Kawasaki ZX 11 - Gear Box

BMW Savannah Suit
You'd be smiling, too, if you got to parade around in BMW's new $1099 Savannah suit. Gore-Tex pant/jacket liners keep the elements at bay, while light armor and reflective shoulder stripes handle protective duty. There are even pockets in the back to warm a passenger's hands. Expensive, yes, but then again, so's your Beemer. See your local BMW dealer or browse www.bmwonline.com.

Slippery Stuff
How'd they get them to stand up like that? At least Castrol's new line of synthetic/synthetic based motorcycle oils makes sense, whether you choose the Act-evo's "active protection molecules" semi-synth formula, the R4 Superbike antifriction/low-viscosity fully synthetic goop, or the tough-as-nails GPS semi-synth liquid. Yours from $3.95-$9.25 per quart exclusively at your motorcycle dealer.

Mad Maps
Oh, the tragedy of seeing another brilliant idea that wasn't ours come to fruition. MAD (Motorcycle Adventure Destinations) Maps are designed by motorcyclists, and detail everything from "biker friendly" establishments to the best secret roads of the area. Maps of the San Francisco/Bay Area and California's Wine Country are available now, with other states to follow. $6.95 from local bike shops or $10 (including S&H) from (877) MAD-7899; www.madmaps.com.

Bedtime Reading
By page two of Running With the Moon (softcover, 334 pages, $16.95) author Jonny Bealby's wife has died in his arms; by page five, he's off to circulate the African continent on his Yamaha Super Tenr in search of some meaning in his life. Yeeeesh. Kind of makes last Sunday's breakfast ride seem kind of trivial, doesn't it? Available from Whitehorse Press at (800) 531-1133 or www.WhitehorsePress.com.

Bike Log
In our infinite wisdom, we told you last month ("New Bike Setup," June '00) that keeping a maintenance log for your scoot is a smart idea. This 3.5-by-5.5-inch Bike Log-which lets you log services performed, personal data and even trip info-is just the thing. Laminated cover stock and metric conversion table are nice touches. $8.95 from www.bikelog.com or (716) 381-3841.

ZX-11 Six-Piston Stoppers
Clearly, a post-breakfast 185-mph blast on your '93-'00 ZX-11 will be more enjoyable once you've affixed these tasty Nissin six-pot calipers to slow you down. BrakeTech has even machined some lightweight billet aluminum caliper brackets that allow for easy bolt-on to the OE rotors. Yours for $669.95 (longer brake hoses available separately) from Ferodo BrakeTech at (805) 376-9565 or www.braketech.com.