If you've been a fan of the motocross industry since.....well, basically since the Earth cooled, the name Bevo Forti should ring a bell. If his name doesn't, a picture of him wearing the infamous "Who the Hell is Bob Hannah" t-shirt might jog your memory. Bevo is known world-wide as one of the most respected men in the motocross industry. Ironically, he got his start as a mechanic for then privateer Bultaco MX racer John Savitski in 1972, who's biggest sponsor happened to be a funeral home! Eventually, Savitski got picked up by Yamaha and Bevo worked his way into turning wrenches for the Factory Yamaha team. Later, the big man joined Scott USA in 1981 and remained there until his most recent endeavor. Over the years, Bevo has worked directly with talented racers like Bob Hannah, Jeff Stanton, David Bailey, Mike Larocco, Chad Reed, Davi Millsaps, and Malcolm Stewart just to name a few.
Now...you might ask, what in the world does a story about a guy named Bevo have to do with an article about 100% goggles. Back in 2012, when 100% decided it was time to get back into the game, they needed a guy with Bevo's street cred to help generate some serious brand recognition for the new brand.
I grew up in the anthracite coal region in Pennsylvania, which just so happens to be the home of Bevo (and Savitsky). I showed up at Bevo's house a day this summer with some homemade soppressata (the key to any true coal-region Italian's heart) and we chatted for a bit about some new UTV goggles that 100% were releasing. Bevo promised he'd get a set in my hands to try, and the rest is history.
While some people might consider themselves aficionados of fine wine, fancy cigars, or swanky restaurants....I'm pretty much a "goggle-guy". I don't believe there's a brand I haven't tried and yes, some brands are better than others. I've spent the last few months with my 100% The Accuri UTV Specific Goggles and I really like them. With that said, I really like all of the different 100% models I've tried. Specifically, I love the way they fit my face and they do an excellent job of keeping the crud out of my eyes. I used a pair this summer when we shot a television commercial with the ATV Rider Mud Maverick and those goggles got absolutely pummeled with flying mud and water. I brought several extra pairs of Goggles with me that day anticipating them getting destroyed. However, in my infinite wisdom I left them in my truck, which was several miles away from the video shoot. So, for a whole day, I covered my lone pair of 100% goggles in mud, then used a paper towel, a shirt, or whatever I could find to wipe the lenses clean. Surprisingly, at the end of the day, I could still see out of the lenses, which was amazing and impressive. That torture test showed that the lenses are truly build for the long haul. I've thrown many, many other lenses away that have only taken a fraction of the abuse that the 100% Goggles have because the lens scratches rendered them useless.
If you buy a pair of The Accuri UTV specific googles, expect to also get a slick looking goggle bag, an installed smoked lens, and an extra clear lens in the box. Also, the foam is said to be a "special closed cell design" that helps keep out the dust and sand that many hard core UTV enthusiasts who frequent places like Glamis might find. I can't comment on the sand or dust, because mine got punished in the mud and slop. But, with that said, I'd recommend taking a serious look at these goggles when you're ready for a new set.
