Race Safer Pro nerfs - redux

New for 2010: TPR Race Safer Pro nerf bars

This off season, Tarantula Performance Racing finished designs for the new Race Safer Pro nerf bar and heel guard combination for release at the start of the 2010 season.

TPR set out to create a more secure platform for ATV racers. For 20 years, nearly every ATV nerf bar manufacturer has accepted the industry standard flat nerf bar design. TPR's new Race Safer Pro nerfs drastically improve rider safety with some simple and effective changes to the standard nerf bar design.

THE BAR

The Race Safer Pro nerf bars feature five specially designed outer bar bends. The front of the nerf bars mount between the a-arms and engine mounts, where the bar extends outward on each side away from the quad before two slight bends direct the bar towards the rear of the ATV. The bends near the front mount tuck the nerf bar close to the front wheel – minimizing the chance of another ATV’s wheel becoming stuck and causing a crash – without impacting turning radius or suspension travel.

The third, and most important, bend changes the angle at which the outer bar runs parallel to the lower frame rail. The Pocket Bar bend change in degree pitches the outer bar up towards the rider. The Pocket Bar bend protects the rider from the wheels of a competitor by reducing the possibility of another ATV wheel reaching the rider’s lower extremities. The Pocket Bar bend drastically improves upon the industry standard flat nerf bar design.

The fourth and fifth bends shape the heel guard. These bends simplify the design to help save weight, but they also allow for a strong, durable mounting system. The aluminum nerf bar tubing slides into the foot pegs, which are constructed of T-6061 aluminum. The nerfs then mount to the stock rear fender bracket or frame depending upon the model.

THE PEG

Foot peg teeth on the TPR Race Safer Pro nerfs are angled five degrees in toward the quad. The angled teeth work in conjunction with a rider’s natural standing position to prevent the rider’s boot from sliding unintentionally towards the edge of the extended peg. The pitch of the pegs increases as they extend away from the frame to offer the rider a solid, secure platform. For Yamaha’s new YFZ450R and YFZ450X, the Race Safer Pro foot pegs are one inch lower than stock.

All mounting points on the TPR Race Safer Pro nerf bars align precisely and eliminate the often frustrating extra steps required when installing other nerf bars. The nerfs utilize factory hardware for installation, but the additional hardware required for some ATV models is included.

THE NET

Nylon netting on the Race Safer Pro nerfs is stitched and riveted for added strength. The front netting wraps around the lower frame rail, and the heel guard netting threads through a mount included with the nerfs. TPR’s netting fixtures also differ from most other designs and were developed so the netting tightens at each mounting point when pressure is applied.

Color-matching foot pegs are available in three color options. The pegs and nerfs are available in textured black, blue and red and also are available in a standard polished aluminum finish.

To order a set of Race Safer Pro nerf bars, contact Tarantula Performance Racing at 330-273-1123.

TPR unveils project YFZ450R

Tarantula Performance Racing has completed its project Yamaha YFZ450R motocross build. Many of the industry’s top aftermarket performance products manufacturers worked to transform this quad into a national-caliber race ATV capable of winning on any motocross track at most any level.

Look for a complete video ride review of the TPR project YFZ450R online at ATVonDemand. Also, look for a three-part series of articles at ATV.com on the build, the initial ride test and a long-term evaluation. And ATVScene features the quad in its January 2010 ATV Scene Girl with Holly Winchester. For a complete history of the project and to see the build as it progressed, navigate through the blog archives section at the right of this page.

TPR would like to express a heartfelt thank you to all the sponsors of the Tarantula Performance Racing project Yamaha YFZ450R: ATP Racing Engines, Motoworks, ATV Four Play, Twin Air, Douglas Wheel Technologies, Maxxis, Fox Racing Shocks, Spider Grips, Cycra, Quadtech, RPM, Galfer, Hinson Racing, CV4, Capital Powdercoating, BTek Performance, HMF Racing and Outta Control Racing Ministries. Our gratitude goes out to ATVOnDemand.com, ATV.com, ATVScene.com and all the rest of the sport’s media outlets for sharing this build with the ATV world.

Sincerely,

The crew at TPR

TPR Race Safer Pro nerf bars

The wait is over! We put the finishing touches on the TPR Race Safer Pro nerf bar and heelguard combination this week at the Tarantula Performance Racing shop in Hinckley, Ohio, and installed them on the TPR project YFZ450R.

At last, installation.

Seeing the Race Safer Pro nerf bars on the TPR project YFZ450R for the first time was practically an emotional event after spending the entire 2009 season building this project quad. It's clear these bars are going to revolutionize nerf bar design.

The TPR Race Safer Pro nerf bar and heelguard combo feature a specially designed outer bar bend to create a pocket that protects riders from the wheels of other quads. The Race Safer Pro nerfs provide a more secure, confidence inspiring platform.

Rider safety was the top priority at TPR in creating the Race Safer Pro nerf bars.

A specially designed outer bar angle breaks away from the industry standard "flat" nerf bar design. The angled outer bar creates a pocket to secure the rider's feet and protect them from the wheels of a competitor.

A ton of features make these new nerf bars completely different from any other pro peg style nerf bar on the market. The aluminum bars are simple and light weight yet extremely durable. The kick-up style pegs are about 1 inch lower than the stock peg position and about 3 inches longer. The teeth on the pegs are angled in towards the quad by 5 degrees to ensure the rider's feet stay firmly planted in the saddle.

The nerf bars are constructed from T6 6061 aluminum tubing with stitched nylon webbing. The retail price is yet to be announced.

The lowered foot peg position and its increased bite, coupled with the pocket created by the outer bar bend, provide one of the safest and most comfortable riding positions I've ever experienced.

The TPR Race Safer Pro nerf bars were the final bolt-on parts for the TPR project YFZ450R. We also added TPR's MX-Series front bumper with removable insert. Capital Powdercoating (see previous blog article here:http://tpr-atvs.blogspot.com/2009/09/powder-coat-chameleonization.html ) handled the powder coat duties for the nerfs, bumper and stock rear grab bar. Capital also created the trick fade on the ATV Four Play MGC A-Arms.

The TPR MX-Series front bumper (top) and powder coated stock rear grab bar (bottom) finished off our list of bolt-ons for the TPR project YFZ450R.

Look for the TPR project YFZ450R to start popping up on the Web at http://www.atv.com/, http://www.atvscene.com/ as a Scene Girl quad and on other online ATV Web sites. We're conducting the studio photo shoot in the next couple of days.

As for the TPR Race Safer Pro nerfs, stay tuned for a release date. In the mean time, you can check out the other parts available from Tarantula Performance Racing at www.tprusa.com/