BIKES: Holiday Gift Guide

Motorcycling Lifestyles

BIKES: Holiday Gift Guide

A Holiday gift guide for that special biker on your list!

Ken "Hawkeye" Glassman | Posted December 06, 2011 Charlotte, NC

Condor’s Ultimate Dirt Bike Stand.

Well, it’s that time of the year again. Only a few weeks before the Holiday, and if you are like me, you haven’t even begun to shop for everyone on your gift list. Aside from the hassle of dealing with the crowded malls and non-existent sales help, choosing the right gift can be a nightmare. And if the task of shopping isn’t annoying enough, there is the dread of receiving all those awful gifts, too. You have to smile and look grateful as you say, “Gee thanks, Mom, this bow tie is perfect . . .and it lights up, too!”

So, I have come up with this little Holiday Gift Guide, containing items that I have personally tested or use myself. Many can be purchased online, or by phone, or by visiting your local motorcycle dealer. And, if handled correctly, the Gift Guide can have a twofold benefit. First, you can obviously use it for gift ideas for those special bikers on your own list. There are items in a wide range of prices to meet the needs of close friends and relatives (meaning more expensive) and for those who you just need to “remember” at Holiday time (meaning cheapo, yet thoughtful and useful).

But if you are really good you can use this Guide to get those around you to buy some of these items as gifts for you! Here’s all that you need to do. Tonight, whenever you have the largest number of family members or your significant other around you, open this page on your computer and exclaim to no one in particular (but in a voice loud enough to be heard in the next county) “Now here’s a useful article. This motorcycle writer guy has put together a Gift Guide with some really useful items just for motorcycle riders. I’ll bet that any biker would LOVE (say that word loudly and slowly) to have some of these things. I think I’ll leave this on the screen just in case I need to refer back to it. “ Then highlight the ones you’d really like to have, and let it sit there, and leave the room. When you return to the room, you may also want to send the link to your friends and relatives as a service to them. And if they’re not riders and question why you sent it to them . . . just respond that it was sent in error, and you meant to send it only to motorcycle riders, who were looking for some great items to send to the riders on their gift list. Seems a bit too obvious? That’s the whole point. But wouldn’t you rather look obvious than look stupid by having to wear a bow tie that lights up?

Condor’s Ultimate Dirt Bike Stand

Condor Products, manufacturers of the world famous Pit Stop/ Trailer Stop wheel chock, brings you the Ultimate Dirt Bike Stand. It is the easiest to use dirt bike/dual sport stand available. Just roll the bike’s rear wheel onto the rear base plate, raise the side lever with your right foot, positioning the platform beneath the frame, then simply push the lever back and down to the ground, and both wheels will be lifted off the ground, with the bike resting securely on the stand. A handy locking pin fastens the unit in place. To lower the motorcycle, simply pull the locking pin and push the bike forward. The stand will collapse flat and the bike rolls away. It takes only a few seconds and it’s so easy, even a child can do it. No need to wrestle the bike on or off those old fashioned milk crate stands.

Made of sturdy, heavy gauge steel, the Ultimate Dirt Bike Stand is designed to work on virtually any dirt bike, and most dual-sport motorcycles with a frame beneath the engine. The rubber padded platform has a cut-out in the center to allow for oil drainage. The Ultimate Dirt Bike Stand works on all flat surfaces from grass to gravel to concrete, so it’s perfect to take to the trail, or use in your garage.

The stand sells for $130. Best of all, it’s made by Condor, so you know it’s a quality product.

To Order, visit the web site at www.condor-lift.com or call 800-461-1344.

Aerostitch Competition Silk Scarf

Aerostitch Competition Silk Scarf

There is nothing more luxurious feeling against your skin as silk. Aerostitch is offering silk riding scarves that will feel like butter around your neck, and will keep out the cold drafts for winter riding. No synthetic fiber is warmer, softer, or more durable than 100% silk, and that is why early airplane pilots used them when flying in open-air cockpits. I have tested this scarf in the cold, and it is outstanding. But I also learned from the instructions that come with the scarf that you can use it in the hot summer heat simply by soaking it in water, and wrapping it around your neck. I’m looking forward to trying that out next summer. The scarf measures 10” x 60” and is available in either white or black. And it sells for only $28. Order yours at www.aerostitch.com.

CTEK Battery Charger

CTEK Battery Charger

Every motorcycle owner can use a battery charger to keep their motorcycle in top condition and to ensure quick starts every time. I’ve been using a fairly newcomer to the party, the CTEK US800. CTEK uses a new and patented process that they claim is superior to any other charger on the market. Other chargers put a continuous charge into the battery, even if they have a “trickle charge” phase. The CTEK senses what voltage is necessary to charge the battery at various stages, and can change the voltage required at each stage.

The US 800 model is designed for motorcycles and other powersports applications, but I’ve used the US800 on my car battery also – it just takes longer to fully charge than it would on a motorcycle battery. CTEK does make other models of chargers with higher amperage designed for cars. And they also make models that can charge more than one battery at a time.

The US 800 charger comes with everything you need, including a set of fused eyelet cables to attach to the battery terminals at one end, and a two-pronged quick connect receptacle at the other end. It also comes with a set of alligator clips to connect directly to the battery terminals, and since the unit is so small and compact, it even has a handy carrying pouch so you can take the unit with you on long trips.

This unit sells for only $49.99. You can visit their web site to get more information about how it works, and see the other models they offer, and order one online by going to www.smartercharger.com

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO MOTORCYCLING COLORADO

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO
MOTORCYCLING COLORADO

This book came across my desk at just the right time. This July I took a trip down south to North Carolina and Tennessee, where the temperatures were in the mid 90’s, with humidity to match. So I vowed to travel to a cooler climate next summer, and this book has inspired me to discover what Colorado has to offer.

Motorcycling Colorado, by Steve Farson is a comprehensive riding resource for Colorado and it shows why riding in this beautiful region should be on every motorcyclist’s “must do” list. Riders
can ride into rarified air at timberline near snow-capped peaks, or deep into rock-filled desert canyons, or along a big river in a fertile glacial valley, or across open plains and rangeland.

The Complete Guide to Motorcycling Colorado contains colorful in-depth descriptions of
172 different rides that can be combined in a variety of ways to create the best trips for all
riding styles and interests. Each ride is mapped individually, most are linked to web-based
onboard videos on the author’s website, and regional maps show how the rides can be
combined to form journeys from half a day to several days in length, on paved roads or into
the back country, or both. This book is the definitive insider reference guide to all the best roads, rides, and tips to this thrilling part of the country. I can’t wait until next summer.

This 448 page book has 220 maps and 300 color illustrations, and sells for $29.95. It can be ordered by calling Whitehorse Press at 1-800-531-1133, or visit their web site at www.whitehorsepress.com.

Fox River Riding Socks

Fox River Riding Socks
By Whitehorse Gear

You’d be amazed how proper riding socks inside your boots can make riding and walking around at rallies and events so much more comfortable and enjoyable. Whitehorse Gear brings you these Fox River socks made of 41% Merino Wool, 40% nylon, 17% silk, and 2% Spandex. The comfort and wicking properties of wool and silk will keep your feet from sweating, and the nylon and spandex will keep the socks holding their shape wash after wash. And they just feel great against your skin. These socks have a smooth, flat toe seam for comfort, and a cushioned shin and footbed, and each pair is anatomically designed with a left and right foot. They come in light and medium weight. The medium keeps your feet warm in winter, and still not feel bulky in your boots, and the light weight is great for summer riding. Trust me; these socks will definitely keep your tired dogs from barking at the end of a long day on the road. Price: $20.95. Visit www.whitehorsegear.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ken "Hawkeye" Glassman

You can reach Hawkeye at !

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