By: James Hunaban
Here we have a few things you should check on your motorcycle on a regular basis. I assume you have a handbook with the specs for your bike, if not, go get one. You may be able to find some data for your particular motorcycle on the net. You can also pick up workshop manuals for various models on eBay in PDF or CD form for little money.
Whereas with a four wheeled vehicle you may get away with being lax with things like tire pressures etc, this is not the case with a motorcycle. You should not risk compromising the safety and stability of your motorcycle, for the sake of a bit of routine maintenance.
Pre-ride checks
* Tires – check condition and for foreign objects in the tread.
* Tire pressures – it is vitally important to keep your motorcycles tire pressures either on spec or very close to it.
* Oil level – always check with the bike on level ground.
* Coolant level – only if your bike’s liquid cooled, obviously.
* Chain – check the tension and make sure it’s well lubed.
* Brakes – check they work and that they feel good.
* Lights – check all your lights, especially the brake light, you don’t want to get rear ended, do you?
* Visual inspection – self explanatory.
* All ok – hit the road.
Periodical checks
* Check battery – see that the connections are tight; I dropped a bike once because of a loose battery connection, strange but true. Also check the electrolyte level on some batteries, a lot of newer batteries are gel filled, sealed for life types, so no need with these.
* Carb balance – if your bike is multi carbed get yourself a Morgan carbtune or similar. It can be a little tricky the first time you balance them, but when you’ve done it once, the second time will be easy.
* Ignition timing – only necessary on some bikes, most newer models have electronic ignition which does not need touching, normally.
* Valve clearances – unless you’re a good home mechanic, take it to a dealer.
* Wheel bearings – grab each wheel with it off the ground and see if there is any sideways play. There should be none or maybe a trace at most.
* Steering head bearings – with the front end off the ground, grab the forks and push and pull. There should be no play.
* Swinging arm bearings – with the back wheel off the ground, check for any sideways movement in the swingarm, there should be none.
* Brakes – check fluid levels, brake hoses for deterioration, and pads/shoes for thickness.
* Cables and levers – should operate smoothly. Get some grease on lever/pedal pivot points, and get some lube down the cables, if you can. A cable oiler is a handy tool.
* Nut and bolts – go all round the motorcycle with your spanners and check that all nuts/ bolts/screws are nice and tight.
Well, that’s about it for some basic maintenance, obviously, unless you’re a good home mechanic, any bigger jobs will have to go to a dealer. The problem can be finding a good one with skilled mechanics you can trust. I manage to keep my Yamaha Fazer 1000 running sweet just using the steps listed above. It does help that this model only needs the valve clearances checking every 26,000 miles.
James Hunaban is the owner of http://www.motorcycling-news.com a site full of Motorcycle information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Hunaban
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Thursday, July 31, 2008
The History of the Motorcycle Helmet - the Laws and the Facts
By Michael Ehline
The history of the motorcycle helmet, the laws and the facts are an interesting topic. There was no need for bikers to worry about motorcycle helmets when the first motorcycle was built in about 1885; this was because there was not much speed associated with this motorcycle. This would lead to the history of the motorcycle helmet-the laws and the facts.
A professor from the University of Southern California manufactured the first motorcycle helmet in 1953, because Harley Davidson and Indian Motorcycles were on the path to creating the motorcycle for the riders that wanted speed. As the need for riding faster rose so did the fatality rate of motorcycle riders.
The government began to see a need for helmets and in 1958 California Highway Patrol Officers began wearing the first helmets in hopes of setting an example for motorcycle riders in California.
By the year 1966 the was the Highway Safety Act, which required states to have mandatory helmet laws in order to receive federal funding for highways. In the year 1975 there were 47 states that acted in accordance with with the Highway Safety Act to receive the highway funding for construction and maintenance. This same year Congress repealed the Highway Safety Act and the fatality rate began to rise again in states that also repealed the helmet laws.
This has not changed while states have flipped back and forth enforcing and doing away with helmet laws and motorcycles have become faster the statistics show that while motorcycles are only 2% of the registered vehicles on the roadways there is an 8% fatality rate when involved in a motorcycle accident.
There have been studies done and one that was done in 1990 and although this was quite some time ago the data has not changed except for the amount of registered riders and the amount of injuries and fatalities. The University of California did this study and this study showed that in 900 motorcycle accidents there was approximately 980 head and neck injuries. This study took into account not only the rider but passenger's injuries and the study showed that these injuries were lessened with motorcyclists wearing helmets.
The history of the motorcycle helmet-the laws and the facts still apply today:
1. Fact: Head injuries are the leading cause of death for motorcycle riders involved in accidents.
2. Fact: Helmets are approximately 29% effective in preventing fatalities and head injuries.
3. Fact: A person who is not wearing a helmet is 40% more likely to be killed in an accident than the rider who is wearing a helmet.
4. Fact: A study done by Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System showed riders wearing helmets had a 70% chance of avoiding brain injuries. This study also showed riders not wearing helmets had a 3% chance of suffering worse injuries than riders wearing helmets.
5. Fact: An NHTSA study showed in 2003 that mile per mile the motorcyclist is 32 times more likely to be killed than the motorist in an auto.
Just these facts alone show a great difference in what a riders in accidents with and without helmets face. While helmet laws might not be enforced wearing a helmet does offer more protection when on the road for the rider and the passenger, it also makes a large difference between a fatality and brain injuries in an accident.
Riders enjoy the freedom that motorcycles give them, the air rushing by and the thrill and that can be as exciting with a helmet on as without one. This is especially true in beach areas like Culver City, Marina del Rey, Playa del Rey, Santa Monica and Huntington Beach.
If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident there are California motorcycle accident attorneys to help. If you were injured from a spinal cord injury, brain injury, or had a loved one suffer a wrongful death on a motorcycle, some of the best law firms in CA are found in LA and are usually recognized as aggressive motorcycle injury lawyers in Los Angeles County, but they are often found in Orange County. Click here for a brand new site about the latest California injury news, including news about California motorcycle accidents.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Ehline
The history of the motorcycle helmet, the laws and the facts are an interesting topic. There was no need for bikers to worry about motorcycle helmets when the first motorcycle was built in about 1885; this was because there was not much speed associated with this motorcycle. This would lead to the history of the motorcycle helmet-the laws and the facts.
A professor from the University of Southern California manufactured the first motorcycle helmet in 1953, because Harley Davidson and Indian Motorcycles were on the path to creating the motorcycle for the riders that wanted speed. As the need for riding faster rose so did the fatality rate of motorcycle riders.
The government began to see a need for helmets and in 1958 California Highway Patrol Officers began wearing the first helmets in hopes of setting an example for motorcycle riders in California.
By the year 1966 the was the Highway Safety Act, which required states to have mandatory helmet laws in order to receive federal funding for highways. In the year 1975 there were 47 states that acted in accordance with with the Highway Safety Act to receive the highway funding for construction and maintenance. This same year Congress repealed the Highway Safety Act and the fatality rate began to rise again in states that also repealed the helmet laws.
This has not changed while states have flipped back and forth enforcing and doing away with helmet laws and motorcycles have become faster the statistics show that while motorcycles are only 2% of the registered vehicles on the roadways there is an 8% fatality rate when involved in a motorcycle accident.
There have been studies done and one that was done in 1990 and although this was quite some time ago the data has not changed except for the amount of registered riders and the amount of injuries and fatalities. The University of California did this study and this study showed that in 900 motorcycle accidents there was approximately 980 head and neck injuries. This study took into account not only the rider but passenger's injuries and the study showed that these injuries were lessened with motorcyclists wearing helmets.
The history of the motorcycle helmet-the laws and the facts still apply today:
1. Fact: Head injuries are the leading cause of death for motorcycle riders involved in accidents.
2. Fact: Helmets are approximately 29% effective in preventing fatalities and head injuries.
3. Fact: A person who is not wearing a helmet is 40% more likely to be killed in an accident than the rider who is wearing a helmet.
4. Fact: A study done by Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System showed riders wearing helmets had a 70% chance of avoiding brain injuries. This study also showed riders not wearing helmets had a 3% chance of suffering worse injuries than riders wearing helmets.
5. Fact: An NHTSA study showed in 2003 that mile per mile the motorcyclist is 32 times more likely to be killed than the motorist in an auto.
Just these facts alone show a great difference in what a riders in accidents with and without helmets face. While helmet laws might not be enforced wearing a helmet does offer more protection when on the road for the rider and the passenger, it also makes a large difference between a fatality and brain injuries in an accident.
Riders enjoy the freedom that motorcycles give them, the air rushing by and the thrill and that can be as exciting with a helmet on as without one. This is especially true in beach areas like Culver City, Marina del Rey, Playa del Rey, Santa Monica and Huntington Beach.
If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident there are California motorcycle accident attorneys to help. If you were injured from a spinal cord injury, brain injury, or had a loved one suffer a wrongful death on a motorcycle, some of the best law firms in CA are found in LA and are usually recognized as aggressive motorcycle injury lawyers in Los Angeles County, but they are often found in Orange County. Click here for a brand new site about the latest California injury news, including news about California motorcycle accidents.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Ehline
Thursday, June 26, 2008
vespa-mopeds
Vespa mopeds used to be the perfect vehicle for young people trying to get about town. Although you couldn't take a gas moped scooter on the highway, you could do almost anything else with it. You could use it to get to classes, to your job, or to your friend's house. Best of all, gas mopeds got wonderful fuel economy. You could get well over 100 miles per gallon, and park it almost anywhere. You could even wheel it into the backyard if you wanted to!
The Vespa moped was well known to be one of the best mopeds available. Not only was it extremely stylish, but it was also well made and relatively inexpensive. Marketing also played a role in the success of Vespa mopeds, and they soon became known as the epitome of the sleek, young, moped scooter. Unfortunately, prices became inflated. Nowadays, no one buys Vespa scooters unless they have a lot of money to throw around. They just aren't worth it. They cost much more than they should, and aren't really any better than many of the other scooter brands.
Nonetheless, having a Vespa moped does have a certain allure to it. As Harley Davidson's are to motorcycles, Vespa mopeds are to scooters. They are the most classic, die hard example of the vehicle, and owning one shows people that you are a serious fan. Like Harleys, however, they are also extremely overpriced. They may be well-made – some of the best in the business – but your average rider simply can't afford it.
There is only really one way to own Vespa mopeds if you are on a limited budget: buying an old one and fixing it up. Although electric scooters last only a few years, gas ones are remarkably durable. Often, something minor will go wrong and the owner will decide that it is more affordable to get rid of it than to have it fixed. When this happens, you can find what would normally be a very valuable scooter at a very cheap price. If you know a few things about fixing them up, you can own Vespa mopeds on a limited budget.
Before you go out and buy a scooter, however, you should really think about what your vehicle needs are. Scooters are good if you have a limited distance to travel, but often you can get by with a simple bike and public transportation. Still, owning a scooter does give you some added flair!
The Vespa moped was well known to be one of the best mopeds available. Not only was it extremely stylish, but it was also well made and relatively inexpensive. Marketing also played a role in the success of Vespa mopeds, and they soon became known as the epitome of the sleek, young, moped scooter. Unfortunately, prices became inflated. Nowadays, no one buys Vespa scooters unless they have a lot of money to throw around. They just aren't worth it. They cost much more than they should, and aren't really any better than many of the other scooter brands.
Nonetheless, having a Vespa moped does have a certain allure to it. As Harley Davidson's are to motorcycles, Vespa mopeds are to scooters. They are the most classic, die hard example of the vehicle, and owning one shows people that you are a serious fan. Like Harleys, however, they are also extremely overpriced. They may be well-made – some of the best in the business – but your average rider simply can't afford it.
There is only really one way to own Vespa mopeds if you are on a limited budget: buying an old one and fixing it up. Although electric scooters last only a few years, gas ones are remarkably durable. Often, something minor will go wrong and the owner will decide that it is more affordable to get rid of it than to have it fixed. When this happens, you can find what would normally be a very valuable scooter at a very cheap price. If you know a few things about fixing them up, you can own Vespa mopeds on a limited budget.
Before you go out and buy a scooter, however, you should really think about what your vehicle needs are. Scooters are good if you have a limited distance to travel, but often you can get by with a simple bike and public transportation. Still, owning a scooter does give you some added flair!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Motorcycle Parts, Gear And Accessories
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by: Roy Shepherd
When it comes to riding down the road with freedom ahead of you and leaving the wind at your back, there are many different motorcycle apparel and motorcycle accessories to make your presence complete.
Motorcycle Helmets
Since you’re required by law to wear safety gear upon your head, you might as well express yourself through the creativity of your motorcycle helmet. Solid colors are available in every shade for both men and women. This also makes it easy to match the color of your ride. Flames, dragons, candy paints, spray designs… when it comes to motorcycle helmets, the possibilities are endless.
Motorcycle Jackets
Motorcycle jackets play an important role in the arrangement of motorcycle apparel. It doesn’t matter how hot the sun beams upon your skin during the summertime, there is always someone squeezing into his or her leather vest or motorcycle jacket. The materials used to create these motorcycle jackets go beyond the customary leather selections. Today, mesh, polyester mesh, waterproof Temperfoam and nylon are just some of the details that make up the construction of motorcycle jackets on the market. Some aspects of the jackets to be on the look out for include the color, fit and insulation.
Motorcycle Apparel
There are more than just motorcycle jackets to put on your body when you take to the streets. Motorcycle apparel extends to gloves, rain gear and two-piece riding suits that fit casual, dirt or street riding. Equipped to handle all sorts of terrain, two-piece riding suits offer colorful, reinforced body protection. Depending on the product line, characteristics, such as leather flex zones in the waist and knee area or plastic body-armor, may be offered. Many opt for a pair of motorcycle gloves that provide extra protection for the palm of the hand, as well as the fingers and thumb. For increased protection, choose a pair that offers wrist protection. Looking for a cool pair of shades? When shopping for motorcycle apparel, you may find sunglasses in this category, but often times, these cool motorcycle accessories are not considered apparel.
Motorcycle Boots
Since your feet need protection, too, there is a wide-range of motorcycle boots to choose from. What you want to accomplish with your motorcycle boots depends on the types of adventures you will embark on. You want to make sure that your boots provide the proper protection that you need to handle all of the resistance and shocks pertaining to bike riding. Good motorcycle boots offer convenient ankle support, as well as protection for your toes, heels and shins. Strong soles are also a plus. Make sure you choose motorcycle boots that offer breathable lining, so your feet don’t suffer from excessive perspiration.
Motorcycle Accessories
When it comes to motorcycle accessories, you will find items for yourself, as well as for your ride. Perhaps you are in need of a new face shield or bag to tuck away your sweetie’s helmet. Tail bags and saddlebags are convenient products to browse because they serve many different purposes. Easily carry your lunch to work or your camera on vacations in one of the convenient zipper compartments. Roomy selections are perfect for storing an extra motorcycle helmet.
When it comes to eye protection, you could be cooling in no time with one of the many different shield goggles and sunglasses selections. Characteristics to be on the lookout for include comfortable nosepieces, interchangeable lens, optional straps, wrap-around capabilities, as well as a carrying pouch.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
History of Motorcycle
Replica of the 1885 Daimler-Maybach ReitwagenMotorcycle history begins in the second half of the 19th century. Motorcycles are descended from the "safety bicycle," a bicycle with front and rear wheels of the same size and a pedal crank mechanism to drive the rear wheel.
Despite some early landmarks in its development, motorcycles lack a rigid pedigree that can be traced back to a single idea or machine. Instead, the idea seems to have occurred to numerous engineers and inventors around Europe more-or-less simultaneously.
Early milestones
An 1894 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller Petroleum power
The inspiration for the earliest dirt bike, and arguably the first motorcycle, was designed and built by the German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Bad Cannstatt (since 1905 a city district of Stuttgart) in 1885. The first petroleum-powered vehicle, it was essentially a motorized bicycle, although the inventors called their invention the Reitwagen ("riding car"). They had not set out to create a vehicle form but to build a simple carriage for the engine, which was the focus of their endeavours.
Steam power
However, if one counts two wheels with steam propulsion as being a motorcycle, then the first one may have been American. One such machine was demonstrated at fairs and circuses in the eastern United States in 1867, built by Sylvester Howard Roper of Roxbury, Massachusetts.There exists an example of a Roper machine dating from 1869, but there is no patent existing and nothing proves it was a working model. It was powered by a charcoal-fired two-cylinder engine, whose connecting rods directly drive a crank on the rear wheel. The Roper machine pre-dates the invention of the safety bicycle by many years, so its chassis is based on the "boneshaker" bike.
In 1868, the French engineer Louis-Guillaume Perreaux patented a similar steam-powered vehicle, which was probably invented independent of Roper's. In this case, although a patent exists that is dated 1868, nothing indicates the invention had been operable before 1871. Nevertheless, these steam-powered vehicles were invented prior to the first petroleum-powered motorcycle.
An 1894 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller
First commercial products
In the decade from the late 1880s, dozens of designs and machines emerged, particularly in France, Germany and England, and soon spread to America. During this early period of motorcycle history, there were many manufacturers since bicycle makers were adapting their designs for the new internal combustion engine.
In 1894, the Hildebrand & Wolfmüller became the first motorcycle available to the public for purchase. However, only a few hundred examples of this motorcycle were ever built. Soon, as the engines became more powerful and designs outgrew the bicycle origins, the number of motorcycle-oriented producers increased.
The first known motorcycle in the United States was said to be brought to New York by a French circus performer, in 1895. It weighed about 200 lb (91 kg) and was capable of 40 mph (64 km/h) on a level surface.[4] However, that same year, American inventor E.J. Pennington demonstrated a motorcycle of his own design in Milwaukee. Pennington claimed his machine was capable of a speed of 58 mph, and is credited with inventing the term "motor cycle" to describe his machine.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Lawyer Representation in a Motorcycle Accident Action
by: Rainier Policarpio
Dangers of Motorcycle Riding
Motorcycle riding is indeed one of the most popular alternative means of travel. As well, a growing number of enthusiasts ride their bikes to relax and forget their worries for at least a short period.
However, many of these motorcycle lovers are not fully aware of the possible dangers riding a motorcycle may bring to them. According to statistics, thousands of individuals are being involved in motorcycle accidents every year. This is despite the continuous efforts of the government and other concerned groups to warn the people and convince them to follow safety measures and avoid tragic accidents.
Considering the characteristics of a motorcycle, one may easily predict what will happen after its collision with a much larger and heavier vehicle like a car or even a truck. Unlike other vehicles, motorcycles do not have metal cases to protect its passengers.
Further, safety belts are not applicable in motorcycles. This explains why those who were victims of these accidents have sustained serious injuries or even died.
Lawyer Representation in a Legal Action
Victims of motorcycle accidents certainly have their rights to be recover damages against the liable individuals. Yet, because of the intricate process of litigation and the many complicated law statutes associated with it, they certainly need the assistance of a motorcycle accident lawyer.
Depending on the circumstances of the crash, a competent legal counsel will try to address all the problems that the victims may encounter. They will do their best to make the pursuance of a lawsuit stress-free for their clients. This is by taking charge in all of the important tasks in a case litigation.
There are three duties that a legal advocate has to closely work with his client initially:
• Planning responses for the case discovery
• Preparation of plaintiff’s deposition
• Settlement options
After these matters are all dealt with and discussed accordingly, the victims may choose to either engage in an out of court settlement or just continue the battle in the courtroom. Yet, whatever the decision may be, they must be sure that they already understand the pros and cons of their choice.
Settlements vs. Litigation
Similar to what other personal injury claimants do, majority of motorcycle accident victims result in entering out of court settlement procedures. This is for the following reasons:
• A litigation procedure may take a lot of time and money before coming up with a court resolution.
• Settlements are more restricted to public knowledge
• In a settlement procedure, the amount of damages is decided upon by the parties involved and not by a judge
Finding the Credible Representation
Since the role of a lawyer in a motorcycle accident claim is very vital, the victims must strictly examine his qualifications before hiring his services. It will also be wise to look on his records of winnings and ascertain if he specialize in handling such cases.
Another thing to ask a motorcycle accident lawyer is his manner of charging fees. Generally, legal professionals imparting their services on a “contingency basis” are better that those who charge per appearance. This method of payment means that a client will just have to pay his lawyer if the case has already won and he already receive his money. No payment then will be made if the case will lose.
We provide free expert evaluation for personal injury cases involving motorcycles. To avail of this service, log on to our motorcycle accident lawyers website at http://askaccidentlawyers.com/practice-areas/motorcycle+accident+lawyers.html and give us information about your case.
Dangers of Motorcycle Riding
Motorcycle riding is indeed one of the most popular alternative means of travel. As well, a growing number of enthusiasts ride their bikes to relax and forget their worries for at least a short period.
However, many of these motorcycle lovers are not fully aware of the possible dangers riding a motorcycle may bring to them. According to statistics, thousands of individuals are being involved in motorcycle accidents every year. This is despite the continuous efforts of the government and other concerned groups to warn the people and convince them to follow safety measures and avoid tragic accidents.
Considering the characteristics of a motorcycle, one may easily predict what will happen after its collision with a much larger and heavier vehicle like a car or even a truck. Unlike other vehicles, motorcycles do not have metal cases to protect its passengers.
Further, safety belts are not applicable in motorcycles. This explains why those who were victims of these accidents have sustained serious injuries or even died.
Lawyer Representation in a Legal Action
Victims of motorcycle accidents certainly have their rights to be recover damages against the liable individuals. Yet, because of the intricate process of litigation and the many complicated law statutes associated with it, they certainly need the assistance of a motorcycle accident lawyer.
Depending on the circumstances of the crash, a competent legal counsel will try to address all the problems that the victims may encounter. They will do their best to make the pursuance of a lawsuit stress-free for their clients. This is by taking charge in all of the important tasks in a case litigation.
There are three duties that a legal advocate has to closely work with his client initially:
• Planning responses for the case discovery
• Preparation of plaintiff’s deposition
• Settlement options
After these matters are all dealt with and discussed accordingly, the victims may choose to either engage in an out of court settlement or just continue the battle in the courtroom. Yet, whatever the decision may be, they must be sure that they already understand the pros and cons of their choice.
Settlements vs. Litigation
Similar to what other personal injury claimants do, majority of motorcycle accident victims result in entering out of court settlement procedures. This is for the following reasons:
• A litigation procedure may take a lot of time and money before coming up with a court resolution.
• Settlements are more restricted to public knowledge
• In a settlement procedure, the amount of damages is decided upon by the parties involved and not by a judge
Finding the Credible Representation
Since the role of a lawyer in a motorcycle accident claim is very vital, the victims must strictly examine his qualifications before hiring his services. It will also be wise to look on his records of winnings and ascertain if he specialize in handling such cases.
Another thing to ask a motorcycle accident lawyer is his manner of charging fees. Generally, legal professionals imparting their services on a “contingency basis” are better that those who charge per appearance. This method of payment means that a client will just have to pay his lawyer if the case has already won and he already receive his money. No payment then will be made if the case will lose.
We provide free expert evaluation for personal injury cases involving motorcycles. To avail of this service, log on to our motorcycle accident lawyers website at http://askaccidentlawyers.com/practice-areas/motorcycle+accident+lawyers.html and give us information about your case.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
BikeAsia Singapore 2008
I rode down to Singapore on Thursday to attend the launching of Bike Asia 2008. I left Kuala Lumpur at 9am on a 2005 Aprilia Tuono. Pravin Menon from The Malay Mail accompanied me on his Suzuki DT800. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we rode so leisurely that we arrived at the Johor immigration checkpoint well after noon.
Getting into Singapore was pretty straightforward. Initially, I was a bit apprehensive because I had a pretty colourful passport. In the past two or three years, I had travelled a few times to Pakistan and Indonesia on assignment. What was worse was that I also had an Afghanistan visa, and with my beard - I fit the profile of a terrorist pretty well. I half expected to be stripped down and body-searched.
Pravin - who was dressed in all black body armour didn't help things much by appearing like a futuristic Tamil Tiger. I smiled at him weakly as I handed my passport to the Kiasu-looking officer sitting in his booth.
Thankfully, the Singapore border guards were calm and were not trigger happy with their machine guns - and while we raised a few eyebrows - everything went smoothly, and we were soon heading at a steady 80km/h to the city centre.
Ah.. Singapore. That wonderful city-state that is similar, yet so different from our own country.
Source:Arman Ahmad
Cagiva Mito SP525 preview
One of the most interesting exhibits at the recent BikeAsia 2008 held in Singapore was the new Cagiva Mito SP525.
Three years ago, at the EICMA motorcycle show, Cagiva launched a race-tuned competition version of the Mito it called the SP525. It was a tribute to the Cagiva GP500 'C594' race bike.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Motorcycle Rims Can Add Glamour To A Bike
by: James Gunaseelan
Motorcycle rims are like a pair of sunglasses; they can add glamour and change the way your bike looks. But you should not limit the utility of the rims to their looks. The rims play a far more important role in the way your bike runs.
There are basically two types of motorcycle rims: solid and laced. In the solid rim, the spokes as well the rim are fused to form a single, circular plate. The metal used here is usually solid aluminum.
Laced rims, on the other hand, are the conventional spoke wheels where a series of spokes are fused to the rim. The spokes add structural strength to the rim and also give the bike an individual look.
The Billet Motorcycle Wheels are also a rage. Here, the wheel unit is carved out of a single block of aluminum. What is interesting is that using computer aided designing, you can carve out really intricate spoke designs. You can also opt for a chrome finish. Billet designs can dramatically alter the look of your machine.
So what kind of rim-wheel combination is best for you?
There is no doubt that it is the laced variety. When you have spokes that attach the rim to the hub, you get better impact absorption than a solid wheel. The absorbed impact is spread evenly across the rim over a wider area because of flexibility. A solid wheel on the other hand is not flexible, so the full impact is absorbed only at the point of impact.
You also need to consider maintenance. Keep your rims in mint condition to avoid corrosion as that can lead to weak points. Since wheels are subject to a lot of stress there is always the possibility of broken spokes and punctured tubes, not to mention mishaps.
It is also a good policy to use rim locks to make sure that the tires don’t slip off the rims. You should also make sure that the rim is always aligned. One easy way of doing this is to put the bike on the centre stand and then spin the wheels. Any lateral or vertical oscillation will immediately be noticeable. You can usually knock back a wheel into shape with a hammer and a small block of wood. But if you are not up to it, take it to a mechanic and get it done.
Remember: Keep the rim in shape and your bike will cut a great figure.
About The Author
James Gunaseelan writes articles & reviews for http://BharathAutomobiles.com ,India's No.1 Auto Portal
Monday, March 31, 2008
7 Ways To Prolong The Motorcycle Using Age
When you but see an ATV for sale, or a motorcycle, after you spend much money for it, what it the next step? How to use it for a long time.
Every driver hopes extend the motorcycle or motor scooter using age. Motorcycle using age is calculated by kilometers when motorcycle is total repaired.
Chinese ATV or motorcycle's age is from 50 thousand kilometers to 100 kilometers according to the way using motorcycle.
In that means, how to use motorcycle take great influence on motorcycle age.
What is the sign for total repair? A important sign is the piston and cylinder abrasion. Cylinder abrasion is a key sign. When the cylinder abrases, space between piston and cylinder becomes bigger, and it makes noises and leak. It makes fuel consumption raise quickly, and drive inefficiency. It's time for total repair.
Total repair includes piston-cylinder space adjusting and change the piston. Chinese ATV's piston-cylinder space is about 0.05mm to 0.07mm. The most important things is how to avoid cylinder abrasion.
Now we are discussing what to do for avoiding cylinder abrasion.
1. A good warm-up for new motorcycle For example, when you buy a new 125cc motorcycle, though new motorcycle's piston and cylinder are lucent, but it's crude when taking a carefully look. The crude part is easy hurt when it's endured heavy power, and make cylinder been demaged.
So when you are using new motorcycle, you have to take a low speed until cylinder's crude part is rubdown. You can extend the cylinder age by this way which has been proved by scientist.
When a new motorcycle is made, factory demands user take preparative drive which is about 1 kilometer to 2 kilometers. During preparative drive, some factory installs items to limit driving speed. It's better not driving carrying another people. For the 2 stroke motorcycle, gasoline lubricant ratio should be up to 20:1 which is the best ratio for new motorcycle.
2. Cleaning air into cylinder
If air coming through the air cleaner includes some dust, it will enhance cylinder's abrasion. So we must keep the cylinder air very clean. Now Chinese motorcycle uses air cleaner, we should clean the dust per 1000 kilometers. In the other hand, we should always check the airproof of the air cleaner avoiding air entering cylinder directly.
3. Cylinder need good lubricant
Liquid attrition is better than dry attrition. To avoid the dry attrition, we should use lubricant to keep the cylinder and piston smooth in order to build liquid attrition. It requires lubricant to be viscous. Lubricant's viscidity relates to temperature, we use different lubricant according to different season.
Due to the international standard, summer lubricant is SAE10W/30 SD grade API class. According to China standard, we use No.6 lubricant for winter, No.10 for spring/autumn, No.15 for summer.
Moreover, we should always check lubricant pressure and staff guage in order not to use motorcycle without enough lubricant.
4. Engine works flexibly
The major reason for engine's burst shake is fast gasoline burning. Burst shake generates powerful momentum and shake the cylinder result in cylinder abrasion.
The reason for fast gasoline burning is following:
Gasoline is not fit for engine's compression ratio. According to motorcycle standard, high compression ratio engine should use 93# gasoline, and low compression ratio engine use 90# gasoline. It will abrase cylinder if high compression ratio engine uses 90# gasoline.
Engine's rotate speed is between max torque and max power. Chinese motorcycle is 3000r/min to 5000r/min. Every gear has it's speed range. If drives don't change gears in time and accelerate the motorcycle, it will make shaking noise in the cylinder.
5. Avoiding cylinder mucosity Cylinder mucosity is mucosity between piston and cylinder. The reason for this are lacking of lubricant or lubricant doesn't work because of engine's cool problem. How to avoid engine's over heat? On one hand, we always clean heat disperser and make it better heat disperse function. On the other hand we should pay attention to disperser's temperature.
The normal temperature is under 180 degree, and we can check it by thermometer. Driver can also test the temperature by slobber. When the slobber makes the disperser noisy like zizi~~~, it means disperser's high temperature. We have to stop driving and cool the motorcycle. Driving in a cool temperature can avoid cylinder mucosity. Furthermore, when you discover driving speed is falling after accelerating, you must stop driving immediately. Because it's the auspice for cylinder mucosity. After engine gets cool, we should unload the piston and polish the piston surface adhere to cylinder by sand paper. Only by this way we you save the cylinder, otherwise cylinder will broken.
6. Avoiding using motorcycle when it's cold.
Lubricant is frozed and it doesn't work in winter. Then we should warm up motorcycle. The method is running the engine before driving. Lubricant will work after warm-up.
7. Avoiding charcoal dropping into cylinder.
There is some charcoal on the top of piston and cylinder head. Charcoal will hurt cylinder when it drops into the cylinder. In order to reduce the charcoal, we have to use professional lubricant.
Driver also needs to clean charcoal on the piston, too much charcoal will make burning space smaller and increase the compression ratio result in burst shake. My friends, if you can do what I mention your motorcycle will have a long age.
Article source: http://www.kingma-vehicle.com
All Right Reserved
About The Author
Koma Wu is founder of http://www.kingma-vehicle.com. You can get the latest information and products about cheap Chinese ATV and ATV 4 wheeler.
Every driver hopes extend the motorcycle or motor scooter using age. Motorcycle using age is calculated by kilometers when motorcycle is total repaired.
Chinese ATV or motorcycle's age is from 50 thousand kilometers to 100 kilometers according to the way using motorcycle.
In that means, how to use motorcycle take great influence on motorcycle age.
What is the sign for total repair? A important sign is the piston and cylinder abrasion. Cylinder abrasion is a key sign. When the cylinder abrases, space between piston and cylinder becomes bigger, and it makes noises and leak. It makes fuel consumption raise quickly, and drive inefficiency. It's time for total repair.
Total repair includes piston-cylinder space adjusting and change the piston. Chinese ATV's piston-cylinder space is about 0.05mm to 0.07mm. The most important things is how to avoid cylinder abrasion.
Now we are discussing what to do for avoiding cylinder abrasion.
1. A good warm-up for new motorcycle For example, when you buy a new 125cc motorcycle, though new motorcycle's piston and cylinder are lucent, but it's crude when taking a carefully look. The crude part is easy hurt when it's endured heavy power, and make cylinder been demaged.
So when you are using new motorcycle, you have to take a low speed until cylinder's crude part is rubdown. You can extend the cylinder age by this way which has been proved by scientist.
When a new motorcycle is made, factory demands user take preparative drive which is about 1 kilometer to 2 kilometers. During preparative drive, some factory installs items to limit driving speed. It's better not driving carrying another people. For the 2 stroke motorcycle, gasoline lubricant ratio should be up to 20:1 which is the best ratio for new motorcycle.
2. Cleaning air into cylinder
If air coming through the air cleaner includes some dust, it will enhance cylinder's abrasion. So we must keep the cylinder air very clean. Now Chinese motorcycle uses air cleaner, we should clean the dust per 1000 kilometers. In the other hand, we should always check the airproof of the air cleaner avoiding air entering cylinder directly.
3. Cylinder need good lubricant
Liquid attrition is better than dry attrition. To avoid the dry attrition, we should use lubricant to keep the cylinder and piston smooth in order to build liquid attrition. It requires lubricant to be viscous. Lubricant's viscidity relates to temperature, we use different lubricant according to different season.
Due to the international standard, summer lubricant is SAE10W/30 SD grade API class. According to China standard, we use No.6 lubricant for winter, No.10 for spring/autumn, No.15 for summer.
Moreover, we should always check lubricant pressure and staff guage in order not to use motorcycle without enough lubricant.
4. Engine works flexibly
The major reason for engine's burst shake is fast gasoline burning. Burst shake generates powerful momentum and shake the cylinder result in cylinder abrasion.
The reason for fast gasoline burning is following:
Gasoline is not fit for engine's compression ratio. According to motorcycle standard, high compression ratio engine should use 93# gasoline, and low compression ratio engine use 90# gasoline. It will abrase cylinder if high compression ratio engine uses 90# gasoline.
Engine's rotate speed is between max torque and max power. Chinese motorcycle is 3000r/min to 5000r/min. Every gear has it's speed range. If drives don't change gears in time and accelerate the motorcycle, it will make shaking noise in the cylinder.
5. Avoiding cylinder mucosity Cylinder mucosity is mucosity between piston and cylinder. The reason for this are lacking of lubricant or lubricant doesn't work because of engine's cool problem. How to avoid engine's over heat? On one hand, we always clean heat disperser and make it better heat disperse function. On the other hand we should pay attention to disperser's temperature.
The normal temperature is under 180 degree, and we can check it by thermometer. Driver can also test the temperature by slobber. When the slobber makes the disperser noisy like zizi~~~, it means disperser's high temperature. We have to stop driving and cool the motorcycle. Driving in a cool temperature can avoid cylinder mucosity. Furthermore, when you discover driving speed is falling after accelerating, you must stop driving immediately. Because it's the auspice for cylinder mucosity. After engine gets cool, we should unload the piston and polish the piston surface adhere to cylinder by sand paper. Only by this way we you save the cylinder, otherwise cylinder will broken.
6. Avoiding using motorcycle when it's cold.
Lubricant is frozed and it doesn't work in winter. Then we should warm up motorcycle. The method is running the engine before driving. Lubricant will work after warm-up.
7. Avoiding charcoal dropping into cylinder.
There is some charcoal on the top of piston and cylinder head. Charcoal will hurt cylinder when it drops into the cylinder. In order to reduce the charcoal, we have to use professional lubricant.
Driver also needs to clean charcoal on the piston, too much charcoal will make burning space smaller and increase the compression ratio result in burst shake. My friends, if you can do what I mention your motorcycle will have a long age.
Article source: http://www.kingma-vehicle.com
All Right Reserved
About The Author
Koma Wu is founder of http://www.kingma-vehicle.com. You can get the latest information and products about cheap Chinese ATV and ATV 4 wheeler.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Understand Motorcycle Racing
by: Moto Pins
Understand motorcycle racing you see on TV
All the sports channels these days broadcast some sort of motorcycle racing event. They are so many that, at some point, you do not understand what is what, which is which. So, here is a short list of some popular types of motorcycle racing there are out there:
1. Road racing. The best known, since they are best represented by MotoGP and Superbike and by pilots like Valentino Rossi, Mick Duhan or Max Biaggi. This type of races take place on a circuit or on closed roads. Other events include Isle of Man TT, Macau Grand Prix and more.
2. Drag Racing. Sometimes also called sprints, these races involves two bikers riding from a start line, on a short distance, to the finish line. Illegal road racing usually use the same style of racing. These kind of races (drag racing, that is) do not see too much TV time, though.
3. Motocross. This is exactly like road racing, just on harder terrain. Of course, if they use ssuperbikes on circuits, you will see offroad bikes here. Another thing you will notice (besides the difference in the terrain, of course), is that you will see a lot of bikes "flying" around, because of the jumping style later years and advances in motorcycling suspension technology brought. TV sure loves this kind of races, since they are, along with road racing, the stars of TV motorcycling programs.
4. Enduro. Enduro racing tests the endurance of the pilot and the resistance of the bike on a set of different terrains and on a longer period of time than usual racing. Usually, it envolves laps of 10+ miles, on a period of time of 3 to 4 hours, even more. Of course, one of the most important event, though a Rally, is the Dakar Rally.
5. Trials. Ever seen the guys jumping around on their bikes on barrels and boxes? That is indoor trials. Usually, it involves a biker, a time limit and a set of obstacles that the biker has to overpass without puting either of his legs down and, often, without stoping the forward motion. Quite a race of skills, it has a huge fun base and following, coming close to extreme sports.
So, here is a short recap of the most important motorcycle types of racing. When you read sports section, when you watch sports show, you will usually see one of these above. Motopins.com is a site where you can add all the news you read and can read all the news others have found.
Understand motorcycle racing you see on TV
All the sports channels these days broadcast some sort of motorcycle racing event. They are so many that, at some point, you do not understand what is what, which is which. So, here is a short list of some popular types of motorcycle racing there are out there:
1. Road racing. The best known, since they are best represented by MotoGP and Superbike and by pilots like Valentino Rossi, Mick Duhan or Max Biaggi. This type of races take place on a circuit or on closed roads. Other events include Isle of Man TT, Macau Grand Prix and more.
2. Drag Racing. Sometimes also called sprints, these races involves two bikers riding from a start line, on a short distance, to the finish line. Illegal road racing usually use the same style of racing. These kind of races (drag racing, that is) do not see too much TV time, though.
3. Motocross. This is exactly like road racing, just on harder terrain. Of course, if they use ssuperbikes on circuits, you will see offroad bikes here. Another thing you will notice (besides the difference in the terrain, of course), is that you will see a lot of bikes "flying" around, because of the jumping style later years and advances in motorcycling suspension technology brought. TV sure loves this kind of races, since they are, along with road racing, the stars of TV motorcycling programs.
4. Enduro. Enduro racing tests the endurance of the pilot and the resistance of the bike on a set of different terrains and on a longer period of time than usual racing. Usually, it envolves laps of 10+ miles, on a period of time of 3 to 4 hours, even more. Of course, one of the most important event, though a Rally, is the Dakar Rally.
5. Trials. Ever seen the guys jumping around on their bikes on barrels and boxes? That is indoor trials. Usually, it involves a biker, a time limit and a set of obstacles that the biker has to overpass without puting either of his legs down and, often, without stoping the forward motion. Quite a race of skills, it has a huge fun base and following, coming close to extreme sports.
So, here is a short recap of the most important motorcycle types of racing. When you read sports section, when you watch sports show, you will usually see one of these above. Motopins.com is a site where you can add all the news you read and can read all the news others have found.
Monday, March 10, 2008
10 Points To Check Before Buying A Motorcycle
Buying a new or used motorcycle is serious business. It needs thought and careful selection. A motorbike is sacred to many and just a vehicle to some. However no motorcycle buyer should be without a check list that will help him or her make a great selection.
10 musts before paying for a motorcycle:
1. Check it out and do so with a motorcyclist friend in tow. Check if the motorcycle is clean and straight down centerline and forks.
2. Take along a list of models and their pros and cons. Discuss the nuances with the friendly sales person.
3. Find out about gears, brakes, clutch, and all other mechanics.
4. Determine engine specifics and details of gas tank and wheels.
5. Ask about service and warranties.
6. Get details of accessories and other musts like helmets, rear view mirrors and so on.
7. Sit on a lot of bikes to get a feel of height and riding position.
8. Read up on bikes in discover Today’s Motorcycling. Get all the information on types of bikes, financing, bike care and more.
9. If you are new to motorcycles choose a light-weight bike rather than the coolest, sexiest bike that only pros can ride. New riders should aim for a four-cylinder of less than 600 cc or 75- cc for sports machines and 150cc for everyday use.
10. Ask about safety gear and budget for this too in the cost of the motorcycle. Use pants, helmet, gloves, and jacket meant for motorcycling.
All motorcyclists must consider safety and reliability. Get a valid motorcycling license and insurance too. Be wise and take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) course see: http://www.msf-usa.org/ .
Refer to magazines like beginner Bikes magazine for recommendations on good starter bikes. According to dedicated bikers, a good choice of a motorcycle for a beginner would be Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Buell Blast.
Choose a bike that suits you and not one that looks good on the cover of a magazine. The rule of thumb is the motorcycle and its rider must fit like hand in glove. Test ride the motorcycle and get a feel. A large part of selecting a motorcycle is comfort and instinct. So choose a motorcycle with care so that you get long hours of riding as well as comfort and safety.
Never buy a bike on first sight or visit. Take your time in making a selection. Visit the many motorcycle websites on the internet and comparison shop. Find out what offline prices of motorcycles are and compare features as well as prices, service contracts, and warranties. Many people find that the best deals are available on the internet. Others feel a motorcycle must not be bought without viewing and test riding. So get all your thoughts and options in order before you make a choice.
Source: Timothy Rudon
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