Top Chopper

The First Motorcycle Ride of the Year
Spring time is here, and with it, comes the usual craving to climb on your motorcycle and hit the street The weather is certainly getting nice; we are having some unseasonably warm spring days, and I can virtually hear my Honda Rebel asking to be taken out I’m sure most of you are feeling the same way-but you must resist those urges until you take care of a few things . .First of all, you need to ensure that your motorcycle is drivable, and safe to ride The beginning of riding season is an appropriate time to change the oil, spark plugs, and drain leftover gas from the tank Establish that the lever action is smooth Go through your brake parts to determine if any parts need replacing Check all the fasteners, look over the tires for wear and air pressure, and see that all the lights are working . .Be sure to consider the road conditions The nice weather doesn’t necessarily mean that all the roads are clear of ice and snow Be on the lookout for potholes, which are rampant this time of year . .While the weather may seem nice after a frigid winter, but make sure you are ready to ride Ensure that you are dressed for the occasion-get out your leather (jacket, chaps, gloves, and boots), and hopefully your helmet is equipped with a face mask to help safeguard you from the chill Consider bringing along rain gear, sometimes nasty spring weather can come out of nowhere 40-50 degrees might feel good as you step outside to get the mail, but getting on the highway with your motorcycle and driving down the highway is a completely different story . .When you and your bike are all set to go, climb on, rev it up, and feel the power of freedom . .Happy riding!.
Source: www.rsstnx.com

Motorcycle Protective Apparel
Protective apparel for motorcyclists is an important, though somewhat disregarded part of overall safety Many riders choose their riding clothes on the basis of how cool they look rather than how it will hold up and protect them if they get into an accident; or wipe out and are skidding across the road The motorcycle apparel business has been booming, and there are all kinds of great looking clothing out there, but you may have to look a little harder to find items with enough protection It’s easier to find good protective clothing in Europe because they have developed a series of standards that the apparel must meet to be sold as safety clothing They are put through tests for tearing, impact, and abrasions In the US, there are no regulations like this, so the safest clothing is a bit harder to find The following are some things you should look for . .Most motorcycle injuries occur to the legs and feet, so it’s important to wear a good pair of high boots, and protective pants with extra reinforcement around the knees and hips For added protection, you pants should have the ability to attach to your jacket through a zipper You should look for boots made of thick leather, with a hard sole . .The traditional motorcycle clothing is made of leather, but there are other materials that also work pretty well Thick nylon offers protection, as well as Kevlar reinforced apparel In the European abrasion tests, regular denim blue jeans last 0 6 seconds, while a decent pair of leather motorcycle pants or chaps will last 5 seconds . .Jackets work the same way as pants-make sure if they are made of leather that the leather is thick, and not the fashion leather you see in fancy leather stores Like the knees and hips, there should be extra reinforcement around the “impact points” of your shoulders and elbows It is also recommended that you have padding or impact protection in these areas . .A good pair of riding gloves is also very important safety-wise Kevlar gloves, or reinforced leather are solid options for protecting your hands It’s especially important that the palms of your hands have extra padding or patches-when falling, our instinct is to put our hands out with palms down, so they will be taking the brunt of the impact and sliding . .If you have questions or doubts about protective clothing, it’s usually better to look for apparel that has the degree of impact protection included After all, you don’t want to be hoping that your clothing will provide some protection in the event of an accident-it’s always better to be sure . .Finally, and most importantly, find a good helmet I know there is a lot of debate on this subject, and different laws depending on where you live, but if you are all interested in safety, never ride without a helmet I mentioned earlier that most motorcycle injuries occur to the legs and feet, however, the most serious injuries occur above the neck Don’t buy a used helmet, unless you are absolutely positive that it has never been in an accident, or otherwise damaged I always recommend a helmet with a full face mask for the maximum protection .
Source: www.rsstnx.com

Motorcycle Safety For Beginners
One of the time-tested age-old truths of beginning to ride a motorcycle is that you will tip over It’s very similar to when you first learned to ride a bicycle-you fell more than a few times right? When learning to ride a motorcycle it’s much wiser to start on a smaller, inexpensive bike If you go out and purchase a $20,000 monster for your first bike, you are asking for trouble Simply tipping over in a bike like that could leave you with a repair bill of $1000 or more It is imperative that beginning riders take some time to learn how to handle their bikes . .Some interesting findings in the Hurt Report (a motorcycle accident study) . .1 Two-thirds of single vehicle accidents are due to driver error .2 Riders between the ages of 16 and 24 are significantly more represented in accidents .3 Motorcycles riders involved in accidents are virtually without training-92% were self taught, or learned from family or friends .4 In over half the accidents, the riders had less than 5 months experience on the motorcycle . .It’s easy to get over confident after riding for only a short time Don’t be that rider, pay attention and drive safely Motorcycles can be safe to drive, however the learning process can be dangerous Be aware of your abilities, and be extremely vigilant in watching out for other vehicles Car and truck drivers often have difficulty seeing motorcycles Also pay attention to the weather and road conditions . .Wear proper protective gear while riding-there are all kinds of protection for motorcycle riders-most importantly a good helmet Some states don’t require helmets, but the fact is they are the single most important safety factor for riders . .An excellent way to start your bike riding career is to enroll in a motorcycle safety course The Motorcycle Safety Foundation offers 15 hour courses (2-3 days) all over the country They are supervised by expert riders, and provide a great way for beginners to develop safe riding skills .
Source: www.rsstnx.com