CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

— Things that look good under the tree  —

By the staff of Dirt Wheels

Well, it’s that time of year again when we start thinking about Christmas gifts. What kind of joy and happiness can we bring to someone by the present we get for them? If your family and friends are into riding off-road, you naturally want to give them something that’ll enhance that activity. You try to focus your mind on what that perfect gift might be, but it’s tough to think of something that fits within your budget. Sometimes you need some ideas and suggestions to get the brain working at full throttle. We understand, so here is a guide to help you out. Our collection includes items in the $20 category, and we tried to keep the price range from going too expensive. Merry Christmas.

ATV SEAT FROM QUAD TECH
Does someone in your family have a quad with an ugly rip in the seat? If so, a new seat cover would be the perfect gift for them. Quad Tech is great company to turn to for that. They have seat covers for just about any quad ever made, dating back to the ‘80s, and yes, for three-wheelers, too. They are offered in stock or custom looks. You can choose a material with extra grip for those muddy rides. For pricing we’ll use Honda’s 400EX as an example. A stock all-black seat cover is $120. Red, silver and black is $10 more. Adding ribs is $20 more. To get new foam with the seat cover, add $70. Check out www.quadtech-atv.com.

12V 100-PSI AIR INFLATOR FROM HARBOR FREIGHT
Here’s a Christmas Gift that just about anybody would be glad to get. A small portable air compressor comes in handy on numerous occasions. Not only is it great for airing up your ATV’s tires, but it airs up your truck and trailer tires, too. This one is only 6 inches long by 5 inches tall, so it’s easy to carry along on rides for trailside use after flat repairs. The gauge gives you an accurate reading on air pressure, and the 5-foot hose and 10-foot power cord make it easy to use. The 100-psi model here sells for $36 at Harbor Freight, but they also have a 150-psi model for $65.

CASUAL WEAR FROM DENNIS KIRK
Everyone has to wear a shirt, and we like the ones that identify us as off-road riders. Dennis Kirk is a big mail-order company that has been involved with Dirt Wheels for many years, so that’s who we like to check out for good deals on casual wear. They carry just about all brands, including Fox, which is quite popular with the ladies when it comes to shirts. When you check the Dennis Kirk website you’ll usually see many shirts listed on sale with special marked-down prices. For example, at the time we looked, this Fox shirt was $17 and the FMF shirt was $21, and either one would make a great gift. Go to www.denniskirk.com.

UPGRADED SEAT BELTS FROM ASSAULT
UTVs became popular because they’re so much fun to go blasting down the trails. And, as we know, any off-road vehicle has a chance of turning over based on the rugged nature of earth’s terrain. That’s why UTVs come stock with seat belts. They’re okay for slow-going, but if you knew you’d be doing a flip, you’d want something better. Assault Industries is one company you can turn to for improved equipment, including seat belts. Some people may refer to these as a racing harness. It means the belts are secured in a four or five-point design to better hold you safely in place. There is soft padding on the inside of the straps, and the outsides are available in a variety of colors. The EZ adjuster buckles are high quality, and the set shown sells for $120. Check out www.assaultind.com.

CV JOINT & SHOCK PROTECTION FROM SEALSAVERS
4×4 quads and UTVs have CV joints on the axles with rubber boots over them to hold in the grease. Sometimes the rubber boots may get torn, which is not good. For added protection, SealSavers has their ProSeries CV Savers that wrap over the rubber boot and cinch tight with a zip-tie. The durable material is a notch below Kevlar, but with some stretch for mobility. It works well with their Coil Savers too, which protects your shock seals and shaft. A set of two for either start at $39.95. They would make a good Christmas gift without breaking the budget. Go to www.sealsavers.com.

ATV BOLT KITS FROM SUMMIT RACING
How cool would it be to have an organized plastic box with an assortment of metric bolts to fit your ATV or UTV? Well, you can get exactly that at Summit Racing. The kits are put together by Pit Posse Motorsports and provide a variety of different diameter and length bolts, along with nuts and washers. The 225-piece kit sells for $45, and there are smaller kits selling for less. For example, the 50-piece kit goes for $15. They also sell engine bolt sets for specific ATVs, including Cannondale and KTM. Check out www.summitracing.com.

OCELOT TIRES FROM CHAPARRAL
A new set of tires always looks good under the tree on Christmas morning. However, tires can be rather expensive and may not fit in your gift-buying budget. Chaparral provides an exception to that rule. Their Ocelot line of tires are priced lower than most other brands. What we like about the P348/P357 models here is that they have the same tread pattern as a more expensive brand that’s popular for GNCC cross-country racing. We have found them to be fairly durable and offer good traction in soft-to-medium dirt. Chaparral offers a set of four in the $150 price range. See the size selections at www.chapmoto.com.

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
You can give a Christmas present to someone and they could forget about it in 15 minutes. Or, you could give them something to make them think about you every month for a year. Yes, we’re talking about a gift subscription to Dirt Wheels magazine. For the Christmas-season price special, you can get 12 issues delivered to your friend’s home for only $17.99, and we also throw in a $25 gift card. Yeah, seriously, you actually make $7 on the deal. The gift card gives you 25 bucks’ worth of free stuff at Chaparral Motorsports, which has every ATV and UTV accessory you’d need. Hey, it’s not like us to toot our own horn, but how many deals will you find better than this? Merry Christmas!

TIRE SEALANT FROM HIGH LIFTER
Do you have a buddy who is always getting a flat tire? Well, here’s the gift you get for him. High Lifter’s Pro Series tire sealant is a gooey liquid that goes inside a tire. When something pokes a hole in the tire, the sticky goo plugs the hole. High Lifter says it will plug a hole up to 1/2 inch in the tread and up to 1/4 inch on the sidewall. It will not freeze, harden or corrode aluminum wheels. A 32-ounce bottle costs $17. Check out www.highlifter.com.

SPEED WAX FROM MAXIMA RACING OILS
A gift to help someone keep their machine looking shiny and new would be appreciated for sure. A can of Speed Wax is a favorite item that the top detailers keep on hand. It’s specially formulated for both plastic and painted surfaces, as well as chrome, windscreens and anodized aluminum. The wax sets up quickly and easily wipes smooth. A can goes for $10.50. Maxima also has their SC1 that provides a high-gloss coating for plastic and vinyl. Many pros spray it underneath their fenders to keep mud from sticking. It sells for $10.50, too.

CUBE SPOTLIGHT FROM PRO ARMOR
Riding at night is a standard part of going to the dunes, and it’s also popular in other areas, too, especially during the summer when the rides are cooler in the evening. So, having extra-light power is a good thing for our UTVs, sport and 4×4 quads. These little Cube lights from Pro Armor would make a great gift to improve your friend’s nightlife. At 2 inches by 2 inches, they’re small enough to mount just about anywhere, and the Cree LED bulbs crank out 1400 lumens. They’re waterproof and come with Deutsch quick-connect wiring, as well as mounting hardware. They sell for $85. More details at www.proarmor.com.

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