New Ideas

NEW IDEAS

Pirelli Sportscomp tire

Even Lamont Cranston might be astonished to know that Pirelli’s Phantom + 1 Sportscomp tire comes in almost as many sizes as Baskin-Robbins has flavors—22, to be precise. Prices for the bias-ply rayon-cord hoops range from $83 for the 100/90V16 front to $116 for the 160/70V18 rear, and they’re available from your dealer. To find out more, contact Pirelli Tire Corp., Motorcycle Tire Division, 2001 Gateway Place, #700, San Jose, CA 95110; (408) 995-6222.

GE Silicone Hi-Temp Auto Gasket

It probably wouldn’t interest Carol Doda, but GE prefers its silicone sealer be used on heads, oil pans and rocker covers anyway. GE claims its silicone can shoulder continuous 500-degree F temperatures and intermittent blasts of 600, yet stays resilient down to -65F. And, to keep abreast of the market, GE is offering 2.8-ounce tubes of the stuff for the same price as previous 1.9-ounce tubes. It’s available at your dealer, and you can get more information from the General Electric Co., Silicone Products Division, RTV Products Dept., Waterford, NY 12188.

Targa YSR50 accessories

At Targa, good things come for small packages, specifically Yamaha's YSR50, with a thicket of parts—pipes, big-bore pistons, carbs, forks, shocks, rearsets, to name a few—that’ll bring the Liliputian putt-putt’s performance more closely in line with its racetrack-refugee looks. Targa also offers for the YSR its usual lineup of sport-bike attire, including tank bibs, fairing bras, windscreens and more. For more information, contact Targa Accessories Inc., 23561 Ridge Route Dr., Bldg. F, Laguna Hills, CA 92653; (714) 472-1022.

Delta Radio Attention Getter

A flare pistol can be a real attention-getter for avoiding those too-close encounters of the traffic kind. Delta Radio’s Attention Getter, on the other hand, might not be as riveting, but at least you don’t have to reload it after every use. According to Delta, the device plugs into a bike’s brake-light circuit, and when the binders are applied it makes the brake light flash brightly—not on-and-off— three times per second. Suggested retail price is $21.95, and you can find out more from Delta Radio Co. Inc., P.O. Box 531, Spring Valley, NY 10977; (914) 786-3166.

Matarah Proguard

Rolaids are plenty absorbent, but they’re not the handiest way to soak up an oil spill. Proguard Drip Shields, on the other hand, absorb 15 times their own weight in most liquids, according to their maker, and they feature a vinyl backing to prevent leak-through. Plus, at $4.50 for a 24-inch-by-30-inch sheet, Drip Shields ought to be more cost-effective than an economy-size bottle of Rolaids. To find out more, contact Matarah Industries Inc., 1339 N. Milwaukee St., Milwaukee. WI 53202.

Maier Woods Pro handguards

Euell Gibbons would’ve made a terrible enduro rider—too busy munching the edible bark of certain trees to stay on his minute. But if he had been an enduro artiste, he might have bolted up a pair of Woods Pro aluminum handguards to keep the bark from munching back. They’re available for $34.75 a pair from Maier Mfg. Co., 12435 Loma Rica Dr., Grass Valley, CA 95945; (916) 272-9036. Maier also offers bolt-on plastic guards for extra protection for $16 a pair, but neither guards are edible.