Test #1. Asterisk Knee
Braces:
We have been working with the Asterisk knee braces for close to a month
and here are the results. The braces have an excellent adjustment
capability, not only using the angle stops (which allow you to adjust
how far your knee can extend) but also on the fit. They incorporate
adjusting screws in the upper and lower portion of the brace, this gives
you the ability to "form fit" the brace to your individual
leg, very cool. We had some concerns with the new lacing. We were unable
to get the laces tight enough to stop hyperextension. One call to Brad
Freeman at Asterisk and he recommended changing the lacing pattern and
sent the tighter stop cables. We reversed the lacing pattern and
installed the tighter stop cables, with the help of Billy Frank at
Asterisk. With these two changes the Asterisk knee braces gave us the
support we were looking for. If we were looking for a knee brace, that
is not form fitted by a physician, Asterisk is the one.
In comparison to the CTi braces they are close to 90% effective but the
cost is within reach of most riders unlike the CTi's. On our testing
scale for what the product is designed for, its operation and cost, we
give it a 10!
Contact Asterisk at: 1-800-459-2999 for ordering info. Tell them "MxTrainer"
sent you
Test #2. EVS Shoulder Brace:
EVS Shoulder Brace: Test and Evaluation- Alan
We have been working with the EVS shoulder brace for some time now.
Stephane Roncada, Chris Gosselaar and myself have all used one within
the last few months. The brace fits well and will work for left and
right shoulder applications. It is easy to put on and has velcro to help
get the fit just right. My injury was a grade 2 shoulder separation.
This means that I had some ligaments torn where the collarbone attaches
to the end of the shoulder, this results in what looks like your
shoulder dropped down at the end with the farthest end of the collarbone
sticks up with a "bump" in your shoulder. The EVS brace was
used after 3 weeks of healing and taping by an ATC (athletic trainer).
The brace gave a definite support to the injured shoulder. What we all
noticed is that it was a condidence builder. I feel that the EVS brace
works well for what it was designed for, extra support. No brace will
keep you from getting injured, they will only help assist with
protection. If you need a brace for support in your shoulder then the
EVS shoulder brace works well, check it out.
Alan Gerkey "MxTrainer" the Racer Development Program
Note: On a scale of 1-10, 10 being best, the EVS shoulder brace gets a
9. (Remember, you should always consult your doctor about an injury for
advice and evaluation. Any brace will not prevent an injury.)
Contact: EVS
Test #3. Pro Tec TTR 125 Pipe:
After riding with the Pro Tec TTR 125 pipe for a couple of months, here
is our final evaluation.
The pipe is a work of art and installation is very easy, if you follow
the instructions given by Pro Tec. Finish on the pipe is beautiful and
stays that way.
The noise factor is always a concern of mine when riding and this pipe
has a good tone with only moderate increase in noise when the adjuster
is wide open. What is different about this pipe is that it allows you to
adjust the openings on the muffler for noise levels. By loosening the
allen bolts you can simply twist the end of the muffler cap (make sure
to use gloves or a tool when hot) to have optimum performance and
moderate noise levels or slightly less performance and very quiet, this
is a great feature especially when you have neighbors or are in an area
that may disturb someone. The pipe gives a good amount of additional
power in the mid to top range and over-rev but we ended up using the
stock jetting at our altitude of 1500 ft. We tried the recommended
jetting of richer on the main, but this made the bike slower and less
responsive.. Make sure to adjust your jetting correctly for your area,
this is very important. Beginners will want to stay with the stock unit
until they can utilize the upper power more, but for more experienced
riders they will love the additional power. The pipe is reasonably
priced at $259.95 complete.
Alan Gerkey "MXTrainer" Racer Development Program
Note: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being best we give the Pro Tec TTR 125
Pipe a 9. Contact ProTec at: Pro-TecPerformance.com or call to order at
888.698.8990. Tell them Alan Gerkey sent you. Have fun.
Test #4. All Sports Dynamics Wrist Brace.
Craig Anderson from Australia was practicing at the Yamaha test track,
he hit neutral and crashed pretty hard. The result was a ruptured
spleen, twisted knee and (broken wrist). The doctors did not find the
break in his wrist until after his other injuries were healed. He tried
to ride but the pain was too much. He ended up having surgery having a
pin put in. We were concerned that he would not be ready for Glen Helen,
so we contacted Jeff Brewer at All Sports Dynamics. Jeff said he had a
new brace that would help Craig get back on the bike sooner and safer.
Jeff sent out the casting kit which was easy for us to use. We made a
cast of Craig's wrist and sent it to Jeff. Within 7 days Jeff had a
complete carbon brace for Craig's wrist. The brace is a work of art and
has many adjustments to get it in the correct position for protection.
This was one of the first times that an athlete has come out and said a
brace was excellent without me asking, that shows just how good these
braces are. The angles are pre-adjusted for flexion and extension. This
will allow the rider to ride without having the wrist go past the the
prescribed limits. The brace can be purchased through your insurance
with a prescription from your doctor. In my opinion, Anderson would not
have been able to race at Glen Helen without All Sports Dynamics wrist
brace and Jeff Brewer.
Alan Gerkey "MXTrainer" Racer Development Program
Note: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being best, we give the All Sports
wrist brace a 10 .
For ordering or questions contact:
All Sports Dynamics
1-800-594-5350
Product Reviews:
Test #5. LSP MX Timer.
I had an email from a rider about a year ago. He said that he was having
trouble with his arm when riding. I had him go to Dr. Alexander for
testing and it just so happened that he was in the office while I was
there. His name is Leon Randolph. Leon is the owner of "Lightning
Speed Products" which makes the LSP MX Timer. I thought the product
looked unique and asked him if he wanted me to evaluate it. Within a
couple of days I had received the MX Timer. The instructions were easy
to follow, which made it easy to install. A nice feature is that the
timer is held in place by a velcro strap, and the switches have quick
release connectors that allow you to remove the timer while washing your
bike, very cool. I have Fasstco Flexx handlebars on my bike and the
timer fit with no problem. I started the test at a local track. I set up
a turn where I would hit the lap button and started my moto. After doing
30 minutes in 105 degree temperature I pulled in to see how my times
were. Well, I made my first mistake. The timer tells you how to operate
it. The throttle side button is to start and stop the functions. The
left side button is the lap counter while riding, but it is also the
"CLEAR" button if you push it after hitting the right side
stop button. You guessed it I hit it and cleared the whole moto off the
timer. I was so used to hitting the kill button which is now on the
inside of the lap counter that I automatically hit the first button next
to the grip. After that one mistake, I had no other problems checking
the times. The only other issue, was that I would not always hit the lap
button correctly and would miss a lap or so during the moto. I called
Leon and he said that he had not heard of this happening but he would
modify a button for me and see if it helped. I received the more
sensitive button within the next 2 days. This new button was definitely
more sensitive and I had no problems after that. I was very impressed
with the LSP MX Timer, it allowed me to practice and not have to bring
someone with me to run lap times. It holds up to 300 laps, records the
fastest lap, slowest lap, average time, overall moto time and the
display is big enough for anyone to see. The best part is that it is
only $99.95 plus applicable tax and shipping. This is the original timer
with a patent pending, beware of copies on the market. If you are
looking for an easier way to find your lap times this is it!
Alan Gerkey "MXTrainer" Racer Development Program
Note: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being best, we give the LSP MX Timer a
10.
For ordering information contact: Leon Randolf at Lightning Speed
Products.
877-219-3585 or on their web site at LSPTIMER.COM, tell them Alan Gerkey
"MXTrainer" sent you.
