In many forums they offer a section on new ideas and products that are ancillary to motorcycling. I would like to request such a section here.

For example, I always wear WigWam socks. Their weave pattern is hydrophobic surrounding the foot, and hydrophilic around the ankle. This design helps wick moisture out of your boot, a biker problem when wearing boots on hot summer days. Something this simple enhances my life.

One year I found a metal knife, fork and spoon set that packs into a sleeve about the size of a toothbrush package. Next week we have one of those "Taste of Madsion" affairs at my dealer's and dozens of guys will be eating with plastic forks. I never did understand on how millions of guys can jockey around a +700 pound metal cruiser and never think of a proper metal fork.

I have an E1e Surefire flashlight that never leaves my jeans pocket.

One more thing before I bore you guys to death. I also have one of those reflective metal blankets that folds up into the size of a pack of cigarettes. Ever see a guy huddled up under a highway overpass freezing his cojones off in freezing cold thunderstorm?

BTW, not all knives have to be top-shelf folders that cost hundreds of dollars.

If you have a Blue Ridge Knife reseller in your area, contact him about a current offering. The knife is called a CRKT Ryan 7. My rep tells me that they have +800 of them in stock, and it appears that they are being liquidated. (They are all black blades with plain edges, no serrations.)

Here's the kicker. The resellers can buy them for 11.99 per each!

If memory serves, when I sold that knife to my clients over five years ago I was getting +50 bucks for them, and I couldn't keep them in stock. It's a knife that is useful for bikers, hunters, tool guys and even those mall ninjas that pollute shopping malls.

I do not sell to forums where I am a member. It's tacky and self serving. Just remember that Blue Ridge Knives likes to keep 1,500 units per model in stock because of their network. That means that these knives will be gone very soon, and it's a shame, it's a great knife. I can buy what I want and I have two ordered for myself.

Thought I'd give you an update on these Ryan knives.

I have repeat customers, and one just left my home. We talked about the knives, and he bought out my next UPS shipment! Now granted, he sells them to his friends and co-workers "over the transom."

I just ordered some more. I'll polish one (for myself) when the following UPS shipment arrives. In the meantime, go google it and see your local dealer.

Tell your local rep the BRK sku number is CR6803Z.

I lowered my windshield from stock to 6 inchs on my Ultra and found the usual windshield bags did not work. The T bag one did:

I keep a flashlight with me, used to use the mag-lite solitaire, dim and pretty much useless but better than using a lit match to check your gas tank... I just got a coast LED uses 1 AAA battery and for the size pretty good, ten bucks at the local frys.

I always carry a SureFire E1e. Since it takes only one A123 battery, I always carry a spare one in the pocket of my denim jacket. It's like "daylight" when you turn it on!

Just did a search for "SureFire E1e" here's the results:
SureFire E1E Executive Elite Xenon Flashlight
$79.00 - In stock
The E1E is an ultra compact flashlight. A special incandescent lamp assembly and a precision micro-textured reflector produce a smooth 15-lumen beam—the ...

80 bucks??????????????
It better come with a set of lips for that price.
Id rather have 8 of mine thats rated at 10 lumen and lasts 18 hours continual use.
and how much for the A123 battery? aren't they like a five dollar bill?
I'm thinking you and Microsoft Bill are neighbors huh.
For us poor folk, a ten dollar bill and 4 batteries for a buck, at the 99cent store will last a long time, and thats a product that works for me.... Just sayin.
also,
I bought a 3 pack of small tactical LED flashlights at costco last month, each comes with 3 AAA batteries and has 3 settings LOW:50 lumens, HIGH:100 lumens, and tach strobe.... rated for 4 hours continual use on low... 16.97 for all three. maybe not quite as small as the high price job you use but 6 times brighter and cheaper to run. I keep one in a saddle bag, plus the little one I keep with me. I gave one to my brother and I keep the 3rd one in the glove compartment of my cage.

A Good product not only gives great service, it has to be affordable...

Aa you alluded to in your response, aparently to him it is affordable and to you it is not, its all relative. Just because you cannot afford it does not mean the juice is not worth the squeeze.

A funny thing happens to a lucky few when they get older....they prefer quality and are willing to pay the extra to have it.

My father was a junkyard dog till the day he died. It nevered dawned on him that if he sold all those POS vehicles he could have had one really nice dependable truck to sport around in. He preferred and is what he is, that junk yard dog approach. Didn't make him a bad guy but after watching him and other older folks and now I am getting older I would rather have that one really nice truck then 9-11 sub par junkers that were always breaking down and not dependable.

I don't have much, I really don't but what I have is quality(I know expensive doesn't always mean quality,but you truly get what you pay for, sort of like the difference between jap crap and HD iron)

The answer about the SureFire is quite simple. I remember all to well kneeling on a cold damp cement floor staring up at the bottom of a shovelhead. Winter during February in Wisconsin changes a man.

You must also realize that this flashlight has ridden with me for, yikes, plus or minus a decade and always worked. Think of the punishing vibration of a V-twin. I wish my colon was that strong!

I just bought my wife a SureFire. I have thrown away numerous flashlights with corroded batteries or just low-buck flashlights that have just shaken apart. If you add up all of that waste, a SureFire is a bargain.

Edit: I am also a big fan of six-point deep-well sockets.

I also own a 6P with all of the various bulb replacements and the LED head. Right now I'm also awaiting their G2X-Pro model.

As BI63 stated, you get gray hair and your focus on pricing changes. I also carry pocketknives in the 300 to 600 dollar range. Nothing irks me more than a tool that breaks at the exact moment I need it.

Well, I tried to make a real contribution to this thread -
New idea. Helping your brothers find products that work.
except I thought I'd go the extra mile and
New idea. Helping your brothers find products that work. WELL
So let me school ya on flashlights:
LED s have an amazing longevity, 100,000 hrs for a bulb life, compared to incandescent bulbs 1000 hrs.
The flashlight I wrote about is a high quality product made in the USA, by a company comparable to the higher price light.
I believe that not only for the price but the system itself is of higher quality.
A123 batteries are not available everywhere.
AAA batteries are available anywhere.
I'll bet you your house that if i dropped my light from 10 feet while it was on it would still work. just try that with the ELITE incandescent light you're so proud of and watch how dark it gets real quick.
As for the junk yard dog comment your pops and me would get along just great.
Just letting you know that there are alternatives out there and try to save ya a buck
OH and on a side note I grew up on a farm in upstate NY, so I know cold, thats why I live in So Cal now.
All the best fellas, I got your backs.