Firstly what are you allowed to ride? To begin with racing leagues are set up dependent on age of the rider. If the rider is quite young than it is more likely that they will be categorised for racing. These will also be restricted to how big the bike they can ride is. For example the youngest of riders will not be allowed to ride anything larger than say a 50cc or 85cc bike.

However once you get older there are leagues set up dependent on the size of bike you ride or your ability.

So check beforehand with your local organisation what the regulations are for you to enter the race. After this you are ready to look into buying a bike.

Depending on what you are allowed to ride there are many different manufacturers of dirt bikes out there for you to choose from, and a lot of them have many options when it comes to after market parts for your bike.

However again, if you are looking to modify your bike, make sure that you can enter into a league which allows you to do this, as some leagues will be set up for factory bikes (standard).

The main manufacturers for you to choose from are the likes of KTM, Kawasaki, Gas Gas and Honda dirt bikes. There are also many more to choose from which will have similar build quality and performance specs to match these.

So look into these different manufacturers and decide which bike is best for you, once you have purchased your bike all I can say is happy riding!

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

http://www.minimotosgo.com/blog/

Saddlebags are most commonly used to carry luggage on a motorcycle. There are 2 major kinds of motorcycle saddlebags. Throw over saddlebags and hard mount saddlebags. The concept of hard mount saddlebags originated from throw over saddlebags which were used in early 1950 for the first time.

As the motorcycle industry experienced a big boom in 1960 especially after the Vietnam War the motorcycle luggage also evolved. As major motorcycle companies launched bigger and better motorcycle people started traveling farther on there motorcycles. Many riders formed groups and rode cross country and from city to city. The throw over style of saddlebags was soon replaced by a better and more reliable way of carrying luggage. A group of riders drilled several holes in the back fender of their motorcycles in order to permanently bolt the saddlebags to the motorcycle. This permanent installation resulted in the saddlebags being more reliable and sturdy. This step also contributed towards the aesthetic appeal of the motorcycle. The trend soon gained popularity amongst the riders. Motorcycle companies like Indian Motorcycle Company and Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company noticed this trend and soon started producing motorcycles with struts. The struts enabled motorcycle riders to bolt the motorcycle saddlebags without making any permanent changes to the motorcycle such as drilling holes in the back fender. Later the same strut enables other accessories to be securely mounted on a motorcycle such as motorcycle carrier and sissy bars.

As the Asian motorcycle manufacturers such as Kawasaki, Honda and Yamaha made their way into North American market they also made sure that the riders get enough room for the luggage. Yamaha motorcycles are a classic example of this as they manufacture most of their bikes with most room for the saddlebags. They also make sure that the turn signal does not interfere with the saddlebags, a common problem with smaller motorcycles. In 1980 the motorcycle companies realized that most 1000 cc and above motorcycles are used for long rides. To further add value to their motorcycles they started selling motorcycles with fiber glass saddlebags. These motorcycles did well as most of these came with the motorcycle specific luggage. This also saved the motorcycle rider a lot of time and headache.

Despite the popularity of factory installed saddlebags motorcycle riders still prefer leather saddlebags in most cases. This is due to the fact that motorcycles leather saddlebags can be customized to a greater degree as opposed to motorcycle specific fiber glass bags.

Most early motorcycle saddlebag companies used studs, spots and conchs to decorate the saddlebags. Recently the more advanced motorcycle saddlebag companies have started manufacturing and offering saddlebags that are not only motorcycle specific but also match the color of the motorcycle. Another approach is to design the leather motorcycle saddle bags in such a way that it blends in with the overall design of the motorcycle. These advancements have resulted in more and more people willing to install saddlebags on their motorcycles.

Alamdar H manufacturers qualitymotorcycle saddlebags, motorcycle luggage and leather saddlebags.

http://www.vikingbags.com

When riding a motorcycle, proper safety gear is essential for your own safety, security and enjoyment. Here is an overview of important motorcycle safety gear.

Helmet

With many states and countries enacting helmet laws, it’s pretty much a requirement that if you own a motorcycle, you need a helmet. A helmet provides your head protection in the event of an impact or accident. Many helmets also include face shields, ear protection and even communications devices. There are three basic types of helmets, the full face, open face and 1/2 helmet. A full face helmet covers the entire head, with a face shield covering even the face. This type of helmet offers the most protection of any helmet type, since statistics show that 35% of all motorcycle crashes showed major impact in the chin and bar area. The open face helmet is similar to the full face helmet but lacks the face shield and chin protection. Very little face protection is provided with these types of helmets. With the open face helmet, it is crucial to augment with wraparound motorcycle goggles for proper eye protection from wind, dirt and bugs. The third type of helmet is the 1/2 helmet, which only covers the back of the skull, offering the least amount of protection during an accident and the minimum coverage allowed by most laws. The color of helmets is also important. While black helmets are stylish, they are also among the most difficult to see by other motorists. Helmets are generally made from plastics, including kevlar reinforced plastic and carbon fiber. Inside, a helmet is generally lined with fabric and foam for padding and comfort.

Motorcycle Clothing

There are several types of clothing generally worn by bikers, including the traditional “leathers” and the more protective textile suits that are now common and generally made from synthetic fibers. Leathers have been worn since World War I and were originally adapted from WWI tank corps gear. Leathers provide some impact protection, as well as protection from abrasion, scratches and punctures. In addition, there is some weather protection, however, leather tends to take a long time to dry from being wet and also tends to stay colder longer than regular clothing.

Nowadays, many bikers choose to opt for special motorcycle clothing made from synthetic fibers instead of traditional leathers. These man made textiles offer far better protection from the weather, heat, cold, rain and water. These materials also provide highly functional pockets and vents. In addition, the synthetic materials are generally more comfortable in different kinds of weather, even warmer weather. Synthetic fibers also take much less time to dry out than their leather counterparts.

These synthetic textile suits can also be worn over your regular clothing while still remaining comfortable, something not possible with leathers. The suits are usually made from high density ballistic nylon made from Kevlar, Cordura, Lycra or a combination thereof. They are also generally lined with waterproof material like Goretex.

Boots

Special boots are available specifically for bikers. Generally made from heavy leather, biker boots tend to have a shorter heel in order to allow maximum control while on the bike. Biker boots may also include metal, plastic or composite materials. Quality biker boots can protect the bikers feet, ankles and legs during an accident.

Lydia Quinn writes for Phat Sports Shades, a leading provider of high performance eyewear and eye protection for sports, motorcycle riding and outdoor activities. Visit us at: http://www.phatsportshades.com

The American Chopper television show has become so popular that even the kids have become regular fans and want their own American Chopper party games at their parties and celebrations. Here are a couple great games themed after the American Chopper show.

Zoom, Motorcycle:

This American Chopper party game is fun for the kids and is meant to be played while sitting down so the adults at the party can relax a bit too. Get everyone at the party in a circle and tell them that the group is going to start up one of the great motorcycles that have been tricked out on American Chopper. You’ll start the motorcycle by saying zoom and the person next to you will repeat zoom and this will continue from person to person around the circle. Then you’ll try and get the motorcycle going a bit faster by trying to get everyone to repeat ‘zoom’ faster and faster. Any person can stick out their arms and yell ‘Eek!’ when the zoom reaches them to stop the motorcycle. Though the motorcycle has to go into reverse when this happens. Whoever just said ‘zoom’ will say it again and the person before that and so on until someone stops the motorcycle again.

Chopper’s Slogans:

Make up a bunch of slips of paper with the names of each of the guys and gals from the American Chopper party on them. You can list one person two or three times to make enough slips so everyone at the party can choose a name. Have each person draw one slip from a hat and give them each a pencil and paper. Have each person create a fitting American Chopper slogan for the American Chopper employee that’s been drawn.

For the hardest part of the American Chopper party games each person has to begin each word of the American Chopper slogan with a letter from the character’s name. Then everyone will read their slogans out loud and you’ll pick the best.

The kids will really enjoy these two American Chopper party games. If you play some episodes of the show and have lots of good food at the party you’ll have an even better time.

Mrs. Party… Gail Leino takes a common sense approach to planning and organizing events, celebrations and holiday parties with unique ideas for American Chopper party supplies and fun free educational party games. She explains proper etiquette and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Shop has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free holiday printable games and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Party Themes to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or “just because” parties is at the Party Theme Shop. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.

When you want more performance from your Sportbike, you’ll get the most bang for your buck by adding an aftermarket exhaust system. Slip-ons are a bit cheaper if you’re budget conscious, but the money you spend on a full system will be money well spent. In this article, the popular Leo Vince Exhaust system is reviewed.

It’s a little known fact that Leo Vince exhaust products are manufactured in northern Italy. The company has been manufacturing exhaust systems for over 50 years. The companies products are tested and developed on race teams throughout the world (including MotoGP, World Superbike, and AMA Superbike). The original owner still runs the company today with his grandson.

How do the systems perform? Read on.

Weight
For most applications, Leo Vince exhaust canisters are offered in 3 different materials: titanium, carbon fiber, and aluminum). This is where a bulk of the weight savings is realized.

Unless you’ve had your stock canister off, you probably don’t realize how heavy it is. The canister on most bikes weighs around 5 pounds. The aluminum canister from Leo Vince weighs roughly half this amount (Carbon Fiber weighs even less and Titanium is unbelievably light).

Although, any weight savings is good from a performance standpoint, bikes that have under seat exhaust especially benefit from swapping the stock canister for a lighter one by dramatically lowering your bike’s center of gravity for improved handling.

Price
Weight savings and performance doesn’t come without a price. Leo Vince exhaust products range from a few hundred dollars for a slip-on canister to over $1,000 for a full race system. Here you can find good deals on Leo Vince Exhaust.

Performance
As mentioned previously, an aftermarket exhaust system will really wake up the power lurking inside your sportbike. These Leo Vince exhaust systems really improve sound (without being too loud) also. For the money, I expected to get a bit more of a horsepower gain. However, this exhaust system improved performance more than any other single mod that I have done since.

Conclusion
If you’ve got the money, go for the full system. You won’t regret it. But you’ll still notice a decent performance increase from the slip-on only. Shop around for the best price. Look for a merchant with a low price guarantee for extra peace of mind.

Best Deals on Leo Vince Exhaust

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 articles on

• RX-7 Aria Motorcycle Helmet Review

It seems in every magazine I look in I am seeing more and more ads for pit bikes. For those of you that don’t know, pit bikes are smaller versions of larger dirt bikes. Pit bikes have gained a lot of popularity in the past few years. There are many reasons for this, so let’s discuss a few.

Back in the day no one but little kids rode mini bikes. It all started when some pro riders began bringing these little dirt bikes into the pits to get around between races. Hence the name, pit bikes. Well pros love to compete so they started tricking out their little bikes and racing around.

It didn’t take long to catch on with other people as they started riding pit bikes also. Pit bikes are cheaper, and in many cases more fun to ride than larger dirt bikes. When you get older like me you don’t want to try 100 foot jumps anymore. It really starts to hurt when you crash. When you ride a pit bike the size of everything changes and makes riding quite a bit less dangerous.

Now I have fun riding pit bikes with my friends and racing around. We do smaller tabletop jumps and small double jumps. When I crash I am going at a much lower speed and doing a much smaller jump. I can also do many more tricks on my pit bike because it is so light and easy to ride.

Pit bikes are cheaper and easier to fix than full size dirt bikes. I recently bought a Thumpstar pit bike for $1600 and this thing came all ready to ride. It came with an upgraded suspension, and a great motor. Most pit bikes look really cool too.

When pit bikes first hit the scene many of them were junk, which gave them a reputation as being unreliable. Well now they have come a long way and are much more reliable. It is also becoming easier to find parts for pit bikes online. In the old days when your pit bike broke you were out of luck, but now things have changed. Pit bikes have become a big industry. Because of this they are naturally improving, and getting better all the time.

I love riding pit bikes with my friends and just goofing off. Now that you can buy a cheap reliable bike I would highly recommend getting one. They are great for the kids and the whole family. So check out some pit bikes and have fun riding this summer!

I am currently hosting a pit bike website. For news and reviews on the latest pit bikes stop by at http://thumpstarpitbike.org
We also have parts for you pit bike available for sale!

If you’re under 5-foot-3 and shopping for a bike, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how many bikes really do fit you. And chances are, one of those bikes is going to reach out and knock you over the head with its styling, its “cool factor,” and its general overall suitability. But, just in case the bike that speaks to you the loudest doesn’t fit you perfectly the way it sits on the salesroom floor, there are a few simple modifications (”mods”) you can keep in mind that just might solve one of two key height-related problems.

Problem 1: You can’t “flat-foot” the bike.
In order to have the most and best control over the bike at slow or no speed you should be able to sit in the saddle with the bike pulled upright off the kickstand, knees bent, your feet planted flat on the floor. If you’re up on the balls of your feet, or worse, tip-toed, you won’t have complete control when you roll up to a stop and put your foot down or when you’re straddle-walking the bike backwards out of the garage or into a parking spot.

Solution: Lowering the bike.
You can physically lower the bike itself a couple of ways, but they both involve changing the suspension components - namely, the shock absorbers. On most bikes, the shocks are mounted to the frame and to the swingarm. You can purchase a special bracket that will allow you to loosen the mounting bolts, slide the shocks to slide the shock back an inch or so, bringing the frame-with-fender down a bit closer to the tire in the rear, which might be enough to get you flat-footed.

You could also replace the stock shock absorbers with shorter shocks, bringing things down even further. If you go this route, make sure you don’t go so short that the tire is likely to rub on the underside of the fender when the shock is compressed (i.e., you hit a bump, or add a passenger or luggage.)

If that’s still not enough, you can also purchase a kit that lowers the front of the bike by changing the springs inside the fork tubes. Again, make sure you aren’t creating a situation where parts of the bike will rub together that weren’t intended to do so. Alternate solutions: You might be able to flat-foot the bike just by changing out the seat. A bike with a wide seat will spread your legs farther apart before they head toward the ground. A narrow-profile seat might give you just enough extra room to get you flat-footed. And, if you’re just up on the balls of your feet instead of tip-toe, it’s possible you could get by just by purchasing boots with a taller heel and sole.

Problem 2: You can’t comfortably reach the handlebars.
Obviously, being able to reach the handgrips is key to comfortably operating and controlling the bike. From a design stand-point, lots of bikes today have “drag bars” - drag-racing style handlebars that come out in a nearly-straight line from the triple tree, extending left and right but not coming back toward you. These bars can force the shorter rider to hunch forward and reach way out to the right and left, putting body weight on your wrists and causing a burning sensation between the shoulder blades after only a short ride. (Kind of like that old ten-speed you used to ride with the curled-under handlebars - which, not coincidentally, was also originally designed for aerodynamic racing.)

Solution: Different handlebars, or pullback risers.
Depending on how far you have to hunch forward, you can try a couple of things here. Pullback risers are little chromey bits you put in between the tree and the bars to bring the bars up and back toward you in inch-increments. Small risers can make a big difference, so ask your dealer to help you determine how much pull-back you need.

You can also try a different handlebar style altogether. Buckhorn bars (and their next-bigger cousin, mini ape-hangers) bring the hand grips back toward you, and put your hands at an angle on the handgrips so your body sits back a bit and your weight rests on your butt and lower back instead of your wrists. Full ape-hangers will likely raise your arms above shoulder-level, which looks “old-school cool” but might make the upper arms ache. Finally, beach bars form a wide curve back toward the rider - like using half a steering wheel from the city bus. These have a distinct look and bring the grips back toward you, with your hands in a straight position similar to the drag bars (but probably with better weight distribution). Of course, if choosing different bars you’ll want to consider the design and look of your bike, too. Beach bars might look hot on a wide cruiser, but they’ll likely look out of place on a narrower bike.

An important caveat here is that adding risers or changing the bars could also mean you’ll need longer or shorter clutch control cables and/or brake lines to accommodate the adjusted distance.

Shorter riders needn’t fear the bike-shopping experience. While it’s true that making these modifications will change the final price of the bike, it’s also true that making a bike fit you perfectly is actually part of the process - and part of the fun!

Janet Green is the editor and chief biker chick at Biker Chick News, a popular web destination for women who ride motorcycles.

For her complete ride journal, plus news and links of interest to women who ride, visit http://www.Bikerchicknews.com.

What is the best motorcycle riding jacket? Well, that depends on a couple of criteria. One of the first things to consider is whether you ride on-road or off-road: if the answer is off-road then you have some different things to consider. First is your ability to clean your riding jacket. Leather motorcycle riding jackets are not something you want to get covered in mud and water all the time.

So, you would probably get a comfortable fitting textile riding jacket. These jackets offer a variety of benefits. In addition to washability, they also offer more breathability when compared to leather. As we all know off-road riding typically gets much hotter than on road and having a riding jacket that breathes and has some venting will be a welcome treat.

Another benefit is keeping dry. Most of these jackets are waterproof, and at the end of a long day of riding it is nice to be dry and comfortable. This particular advantage also applies if you’re riding on-road in damp or rainy conditions.

Finally, these jackets typically have reflective material in strategic spots to make you more visible to others. An obvious benefit there!

The other choice is leather. Leather is by far the most common motorcycle riding jacket. Leather has its benefits. Let’s face it-it’s tough to beat the looks of a nice leather jacket.

These jackets are available in a variety of colors and styles to suit both men and women. Their tight-fitting contours help keep them out of the wind and make for a more enjoyable ride.

Another advantage is their natural ability to provide protection. Leather helps prevent road rash in minor spills and looks good doing it. Unfortunately they don’t like water or mud.

Leathers also require a little TLC to keep looking good and lasting long. It is always a good idea to clean and condition your jacket regularly. This helps with water repellancy and keeps the leather soft and pliable.

Want to learn about the best deals on motorcycle accessories? Written by a husband-and-wife biker team—and Elena’s the world’s best bargain shopper on-line—this site provides not only one-stop shopping for motorcycle accessories, but also helpful information about everything motorcycle. http://www.UltimateMotorcycleSite.com.

For Harley owners looking to make their ride faster and meaner, an aftermarket exhaust system is a great choice. Vance & Hines exhaust systems have long been setting the standard for the industry.

With so many options, choosing an aftermarket exhaust system can be very confusing. This article will help you understand your options to make your choice easier.

Virtually all Vance Hines exhaust systems utilize some variation of their “blue proof” technology. So, you never have to worry about losing the look of the original chrome finish. Most systems are also made in the U.S.A. with the company’s high-quality manufacturing standards. With Vance and Hines, you get a quality product. Sometimes installation is a bit challenging, but I have yet to come across a kit that couldn’t be installed with a little work.

Big Shots Power Chamber
Vance & Hines exclusive “Power Chamber” to boost horsepower and torque. Pipes are straight mid-length. If you’re after performance, consider these.

Big Shot Duals
Ideal for Touring models. Long 2 1/8″ pipes with flat cut ends for a classic dresser look.

Long shots
Extra long 2 1/4″ straight pipes with slash cut ends. This Vance Hines exhaust system is the perfect compliment for the classic cruiser look.

Stepped Drag Pipe
These pipes are all about horsepower. Developed from Vance & Hines winning drag racing experience. 2 1/2″ header into a massive 3″ muffler. Baffles are removable. These are the standard in performance cruiser pipes.

Big Radius
A big fat 2 1/2″ radius flowing mid-length pipe. Pipe ends are scalloped for a unique custom look.

Sideshots Power Chamber
Features the Vance Hines exhaust “Power Chamber” technology for the performance minded. These create a unique custom look with mid-length diagonal 2 1/2″ pipe.

Straightshots
These babies emit a mean deep hot-rod sound with a mid-length straight pipe look. Baffles are removable for those days when you really want to let it rip. Pipe diameter is 2 1/2″. Straightshots are also available in a dual configuration.

Shortshots
A shorter version of the Straight shots. There a little bit smaller at 1 3/4″, but sound just as mean and give you a more hot-rod look. Available in parallel and staggered configurations.

There you have it. Which one is right for you? Find the best deals on Vance Hines Exhaust systems and see specific model applications. Rest assured, whichever system you choose, you won’t regret it. These are all top quality exhaust systems.

Best Deals on Vance Hines Exhaust systems

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

Be sure to check out his other href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Lyle_Dove">articles on Motorcycles.

Many riders searching for the best helmet that money can buy, land on the RX-7 Arai motorcycle helmet. This helmet certainly has many top notch features, but it’s not without it’s flaws.

Let’s start with the helmet’s strong points. The RX-7 Arai Motorcycle Helmet is one of the safest on the market. Arai has drawn on its 50 year’s of experience to develop an extremely safe helmet. With the RX-7 Corsair, they’ve even managed to reduce the weight at the same time as increasing strength.

After safety, most riders agree that comfort is the next most important factor. No doubt about it, this is one comfortable helmet. The RX-7 Arai motorcycle helmet is offered in 2 distinct interior shapes and sizes from XS to XXL. Optional lining thicknesses and cheekpad sizes allow you to customize the helmet for the perfect fit.

One of the biggest benefits of the RX-7 Arai motorcycle helmet over its competitors is the airflow system. On long hot rides, you’ll be glad you’re wearing an Arai motorcycle helmet. The intake and exhaust ports efficiently move air through the helmet and effectively keep your head cool. Ironically, this is also the biggest flaw in the helmet.

While the increased airflow is a welcome to your hot head, it’s not easy on the ears. Wind noise is noticably louder on this helmet than on competitors and previous Arai motorcycle helmets. It seems that the increased wind flow is the cause of this extra noise. It’s so loud, that at times it’s even hard to hear engine noise. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s something to consider. If this is a deal-killer for you, consider another Arai motorcycle helmet.

The high price tag of this helmet is also considered to be a big negative. The helmet is expensive, but we’re talking about your head. There are a few good deals on Arai helmets on the web.

Overall, the RX-7 Arai motorcycle helmet is a top notch helmet. If you can live with the wind noise, you’ll appreciate the superior safety, comfort, and cooling capabilities of this helmet. So, if you’re looking for the perfect helmet, it doesn’t exist. But this is probably as close as you’re gonna get.

Best Deals on Arai Motorcycle Helmets

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.