Vital MX 13 Days of Christmas, Day 11: Pro Taper 184

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Santa may be putting in for worker’s comp with a sore back after all the goodies that the Pro Taper guys loaded him down with. Ready to dig in? First up is the Pro Taper Evo Handlebar ($89.99). You’re familiar with Pro Taper’s championship-winning heritage, crossbar-free design, and strong aluminum construction, but the Evo is built to even tighter tolerances than the original. They’ve also stepped up with details like an interior coating to prevent corrosion, Chemically-applied graphics that resist wear better, as well as end plugs that do double-duty by keeping your bars clean inside, and also prevent your grips from getting the cookie cutter treatment if you fall over. Oh yeah, and it also has the strength, long life, and ride quality that you’re looking for in a handlebar.

If you're going to run the bars, of course, you need the Pro Taper Molded Bar Pad ($16.99), which use the optimum foam density. Not too soft, not too hard (hmm, wait, this is starting to sound like a fairy tale...) It also has in-molded logos, and is available in four different colors, as well as a Rockstar version.

Okay, Pro Taper’s high quality bars are one thing, but how about some replacement footpegs to add to your control? Pro Taper kicked in a set of their 2.3 Platforms ($179.95). These two-piece units have replaceable 7075 cleats with a hard-anodized finish, and an arched cleat design for maximum traction. The base of the pegs are investment-cast stainless steel.

What good is a great set of bars if you can’t hang onto them? You can mount up a set of Pro Taper Pillow Top Lite Grips ($12.95), and enjoy their unique tri-density construction. The pillow-top pattern and material is designed to eliminate shock and reduce vibration, while the inner core and thumb flange is a different material that grips the bars well. They’re capped off with an extra-tough Anti-Rip Tip, that helps extend their lifespan.

For post-ride wear, the Pro Taper Corp white sweatshirt ($49.95) features Pro Taper logos and a midweight material along with a white color that laughs in the face of dirt at races. Okay, maybe that’s not always true…like at a particularly muddy day at Southwick last summer when GuyB got ruined by a big mud splash. But we do like this one for it’s non-conformist look. Top it off with the Pro Taper Classy white fitted hat ($23.95), and you definitely won’t be mistaken for one of the bad guys.

What else is in the Pro Taper sack of goodies? How about some Pro Taper tie-downs? They go for $34.99, and are particularly sporty with their spring-loaded carabineer hooks, that stay secure and don’t slip off the mounting point like regular tie-downs often do, and they also have a swivel on them so they’ll never be twisted. Extra-wide 1-1/2-inch straps make sure that your prized scoot won’t pass you on the freeway, and they’ve got a soft-looped handle, and Velcro-secured strap ends. Deluxe for sure. (And we were so overwhelmed with the pile of goodies that Pro Taper sent that we forgot to put them in the pile with everything else.

www.protaper.com will get you all the info you may need on bar bends, optional colors, etc., but you need to leave a comment below for a chance to win all of these goodies for yourself.

Day 1: Renthal
Day 2: FMF
Day 3: Leatt
Day 4: One Industries
Day 5: Easton
Day 6: Vital MX
Day 7:
Engine Ice
Day 8: Pirelli
Day 9: Thor
Day 10: MotoConcepts