If you grew up on skateboards like me, you already know the basic idea. That rough stuff stuck to the deck that kept your feet attached while you attempted a kickflip? We called it grip tape, and “Gripper” is essentially the motorcycle version, designed to keep you connected to the bike while protecting the paintwork underneath. And, as I’ve recently discovered, that second part might be the biggest reason to fit it.
I ride off-road in textile gear, and while it’s brilliant for the ventilation, it can be brutal on motorcycle plastics and paint. The constant rubbing of your jacket and riding pants against the tank and plastics can leave a beautiful new adventure bike looking second-hand after just a few rides. I see it all the time, even on demo bikes that have less than 1,000 km on the odometre; it’s sad to see.
If you’ve spent your hard-earned loot on a motorcycle, you’ve probably been there too. You spend hundreds of thousands of rands on a motorcycle, take it somewhere properly adventurous, and then come home wondering where all those scratches came from.
That’s where Empire Graphics Co come in
I’ve got to know Mark and his team at “Empire” through some of our ZA Bikers and ZA Lifestyle projects, and I’ve watched them do some seriously impressive work with graphics and wraps. More recently, they’ve been doing a lot with Gripper, and eventually Mark’s enthusiasm rubbed off on me.
Before our Suzuki Weekend Away trip, which would involve our two Suzuki DL250s heading off for a decent dose of gravel, we decided to pop into Empire Graphics Co. Both bikes have a deep wine-red paint finish, and we thought it would be cool to incorporate some of Suzuki’s angular styling into a custom Gripper design.
A quick stencil was made, the pattern was printed, and we popped back into “Empire”, a day or so later, to get the bikes ready.
20 Minutes later, both bikes were done
We fitted the Gripper to the sides of the tank where your knees naturally make contact, along with the centre section where you’d normally fit a tank pad. It looked good, gave us some extra grip and, more importantly, put a protective layer between our riding gear and the Suzuki’s paint.
“All well”, you say, “but how much is this going to set me back?” If you’re just doing the tank, and as we did, you won’t see more than R600 on the invoice.
Our little DL250s don’t need much. They’re affordable adventure bikes that are ready to go with some luggage and a full tank of fuel. But for around R600, adding protection to the areas that are going to take the most abuse seems like a no-brainer.
You’re not Limited to the Tank
Obviously, I chose to just do the tank, but Gripper can be used on side panels, luggage contact areas and other parts of the bike that are vulnerable to scratches. In fact, many of Empire’s clients incorporate it into their full dirt bike graphics kits. If you’re riding through tight bush, it can even provide another layer of protection against branches and general trail abuse.
Going back to skateboard grip tape, we never really had crazy designs or colours on the grip tape back then; it was always on the deck itself, a solid colour or cut into the tape. At Empire Graphic Co, they can print your own design onto the material, so you’re not stuck with a generic black patch on an otherwise beautifully personalised motorcycle. Want something different for your next adventure? Change it. Want to commemorate a big trip? Design something around it. You could even have a set made as a gift for a mate.
I’ve already got Gripper on my own Husqvarna Norden 901, and after seeing how effective and affordable it is, I’m considering adding more.
Because let’s be Honest: Adventure Bikes are Expensive Enough
You don’t need to spend another R10,000 on an elaborate protection system, especially if you aren’t planning on doing extreme off-roading. You don’t need to overthink it. If protecting your bike starts at R600 and can help protect the paintwork on a R200,000, R300,000 or R400,000 motorcycle from the daily abuse of adventure riding, while also giving you better contact with the bike, that’s money well spent.
It’s not going to stop your bike getting dirty. It’s not going to prevent every scratch. But it might just stop your beautiful adventure bike from looking like it has already done ten years of hard riding after one weekend.
Sometimes the best upgrades aren’t the ones that make your bike faster. They’re the ones that help keep it looking like your bike. So, if you’re keen on keeping your machine in tip-top shape and/or personalising it for an affordable price, visit www.empire.graphics
