Early for this fall we check out some of the quality must have sport bike gear and accessories. Everything from street bike apparel to motorcycle bolt-ons.
Rage Against The Machine
Teknic is hardly a new name in the street freestyle game--they've been around since the beginning, supporting O.G. stunters like Todd Colbert/Team Xtreem and Vegas rider Derek "D-Mann" Daigle. Reppin' the freestyle spirit in the company's 2006 lineup is the Rage jacket ($450), designed just for stunters, with a square-cut torso and shoulders to allow easy movement and a top-quality, 1.4mm cowhide shell for maximum abrasion resistance. Front panels are perforated for ventilation, Knox-brand CE armor is integrated into the shoulders, elbows and back for protection, and flame-and-star accents drop some style.
Complete the Rage kit with a matching set of Rage freestyle gloves ($90), which have a freestyle-friendly cuffless design, a seamless thumb, memory foam covering the contact points in the palm for comfort, and a molded chrome guard to keep you from busting your knuckles if you hit the ground. Lastly, Teknic has your feet covered with its Freestyle boot ($80), mixing workboot-styling with moto-specific features like a reinforced toe box, padded air-mesh lining, a reinforced rubberized gear shift pad and a ratchet-buckle ankle support system. www.teknicgear.com
Time To Come Clean
With the acres of chrome plating and candy paint that cover the show-quality feature bikes that fill each issue of this magazine, we've got to believe that you readers are more than a little interested in keeping your bikes clean. Then check out Gagliano's Image 10 basic detail kit ($80), designed for show competitors to keep their high-buck, high-end finishes spotless and protected. Start with Gagliano's Surface Wash, a pH-balanced, non-abrasive wash to safely and effectively remove dust, dirt and all atmospheric contaminants from any exterior surfaces. Follow with the Surface Cleanser to strip off old polish and wax residues trapped in the microscopic valleys of your paint finish, then give it a dose of Finish Cream to leave a deep, authentic shine. Instant Image is a finish detailer, a streak-free, chalk-free spray perfect for touchups between washes to remove fingerprints, water spots and dust. Best in Show, here we come. www.image10finish.com
Lever of Prey
ST Machine's latest lever design, dubbed the Raptor, takes its inspiration from the razor-sharp talons of hawks and other birds of prey. CNC-machined from billet aluminum to the highest specifications, the Raptor levers sell for $125 a pair and are available in either polished or black powdercoated finishes. With accessories like these, ST Machine delivers a unique and innovative style to set your controls apart from the rest of the bikes. www.stmachine.com
Get Shorty
Looking like an old-school cut-down stunter exhaust can, Two Brothers Racing's new M-2 exhaust for the current-generation Yamaha R6 is available in three styles--polished aluminum, filament-wound carbon-fiber and titanium. No matter what canister material you choose, all three systems feature mandrel-bent thin-wall stainless steel slip tubes and TBR's proprietary V.A.L.E. mounting system that allows for infinite adjustability and precision fitment. Lighter (by three ounces) and more powerful (by one hp) than stock, the M2 adds plenty of stunter style and clearance to your track-bred R6. www.twobros.com
Wrenchware
Do you get nervous whenever you leave the cozy confines of your garage? Does the sight of normal domestic utensils strike fear into your 10W-40-pumping heart? Check out Wrenchware, the gearhead-approved silverware that will make even the most antisocial garage gnome feel right at home in such a civilized setting as the dinner table. Made from 18/10 "drop-forged" stainless steel, Wrenchware sells for them $24 per set of three (a spoon, fork and knife delivered in a protective ABS-plastic carrying case), and as a bonus, the open-end and box-end wrench can actually be employed to turn a bolt in a pinch! Bonus points for adding this to your wedding registry. www.wrenchwareinc.com
Get Up, Stand Up!
What's the only time when four wheels are better than two? When you've got four oversized wheels for added stability on the work stand that's holding up your prized sportbike, that's when. Not only do Vortex's latest Race Stands feature four wheels each (two more than most), but they are also lightweight (23 pounds, front; 17 pounds, rear), powdercoated for durability, equipped with convenient wrench/axle holders and priced attractively at $159.95 (front) and $119.95 (rear). www.vortexracing.com