Category Archives: Motorcycles

Preparing Your Motorcycle For Winter Storage

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It is late November and by now you have probably cleaned your gutters, drained the gas out of your weed eater, put some stabilizer in the gas tank of the lawn mower, and checked the coolant in your car to make sure it is ready for the frigid temperatures to come. But have you prepared your motorcycle for winter storage? Some have the ability to ride all year, but most of us aren’t that fortunate. So about the time Thanksgiving rolls around we must consider the reality that our riding days are few and far between until the spring thaw. For this reason it is a good idea to take a little time and make sure that the next time we are ready to ride, our equipment is as ready as we are. Let’s talk about a few things that we can do to accomplish this.

Battery – It is always a good idea to clean your battery connections a couple times a year. Now is a great time to do this. The battery terminals have a tendency to get corroded, which can cause numerous issues on your motorcycle. The first and most obvious problem you will face is getting your motorcycle started. Poor connections caused from dirty battery terminals can prevent your bike from starting. Additionally, it can keep the battery from receiving the proper charge while the motorcycle is running. If your motorcycle is computer controlled it will require the proper levels of voltage to operate at peak performance. Corroded battery terminals will increase the resistance level, in turn causing the voltage to drop. This may result in performance issues. In addition to cleaning the top of the battery and the terminals, it is a good idea to check the fluid level in the battery. If the fluids are low, refill the battery with distilled or deionized water. Tap water has minerals and will not be good for your battery. If you are storing your motorcycle outside, it is a good idea to remove the battery and keep it in a warmer climate. This will prolong the life of your battery. While storing the battery be sure not to place it on concrete, this will drain the charge. If you don’t remove the battery, a battery tender is a great way to keep the battery fully charged. The use of a battery tender is something I highly recommend. The installation is quick and easy, and well worth the aggravation it will save you when you get ready for the first ride of the new season and your bike won’t start.

Tires – Keeping your tires fully inflated is also important. If you are storing your motorcycle outdoors, it is best to have the tires sitting on a piece of wood. Keeping the tires fully inflated and stored on a piece of wood while storing outside is the best possible scenario. If you are storing your motorcycle indoors, it is a good practice to have the bike sitting on a motorcycle jack, or an ATV stand. This will also prolong the life of your tires.

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Ice Racing Offers Chills and Thrills

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Winter is a time when you put your motorcycle to bed for a few months, right?

Not if you’re an ice racer. For ice racers, winter is when the fun begins.

OK, now hold on. How do you race on two wheels on ice? What, is the top speed 3 miles an hour, and the finisher who falls down the least number of times wins?

No, no, no. It’s nothing short of amazing how good your traction is on ice if you drive a couple hundred sheet metal screws into your tires. Are you starting to get the picture?

Ice racing is not just for motorcycles, either. Sure you’ll see bikes like the Yamaha YZ125 and various sizes of Kawasaki’s KLX. But you’ll also see quads, like Kawasaki’s KFX 450R and Suzuki’s QuadSport Z400. Plus, there are vintage classes for those who like the old iron. There are classes for riders of all ages, riding skill, type of ride… you name it.

And ice racing is a family affair. In many cases you’ll see Dad on his bike, Mom on hers, Junior on his kid-sized bike, and even little Susie on her even smaller bike, complete with screws in the tires and training wheels on the back. The really little ones don’t generally go that fast, but if you start them young you never know what heights they’ll reach.

Most of all it’s a great time for some high quality family time. Most everyone brings their grill or other sorts of camp cookwear and the parking lot becomes a scene very similar to the tailgate parties outside a football stadium. You come with friends or make friends there. You’ve always got friends around who share your interest. There’s no worry that your son or daughter is off getting into trouble with some questionable cohorts; you can see them right there zipping around that frozen track. And there’s no place else in the world they’d rather be right at this moment.

At the ice races you’ll have an action-packed day. When you’re not busy preparing your own bike for your heats maybe you’ll be helping one of the kids with theirs or watching them race. By definition, it’s cold out there so things move at a rapid pace. No one wants to be sitting around in the cold waiting for something to happen. Let’s go!

In the pits there’s always plenty going on. Riders are tearing down their bikes, looking to fix that glitch that knocked them out of their last heat. Or busily drilling more screws into their tires to replace those they lost earlier in the day. Or helping their buddies do the same.

Sure, it’s competition, and people are out there to win. But more than anything, they’re there to have fun. And is it fun to blast around on a frozen lake at 50 miles an hour, sliding through curves with ice crystals flying everywhere? I think you know the answer to that one.

This is a preview of Ice Racing Offers Chills and Thrills. Read the full post (587 words, estimated 2:21 mins reading time)

History of the Honda CB1000 (Big 1)

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When first launched in 1992, the Honda CB1000 (Big 1) seemed to be the ultimate naked street bike; big, powerful, and reliable. Right from the start, it was known more for its great acceleration than top speed, reaching 60 mph in just over 3 seconds. This was a decision taken by Honda engineers, who de-tuned the powerful, four-stroke 998cc engine since it was felt speeds in excess of 130 mph on an unfaired bike could prove dangerous. However, this massive motorcycle still delivered all the thrills of speed with beautiful retro styling.

At the heart of the Honda CB1000 (Big 1) was the water-cooled DOHC 998cc engine, with 4 vales per cylinder pumping out a grand total of 96.50 hp at 8500 rpm. The engine torque of 62.4 pounds per foot kicked in at 6000 rpm, giving the CB1000 excellent acceleration from a standing start. All of this power certainly came in handy, since this naked bike was just over 510 pounds of metal and rubber! With a good rider and smooth roads, the Honda CB1000 (Big 1) was known to easily exceed speeds of 120 mph and felt nimble and zippy at lower speeds.

Honda engineers provided the CB1000 (Big 1) with an excellent 5 speed gearbox that allowed for greater control and handling. The long wheelbase of 1540mm and single unit chassis also helped this large machine remain stable at high speeds. Riders loved the low seating position, with 43mm telescopic forks at the front and a pair of Showa shocks at the rear adding to ride quality. The Honda CB1000 (Big 1) wore 120/70-18 tyres in front with dual disk brakes and 170/70-18 tyres at the back, with a single disk brake. All of these features helped riders all over the world enjoy a confident, adrenalin-charged superbike experience.

While production of the Honda CB1000 (Big 1) stopped in 1998, this naked street bike has remained a hit with original owners and motorcycling enthusiasts. One big attraction of the Honda CB1000 (Big 1) is that it has the rugged, retro look of old-school superbikes, without a ton of plastic fairing covering up the guts. Honda’s reputation in quality engine design is well deserved in the 998cc unit, with two decade old bikes still racing on UK streets. The Honda CB1000 (Big 1) also remains popular with retro bike restorers, since genuine spare parts are still available with a few trusted dealers.

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Suzuki Offers Seven Updated Motorcycles for 2012

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It’s the time of year when motorcycle manufacturers roll out their new or newly reworked models for the coming year, and Suzuki has a passel of new offerings. Using the company’s own categories, there are four new motocross bikes, one newly revised dual-sport, and two new off road bikes. Two of the motocross bikes and both of the off road bikes are also classified as kids’ bikes.

The motocrossers all share the RM designation. They include the RM-Z450 at 449cc, RM-Z250 at 249cc, RM85 at 84.7cc, and the same-sized RM85L. The difference between the RM85 and RM85L is that the latter sports larger wheels, an extended swingarm, and its wheelbase is designed specifically to accommodate larger riders.

The RM-Z450 has a fuel-injected, DOHC, four-valve engine and comes with a 5-speed transmission. It has inverted forks with adjustable compression and rebound damping. The rear shock permits wheel travel of 310mm to eat up the bumps.

On the RM-Z250 the engine is also a fuel-injected DOHC, with titanium four-valve, semi-dry-sump, four-stroke configuration. RPM peaks at 13,500. It has a 5-speed transmission. Says Suzuki, “Tuned to offer superb handling for a wide range of riders, the suspension delivers excellent traction without sacrificing quick-turning ability.”

The RM85 is a two-stroke, as is the RM85L. Both the 85s come with a 6-speed transmission, inverted forks, and adjustable compression and rebound damping. Significantly for racers, the RM85′s wheel sizes meet AMA 85cc class regulations.

All four bikes come with electronic ignition but use kick starters. MSRP is listed for the RM-Z450 as $8,399; $7,399 for the RM-Z250; $4,149 for the RM85; and $4,199 for the RM85L.

The 2012 dual-sport is not a new bike, but the venerable 650cc V-Strom with significant new features. Most notable of the upgrades is ABS. While ABS is considered undesirable on the dirt by many riders, Suzuki reportedly determined that 97 percent of the V-Stroms sold never leave the pavement, and thus ABS would be warranted and welcome. If you do want to take the bike off the pavement, an aftermarket kit is available to switch the ABS off and on.

Suzuki is billing the 2012 V-Strom as “The Comfortable Adventure Tourer.” The company boasts improvements in engine performance in the low- to mid-ranges, better fuel economy, and styling and bodywork design changes that offer the rider better wind protection. It has an electric starter. MSRP on the new V-Strom has not yet been released.

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