Why You Should Use Winter Motorcycle Tires During Winter

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Now that the winter has hit hard and cold, some riders may opt to store their motorcycles safely in their garages till the next riding season. However, there are those die-hard fans that will battle the biting cold to be atop of their bikes. Regardless of the type of bike you are using (Ural sidecar rig or a three wheeler); consider the below-mentioned factors when riding in winter:

Right helmet (that emits heat in case of an accident to avoid swelling of the head)

Safety clothes (to keep you warm)

Good lighting

Good quality engine and finally

Winter tires! Your tires should give you a combination of good feel, good grip and longevity.

What to check for when shopping for winter tires

Standard tires have good dry traction; however the same can not be said of their wet traction. Tires, whether manufactured by the same manufacturer or not, differ greatly in their tread patterns and their rubber compounds because each is made for a different riding surface. Street bike tires have different tread patterns and contact patch compared to dirt bike tires. Similarly, summer tires can not be used during winter because their wet traction is not as good as that of winter tires hence end up being very slippery.

Winter tires have wider grooves and narrow slits at the edges of the tread area to get as much water from their contact patch as possible. Another notable difference is that winter tires are made of material that remains soft and maintains a good grip well below zero degrees Celsius. The standard tires, however, are made of rubber compounds that stiffen as the temperature drops hence their grip starts to reduce below seven degrees Celsius.

What kind of tires to you use

There are a number of winter motorcycle tires available in the market from notable brands. The brand you choose for your motorcycle depends on your preference. Here are the few brands available currently:

1) Winter Shinko Motorcycle Tires – These have a considerable good grip and last long.

2) Trelleborg has two types:

i. Army Specials – They are great; the rubber stays soft even when the temperature gets really low, but do not last too long.

ii. Kenda – They have a good compromise between traction and longevity.

3) Bridgestone TW 301/302 – They tend to be slippery.

4) Metzeler Karoo – They are of standard quality.

5) Pirelli MT21s – They are of standard quality.

6) Dunlop D606 – They are of standard quality.

Michelin Tires have two types of winter tires, Alpin and Pilot Alpin, but they are designed for cars only. Snow chains may work just fine, in absence of winter motorcycle tires.

We are all aware that slippery roads require more grip therefore good tires are essential for winter riding. To optimize the road performance of your bike, it is important to buy tires that are designed specifically for winter weather to prevent your bike from slipping. It is also important to check tire pressure as under inflated tires can affect your bikes handling significantly.

The History Of Motorcycle Jackets

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Nearly as long as there have been motorcycles, there have been leather motorcycle jackets. The first motorcycle jackets evolved from the aviator jackets worn by the World War I and World War II fighter pilots. The jackets had narrow collars and were fastened down the front by buttons. At that time, all of the jackets were made of horsehide leather because there was an abundance of this material due to the number of farmers who tended horses. Eventually, the buttons on the motorcycle jacket were replaced by a zipper. Following World War II, aviators commonly took to motorcycles as a way to recapture the exhilaration they experienced as pilots. They continued to wear their same aviator jackets while riding motorcycles.

Marlon Brando epitomized the leather motorcycle jacket when he appeared in the 1953 movie The Wild One about two rival motorcycle gangs. Since then, leather jackets became synonymous with motorcycles. The leather jacket also became a status symbol for the rough crowds who defied societal conventions as depicted in many of the early movies featuring motorcycle gangs. Soon kids motorcycle jackets started showing up in schools. In fact, because of what the jacket represented, most public schools prohibited students from wearing motorcycle apparel on school campuses.

As time went on, the same look and feel of the leather jackets remained. You didnt put on the jacket to be warm; you put it on to be in style with the biking crowd. If you were into biking, you wore a motorcycle jacket. All motorcyclists who rode with clubs sported the jacket to create a sense of camaraderie and belonging. This same attitude toward motorcycle apparel still exists.

Leather jackets eventually shed their outlaw image which created an opportunity for clothing manufacturers to begin creating designs that catered to a more diverse biking population. Kids motorcycle jackets became common. Women, who once only rode on the back, began piloting their own machines. Leather was still the apparel of choice, but women started donning leather outfits that aligned more with their style and personalities.

The historical black leather jacket is still the most popular form of motorcycle apparel and is unlikely to go out of style. Still, leather jacket designs and fashions are becoming more eclectic and individualistic. Therefore, clothing and apparel designers are creating more varieties in order to keep up with current fashion trends. But the historical sentiment derived from the original aviator-jacket-turned-motorcycle jacket will linger in the hearts of bikers for generations.

New Oil Cooling Technology For Harley Davidson And Custom V-twin Motorcycles

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A recent development in engineering technology will improve engine lifetime and performance for Harley Davidson and Custom V-Twin motorcycles. The new UltraCoolFL oil cooling system is a step up from other motorcycle oil coolers, because its patented design provides forced air cooling of the engine oil during high temperature situations like idling, or stop and go driving. It also assists start up oil warming by regulating the oil circulation, allowing it to circulate only when the temperature is above 160 degrees.

Maintaining proper oil temperature is important because if the circulating oil is too thick, it will not flow and do its lubricating job correctly. If the oil becomes overheated, it will cause excess engine wear and it will destroy the properties of the oil that do the necessary lubrication. Excess friction from lack of proper lubrication will cause unnecessary engine wear. The UltraCoolFL motorcycle oil cooling system can help keep your motorcycle engine running at optimum levels of performance at all temperatures.

This special Harley oil cooler is easy to install, and no special tools are required. The kit can be assembled and mounted on the motorcycle in under an hour. The unit has a plain black cover, which is also suitable for decoration, but it’s main function is to prevent road debris and rocks from damaging the oil cooler. It also prevents over cooling of the oil while the motorcycle is moving fast. The UltraCoolFL motorcycle oil cooler kit contains everything you will need, and all parts have a 90 day warranty.

A high output, thermostatically controlled fan is the heart of this unit. It forces air through the motorcycle oil cooler any time temperatures exceed 210 degrees. When the oil temperature is below 190 degrees, the fan automatically turns itself off. This new technology is patented because it is so unique. These oil cooling systems will be one of the most popular aftermarket kits available to motorcycle owners.

We feel this product ushers in a new era of motorcycle oil coolers, and Harley Davidson and Custom V-Twin motorcycle owners will find their engines will run cleaner and last longer by using our Harley oil coolers.

Finding The Right Set Of Motorcycle Riding Gear

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There might not be a cooler activity in the world than suiting up in your favorite motorcycle riding gear and taking to the open road with nothing between you and the elements other than a layer or two of leather. Ask anyone who owns a hog, and they can tell you that driving a car or a truck just doesn’t compare to the exhilaration of riding a bike. A smart rider will balance style, fashion and safety but what if you simply can’t find the perfect motorcycle riding gear for you? Here are a few things you can look for this season so you can take to the highways of America in style.

When most people try to define motorcycle riding gear, many folks simply point to a smart leather jacket and maybe a pair of gloves, but leather can be used in several other areas to complete your ensemble. One of the hottest fashions over the last few years has been the leather skull cap. You can find leather skull caps that come with embroidered designs or ones that are blank. They are perfect if you have a lot of hair that you wish to keep under control or if you are riding in cold weather and you want to keep your head as warm as possible. You can even stitch your own design of choice on your own leather skull cap so that everyone else on the road knows exactly what you’re thinking.

While most veteran riders wouldn’t trade the feeling of the wind in their face for anything, one feeling that they wouldn’t mind living without is having bugs and road dirt slammed into their face and teeth. That’s why leather biker face masks are gaining in popularity. No one gets on the back of a hog so they can swallow flies and dirt for hours at a time. Not only are most leather face masks very affordable, they work great and can keep you safe should any debris fly up as you are riding and they look pretty cool at the same time.

If you want to start an argument between riders, bring up the topic of gloves. Some riders swear by them and feel that the leather gives them a better grip on their bikes, especially during long rides, while others hate the loss of feeling they get and find them intrusive. The compromise is a pair of fingerless leather gloves. Your palms are protected against sweat and slippage while your fingers are free to grip the throttle and break without impairment. There is a reason why more and more bikers each and every year complete their motorcycle riding gear collection with a pair of fingerless leather gloves. Oh, and did we mention nothing in the world looks cooler or meaner than a pair of these gloves over a big, meaty fist?

Completing your motorcycle riding gear collection is a fun way to get ready for that big trip or that small journey this season. Women Motorcycle Jackets Starting At Just $24.95.

http://www.jillianleather.com/catalog/Women_s_Motorcycle_Jackets-26-1.html

Know The Re-sale Value Before You Buy That New Motorcycle.

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You should known exactly what the resale value of that new motorcycle is before you buy it. Out side of rider compatibility, resale value is probably the most important aspect in buying a new motorcycle. The reason for this is that when the time comes to trade your motorcycle for a new one, you will want to know that you will get what your motorcycle is worth, and you will not owe anything that will be tacked on to the end of your next motorcycle financing. I can assure you that in most cases you will not get what you think your motorcycle trade in is worth. An example of this is, I bought a new Honda VTX 1300S in 2005, and in 2007 I wanted to trade up for a new Yamaha Raider.

I went back to the Motor Sport dealer that I bought my VTX from in hopes of getting a great trade in offer. Even though I had purchased my motorcycle from them, the best the dealer could do was giving me $4800.00 trade in for my used motorcycle. I stilled owed roughly $6500.00 on the VTX, so I would have had to tack the difference on to the end of my financing for the new Yamaha Raider to pay off my Honda VTX or pay the difference out of pocket. I did have one other option though, and that was to sell the Honda my self to get what the bike was worth. The option to sell my Honda out right was the best way for me to get the best return and assure that I could pay off my motorcycle before I financed the new Raider. However, with all of the special incentives and deals on new motorcycles offered by the dealer, trying to sell my used VTX was easier said then done.

I parked the VTX in the parking lot next to my house with a for sale sign on it. The road was busy with a lot of traffic. I did get an occasional passerby to stop and look at it but no calls or offers came in at all. Next, I put an ad in my local newspaper. It was not that pricey, but it wasn’t cheep either. I ran my ad for a couple of weeks and didn’t even get one call. Roadrunner has a classified advertisement section; so I placed an ad there as well, still not luck. I was just about to give up and go back to the dealer, take my losses and get my new Yamaha when I decided to try one more thing. I went to Google and I did a search for used motorcycles. I was amazed at how many used motorcycle auction portals and classified websites there are on the Internet. I did a bit of investigating and found a couple of motorcycle-classified webpage’s that looked promising. I was a little surprised they really weren’t very expensive at all. I placed an ad with a photo, price, and contact information and in just a few days, I started to get interested callers. I did finally sell my Honda VTX 1300S and I did buy the Yamaha Raider. I could have saved my self a lot of work and worry if I had done my homework, shopped around and bought a motorcycle with a better resale value. However, since I didn’t , selling my used motorcycle my self and getting the retail price for it was the best option.

If you are like me, you probably want to get as much out of the sale of your motorcycle as you can. The first thing you need to know is what your used motorcycle is worth. You should go on line to the Kelly Blue Book webpage and look in the motorcycle section. You could also go to the NADA guides on line, again go to the motorcycle section and look up your motorcycles make, model and year, and get the retail value. You can also find out the trade in value of your motorcycle just in case you do decide to trade it in. Once you know how much to ask for your used motorcycle, take a little time before you start to advertise and do a bit of investigating. Look for local publications, newspapers, and web page classifieds where you might be able to place an advertisement.

Compile a list of these classified sources. Find out how much it will cost to place an ad in each one. Find out if they have any testimonials or if you can contact some one that has posted an advertisement in their classifieds and made their sale. If you find a good news publication or webpage classified that has a great record of selling motorcycles then the chances are good that you will sell your motorcycle as well. Once you find where to place your motorcycle for sale ad, you will need just a few things to get the best bang for your buck. First, you need to think about and write down what you want to say in your ad. “Motorcycle for Sale” just will not work in today’s highly completive used motorcycle market.

If you’re selling a vintage lime green 1999 Yamaha Virago that only has 2500 miles on it and was once owned by the Madonna, then you need to say so. The more descriptive you are in your advertisement the better chance you have of some one looking for what you have to sell. The next thing you want to have is a nice clean and clear photo or photos of the motorcycle. Some times a description is not enough. Even if your description tells everything there is to know about your used bike.

I am sure you have heard a picture is worth a thousand words. Well it is true. Suppose some one is looking for that lime green 1999 Yamaha Virago once owned by Madonna, they have seen it in a magazine or on a news show. They know that there is such a bike, but is the one you have, that bike? If you have photos of the bike, they would recognize it as the same bike that they have been looking for and would more then likely buy it.Ok you have your price, description and your photos. You will need one more thing to get your used motorcycle sold. In my opinion, it is the most important thing you need to put in your advertisement. Can you guess what it is? It is your contact information. With out that no amount of descriptive poetry, colorful photography or reduced price will make the sale.

If someone does not know how to get in contact with you, your bike will never sell and you will never get the new motorcycle of your dreams. Take it from me. I have tried both print media classifieds as well as online classifieds to sell my motorcycle and in my opinion, the cheapest, easiest and quickest way to sell your used motorcycle and get the price you are asking is to sell it online. I’m out of here. I am going riding…