XR-RATED
Storz XR Sportster Conversion Kit
Steve Storz is at it again. He's been turning ho-hum Sportsters into schwinngish flattrack replicas for decades, and he's just unveiled his complete XR Style Conversion Kit to turn the new 2004-'05 Sportsters into the ultimate all-American battlebots. From the inverted Storz/Ceriani 55mm fork to the flattrack-style fiberglass seat, every bit has been massaged for hot looks, improved performance and reduced weight. How light? Well, a stock XR1200R Sportster weighs 557 pounds--but Storz's fully massaged machine, aluminum tank and all, scales in at just 474. (805) 641-9540, www.storzperf.com
FLIP-UP FLASH
KBC FFR Modular Helmet
We're pretty excited about the new KBC. It's styled to look like a sleek one-piece full-face helmet, but it has the flip-up convenience of a modular design. The FFR can be ridden with the front face guard either open or closed, and it's been aerodynamically balanced to prevent lift even at higher speeds. Ventilation was also a priority in the design, with intake and exhaust ducts engineered throughout the EPS lining for extra cooling. It meets or exceeds the DOT standard, of course, and sells for $240-$260. (818) 526-7771, www.kbchelmet.com
STOP. LIGHT.
BrakeTech Ceramic MatrixLightweight Discs
These wild new composite discs combine the street usability, long wear and wet-weather performance of conventional stainless-steel or iron discs with the light weight and all-out performance of trick MotoGP-spec carbon/carbon stoppers. How light are they? Well, the stock discs from a 2004 Yamaha YZF-R1 weigh three pounds, three ounces. These babies weigh a mere one pound, 1.2 ounces. That means less unsprung mass, less gyroscopic effect, crisper steering and retina-stretching stoppage. They're not cheap at $1600 a pair, but the best never is. Special Ferodo pads are required, but your stock calipers will do just fine. (951) 471-3476, www.braketech.com