Archive for May, 2009
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Tuesday, May 26th, 2009Motorcycle Riding Gear Your First Line of Defense
Monday, May 25th, 2009
Motorcycle riding gear also known as protective gear should be worn by all bike riders. Protective riding gear serves many purposes . Protective riding gear protects riders from injuries from motorcycle accidents.
For best protection riders should wear full face motorcycle helmets to protect the head and face from impact and abrasions. All riders should wear a heavy weight leather motorcycle jacket and heavy weight leather chaps.
Both are designed to protect a rider from injuries. Other pieces you should wear are leather boots that cover the ankle area and also leather gloves. When a rider falls the first thing that hits the ground is your hands this should be remembered when purchasing gloves. Another purpose this gear serves is to keep you warm when riding in cold weather.
I have found you can ride in comfort down to 25 degrees when wearing layered clothing with a pair of chaps and insulated gloves. You should wear a helmet that has a shield to keep the cold wind from your face. Also remember to stay alert in cold weather due to slower reaction times and remember when its below freezing you make ride over some ice on road which could make for a bad day.
Wear the proper gear and you are ready for most anything that the weather can throw at you. Remember to ride safe till then hope to see you out on the open road.
motorcycle-safety-first.com -Find information on bike safety, protective gear, motorcycle maintenance and product reviews.
For best protection riders should wear full face motorcycle helmets to protect the head and face from impact and abrasions. All riders should wear a heavy weight leather motorcycle jacket and heavy weight leather chaps.
Both are designed to protect a rider from injuries. Other pieces you should wear are leather boots that cover the ankle area and also leather gloves. When a rider falls the first thing that hits the ground is your hands this should be remembered when purchasing gloves. Another purpose this gear serves is to keep you warm when riding in cold weather.
I have found you can ride in comfort down to 25 degrees when wearing layered clothing with a pair of chaps and insulated gloves. You should wear a helmet that has a shield to keep the cold wind from your face. Also remember to stay alert in cold weather due to slower reaction times and remember when its below freezing you make ride over some ice on road which could make for a bad day.
Wear the proper gear and you are ready for most anything that the weather can throw at you. Remember to ride safe till then hope to see you out on the open road.
motorcycle-safety-first.com -Find information on bike safety, protective gear, motorcycle maintenance and product reviews.
What about Customized Motorcycles?
Monday, May 25th, 2009
Motorcycles are very popular, with thousands of them on the road. You will find them in a variety of makes and models for your enjoyment. Finding exactly the style you want that fits your body can prove to be difficult, especially if you are extremely short or very tall. Having a customized motorcycle made to your specifications is a great alternative, but it is also more expensive.
One of the most well known custom motorcycle makers is Jesse James, owner of West Coast Choppers. Jesse James has been passionate about motorcycles since he was seven years old. He has customized motorcycles for many celebrities including Shaquille O’Neal, Kid Rock, and Kyle Petty. The bikes range in price from $50,000 to $150,000.
While this is going to be much too expensive for the average individual, you can still get a great customized motorcycle from some other sources. There are many things you need to consider to get started. First, what is it that you need from a motorcycle that you can’t get from a standard one at any retailer? If it is simply the colour, you will save a great deal of money by purchasing it from the retailer and having it repainted. In some cases, you may be able to contact the manufacturer and have the bike painted your ideal colour at the factory.
Most of the time, individuals need to have a motorcycle customized to fit them properly. Take Shaquille O’Neal for example. He is such a large person, that the average motorcycle just doesn’t work well for him. Jesse James was able to use O’Neal’s measurements to create a motorcycle that was comfortable for him to ride. Customized motorcycles are a great choice for those with a disability that prevents them from being able to operate a standard motorcycle.
If you are determined to have a customized motorcycle, take the time to research the various manufacturers you have to choose from. Keep in mind that you may have to wait several months or even years to get the motorcycle you want if the manufacturer is very busy. Always discuss the options you want in great detail as well as the price. If the manufacturer won’t agree to your specifications then look for someone who will.
It is a good idea to conduct research about the manufacturer. Find out how long they have been customizing motorcycles. Ask for references and to see samples of their work. You will also want to inquire about warranty information and a guarantee if you aren’t pleased with the work. In most cases, you will have to pay a deposit before work begins on your customized motorcycle. Make sure they are familiar with working with the model of motorcycle you want to have customized.
Having your very own motorcycle is a great recreational item to spend your time with. However, investing in a customized motorcycle will allow you to have the very best motorcycle that fits your style as well as your body. Being comfortable on your motorcycle will give you more enjoyment and you can also use it for long road trips. You are less likely to be involved in a motorcycle accident if the motorcycle is a proper fit. While a customized motorcycle is more expensive than a traditional model, it is an investment that is well worth it.
One of the most well known custom motorcycle makers is Jesse James, owner of West Coast Choppers. Jesse James has been passionate about motorcycles since he was seven years old. He has customized motorcycles for many celebrities including Shaquille O’Neal, Kid Rock, and Kyle Petty. The bikes range in price from $50,000 to $150,000.
While this is going to be much too expensive for the average individual, you can still get a great customized motorcycle from some other sources. There are many things you need to consider to get started. First, what is it that you need from a motorcycle that you can’t get from a standard one at any retailer? If it is simply the colour, you will save a great deal of money by purchasing it from the retailer and having it repainted. In some cases, you may be able to contact the manufacturer and have the bike painted your ideal colour at the factory.
Most of the time, individuals need to have a motorcycle customized to fit them properly. Take Shaquille O’Neal for example. He is such a large person, that the average motorcycle just doesn’t work well for him. Jesse James was able to use O’Neal’s measurements to create a motorcycle that was comfortable for him to ride. Customized motorcycles are a great choice for those with a disability that prevents them from being able to operate a standard motorcycle.
If you are determined to have a customized motorcycle, take the time to research the various manufacturers you have to choose from. Keep in mind that you may have to wait several months or even years to get the motorcycle you want if the manufacturer is very busy. Always discuss the options you want in great detail as well as the price. If the manufacturer won’t agree to your specifications then look for someone who will.
It is a good idea to conduct research about the manufacturer. Find out how long they have been customizing motorcycles. Ask for references and to see samples of their work. You will also want to inquire about warranty information and a guarantee if you aren’t pleased with the work. In most cases, you will have to pay a deposit before work begins on your customized motorcycle. Make sure they are familiar with working with the model of motorcycle you want to have customized.
Having your very own motorcycle is a great recreational item to spend your time with. However, investing in a customized motorcycle will allow you to have the very best motorcycle that fits your style as well as your body. Being comfortable on your motorcycle will give you more enjoyment and you can also use it for long road trips. You are less likely to be involved in a motorcycle accident if the motorcycle is a proper fit. While a customized motorcycle is more expensive than a traditional model, it is an investment that is well worth it.
Take A Vacation Like This On Your Motorcycle
Monday, May 25th, 2009
Are you an adventurer? Do you have the spirit of a wanderer? If so, then the hottest new trend in vacation travel, a motorcycle vacation, may be just the ticket for you. Whatever countryside you enjoy, and whatever bike you ride, a motorcycle vacation promises great fun and entertainment.
Imagine a history buff that uses a motorcycle to explore old Civil War battlefields. Wilson’s Creek in southwest Missouri, Pea Ridge in Northwest Arkansas, and the site of the battle of West Port near the Plaza in modern day Kansas City are all easily accessible by bike. Or, if exploring the west is more your thing, take a trek out west, starting in Sedalia, the scene of the first recorded cattle drive in history. Then on your bike trace the other cattle towns of the old west like Wichita, Parsons and Dodge City in Kansas. Then keep heading west to Colorado the mile high state and visit Estes Park. Go a little south and visit Colorado Springs, park your bike for a day and take a tour of the Air Force Academy and look at the grounds of Cheyenne Mountain, home of Norad.
Still yearning for more western adventure, then you can ride your motorcycle to New Mexico and visit Lincoln County where Billy the Kid and his Regulators raised a ruckus in the 1880’s. New Mexico has great camping in the mountains near Cloudcroft, so be sure to take the opportunity to visit and if you feel up to it, sleep under the stars, with your trusty motorcycle near you, like a cowboy’s horse.
While in New Mexico the Apache reservation at Riodosa offers a chance to try your luck at slot machines and the wheel of fortune. Then a visit to a great Mexican restaurant and on to the town of Roswell, site of the 1947 UFO crash that some people say made history. When you get to Roswell you can either take your bike to a campground, or park it at a nice reasonably priced motor hotel so that you can spend some time in the UFO Museum and Research Center on Main Street. While there you can visit with some witnesses to the crash and hear some fascinating stories, and take a side trip out to the ranch outside of town where debris was found, and some say small alien bodies were recovered. When you’ve seen all the UFO sites you feel like seeing, you can visit the Robert Goddard Museum next door to the Town’s convention center. Goddard is the father of modern rocket science. He performed many of his experiments in the desert near Roswell and the museum is great fun. When you get done in Roswell, then hop on the bike and go to Albuquerque near Holloman Air Force Base, and then on down to White Sands rocket test ground. New Mexico is full of interesting sites. If you head up north, be sure to his Santa Fe and appreciate the Native American arts and crafts on display.
Next stop on your bike tour should be Las Vegas, Nevada. The most exciting town on earth is just a hop, skip and bike ride away. Here’s a chance to really gamble, or if you don’t like to bet, then just stop in at one of the casinos to try a very low priced, delicious buffet. It seems like all the casinos have great buffets and try to outdo each other. You’ll enjoy them all. Remember too that this is a town made for entertainment. Try one of the shows on the strip, or a comedy club or magic act.
Now, after visiting Las Vegas, it may be time to go on to the one place that no motorcycle vacation can be complete without visiting, Sturgis. The town of Sturgis, North Dakota is legendary among those who ride motorcycles, and the town people know how to make a biker welcome. Stop in for a root beer and buy a T-shirt as a souvenir of your trip. You’ll be glad you did, and you’ll remember your motorcycle vacation for years to come. Hop on your biike, be it hog or Honda, and enjoy the ride.
Imagine a history buff that uses a motorcycle to explore old Civil War battlefields. Wilson’s Creek in southwest Missouri, Pea Ridge in Northwest Arkansas, and the site of the battle of West Port near the Plaza in modern day Kansas City are all easily accessible by bike. Or, if exploring the west is more your thing, take a trek out west, starting in Sedalia, the scene of the first recorded cattle drive in history. Then on your bike trace the other cattle towns of the old west like Wichita, Parsons and Dodge City in Kansas. Then keep heading west to Colorado the mile high state and visit Estes Park. Go a little south and visit Colorado Springs, park your bike for a day and take a tour of the Air Force Academy and look at the grounds of Cheyenne Mountain, home of Norad.
Still yearning for more western adventure, then you can ride your motorcycle to New Mexico and visit Lincoln County where Billy the Kid and his Regulators raised a ruckus in the 1880’s. New Mexico has great camping in the mountains near Cloudcroft, so be sure to take the opportunity to visit and if you feel up to it, sleep under the stars, with your trusty motorcycle near you, like a cowboy’s horse.
While in New Mexico the Apache reservation at Riodosa offers a chance to try your luck at slot machines and the wheel of fortune. Then a visit to a great Mexican restaurant and on to the town of Roswell, site of the 1947 UFO crash that some people say made history. When you get to Roswell you can either take your bike to a campground, or park it at a nice reasonably priced motor hotel so that you can spend some time in the UFO Museum and Research Center on Main Street. While there you can visit with some witnesses to the crash and hear some fascinating stories, and take a side trip out to the ranch outside of town where debris was found, and some say small alien bodies were recovered. When you’ve seen all the UFO sites you feel like seeing, you can visit the Robert Goddard Museum next door to the Town’s convention center. Goddard is the father of modern rocket science. He performed many of his experiments in the desert near Roswell and the museum is great fun. When you get done in Roswell, then hop on the bike and go to Albuquerque near Holloman Air Force Base, and then on down to White Sands rocket test ground. New Mexico is full of interesting sites. If you head up north, be sure to his Santa Fe and appreciate the Native American arts and crafts on display.
Next stop on your bike tour should be Las Vegas, Nevada. The most exciting town on earth is just a hop, skip and bike ride away. Here’s a chance to really gamble, or if you don’t like to bet, then just stop in at one of the casinos to try a very low priced, delicious buffet. It seems like all the casinos have great buffets and try to outdo each other. You’ll enjoy them all. Remember too that this is a town made for entertainment. Try one of the shows on the strip, or a comedy club or magic act.
Now, after visiting Las Vegas, it may be time to go on to the one place that no motorcycle vacation can be complete without visiting, Sturgis. The town of Sturgis, North Dakota is legendary among those who ride motorcycles, and the town people know how to make a biker welcome. Stop in for a root beer and buy a T-shirt as a souvenir of your trip. You’ll be glad you did, and you’ll remember your motorcycle vacation for years to come. Hop on your biike, be it hog or Honda, and enjoy the ride.