New Ideas
NEW IDEAS
Cobra Star Raider Accessories
Cruiser customizing house Cobra has released 20—count ’em, 20—new accessories for the popular Star Raider. Three styles of exhaust pipes, an Fi2000 Digital Fuel Processor, one-piece freeway bars, engine case guards, brake caliper covers, machined-from-billet floorboards, saddlebag supports, backrests, luggage racks in formed or tube steel, license-plate frames, the list goes on and on and on...
Cobra Engineering, 23801 E. La Palma Ave., Yorba Linda, CA 92887; 714/692-8180; www.cobrausa.com
Alpinestars Supertech R
Alpinestars ’ ultra-high-performance roadracing boot, the Supertech R ($400), takes lower extremity protection to an all-new level. Similar in style to the previous Supertech, the streamlined R features a more aero-dynamic profile to improve ventilation and better dissipate energy in case of a fall. Revisions to the separate internal ankle bracing allow full and freer movement while better absorbing flex and rotational stresses. Offered in a variety of colors, including GP Tracks Camo (shown), the Supertech R comes in U.S. sizes 3½-12½.
Alpinestars USA, Inc., 2780 W. 237th St., Torrance, CA 90505; 310/891-0222; www. alpinestars.com
Bridgestone M403/M404 Tires
If you race motocross, you probably go through a lot of tires. Bridgestone’s new M403 front ($35 to $94) and M404 rear ($37 to $ 118) are replacements for the intermediate-terrain M401 and M402, and benefit from updated construction, compounds and tread design for enhanced durability, a wider range of soil compatibility and improved cornering performance. Applications cover all current 50 to 450cc dirtbikes.
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC, P.O. Box 140990, Nashville, TN 37214; 800/543-7522; www.motorcycle-karttires.com
Techmount Accessory Mounting Kits
If you want to buy a Techmount stem-style accessory mounting system for your late-model Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki or Yamaha streetbike but are concerned that it will be obsolete as soon as you upgrade to the latest model, breathe easy: Complete kits ($65 to $95) now come with two O-ring-equipped posts-one for earlier bikes and a larger-diameter example for the latest version. Choose from red, blue, black, gold, silver, titanium or chrome finishes.
High Gear Specialties, Inc., 940 W. Oakland Ave. #A10, Oakland, FL 34787; 866/341-4192; www.techmounts.com
Redline Engineering Front Swivel Race Stand
Building on the success of its Rear Swivel Race Stand, Redline Engineering has introduced its new Front Swivel Race Stand ($129). Designed to provide 360-degree mobility during service or storage, the stand is constructed of 11-gauge steel and weighs roughly 16 pounds. To use, position the locating pins in holes in the bottom of the fork legs-no adaptors required— and press the handle toward the floor. Locking ball-bearing-equipped casters provide stability. The stand is compatible with most late-model Japanese sportbikes.
Redline Engineering LLC, 1849 Yellow Dog Rd., Senatobia, MS 38668; 901/351-4764; www.redlinestands.com
Hangerz Tie Down Storage
Are you tired of tangled tie-downs cluttering the floor of your trailer or toy hauler? Then you might want to invest in Hangerz ($22). Store up to 10 tie-downs on the powdercoated, cast-aluminum rings, which mount on 5¼-inch-wide, polished-aluminum, diamond-plate supports. Stainless-steel mounting hardware supplied.
Hangerz, 5101 E. Los Angeles Ave. #141, Simi Valley, CA 93063; 805/579-7870; www.hangerz.net
Original Bike Spirits
You may not recognize the Amrep name but chances are you have used the privately labeled cleaners, lubes and polishes it has produced in the past for Harley-Davidson and Honda, among others. Now Amrep has its own product line called Original Bike Spirits. Offerings include: Spray Cleaner & Polish, Brake Cleaner, Carb Cleaner, Chain Lube, Chain Lube with White Graphite, and Contact/Brake Cleaner. Prices start at $4.
Amrep, Inc., 990 Industrial Park Dr., Marietta, GA 30062; 770/422-2071; www.originalbikespirits.com
TechNiche Battery Powered Electric Heating Vest
Warmth without wires is the idea behind TechNiche Intemational’s Battery Powered Electric Heating Vest ($150; sizes S-XXXL). Weather-resistant on the outside and soft to the touch on the inside, the five-way-temperature-adjustable zippered design draws its energy from a rechargeable Li-Ion Smart battery stowed out of sight in an interior pocket.
TechNiche International, 1948 Kellogg Ave.,
Carlsbad, CA 92008; 888/823-2665; www.techniche-intl.com
Leatt Moto-GPX Neck Brace
cw SPOTLIGHT
was no horse or mule or oxen power until someone worked out that the harness should go where the structure is strongest: the beast’s shoulders and rib cage. So it follows that the idea for the Leatt Moto-GPX neck brace ($395, Club; $595, Sport) is to prevent or reduce bending and compression of the head and neck, which aren’t designed to be bent or compressed, by shifting the load to the sternum, upper rib cage and shoulders, which are stronger. The device itself is carefully detailed, with space-age material plus insulation and padding. You open the latch on one side, clamp it with a lever, put on your helmet and gloves and so forth. The box and the brochure make it perfectly clear that neither this nor any other piece of equipment can prevent injury or worse. What we have, then, is either a matter of choice or an insurance policy. The decision is yours.
Leatt Corp., Inc., 24842 Ave. Rockefeller, Valencia, CA 91355; 800/691-3314; www.leatt-brace.com
