By: Jason Giacchino
Email: offthepegs @ atvsource.com

July 2008 - Off The Pegs

A Few Gadgets to Put More Riding in the Riding Season

Here it is July already and for a majority of the country, this is prime riding season. Like most of you, I certainly prefer to spend my time out roosting on the trails or track rather than in the shade of the workshop on these picturesque days. Always on the lookout for innovations and inventions that can make this prospect a reality, I’ve spent the early part of this season combing catalogs and websites in an effort to locate some neat little gems that make ATV life a bit easier. Some worked better than advertised, others not so well. Below are some of the proven winners.

While there is no substitute for genuine maintenance on your quad, the following affordable gizmos can turn dreaded hours of tuning into anticipated hours of riding. The only question that remains is why didn’t I think of that?

In random order:

LSP Lap Timer

The LSP Lap Timer: Sure, $159 isn’t exactly chump change, but if you’re anything like me, it isn’t always easy to find someone willing to stand by with a stopwatch while you’re out cutting hot laps around the practice track. This push button beauty records up to 30 laps at a time and get this--it even flashes to let the rider know if his most recent lap was faster or slower than the previous lap. You’ll be surprised how much faster you can become by simply knowing this computer is clicking off the seconds. [ www.geocities.com/lspmx100/index.htm ]

Loctite Viper Lube: Available at most automotive stores for around $5, you really can’t miss with a tube of Loctite’s synthetic grease on your shelf. In addition to all of the usual applications of fine grease, I’ve found that this stuff works wonders when applied in a fine layer where your air filter seals to the intake. Most harmful debris by-pass even the most evenly oiled air filter and simply enter in the gap between the filter and the intake. An additional layer of protection there can make all the difference. Better still, a seal of grease can be applied around your air box lid itself if you’re planning a particularly dry/dusty ride or intend on doing some sand riding. Once back home, some Muc-Off on a clean rag will remove the grease from the air box lid and get things looking good as new. [ www.loctiteproducts.com ]

Muc-Off: Let’s face it; clean up after a long ride sucks! Any product that makes the process less time-consuming is all right in my book and new (to America) Muc-Off products have those of us who like to get dirty when we play in mind. I won’t pretend to understand exactly how their nano-technology formula actually works (having read Michael Crichton’s novel “Prey” I am a little afraid of the concept), but I do know that spraying their cleaner makes grime run cleanly off both plastic and metal. Best of all, the stuff is non-corrosive and biodegradable. [ www.muc-off.com ]

High Lifter Oil Cooling Kit: You’ve heard people say that the oil is the lifeblood of your engine? High Lifter not only agrees with this assessment but also offers up a complete kit that reduces the heat load placed upon both your quad’s motor and radiator. After a fairly painless install, the oil cooler not only increases the oil capacity of the machine, it keeps the oil from reaching extreme temperatures and hence from molecular break down. Cooler temps not only keep your machine’s oil optimal for wear protection longer, they increase the life of the engine itself (heat can be very destructive to the tight tolerances of a motor’s internals). This one is especially useful for those of us who like to play in the mud. [ www.highlifter.com/products.php?p_cat=4060&cname=Cooling+System+Upgrades%3A+Oil+Cooler+Kits ]

Works Connection Fuel Scew

The Works Connection Fuel Screw: At $19.95, this thing isn’t just budget friendly; it’s downright amazing how such a simple device can prove to be so handy. Many of us non-fuel injected types know all too well the difficulty of screwing around with carb settings to compensate for changes in temperature, elevation, or even just track-to-track variances. The Works Connection Fuel Screw simply screws into the threads where a stock Keihin fuel screw would go and offers a knurled knob with number settings with which to work. Sounds simple enough, but I cannot stress the difference between using a screwdriver and hoping you didn’t turn the screw once too many (or few) opposed to thumb-turning this device with the much simpler notion of “setting #1 on the practice track, #4 up in the mountains” and so on. [ www.worksconnection.com ]

Slime ATV/Mower Tire Sealant: Slow leaks can be a major pain especially when your rims aren’t corroded and there is no logical explanation for why air refuses to stay within your tire. For around $9.99 per 24 oz bottle, Slime’s green goodness both prevents and repairs flats in about the same amount of time it takes to simply inflate a tire with air. The stuff can even seal punctures up to a quarter inch! It’s non-toxic, non-flammable, and water-soluble. Just be sure to get the stuff designed for tubeless ATV tire application. It doesn’t hurt to toss a bottle of this stuff in your tool pack either as the worst flats tends to happen when you’re miles from civilization. [ www.slime.com ]