The closest competitor is the Alpinestars Tech-10, which is hear is a fine boot also. However it seems that most reviewers are disenchanted with the Alpinestars removable inner-bootie and they don’t seem to last as long as the Gaerne’s.

Although these babies retail for $407, I was able to find a pair on ebay for $319 including shipping. Not a bad deal.

I normally wear a 10.5 US, but I chatted with a retailer and discovered these run about .5 to 1 size large, so I went with size 10. They’re nearly a perfect fit, I would have preferred something just slightly longer, but they work. They’re a bit on the narrow side, but nothing unusual.

The construction is leather, but heavily covered by Polyurethane around the top and shin. The leather is nice and thick, so I’d imagine these would take some time to break in properly.

Gaerne has a “Razor Back Pivot System” which is supposed to ease flex fore and aft. It seems to work well, but it’s certainly stiff. As I get more rides in I expect this pivot to ease up.

The buckles are super simple, and can be adjusted while riding if needed. The boots ride pretty high on the shin like a good motocross boot is supposed to, but the buckles and velcro strap at the top accommodated my large knee guards without difficulty.

The protection seems good, and for such a large boot they still offered good feel. They don’t claim to be waterproof, but going through some good size water crossing didn’t leave any wet socks.

Considering your feet have more bones than any other part of your body, it’s wise to invest in a good set of boots for riding.

These won’t replace my Sidi Discovery boots for dual-sporting, but for single-day rides I think they’re going to work out great.

The Good:

• Super sturdy construction
• Doesn’t seem like too much break in time is required
• Simple and sturdy buckles

The Bad:

• Heavy
• Uncertain about being waterproof

Available in White or Black, $407 retail, $319-$380 street.

A side-stand should be strong enough to support a rider and the bike’s weight when kick-starting. Extra bonus if it can withstand the entire weight of the bike while rotating it in a tight spot.

Anything beyond the bike’s own weight on the stock side-stand will break it, and often it’s a nasty break that can sometimes involve welding the frame.

Trail Tech provides a heavy-duty mounting plate for their stands, which bolts onto two locations on the frame (as opposed to the stock one-point mount). It’s clean, well made, and they claim you can stand on it, kick the bike, and otherwise generally abuse it.

Mine has yet to break and I’ve been about as gentle as a hippo on it.

The good:

• Easy bolt-on install.
• Parts are of good quality and finish.
• Cheap

The bad:

• Adds some weight, how much I don’t know but it’s a bit heavier.
• It’s a little longer than stock, which means a more upright bike.

KTM tinkerer John Davies has an excellent writeup on his site here.

Most kits are $99 at www.trailtech.net

In northern Cal, I do most of my riding in the fall and spring, so something mid-temperature is ideal. I needed something adjustable for cold mornings and hot afternoons. Plus a little rain protection.

I went into my local dealer who happens to stock Klim gear (Scuderia, SF) and started trying on all the models. The Chinook had the best features for what I needed. Here’s some thoughts:

• I really wanted an understated pant that didn’t scream ‘Travis Pastrana Freestyle’ and wasn’t covered in pink leopard skin or dayglo. The gray/black model was perfect.
• The fit was spot on. I’m 5’10, 165 and 34 waist. The size 34 were absolutely perfect, and the waist adjuster was right in the middle setting.
• I use the big Thor knee-brace style knee guards, which are gigantic but fit nicely under the knees.
• I prefer an over-the-boot design, however I made an exception for these pants because of their fit. I know I’m going to regret this on the first deep water crossing!
• The waist has a nice comfortable velcro adjuster on both sides. The inside rear portion also had a silicone print to keep shirts tucked in.
• There’s a good combination of stretch panels in the right places, plus thicker leather inside the knees.
• The lowest part of the leg is pure mesh, which makes it very comfortable tucking into boots.
• My last pants had 10 pockets. These only have 2, which is much better (no more shuffling through 9 pockets before you find the correct one).
• The main zip vents on the pants work well.
• Built in hip pads are nicely placed and perforated for ventilation.

The Bad:

• Under-boot design is going to soak my feet in water crossings.
• I could use just one small pocket below the waist for my wallet/keys. Keeping keys down by my knees is a bit unnerving.
• The pants can get toasty even with the vents open.
• The hip pads could be a bit thicker.
• Assembled in Vietnam, nothing wrong with this but I’d pay a bit more for US made.

The author, Sasha

I’m impressed overall and will be curious how they hold up over time. So far so good. The Dakar models would be way too hot for the kind of riding I do and honestly the fit felt much looser and more roomy. The Mojave models are very very ventilated and designed for big heat. Same with the Baja. Tool cool for what I need. The Revolt pants were nice but the materials didn’t feel as high-end. Plus they were missing a velcro-adjuster to tighten around boots.

As Little Red Riding Hood said, The Chinook felt just right. Not too hot, not too cool.

I appreciate that Klim is addressing trail riders who don’t want to look like motocross kids, need strong gear and are willing to pay more for it.

$129.99 Available from Klim USA: http://www.klimusa.com

The trouble with dirt bikes is…

Enduro Engineering is a purist kind of company. They make accessories for the hard-core enduro rider and tend to favor KTM. One of their specialties is the “Comfort Seat” designed for various bikes. It’s a HUGE improvement over stock, but it’s still no Russell Day-Long.

The install is super easy, just pop off the old seat, bolt on the new one. The fit and finish was nearly perfect and the textured vinyl cover is sturdy and grippy.

It adds about 1/2-1″ to the height of the bike, so you’ll have a bit more room to relax the knees. I’m 5’10 and it works just right.

The Good

• Fits perfectly
• OEM receiver ‘hitch’ hardware built-in
• Adds a bit more height
• Looks stock minus the patch on the back
• Priced right
• More comfortable and softer than stock

The Bad

• Not good for the vertically challenged
• It’s still a narrow dirt bike seat
• Some say the foam breaks down quickly (I’m 3 years in and so far so good)

The competition includes Renazco, Acerbis, Guts, and SDG.

The nice thing about dirt bikes is… Cheap accessories! Coming from the street bike world you’re going to spend upwards of $400 for a new saddle. Sometimes as high as $1,000 for a dual-seat leather job. But this EE seat comes in at $129, not a bad bargain! EnduroEng.com

I was going through a list of options, and since I wanted to put an aluminum throttle tube in, I figured I’d just bite the bullet and buy a G2 Throttle Cam system.

It’s a clever design that comes with 3 different cam settings, I call them: Hard Rossi, Medium Dry, and Slimy Mud.

Since I originally bought it to lessen the low-end twitchy-ness of my KTM, I started with the medium setting. Instantly I felt a difference. The bike was smoother in the lower revs (where I spend most of the day) but when you really wanted to pin it, the bike pulled with less effort.

The bike still felt crisp without bogging, it just turned on smoother and kept my neck from snapping off on the single-track. Since the pull increases after 1/2 throttle, it really kicks on the high end, an added super-bonus.

It’s all subtle, but I’m a subtle kind of rider. If you just hammer all the time, you’re not going to notice much difference at all. But if you’re down in the low’s all day like me, it’s a welcome relief.

A bit pricy, but I’m happy with the results.

The Good:

• Smoother low-end which means better traction and less neck pain.
• Easy install.
• You can tune for conditions

The Bad:

• It’s a bit pricy.

It’s no substitute for proper jetting, but a welcome relief. This will probably be an even more welcome addition if your bike is Fuel Injected. As an added bonus, the new model comes with Delrin bushings for an even smoother pull.

$109.95 Available from G2 Ergonomics:  http://www.g2ergo.com/

The construction is solid and it has the obligatory ‘floating’ kneed cap and hinged flexors on the side. The plastic is a bit flexible although still rigid, and the straps have medium weight velcro-style fasteners.

The good:

• Full-coverage knee protection, especially on the sides.
• Tall design, goes above the knee cap and really deep down the shins.
• Hinged cage allowing for easy flexing
• They don’t slip!

The bad:

• These get hot! Not killer hot, but your knees are going to sweat.
• Thee flexible straps are kind of a neoprene-style material, which is a bit bulky.
• I encountered some chafing from the straps, had to loosen them up throughout the day.

I’ve had about 5 days on them so far and for the price they’re good, although these won’t quite end my quest for the perfect knee guards.

Available from $99 (street). Manfacturer: Thor Motocross http://www.thormx.com