Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127985
New products from the 1999 Dealernews International Powersports Dealer Expo nee the exhibitors, dealers and working press who attended the 31st annual Dealernews International Powersports Dealer Expo entered the various halls and hallways of the Indiana Convention Center, you would hope that - at the very least - they should have come away with a sense of affirmation. Despite the roller-coaster ride of the stock market, the first im peachment trial of a United States president in more than 130 years, and whatever else was going on outside of Indianapolis, the tremendous infl ux of new products at the Expo was proof positive that the motorcycle industry. is alive and well, thank you. Hundreds of manufacturers showed off their wares, ranging from the much-anticipated new Indian and Cannondale motorcycles to hot new exhaust systems and other engine and suspension performance parts, clothing... you name it. Just like last year, it is a good time to be in the motorcycle business. Here is ju t a small cross section of what was hot at Indy in '99. H-D DRESSED IN DRAG contact TexBrite, Dept. C , 5005 Washington Ave., Houston, TX 77007, 800/231-3258. GET YOUR TIMING RIGHT Just as HarleyDavidson intended it to be,. the Twin Cam 88 is destined to be a great platform from which to build a high-performance hawg,. but according to the people at Zipper's Performance Products, the best results can only be obtained with a variable ignition timing feature - something that a stock Twin Cam lacks. So Zipper's ha,s come up with a Twin Cam 88 ignition kit by retrofitting it fully adjustable VThunder ignition module with several parts that make it adaptable to a Twin Cam engine. TI,e kit comes with the module, single-fire coil, wires, special harness, steel cam drive gear (shown), .a special ignition rotor and ighition interface software. Zipper's is still finalizing the retail price, but you can expect it to be around $600. For more information, see your local motorcycle dealer or contact Zipper's Performance Product, Dept. C ,6655-A Amberton Dr., Elkridge, MD 21075, 410/579-2828. . The folks at Jims used a large portion of their display booth to show off some exciting new products that are headed for the HRA drag-racing circuit. Jims showed off a Pro Stock Harley, featuring Glidestyle bodywork. But even better, the company has been laboring in association with Walters Technologies and the Screamin' Eagle performance-parts division of Harley-Davidson to produce a competitive Pro Stock engine for NHRA racing. The new P+2R engirie is the latest incarnation, utilizing Harley's new twin-cam configuration for improved valve-train control. Other features include new cases that will -accept any stroke, cylinders that will accept a 4.8-inch bore, high-flow cylinder heads, and a new oil-pump design: Jims is hoping that the motor will be capable of 10,000 rpm. No prices have been establIshed as yet. For more information, contact Jims, Dept CN, 555 Dawson Dr., Camarillo, CA 93012-8011, 805/482-6913. Renowned in all facets of motorsports, custom piston manufacturer JE Pistons has come up with these trick Yamaha YZ400F aftermarket piston kits for Yamaha's high-tech moto and off-road thumpers. The kits include a piston, rings, pins and clips, wi til the pistons themselves designed to incorporate forced pin oiling and valve reliefs that will accommodate most oversized valves and high-lift cams. They are available in 12.5:1 and 13.5:1 compression ratios in both the standard 92mm bore size and a 94mm size that bumps di placement to 417cc. Suggested retail price is right around 5130. For more information, see your local motorcycle dealer or contact JE Pistons, Dept. CN, 15312 Connector Lane;Huntington Beach, CA 92649, 714/894-6650. ANTI FILTH JARDINE HANGS WITH THE BIG BOYS Steve Klein and the folks at TexBrite Products have come up with two additions to ~heir popular ProClea n 1000 motorcycle cleaner (center). ProClean 1000 Spray-NShine (right) is a quick detail wax designed for use on paint, aluminum and chrome (right). Show-N-Shine cleans and shines in one easy step, removing fingerprints and smudges from your bike and leaving behind a slick finish. Suggested retail price is $8.25 per 16-ounce bottle. You can go one step further with ProClean 1000 Showcase, a unique blend of waxes, silicones and sealant that has been chemically formulated to produce a mirrorimage finish. Showcase is nonabrasive and clear-coat safe. Suggested retail price is $14.85 per 16-ounce bottle. For more information, see your local motorcycle dealer or This is Eric. He rides for a team called Honda. When he grows up, he wants to be a famou road racer. Seriously, Eric Bo trom logged time at Indy, signing autographs in several of his sponsors' booths, including Jardine Performance Products. Jardine has inked a deal to be the official exhaust system of Team Honda's road racing squad, and Bostrom and teammate Miguel DuHamel will be using the titanium version (shown) of Jardine's new RT-One exhaust system and muffler. Jardine says that each system is designed specifically to extract the best performance from each model. Headers are available in mild steel, stainless steel or titanium. Slip-on mufflers are available in black aluminum, poli hed aluminum or titanium. Suggested retail prices for the JE THUMPS THE YZ-F complete systems range from $589.06 (stainless-steel header/aluminum slip-on) to $1448.25 for a complete titanium system. Call Jardine regarding your specific application. For more information, see your local motorcycle dealer or contact Jardine Performance Products, Dept. C , 1220 West Railroad St., Corona, CA 91720, 800/347-8664. TRICKSTAR, TRICK STUFF Mark Phares of Smith Sport Optics Inc. was howing off these new Smith Trickstar goggles, the new flagship of Smith's Pro Series goggles lineup, which is the pinnacle of the Idaho-based company's line of trick eye protection and eyewear. The Trickstar features Smith's trademark Sweatbuster face foam, which is a hypoallergenic foam that is laminated with Hydrofil, which is designed to provide a superior eal and Wick away moisture. The Trickstar comes with a gray lens that is designed to offer impact resistance while maintaining optical clarity and loa-percent UVA and UVB ray protection. A clear lens and a quarter-mask are also included. Available in black, red and blue frames, the Trickstar retails for $34. For more information, see your local motorcycle dealer or contact Smith Sport Optics Inc., Dept. CN, 105 Lewis St., Ketchum, JD 83340,208/726-4477. REMEMBER US? Japanese racing-leathers maker' Kushitani is once again selling its high-quality apparel through a U.s. distributorship. Among the latest gear featured at Indy were two of Kushitani's latest designs: the $1650 Face-up road race suit (center) and the $1695 Dragon road race suit (right). Both are of one-piece design (the Dragon is available as a two-piece) and feature th.e latest Kushitani technology, such as Zylon knitting and K-foaI!' for increased durability and crash protection. The suits are available in several different colors and sizes, and a full complement of gloves, boots and other pads are also available. For more information, see your local motorcycle dealer or contact U.S. Kushitani Inc., Dept. C " 3870 Del Amo Blvd., Suite 507, Torrance, CA 90503, 310/921-0133. TED'S EXCELLENT RAMP Ever the innovator, Ted Boyko was proud to show off his new E-Z Load ramp at the Indy Show. The E-Z Load is designed to be the last ramp you'll ever need. U.S.made and constructed of 6061 T6 aircraft aluminum and stainless-steel hardware, the I Feature ramp boasts a lOOO-pound carrying capacity, making it capable of handling the most portly of cruisers or touring bikes. Other features include a Hydro-Turf skid plate under the bed end of the ramp to prevent it from slipping on your tailgate while you're loading, and feet at the base of the ramp that allow it to anchor in place and resi t lipping when you're unloading. And perhaps the best part is its patentpending billet hinge design, which allows the E-Z Load to be folded in two for easy storage or concealment. Available in 8inch (dirt) and ll-inch (street) widths, the E-Z Load ramp carries a suggested retail price of $324.95 for the dirt version and $349.95 for the street version. For more information, e your local motorcycle dealer or contact E-Z Load, "Dept. CN, 62 Sandpiper Lane, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656, 949/837-9 26. COOL, NEW SNEAKERS Bridgestone has introduced a new bias ply tire aimed at the sport-touring segment of the motorcycle market. The new Battlax BT45 tire was de igned with both mileage and performance in mind. Its dual-tread construction gives it a resilient center to reduce rolling resistance, while the Silica Compound on the shoulders delivers improved grip in both wet and dry riding conditions. The tire also offers a larger crown radius for greater stability and longer life. It is H&V speed-rated. Available in most popular sizes, the BT45 carries suggested retail prices tarting at $76.95 for the front tire and $95.63 for the rear tire. For more information, see your local motorcycle dealer. TIME TO BAG IT That coni motorcycle-seat guy, Mike Corbin, was only too happy to show off his new Corbin Beetlebags for BMW's hot Rll00S porting machine (right) and just plain 01' Corbin Saddlebags for the 1999 Honda VFR800 Interceptor. Manufactured out of lightweight, durable Fibertech, the bags are designed specifically for each motorcycle model and offer generous amounts of lockable, weather-resistant storage space and attractive styling. They are available in a ready-to-paint gel-eoat or in painted finishes. Suggested retail prices are $699 for the unpainted version or $799 for the painted versions. For more information, see your local motorcycle dealer or contact Corbin-Pacific Incorporated, Dept. CN, 2360 Technology Way, Hollister, CA 95023,800/538-7035. _