FOX Racing Blitz Gear, And More - Product Testing - Dirt Rider Magazine

FOX Racing
Blitz Gear
At the 24 Hours of Glen Helen event last fall I had a chance to test out Fox's new Blitz racewear. I was a little worried at first, because I had given DR my gear sizes a few weeks before the race, and sizes usually differ slightly depending on the brand of gear. I was relieved to find that the Blitz gear fits nearly true to size. The only exception to this is the $39.99 jersey, which was obviously built for "The G.O.A.T.," because the body fit fine but the sleeves were a little on the short side. The polyester material of the jersey was really comfortable and dried quickly. There was plenty of room in the pant for my knee braces, yet the knees are not too loose. The air scoops on the outside of the knees do a great job of bringing air into the $149.99 pant. At race speed, you can really feel the air flowing through the pant, something I wasn't too stoked about at 3 a.m. in the frigid October air. I was, however, very happy with the fit of the glove. I am very picky about how my gloves fit. The $32.99 Blitz glove was very comfortable, and even with the stock grips on the Honda CRF450X, I suffered no blistering throughout the race.The gear held up well during the 24 hours and continued to do so even after a dozen more rides. Normally I can't get a glove to last more than a few months, but the Blitz glove absolutely refused to wear out. The palms are thin but very tough. The knees of a riding pant are usually the first things that wear out for me, but the Blitz's knees still look good despite more than a few trips to the ground. The jersey hasn't faded after repeated washing and still looks great.Fox has always been on the cutting edge with gear styles, and this year is no exception. Every color of the Blitz gear looks great. The pattern that I wore at the GH 24-hour looked really cool on a Honda. At about $220 per set, the Fox Racing Blitz gear is a great choice for anyone who needs a durable, attractive set of gear.No Fear Cargo Jacket
The new Cargo jacket by No Fear was highly thought out and well designed. From the water-resistant outer shell and fanny pouch to the built-in hydration bladder sleeve, this jacket is great for anybody needing a little extra protection from that sometimes-harsh lady we know as Mother Nature. The jacket, available in black, blue and red, features a full-length front zipper, which eliminates having to pull it on over your helmet. It also has side zippers that allow the jacket to cover a bulky fanny pack or to let a little breeze circulate through.In the early hours of the 24 Hours of Glen Helen, the water-resistant shell really came in handy. As a slight drizzle turned into a steady rain, the jacket kept me dry, and though it doesn't have much in the way of thermal protection, the fact that it kept me dry also kept me warm. One feature that I immediately noticed it was missing was vents. The jacket had no designated vents for the times when it was cool enough for a light jacket, but too warm for a full coat. A simple lowering of the front zipper would create enough venting to cool you down, but this will also let in all the rain and roost that you usually try to avoid.The simplicity of the hydration-bladder sleeve makes you wonder why there aren't more jackets incorporating the design. It is simply a reinforced and heavily stitched compartment utilizing the inner lining of the jacket, perfect for a 70-ounce bladder to slip in. Another great feature of the No Fear jacket is the abundance of cargo pockets. In addition to the rear fanny pouch, there are several pockets on the front of the jacket, allowing more room for the essentials. The rear fanny pouch is great for storing a pair of gloves or goggles. Although this jacket can't turn into a fanny pack when the sun comes out, it served its primary purpose of keeping me dry. The jacket is light enough and compactible enough to be stuffed into a larger fanny pack or backpack. For $99.95, the No Fear Cargo jacket is a great tool for any off-road weekend warrior or racer.Tokyo Mods 2006 CRF250R Carb Mod
Many owners of 2006 CRF250Rs will be considering upgrading to an '07 or '08 model. Many will be motivated by the crisper throttle response and lack of bog in the new bike. But if a new bike would break the bank, there is another option.For $229.95 and the cost of shipping, Tokyo Mods can tune your carb, via jetting and modifications to the internal circuits, to perform better than its stock design allows. Tokyo Mods also sets all the adjustments to the proper settings. It's sort of a mail-order factory ride.Upon just starting the bike with the modded carb it was clear something was changed, and for the better. The bike growled with a deeper tone. More impressive, the throttle response was instantaneous.On the track, the mods worked great. The bike did not seem to gain power; the power just felt easier to call up. The best way to describe the sensation is this: It felt as if my previous throttle cable had a spring in the middle of it, and the Tokyo Mods treatment took out that spring and connected the cable directly. Another way to describe it is even more alluring: It gave the '06 the throttle response of the '07.Tokyo Mods does not claim this is the end-all cure for the '06 CRF's bog, but it minimizes it as much as possible. I did feel the bike stumble just a bit on a very hot (high 90s) day, but otherwise, the engine has felt crisp.Many people will say that nearly $250 seems a high price to have your carburetor "rejetted." I've also heard of people simulating the mod with their own adjustments to the jets and accelerator pump. If you have the inclination, time and resources to experiment, you will save some money and might get similar results. But take a four-stroke carb off once, and you'll see the value in only going through that process the one time. Hey, you could revalve your own suspension to save some money, but how many of us really do that? -Pete PetersonShift
Recon Gear
Frankly, I wasn't looking at prices when I scoured the Shift catalog for gear that wouldn't look weird in a diner yet would save me from cold and wet weather. I was headed for a street and dirt ride in Ohio, and the weather was sure to be chilly, rainy and muddy. I found comfort and reasonable prices with the Recon over-the-boot pant and matching jersey in a subdued dark blue.The roomy $79.95 pant isn't insulated, but the heavy-duty, water-resistant material offers reasonable wind and moisture protection. A zipper, double-snapped flap and adjustable straps on each side lock you in. Two zippered storage pockets (I used them for cash and my driver's license) are handy. Inner knee panels add heat and wear resistance. The $29.95 100 percent polyester jersey is comfortable, durable and cut to be worn untucked.As expected, the weather in Ohio was in the low 40s with light rain. In addition, we traveled several miles in water up to a foot deep. I didn't depend on the jersey for warmth. I layered and wore a jacket over it, but it was comfortable and didn't look out of place at dinner. The pant kept me, my boot and even my socks dry despite the extended splashing. On subsequent outings I have enjoyed the gear in cold to mild temps on the MX track and on desert trails. The jersey is fine for warm riding, but the pant is best saved for cool conditions.I needed the big-guy waist, but the pant bordered on too long for my 32-inch inseam. I walked on the back of it a bit, so short riders might need the pant hemmed. The bottom of the right leg is now riddled with header burns, as is common on this style of pant. The leg openings are large. That's good for fitting over boots, but the kickstarter once caught inside the pant leg and I almost tipped over and squashed an unsuspecting mini rider.Both the pant and jersey still look great aside from the burn holes. It wouldn't be my choice for summer, but the Recon gear is an economical, clean and comfortable way to handle a variety of riding conditions. For the price, it easily earns an "atta boy" from me.-Karel KramerWolfman Luggage
Enduro Carryall
When I needed some extra storage capacity for a bike-packing story, Wolfman Luggage was there to save the day. The company hooked me up with its Enduro carryall, which mounts on top of a traditional headlight-but not in front of the beam-via some cool universal clips and tension straps that wrap around the handlebar and lower triple clamp. The carryall itself has a main large pocket, along with an internal divider and key clip, and it is stiffened by foam and plastic to help hold its shape. Coolest of all, though, is the removable map pocket, which securely holds a normal-size map or trail route, right where you need it most.Having a storage space just beyond the handlebar makes for very easy access. In addition to being in your line of sight (making you aware of any open zips or broken straps), the Enduro carryall is right in front of your face, so those ever-useful screwdrivers, pocketknives and granola bars are always within reach. It secures well, and the straps are strong enough for serious trail riders, though I wouldn't recommend riding at full throttle with tools in front of your face. Such a bag would also be useful to off-road course markers and trail workers, since you can easily remove the map pocket and stuff in some arrows and a stapler. The biggest drawback of the carryall is that it puts an extra dose of weight high up on the front end; this can play major games with handling. Additionally, care needs to be taken when fastening the bag so that you don't lose any light from the front. But if you limit your load to the essentials and secure the straps with care, this $69.99 bag might never leave your woods bike. -Chris DenisonAlpinestars
Tech 10 Graphics Kit
I'm all about looking factory, so when I started seeing these trick boot sticker kits about a year ago on the feet of riders like Chad Reed and Andrew Short, I knew I had to have a set. At $59.95, these kits are a little expensive, but they look great and are available in several colors, such as camo red and tartan green. Installation was easy on my new Tech 10s. The die-cut graphics stick well to a new boot, but I worry about how well they would adhere to a used pair. On the track, they hold up surprisingly well. The toes of my boot are getting a little chewed up, as is one of the shins where it hits the footpeg. There are no spots where the stickers are peeling up, though, even after a few sessions in front of the pressure washer. I do feel like I've been lucky to have them stay in such good shape, as I can easily imagine how these could get torn up in a hurry in gnarly terrain or with a lot of riding. So far, though, I have been able to maintain my factory image. The only problem with the stickers is that I now feel the pressure to ride as fast as I look!EVS Sports
Revolution 5 Chest Protector
I've had a lot of chest protectors during the 34 years that I've been riding-and a lot of injuries. I am not sure how much any protector helps in a crash, since all my biggest injuries have occurred while I've been wearing a full-size, over-the-jersey chest protector.So for the last two years, I wore the EVS Revolution 4 underprotector mainly to stop annoying roost. Now the Revolution 5 solves the 4's only problem: no shoulder protection. The 5 has shoulder pads that face forward to protect you even more from roost. Chances are that when you crash you will be falling forward, too, so it doesn't hurt (no pun intended) to have the extra protection up front. The comfort of the Revo 5 (or 4, for that matter) is great. You can ride without an undershirt and suffer no chafing or nasty nipple burn. The design of the plastic, with the foam and fabric backing, allows it to breathe well during hot conditions, and cleaning is easy. Just scrub with dish soap to remove the postride smell, rinse heavily with a garden hose and set it in the sun to dry. If you prefer underprotectors, as I do, try the EVS Revolution 5. It's one of the best I've found.White Brothers
Powerfilter
Some stock filters just don't last. Especially with the strange brew of filter oils and cleaners I'm always using. Lately, I've been seeing one filter standing strong through the test of time, overuse and harsh chemicals. For our 2006 Yamaha WR250F, one of the first things I replaced was the fading stock air filter with a Powerfilter from White Brothers. It uses dual-layered foam, coarse on the outside and fine inside, and the rim that seats against the airbox is a tough, rubbery material that seemed pretty durable. But how would it hold up?It oiled up like any other filter and fit just perfectly, and I didn't notice any difference in power or performance. No perceptible dirt has passed through, despite some dry riding in silty mountain puff-puff dust. I've used the $24.95 filters in a few other bikes, even replacing the foam/rubber/foam Honda CRF filters, with a perfect fit and excellent performance. They can be easily cleaned and have not started rotting at all. The biggest thing has been durability. The sealing rim lasts and shows very few signs of wear, so far going about triple the time of a stock filter on the Yamaha. So if you need a filter, these come recommended with flying colors, or at least in red. -Jimmy LewisWeaponMX
G-Zero Gas-Tank Foam
I'll have to admit, I had my reservations about this product; I've spent my whole life trying to keep foreign objects out of my gas tank, and now I was going to put one in? The WeaponMX G-Zero gas-tank foam is a series of foam blocks that go into your tank to keep fuel from sloshing around. Fuel weighs more than six pounds per gallon and can slosh about violently as you ride. This makes the bike feel heavier, yet most of us never realize this is happening. I had never paid attention to how much this affects a bike until I tried out the $49.95 G-Zero foam.The stuff took about two minutes to put in, and about two corners into my next moto I was hooked. My Honda CRF450 felt different in the handling department. The change was subtle, but the whole bike felt much more stable, especially in rutted corners. The biggest issue is that with the foam installed, it's very difficult to see how much fuel is actually in your tank. Overall, I'm a big fan of the G-Zero tank foam, and I would consider it a great advantage for any serious racer.No-Toil Vent-Hoseless Gas Cap
Most of the billet-aluminum gas caps just don't do anything for me. They are heavy and would better serve as a paperweight holding down brochures than as a bit of fashion adding weight to one of my bikes. But No-Toil took the cap one step further and added a vent-hoseless feature to its billet gas cap.That gives me a reason to put it on. It works just like any other heavier-than-plastic gas cap except no tube gets in the way or pinches off and you no longer suffer from one of the most-frustrating tuning issues ever to puzzle a rider/mechanic: the vacuum-locked gas tank. This cap comes anodized in four colors-blue, red, silver or black-to suit your style. And no matter how hard we tried, we couldn't get gas to spill out. The one-way valve works even when the bike is completely upside-down (on purpose, of course)! At $79.95, it isn't cheap, but looking good is always going to cost you. -Jimmy Lewis