Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Product Evaluatio AMP ResearchB xTender ed - Stretch it out o matter how hard-core a d irt rider you are, it's hard to justify buying a full -si ze , long-bed pickup truck if you live in tight quarters . Then agai n, mini trucks and sho rt beds wo n't accept a dirt bike straight in u nless the tailgat e is left down , w hich can in tu m lead to lost gea r bags. Fortunat el y, w e ' ve co me ac ross a so lution. The AMP Bed X-Te nder is a un iqu e contra pt io n that allows yo u to use the area on your tailgate when it is d own, with out letting thin gs slid e ou t of the bed . In other word s, you can extend the len gth of yo u r bed , w hile holding e very th ing in jus t as if yo u r tailgate w ere up . Also , th e X-Ten der's n yl on s tra ps a nd metal bu ckl es clip into th e . tailgate latches to prevent the unit from bouncing around. The great thing about the Bed X-Tend er is that when it's not being used to mak e the bed of yo ur truck lon ger , it can be flipped inward , not only allowing you to close you r tailgate, but also giving you a secure place at the rear of your bed to haul small items, such as gas ca ns, without them sliding around. It can also be used as a bench to sit on at the track, or as an easydraining rack for washi ng and d ry ing N muddy riding boots. By simply raising the Bed X-T er into the vertical position, its end ca m-lo ck d esign a llows yo u to eas ily remove it from your tru ck. Manufactured from 6000-seriesT6-aluminum tubing and high-impact nylon composite compo nents, the sid es of the bed of your tru ck. These holes are used for the screws that hold the cam -type mounting bracke t in p lace. A template is included in the installation instructions, a nd th e on ly tool you 'll " need besides a drill mot or and drill bit is a number-3 Phill ips screw d river. The actu al X-Te n der a lso requires so me assembly, but it's nothing more than slid ing the three tubular aluminum sections together, adjusting the wid th, and tight ening the plastic uprights. A ru bb er mallet and a nu mber-2 Ph illips screwdriver are all that you' ll need to do this. All in all, assembly a nd insta lla tion shou ld take about 10 to 15 minutes. Jeff Ha in the rugged , weath er-resistant Bed X-Tender weighs a mere 9 1/ 2 pounds. While installation is a sna p, you will need to drill six small holes (three per side, eithe r 9/ 64" or 7/ 32" depending on the make and model of your truck) in New Products Tha..k Track Star Sa...ct Ric h a r d Sa inct won the 1999 Gra na da-Dakar Ra.11y. Richa rd Sainct rod e the grueling twoweek even t on a BMW mo torcycle. Richard Sainct helped to d evelop the new Acerbis M agm a Jacket. Who bett er to design a riding jacket than a gu y w ho r ides th rou gh sand d unes, jungles, villages and dry lake bed s all in one day at tem p e ratu res th at vary fro m fre ezing cold to da mn h o t? Th e Mag ma Jack et features heavy Co rdura n ylon construc tio n , zip-off sleeves, chest an d fs and a nylon -mesh liner, not to mention a back ventilation, lined collar an Richard Sainct seal of approval. Made from Large to XX-Large, the Magm a Jacket comes in Yellow, Red, Ora nge , Grey, Green and Blue for the retail price of $139. Be like Richard Sainct. Call Acerbis at 800/659-1400 or write to Dept. CN, 13200 Gr egg St. Powa y, CA 92064; www.acerbis.com . Steer Clear . en en en ~

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