MOTOCROSS ACTION PRODUCT TEST: CV4 FUEL KOOL GAS TANK BARRIER:

On Sep 1, 2010

WHAT IS IT? Think of it as a space blanket for your gas tank.

WHAT’S IT COST? $75.35.

CONTACT? www.cvproducts.com/powersports or (800) 448-1223.

WHAT’S IT DO? In the motocross world, the late Drew Lien of 100% Products gets the credit for discovering that space-age reflective foil could be used on a race bike. Drew’s idea was to apply the reflective foil to the inside of your bike’s side panel so that your muffler wouldn’t melt a hole in the plastic. This was, believe it or not, a major problem in the 1980s. Drew used the aerospace foil to deflect heat. Now, 25 years later, heat is still a problem, and motocrossers are still using Drew’s solution. The difference is that the reflective foil is being used on the underside of a four-stroke’s gas tank. A four-stroke engine produces so much heat that the fuel loses its combustibility, vapor-locks the fuel lines, or boils inside the float bowl. CV4 has come up with an aerospace solution (with a nod to Drew).

WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with CV4’s Fuel Kool barrier.

(1) Performance. Amazingly, CV4 already owned this market with its stick-on heat shield. Available in either gold or silver, CV4’s heat shield mat was basically Drew Lien’s old idea moved over to the gas tank. The problem was that you had to cut the foam-backed foil and stick it to your gas tank like a jigsaw puzzle. It didn’t always stick perfectly, nor did it stay in place all the time. But it worked, and every factory team used it. There had to be a better way to mount it, and CV4 found it. They sew the reflective material into a pre-shaped blanket (much like a bird cage or barbecue grill cover). It fits perfectly over the bottom of the gas tank and is held in place by Velcro strips that are stuck to the tank.

(2) Materials. The Fuel Kool barrier works as well as the old Heat Shield Mat, but with less hassle. Not only is the new design easier to mount, but it is also machine-washable.

(3) Installation. Here are some tips: First, clean the gas tank thoroughly, otherwise the Velcro strips won’t stick. Second, stretch the Fuel Kool over the tank very tightly, since it will get looser over time.

WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? Most local racers, with their less-than-15-minute motos, don’t need heat shields. Cross-country racers and Pros do.

The Fuel Kool is a five-star product for a National rider, a four-star product for a hardcore local racer, a three-star product for a play rider; and a waste of money for a poser.