Month: March 2019

Battery Trickle Chargers – When To Use A Motorcycle Battery Charger

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Owners of motorcycle or ATV always complain about their batteries. If you dont have a motorcycle battery charger or a battery trickle charger, you will definitely have problems. A battery will self-discharge at the rate of 5% per month just sitting around. It would seem logical to assume that a low battery can be charged simply by riding your bike or atv. A low battery cannot be fully charged by riding the bike, no matter how far you go.

Lets start with the battery. If the bike is not in use for 30 days, the battery should be placed on charge with a 2 amp or smaller battery trickle charger for 24-48 hours every 30 days with no usage. This would be a very good idea on bikes that are ridden only once or twice a month as well. Most automotive battery chargers charge at 6, 10, or greater amperage. Using a motorcycle battery charger like that will overheat the battery, warping the plates inside until they ground out against each other, shortening battery life. A battery should never be charged at more than 10% of its rated capacity. The largest battery in our industry is 20 amps, so 2 amps is the maximum charge rate for that battery. Anything more will damage it.

Besides damaging the battery when charging at excessive amperage, the battery remains low on charge after the quick charge, and the same damage will occur, even if you are successful in getting the bike to start. Then the charging system will be strained running the bike with the low battery, possibly causing damage to the alternator components.

When a battery is in a low state of charge (for a period of time), the acid in it separates (as mentioned in last paragraph). This causes a condition known as sulfation. Sulfation causes deterioration of the lead plates inside the battery, leading to an early failure. The lower that the batteries state of charge becomes, the faster sulfations effects take over, weakening the battery quicker.

Once a battery has been left completely dead, they will almost always not come back from that totally dead condition. The handful that will, are almost never very reliable or very strong again.

The bottom line to this battery deal is to work to never let the battery go dead or stored in a low state of charge.

It is best to think of motorcycle battery chargers or battery trickle chargers as a maintenance system. A motorcycle battery chargers or battery trickle chargers are basically designed to replace the energy required to start the motorcycle. In effect, a battery that started the bike at 80% charge, will likely only get to 80-85% after running. Not only will riding the bike with a low battery not fully charge the battery, this causes the battery charger to charge as hard as it can while trying to charge the low battery. A motorcycle battery charger or battery trickle charger are not designed to stay at full charge level for extended periods. When required to do so, this over heats rectifiers, stator windings, and regulator components causing them to fail. This only adds to the cost of replacing the battery that was failing anyway.

A motorcycle battery charger or battery trickle charger can be purchased for below $40. If you prefer not to have to remember to plug/unplug the charger during storage, a battery trickle charger is a great solution as they can be left plugged in.

Crash Bars A Wise Investment for Your New Motorcycle

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A question often asked is “what’s the first accessory I should buy for my motorcycle?” A good set of crash bars or highway bars, as some call them, is a great place to start. The crash bars are designed to protect your motorcycle in low speed (under 15mph) tip overs.

I have witnessed instances where crash or highway bars have limited damage to the motorcycle and the rider at speeds up to 30 MPH when the rider low sided from over-braking the rear brake and then slid along the ground. Crash bars can keep the bike from laying flat on its side on top of the rider’s leg in that type of incident. These bars will also keep the rider from getting trapped under the motorcycle in a parking lot tip-over and make it a lot easier to pick your bike up in that type of event.

Keep in mind that every manufacturer of these bars includes a disclaimer that states they are not designed to protect the rider and should not be relied upon for that purpose, in other words, the usual lawyer stuff. The reason for these disclaimers is partly due to a lawsuit filed some years ago when someone slammed into a bus at 70 MPH and then suffered severe injuries, even though his motorcycle was equipped with crash bars. The lawyer may have argued that a reasonable person should conclude that crash bars should prevent crashes and injury to the rider. In any case, they won’t prevent crashes, but you that you are much better off with them than without them. Generally, the wider the bar, the more they protect the bike in a low speed tip-over and if you can get the rear crash bars as well as fronts, that is even better.

The crash bars made by Harley Davidson that come standard on the Road King as well as the Standard bars on the Kawasaki Nomad are among the best around. Both of these models can be dropped at parking lot speeds all day long with no damage to the bike. This fact will come in handy when practicing your low speed maneuvers and should help take away your fear of taking an MSF Experienced Rider course or a Rider Skills Improvement Course. If you wrap some heater hose and duct tape around the bottom of the bars you do not even have to worry about scratches.

Along with Kawasaki and Harley Davidson, there are many after-market companies manufacturing highway and crash bars for just about all cruisers.

Once you bolt a set of crash bars on your bike it is a good idea to gently lay the motorcycle over onto the bars and check how well they will protect your bike. Have someone there to help you with this test in case you have trouble lifting the bike up by yourself.

Keep your head and eyes up, and look where you want to go, the motorcycle will follow.

Wholesale Motorcycle Parts For Your Store

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Have you been looking for a wholesale motorcycle parts distributor? While this may look easy on the surface, finding a seller for your store and deciding what to offer are two of the most profitable things you can do to be a success. Read on for great tips on where to find a wholesaler for motorcycle parts and how to decide what products your business should carry.

One way to find cheap wholesale motorcycle parts is by going direct to the manufacturer. There may be manufacturers out there who should be willing to sell you wholesale items in bulk at a good discount, making manufacturers one of the best options for getting cheap pieces. There are some problems with buying through a manufacturer. When choosing this method you need to be mindful of what sells and available to nuy these parts
pieces in large quantities.

Another choice for wholesale motorcycle parts is purchasing through an importer. With the right research, a motorbike part importer will be able to offer a big collection of very cheap pieces. This approach needs caution, however, because product quality and wholesaler stability will vary greatly. Before picking an importer you may research the company web page to make certain it’s been in business awhile and order a small number of parts to verify a high quality.

Researching online is also a cost effective way to locate cheap wholesale motorcycle parts. Some wholesale companies will have a web store available that can give you a selection of what they offer. Through searching, you get the secondary benefit of being likely to research the wholesaler you are considering as you look over the wholesaler’s items.

When you find a company you prefer, it is vital to properly consider what you should be ordering before you begin selling. Check out pages and stores of the competition’s motorcycle part sellers to get an idea of how to sell your inventory and how much to order. If you see largely discounted items, you probably want to skip on that one product.

With these steps, finding wholesale motorcycle parts that will make your store look good without bankrupting you will be a simple matter. You can find cheap prices that should work with your business whether you choose a manufacturer, an importer, or a website. With the right research, you can find a wholesale item distribution method that should work with your business model, guaranteeing you a fruitful and profitable store.

Benefits Of A Used Harley-davidson Motorcycle – Copy

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Harley-Davidson motorcycles have been a beloved brand of motorcycles for many years. Thousands of people enjoy riding their Harleys on the open road with nothing but the sound of the wind blowing past their helmet and the roar of the engine rumbling beneath them. Since Harley-Davidson motorcycles are such a popular and high-quality brand of motorcycle, many people search for Harleys when shopping for a motorcycle. Though buying a brand new Harley may seem appealing, there are many benefits to buying a used Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

First, used Harleys tend to be a lot cheaper than brand new Harleys. Buying brand new vehicles over used vehicles almost always means getting what you want for a cheaper price. You can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars buying a used Harley instead of a brand new one.

You may think that this would also mean sacrificing quality to save that money, but this is not always the case. Many people who buy Harleys tend to take very good care of them. Harley-Davidson motorcycles are icons in the motorcycling community. Most people who own them take great pride in caring for their motorcycle, which will show when they try to resell it. However, many private sellers will have decent or even low prices with room for negotiation in order to sell it faster. Dealerships also lower their prices sometimes in order to move their products faster, but they tend to not have nearly as much room for negotiation nor do they tend to lower their prices very much on their own.

Second, many people buy Harleys to customize them for their own personalities and styles. There is a vast array of add-ons and customizations that motorcycle lovers add to their Harleys to make them unique and stylish. Some of these add-ons can cost thousands of dollars and they can be a great benefit to you both on the road and if you should ever choose to sell the motorcycle in the future.

More customization means more added to the price, but it is most likely much less than what you’d pay if you bought a brand new Harley and did all of that customization by yourself.

Third, Harleys tend to hold their value throughout the years. Any vehicle depreciates in value once it has been driven off the lot, but Harleys are beloved brands that tend to hold their values steady even after changing hands numerous times. As long as they are being cared for properly, depreciation isn’t a big issue with Harleys.

Fourth, you have the chance to see and buy a rare or discontinued Harley. There are quite a few models of Harley-Davidson motorcycles that have been discontinued and some that are incredibly rare. Looking for used Harley-Davidson motorcycles gives you a chance to find, ride and own a motorcycle that not many people have had the chance to ride on before, own or even see. You may even get lucky and buy a Harley that is very rare and worth more than you paid for it.

Fifth, buying used Harleys gives you a wider range of selection than buying a new Harley would. Dealerships tend to showcase the newer models and not the older models. This leaves you somewhat stuck with just looking at newer models and any models a dealer may want to push out the door. Searching through used Harley ads gives you a much wider selection of choices in terms of model, color, style and more.

Sixth, buying a used Harley gives you a chance to get personal opinions on how well the motorcycle runs. Some sellers may embellish on their motorcycles to make a sale, but most people are very honest about their experiences with the motorcycle. You can get an idea of how well it runs and how well the owner has taken care of it after some conversation.

You may believe a new motorcycle has no problems right out of the lot, but this is not true. Many people buy new motorcycles and vehicles only to find an issue or factory defect that the dealership never noticed before. Previous owners usually know all of the current and potential problems with their motorcycles before they try to sell them.

Finally, buying a used Harley-Davidson motorcycle saves you from the frustration and risks of buying from a dealership. Many vehicle dealerships in general, not just Harley-Davidson, tend to try and nudge their customers into buying certain things they don’t need like add-ons, options or insurance. They also may try to sneak additional fees into your payment. In addition, buying a new car from a dealership has quite a lot of paperwork and financial issues to discuss and work through.

Buying a used Harley from a private seller requires little trouble or paperwork. All you need to pay for when buying a used Harley is the new registration, a new tag and, of course, the title to the motorcycle. There’s no need to jump through any hoops or get pressured into buying any additional features. Just be sure to check the NADA motorcycle value before you buy.

Whether you are a motorcycle enthusiast, a collector or just someone looking to start off in the motorcycle world, a used Harley Davidson can be just the right motorcycle for you.

How Long Do Motorcycle Helmets Last And How To Maximize Your Motorcycle Helmet Safety

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According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and the Snell Memorial Foundation, motorcycle helmets should be replaced every five years. Motorcycle Helmets generally have four elements: a hard outer shell, an impact-absorbing liner, retaining system and comfort padding. The outer shell and liner operate by spreading the energy of an impact to reduce the amount of energy transmitted to the wearer’s brain.

The length of time that a helmet is viable was determined by a consensus between the DOT Helmet manufacturers and the Snell Foundation. Hair oils, body fluids, environmental situations and normal wear and tear may cause a deterioration in performance. The Snell Foundation also advises that protective advances in the helmet technology also changes within five-year periods. Any DOT helmet that was involved in an accident should be replaced immediately, as some or all of its shock absorption qualities may have been used. Older DOT helmets, though they may appear to be in good shape, may have worn or frayed chin straps or hidden cracks.

If your motorcycle helmet is dropped, in most cases, your helmet is still good. Most manufacturers offer an inspection service and may, at their discretion, repair the helmet. The Snell Foundation recommends that if you suspect your DOT helmet is compromised, then replace it. If the helmet has been involved in an impact while in use, replace it.

Don’t buy a used motorcycle helmet it can compromise motorcycle helmet safety in a number of ways. First, you won’t know whether it’s been in a prior accident. If it has, chances are that the cushiony polystyrene layer inside that is designed to absorb the shock of an impact has already been compressed. This will make it worthless in protecting you in an accident. Also, age and exposure to certain elements can make the polystyrene lose its elasticity and become brittle, reducing the amount of protection it provides. Avoid excessive exposure to the sun. If you ride a motorcycle, chances are pretty high that your DOT helmet will be exposed to sunlight. But, you can extend the life of your helmet and maximize motorcycle helmet safety by parking in the shade and storing the helmet out of the sun when not in use. Sunlight damages polystyrene, causing it to wear and become brittle over time.

Avoid excessive exposure to gas fumes and other chemicals. Gas vapours are particularly harmful to polystyrene. Avoid hanging your DOT helmet near the gas tank. To maximize motorcycle helmet safety, also avoid storing it in a garage or other area where it will regularly be exposed to concentrated gas fumes and emissions. Avoid pointed or sharp objects. This seems obvious, but make sure you don’t hang your helmet on pointed hooks or antennae that could pierce the inner polystyrene layer.

Perhaps the most important motorcycle helmet safety step is to replace your DOT helmet at least every 5 years. Even if you take every possible step to extend the life of the helmet, the inner polystyrene layer will brittle with age, providing you with less protection the older it gets.