Repairing Flat Tires On A Scooter

The tires and the spokes of the scooter will require daily inspection to ensure you have no problems, and that your ride will be a safe one. If you are faced with broken spokes, you should repair them right away to prevent additional breakage. If you have a flat tire, you will also need to have someone change it, plug it or repair it so you can continue riding the scooter. Riding the scooter with a flat tire is going to bend and chip the rims, the wheels, and will not provide you with the smooth ride you are accustomed.

For flat tires, there is a canister type of solution you can purchase which is known as fix a flat, which will fix flat tires, plugging holes in the rubber tire. The Fix a flat is a canister that will plug right into the tire, inflating the tire as it plugs the hole at the same time. The Fix a flat is going to work on the tires that are rubber, the same as your car. This type of repair is not going to work on the tire with a tube or the tire that has a major cut in it. Repairs to the tire that has a large gash will require replacement of the tire. Most all medical supply houses, and scooter retail outlets do make replacement tires easy to purchase.

Regular reviewing and maintenance of your tires will be required. If you are not using your scooter for long periods, you should at least have someone move the tires around, so they are not sitting on one portion of the tire for weeks on end. Dry rot is a problem for tires not used often. A scooter not used for three months at a time can easily have dry rot on the tire. Dry rot can be spotted by the cracks in the tires, which can easily then lead to air leaks.

To prevent the need to fix flat tires, to fix broken spokes, and to prevent dry rot on any scooter tire, you should consider the purchase of tires, which are solid. Solid tires are available with or without tread. Solid tires never require air. If you have tires that do require air, you can pump up the tires with a bike pump or with an air compressor.

Racing Fast Super Pocket Bikes

The latest craze worldwide is purchasing and racing Pocket Bikes. However, this can be very dangerous to the inexperienced rider. These bikes are not toys and should never be underestimated. The bikes that are more powerful and expensive are strictly built for experienced adult riders, not children looking for a joyride. These bikes are built sleek and fast for racing. They have power of 9.5 hp or 12+ hp -these models are definitely suggested for professional racers only. Due the incredible power to weight ratio, if you have no previous experience with these bikes, take safety precautions and educate yourself about their operation before riding.

As for places to race these bikes, there are many options and locations from which to choose. You could choose to become a member of a bike league. These leagues hold races in various locations such as speedways, go-kart tracks, or closed parking lots. The leagues can also assist you in finding other safe and legal places to ride outside of race time. If for some reason you are unable to find a league in your immediate region, you may look inside your local yellow pages or on the Internet for further assistance. Here are a few tips that may help you in case you are still having trouble locating assistance or a league: Find a clear open area that allows for pocket bikes at high speeds, ensure there are no obstacles or obstructions that could result in injury, and also be sure to steer clear of public roads and pedestrian-heavy areas.

Be sure to obtain copies of any laws and regulations you will need to observe in the area you plan on racing in. You should be able to locate or obtain these from the local library or law enforcement offices in your area.

Qualms in Choosing a BIKE

The fact is – the best bikes are just out there and the challenge now is how to get them.

If you are to purchase a bike, the clerk representative will give you a long list of selection. As a result, you will likely encounter qualms in choosing your bike. To preclude this from happening, you must establish your needs and wants as a rider. Be sure that the bike that you are about to purchase will give them to you.

Different personalities of riders entail variation in the choice of a bike. There are those who are solid to Harley Road King. For them, it is important that your bike’s tank have the Harley-Davidson’s stamped legacy.

Others go for Honda while others for Yamaha. There are those who are more on the performance aspect. They are considering a bike that can still give comfort even during bumpy rides. These bikes must also be powerful and well defined. In addition, to boost their performance, riders must use quality OEM Honda and Yamaha motorcycle parts. If not, the rider can resort to an aftermarket motorcycle part of the same or of greater quality.

In purchasing a bike, the purchaser must also consider its insurance rates. Ironically, sometimes the latter can exceed the bike payment. Honda CBR can be a fine choice, however, consider the insurance probabilities.

Since there are ample choices and alternatives available, use the process of elimination to arrive at a good choice. There are good quality and high-performing bikes that will not drain your finances. You can choose them instead of their expensive counterparts.

Your choice of bike can lead you to frustration or fulfillment. Be sure you exercise your right to choose carefully and exactly!

Protect Your Investment With A Motorcycle Cover

So you have just made the last ride for the season. You've checked the oil and drained the fuel from the tank. You place all of your motorcycle gear in the closet, after treating it with leather treatment. You have hand washed the motorcycle from top to bottom. You have dismantled the intake, and place cotton toweling in the carburetor to keep out any pesky rodents. The battery has been unbolted and placed on a shelf for the winter. Every thing is set for it's winter storage. Then it hits you. You forgot the motorcycle cover. Again!.

Last year you had to spend hours cleaning all of the dust off of the motorcycle so that you could go out for your spring ride and break the new oil in. What to do now? Well, not wanting to go through the same fiasco as last year, you decide to head down to your local Harley shop and buy a motorcycle cover. You did remember to bring the credit card right? The average cost for a quality motorcycle cover from a local dealer can run as much as $350.00.

Finding a solution on-line could help you out significantly. By saving money on your cover, you can afford to buy that new motorcycle luggage set you have had your eye on. When looking for a motorcycle cover on-line, be sure to pay attention to the details of the cover. Does it guarantee weatherproofing? Does one size fit all? Does the motorcycle cover have any features that another might not have? Is it heat retardant to prevent damage from the engine and super hot exhaust? You should ask all of these questions when buying a motorcycle cover.

The finer points of a purchase agreement should be read ass well. Often times a customer will have to pay for shipping charges if the product is to be returned for an exchange or refund. Does the website offer free insurance? Does the website have a return policy if it doesn't fit? Is the website you are buying from reputable? Can you find and speak to a real person of the company when you call their sales and support hot line? Do they have a sales and support hot line?

While you are waiting for the cover to arrive, be sure to get a tracking number from the company you bought the motorcycle cover from. Do they offer a tracking number from a reputable company like UPS, or FedEx? Think before you buy. Check out the company and do some research to ensure that you will have a pleasant purchase. There are plenty of resources available for the on-line purchaser to check out a company to find out if they are reputable.

Though you may be apprehensive about purchasing a motorcycle cover on-line, you can follow these helpful tips to be sure that your purchase is a success. You might even consider buying from the same company, and just finding out that they are the best solution for all of your motorcycle accessories needs.

Protect Your Health With Motorcycle Rain Gear

Imagine for a moment, that you are flying along a road out on your yearly motorcycle road trip. You have 250 miles to go before you stop for the night, and you see a thunderstorm rolling in. As it looms closer you begin to wonder what to do. A contributing factor in all of this is that you forgot to pack your rain gear. Should you pull over and wait out the storm? Or ride on through to your next stop, and tough it out. You decide to for the latter, and end up spending the rest of your trip miserable, because you have gotten a cold mixed with a sinus infection. If only you had packed your motorcycle rain gear.

The miracles of modern textiles could have saved you the trouble and hassle of a cold. Quality motorcycle rain suits are made from an advanced waterproof technology, 600 Denier nylon. They will have several pockets with full enclosed flaps and Velcro, and even an inner pocket to keep your wallet nice and dry.

With numerous styles and colors to choose from, you can find one that matches your tastes, and still have a comfortable fit. You can purchase a rain suit in either a one piece style or two piece style. The legs should have Velcro and zippers to accommodate the wearing of boots, and the sleeves should have Velcro and zippers as well to help facilitate the wearing of a leather jacket. There should also be a durable heat resistant inner leg lining to protect the rain suit from becoming melted due to high engine and exhaust temperatures. Finding a motorcycle rain suit that has reflective material is also important. This helps to ensure that other drivers see you in bad weather.

When riding in the rain remember to take it slower than normal. Try to keep the turns to a minimum, as you only have two wheels touching the ground, and a condition called hydroplaning can occur very much easier than in a passenger vehicle. Hydroplaning occurs when the water underneath a tire causes the tire to actually float on the water, causing the tire to loose traction and stability. Be sure to observe the amount of rain on the road, as even a couple of inches of rain can cause hydroplaning.

Finally when you arrive at your destination, be sure to treat all of your leather products with a good polish and leather preserver like, Skidmore's Biker Motorcycle Edition Leather Cream that helps preserve and restore a soft durable quality to the leather. The best time to do this actually is after every rainy ride, or at least once a month.

Whatever the weather that you are riding in, always be sure to stay safe, and have fun. The art of motorcycle riding can be dangerous, but you can help keep it safe if you follow the rules of the road. Be sure to help out your fellow bikers, and always wear head protection.

Protect Your Head With A Cool Half Helmet

DOT approved motorcycle half helmets are quickly becoming the most popular type of motorcycle helmet. Fashioned after the German motorcycle helmet, these small and light weight helmets are among the best available today for the motorcycle rider.

Many materials are used in making a motorcycle half helmet. The best manufacturers of motorcycle half helmets use super lightweight materials, and can have a helmet weighing as little as 28 ounces. Better quality half helmets are made from a durable, yet light weight carbon fiber shell. The manufacturer will use styrofoam as a spacer/padding inside of the shell. Lined with a plush cloth, and double d stainless steel rings for the chin strap, a half helmet can offer the best combination of comfort and safety. Some half helmets are finished with a leather exterior on the shell, or simply a paint scheme with graphics.

There are many sub styles of half helmets available. The retro style is simply a round shell with no visor. Simply a shell and chin straps. There are some retro style half helmets that have a patch of leather over where the ear would fit in the chin strap to offer some warmth to the rider on cool nights or days. This is commonly referred to as a neck warmer.

The jockey/polo style most closely resembles the German motorcycle helmet. Shaped like the retro, with a small extension of the shell in the back, and a permanent visor molded into the shell, these offer a comfortable fit as well. These can be fitted with neck warmers as well.

The beanie/shorty style of half helmets are very similar to the jockey/polo style half helmet, with the exception that the visor is removable. These can also have neck warmers optionally, and also have face shield visors that flip up snapped into place. The beanie/shorty style is the most popular among the half helmet categories.

When purchasing a half helmet, use a cloth measuring tape to measure your head size. Have someone help you so that you can get an accurate measurement. Measure around the circumference of your head just about one inch above your eyebrows, or whichever point gives you the largest measurement. If your measurement falls between two sizes, use the larger of the two sizes. The measurements for sizes are XS 20 1/4 - 20 7/8", S 21 - 21 5/8", M 21 3/4 - 22 3/8", L 22 1/2 - 23 1/8",XL 23 1/4 – 24", XXL - 24 1/8 - 24 7/8".

remember to always check for DOT approved helmets, and ask for the DOT number available for the helmet, so that you can verify yourself that the helmet is legitimately manufactured to meet or exceed DOT standards. This can be the deciding factor in some cases as to whether or not you can wear a helmet in some states that require helmets to be worn when riding on a motorcycle.

Popular Motor Scooters Compared

Vespa scooters are one of the oldest names in the scooter business. They have been manufacturing motor scooters since 1946 and their models are in great demand world wide. There are several popular Vespa motor scooters that range in size from 50cc to 200cc.

The Vespa Granturismo has a 200cc engine which is the biggest, fastest and most powerful Vespa ever made. It has a 4-stroke 4-valve engine that is liquid-cooled. With its powerful engine it has the ability to pull away from almost any kind of traffic you could encounter. Even with its larger and more powerful engine it is still a very quiet motor scooter and emits exceptionally low levels of pollution.

The Granturismo has 12 inch wheels and both front and rear hydraulic disc brakes. Plus it has some good storage space. Two open face helmets can be stored under the seat plus a few extras in the glove compartment.

Other popular Vespa models are the LX, PX 150, PX 150 Limited Edition and some top motor scooters in their Piaggio line.

The LX motor scooter comes in either the classic 50cc or 150cc versions. The LX scooters are made for commuting. They aren’t as powerful as the Granturismo, but they save on gas. It’s amazing how much more fun everyday errands can become when you surround yourself with the style, performance and safety that the LX encompasses.

The PX 150 motor scooter is 150cc of classic Vespa. It comes complete with manual gears and a rear foot break. This is the original, the legendary, the classic PX. It’s available in the United States once again after a 20-plus year hiatus. These scooters are brand new, but maintain the original design. It comes with a 4-speed gear shift, manual 4-speed transmission, rear foot break, 150cc engine and a standard spare wheel.

The PX 150 Limited Edition is limited to just 500 scooters. The first PX motor scooters were made in 1977 and they have become one of the most recognized scooters in the world. Over 2 million have been sold world wide and they have achieved a true cult scooter status. For collectors you can’t go wrong with a PX 150 Limited Edition scooter.

Vespa also makes motor scooters under the Piaggio name. They have several popular models that are very powerful machines. The X9 Evolution has a 39 horsepower engine that will reach a top speed of 98 mph.

The BV200 and BV250 models boast a single cylinder, four-stroke engine with an automatic transmission. No need for constant shifting here. This makes it an ideal motor scooter for stop and go situations, the type of travel you will find in the city. And on the open highway they will reach top speeds of 75 mph.

The BV series boasts large 16 inch wheels and dual shock absorbers for the smoothest ride in scootering. Plus, there is plenty of room for a passenger. They also have lockable storage compartments under the seat for helmets or groceries. These are great gas powered scooters for city driving.

If you need to step up a notch you will find the Piaggio BV500 ideal. It’s great for scootering around the city. With its powerful engine it will take you anywhere you want to go in a hurry. It too has 16 inch wheels, a 4-stroke, 4-valve Piaggio Master engine, and the exclusive Piaggio integral braking system for safe and smooth stops. There are many other features that make this a popular scooter.

Piaggio also has other models such as the FLY150, which is a smaller cheaper model with 12 inch wheels. It’s not quite as powerful as the bigger models, but it maneuvers around town very well and gets better gas mileage.

Honda is a very popular scooter manufacturer and has many wonderful models to choose from. Among the most popular are the Silver Wing, Helix and Elite.

The Silver Wing has a powerful liquid-cooled 582cc engine, automatic transmission and seats two people comfortably. It is a strong scooter that is made for touring.

The Honda Helix also has room for two and has a built-in trunk with plenty of storage room. It has 244cc of pure power, a liquid-cooled four-stroke engine and has been an extremely popular model for many years.

The Honda Elite is the gas-saver. It has a smaller 80cc four-stroke engine and is fully automatic. You can enjoy the ride without worrying about shifting gears all the time. Plus, with the smaller engine you save on gas.

Another lesser known, but quality model, is the Bajaj. Bajaj scooters have the highest mileage rating of any 150cc scooter in the U.S. allowing you to get up to 110 miles per gallon (per EPA City Cycle dyno tests). It has a 4-stroke 4-speed engine and is built by a company with over 40 years of experience building motor scooters and utility vehicles. So if you want reliability and high gas mileage the Bajaj may be what you’re looking for.

There are many scooter manufacturers around the world. There are electric scooters and gas powered scooters. Scooters have become a popular form of travel because of the great savings achieved due to their high gas mileage, cheap prices and low operational expenses. Plus, they are extremely fun out on the open road.