What is a Power Touring Rider?  If you ride late-model big iron, strive for a few "500 K" days each season, try to rack up 5000+ kms per year, including one or two multi-day destination trips, then we consider you to be a "high-miler "... AKA... Power Touring Rider . If you ride with a tight group of 4 to 6 like-minded buds that do a lot of tail light chasing, often in snow dust and fading light conditions, and you ride at an aggressive pace, then you're definitely a Power Touring Rider.

Tekrider's "Senior Test Pilot", Steve Brand, has been around sleds since the 70's. A veteran of the Winnipeg to St Paul, I500 and Harricana XC races, Steve still puts on over 10,000 kms a year in pursuit of the perfect design for the Power Touring Rider ! Whether on the track, or on the trail, Steve has tested just about every type of clothing there is and has developed a critical eye for those user-friendly features that enable aggressive riders to ride all day in outstanding comfort. He believes that proper riding gear must work in the full range of movement and weather conditions that a typical Power Touring Rider will experience. He believes that most clothing designers make too many compromises to achieve the lowest possible price and that these compromises come at the expense of user-friendly performance. Good quality and performance have their price and Steve takes your seat time very seriously when it comes to selecting the finest components and designs for the Power Touring Rider !

The 2007Power Touring Gear clothing line features a technically advanced jacket and pant combo that is just right for the new generation of rider-forward sleds. What started out 8 years ago as an SXC pant developed for 2-time, I500 winner Todd Wolff has gradually evolved into the most comfortable set of performance bibs available today! Think about it, next to your hands, what part of the body is in constant contact with the sled? Besides the constant butt/seat contact, how many riders find their knees hitting the hoods of the new generation of rider-forward sleds? Don't you think we could use a bit more technology and design savvy in the pants we wear?  

Here's what the Supertrax Crew had to say about their experience last year with pre-production TXC pants;  

"Last year we racked up 1000's of miles on the proto gear and we can tell you they make the hands down best bibs we've ridden with. The TXC bibs are clearly designed to work with the new generation of Rider-Forward sleds. The key features include padded articulated knee ergos and fit like a tailored Tux. Warm, durable and extremely comfortable, we're gonna wear these things until they've got holes. A great match for their TXC Jacket and Jersey. With or without a Tekvest, the PTG line is a great package for the serious high-miler"

Most of the industry's design focus has been on creating snazzy jackets that look fast but often don't stand up to the rigours of Power Touring. It seems the OEMs haven't offered up much in the way of technical clothing features to compliment the awesome array of the latest rider-forward sleds. The TXC Jacket is a lightweight, high performance product with outstanding versatility. There isn't a snowmobile jacket around that flows this much air. When the TXC jacket is layered up with the included zip-in vest, and performance base-layer products, it will perform in a wide range of conditions - with or without a Tekvest. The hi-vis florange panels, trimmed with 3M Reflective piping, throw up awesome visibility in snow dust/low light/no light conditions.

If you've experienced the 100 mph corridors of Northern Ontario, the endless high-speed expanse of Quebec and the Maritimes, and the tight trails of Central Ontario, with some windswept lake blasting thrown in for relief, then you're a Power Touring Rider . If you tend to stop just for gas, keep lunch stops to 30 minutes and are accused of "missing the scenery", then you're definitely a Power Touring Rider . You're friends probably consider you a little too extreme for the sport but this is the only way to reach "Power Touring Nirvana" - that magic moment at around 300 klicks when you and your sled become one, in a wintry paradise, miles away from reality! This is the essence of a Power Touring Rider and the genesis of the 2006 Power Touring Gear clothing line by Tekrider.

When it's time to park the sleds Steve switches to dirt bikes to extend the testing season.

To learn more about Steve's PTG philosophy and to "talk shop" please feel free to get a hold of him;
Steve Brand at 705-488-2929 or by e-mail steve@tekrider.com

Here's a shot of Steve (center) with his long-time riding pals Ross Lennox(l) and Harold Grigats(r). PTG testing started back in 2001. 25,000 kms that season with the first trail proto gear and another 80,000 klicks since! (That's fellow high-miler Bob Coyne behind the lense)

Steve clocked up just over 10,000 "Power Touring" klicks last season on the "Big V'"   4-stroker.

Tekrider's head office is located in central Ontario right on the snowmobile trails. We test ride right from the door

Here's a shot of Todd Wolff winning his 1 st WSA Pro final with the SXC Pant - forerunner to the TXC pant.