By Danny Brault
Photos by Allison Kennedy

The Weapon: 2007 KTM 450 SX-F

The Product: Podium Grafix Custom Decals

Cost: Custom Kits start at $249.95 (rad shrouds, front fender tip, rear fender, airbox, fork guards, and swingarm), $129.95 for rad shrouds, and numberplate decals range from $79.95 to $104.95 (depending on style chosen).

Contact: gord@podiumgrafix.com or 1-866-995-7446

Gord Gilliatt has only been in the MX graphic business for three years, but he’s already a premiere player in the sticker game. Situated in a small shop in Peterborough, Ontario, most of Gilliatt’s clients are in the Southwestern and Eastern region of Ontario, but he says he has been getting more and more calls from outside the province. While he helps several pro and amateur racers, his most revered sponsored riders are Machine Racing Honda's Kyle Keast, Label It's Jason Burke and Adam Deakon and Ignition Racing's Johnny Silegren.

 

Sideplate and airbox

Rear fender

What Stands Out:

I flat out suck at putting stickers on; the first time I applied numberplate decals, I put them on upside down. I was fortunate enough to have our ad rep/decal guru, Jay Moore, living with me so he would make sure my decals were free from wrinkles, bubbles and they were at least legible. But now that he’s working from his Ottawa home, I’m forced to decorate my motorcycle myself. I guess we all have to grow up sometime.

After cleaning my plastics thoroughly, I began installing the Podium decals and, surprisingly, it wasn’t rocket science. Gord uses a very pliable vinyl that easily stretches over the curves and everything was contoured perfectly to the shape of the plastics. The only trimming I had to do was on the side plates where there is a slit running through the middle.

Next to easy installation, Gord did a great job mocking the stock orange/ black camo throughout the fenders, numberplates and fork guards. Even though I just applied these decals to my 450 SX-F last week, I have been using Podium Grafix since `05 and can attest to their durability. They also fetaure an agressive adhesive and are 18 mm thick. Being the cheap guy that I am, I went through the last two years on only one set of numberplates each season, with only black marks and minor scuffs across the vinyl.

Available for: All makes and models, trailers and vehicles. Podium can also take care of any jersey or chest protector lettering. Click here for a review on those products.

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