Archive | March, 2008
Spring is in the air, and it will soon be time to take those summer road trips! If you enjoy motorcycle travel as much as I do, then you probably already know how much easier a long trip can be when you have the right kind of motorcycle luggage. Storage space is at a premium on most, if not all bikes, and finding a bag that will hold enough of your personal belongings to make it worth your while to take it along and that also will ride neatly and safely can be a challenge.
It doesn’t help the situation when you realize that there are so many different designs of motorcycle luggage. Crusier cases, roll tool bags, side or saddle bags, tail, tank, and sissy bar bags are some of the most popular. Narrowing your choice down by deciding between a hard case and a soft case model can make things a little easier. Soft case luggage can be a little cheaper to buy, but the hard case luggage usually lasts longer. Once you’ve decided on a design and type, it’s time to consider your size needs. How long you will be gone can determine how large a bag you need. If you pack carefully, often you’ll find you can get by with a smaller bag than you thought. Check to see what the weather will be like at your destination, and pack only the things you will need.
The size of your motorcycle luggage depends on two things - how much gear you plan to carry, and whether or not the fully packed bag would fit easily and well on your bike. It should also be easy to install on your bike. Too many straps and buckles can just seem to get in the way instead of being a usable safety feature.
Don’t let your choice of luggage overload your bike. A bag that is too heavy can make your bike easier to accidently turn over. And whatever type of bag you end up with, make sure it stays far away from the heat of the exhaust pipe! Many a biker, whether a seasoned or newbie rider has had the misfortune of his luggage burning. This could be a disaster when you are a few hundred miles away from home.
Make sure you choose motorcycle luggage that will allow you to pack the necessities you need without the danger of over overloading or overbalancing your bike.
Popularity: 26% [?]
This is the time of year when most of us who live in an area that gets a lot of snow and ice are finally able to take our motorcycles out of winter storage. Hopefully, you did everything normally recommended to protect your bike through the winter months – it can make a real difference when it comes time to start that engine this year. You’d be surprised at how many bike owners ignore proper storage, and just roll their machine in the garage when it gets too cold to ride. They then wonder why their motorcycle won’t run on that first warm spring weekend.
Did you add a fuel stabilizer to your gas tank last winter? If so, your gasoline is in good shape. If not, inspect the fuel in the tank to make sure it hasn’t gotten gunky. It’s advisable to change your motorcycle’s oil before you put it away for the winter. If you neglected this task, now is the time to get it done, as engine oil can degrade when it has been in a non running engine for a while. It’s possible that your battery may need a charge, as they tend to lose power over the winter. Check your brake fluid and coolant levels, too. Check your tires to make sure the rubber is in good shape after sitting all winter. Check the amount of air in your tires as well.
Try to crank the engine. If it turns over, you’re in good shape! Let the engine run for a little while to make sure all of your fluids are circulating properly. If the engine won’t crank, or stalls out soon after cranking, then you will need to systematically check things out. This happened to a friend of mine last year. He checked the usual items only to find that the gasoline he had left in his gas tank all winter had gobs of sludge in it. He had to drain his tank, clean it out, and then spray a protective coating inside it so that hopefully he won’t have the same problem again. He learned from his mistake, too. Hopefully, if your bike shows signs of the winter blues this spring, you will take the necessary precautions next winter.
Popularity: 29% [?]
Are you guilty of not performing regular maintenance tasks on your motorcycle? A lot of us are, and we don’t realize the damage we could be doing to our bikes by neglecting this all-important maintenance. It doesn’t matter if you take your motorcycle to a shop, or do the work yourself - but make sure it gets done twice a year. You’ll pay more money if you let the shop do it, for sure. Most of these tasks are pretty simple, and you can probably do most of them if you want to save some bucks.
The most important maintenance task is checking the brake pads on your bike to see if they need to be replaced. How will you know? Are they making any kind of a squeaking noise? Do they feel kind of mushy when you apply them? If either of these two criteria apply, it’s time for new brake pads. This is a pretty easy repair and one that most bike owners should be able to manage. It takes less than 45 minutes to change them out.
Next, look at your brake fluid levels. Many bikes have an indicator level with a marker that will reveal what the levels are. Check and see if yours does, and if so, then you will know whether or not you need to add fluids. On the off chance that your fluid levels are too high, it would be best to drain out the excess. While you are in the vicinity of the brakes, it would be a good idea to bleed them. There are many ways to do this, all depending on the make of your motorcycle. If you are unsure as to how to do this, your local shop will be glad to help. This might be a good idea anyway, because if you spill brake fluid on your bike, it will ruin your paint job.
Maintenance of your motorcycle may not seem too important to you, but be aware that it can save you quite a bit of money on repair bills in the future.
Popularity: 19% [?]
Have you had some non-motorcycle initiated friend ask you why most motorcyle riders insist on wearing special clothing? I have, and I was under the assumption that the answer to this question should be obvious. We wear -
- helmets
- protective goggles, or at the very least, sunglasses
- gloves
- a leather jacket
- long pants
- motorcycle boots
We wear, or should wear, the items in the above list, all in the name of safety. Now, I’ll admit that while I sometimes leave off one or more of these items, I never ride without a helmet! But the other things in the above list can save your hide when you have an accident. I have seen too many people who dress like myself - helmet and goggles, sneakers and jeans or shorts when it’s hot outside. I have come to the conclusion that I have been very lucky to still be in one piece, really. These articles of clothing were chosen as safety products for motorcycle riders for a reason, and who am I to assume I know better than the “experts”?
There are some places, I’ve heard, where policemen will stop and ticket a biker for not wearing safety gear! Not in the United States, though. Do we need a law like that in this country? Do we want a law like that in this country? Maybe we as motorcycle riders should begin to self-police. Since most of us know what we should be wearing to keep ourselves safe, and a good percentage of us don’t bother, preferring to live dangerously, taking the initiative to dress ourselves properly just may keep such a law from ever coming to fruition in this country.
I’m glad my friend asked me that question - it made me think!
Popularity: 28% [?]
Have you ever noticed how much information people who are looking to buy a new car have to refer to in order to help them make a decision? There is a wide range of television commercials, especially in the early Fall when we see them on both the local and cable channels. Then there are the two page color magazine ads in glorious color that seem to assault our senses at every turn. You also have automobile columns in the newspapers where one “expert” after another espouses the virtues of one make, model, and even color over another.
We motorcycle people don’t have the options that are so willingly made available to the automobile buying public, and I’ve always wondered why. A motorcycle is my main form of transportation these days, and it gets me from Point A to Point B just as efficiently as a car can, but it’s much easier on my wallet. Now that more people are liable to jump on the motorcycle bandwagon in order to take advantage of the superb, yet low cost (as opposed to a car!) transportation option that a motorcycle can be, I can’t help but wonder if we just might start to see more mainstream advertising for motorcycles. Can’t you just see it now?
Imagine a nice television commercial with snappy music playing in the background, and a city street in the foreground. And then, we see a businessman in his suit, tie… and helmet, riding up to his office building on a Gold Wing. Or, a business woman doing the same… only hopefully not dressed in a suit and tie! They climb down off their bike, whip off their helmet, and stride into their office, ready to start their work day.
Seriously though, if motorcycle manufacturers would take advantage of the opportunity to advertise to this group of potential new owners, I imagine that sales would soar. And, if there were more motorcycle advertisements, those of us who have already been bitten by the motorcycle bug would more than likely welcome their presence on the tube gladly. I’m of the opinion that one can never learn too much about motorcycles, and any opportunity to pick up some motorcycle related information can only be a good thing.
Popularity: 19% [?]
One of the newest motorcycle accessories is something that could be potentially dangerous in the wrong hands. A Bluetooth headset that fits onto a motorcycle helmet is the latest must-have for cell phone users who are also motorcycle owners. It was manufactured by a company called Scala, and they did seem to try and make this accessory as safe as such a thing could possibly be. It is voice controlled - you say pre-programmed commands to answer the phone, hand up after a call, and fiddle with the volume control if you’re having a hard time hearing Aunt Sue-Sue while you are zipping down the highway at just under the speed limit. (No one who reads these blogs would actually speed, now would they?) The microphone that is attached to the headset is said to be resistant to wind damage at speeds up to 75 MPH, so they are giving you 5 miles to play with. How nice.
There has been much talk about automobile drivers and their cell phones ever since almost everyone old enough to drive a car also owns a cell phone. Statistics have shown that people who talk on their phones while driving cause more accidents, and are also involved in more accidents. This does not bode well for the bluetooth helmet! The statistics for those who chat on their cells while riding motorcycles are probably going to be about the same as those for cars.
Driving any motor vehicle is something that should demand our entire attention. No call is more important than someone’s life. What did we all do in the days before cell phones were so popular? We waited until we got to our destination to make a call, or if it was an emergency, we found a pay phone. Now days, most pay phones have gone the way of the dinosaur, so most people feel that their only option is to carry a cell phone. The problem is that every call seems to be an emergency. It’s scary to think of how many lives could be lost simply because someone was paying more attention to their conversation than to the road and traffic ahead of them.
Popularity: 17% [?]
It looks like high gasoline prices are going to stick around for a while. In fact, there’s a real chance that we may not ever see low gas prices again. Because of this, many people are doing everything they can to get the most bang for their buck when buying gas. It’s a safe bet that more and more people are going to decide that a used motorcycle is just what they need to get back and forth to work with in order to make their daily commute less expensive. Buying a used motorcycle is certainly cheaper than buying one of those new hybrid cars that have been advertised as getting around 50 miles per gallon of gas. As a bike owner, you know that most motorcycles are capable of getting much better gas mileage than this! And, a motorcycle certainly isn’t going to lose power and speed like an hybrid is prone to do.
If anyone tells you they can’t afford a used motorcycle just to get back and forth to work with, point out to him or her the money saved by not having to buy as much gasoline would more than pay for such a motorcycle over time. Be a motorcycle ambassador and point out the good things about motorcycle ownership. Tell them how much less stressed they will feel once they have gotten the hang of navigating rush hour traffic with a bike and are able to enjoy the freedom that comes naturally when you ride. Mention that they might even save time commuting as motorcycles are so easy to maneuver around traffic jams if need be. Of course, also mention that safety when riding is very important. If it’s been a while since they last rode a bike, suggest that they take a motorcycle refresher course so they can be sure of their ability to handle any motorcycle made.
I predict we’ll be seeing a lot more motorcycles on the road very soon.
Popularity: 17% [?]
Some people make the mistake of saying that the purchase of a motorcycle is just like the purchase of a car. Nothing could be further from the truth! There are different emotions involved when buying a motorcycle as opposed to a car. You buy a car mainly because you need transportation from Point A to Point B. You buy a motorcycle because it excites you and makes you feel a little more alive every time you ride it. Never mind that a motorcycle is great transportation, too. Car buying is different. You can have long discussions with your friends about the merits of heated seats or power windows or any of the other myriad options that today’s cars have. Not so with a motorcycle. Oh, you might have a friendly argument or two about whether a Harley is better than a Kawasaki, but when it comes right down to it, the only person you have to please when buying a motorcycle is yourself. You’re the one who will be riding it - not your friends.
About the only way one could compare buying a car to buying a motorcycle is by asking that age old question - new or used? As with a car, when buying a motorcycle you get a much better deal when you buy a used bike instead of a new one. Motorcycles depreciate just like cars do! They lose more of their value in that first year, so it’s a reasonable assumption that buying a used motorcycle that’s at least a year old means that you are getting more for your money. Even a two, three, or four year old bike is still a good deal, but be a little more careful when buying motorcycles five years and older, especially if they have a lot of mileage. Depreciation starts again at around the fifth year after taking three years off.
Buying a motorcycle is different from buying a car. It’s more personal - more from the heart. Don’t let your heart rule your head. Buy a used motorcycle instead of a new one. Your wallet will thank you.
Popularity: 18% [?]
Saturday, March 29, 2008
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