New Ideas
NEW IDEAS
Ben Bostrom at Laguna Seca
Although Ducati-mounted Ben Bostrom didn’t win at last year’s Laguna Seca World Superbike round, he was certainly a main attraction. No wonder, then, that artist Tim Berry penned this print of the colorful Californian in his distinctive Captain America livery. Only 200 of the 13 x 21-inch prints are available, and those come with autographs from Bostrom and Berry. Cost is $40, plus $6 shipping and handling. Consider it a little something to hang above the mantel.
Tim Berry Motorsports Art, 3895 Bailey Ridge Dr., Woodbury, MN 55125; 651/702-3456; www.timberrymotorsportsart.com
Alpinestars Vector MX boots
At first glance, Alpinestars’ Vector motocross boots look spacey enough to defy gravity. Unfortunately, they don’t. So why eschew more traditional-looking MX footwear? Because these come with a truckload of hightech, protective features. Most obvious is the unique, contoured rubber sole, which is reinforced with a steel shank and a replaceable footpeg insert. Other items of interest include the company’s patented ankle-support system, calf-protecting rear plate and quick-release buckle system. Cost is $250.
Alpinestars USA, 2780 W. 237th St., Torrance, CA 90505; 310/891-0222; www.alpinestars.com
Tour Master Jackets
While everybody wants high-zoot gear, not everybody can afford to dedicate their pay-check to apparel. Where to find an inexpensive jacket that isn’t, well, cheap? Try Tour Master. The $150 TM Tech (XS-XXL sizes) is a 600-denier cordura-nylon garment with a zip-out liner, removable armor and a unisex cut that fits men and women. And the $200 Cortech Lite (right), featuring waterproofed cordura-nylon construction, also has a removable liner, armor, plenty of pockets and a built-in fanny-pack. Sometimes, you get more than what you paid for.
Tour Master, 26855 Malibu Hills Rd., Calabasas Hills, CA 91301; 800/421-7247; www.tourmaster.com
CNW Commando Rebuilds
Bring Colorado Norton Works your poor, your tired, your huddled masses of Commando parts, and this is what you get back-a hot-rod Britbike with more than 30 upgrades in chassis, engine and transmission. Included in the mods are a marine-grade wiring loom, O-ring chain, easy-pull clutch, electronic ignition, sealed wheel bearings and a metric master cylinder said to absolutely transform the usually weak front disc brake. Three versions are available: the CNW Commando, the Low Rider (with seat height reduced by as much as 4 inches) and the stock-looking Original. Base price is $10,950 plus you donor bike/basketcase.
Colorado Norton Works, 27174 Road P, Dolores, CO 81323; 970/882-7670; www.coloradonortonworks.com
MBP Ducati Valve Collets
One gripe Ducati owners have concerning their bikes is the short intervals between valve-clearance inspections—as little as 3000 miles on pre-1998 models. But Canadian company Martin Brickwood Performance claims fitting its valve collets extends that interval to as much as 15,000 miles. Whereas the steel Stockers are the mechanical equivalent of putting a round peg in a square hole, MBP’s titanium-nitride-coated, billet-aluminum collets are L-shaped for a precise fit, thus minimizing wear. Suggested retail price is $150.
Martin Brickwood Performance, 100 Bannister, Pointe Claire, Quebec, Canada H9R 3M7;514/6949695; www.mbpducati.com
Mean Street Forks
Why is it that so many cruiser owners are willing to slap on a new set of pipes or modify their engine, but won’t touch the suspension? Well, for those prepared to take a chance, we say trade in that spindly stocker for this beefy-ass inverted fork from Mean Street. CNC-machined from billet-aluminum, it’s equipped with 54mm fork legs. For the metrically challenged, that’s more than 2 inches in diameter. End result is a full-on bruiser-cruiser look, and a tad more stability. The fork comes either polished or with a chrome finish, and pricing starts at $1599
Mean Street Products, 8785 Castner Dr, El Paso, TX 79907; 915/592-6887; www. meanstreetproducts.com
L-shaped Sug-
Hard Krome Double D Pipes
When the box labeled “Double Ds” arrived at the CW offices, we suspected they weren’t real. As it turns out, they were indeed boltons. Pipes, that is, for most late-model Harleys. Available as a full system or in slip-on form, the chrome-plated steel pipes are made with Hard Krome’s double-wall construction, meaning that each 1.75-inch inner pipe is shielded by a larger, 2.75-inch outer pipe that inhibits bluing. Priorities, say the manufacturer, are to look good, sound good and provide a “decent” power gain. Suggested retail for these S-Bends is $500. Rejetting is urged.
Hard Krome, 1230 La Loma Cir, Anaheim, CA 92806; 800/854-9134; www.hardkrome.com
