From the touring bike rider to the dirt-track racer, motorcycle owners want to get the most out of their machines. The original equipment manufacturer parts that came with their bikes may be fine to get them home from the dealer, but it's never long before an enthusiast wants to see just how much more oomph he can get from his engine. High-performance aftermarket parts and accessories like exhaust systems, air filters, jet kits and fuel control devices are your customer's ticket to a more powerful bike.

The power accessory market is constantly adapting--to expand to meet the needs of new models, obviously, but also to react to larger market forces. Manufacturers such as KTM are in a "wait and see" mode as fuel injection technology begins to enter the dirt bike market, and companies like Cycle Shack who cater to the American v-twin market are preparing for 2010, when US emissions standards are slated to harmonize with Europe. But that hasn't stopped these manufacturers from putting out the performance today. Here's a look at a few of this year's products that can put some extra bang in your customer's bikes.

Air Intake

Oxygen fuels a bike just like it fuels the body, so your power-hungry clients will want air filters with a lot of capacity. "With more air flow you can increase your fuel mixture, and get improved throttle response, slight horsepower gains and higher overrev in the higher RPMs," says Johnny Jump, powersports brand manager for K&N. His company specializes in developing bike-specific filters for each market segment, creating replacement units that are made to fit the OE Airbox and don't require fuel management modifications. "We look at where a filter is going to be used, then pack in as many benefits as possible," he says. Epoxy-coated wire screens protect the element and straighten the air flow, creating a smoother delivery of power and increasing control. For the offroad market, K&N filters are pleated, to create more surface area over foam, increasing both air flow and capacity (amount of dirt the filter can hold). In the street market, K&N distinguishes itself with high-flow filters that offer a million-mile warranty.
Jumps says that K&N is now working closer with Canadian distributors and increasing its sponsorship programs in Canada in order to gain more visibility in the north. Canadian distributors include Kimpex, Motovan and Parts Canada. www.knfilters.com

Exhaust Systems

"Exhaust systems are in the top three things people want to change on their bike," says Angela Whitten, representative for exhaust manufacturer Two Brothers. Her company provides aftermarket systems for both street and dirtbikes. "The streetbike market is the guys who are interested in the look of the bike. For them, we gear our products to the everyday riders who like to customize their bikes and make them look cool," she says. "For dirtbikes, that market is looking for a little more performance, because they're out on the tracks, racing. That rider is the one who really wants to drop some weight off their bike and is looking for more horsepower and torque." Two Brothers 2008 street releases include a M-2 DUAL slip-on exhaust system for the Suzuki Hayabusa and a V.A.L.E. slip-on system for the Kawasaki ZX-10R, both with canister sleeves in polished aluminum, carbon fibre or titanium. Distributed by Kimpex.

The market for performance exhaust isn't limited to speed-seekers. "The first or second word you hear out of a Harley consumer's mouth is that they want to get a new set of pipes," says Buzz Dyer, president of Cycle Shack, an exhaust manufacturer that makes all products in-house in the San Francisco area. Dyer says exhaust upgrades are the best way to not only personalize look and sound, but to reduce weight and increase horsepower and torque. Recent performance tests showed 12 to 15 percent gains after re-mapping when Cycle Shack baffles were installed on a Screaming Eagle 110 model FL. Cycle Shack's latest popular release is an EFI-ready full-length oval muffler available in touring and slip-fit shorty duals. Cycle Shack develops for Harleys and a few models for Triumphs, but Dyer says they are considering branching out to take advantage of increased customization in the Yamaha market. Distributed by Motovan, Parts Canada and British Cycle Supply.

Motorcycle manufacturer KTM counts on rider loyalty, so it created PowerParts, a wide range of self-branded high-performance exhaust systems and performance parts. "A rider may want more low end or more top end. It's all about giving the customer the options that they want," says Jared Chonko, KTM's related products sales manager. His company works with FMF Racing to build 2-strokes and some 4-strokes and with Akropovic for higher-end 4-strokes geared to "the Enduro guys and the serious trail riders." Chonko advises dealers to take a similar broad-range approach in stocking performance parts. "Catalogues work great, but nothing replaces the experience of walking in and comparing a product to something that they may have seen." He says that KTM programs help dealers put together a variety of demo bikes that customers can ride and get a feel for the difference.

Fuel Control

Rejetting or remapping to perfect a bike's air-fuel ratio is the crucial next step after any power-enhancing modification such as a new air filter or exhaust system. While the carburetor is slowly giving way to the electronic fuel injection system, the do-it-yourselfers in the American V-twin market and the dirt bike racers still need new jets to coax out the most power from their bikes. Stocking a full range will make sure they can always meet the needs of their new filters and exhaust. Dynojet offers individual jets as well as complete kits in progressive power stages that serve everyone from weekend road riders to professional racers.

On the EFI side, dozens of devices are being developed and released that quickly and precisely fine-tune an engine's fuel-air ratio. Some products, like the Juice Box from Two Brothers, were specifically developed to complement the manufacturer's own exhaust systems. "We no longer sell the other lines," says Angela Whitten. The Juice Box is plug-and-play with a simple LCD interface, and brings extra fuel without altering the stock map. Other fuel control devices, such as the FuelPak, whick affiliates with Vance & Hines, or Dynojet's Power Commander, work with a wide range of bikes and exhaust systems through pre-set map settings. Bazzaz Performance, which began specializing in fuel controllers in 2003, just released its Z-Fi TC model, which offers added traction control and was listed in the top 25 new products for February's Indy Dealer Show www.bazzazperformance.com/Tucker Rocky Distributing

There are no universal rules to adjusting fuel control--some modifications may not be street legal in many areas, and the ideal setup depends on many factors, aside from the type of filter or exhaust. "In Montreal, the bike is going to need to be jetted completely differently from one in Miami," says KTM's Jared Chonko. Dealers should work with each client and their bike and take into account weather conditions, terrain, usage and local emissions and noise legislation. CPT