Dunlop motorcycle tires have been long known for their high quality and reliability. Worldwide, motorcyclists of all skill levels depend on Dunlop motorcycle tires. In fact, Dunlop tires are used by more motorcyclists than any other brand. This is largely because of Dunlop tire's devotion to excellence. In order to learn how successful the company is today, it is necessary to look at the company's history. In 1888, John Boyd Dunlop invented the first practical pneumatic tire. In doing so, he created a whole new industry. Using innovative technology, Dunlop introduced the first use of Kevlar belts in motorcycle tires and produced the first original-equipment radial street tire. Dunlop tire also continues to lead the industry with new ideas, like the 20-inch front tire for off-road use. Dunlop leads the motorcycle tire industry in its continuing research to improve the motorcycle tire. Also, Dunlop is still the only company to make motorcycle tires in the United States.
It is important to take care of your Dunlop motorcycle tire. Be sure to properly maintain it by storing it properly and maintain suspension settings in exact compliance with the vehicle owner's manual. If your motorcycle tires are improperly maintained, it could lead to flats, low tire pressure, or other potentially dangerous situations. If you don't have any experience maintaining your motorcycle tire, be sure to take your motorcycles in to the motorcycle dealer for regular maintenance checks.
Showing posts with label Motorcycles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Motorcycles. Show all posts
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Want a chopper? Build your own!
Motorcycle chopper kits are a growth industry. But what does that mean to you and me? Well one thing that we know is that we will have more choppers to ogle at. There is not a single day that goes by without more and more pictures of chopper bikes that have just been finished showing up in all the motorcycle magazines. Then at the weekends, when we are on our “hot” rides, we will see four or five show finish level bikes. There are more choppers around now than there have been in the last twenty five years.
Most of these choppers have been built from motorcycle chopper kits, the “bike in a box” approach. But hey, don't knock it! Building your own chopper has never been easier. There are rolling chassis kits, complete bike kits, and frame manufacturers give you a multitude of choice when it comes to take the plunge and buy a motorcycle chopper kit.
Thirty years ago, the old school chopper builders had to start with a stock bike off-the-shelf and literally chop it to pieces. With the modern chopper kits, there is a viable alternative to taking the cutting torch to your favorite soft tail!
Nowadays, you have a cheap and easier way to build the bike from the ground up. When you take the cost of buying a new bike and the expense of chopping it, it works out much cheaper to start from step one, and your chopper kit. Instead of tossing away the parts that you'll never use again, you can start building your own bike with the parts that you really need. All the parts are included in the motorcycle chopper kit, along with comprehensive instructions.
One of the first questions that people ask when considering buying a kit is how will my bike stand outs from all the other chopper kits? Well think of it this way, you are going to buy a chopper kit. A pile of unassembled raw metal. No paint, no real finish, just a blank canvas. Is your taste in paint jobs likely to be the same as the next guy, who buys the very same kit? I don't think so. What about your taste in bolt-ons, seats, exhausts? Just because you buy the kit doesn't mean every little thing has to be just so. That is the whole point isn't it? It's very easy in this way to build your own custom chopper from a chopper kit.
Another big question is, “How long”? The answer to that is as long as it takes. Even on the kit bikes, which are supposed to be designed to fit together like a glove, you are going to run into some snags. It can't be avoided!
If you want a more concrete guide, try this. An experienced kit builder (though not a professional) I spoke to reckons it took 10 full days to build his last chopper from a kit. For someone less experienced it could take a couple of days longer. Twelve 9 hour days works out at 108 hours. Over evenings and weekends, this could drag out to three or four weeks of living in a pile of motorcycle parts! So be prepared to literally live the experience if you are going to take the plunge.
What about the practical side? Well, there is no substitute for experience. The place to start building up your experience with the mechanical side of building to kit bike is with your current ride. Make sure all you can do the basic maintenance on your motorcycle, and then start to do some simple disassembling. Take off the tires, take off the exhaust, real basic stuff; all of this will help to build a new confidence in the shop side of things. You can also get some great videos on maintenance, and even on building the custom bike of your dreams. Read the books, watch the videos, and buy the t-shirt! Believe me, all the preparation you make will stand you in good stead.
If you really are hopeless at the mechanical side of things, why not pay someone else to help you build it, or even get them to build the whole thing for you? The cost of the kit plus labour could well work out cheaper than buying a chopper “off the shelf”.
And of course, when that beautiful chopper is standing on your driveway, and your friends are asking you “Was it worth it?” you can turn to the chopper, drag your hand across the flames on the tank and the polished chrome, turn back to them and say, “What do you think?”
Most of these choppers have been built from motorcycle chopper kits, the “bike in a box” approach. But hey, don't knock it! Building your own chopper has never been easier. There are rolling chassis kits, complete bike kits, and frame manufacturers give you a multitude of choice when it comes to take the plunge and buy a motorcycle chopper kit.
Thirty years ago, the old school chopper builders had to start with a stock bike off-the-shelf and literally chop it to pieces. With the modern chopper kits, there is a viable alternative to taking the cutting torch to your favorite soft tail!
Nowadays, you have a cheap and easier way to build the bike from the ground up. When you take the cost of buying a new bike and the expense of chopping it, it works out much cheaper to start from step one, and your chopper kit. Instead of tossing away the parts that you'll never use again, you can start building your own bike with the parts that you really need. All the parts are included in the motorcycle chopper kit, along with comprehensive instructions.
One of the first questions that people ask when considering buying a kit is how will my bike stand outs from all the other chopper kits? Well think of it this way, you are going to buy a chopper kit. A pile of unassembled raw metal. No paint, no real finish, just a blank canvas. Is your taste in paint jobs likely to be the same as the next guy, who buys the very same kit? I don't think so. What about your taste in bolt-ons, seats, exhausts? Just because you buy the kit doesn't mean every little thing has to be just so. That is the whole point isn't it? It's very easy in this way to build your own custom chopper from a chopper kit.
Another big question is, “How long”? The answer to that is as long as it takes. Even on the kit bikes, which are supposed to be designed to fit together like a glove, you are going to run into some snags. It can't be avoided!
If you want a more concrete guide, try this. An experienced kit builder (though not a professional) I spoke to reckons it took 10 full days to build his last chopper from a kit. For someone less experienced it could take a couple of days longer. Twelve 9 hour days works out at 108 hours. Over evenings and weekends, this could drag out to three or four weeks of living in a pile of motorcycle parts! So be prepared to literally live the experience if you are going to take the plunge.
What about the practical side? Well, there is no substitute for experience. The place to start building up your experience with the mechanical side of building to kit bike is with your current ride. Make sure all you can do the basic maintenance on your motorcycle, and then start to do some simple disassembling. Take off the tires, take off the exhaust, real basic stuff; all of this will help to build a new confidence in the shop side of things. You can also get some great videos on maintenance, and even on building the custom bike of your dreams. Read the books, watch the videos, and buy the t-shirt! Believe me, all the preparation you make will stand you in good stead.
If you really are hopeless at the mechanical side of things, why not pay someone else to help you build it, or even get them to build the whole thing for you? The cost of the kit plus labour could well work out cheaper than buying a chopper “off the shelf”.
And of course, when that beautiful chopper is standing on your driveway, and your friends are asking you “Was it worth it?” you can turn to the chopper, drag your hand across the flames on the tank and the polished chrome, turn back to them and say, “What do you think?”
Friday, 3 July 2009
Start At The Beginning: Online Help For New Motorcyclists
Whether it's the music from Easy Rider or an advertisement showing a motorcycle rider going up the pacific coast highway, part of the mystique of owning a motorcycle is the picture of freedom it represents. Motorcycle riders always look like they are riding along with out a care in the world. It appeals to the weekend warrior in all of us. However, behind the picturesque liberty is a host of things that rider had to do, learn, and buy before they could look so care free. There are several things a beginner has to know before stepping on the starter of a brand new bike.
Pick The Right Bike
All your life you've seen big Harley-Davidsons go by and thought that was the bike for you or you noticed your neighbor with a Kawasaki Vulcan and wanted something that big and sleek. However, it's important you pick a bike that is best for a beginner. Your first motorcycle won't be the only one you ever buy and you shouldn't buy it thinking you can't have a bigger or better one later.
Your first motorcycle should be easy to handle. It's best to start off with something simple, light weight and inexpensive so you can get your boots dirty before expending the big bucks on a heavy hitter. Both Honda and Kawasaki have good beginner bikes. Harley-Davidson's Sportster is the lightest and best bike for a beginner but it is more recommendable that you start with something else and move up to a Harley. Check motorcycle review sites for the best bikes for a newbie. If you ask 50 bikers you might get 50 different answers, but at least they can point you in the best direction.
Get The Right Gear
Most people know they can't hop on a motorcycle with some shorts and a pair of flip-flops and ride safely. There are clothing recommendations you should follow to prevent self injury. A helmet is required to ride a motorcycle safely and in some states is the law. I'm sure you've seen lots of people riding without helmets, but you don't have to pay their medical bills. The next requirement is a good pair of riding gloves. The number one injury motorcyclists receive in any accident or spill is road rash. Let the rocks and dirt imbed in the gloves. Your hands will thank you for it.
Motorcycle boots are also an important part of the ensemble. Sneakers, Crocs or any of the new polyfiber soled shoes are not recommended because the bottoms can melt in the intense heat of the bike. Leather jackets and pants are also a good idea. The myth is that motorcycle riders wear leather because they are rebels and outlaws. The truth is they wear leather to be protected, comfortable and safe.
Take The Right Training
For people who've hitched a ride on the back of someone's bike or rode dirt bikes as a kid there is a tendency to think they know what they're doing and motorcycle riding is "natural". Holding up a heavy piece of hot machinery against head winds and gravity while going 60 MPH is not natural at all. You will need training on learning everything from how to stop and not fall over, to using your body's weight correctly to turn and not fall over. There are many online sites to tell you where to get specialized training in your area.
At first it seems like you'll pay more for the clothes than the motorcycle and you'll never get to have any fun. But once you get the hang of the machine and its requirements, you'll be cruising down the road in style.
Pick The Right Bike
All your life you've seen big Harley-Davidsons go by and thought that was the bike for you or you noticed your neighbor with a Kawasaki Vulcan and wanted something that big and sleek. However, it's important you pick a bike that is best for a beginner. Your first motorcycle won't be the only one you ever buy and you shouldn't buy it thinking you can't have a bigger or better one later.
Your first motorcycle should be easy to handle. It's best to start off with something simple, light weight and inexpensive so you can get your boots dirty before expending the big bucks on a heavy hitter. Both Honda and Kawasaki have good beginner bikes. Harley-Davidson's Sportster is the lightest and best bike for a beginner but it is more recommendable that you start with something else and move up to a Harley. Check motorcycle review sites for the best bikes for a newbie. If you ask 50 bikers you might get 50 different answers, but at least they can point you in the best direction.
Get The Right Gear
Most people know they can't hop on a motorcycle with some shorts and a pair of flip-flops and ride safely. There are clothing recommendations you should follow to prevent self injury. A helmet is required to ride a motorcycle safely and in some states is the law. I'm sure you've seen lots of people riding without helmets, but you don't have to pay their medical bills. The next requirement is a good pair of riding gloves. The number one injury motorcyclists receive in any accident or spill is road rash. Let the rocks and dirt imbed in the gloves. Your hands will thank you for it.
Motorcycle boots are also an important part of the ensemble. Sneakers, Crocs or any of the new polyfiber soled shoes are not recommended because the bottoms can melt in the intense heat of the bike. Leather jackets and pants are also a good idea. The myth is that motorcycle riders wear leather because they are rebels and outlaws. The truth is they wear leather to be protected, comfortable and safe.
Take The Right Training
For people who've hitched a ride on the back of someone's bike or rode dirt bikes as a kid there is a tendency to think they know what they're doing and motorcycle riding is "natural". Holding up a heavy piece of hot machinery against head winds and gravity while going 60 MPH is not natural at all. You will need training on learning everything from how to stop and not fall over, to using your body's weight correctly to turn and not fall over. There are many online sites to tell you where to get specialized training in your area.
At first it seems like you'll pay more for the clothes than the motorcycle and you'll never get to have any fun. But once you get the hang of the machine and its requirements, you'll be cruising down the road in style.
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