Communicating with others when riding a motorcycle is often a tricky task. In this article, we take a closer look at how technology is helping to bring the motorbike community closer together.

There are a number of issues that lead to communicating on a bike being rather more difficult than many would like. Unlike for those that own a car, it is difficult to talk to fellow passengers, such as those riding pillion or in a sidecar. It’s also incredibly difficult to talk to others, over greater distances. Communicating using a mobile phone, for instance, is complicated by two key factors.

The first is that it’s physically difficult to use a mobile phone while riding a bike. Picking up an object, such as a phone, is difficult and crash helmets make it seemingly impossible to conduct a conversation in this way. A further factor is that of noise. The seating position adopted by bike riders means that most are much more exposed to engine noise than would be the case in a car.

Indeed, this is something that many of us will have noticed when seeing (and hearing) a motorbike in operation. There’s also additional noise caused by the motion of a bike, particularly in less than favourable weather conditions.

So, how can technology help to solve such problems?

There are a number of companies now offering headsets that can be attached to existing helmets. These are often comprised of headphones and an associated microphone. If the motorcycle owner and passenger are both making use of such headsets, communication can be become much easier. Indeed, the technology is such that it can reduce background noise.

When combining such a system with bluetooth technology, it suddenly becomes possible to make and receive mobile phone calls, without having to physically pick up the phone. This then allows a motorcycle owner to communicate with people elsewhere. Such technological developments are transforming the way in which people are able to communicate while on the move.

Over the coming years, it’s to be expected that further developments will improve the technology and lead to falling prices.

If you’re interested in purchasing bluetooth helmets then you can find out more information, including more articles by Keith Barrett. This article may be published on any website but this resource box must be included in full. The author retains all copyright.

This is the first in a series of articles exploring motorcycle tire basics and various basic dynamic characteristics of the handling behavior of motorcycles. Overall this is a very complex subject
and needs a good level of mathematics and physics to properly understand what’s happening.
However, in these articles I’ll try and explain the basics with the absolute minimum of mathematics,
but where this is unavoidable I’ll not go beyond simple trigonometry. For those that are unhappy
with any mathematics at all, don’t worry, just skip those parts and the rest should still prove useful.
I’ll try and illustrate the mechanics with many sketches and graphs.

It seems incredible that just two small contact patches of rubber, can support our machines and
manage to deliver large amounts of power to the road, whilst at the same time supporting cornering
forces at least as much as the weight of the bike and rider. As such the tires exert perhaps the single
most important influence over general handling characteristics, so it seems appropriate to study their
characteristics before the other various aspects of chassis design.
When Newton first expounded to the world his theories of mechanics, no doubt he had on his mind,
things other than the interaction of motorcycle tires with the road surface. Never-the-less his
suppositions are equally valid for this situation. In particular his third law states, “For every force there
is an equal and opposite force to resist it.” or to put it another way “Action and reaction are equal and
opposite.”

Relating this to tire action, means that when the tire is pushing on the road then the road is pushing
back equally hard on the tire. This applies equally well regardless of whether we are looking at
supporting the weight of the bike or resisting cornering, braking or driving loads.
What this particular law of Newton does not concern itself with, is which force is the originating one nor
indeed does it matter for many purposes of analysis. However, as a guide to the understanding of
some physical systems it is often useful to mentally separate the action from the reaction.
The forces that occur between the ground and the tires determine so much the behaviour of our
machines, but they are so often taken for granted. tires really perform such a multitude of different
tasks and their apparent simplicity hides the degree of engineering sophistication that goes into their
design and fabrication. Initially pneumatic tires were fitted to improve comfort and reduce loads on
the wheels. Even with modern suspension systems it is still the tires that provide the first line of
defence for absorbing road shocks.
To explore carcass construction, tread compound and tread pattern in great detail is beyond the scope
of this book. Rather we are concerned here with some basic principles and their effects on handling
characteristics.

Weight Support

The most obvious function of the tire is to support the weight of the machine, whether upright or
leaning over in a corner. However, the actual mechanism by which the air pressure and tire passes
the wheel load to the road is often misunderstood. Consider fig. 1, this sketch represents a slice
through the bottom of a rim and tire of unit thickness with an inflation pressure of P. The left hand
side shows the wheel unloaded and the right hand side shows it supporting the weight F. When
loaded the tire is compressed vertically and the width increases as shown, perhaps surprisingly the
internal air pressure does not change significantly with load, the internal volume is little changed.
At the widest section (X1) of the unloaded tire the internal half width is W1, and so the force normal to
this section due to the internal pressure is simply 2.P.W1 . This force acts upwards towards the wheel
rim, but as the pressure and tire width are evenly distributed around the circumference the overall
effect is completely balanced. This force also has to be resisted by an equal tension (T) in the tire
carcass.

The loaded tire has a half width of W2 at it’s widest section (X2) and so the normal force is 2.P.W2 .
Therefore, the extra force over this section, when loaded, is 2.P.(W2 - W1) but as the tire is only
widened over a small portion of the bottom part of the circumference, this force supports the load F.
The above describes how the inflation pressure and tire width increase produce forces to oppose the
vertical wheel loading, but does not completely explain the detail of the mechanism by which these
forces are transferred to the rim. The bead of a fitted tire is an interference fit over the bead seat of
the wheel rim, which puts this area into compression, the in-line component of the side-wall tension
due to the inflation pressure reduces this compression somewhat. This component is shown as F1 on
the unloaded half of F1 = T.cos(U1). The greater angle U2 of the side-wall when loaded means
that the in-line component of the tension is reduced, thereby also restoring some of the rim to tire
bead compression. This only happens in the lower part of the tire circumference, where the widening
takes place. So there is a nett increase in the compressive force on the lower rim acting upward, this
supports the bike weight. The nett force is the difference between the unloaded and loaded in-line
forces,

F = T.(cos( U1) -cos(U2))

The left hand side shows half of an inflated but
unloaded tire, a tension (T) is created in the carcass by
the internal pressure. To the right, the compressed and
widened shape of the loaded tire is shown.

Suspension Action

In performing this function the pneumatic tire is the first object that feels any road shocks and so acts
as the most important element in the machine’s suspension system. To the extent that, whilst
uncomfortable, it would be quite feasible to ride a bike around the roads, at reasonable speeds with no
other form of bump absorption. In fact rear suspension was not at all common until the 1940s or 50s.
Whereas, regardless of the sophistication of the conventional suspension system, it would be quite
impractical to use wheels without pneumatic tires, or some other form of tire that allowed
considerable bump deflection. The loads fed into the wheels without such tires would be enormous at
all but slow speeds, and continual wheel failure would be the norm.
A few figures will illustrate what I mean:–Assume that a bike, with a normal size front wheel, hits a 25
mm, sharp edged bump at 190 km/h. This not a large bump.
With no tire the wheel would then be subject to an average vertical acceleration of approximately
1000 G. (the peak value would be higher than this). This means than if the wheel and brake
assembly had a mass of 25 kg. then the average point load on the rim would be 245 kN. or about 25
tons. What wheel could stand that? If the wheel was shod with a normal tire, then this would have at
ground level, a spring rate, to a sharp edge, of approx. 17-35 N/mm. The maximum force then
transmitted to the wheel for a 25 mm. step would be about 425-875 N. i.e. less than four thousandths
of the previous figure, and this load would be more evenly spread around the rim. Without the tire the
shock loads passed back to the sprung part of the bike would be much higher too. The vertical wheel
velocity would be very much greater, and so the bump damping forces, which depend on wheel
velocity, would be tremendous. These high forces would be transmitted directly back to bike and rider.
The following five charts show some results of a computer simulation of accelerations and
displacements on a typical road motorcycle, and illustrate the tire’s significance to comfort and road
holding. The bike is traveling at 100 km/h. and the front wheel hits a 0.025 metre high step at 0.1
seconds. Note that the time scales vary from graph to graph.
Three cases are considered:

· With typical vertical tire stiffness and typical suspension springing and damping.
· With identical tire properties but with a suspension spring rate of 100 X that of the previous.
· With tire stiffness 100 X the above and with normal suspension springing.

So basically we are considering a typical case, another case with almost no suspension springing and
the final case is with a virtually rigid tire. Structural loading, comfort and roadholding would all be adversely
affected without the initial cushioning of the tire. Note that the above charts are not all to the same time scale,
this is simply to better illustrate the appropriate points.

This shows the vertical displacement of the front wheel. There is little difference between the maximum
displacements for the two cases with a normal tire, for a small step the front tire absorbs most of the shock. However,
in the case of a very stiff tire, the wheel movement is increased by a factor of about 10 times. It is obvious that the tire
leaves the ground in this case and the landing bounces can be seen after 0.5 seconds.

These curves show the vertical movement of the C of G of the bike and rider. As in Fig 1 it is clear that the stiff tire
causes much higher bike movements, to the obvious detriment of comfort.

Demonstrating the different accelerations transmitted to the bike and rider, these curves show the vertical
accelerations at the C of G. Both of the stiffer tire or stiffer suspension cases show similar values of about 5 or 6 times
that of the normal case, but the shape of the two curves is quite different. With the stiff suspension there is little
damping and we can see that it takes a few cycles to settle down. The second bump at around 0.155 seconds is when the
rear wheel hits the step, this rear wheel response is not shown on the other graphs for clarity.

Front wheel vertical acceleration for the two cases with a normal tire. The early part is similar for the two cases,
the suspension has little effect here, it is tire deflection that is the most important for this height of step. As in Fig 5 the
lack of suspension damping allows the tire to bounce for a few cycles before settling down.

As in these curves are of the wheel acceleration, the values of the normal case are overwhelmed by the stiff
tire case, with a peak value of close to 600 G compared with nearly 80 G normally. Again note the effects of the landing
bounces after 0.5 seconds. This high acceleration would cause very high structural loading.

As the tire is so good at removing most of the road shocks, right at the point of application, perhaps it
would be worth while to consider designing it to absorb even more and eliminate the need for other
suspension. Unfortunately we would run into other problems. We have all seen large construction
machinery bouncing down the road on their balloon tires, sometimes this gets so violent that the
wheels actually leave the ground. A pneumatic tire acts just like an air spring, and the rubber acts as
a damper when it flexes, but when the tire is made bigger the springing effect overwhelms the
damping and we then get the uncontrolled bouncing. So there are practical restraints to the amount of
cushioning that can be built into a tire for any given application.

Effects of Tire Pressure

Obviously, the springing characteristics mentioned above are largely affected by the tire inflation
pressure, but there are other influences also. Carcass material and construction and the properties
and tread pattern of the outer layer of rubber all have an effect on both the springing properties and
the area in contact with the ground (contact patch). Under and over inflation both allow the tire to
assume non-optimum cross-sectional shapes, additionally the inflation pressure exerts an influence
over the lateral flexibility of a tire and this is a property of the utmost importance to motorcycle
stability. Manufacturers’ recommendations should always be adhered to.

The influence of tire pressure on the vertical stiffness of an inflated tire, when loaded on
a flat surface. These curves are from actual measured data. Note that the spring rate is close to
linear over the full range of loading and varies from 14 kgf/mm. at 1.9 bar pressure to 19 kgf/mm. at
2.9 bar. The effective spring rate when the tire is loaded against a sharp edge, such as a brick, is
considerably lower than this, and is more non-linear due to the changing shape of the contact area as
the tire “wraps” around the object.

This spring rate acts in series with the suspension springs and is an important part of the overall
suspension system. An interesting property of rubber is that when compressed and released it
doesn’t usually return exactly to it’s original position, this is known as hysteresis. This effect is shown
only for the 1.9 bar. case, the curve drawn during the loading phase is not followed during the
unloading phase. The area between these two curves represents a loss of energy which results in
tire heating and also acts as a form of suspension damping. In this particular case the energy lost
over one loading and unloading cycle is approximately 10% of the total stored energy in the
compressed tire, and is a significant parameter controlling tire bounce.

Vertical stiffness of a standard road tire against a flat surface at different inflation pressures. This data is from an
Avon Azaro Sport II 170/60 ZR17. The upward arrows indicate the compression of the tire and the 2nd line with the
downward arrow (shown only at 1.9 bar for clarity) shows the behaviour of the tire when the load is released. The
shaded area between the two lines represents a loss of energy called hysteresis. This acts as a source of suspension
damping and also heats the tire. (From data supplied by Avon tires.)

Lateral stiffness of the same tire shown in fig. 9. The vertical load was constant at 355 kgf. and the wheel was
kept vertical. As expected the tire is somewhat stiffer with the higher inflation pressure but loses grip or saturates at the
lower lateral load of 460 kgf. compared to 490 kgf. at the lower pressure. (From data supplied by Avon tires.)

Contact Area

The tire must ultimately give it’s support to the bike through a small area of rubber in contact with the
ground, and so “contact patch area = vertical force ÷ average contact patch surface pressure”. This
applies under ALL conditions.

The contact patch surface pressure is NOT however, the same as the inflation pressure, as is
sometimes claimed. They are related but there are at least four factors which modify the relationship.
Carcass stiffness, carcass shape, surface rubber depth and softness, and road surface compliance. If
we have an extremely high carcass stiffness then inflation pressure will have a reduced influence.
Let’s look at this in a little more detail and see why:

If a tire was made just like an inner tube, that is from quite thin rubber and with little stiffness unless
inflated, then the internal air pressure would be the only means to support the bike’s weight. In this
case the contact patch pressure would be equal to that of the internal air pressure. For an air
pressure of 2 bar and a vertical load of 1.0 kN. Then the contact area would be 5003 sq.mm. If we
now increased the air pressure to say 3 bar the area would fall to 3335 sq.mm.

Let’s now imagine that we substitute a rigid steel tubular hoop for our rim and tire, the area in contact
with the ground will be quite small. If we now inflate the hoop with some air pressure, it doesn’t take
much imagination to see that, unlike the inner tube, this internal pressure will have a negligible effect
on the external area of contact. Obviously, a tire is not exactly like the steel hoop, nor the inner tube,
but this does show that the carcass rigidity can reduce the contact surface area as calculated purely
from inflation pressure alone.

I did 2 sets of tests. For the first I kept the tire inflation pressure constant at 2.4 bar and varied the tire
load between 178 and 1210 N. (allowing for the weight of the glass and wooden beams). Secondly, I
keep a constant load of 1210 N. and tried varying the inflation pressure between 2.4 to 1 bar.
Even with a generous allowance for experimental error the effects are clear. The graphs show that
the results appeared to fit reasonably well to a smooth line, there wasn’t much scatter.

Point (1) on the curve with constant inflation pressure, shows how the actual contact patch pressure is
lower (just over half) than the inflation pressure, or in other words the contact area is greater. This is
due to the rubber surface compliance, thus this is more important at low vertical loads, whereas
carcass stiffness became more important as the load rose as shown by points (3) to (6) where the
actual contact pressure is higher than the air pressure, i.e. reduced area of contact.

Measurement setup. Various weights were placed on the end of a beam, which also loaded the tire via a
thick plate of glass. The beam was arranged to apply the load to the tire with a 4:1 leverage. So a 25
kgf. weight would load the tire with 100 kgf. By tracing over the glass the contact area
was determined.

The top plot shows the measured contact patch pressure at various wheel loads for a constant inflation pressure
of 2.4 bar. The lower curves show the contact pressure at various inflation pressures for a fixed load of 1210 N. The
numbers at the data points correspond with the contact area tracings in the previous sketch. The plain line on each plot
shows the case of the contact patch pressure being equal to the inflation pressure.

The carcass stiffness helps to support the machine as the air pressure is
reduced, the contact patch pressure being considerably higher than the inflation pressure. It looks as
though the two lines will cross at an air pressure of about 3.5 bar. (although this was not tested by
measurement), at which point the surface rubber compression will assume the greatest importance.
This is as per the steel hoop analogy above.

We can easily see the two separate effects of surface compliance and carcass stiffness and how the
relative importance of these varies with load and/or inflation pressure.

These tests were only done with one particular tire, other types will show different detail results but
the overall effects should follow a similar pattern.

Area Under Cornering

Does cornering affect tire contact area?
Let’s assume a horizontal surface and lateral acceleration of 1G. Under these conditions the bike/rider
CoG will be on a line at 45° to the horizontal and passing through the contact patch. There will a
resultant force acting along this line through the contact patch of 1.4 times the supported weight.

This force is the resultant of the supported weight and the cornering force, which have the same
magnitude, in this example of a 45° lean. The force normal to the surface is simply that due to the
supported weight and does NOT vary with cornering force. The cornering force is reacted by the
horizontal frictional force generated by the tire/road surface and this frictional force is “allowed” by
virtue of the normal force.

Therefore, to a first approximation cornering force will NOT affect the tire contact area, and in fact this
case could be approximated to, if we were just considering the inner tube without a real world tire.
However in reality, the lateral force will cause some additional tire distortion to take place at the
road/tire interface and depending on the tire characteristics, mentioned above, the contact area may
well change.

Another aspect to this is of course the tire cross-sectional profile. The old Dunlop triangular racing
tire, for example, was designed to put more rubber on the road when leant over, so even without tire
distortion the contact patch area increased, simply by virtue of the lean angle.

by Ray Taylor

http://www.CarsNet.com/motorcycle

Ray Taylor owns the real world San Diego Auto Swap and also owns http://www.CarsNet.com and http://www.SanDiegoAutoSwap.com

Leather garments have emerged in popularity over the past decades. Leather has become the paradigm for those who are cool, with-it and avant-garde. And this is not your grandfather’s leather. It comes in butter soft textures, traditional and explosive colors and in garments from everything baby clothes to underwear.

Leather is also the preferred choice for motorcycle riding. A quality piece of leather has been the only thing protecting a rider from the pavement. Studies have shown that a leather garment will have twenty times the survival rate to denim. Indeed leather is the best option when riding a motorcycle. Research and years of common use indicate that leather is one of the strongest and most durable materials that you can wear. With the proper care your leather apparel can last indefinitely.

Here are some suggestions that can lengthen the life of your leather garments:

·-Always hang leather on wide hangers to maintain their shape.
·-Do not store leather in plastic bags or non-porous covers.
·-Leather can dry out and crack without proper care and conditioning.
·-Wrinkles will fade away while the jacket is hanging. Do not iron and never steam.
·-Do not store in very humid and dry settings or in direct sun.
·-Do not use waxes, silicone products or other leather preparation products that impair the materials ability to breathe.
·-Hems may be fixed with a tiny amount of rubber cement.

·-Seek out a professional leather specialist if the garment gets badly worn or soiled.
·-Allow wet or damp leather to dry naturally away from a heat source.
·-Leather can be treated with a leather conditioner to restore flexibility and proper moisture levels.
·-In winter promptly remove salt deposits from garments by sponging with clear water and use the above method for drying.

Leather garments are worthwhile investments for your wardrobe and riding safety. These tips will keep them in shape for you to use for a lifetime. For an array of quality leather apparel at discounted prices go to Sam’s Discount Leather.com.
.

Sam Darby is the author of this article. He has spent over 30 years researching leather clothing and apparel. He brings his expertise to you in this article and on his website, http://www.SamsDiscountLeather.com

The primary purpose of the motorcycle jacket is protecting the rider. The most common motorcycle gear is motorcycle protective clothing consists of the helmet, motorcycle jacket, leather chaps, gloves and motorcycle boots.

The reason why motorcycle leather jackets are so desired amongst motorcycle rider’s because they provide the best protection from cold and serves as a wind breaker. Reason leather jackets are worn by motorcycle riders is because of its aesthetics appeal. The most important reason why leather is used is because of its ability to protect the rider from potential injuries in the event of fall or accident.

According to sources leather jacket gained popularity during 1940’s especially in 1946, and it was made popular by Marlon Brando in ‘The Wild One.’ The major protection leather jacket provides is the protection from the damage to the rider’s torso and arms. Recently motorcycle leather jacket has evolved into very modern and efficient product for a motorcycle rider. The most modern leather jackets for motorcycle riders are equipped with should protection, back bone protection as well as elbow protection. The protective gear is stitched within the jacket and it is very light.

there are many kinds of motorcycle jacket available in the market. The two main types are leather motorcycle protective outfits, the colorful single-piece ones predominantly seen on the race track, and the traditional jacket and trouser type.

A most common leather jacket used by motorcycle riders is zippered, multi-pocketed and short in length. In the past most leather jackets were made of the cowhide. Cowhide is used for the thickness and durability it provides to the motorcycle riders. On the other hand the sheep skin is used for fashion wear. The more modern leather jackets are waterproof, to protect the rider from rain. Most of the water proof motorcycle leather jackets are also fitted with a liner.

A good motorcycle leather jacket has a usable pocket space, good weather protection, adjustability and usability. The ideal thickness of the leather used in a motorcycle jacket should be 2-4 millimeter. The thickness of a jacket determines the kind of protection it allows to the motorcycle rider. Some of the other features of a motorcycle leather jacket are the slightly dropped back to keep the wind out when the driver leans ahead, and articulated or pre-curved sleeves.

The most popular motorcycle jacket makers are Harley Davidson, Wilson leather, Leather Vibe, tour master and Alpine star.

Alamdar H at Leather Vibe offers quality

leather jackets and motorcycle jackets related information.

http://www.leathervibe.com

There is no doubt that an electric scooter can get you someplace, but the issue of how fast it can go is something that deserves discussion. People often keep this false step that because electric scooters were designed primarily for either the elderly and the handicapped, it cannot pick up speed. This is where they are wrong.

While electric scooters are not as fast as gas powered scooters,they are not misplaced influence the
clout ingredient. Notoriety fact, some electric scooter models can be as fast as a little over ten miles
per hour. So if you’re thinking of organizing an electric scooter race, you won’t be embarrassed.

Seeing the consideration of an electric scooter is fairly new, not many people accept it considering a
certain mode of transportation. Most of us are still stuck with the wheelchair concept so we don’t really note electric scooters because subject supplementary but an improved version of a wheelchair in a more chic and hip articulation. It’s about time to impart the world that electric scooters are more than what the majority perceives of them.

The speed of electric scooters and their overall performance should never betoken underestimated.

Given the heavy traffic we are experiencing nowadays,which really are not showing signs of relenting anytime soon, we might find that owning an electric scooter and going to task with it is one of the most useful decisions we leave ever make. Electric scooters are not just considering those with limited mobility. Like a perfectly healthy circumstance can take advantage of an electric scooter.

In addition, the fact that electric scooters no longer need antic to go fast is comforting,especially at a
time of skyrocketing oil also fuel prices.And while material does hike up our electricity bills, most
people see that as a small price to stipend for huge stab electric scooters bring in.

Electric scooters are a very practical buy.In fact, they might even be more practical than buying a car.
Corporeal doesn’t protect you from the rain, though. But if you’re looking to get somewhere fast, you
can always rely on an electric scooter to serve its racket.

You might check for more information and latest scooters at http://www.e-scootersinfo.net

Adding custom Harley wheels is a great way to personalize your cruiser. However, the cost often keeps many bike owners from customizing their wheels. Here’s a little known secret: custom wheels don’t have to cost more than your mortgage payment. Read on to find out how to save money on your custom Harley wheels.

Thanks to growth in the cruiser market in recent years, there are now many different styles and materials to choose from when looking for custom Harley wheels. At the high end of the market, you’ll find custom billet wheels that sell for over $2,000. These wheels are high quality and they look great, but you don’t have to fork over that kind of dough for quality nice looking Harley wheels.

These days there are many manufacturers of Harley wheels. Discount manufacturers, such as Dominator Wheels, make a high quality product at a reduced cost. Their wheels are CNC-machined cast forge alloy and give your ride a “custom” look. They look every bit as good as the high end wheels and cost less than half!

Dominator also offers rotors and pulleys to match your new wheels. Even if you opt for these also, you’ll still end up paying less than you would have on a complete high-end custom set of Harley wheels.

Prices vary quite a bit so shop around. I like to use MCGearDeals.com because they search the web to find the best deals on Harley wheels.

If you are going after a more “classic” looking Harley wheel, consider the Bikers Choice products. They offer brilliantly chrome-plated complete spoke style wheels for only a couple hundred dollars. These typically come complete with hubs and spokes and are all laced and trued and ready to go.

Whether you are custom building a bike, looking to replace your worn or scratched wheels, or trying to customize your ride to stand apart from the pack, custom Harley wheels are the way to go. All the growth in this market in recent years means you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for that great custom look. Shop quality discount brands, like Dominator and Bikers Choice. They allow you to save a little bit of money - so you can buy more stuff for your bike.

Best Deals on Harley Wheels

Lyle Dove is an avid motorcyclist who enjoys all aspects of the sport including motocross and road racing. When he’s not out riding, he spends his time writing articles on the sport he loves.

Be sure to read his article on

• Vance & Hines Exhaust - Options for Harley Owners
• Joe Rocket Motorcycle Jacket Review

Mini bikes are small motorised vehicles, because these are propelled by an engine they are classed as motor vehicles. It is because of this they must comply with regulations if they are to be ridden on the road.

If you are to ride a 49cc mini bike on the road, firstly you must have the appropriate license, in the UK you will need to be 16 years old and hold a provisional license. This allows you to ride registered vehicles on the road as a learner.

You will also need to undergo a compulsory bike test (CBT) which then allows you to ride legally on the road.

If you have all this you need to ensure the mini bike is road legal. 99% of mini bikes are not road legal and are nowhere near high enough standard to be classed as road legal. Therefore it is quite a task in order to get a mini bike road registered and legal, and thus most people do not attempt to do it.

The mini bike will need to pass an SVA test, this is probably going to cost more than what you paid for the mini bike itself. But if you still want to get it legal, then your mini bike will need to be fitted with front and rear lights, indicators, speedo and also must undergo tests to ensure the mini bike is built to a high enough standard (which no mini bike is).

The bike must also be restricted to a certain speed if you are 16, and noise regulations etc. must also be taken into account. As you can see this is a lot of hassle, hence why people rarely bother to do it.

If you do not follow this route to get your bike on the road, then it is not allowed to be ridden in any public place, this includes public parks, pavements, or roads. The only place which these are allowed to be ridden is therefore private land.

If these bikes are ridden illegally on the road then police have the power to seize and crush your mini bike, and if you were caught riding it you could face having points on your license or could face a prison sentence.

Not really worth riding the bike illegally is it? These days however people are still not getting the message and still ride bikes illegally which gives other mini bike riders, such as myself a bad name. There are a growing number of incidents of bikes being seized and crushed in the UK every year.

So the next time you think about riding your mini bike illegally, make sure you know what the dangers of doing this is, or you could be in with a huge shock!

Marc Wilton, I have been riding mini motos for around two years now and am currently an editor for the website mini motos go.

One of the best places to purchase nearly new motorcycles with low mileage at a price as much as 90% off MSRP is an auction. Often, brand-name motorcycles (including sports bikes such as Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, but also many choppers such as Harley-Davidson and others) become state or bank property when their owners are unable to pay debts, and have to be sold fast to avoid substantial storage and maintenance costs. Because of this it is sometimes possible to buy quality repo vehicles as much as 80-90% off retail price.

However, purchasing a motorcycle at an auction is an investition which should be treated with appropriate care. This is especially true if you are an inexperienced and/or first-time buyer. While the sums involved are usually far less than what you would pay at a dealer, it can happen that after an intense bidding contest the final price (including premium etc) can actually exceed the bike’s real market value.

In order to help first-time buyers, I have put together the top 10 things to look out for when purchasing a repo motorcycle at an auction below.

10) Inform yourself in detail about the makes and models of the motorcycles you are looking for. Wikipedia and various car sites have detailed profiles and technical data on most bikes on the market, as well as lists of common defects to look out for.

9) When eyeing a particular bike, take a good look at the maintenance history. Regular mechanical checkups should have been made. Pay particular attention to mileage, damage and accident history, any paint jobs. Be sure to ask for the number of prior owners. Several prior owners are likely to indicate prior problems with the bike.

Ask owners of the model you’re looking for for common defects and issues with their bikes. Even if you don’t know anyone who owns the model personally, it is easily done at bike forums on the internet.

7) If you find a good candidate, it’s time for a thorough visual inspection. Be sure to check the paint (any scratches, irregularities, signs of subsequent paint jobs or rust?), tires (walk around and kick/feel them a little/measure the profile), pedals (should not look too used). Make sure that the electronic equipment works (lights, blinkers, etc).

6) Have the engine started and check how well it’s running. Any irregularities in the sound? Blue smoke from the exhaust pipe (oil, can mean that the engine is worn)? Oil leaks? All of those are warning signs.

5) When purchasing a repo vehicle at an auction, always start by observing. Attend the preview (usually held a while before the auction, and open to the general public). Stay cool during the auction, and decide what you want to bid beforehand. Never get into a bidding war, it’s a surefire way to
buyer’s remorse.

4) Beware of any claims that sound too good to be true. At an auction, odds are they are just that - not true. Liability for a seller at a public auction is relatively low, and two powerful words - “AS IS” - basically free the seller of any responsibility. It is up to you to pinpoint them on essential statements and be wary of any outrageous promises.

3) Should you win the bid, insist on a written contract, and ask that all important figures and claims are mentioned (e.g. about prior owners or repairs, mileage, etc). Don’t forget that the price you will pay is usually higher than the winning bid. Most auctions include a 5-10% buyer’s premium.

2) Look at the VIN (vehicle identification number) plates and make sure they have not been altered. If they look like they have been changed, do not buy the bike.

1) Do not be too hasty. Looking at some auctioned repo motorcycles, you may get the feeling of a once-in-a-lifetime bargain, but in fact the market is pretty large and great opportunities are around all the time. It is best to observe a few auctions first to get a feel of the process, and only actively start bidding once you have a good idea of the market.

There are several large databases of auctioned repo motorcycles and other vehicles online. One of the largest is http://www.motorcyclestateauctions.com, with unlimited access for a one-time fee of $19.95.

When you first start to race dirt bikes, there are many different items you will require before you will be allowed on the track.

Firstly, you will obviously need a dirt bike, make sure the bike you get is the correct bike for you, i.e. A bike you are capable of riding safely. It would be inadvisable for someone starting out in motocross to get the most powerful dirt bike available as they just wont be able to ride it.

Secondly, if you are going to be travelling around in order to race your dirt bike, then you will need some sort of transportation for your bike. This usually comes in the form of a van or a trailer. These bikes are obviously not road legal as they are not registered and do not comply with regulation so riding them to the track is not an option.

Once you have these then you will need safety equipment in order to ensure that you are as safe as possible when out on the track on your bike. This equipment starts off with clothing, there is specialist dirt bike clothing companies out there which produce clothing which is designed to keep you safe when riding a dirt bike.

It is vital that this clothing is purchased as there is a huge risk when riding dirt bikes, and you will want to be protected if you come off your bike. This clothing is made from tough material and includes pads all over to keep you as safe as possible.

You will also require a helmet and goggles, these are essential when riding a dirt bike. If you come off your bike after a jump and smack your head, there will be nothing to protect you except for a helmet so try to get the best one possible.

You will also need a descent pair of boots to keep you protected, many peoples feet and ankles are often the part of their body which get injured if they fall, and good boots will also provide protection from blistering and damage to the skin when using the gear selector on the bike. Similarly you will need gloves to keep your hands warm and protect your hands from blistering.

Once you have all this equipment sorted you will be ready to race safely, you just need to check with local race authorities that you do not require any extras to race and your off!

Marc Wilton, I have been riding mini motos for around two years now and am currently an editor for the website mini motos go.

When it comes to motorcycle saddlebags and luggage you would be surprised to know that most people do not have a clue what they want. There are a very few motorcycle manufacturer who truly concentrate on motorcycle saddlebags. Most motorcycle dealerships do not carry any motorcycle saddlebags. Motorcycle dealerships that do carry the saddlebags offer a limited variety. To make things worst some manufacturers offer cheap bags made of extremely poor quality leather that sag within the first 3 months.

This article concentrate on what a motorcycle rider should look for when buying saddlebags. Buying a saddlebag is not a rocket science. It is easy and beneficial. A motorcycle saddlebag is made up of leather, metal, plastic and hardware. Making sure all of these are of good quality is the first step towards a smart buying decision.

The leather is the most important factor to concentrate on while buying a saddlebag. Saddlebags are either made of leather (cowhide) or synthetic leather. Both have their own advantage and disadvantage. Leather is usually preferred over synthetic leather by most motorcycle riders. However leather is also a lot more expensive than the synthetic leather. A Saddlebag made of leather should cost between 200 to 400 dollars. On the other hand a saddlebag made of synthetic leather should not exceed $200. If some one is selling saddlebags made of leather (cowhide) for less than $200 it is most likely not genuine leather. The thickness of leather on a saddlebag is the first and the best way to identify the quality of a leather saddlebag.

The second most important component of a saddlebag is the metal used on it. The metal is used on the saddlebags in the form of studs, rivets, spots and conches. Some of this metal is used for decoration and the other is used to put the saddlebags together. Make sure that the studs and rivets used on the saddlebags are made of stainless steel. Some manufacturers use brass which has a tendency to rust.

The third and final issue to watch out for is mounting hardware provided with the saddlebags. Mounting of Motorcycle saddlebags is very important. If the saddlebags are not mounted properly they can not only be a great in convince but they can also be hazardous. Make sure the saddlebag manufacturer or the company you buy saddlebags from also provides you a clear set of instructions on the way to mount those saddlebags on your motorcycle. Your first preference should be a manufacturer who also offers the mounting hardware for your saddlebags.
Last factor to concentrate on is the features the motorcycle saddlebag offers. The most basic feature every saddlebag should have is locking system, detach ability and quick release buckles.

Alamdar H at Viking Bags manufacturer quality motorcycle saddlebags, motorcycle luggage and leather saddlebags.

http://www.vikingbags.com