2Wheeltips

No doubt you have seen advertisements for special motorcycle socks that keep your feet dry in the summer and nice and toasty when riding in cool weather. These "special socks" also come with a "special price" of $15.00 or more per pair. Construction workers, police and athletes also need dry warm feet and they don't pay anywhere near that much for socks.

Department store socks work fine for riding. For hot weather rides, get socks made for running. They will wick the moisture away from your feet. For cooler weather, get thicker socks or buy sock liners. No ankle socks; you need them long enough to give protection from the wind and flying debris.

Unlike a car, the turn signal on a motorcycle does not automatically turn off. Some newer bikes have automatic switches but on most bikes, you must get in the habit of switching it off after changing lanes or making turns.

For obvious reasons it is not good to ride with the turn signal on. Cars behind you may be tempted to pass you if you slow down or swerve to avoid road hazards. At intersections, oncoming drivers may cut you off thinking you are about to turn.

To get into the habit, you should glance down at the controls after you make a turn or switch lanes. Also, you should periodically push in the switch to turn off the signal even when it is not on. After a while, it will be come instinct.

Turning off the signal is an easy habit to learn but it can greatly reduce the risk of you getting in an accident.

As a new rider, you will no doubt be reluctant to ride at night.  Night time riding does have its own risks but you can safely ride at night if you make some adjustments.

1st you need to slow down. One problem common to experienced and novice riders alike is over driving their headlights. You need to drive at a speed that will allow you to stop within the distance you can see.

2nd you need to make yourself more visible. If you plan to ride at night, you should wear reflective clothing so drivers can see you. Don't assume your lights are enough. When coming to a stop, you may want to tap your brakes a few times to flash them for drivers behind you. Also you should use your horn more at night to let others around you know you are there. A quick beep when beside a are or when passing will let others know you are there.

3rd is being prepared for nocturnal animals. Lots of critters like to come out at night and you need to be prepared for raccoons, possums, rabbits and other creatures you may see on or beside the road. If you can, avoid roads where you know animals are likely to appear.

4th is to be extra cautious at intersections. Slow down and look before riding through them. Drivers have a hard time seeing you during the day, much less at night.

Night riding can be very enjoyable and if you follow these tips, you can reduce your   risk of getting in an accident.

Here is a quick tip most riders haven't considered. If you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a communication system for your bike, or you don't want a bunch of cables hooked up everywhere, consider getting a motorcycle bluetooth headset.

They use the same technology as cellphones headsets you see stuck in everyones ears. they come with speakers and a microphone that you attach to the inside and side of your helmet and let you talk to your passenger without using wires.

Good ones come with noise canceling technology to cut out the wind noise and automatic volume control to adjust the volume when on the highway. The sound is clear enough even while wearing earplugs.

Some models link to your GPS so you can hear the turn by turn voice prompts.. Still others link to your cellphone to let your answer calls without taking off your helmet.

If you and a riding buddy both have motorcycle headsets, you can link them to your cellphones and place a call before you ride. That way you will be able to talk to each other while riding. I call it the poor mans alternative to an expensive CB radio.

So you are thinking about getting your motorcycle license...and here you are, at 2wheeltips.com.  Well, you need to understand a few things first.

First of all, 2wheeltips.com is not a substitute for an approved motorcycle training class. Formal classes build the foundation for good riding through classroom study and instructor-led practice. No website, DVD or book can ever provide this.

There are other benefits to taking a class:

1) Depending upon the laws in your state, you may get a waiver from taking a DMV road test. You simply give them your class certificate and you get your motorcycle license. You avoid all the bureaucracy and long lines.

2) Depending upon your insurance company, you may qualify for a discount on your motorcycle insurance and, in some cases, even your automobile insurance

3) You will meet other riders through the class, people you might be able to link up with after the class is over, to practice your skills.

4) But the number one reason to take a class is that the vast majority of motorcycle accidents involve riders with informal training. These are riders who are self-taught using books, DVDs and websites or who learned from friends. These riders are in accidents that could have been avoided or the injury minimized if they had proper instruction and subsequently reinforced the skills learned in class.


If you are serious about riding, sign up for a rider class in your area, develop a foundation and come back to 2wheeltips.com often to reinforce what you have learned.

Once you have established good basic riding skills, you'll see how the information we provide here expands on what you have already learned...if you like 2wheeltips now, just wait until you take a class and you'll see how much more you will appreciate all that we have to offer.

Like thermometers, motorcycle clocks can be very expensive and some of us can't bring ourselves to pay $35.00 and up for something that cost just a few bucks to make.

While out on a ride, I came across a couple on a Honda Shadow Aero who had a very neat solution. He bought a cheap $8.00 watch with a nylon wrist band from the local store. He simply strapped it around his cables. It didn't look bad and he saved himself a few dollars in the process.

One way to protect your legs from road hazards and from the wind on cool days is to wear chaps. Most will buy chaps as a fashion statement. They do look good, if properly fitted. Others will buy them after getting hit on the lower leg by a rock or some other flying debris. In either case, they are a good fashionable alternative to expensive riding pants and I've yet to see a motorcycle show that didn't have a chaps vendor.

Chaps come in various styles, materials and lengths. The most common type is the full leather chap that covers the entire leg. Although they look nice, they can be very hot in the summer. An alternative to the full chap is the half chap. These fit over your riding boots and provide protection from the ankle to the knee.  We've seen some made of ballistic nylon which give full chap protection without making the wearer too hot.

If you do decide to go the chaps route, make sure you get measured for a proper fit. Few things look worse than a bad pair of chaps.

One of the simplest bike maintenance things you can do is making sure your tires are properly inflated.

Not only will your bike handle better with properly inflated tires, but you will get better gas milage and your tires will last longer.

You should check your tires when they are cold as the internal pressure increases when the tires heat up. For this reason, you should buy a pump and tire gauge and perform this basic maintenance before you take the bike out for a ride.

Motorcycle tires are small enough to inflate with a hand pump, but a foot pump is easier. Even better, many portable battery chargers come with electric pumps and can inflate a tire to the proper level within minutes.

Finally, do not over inflate your tires. The proper PSI is in your motorcycle manual and on the sidewall of the tire.

Few things look better than a nice clean bike and here are just a few points on cleaning it:

    1.    Let the bike cool down before washing it. You don't want to burn yourself trying to wash hot engine parts.

    2.    Don't spend a lot of money on super expensive cleaners or waxes.  Some of that stuff costs more per ounce than expensive wine or liquor. Regular car wash or even a mild dish washing detergent will do the trick. Also, a good inexpensive liquid wax from the local auto store will work too.

    3.    Unless it has a low pressure setting, avoid using a power washer or other high pressure sprayer to clean your bike. They can damage your bike.

    4.    When getting into tight places, use a wash glove or mitt. Bikes have lots of sharp edges and it is easy to cut your hand when cleaning your bike.

    5.    We tried the expensive rim cleaners that claim you just spray them on and hose themt off. We still ended up doing a good deal of scrubbing.

    6.    Use a soft microfiber cloth to clean the windshield to avoid scratching it up.

    7.    To clean the black smudges that seem impossible to get off your pipes, use a solvent like goo-off and very very fine steel wool. The steel wool will remove the smudges like magic without leave any scratches on the pipes

While very helpful, most bikes do not include a thermometer. As you put more miles on your bike, you will soon discover that at certain temperatures, riding is not as fun and becomes a chore.  On the low end of the scale, your hands are numb and your reflexes are slow. On the high end, you feel faint and dehydrated from the heat. Knowing what those temperatures are can help you plan how to dress for your next ride.

A quick trip to the motorcycle store or an online catalog is quite a sticker shock. Even the cheapest thermometer cost $30.00.....the really nice ones are over $65.00. Some of us just can't bring ourselves to pay that much knowing it cost just a few bucks to make.

Well there are other options out there. Zipper thermometers, which cost around $3.00, are used by hikers and skiers all the time. you can hook one to your jacket or put it in your tank bag window.   Also liquid crystal temperature strips also work. They cost around $7.00 and easily slip into your tank bag or can be easily taped to the handlebars.