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Motorcycle Safety
Spring is here in full force, birds have returned from their southern trip, and are waking me up early in the morning, more people are outside walking and running, baseball fields are abuzz with activity, the weather is a little crazy, and of course, more and more motorcycles are on the streets and highways . . .This time of year is always good for some reminders about motorcycle safety for bikers and car drivers alike Just as car and truck drivers must get readjusted every winter to driving in snow-in the spring they must readjust to sharing the road with motorcycles Of course bike riders also go through a period of adjustment early in riding season when they are anxious to hop back on their bike . .For Bikers .1 Make sure you or anyone else who drives your motorcycle has a valid license Too many bike riders out there are not properly licensed Also, get proper insurance coverage-the costs vary quite a bit, so do some shopping around . .2 While my personal belief is that everyone should wear helmets while riding, I understand it’s a personal choice in some states Know the requirements and laws in your state, and also in other states you may be traveling to, or through . .3 Obey the speed limit Ok, let’s face it, its fun to drive fast, but for the sake of safety, stick to the posted speed limits Often times car and truck drivers can become nervous when sharing the road with motorcycle riders, so drive smart and drive safe Keep the proper spacing between vehicles-three seconds behind cars on the highway, two seconds on roads where the speed limit is 45 or below Also, always position your bike where it can be seen by vehicles . .4 Don’t drink and ride Really, did that even have to be mentioned? Sadly yes, in Illinois in 2007, 44% of the motorcycle operators killed in accidents were legally drunk . .5 Keep up with the maintenance on your bike Faithfully follow your motorcycle’s maintenance schedule as listed in the owner’s manual Furthermore, you should have all this work done by an authorized dealer to prevent potential problems . .For Car/Truck Driver .1 When you see motorcycles on the highway or streets, be aware Understand that since they are smaller vehicles, they are harder to see at times, so be vigilant in looking out for them . .2 You need to realize that bikers don’t always slow down by using their brakes Sometimes they downshift, or just ease off the throttle, so it’s imperative that you keep focused on maintaining the spacing between vehicles . .3 Understand that motorcyclists have the same rights as you do to be on the road-respect that . .4 When bikers adjust their position within lanes, they are usually doing it for a reason, whether it is to be seen more easily, to avoid debris on the road, to pass cars, or due to wind conditions Car and truck drivers need to understand that these movements are not reckless, nor are they making room for you to share a lane with them . .Hopefully by following these guidelines, and giving some thought and attention to safety on the roads, we will all have an enjoyable and safe riding season .
Source: www.rsstnx.com

Wringing That Last Drop of Performance From Your Motorcycle
It’s optimum weather now! 93 degrees in the wind, in the little hillbilly town of West Point, in the Sierra foothills It’s noon The asphalt seductively makes tires sticky! Do it! Hit it! — no more worries about black ice, shadows, wet pavement and such . .Many of us dream about giving our fuel-injected bikes a bit more ‘bwaaaah!’ A simple way? Bolt on some custom pipes! But this ain’t what the article’s about It’s about something even SIMPLER that’ll tweak the fuel injection system after modifying ANYTHING from changing an air filter to bolting on those V&H pipes - it’s primo for tweaking any performance modification Get a Power Commander! . .They’re without compare for snappin’ that last ounce of mileage/power from your fuel system Power Commanders are microchip-driven providing an exacting map of fuel injection settings — thus enhancing engine performance over stock settings . .The manufacturer constantly maps new calibrations for download from their website Yup, you can get the maps online You select the maps you want, download to your laptop, connect the USB port and upload your choice straight into the bike — then it adjusts! What could be faster or easier? It’s accurate for most any situation . .You might need their USB power programming module You’ll need this to provide voltage to your Power Commander when it’s been removed from the bike and attached to your pc — It’s NOT included The good news is that it’s not required if the module is installed on the bike Costs around $55 00 . .No laptop? No problem! three pushbuttons on the module’s face let you change map settings easily An expansion port on board makes it upgrade-ready too . .The instructions are really easy to understand and the OEM-style connectors make it a breeze to install . .Power commander runs under MS Windows 98/se/ME/2000/XP, (Dunno about Vista ask at the site?) It opens maps using djm extensions Cost is around $300 00 . .Another idea so cool! You can get an LCD display for the Power Commander designed to stay on the bike even when the weather sucks! This add-on stores different maps (Also for folks using desktops if you don’t like push-buttons ) Because of the multi-map storage, when attached to the bike, within your vision/reach (next to the radar detector above the speedo?) you can select/change maps on the fly! . .The LCD screen has 2 analog representations of a speedometer and a tach with digital readings below these of what gear you’re in, how much throttle you’re using, What duty cycle you’re in, the map position and whatever boost you’ve gained/lost by switching maps as you roll! This unit will set you back about $250 00 . .If you’re passionate and obsessive about exacting your bike for wherever you are maybe even a little bit anal about it, these are the tools for us! Be as anal as you want! Go crazy! I mean, $550 to accurately dial yourself in any time you want? It’s cheaper than most laptops! . .Think about this for a moment The Power Commander makes sense from a safety standpoint too You’re in a clutch situation where some dork who isn’t paying attention is headed straight for you from your right side in an F-250 and it seems safer to crank it rather than brake Doesn’t it make sense to have the correct configuration for acceleration dialed in so you have all the power available at your disposal to fly away from this nit-wit? The reason it makes sense to me is that my right leg might never have been crushed if I’d had one of these installed on my bike not available back then I couldn’t quite get out of the way and a couple of feet more would have done it That’s why I tout speed-capability and exact performance I’m not an adamant person concerning most things but regarding this, I am Part of the reason I wrote this is that I might be able to save someone else’s leg That’ll have made the entire article worth it!.
Source: www.rsstnx.com

Four Things to Consider When Choosing a Motorcycle Parts Dealer
At some point, it is very likely that you will need to purchase parts for your motorcycle Whether you need parts to maintain the performance, quality, and/or safety of your bike, or if it’s simply a case of wanting to buy an accessory to help personalize your motorcycle’s looks-it is important for you to find a trusted dealer with a wide range of products There are a ton of parts dealers, and an internet search will give you plenty of options, perhaps too many options Here are some questions you can look into when dealing with websites and dealerships: . . .Does the parts dealer also sell motorcycles? .A dealer that sells bikes in addition to parts will usually have a better understanding of customer needs in terms of parts and accessories Also, these types of dealers usually have a wider range of products, are well-established, and have access to help for customers for installing parts . .Does the dealer or site offer bike-specific parts? .It is extremely helpful to locate a site or dealer that makes it easy to find and order the parts you need Look for an online store that you can personalize to fit the type of bike that you own If you can’t easily find the exact part that you are looking for, move on to the next site or store . .Can you easily contact/speak with the site or parts dealer? .Make sure there is a telephone number on the website, and use it for any questions you may have If you have a disappointing experience (no answer, phone support not helpful, phone support not knowledgeable about the industry, they have many parts out of stock, or you are put on hold for an extended period), you may want to try the next store or site on your list You need to be comfortable with the experiences and interactions that you have with your parts dealer . .Do they have a large selection of parts and accessories? .It is worthwhile to look through their parts and accessories selection If you like working with the site or dealer, and they have a wide variety of available products, it might be more convenient to order parts from them in the future . .Asking these four questions before choosing a parts dealer/site will help protect you from dealing with a shady business, and provide you with a good shopping environment for all your motorcycle parts needs .
Source: www.rsstnx.com