Beef Up Your 'StichAlong with its armored pants, Bohn Body Armor has also come up with an Aerostich Roadcrafter version of its Carbon/Kevlar Back Protector ($139). Specially placed Velcro tabs allow for easy fitment into the tabs of your 'Stich. A fine way to get generous coverage of your shoulder blades, kidneys and tailbone. Dial up ActionStations at (530) 898-9269 or www.actionstation.com.
Alien Space ProbeNo, no, we're kidding...what we've got here is 3-In-One's new Oil Telescoping Spout ($2.90), a five-inch-high bottle that sprouts a flexy, six-inch-long plastic tube and dispenses the company's multipurpose oil to those, er...hard to reach places. From your local auto-supply/hardware store or visit www.wd40.com.
DP Supersport PadsWe'll be slapping sets of these on our F4 and R6 right quick. DP's new Supersport HH+ brake pads promise ultrahigh friction levels, a quick 10-mile break in period, no brake dust or brake fade and a new blue ceramic heat shield that reduces heat transfer so your brake fluid stays cool when the pace warms up. $36.95 from your dealer or ring (716) 681-8806.
RubberwearGet it? Dunlop makes tires, tires are made of rubber, you wear this cool logo stuff.... And now that we're done making lousy jokes, we'll tell you that $9.95 gets you a Dunlop baseball hat, $14.95 gets you the cotton Vacationer hat and $12.95-$19.95 gets you the cotton Dunlop T-shirts. Good tires, good clothes, good night. Order from www.dunlopgear.com or ring up (800) 521-8841 for more info.
Crash Tested:Prexport RS1 Racing Suit And 599 Race BootSo here comes Sport Rider's feature editor Evans T. Brasscannon barreling around Willow Springs in his spiffy Italian Prexport RS1 perforated leather suit and full-grain leather 599 Race booties, only to lowside at 50 mph when a mouse runs onto the track and knocks him off line. Damage? The suit suffered minor scuffing and no thread separation (an errant footpeg tore a hole in the stretch-Kevlar crotch panel), while only the top outer layer of the boots' carbon/Kevlar ankle shielding was ground off under the sliding bike (the thick inner layer remained intact). Evans is fine, too, and felt confident enough to wear the gear again for his next race. After slipping on a thick back protector, 5-foot-11-inch/185-pound E.B. found a Euro size 54 suit fairly well-fitting, although the suit's extra-wide leg openings needed to be folded over to fit into the comfy, size-nine boots. Recommended.
Price:$899.99 (RS1 Racing Suit)$279.99 (599 Race Boot)Rating: HHHHHVerdict: Track worthy, crash worthy, need we say more? Suit's fit isn't as exact as some of the competition.
Top Gear AccessoriesP.O. Box 1477Slingerlands, NY 12159(877) 871-BOOT(518) 449-8876 faxwww.prexport.com
Body Armor PantsA mix of nylon/lycra material and Euro CE standard honeycombed armor, these Bohn Armored Pants ($149) slip on under your jeans and give impact protection on your hips, thighs, knees and shins. You shouldn't even have to spring for a larger pair of Levi's, either. Say, is that armor in your pants or are you just glad to see me? From ActionStations at (530) 898-9269 or www.actionstation.com.