Motorcycle Accidents - Check Your Bike for Safe Riding This Spring

Winter's firmly in the rear view mirror and we're heading rapidly towards warmer, drier days - perfect motorcycling weather. But before you pull the covers off your bike and head out on the road, take the opportunity to make sure both you and your bike are ready.

Although motor vehicles only have to be MOT'd once a year, it is your responsibility to ensure that your vehicle is roadworthy all year round. A winter laid up in the garage or under a cover can leave a bike with dangerous problems such as seized brake callipers and cylinders or low tyre pressures. So before you head out on the road, it's time to give the bike a thorough check. Riding a bike that is not roadworthy could result in a serious accident, and the most likely person to suffer as a result is you. Motorcyclists make up a tiny percentage of road users but a disproportionately high number of traffic accident victims. While motorcycle accidents are often the result of other road user's inattention, checking that your bike is safe prevents you from being the cause of your own misfortune.

Basic checks

If you're not confident in your skills as a motorcycle mechanic, the best thing to do is book your bike in for a service at a reputable garage. However, there are plenty of things even amateur mechanics can do to avoid motorcycle accidents.

Tyres - the most obvious check is to ensure that your tyres are at the correct pressure, but take the opportunity to check the condition of them as well. Make sure that your tyres have the minimum tread depth across the whole width of the tyre and that there are no cracks, splits or damage particularly to the sides of the tyres.

Brakes - leaving a bike standing for any length of time can result in the brakes becoming stiff or even seizing on. Ensure that your brakes are fully operational and that there are no airlocks in the lines. Bleed the brakes through to remove any air in the system, and top up brake fluid levels.

Oil - changing the oil and oil filter can increase the efficiency of the engine and reduce emissions. It also prolongs the life of the engine and prevents dangerous situations such as the engine seizing whilst travelling.

Lights - although the days are getting longer, you will still need to ensure that all of your lights are working correctly, particularly brake lights. Replace any bulbs that don't work.

Getting yourself ready

Once the bike is in good working order, it's time to think about yourself. If you haven't ridden for a few months, remember that the first time out your reaction times are going to be a little slower than normal, so take it easy and be far more aware of traffic on the road. Remember also that road conditions may have changed since your last ride, as winter weather damages the surface of the road so watch out for new potholes.

Easy Bike Makeover Through Chrome Motorcycle Wheels

You will find motorcycle lovers in every corner of the world. There is something very special about riding a motorcycle which has thrilled bike lovers for decades. For some it is a preferred way to ride through busy city traffic while for others it is about making a style statement. Whatever may be the reason behind your love for your motorbike you always are looking for ways and means through which you can enhance the looks of your bike. One of the most convenient and easiest ways to give your motor bike a makeover is through installing chrome motorcycle wheels. Let us further study how this could be effectively done.

There are thousands of similar motorcycles running on the roads and we are always looking to add something to our motorbike which will make it stand apart in the crowd and force the beholders to give it a second look. For the people for whom budget is not the constraint they can definitely go in for a custom made motorcycle which would be second to none. While for the vast majority of the motorcycle lovers a quick makeover can still do the trick. By changing wheels of your motorbike to new flashy chrome wheels you can completely change its appearance and style appeal. This also proves to be the cheapest way of giving looks of your motorbike a complete overhaul.

Getting chrome wheels on to your bike is not at all a difficult or highly technical job. Though selecting right kind of chrome wheel could be something which could take some time and effort on your part. There are numerous designs and styles in which these chrome motorcycle wheels come in. You will have to careful in your selection process and select the one which would go well with your bike. In case you have something very peculiar in your mind as far as a chrome wheels are concerned you also have the option of custom designing your own chrome wheel though these will be more expensive then the readymade ones.

After installing new chrome wheels you may also need to do a little touch up with regards to the current paint on your bike so that it can complement the new flashy wheel. There are many stores which exclusively deal in these chrome wheels and within few minutes your motor bike good be transformed into something really trendy and cool piece of art. In case you are little too busy in visiting one of these stores you can also log on to the internet and visit one of the online stores selling chrome motorcycle wheels.

Changing the look and feel of your motorbike could be real easy if you give it right kind of a chrome alloy wheel base.

Bike Commuting - 5 Tips to Help With Sweating

Whether you treat your bike commute as a time trial stage of the Tour de France or a leisurely roll down the lane, everyone has to deal with the issue of sweating. Even those lucky enough to have a gym nearby to shower and change can still find themselves uncomfortably sticky long after they reach their desk. Here are 5 tips to help reduce the impact of sweating on your bike commute.

Use Breathable Synthetics or SmartWool - Designed to move moisture away from the body, these fabrics help keep you cool and dry on your ride. Almost all cycling apparel employs some sort of breathable fabric. If you prefer not to change at work, look for business casual golf shirts or other acceptable styles made of moisture wicking material. A word of caution about synthetics, they have a reputation for retaining body odor in the fabric. Avoid leaving wet clothes stuffed in bag all day. If this becomes an issue, try pre-soaking them with diluted white vinegar or switching to SmartWool.

Baby Wipes and Baby Powder - A lot of research has gone into keeping a baby's behind high and dry, so why not apply it to staying dry on your bike commute? Both baby wipes and baby powder are designed for babies' sensitive skin, so most adults should have no problem using them. Baby wipes are great to keep at your office or in your pack for an after ride wipe down. For many bike commuters, this poor man's shower is all they need to start the work day fresh. To help control moisture either before or after a ride, sprinkle a little baby powder on your chest and in your shorts. Not only does it absorb moisture, it kind of feels nice too.

Cold Water on Your Pulse - Anywhere a doctor can take your pulse is a good place to apply ice or cold water to cool down. Not everyone has access to a cold shower or ice machine at work, but even running cold water on your wrist for a minute or two can help cool you down. A bag of ice applied to the inner thigh would get the quickest results, but probably not practical in most work environments.

Wet Before You Ride - On particularly hot days, wet your shirt with cold water before your ride. If you are wearing a breathable shirt, the dampness of the shirt combined the air flowing through will help keep you cool. Depending on the conditions, you may actually arrive dryer than if you hadn't started out in a wet shirt. Wetting a bandanna or skull cap works also works well. For the really hot days, try keeping your whole outfit in your freezer the night before your commute.

Get in Shape - Seems fairly straight forward, but getting in shape can help reduce sweating. Since you are already bike commuting, you are either already in shape or on your way.

Motorcycle Insurance: Reflecting The Type of Bike You Ride

As the price of motorcycles can vary much depending on what type of motorbike you ride, so can the price of obtaining insurance for your motorbike vary. Having insurance for your motorcycle is a legal requirement in the United Kingdom and mandatory, just as the wearing of a helmet is. Depending where you live in the UK can have a big consideration in the price of the premium you will pay to take out insurance, whilst this factor it is only one amongst many that an insurance company will look at when deciding to insure you.

Other reasons in assessing insurance will be the age of the person who will be riding the motorcycle, what experience they have and how this is reflected by their record of driving. Also of course the make and model of the motorcycle and the capacity of the engine will all be taken in to account on your application for insurance.

Perhaps the most common of insurances that are issued to riders is the most basic one of third party insurance, there is a minimum requirement in the UK and this third party insurance meets this. The reason why this is a popular insurance that most people go for, is it is the least expensive but still meets the UK legal aspect.

One must bear in mind when purchasing third party insurance that you yourself are not covered should you befall an injury, and neither is your motorbike if there is any damage to it, this type of insurance only covers any damage to property that the rider might do and damage to any person the rider might do to It is well to remember that under this type of policy the rider of the motorbike is not covered in the event of any personal harm, or if there is any damage done to the motorcycle itself.

Now we will take a look at what is the top expensive form of insurance for a motorcycle and that is comprehensive insurance, by the fact that it is the most expensive, it offers the rider the best in protection not only for the rider but the motorcycle as well, but saying this it does not provide any cover for pillion passengers. But provides for cover if any damage is done to the motorcycle, if in an accident parts are damaged they will be replaced and if the rider suffers any personal injury they will be covered.

If you want to get motorcycle insurance that includes the option of being able to carry a pillion passenger, then your insurance premium will be higher than if you elect not to, in fact if you choose not to take out cover for a pillion passenger you could be making a saving of nearly 10% which is something to keep in mind, but you will have to remember the rider of the motorcycle will never be able to have a passenger on the back of the bike at any time.

Tag Along Bike

When you see the expression "Tag Along Bike" for the first time - if you are like me - you wonder what it means. It's the term used when you attaché another bike on to the back of your bike so that you can take - predominately - children with you safely when you go out on your bike.

There are other terms you make come across if you become interested in finding out about these kinds of bikes. Other terms are Trailer Bikes, Kid's Trailer Bikes, and Trailer Tandem Bikes. They all relate to you securing a bicycle trailer onto the back of your bike.

The main people interested in this form of transport are families who want to take a junior member of the family with them when they go out on their bikes. This usually means that all the family can enjoy a day's cycling together; without leaving the younger one behind or waiting for them to catch up - if they are old enough to ride a bike.

The added bonus is that by having them attached to the back of your bike, you are in control of their safety. There's also the additional bonus of that these bikes come with a warning flag, so that motorists are alerted to you and your passenger as they approaching you on the road.

These bikes come in all standard shapes, but there are different adjustments and sizes for the difference in the passenger's age. The attachments come with an easy fasten and release secure mechanism. They are also designed so that you can fold the attachment arm away for convenient storage, when not in use.

There are made by a selection of the main bicycle manufactures who are all dedicated to high safety specifications. You may find that if you own a bike it's more than likely that your bike maker makes a tag along bike trailer.

As I mention above the main use of a tag long bicycle is that you don't have to leave the youngest member of the family behind when you feel like taking the bike for a spin. It is also a means of introducing then to the hazards of the roads and making then aware of what they need to do to stay safe.

A bike trailer for kids is a great way for the family to bond. You can all go to the park - to play games or have a picnic - or go to some event or festival and then you can have a leisurely ride back home all together. The tag along bike trailer will extend the numerous adventures you can have as a family together.

If you are interested in finding out more about a tag along bike and the fun you and your family can have with one, then click below for further information.