S
till looking for that perfect
gift for the motorcyclist in
your life (or maybe the one
in the mirror) but don't want to
battle the rabid crowds on Black
Friday? Cycle News has you
covered! Fire up Mr. Peabody's
Wayback Machine and get your
shopping done early—and when
we say "early," we're not ja-ja-
ja-jive talkin'! Set the dial to 50
years back, and let's go shop
-
ping in the 1970s, thanks to
Cycle News' Annual Christmas
Buyer's Guide!
CNIIARCHIVES
P106
CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS OF THE
BY KENT TAYLOR
There was once a time when
fielding a competitive racing
motorcycle meant replacing
the entire frame and swingarm,
and one of the top aftermarket
frame manufacturers was Red
Line Engineering. Their shiny,
nickel-plated 4130 chrome moly
frames were made for nearly ev
-
ery bike. Tell Santa you are seri-
ous about racing (road, dirt track
or motocross) and demand a
Red Line frame under your tree.
Ah, the glory days of energy
drinks: less taste equals better
performance! In 1976, some-
thing called "Wet Energy" was
available in powdered packets
to be mixed with one quart of
water. "Two natural sugars"
were strategically used to make
up this drink that CN flatly
stated, "does not taste good."
Wet Energy was available from
legends like Torsten Hallman,
Malcolm Smith and Rolf Tibblin,
the latter of which used to train
for MX by running in the snowy
forests of Sweden, while wear
-
If you dislike the tedious task
of tightening those many nuts
and bolts on your motorcycle,
head back to 1976 and pick up a
pack of Disk Lock washers. CN
stated that these wonder washers
"actually tighten up under vibra-
tion." Who needs a ratchet and
ing heavy boots and sporting a
backpack full of logs (which he
had undoubtedly chopped with a
dull axe)! It is easy to believe that
as part of his motocross training
regimen of vigorous self-flagella
-
tion, Rolf also enjoyed the putrid
aftertaste of Wet Energy.
Speaking of time, take a
look at this amazing AccuSplit
Electronic Digital Stop Watch!
Just $199.50, this handy timing
unit will give you all the timing
features found on your clunky
smartphone, minus all the an-
noying notifications and group
text messages. Be sure to add
the handy carrying case for
another $12.50!
