All you need to know about street motorcycle tires.

Thanks to the Motorcycle Industry Council we have a great Tire Guide to share with all Real Biker Chicks.

The information in this booklet represents the collective knowledge of a number of motorcycle tire manufacturers and Motorcycle Industry Council staff and is intended to be a useful resource for motorcyclists.
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Good tool to have along on motorcycle

So you’re out on a nice ride, not a care in the world. Oooops, your bike falls down for some reason. Your foot slipped on some gravel, you forgot to put the kickstand down when you pulled up in front of the gas pump…… you get the picture. And surprise, your shift lever broke off!!  How are you gonna get your bike home without be able to shift gears? Well here is a great solution I read about a while ago. I cannot take credit for this idea, but I think it is so good, I went out myself and bought these mini-vicegrips to keep in my bike bag. Theoretically, you just clamp them on the broken stub of your shift lever, and you will be able to use it to shift enough to get home. And they also claimed that if your clutch or brake hand lever is broken off, clamping on the vice-grips will allow them to be used also. wow! Sounds good to me. Although I have not yet gotten to test this theory, (and I hope I never have to!!) I just wanted to pass along this idea to you…      by Sly

RainGear

Written by Eli Enokizono

So far, it’s been a crazy year… I’m not talking about work or family obligations although those have been just as chaotic. I’m talking about the weather. Living in Southern California, one would think about the stereotypical beach weather and typical t-shirt, shorts and flip flop attire. But it’s been on the cold side with lots overcast and rainy days. This brings me to the topic of rain gear…and riding.  With so many options out there, how can one choose a durable, practical, reliable and essential part of riding gear?
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Saftey Gear

Motorcycle personal protective equipment
From Wikipedia

To improve motorcycle safety many countries mandate the wearing of personal protective equipment such as protective clothing and helmets. Protective gear may include certain types of jackets, gloves, boots, and pants. Jackets meant for motorcyclists are typically made of nylon, leather, or Kevlar.
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Ride Safe

Check back for more tips and tricks on being a safe rider.

Riding Tip on how not to drop your motorcycle

On The Road Again Motorcycle School for motorcycle instruction, motorcycle training, motorcycle safety & motorcycle license. lrn2ride.com

How to pick up a dropped motorcycle:

Video demonstrates the proper way to pick up a downed motorcycle alone.

On The Road Again Motorcycle School for motorcycle instruction, motorcycle training, motorcycle safety & motorcycle license. Lrn2ride.com

On the road

One of the things I try to avoid is riding next to another moving vehicle. You never know when they may change lanes in your direction with out any notice or signal. If I cannot put some distance between us and have to ride fairly close due to traffic, then I will fall back in my lane so that if the car in the next lane comes over the line at all without notice it has no chance of hitting me. This has saved me more times than I can count. I have heard many say “ride like you are invisible”, this is one of the many reasons why.

This one falls in the same category as above but also brings with it several dangerous hazards to be aware of. Eighteen wheelers. These are huge vehicles and have very limited view from the drivers seat and should be avoided completely. Also if one was to have a tire blow out while you were riding next to it could cause you to lose control of your motorcycle. We have all seen the tire chunks or “road gators” as some people call them that they have left behind which are hazardous enough for a rider, but would be even more dangerous if not deadly if one was to be hit by one of these at highway speeds. Also you should be aware that some of these drivers go long periods on the road with out sleep which can affect their driving.

Avoid driving behind any pickup, truck or trailer that could lose it’s load. This includes the eighteen wheeler above but also work trucks. Look out for pickups or trucks that are carrying ladders, buckets, mowing equipment or anything that they may be hauling that has a possibility of falling or flying out. Also individuals moving sometimes have a load that not only blocks there vision but could potentially fall into your lane of travel.

Stopping traffic. This one came as an after thought after having to take the shoulder on the freeway when the traffic ahead of me came to a sudden stop. After realizing I was not going to be able to stop safely in time I went off the right shoulder and came to a stop safely there. By the way, watch out for loose gravel, sand and anything else that may be on the shoulder when doing so. But thinking about it later I realized even if I had come to a stop safely on the road doesn’t mean the vehicle behind me is able to or maybe never even noticed the sudden stop in traffic, so I now make it a rule to head for the shoulder in these situations until I know the traffic behind me is aware of the situation ahead and is safely stopping.

One more thing, always make sure the car coming in your direction is actually going to turn as they are indicating with their signal before pulling out in front of them. I’m sure we have all seen that one vehicle traveling down the road with the endless turning signal on that never turns off. Don’t be the one who pulls out in front of them.

There are many other things that could have been listed here that I have read elsewhere but I chose to list some that I have not read often or not at all. Anyone who rides should learn as much as they can about the sport of riding, it could save their life.

Brett Hathcock from whybike.com

Definitions of Motorcycle Apparel Terms

WHAT DO ALL THOSE LABELS MEAN ON MOTORCYCLE GEAR? Ever wonder what all those different motorcycle textiles are about?
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Rules of the Road

You can find many different articles on the internet on motorcycle riding safety. Anyone that is even thinking about riding should make themselves familiar with as many of these as possible. I have come up with a few of my own, “Rules of the Road” I call them, based on situations and potential hazards I have noticed or experienced first hand while riding.
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Riding On Gravel

Quite often I’m asked what is the best technique for riding on gravel roads. In fact, just today, I received an email from
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Leather Abrasion Toughness

Tips from Sly

Animal hides will always offer superior abrasion resistance, and in this order: kangaroo, elk, deerskin and cowhide. Sheepskin offers great tear strength, but not abrasion resistance, which is more important. Deerskin is readily available these days, and doesn’t cost big like exotic hides. It is also buttery soft and often more immediately comfortable than common cowhide.

Also check out Definitions of Motorcycle Apparel Terms