2Wheeltips

Now that riding season is here, we want to remind everyone of the 2wheeltips video store and the wonderful products we have for sell. What makes our store different from the other motorcycle websites out there is:

-- each product is filmed in high definition, so you get to watch a quality video of each product being used before you buy it. That way you know exactly what you are getting before you open the box

-- we sell quality products that are new, interesting and affordable. These are not refurbished or used products....they are shipped directly to you from the manufacturer

-- we sell a limited number of interesting products that we have personally tested ourselves.....so you don't have to worry about a product that looks good on paper but in practice is a huge disappointment

Check out our video store at www.2wheeltips.com/store to see what we have to offer. We introduce new products all the time so check back often to see what's new.

Your friends at 2wheeltips.com

The 2wheeltips crew made it over to the Javits Center in NYC last month to check out the International Motorcycle Show. This is our 3rd time going and we always have a good time talking to the vendors and catching up with the latest motorcycle industry gossip. This year was no exception.  We had a great time talking to our friends from National Cycle, Arai helmets, Touch of Purple, West Virginia Tourism and a few others. It was a great show and we had a lot of fun. But we couldn't help but notice a few changes, most of them driven by the slow economy. These are:

Smaller Show
As we all know, the "powersports industry" (motorcycles, UTV's, ATV's, scooters, watercraft) has taken a serious hit due to the declining economy.  The NYC show is one of the largest and over the years we have noticed a steady decline in the size of the show.  Five or six years ago, the show was "standing room only", had hundreds of vendors and was on 2  levels. Now the show is on one level and many of the exhibitors decided not to participate or are no longer in business.  To many, a motorcycle is simply a luxury item they can no longer afford and many people have put off purchasing a bike or they are selling the one(s) they already have. We think the show numbers reflect this new reality.

Smaller Bikes
In prior years, most of the big manufacturers couldn't wait to unveal the latest and greatest bike with bigger engines, more features and even bigger price tags. How things have changed. This year, the spotlight was on smaller bikes. The most memorable were the Honda 250cc (you heard that right) sport bike, the dressed up Honda Shadow (750cc) with Cobra accessories and the Harley-Davidson (mid-priced) softtails. Since banks are not handing out motorcycle loans like halloween candy anymore, the manufacturers have caught on and are now making bikes that people can get financed.

Scooters
We did not see ANY scooter manufacturers at the show nor did we see any "green" vehicles. In previous years, there were at least two at the show. This segment of the industry has taken a serious hit and we personally know of a few scooter manufacturers that are out of business. The only exception was the BMW, but it's a concept scooter.....and is not available for sale.

New Products
Although the industry is changing, we did see some new products and vendors. SpeedpassingXV was there with a new EZPass holder that straps you your arm. NikkoMotoRacing introduced a new line of motorcycle helmets. BLINC introduced some new integrated bluetooth helmets and West Virginia Tourism gave an excellent presentation on motorcycle rallies and events available in their state.

As one of our friends from the industry stated, the industry is getting back to basics and is now focusing on the motorcyclist that has always been there. We will see how this goes in 2011.

We all know how much motorcycle gear costs. Once something gets labeled "for motorcycling", the price jumps 3-fold. For example, a pair of decent snowmobile gloves cost $35.00. A decent pair of winter motorcycle gloves will cost you over $100.00. Which pair do you think will keep your hands the warmest and have the most features?

Since I plan to do some polar bear rides this year, I decided to upgrade my riding boots. I looked around in the dealerships and and it seems they are all over $200.00! And they did not look or feel warm.

Determined not to spend that type of cash, I went down to the local department store to see what they have. I found the North Face McMurdo boot for half the cost. Long story short, these boots are extremely warm, waterproof, come up way over the ankle and cost half as much as the "motorcycle boots" I saw earlier. They have a women's version too.

If you are in the market for some decent winter "motorcycle boots", definitely check them out.

http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog/sc-gear/mens-mcmurdo-boot.html?parent_category_rn=&cm_vc=Search

One of our long time fans, Nick, writes for the Motorcycle Sport Touring Association. Nick and I spoke over the weekend and he is kind enough to let us link to his product reviews on all the nice bikes he gets to test out. Here is a link to his latest review of the Can-am Spyder. Ya know....the 3-wheel thingy you see in all of the motorcyle magazines.

http://www.sporttouring.us/content.php/425-Cruising-on-Three-Wheels-–-The-Can-Am-Spyder-RT-S-Roadster-Road-Test

 Last year, I bought the Gerbings G3 microwire gloves,  microwire heated liner and the dual temperature controller.

Well....the dual temperature controller failed about 3 weeks after I got it.  I was on a ride on a very cold day and all of a sudden I got cold...very cold. I fussed around with the controller and still no heat. At the first stop, I checked everything out and long story short it was the controller. I took it back to the store and they happily swapped it out. I think I used it about 4 times before it died. 

Fast forward to this year and the darn thing crapped out again!! But this time it is stuck on high!! It's like riding around with a blow torch on your skin. I think I may have gotten 6 - 8 rides out of it before it started acting up. 

But this time I called Gerbings Heating Gear.....since their products have a lifetime warranty. And this is where it gets interesting. 

Well....I was told the warranty is if you send it your registration card and you are the original owner.  If you do not, then.....you are out of luck!  They will not replace it. You can pay for them to repair it at $35/hour or you can buy another one. Me? I never send in the cards because all it triggers is a bunch of junk mail. 

Not one to argue but I did ask.....if it has a lifetime warranty, why does it matter who purchased it?

Needless to say, I am not happy about this. Their stuff is not cheap and to have them fail back to back is not good. Just think if it would have happened on a 20 degree day and I was 2 hours from home?

Since this is the second one that died on me, I'm not looking to try it a third time.  Has this happened to anyone out there?   Anyone have any suggestions on a different controller?

 

PrayasIride has done it again
He gave us the "what"…now we give you the "when"
Write a new ending to some of his prose
And someone will win…maybe you…hey, who knows?
"Things I Have Said to Myself While Riding"
Is a poem by PrayasIride
Your challenge is now to create a new ending
The ending is yours to decide!
"Want to Ride But Don't Feel Like It"
Is the other poem needing an end
Write a new ending for this poem, that fits
And, to you, a prize we will send!
The rules are as simple as one, two and three
Send your poetry to us for review
Just keep your words clean and send us your entry
That's really all you have to do!
The deadline for entering is the end of November
The date is approaching quite fast!
So put pen to paper..remember!  remember!
The contest ends when November has passed!!

Okay, all you 2wheeltips biker poets!  Get your contest entries in fast!  Send them to:  [email protected].  We will review all entries and pick the ones that we think are the best!  The winners will win a box of 200 earplugs and, of course, some 2wheeltips chocolate!!!

Many bikers don’t know that you should never buy a used helmet. Helmets are good for protecting your head in only one accident. Afterwards it is time to get a new one. If the helmet is used, you have no way of knowing if it has been in an accident or not.

What tempts many into getting a used helmet is how it appears on the outside. Except for a few scrapes it looks fine.

But it’s not the external shell that protects your head, it is the internal foam. To prove this, we contacted our friends at Snell Memorial Foundation, the folks that do helmet testing. You will find the “Snell sticker” on the back of all helmets that have passed their tests. They were kind enough to send us the remains of a tested helmet and did us a favor by cutting it in half so we can see the internals.

With the exception of a few scrapes, the external shell is intact. But, on the inside, you see the foam layer is compressed where it was hit during testing. Once the foam layer is compressed, it does not expand and the helmet loses its ability to protect your head. Also note in the pictures that the foam layer has separated from the outer shell and is completely unattached and free to move around. Those tests, by the way, simulate a rider falling off a bike and hitting their head on the ground.

So, the next time you think about buying a used helmet, think again. A few dollars saved is not worth the risk of a serious head injury if the helmet is no good.  You can get a brand new tested helmet for $10.00 more than some of the ones you see on eBay and other places. Better safe than sorry. 

two wheel tips feels the same
a lot of crappy dealers are to blame

I took my vtx in for some lizards lights
they wired it wrong and my battery said "yikes!"

There was a constant power drain
The bike wouldn't start, what a royal pain

I figured it out and unhooked everything
my battery was happy and started to sing

The dealer said it's not their fault
Had to be something wrong with what I bought

I told them that I bought it from you.
They looked around and said "you bought it from who?"

I looked at them with a pout
They said it's closing time, so you have to get out

Ever wonder why your ears ring, you have a headache or you feel "fuzzy" or tired after a long ride? Ever notice at most motorcycle rallies you see many riders wearing not one but two hearing aids? Well....now you are about to find out.

Some of you are probably thinking it has something to do with loud engines or loud pipes. If you did, you are partially correct. A bigger part of it is wind noise. That ear ringing, fuzzy feeling, headache is from the loud noise. In fact, at highway speeds (50mph+) the sound of the wind rushing past your ears is louder than the engine. How loud is the wind noise? Close to that of a chainsaw! Seriously.

Now think about riding around month after month, year after year with a chainsaw blasting in your ears. What do you think will happen to your hearing? Nothing good. People who work in high noise environments know this already:

             1.  Factory workers use hearing protection
             2.  The guy cutting your grass wears hearing protection
             3.  Airline luggage handlers use hearing protection
             4.  If you go to a gun range, you must use hearing protection
             5.  Motorcyclists? (birds and crickets chirping)

For motorcyclists the solution is very simple, buy foam earplugs. They are about $0.09 - $0.11 a piece so there is really no excuse not use them. You can find them in most drug stores or at the local Lowe's or Home Depot. Just make sure they have a NRR (noise reduction rating) of 25 or more. The NRR is printed on the packaging.

Here are more articles on this topic from Dr. Melissa Heche AuD who wrote a 2wheeltips column on motorcycling and hearing.
/magazine/tag/hearing loss

A new rider is faced with a tremendous number of fears: from simply stopping the bike to the dreaded left turner.  Does that guy see me or is that person going to pull out of the parking lot in front of me?  In the past few months, I have spoken with a few new riders and they all have one particular fear in common; riding at highway speeds.  What I would like to address here are some points that may help you overcome these fears. I will also compare city riding to highway riding. 

Riding on the highway is actually considerably safer than riding around your suburban neighborhood.  If you consider that every parked car is a potential threat due to your inability to see behind or in front of the car parked on the side of the road.  It is possible for a child, adult or pet to come running out from between two parked cars.  In addition, you may not see that narrow driveway beyond the car parked on your right as a car comes speeding out without looking.  Obviously the list of dangers goes on, but I think you get the idea. 

When riding on the highways, all the cars are going in the same direction at pretty much the same speed.  If you have trained yourself to look far enough ahead as well as looking on your rearview mirrors, most moving threats can be seen within enough time to react.  A benefit of being on two wheels is because you are much narrower than the cars around you, avoidance is much easier as you have a full lane to maneuver if you see someone wandering into your lane.  Here are a few tips that make my highway riding safer and have worked for me. 

Stay out of the far right lane, vehicles entering and exiting the highway tend to do so without consideration for cars let alone motorcycles.  As you pass by an exit ramp and a car on your left realizes they are about to miss their exit and do a hard right across your lane, chances are you will not live to smack the driver in the head.  When vehicles enter the highway, more cars are doing the 3 lane change direct from the onramp, again if you are in the far right lane passing the onramp and a car decides to do this without looking, it’s unlikely you will be walking away. 

Drivers today are distracted more and more by electronic devices; we all see it regularly, and those people create a larger threat to us. It’s a smart idea to give the drivers around you a quick glance to see where their attention is.  If you see drivers talking on the phone, texting or playing with their GPS, simply get away from them by slowing down, speeding up, or just changing lanes taking you out of potential harm’s way. 

Riding along the highway can be a great experience.  You get to your destinations quicker if that is your goal, you have the ability to travel much farther and[you can] explore places nowhere near your normal ride radius.  One of the most common dangers on the highway is construction.  They say there are two seasons in the northeast, construction and winter.  You will eventually find yourself in a construction zone regardless of the area you live in.  Remember to observe the speed limits and watch for areas of loose gravel and where resurfacing is taking place.  Often times you will find yourself behind dump trucks and construction equipment spewing rocks and sand in your path; use special care when following these dastardly trucks and give yourself plenty of room.  Sometimes a road crew will grind off one lane and pave another, leaving a difference of three to four inches between lanes.  I caution you to not attempt to change lanes if you see this regardless of how gouged up your lane happens to be or how tempting that fresh pavement looks.  As soon as your front tire touches that big incline, the bike will slam to the ground, and at highway speeds.  Let’s just say bad things will happen.

Keeping yourself visible is critical in maintaining a good level of safety.  It is not simply good enough to wear your big bright neon vest (if you choose to wear one), but it is more important to maintain good lane position and at the appropriate speed.  You may think that riding down the middle of the road is good enough, however it reduces your visibility to the vehicles in front of you and also helps you blend into the vehicles behind you.  In addition, by riding in the center on the lane can increase the size of your blind spot within your rear view mirrors.  I recommend riding along the wheel tracks of the four wheel vehicles on the road.  A common danger on the roads today is debris from littering, things falling off of trucks and cars as well as tire pieces from blow outs on cars and tractor trailers.  Four wheeled vehicles can straddle the debris and if you are following a little too close to the car in front of you, you will not have time to react to it.  There is less likelihood that the debris will be in the wheel track as opposed to the center of the lane.

Changing lanes can be safe or dangerous depending on how you do it and the actions you take prior to it.  When you need to change lanes, it is crucial to make certain the lane next to you is clear.  Looking in that mirror is not good enough because cars and trucks are easily missed in that blind spot.  You must look over your shoulder fully prior to that change, turn on your indicator and look again.  Now check your mirror to see if anybody decides they want to occupy that spot first by speeding up behind you. Once you have determined that you can safely make the lane change, accelerate and lean the bike to get the bike over into the lane position you want to be in.  Cancel your indicator and continue to look down the highway at a safe speed.

One trick I use while riding on the highway is that I check the distance of the front tire of the car that poses the greatest threat to me to the line between us.  I will constantly scan the road ahead and behind while continuously monitoring the distance between that wheel and the line.  If for any reason I get the suspicion that the driver is about to change lanes or veer into mine, I will hit the horn and change my position.  Obviously, we don’t want to ride in a driver’s blind spot, but with the crowded roads and highways today, sometimes we simply cannot get enough space around us.  Using good common sense and lane positioning can reduce your risks.

Your ability to juggle your attention to various threats and itemize them into what poses the greatest danger to the least and continuously shuffle them in your mind so that you can take the appropriate action is what makes an excellent motorcyclist.  It is often referred to as situational awareness and plays a huge role in motorcycle safety.  Riding down a highway at 70 mph may seem more dangerous than your neighborhood, but it doesn’t have to be.  The most difficult part is simply maintaining attention and not falling into the trap of complacency.   

Not everybody rides a one thousand pound machine that is less susceptible to crosswinds.  A small 250 cc cruiser is much lighter than a 1300 cc bike.  The weight and profile of the motorcycle do make a big difference in how the machine handles in heavy winds.  Use your judgment when choosing to take to the highways because they tend to have large spans that leave you wide open to heavy winds.  If you are faced with some severe cross winds, the key is to not over compensate for the oncoming breeze.  Simply lean the bike slightly into the wind and feel the feedback from the bike.  Generally speaking, as the gust passes, the bike will begin to steer in the direction of the lean.  You need to use small inputs into the steering of the bike to maintain your lane position and reduce the lean when you feel the wind speed drop off.  Some highways will actually issue motorcycle bans when the wind speeds are too high. 

Another thing to remember while riding the highways (or any road for that matter) is to leave your pride at home.  If you get cut off, or someone does something stupid, it will not pay to chase them down or start waving your middle finger at them.  You don’t know who the driver is or what they are capable of and you may anger them to the point of them simply driving over you.  If you think it won’t happen, you’re wrong; I know of a few people that this has happened to, and some are no longer with us.  The driver will simply say that they didn’t see you and they go home to their family, you don’t. 

I love riding the highways, I have traveled all over the Eastern United States already with my wife and we have seen some amazing things.  Because I use my motorcycle to commute to work I am forced to ride the highways daily.  While everybody in their cars complains about the commute, I will often times seek the longer route home and set the cruise control on the bike and enjoy the ride.  Sometimes it’s just nice to enjoy a long straight stretch of highway.  If you are looking to expand your riding experience to include the slab, I highly recommend going out early on a Saturday or Sunday morning when traffic is very light.  You will get a better feel for what the speed feels like without the cage around you.  Just be careful of animals like deer that may be out at those times and enjoy the ride.