! I took this kind of route yesterday:
I wanted to ride the forest roads near that Iso-Kisko lake and I wanted to see the swimming place and fire place of that lake. I only saw that place once and that was in the middle of the winter -at least now it would be little bit earlier!
Here was the first crossroads where I found the road that I didn’t ride before.
That road had some beautiful views right under the powerline that has no electric current! The line comes from Inkoo Powerplant that was demolished few years ago.
Then I was in another city (Salo) and district (Varsinais-Suomi). That road was just maintained and plowed so there was loose gravel and stones on the surface and right under this loose surface there was frozen layer… It was very slippery! And even I said to myself many times “Be careful, It’s very slippery!” This happened:
For a second I was little bit frightened that I was hurt! I was winded and it felt like there’s something wrong. But it lasted only few seconds and then I pulled myself up and started to my move my hands and shoulders. It felt like everything was ok! I had to ride to the gas station because I needed to fix the foot peg that was stuck on the “Up position”.
This picture I took little bit later when I was already riding back home. The whole adventure video you can see here:
I still have some of my old action cameras and I had this idea quite long time! I wanted to compare the old ones to the new ones I am using now. Finally I did it. The old cameras that I have: JVC GC-FM1 (pocket camera), but for this one I didn’t find the correct wire to charge it. Sony HDR-AS30V Quite good camera already! It has even digital Steady Shot stabilizer. My video of this camera here! Sony FDR-X1000V was my first 4K camera, and I was so happy with this camera! My video of this camera here! And then I’m also showing (testing) the video quality of Insta360 One RS 4K Boost lens, video is here! Insta360 One X3, video is here! I did also a short flight with my drone because they are also kind of action cameras… Nobody had a drone 10 years ago! DJI Air 2S, and my flight video is here! The full video I made you can check here:
I made also another video where I’m shooting the video with Insta360 One RS 4K boost lens. That video you can see here:
This I’ve been dreaming quite long time. Now I have it!
If you compare the size of the camera to any other action camera it’s not big! And it shoots pictures or video all the time to every direction! Then when you’re editing the video you can choose which direction comes to the final video! Or you can make a 360° video where the person who’s watching the video can choose himself to what direction he’s watching -like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0t3UUaQci4 The editing is a little bit different because you have to think all the time which direction of the video is the best. For example when I’m going to make motorcycling videos with this there can be things happening in many directions! But luckily you can make many cuts where you’re using the different POV of the same file. Me and my friends were skiing!! For me it was the first time in more than 10 years! Ahh it was fun! So I was testing what kind of picture this camera takes and how it is to edit the video… I didn’t know the the lights in the hill can have that bothering effect to the video that everything is flickering!! Unfortunately in this video it bothers… Next time I will use some other fps (frames per second).
We visited once again. It is always so beautiful and relaxing. The Seurasaari area has multiple museum areas and buildings -you need to buy a ticket if you wish to go inside those buildings. But area has also a lot of hiking pats around the island and the most amazing thing is that so many animals are so used to the people and you can feed them from your hand… You can easily feed bluetits, great tits, squirrels, mallards, swans and geese from your hand if you bring some nuts/ seeds with you. Didn’t take too many pictures this time. I had my videocamera with me!
Pampskatan is the last end of Porkkala Peninsula. From the most southern point of Pampskatan it’s only about 36 kilometers to Estonia. From Helsinki it’s about 75km’s. Here I’m testing my new camera DJI Osmo Action and I have to say that I like it! I made even few underwater parts to this video…
On august 17th I bought a new enduro bike! This time I chose BMW G650 XChallenge! It has the same 1-cylinder 650ccm Rotax-engine than in many many other bikes. It is known to be very trustful and you don’t have to make service all the time.
I rode the bike from Lappeenranta to home and I really was enjoying enduroriding again!
During this autumn I’ve been riding few times with friends also and I’ve had videocamera with me. Here are some nice videos:
This was 2nd of september. We were riding mostly quite big roads/ easy roads so everyone could join the ride!
The roads in Kiikala area are very nice!! You really can enjoy the speed and essence of Finnish nature and adventure motorcycling!
This one is from Vihti/ Karkkila/ Lohja area (Rausjärvi). It is also a part of Trans Euro Trail route that I planned last spring. In this video there is a scary moment in 06:45 when a car comes from the yard straight in front of me! Luckily I had enough time to ride aside!
In the end of september we had a little bit different ride. This time mostly OffRoad. This was already in the beginning of the day… The most difficult parts! I can say that I was sweating like a pig… or a horse!
This path is quite well known route in Vihti. Not too difficult, almost quite ok for ordinary roadbike too.
This is one sandpit near Lohja. There is also nice small pond and we are riding around it two times.
And the last route is an old railroad (without rails) in Pikkala. The railroad was built by Russians when the area was part of Russia after the WWII.
In this video there is short break to take pictures under the bridge and then riding over the log. This log is not that difficult anymore…
This is the last day of our tour around Finland. We didn’t try to follow borders as close as possible. It just came like this… We went north from the east side and came back from the west side. We tried to check nice places on our way but certainly there was many places that we didn’t see. So there will be many nice spots to visit in the future.
Quite soon after we started riding we had this road. The route has a very nice ridgeroad going through small lakes 2 times! These are very beautiful places to make short stop and take pictures.
These pictures are from Rantalansärkkä wich is the more beautiful one… or at least it is easier to stop the bike there.
When we arrived to Ruovesi area we rode to the forest. With this bike and this load (maybe around 450kg’s) it’s not easy to ride on the forestroads if there is soft sand. We found this interesting “monument” or a memorial sign anyway.
They put the sign because some war-veterans were planting this forest long time ago (I think it was 1972).
Couple hours later we took a short walk in the museum-bridge in Teisko.
It’s called Aunessilta. It’s nowadays for walking only. Usually here you can see also some boats.
Then we checked one of the most famous place to have a coffeebreak (for motorcycle riders). It’s the Vehoniemi car-museum and cafeteria. This is located in a beatiful high ridge in Kangasala. The place is more than 40 meters higher than the lakesurface just beside the ridge! There is also a viewingtower.
After this we didn’t make any stops anymore… We just ride back home!
Video of this day made by my wife: