New Models & Products

NEW MODELS & PRODUCtS

HECKEL PLASTIC MOTOCROSS BOOTS

CYCLE WORLD readers have varied interests, and one of these, according to our marketing surveys, is snow skiing. We're avid skiers ourselves, and Publisher Parkhurst, Editor Atkinson and Senior Editor D. Randy, each spend plenty of time on the slopes in the winter. If you happen to be a ski person like some of us, you no doubt are well aware of how the ski industry was taken by storm a couple of years ago when plastic ski boots were introduced. It started a revolution in the ski boot concerns, and now it looks as though the same thing could happen in off-road motorcycling.

Miura Products, a spin-off of Bultaco International, has begun importing a fantastic new item called the Heckel Plastic Boot. They're available in three different versions, motocross, enduro and trials. For the last few months, Senior Editor Riggs has been sampling a pair rigged for motocross. Initial impres sions reeked of skepticism; heck, they sure don't look like motocross boots. They smile up at you from their box in shining fashion and bright colors. Blue with yellow trim or yellow with blue trim for MX; black with red for en duros; and red plus gold for trials.

Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) plastic is tough stuff. The shine seems to resist scuffing, marring or gouging and most of all, water. After a hard day at the track, soapy water and a bristle brush will get the goop off; automobile wax will restore the shine and help protect the surface. But the real benefit is protection. The thick, plastic skin wards off nasty rocks thrown up by the churning tires of 450 Maicos, guards the shins against competitors' footpegs and all the other horrors a foot is exposed to in the course of a day's event.

The boot's design is unique. Inner linings are foam-padded. The foot por tion of the boot is absolutely rigid, providing an armor-like cocoon. The rubber sole is bonded to the plastic upper portion, making the lower part of the boot completely waterproof. A naugahyde inner sock features a velcro fastener at the top that allows the wearer to adjust tightness; the plastic upper portion of the boot wraps around this sock and fastens with three buckles and a snap.

Once the wearer has slipped his foot into the boot, the “sock” is tightened, the bottom snap is secured (somewhat awkwardly) and the buckles (just like the ones found on ski boots) are loosely snapped into position. The two top buckles are adjustable to three settings by turning the buckle 90 degrees sideways and selecting the preferred adjustment. After this selection is made, final adjustment is determined with the buckles, which are secured from the bottom up. Repeat the procedure until the boots fit the way you want, then secure the ends of the buckles with the elastic cord fasteners. Early Heckels lacked this feature.

Once on, the best design feature is revealed: the hinged ankle pivot. When was the last time your motocross boots felt as comfortable as a pair of shoes? Probably never. The Heckel boots have no new-boot stiffness, and painful break-ins are a thing of the past. Put ‘em on and go...and go...and go.

Before using, we recommend that the edge of the sole be rounded off on a grinding wheel or with a file. This prevents the edge from digging into the ground; the boots will slide easier and the sole won’t get torn up. If you have especially sharp cleats on your machine’s footpegs, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to file them down a bit, because sharp pegs can wear away the arch of the rubber sole. The pivot screws should be checked with a screwdriver; if they back out, apply some Lock-Tite to the threads and reinstall. You may also want to waterproof the exposed leather portion of the inner boot near the pivot point for maximum life; we also make sure that grit doesn’t build up in this area and cause chafing of the leather.

The Heckel plastic boots look different...and are. We’re convinced they’re the latest answer in ultra-comfortable, safe, off-road footwear. They require little in the way of maintenance, protect feet and lower legs from twisting and contact injuries, and feel like an old soft shoe. They get our recommendation.

Heckel boots range in price from $80 to $90 and are currently available from most motorcycle dealers. Information may be obtained from Miura Products, Dept. CW-12, 5447 Greenwich Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23462.