MSR, EVS Race Collar, UGP Skate Shoes - New Motorcycle Gear And Accessories - Product Testing

Works ConnectionYZ250F & YZ450F Radiator CagesIn Dirt Rider's recent shootouts, we've had prices for common parts. If you looked closely at the price of radiators, you'd see that squishing them isn't a good idea. Yamaha radiators are a bit higher priced than some, and with the new chassis and layout of the 2006 and '07 Yamaha four-strokes, the radiators (especially the throttle side) are hanging out in harm's way. Even simple low-sides on a track with soft dirt can twist the throttle-side cooler. There are a variety of radiator guards and braces available, but the new Works Connection radiator cages are my favorite units so far. The design uses a beefy aluminum plate for each side of the radiator core. Each plate is fitted so closely that holes are punched in to allow radiator seams and such to poke out. The two plates are joined into a cage with four strong aluminum rods. The ends of the rods are threaded, so the unit bolts firmly together. The cage fits so snugly that when it is on the bike you can hardly see it.

The design is super resilient to impacts from any direction, and rubber buttons maintain the shock-resistant rubber-mounted function. The directions are comprehensive, but there are a lot of parts and pieces, so installation takes some time and thought. The '07s have a small brace fitted from the factory, and that brace must be removed before installation.

One of the drawbacks of many radiator braces is the necessity of leaving off the stock air-guide louvers, which can negatively affect cooling. The WC cages use the stock louvers, but they do require some trimming. The directions say to cut the plastic with snips, but I used a sanding drum on a Dremel tool in an effort to make a nicer fit. These are the strongest radiator guards I have tried, and I love the design. But there always has to be a negative, right? The guards fit so tightly that WC hasn't gotten them dialed for many models yet. But at $99.95, if they do have them for your bike, I'd get a set immediately. Both guards are one-third the cost of a single radiator.-Karel Kramer

MSRNXT GearAt Dirt Rider, we believe in being incredibly thorough with our product testing so we beat the crap out of stuff. Constantly. The abused products bend, buckle and eventually break, or they stand up to our cruel mistreatment with such nobility that we simply grow bored and start testing something else. The MSR NXT gear is a prime example of the latter.

Stylish and clean, a set of the NXT gear found its way into my gear bag about a week before shootout season, the best time of the year to thrash test products. I immediately started breaking it in and found the sizing to be true to my medium-shirt/32-pant frame. There were a number of solid features about both the jersey and pant. To begin with, MSR's top-o'-the-line jersey has excellent underarm cooling panels, as well as a bit of extra material in this area to aid with airflow. The V-neck collar is comfortable and roomy, as are the stretch cuffs and nonslip tail. The pant features several smartly placed stretch panels, as well as a deviously designed set of waist cinch straps. Noticeable on the track is the lightweight feeling of the NXT setup, which feels unobtrusive without a sense of underprotection. A family of rubber accent panels on both jersey and pant blurt MSR's name without screaming it, and the gear looks great on a wide variety of bikes.

Back to the durability: I continuously pummeled the NXT gear, and I can truly say that it has held up with exceptional resilience, up to the point where it was clear that I wasn't going to be blowing out the gear anytime this season. After a variety of rides (which included a handful of small crashes), the only betrayal to the NXT's longevity is a few sloppy stitches in the elbow of the jersey, a tear in the inner mesh liner of the pant and some trace dirt stains on the stretch panels. But for the retail price of $49.95 for the jersey and $145.95 for the pant, I am stoked with these results! The prolonged saddle time did unveil a few minor complaints about the NXT gear: I think the loose collar is a little prone to letting dirt in, the pant liner ought to be full-length for convenience, and the thinly padded integrated elbows don't do much. However, the incredible durability and good performance make the small quirks easy to see past. -Chris Denison