THE GREAT VISORDOWN XMAS GIFT COUNTDOWN!
For that special biker in your life – gifts from £150-£500.
WITH CHRISTMAS just a few weeks away, it's almost time to make the dreaded trudge into town for the hasty and stress-filled dash around the shops in search of gifts for friends and family.
To try and make the whole process that bit less painful, we've compiled this thorough guide of Christmas gifts, from £50 to £500. All of them perfect for the biker in your life and better still, most can be bought online!
10: Track instruction vouchers – from £100
The main thing stopping you going faster is, of course, your brain. Valentino Rossi only has two arms and two legs: it’s what’s inside his AGV Pista GP that counts. So money and effort spent here will always pay dividends. On-track tuition is a great idea, no matter your skill set. Even Marc Marquez has a riding coach, remember…
There are a few options: you can book a day at a track school, like the California Superbike School or the Ron Haslam Race School can provide bike hire as well as tuition, so cost a little more. You can also book individual tuition from coaches like Dean Ellison.
9: A European trackday – From £150
There’s nothing better than leaving cold damp Britain in February behind, and heading off for a trackday in the sun. That usually means Spain of course, and companies like Focused Events and No Limits organise plenty of top events in the winter.
You don’t have to wait till winter though. European tracks like Mugello and Spa and the Nurburgring are legendary places, and offer something different from the usual UK circuits. Bikers Days offer a wide range of Euro trackdays.
The cheapest option might seem to be just buying a trackday place and driving down to Almeria in winter. But the distances and cost of diesel/tolls might make the all-in flyaway costs more effective. Your bike goes on an HGV the week before, and you take the Easyjet flight – simple, convenient, and you can have a few beers on the last night too.
Obviously, closer tracks like Spa are easily driven to in a hire van, or you can even ride there.
8: A slip-on can from GPR exhausts – from £300
Stock exhausts are often nasty and always restrictive on sound. Liven up your ride with a quick and easy slip-on can. GPR exhausts are made in Italy and have a wide range at decent prices. If you fancy something a little fancier, https://www.sc-project.com SC Project have a few MotoGP-style options. UK importer Performance Parts supply Remus, Akrapovic and Yoshimura pipes.
Prices depend on bike and can choice of course, but there are plenty of options for under £500 for most bikes.
7: A Dynojet Power Commander – around £250
Even a stock bike can do with some fuel tweakings – and the Dynojet Power Commander is an easy way to do it. Simple plug and play fitting, you can even do it yourself and loads of options for remapping your bike to suit a new exhaust or other tuning mods.
6: A pair of new tyres – around £250
There’s nothing like a new set of tyres on your bike. Old worn rubber affects steering, stability and grip, and the problem is, the changes happen so gradually that you don’t even notice the degradation in performance. So it’s always a (happy!) shock when you go out on new boots. For road riders, we recommend Metzeler’s Roadtec 01, Michelin Pilot Road 4/5, or Avon’s Spirit ST these days, available to suit most mainstream road bike sizes.
For track, you’ll struggle to do better than Pirelli Super Corsa SPs, or Michelin Power RS.
If you’re buying for a loved one, factor in the fitting – there are mobile companies across the country, or go for a local tyre shop. FWR Tyres in London are great guys if you’re in the capital, and they also do mail order.
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
