Dirt Rider's 2009 Product Of The Year

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<p>With the economy in a nose-down panic rev, a new bike purchase might be out of reach for a lot of riders. However, the enthusiast can usually scrape up a little cash to improve or freshen up that current ride, and that brings us to Dirt Rider’s 2009 Product of the Year. Here, we highlight items for doing what they do better than anything else out there (or in some cases, doing things nothing else can). So no more sniveling, here’s a positive look back at 2009.<strong>1st<br/><br />
Rekluse Core Clutch With EXP Technology</strong><br/><br />
The off-road advantages of the auto-clutch come to motocross. With a crisp engagement that finds (and is adjustable within) that sweet spot between immediate and smooth, and no more stalling, we love this moto clutch. It’s also an option for off-road for the rider who wants more snap than a traditional auto-clutch provides. Factor in the near-cheating jump this clutch allows off concrete starts, and we have a runaway winner this year.<br/><br />
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www.rekluse.com, 866.735.58732nd

Dunlop MX 51 GeoMax tires

If tire performance is a compromise, how can these new Dunlop meats grip so well and last so long? We’re impressed. It might not rival Dunlop’s own 756 when the dirt really gets soft, but for everything else this tire, especially the rear, continues to prove grippy and predictable. Spoon a set on and gobble up some traction.

www.dunlopmotorcycle.com, 800.845.83783rd
Honda, Husaberg And Kawasaki EFI Tuners

Fuel injection is a big leap, but once you take it, dialing in your bike’s power character is easy and an extremely effective. The buy-in isn’t cheap, but once you have one it’s like having a factory rig full of exhausts and cams. These tuners are that impressive, and easier to transport than 800 pipes and cams.

www.powersports.honda.com

www.kawasaki.com

www.husaberg.comInnovation

Vemar VRX5 Bluetooth Helmets

Imagine talking while you ride. Done that? Now imagine someone else can hear you and talk back! Whether it’s to instruct, navigate or more likely just to taunt and ridicule your buddies, this system is great. Clear Bluetooth sound like you’re standing around, but while you are roosting!

www.motonation.com, 877.789.4940Good Sense

FMF Q Stealth Two-Stroke Mufflers

Major sound offenders suck, and a raspy two-stroke’s noise can potentially hurt the battle to keep trails open as easily as a booming four-stroke. FMF went above and beyond to quiet down the two-strokes with a larger volume muffler that is quiet, light, durable and powerful. They’re serious about this issue, you should be too.

www.fmfracing.com, 310.631.4363Protection

Pod K700 Knee Brace

This brace is a step forward (get it?) in knee brace design that’s converting riders who didn’t feel comfortable in over-the-counter knee braces before. Light weight, a slim profile and good bike feel can do that. It’s a huge improvement from the previous design in every way. Protect now for the crash you haven’t taken yet.

www.podmx.com, 888.369.7223Off-Road

Cycra CRM Hand Guards

This guard’s mounting system solves the problems of cable routing that plague riders running with guards. These knuckle-savers were on our list of top items to start with, but the new Center-Reach-Mount system wins them a spot on this year’s POTY roster.

www.cycraracing.com, 800.770.2259Toy

VholdR Contour HD Helmet Cam

Helmet cams are fun to ride with and the footage can make you a hero with your non-riding friends (read: girls you’re trying to impress). Your riding may not be improving, but cameras sure are. VholdR’s HD is the first in HD, is easy to operate and includes an online community (here’s a ferinstance-http://www.vholdr.com/node/41419).
www.vholdr.com, 866.397.6920Cool

Troy Lee Designs Malcolm Smith And Jeremy McGrath Limited Edition Helmets

Troy Lee Designs Malcolm Smith And Jeremy McGrath Limited Edition Helmets
Troy Lee knows cool, and when you add a classic Malcolm Smith image and a career’s worth of MC’s custom helmet motifs, you get two very cool helmets that you’ll want to display as much as you’ll want to ride in. Really beautiful stuff.

www.troyleedesigns.com, 951.371.5219

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<p><strong>Editors’ Pick</strong><strong>Pete Peterson<br/><br />
Klim Inversion Jacket</strong><br/><br />
This jacket isn’t new, but nearly everyone on staff still wears theirs even with all the new clothing coming in to the DR offices, It never wrinkles (hear that, bachelors?), keeps you warm (Windstopper fabric) and looks so sharp I actually got compliments on it when I was in Milan, Italy, the fashion capital of the world. This makes my POTY for its staying power.<br/><br />
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www.klimusa.com

208.552.7433Jimmy Lewis

Trail Tech X2 And Extreme Race Lights

I like riding a lot and sometimes the sun goes down during my rides. I don’t want to stop riding, and lately I’ve been addicted to a couple of improved lights from Trail Tech. With better ballast technology they fire quicker and stay brighter even when batteries get low. The race light is plain insane, and the X2 is just a step under it in light output but so much lighter and more compact. Ride all night I say!

www.trailtech.net, 360.687.4530Chris Denison

Motion Pro TiProlight Titanium Wrenches

Motion Pro’s new titanium wrenches are so lightweight, when I first got my mitts on them I could’ve sworn I was being Punk’d by Ashton. These puppies don’t weigh a thing! With high-quality Motion Pro craftsmanship and a cool factor that approaches the Batmobile, the TiProlights were one of the hottest items at this year’s Indy trade show and have since become a staple in my fanny pack. Innovative, original and totally usable, these titanium wrenches most definitely deserve my POTY nod.

www.motionpro.com, 650.594.9600Karel Kramer

FMF MegaBomb Header And Q4 Quiet Muffer

Like every DR staffer, I am adamant about a quiet bike for off-road, so during the course of 2009 I used a variety of FMF Q4 mufflers for everything from a Honda CRF150R to a Yamaha YZ450F. In every case the Q4 made the sound responsible and always maintained excellent performance. In fact, I preferred the Q to the stock YZ450F motocross pipe and often ran the Q at the track! I also found the Q4 was even more impressive in combination with the FMF MegaBomb header pipe. In my opinion the results are most impressive on 300cc and smaller thumpers, but the results are always good. My only wish is for the MegaBomb in durable stainless steel for off-road.

www.fmfracing.com, 310.631.4363Jesse Ziegler

ProTaper 11/2-Inch Tiedown

The annoyance of flapping straps in the back of my trar (truck-car) is now ancient history-just like the bailing twine and duct tape I used to use. Thanks to the handy-dandy hook-and-loop strap, I simply secure and forget. These babies are super long for bigger rigs, have an ingenious swiveling carabiner clip and still look new nearly a year after I first put them to use. If you haul bikes, you know the value of a good tiedown. The ProTaper tiedowns are my favorites.

www.protaper.com, 951.736.5369