OK, so that headline is a bit misleading but I couldn’t think of any other way of starting it that would avoid an explanation in the body of the text, so I bowed to the inevitable. Despite the name, Circuit Equipment doesn’t involve itself with circuit racing, at least when the surface is tarred (supermoto).
Having been in existence since 1984, Circuit Equipment is a U.S.-based company (manufactured in Brazil) that specialises in accessories for off-road motorcycles and bicycles and the range is extensive, comprising hand-grips, ‘bark- basher’ hand guards, quick-action throttles, bike protection, some bike plastics, disc guards, paddock MX stands, bar pads, rider apparel and much more.
In South Africa, the import agency for these exceptionally well-designed and engineered products is held by Autocycle Centre, a subsidiary of AutoX, which also deals with Willard, Sabat and Varta batteries for both cars and bikes, as well as Michelin tyres, Regina chains, Premier brake components and Elf motor oil for motorcycles and Nexx and HJC helmets. Adding Circuit Racing to the roster of high-quality products was a natural progression.
We recently sampled a set of grips and hand guards on a Suzuki 250 V-Strom and while we can’t comment on any impact resistance of the hand guards for the simple reason that we didn’t hit anything, we can report that the hand grips were comfortable and the hand guards looked good and felt solid and well-made.
A bit of research shows that, in the respective motorcycling and bicycling communities that Circuit Equipment works, the company enjoys a very good reputation, for both product innovation and quality. The product range is constantly evolving and expanding, with some road bike products starting to appear.
With many motorcycle brands expanding their manufacturing to India and China, we are seeing motorcycles, especially entry-level or motorcycles under 400cc being produced on a mass scale. This means that certain features lack inspiration in their design and are built for ‘mass function’ rather than flowing with the rest of the design language and we see that from the hand grips too, which just lack that tactile or premium feel. For a bike like the Suzuki V-STROM 250, which offers incredible value and represents the most affordable entry point into a world of adventure, we can account for some forgiveness.
What brands like Circuit Equipment help you do is take your ride to OEM+ for an affordable cost, with a design that fits your bike’s livery and shape. For instance, the Fenix handguards fitted to the Strom come in a variety of colours, a dash of carbon look-alike wrap and a flexible material that can take a beating. The Fenix sets you back as little as R1,200 and they are worth it, if you’ve got a smaller bike or aren’t in need of a wrap-around handguard you could look at a Vector or Dakar handguard from Circuit for half that price.
At the end of the day, you are going to spend time in the cockpit on trips, commuting and even staring at the bike well drinking a cold one with your mates, so why not give your dirt bike, commuter or adventure bike that OEM+ look it deserves with Circuit Equipment.
For more information, you can either visit Circuit Equipment’s own website, www.circuitequipment.us or Autocycle Centre’s listing at www.poweredbyautocycle.co.za
