MO Holiday Gift Guide 2014: Top 10 $500 And Up

John Burns
by John Burns

You never know who’s swimming naked till the tide goes out, says Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett. And you never know whose pockets are really deep until they lay a swell gift on you like one of the following. We at MO of course hate to encourage such crass commercialism during a time that’s really all about human and spiritual connections, but it’s basically what we get paid to do. And you can be certain that if motorcycles had existed in 0 AD, these are the gifts people would’ve bestowed instead of frankincense and myrrh and dreidels and whatever.

$665: Bursig Center-Lift Paddock stand

Instead of two wobbly stands under your wheels, the Bursig stand rolls up to the side of your bike and grabs it in the middle of the frame, via custom adapter plates available to fit 115 models (and growing). Push down on the handle, and pick the whole motorcycle up securely. Then you can roll it around on the four casters wherever you need it. Former racer and smart guy Sebastian Bursig has been producing them in Germany since 2006.

Bursig USA

$2,250: Texas Tornado 4-Day Camp

There are some great riding schools out there, but there are none that can teach everyone from rank beginners to MotoGP champions simultaneously like this one. Learning on soft Texas loam is the key, on sweet little Yamaha TT-R125s with a road tire on the back and a knobby in the front, under the highly experienced eyes of a fantastic group of instructors led by the TT himself, Colin Edwards. Sure, the beginners start out in their own group, but by Day Three, it’s one big happy dirt tornado. There’s no better way to improve your motorcycle control, no matter how good you (think) you are. Truly fun for the whole family.

Colin Edwards’ Texas Tornado Boot Camp

$650 (approximately): CalFab swingarm

CalFab went out of business years ago, but Chris Redpath at MotoGPWerks has resurrected the company (which was right across the street from his Anaheim, California Werks back in the day), and is turning out swingers for all kinds of vintage KZs, GSs, CBs and whathaveyous. Stiffer than the originals, beautifully finished, and complete with roller bearings and other hardware installed, anybody with a classic racer or streetbike from the `80s would be stoked at the chance to modernize and upgrade with one of these.

Moto GP Werkz

$1,127 (base) Aerostich Roadcrafter 3

Aerostich’s third-generation onesie adds waterproofness to all the other outstanding features, to make it our 2014 Product of the Year. Excellent padding and abrasion resistance, great venting and/or sealing as the thermometer dictates, unparalleled ease of ingress/egress, totally custom fit and unequalled customer service make the Roadcrafter 3 the go-to overgarment of serious riders everywhere.

Aerostich

$569: Ducati Urban leather jacket

Well, it really doesn’t have to be a Ducati jacket, but this one (made by Dainese) caught our wandering eye. Triumph also has some nice stuff. The point is, whoever’s lucky enough to receive a thing like this will still love it and the person who gave it to him long after the bike is history, so it makes sense not to cheap out in this department. The Italians are a stylish people, and though this beauty is fashionable enough to wear anywhere, it’s also armored and comes with a nice warm liner.

Ducati USA Store

$4,999: KTM 390 Duke

There is a veritable pandemic of cool new motorcycles breaking out on showroom floors for 2015, but the most exciting stocking stuffer might be the KTM 390 Duke. Weighing in at not much more than 300 pounds, cranking out 44 crankshaft hp from its totally modern 375cc Single, and priced at an impecunious $4,999, this one should be good. Its granddad, the 1290 Super Duke, is our current Bike of the Year, and its big brother Duke 690 is another fave.

2015 KTM RC390 review

KTM RC390

800€ ($994.92 as of 11/24/14): GripOne P3 Traction Control Kit

Sure everybody wants a new R1 with IMU (inertial measurement unit) traction control, and everybody in Hell wants ice water, too. Now you can slap TC lipstick on your beloved’s existing fuel-injected pig, and still have money left over for other gifts: GripOne’s P3 system lets you add its IMU for only 180 euros more than the base price, and you’ll then enjoy the enhanced safety and performance of full-on 3D TC intelligence. There’s a custom kit for just about every sportbike out there with EFI, that lets you plug things right into the existing harness.

GripOne P3

$19,500 (minimum bid): 2004 CHOPER

What red-blooded American wouldn’t want to receive this baby? Frankly we can’t remember if CHOPER was a brand in the early aughts, when there were a thousand of them, or just a misspelling? Either way, you can almost see Santa riding this sled, with the eight tiny reindeer close by in case pulling becomes necessary. When the chopper market roars back, you’ll look like a genius for picking this up on ebay for only $19,500. In the meantime, it’ll look great in the rec room with the Lamborghini and Scarface posters.

eBay

£499 ($783.28 as of 11/24/14): Hotel Bed & Breakfast + Race Package for the 2015 Czech MotoGP

You’ll have to get yourself to Brno, but once you’re there it’s supposed to be one of the oldest, best-preserved cities in eastern Europe, dating from the middle ages. People have lived here since prehistoric times, and there are 13 colleges with 89,000 students and really good beer. The MotoGP is always a barn burner too.

World Motorcycling Tours

$170,124: Thor Outlaw Class A Motorhome/Toy Hauler

What’s more fun than dropping anchor in the middle of nowhere in your 39-foot three-bedroom self-levelling condo, lowering the drawbridge out back, and rolling out your motorcycles? Nothing, that’s what. The loading ramp of the 6.8L Triton V10-powered beast also serves as a Party Deck™ with 50-inch TV and Bluetooth Coach Radio sound with exterior speakers so you can share your Metallica with the poor sap in the pickup. Completely engulfed in genuine Leatherette and other fine faux finishes, you won’t feel bad hosing out this semi-luxurious Augean stable when the weekend’s over.

Thor Outlaw RV

John Burns
John Burns

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 5 comments
  • Mahatma Mahatma on Nov 27, 2014

    An $1127 rainsuit?!Guess when you have more money than you know what to do with,it's a great bargain.And it'll liven up the christmas spirit if the participants is wanting for laughter:D

    • See 2 previous
    • Goose Goose on Nov 28, 2014

      Aerostitch offers a set of standard, off the self alterations. Unless it is relatively new (the last few years, since I gave up buying their products) they do not offer true custom suits. I've spoken to them more then once, including Mr. Subjective himself. I been told, always polity and professionally, that I don't know what I'm talking about and their sizing is perfect.

      Here's one more example, the neck on my XXL Darien measures 24"in circumference. I have yet to figure out how to get enough fabric to get a decent seal in this giant hole with my, apparently pencil size, 18" neck. Aerostich doesn't offer a smaller neck alteration.

      This summer I tried to buy some gloves from them. I was told I should buy the size glove the little sizing chart in their catalog said I should buy, which was size 10. "But I wear a 13/ XXL, I've been fitted by more than one professional". Again, I was told their sizing is perfect, I (and I suppose the people who fitted me) are a lot of idiots. In some magic way the same hands that fit perfectly in much loved but totally worn out XXL (and the biggest XXLs I found in the bin) Alpine Star GP Plus gloves for years would now fit in size 10 gloves. I decided I could live with a new pair of non-US made gloves.

      Aerostich suits are great products and the people who work there seem to be fine people. Aerostich products give good service and are backed by great support that justifies the premium price. If they fit you I highly recommend them. If they don't fit you and the limited alterations offered do not address your fit issues, move on. I've learned the hard way that slightly lower quality products/ non-US made products that fit are a better deal than great, US made products that don't really fit.

  • TechGuy5489 TechGuy5489 on Dec 05, 2014

    You guys forgot to include a 2015 track day at the Circuit of the Americas. $560 buys you a spot and garage space for the day.

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