ADVICE FOR MOTORCYCLE RIDERS

Loading Big Bikes In Pick Up Trucks

  There should be an easy and safe way to load a big heavy full-dress Harley Davidson or custom bike in a pick up truck all by yourself.  There is, but.  It's the buts that cause the problem.  You can buy the long and wide one-piece aluminum ramps that will allow you to ride your bike into the truck bed, but you will run into a major problem if you can't take the ramp with you.  How will you unload the bike once you get where you are going?  Get the picture?

  Word of Warning and Danger:  Did you know that those factory tailgate straps (cables) on your pickup truck are not intended to bear a load?  How many times have you see people loading their motorcycles using that tailgate?  Imagine what would happen to you, and your friends helping you, if just one of those straps failed?  Somebody is going to be seriously hurt and the motorcycle will be destroyed.  For safety, put a three strong supports under three sides of that tailgate: left, center and right side to hold up that tailgate, as a safety net in case the cables let go and break free.  Better yet, buy a motorcycle loading system that does not rely on any weight on that tailgate!  How much is your life worth?  It is dangerous to use ramps! 

  The solution is to buy a ramp that breaks down and folds up so it can be placed along both sides of the bike in the truck, but...

  If you have a standard pick up truck an 8 foot ramp will work, but if you have a truck that exceeds 38 inches from ground to tailgate, then you need a 10 foot ramp.  Will it fit into the truck after it breaks down?  Many of these ramps have curved geometry so they don't fold up flat, leaving no room in the truck to bring the ramp with you.    But...

  You could purchase the 8 foot ramp, but to lower the back end of the truck you can buy recreational vehicle type wheel leveling chocks.  You inch your truck's front wheel up a bit on the chocks and that will lower the back end of the truck.  It's better than trying to find a embankment to back up against trying to find a good angle to load and unload bikes.  But...

  The 8 foot ramp's curve may still be too steep and the low-clearance bike, which may be your bike, will high-center (get stuck) on the ramp's curvature.  So, you are now back to the 10 foot ramp, with all its storage problems, but...

  The 10 foot ramp may not allow you to close the tailgate in a 8 foot long bed pick up  truck.  This may or may not be a problem for you.

  So, what is the solution?  Buy a USA Ramp if you want to load your motorcycle or other vehicles into your truck all by yourself.  But what if you want to tow a trailer with this ramp?  No problem, they have a Safety Tow Ramp.  This is a good route to go.  But what if you have a 5th wheel travel trailer?

  You could buy a motorcycle rack to be welded on to the rear I-beams, but the bike must be less than 450 pounds or the towing geometry will be affected and that could cause you to lose control and crash.  It's not going to work with big heavy bike.  A toy hauler 5th wheel is the only sane choice if you want to go with the 5th wheel, but... you will give up a ton of living space in the RV.  Not a problem if you are using the RV for vacation, but living in it for extended periods would be punishing.  You could tow another trailer behind the 5th wheel, but do not go beyond 50 feet total length or the Highway Patrol in some states will pull you over and force you to abandon the RV and hire a tow truck to get it off the roadway, also, some states require that you be licensed to triple-tow trailers.  It's not an option for most people.  Better to go the travel trailer route with a USA Ramp... problem solved.  You will live in more comfort and the bike will be with you where ever you go.  

  Another system I have used is to use the "Big Boy" mfg., by Ramps Are Us.  It is an aluminum ramp that folds up into three pieces and so it can be stored along side the bike in the back of the pick up truck, or stack them in the back seat area of an extra-cab pick up truck.  This also is a one man operation to load and unload big and low custom bikes in the truck.  You can find the company on the Internet.  I drive the bike up slowly with no problem.  Backing down is a bit scary, but you will get used to it.  Just keep the bike in gear with clutch in because the brakes will not work to stop you if you have to stop.  If you just go easy and keep the bike straight you will be down off the ramp in two seconds.  The Big Boy ramp allows you to load and unload the bike yourself, take the ramps with you to your location and still allows you to tow a huge travel trailer (not a fifth-wheel trailer).

Safety Notice:  I have noticed some safety precautions when using gravity ramps to load heavy motorcycles.  The ramps may come with a safety cable to attach to the truck bumper so the ramp can't be pulled away from the truck when loading or unloading.  Don't trust these tiny cables!  Weave a ratcheting tow or tie-down strap rated for at least 3,000 lbs to the ramp and the truck's tow hitch or other secure area, like the truck axle if need be.  Do this to "each" ramp section independently.  Each ramp section gets tied down with its own strap!   If those tiny cables break without these straps you could die as the bike falls and crushes you.  You also need to strap together the ramps so they will not separate horizontally.  If the center ramp were to fail the straps tied to the other two ramps will support the bike so it and you will not fall down.  Also, if you lose your balance or have to stop part way up the ramp you can safely apply much leg force to the ramp(s) to maintain balance without the risk of a ramp section slipping away causing you and the bike to tumble to the ground.  To prevent ramp spreading I tie the ramps one at the top to hold the top truck tail gate sections together and one at the bottom near the pavement end to snug together the bottom sections with 3,000 lb tie down straps.  With all of these straps in place, I know for a fact I will be safe.

  If you have a large motor home (a Class A type) you can buy a loading ramp that will allow you to load the big heavy bike on the back of the motor home.  But, the RV must be designed to take this load.  Not all motor homes are designed to take on additional towing loads, but many are.  Check with the lift manufacture on how to select a motor home that will accommodate their ramp system.   Beware the cost of these Class A motor homes are outrageous.  The larger motor home can be ordered to store bikes in a special compartment. 

  Danger:  Loading or unloading a motorcycle onto a gravity ramp is dangerous no matter how many safety precautions you take.  If the bike falls on you or the ramp breaks the motorcycle and ramp will entangle and crush you, likely unto death.  The best system is to use the automatic loaders that will pull the motorcycle into the bed of a pick up truck.  Pak-Rak (their Web site link is on our motorcycle links page) is one that I purchased and it works well.  It will not work for custom bikes with long fork rakes and wide back tires, but for most all production bikes it will work just fine if the wheel base is no more than 67.5" long (but overall length of bike and tire width size needs to be the final consideration if it is to fit on the rack).  All Harley Davidson's and Honda's usually will work fine, but check wheelbase first.  Pak-Rak may be offering a larger rack system for custom bikes.  Automated ramps are expensive, but a lot cheaper than paying a doctor thousands of dollars in medical fees and dealing with a life-long physical disfiguring or back injury.  It is better to pay for a good automatic ramp.  Amerideck also makes an automatic lift system (see our links page).  JoeHauler also makes a lift that lets you haul your bike behind your car, truck or RV and it is supported by the vehicle tow hitch.

  Also, there is another benefit to the automated ramp system that is well worth the price of the ramp many times over.  Convenience and ease of operation.  It laboring and time consuming to set up ramps to unload and load a motorcycle and many times you will not pull the bike off the truck to cruise around a city or town "because it is too much work to load up the bike."  With the automated ramp you push a button and the bike is down and ready to go in about 3 minutes or less!  I have found using these automated ramps permit a higher quality of life because now I can ride in areas of the country I would normally never would have.  How many times have you traveled and said, "Gee, it would be nice to ride those mountains" but you could not because unloading the bike would be too much trouble.  You need to discover the weight load limitations of the auto-loader motorcycle lifts and tire size limitations.  Today the bikes are heavier and have wider tires, so modifications need to be made to some auto-loaders to beef them up in strength, even for some heavy stock bikes.

  So, there you have it.  If you want to load your big bike alone without assistance it can be done, but you need to do your research.  More motorcycle dealers should have demonstration ramps so customers can try the product before purchasing.  

  There are new ramp designs always being made that are not covered here.  Search the Internet under "Motorcycle Ramp" as a key word.  Some use power to pull the bike into the truck, but there is always a catch to watch out for.  Can you close the tailgate or if not can you stow it by the truck bed near the back cab?  Can you still tow another vehicle with the automatic loading ramp installed?  Will the ramp work with your truck?  Is the truck bed size sufficient for the device to be installed into your truck?  How large a motorcycle will the ramp accept?  What is the ramp's size or other limitations?  Can one person operate the ramp or are two persons required?  What is the weight limit the ramp can handle?  Most may not be able to accept motorcycles with large size tires or extended forks.  

  If you need a lift to mount your motorcycle behind a motor home click here: Hydralift - Motorcycle lift for RV's.  Another company that makes a automatic ramp to load a motorcycles in a pick-up truck is called the Sport Loader ($2,400) by Blue Ox.  Another product that allows you to carry a motorcycle on the back of your car, truck or motor home mfg., by Joe Hauler.

  PUBLISHING RIGHTS - the article is copyrighted August 24, 2004 (updated May 2006), but you are granted the right to publish the article herein titled "Loading Big Bikes In Pick Up Trucks" in perpetuity.  You must include the entire article as is, with no changes of wording.  That includes the commentary section by James Russell.  We do request you give full credits to James Russell Publishing and to post an active Website link to James Russell Publishing Website.  This publishing right may also be arbitrarily rejected and withdrawn if the article is misused or employed into an obscene or an offensive environment of which it was not intended to be portrayed.

Buying a New or Used Harley Davidson

  1.  If money is a problem, then stop putting it off and buy what you can afford to buy.  Buy new, if you can, or at least a used low mileage bike (with a one-year warrantee if you can).  The bike you need to look at is the Sportster if you can only afford what this bike will cost.  Get the largest cubic inch engine available.  At this writing it is 1200 cc.  The Sportster has problems; it vibrates badly, but the 2004 model year and beyond will now have anti-vibration features and that is good news.  It also has a small gas tank so you will always be on the lookout for a gas station, but the gas tank on the Sportster models are slowly increasing in size.  It is a small bike, so it is easy to learn to ride it (though just as dangerous as any bike can be and is a very fast accelerating motorcycle).  It is quick due to its power to weight ratio, but let's keep this in perspective.  It is not considered a fast bike, just that it is faster than the bigger heavier Harley's.  It will not stand a chance with other brands of bikes of even lesser cubic inch engines nor will it match the brute power of the V-Rod.  The Sportster sounds great with aftermarket exhaust pipes.  The biggest problem?  You will outgrow the bike and want a bigger Harley that handles and reacts slower and rides smoother and has larger tires for a smoother and safer ride and that has more compartment storage options. 

2.  Consider not buying a bike with one of those skinny 21 inch front wheels.  They look cool, but they bite into every crack and groove in the road and often, the shocks on these bikes are inferior and make for a terribly sloppy ride, and you better hang on because deep or wide cracks in the road can rip the handlebars right out of your grip creating loss of control and a crash to the pavement.  This "fighting the road" will wear you down and taking a long ride will be awfully tiring. 

3.  Don't buy a bike with spoke rims.  Yes, they look fine, but if you get a flat tire away from home you have a big problem.  Today, you just can't pull out your old set of tire irons, peel back the tire to patch the tube because the rubber sidewalls are very stiff.  Tires must usually be mounted using tire mounting machines in a shop environment or use at least three long reach tire-irons, rim protectors and compressed air to get the job done.  The problem is the tube in spoke wheels going flat there is no practical way to fix a flat tire on the side of the road or a freeway.  Get a bike with mag wheels.  Now you have wheels with no tube involved.  If you get a flat tire?  You can plug it yourself with a tubeless-tire plug kit and inflate the tire with a portable CO2 canister designed to inflate tires.  Or, you can call a tow service and they can fix the flat right on the spot for you with a plug, just as they would do to a car tire.  Any service station can fix your flat tire.  At least you are not waiting for a tow truck to get you to a dealer on Sunday with no dealer open.  With the mag wheel and the plug repair kit with at least two compressed air or CO2 cartridges for each tire and you are on your way in just a few minutes; but get a new tire as soon as you can.  It's not a good idea to ride with a plug in your tire for any distance.  Drive at lower speed and with caution.  Plugs do work, but if the plug fails the tire will go flat again, and flats on a motorcycle are always risky business.  A lot of people ride bikes with spoke rims, until they get a flat tire and learn the hard way.

4.    Accessories:  Will they fit your bike?  How much will they cost?  Don't assume that all accessories will be available for your bike.  Some bikes can't even carry saddlebags due to the shock absorbers blocking the mounts, etc.  Now, you may never want saddlebags or a windshield, but if you do a lot of distance riding, you will eventually be forced into getting saddlebags and a windshield.  Keep in mind, you want a bike you can't outgrow, so get a bike that can handle the accessories when you want them.  It's not fun dishing out $17,000 (or much more) and find out you can't put the options on the bike, or you got to spend a horrific amount of money to get them to fit.

      Consider buying add-on accessories from the dealer instead of aftermarket.  I could write an article on why.  For starters, everything will fit right the first time.  If you buy aftermarket some parts don't fit with other parts and when you try to return the ill-fitting products you will be refused and be stuck with items you can't use and don't want.  This can easily set you back $1,000.00 not counting the anger you will feel how business treats customers these days.   Plus you will be out shipping and handling costs and back to square one wondering why you are being mistreated.  Accessory shops that also install the products are okay as they will guarantee compatibility.  In that case you may save money, but if you try the mail order route to save money you will likely not like what you get in the mail and not be able to return it for a refund, even if you use a credit card you are out of luck.  Yes, you may pay a premium for dealer installed options, but everything will fit, look and work just fine and that alone can save you a bunch of grief, time and money.  

5.  Consider not buying a Softail Standard or a Deuce or a Fat Boy (and I had a Fat Boy when riding this article).  Here's why;  these bikes look cool, but look at the price tag.  You can walk away with a nice Road King for less than the price of a Fat Boy, likely equal to the price of a Deuce, and only a couple thousand more than the Softail Standard.   Save yourself a bunch of money and grief and go look at the Road King model, it is Harley's best value.   I bought a new Softail Standard and found it a bike that handled dangerously at times and the forks could not take typical road bumps.  I upgraded to the Fat Boy and this bike rides nice, but vibrates at all speed, even though it is a balanced twin-cam engine.  It's tolerable, but annoying for long rides beyond one hour duration on the freeway.  The vibration gets worse above 60 m.p.h.  Your next Harley should be the Road King or Electra Glide.  The engine is rubber mounted and isolated from the frame = very little vibration felt and already is outfitted with many options: windshield, saddle bags, light bar, etc.

6.  Get a bike with large front and rear fenders or you will forever be cleaning the bike more than you want to.  Those short-skinny fenders look cool, but they sling dirt and mud and water all over the engine and frame and yourself.  It is not fun.  Remember, it need not rain to ruin your day.  Water in the road from a construction or fire hydrant flush will dirty up the bike real nice.  If the fenders are too low the bike will need to be raised very high to remove the wheels to replace tires, so this can be a factor for those who wish to change their own tires, so you will need a motorcycle lift that will raise the bike high enough to do the job.  Also, consider a bike that has too many accessories to be removed when installing tires and brake pads; saddlebags, luggage, wind deflectors, fairing, exhaust pipes.  If these items must be removed on tire change or on other maintenance work, your dealer labor bill will be higher than other bikes.

7.  The bike should have a throttle stop or friction device to regulate the throttle at highway speeds, tour trunks or saddle bags, a tall windshield.  They say the top tip of the windshield should level with the tip of your nose, but I find your head on windy days will be vibrated badly as the air flow is no longer laminar.  Try to get a windshield that adjusts up or down and you can be seated behind it like a shield looking through  the windshield.  This way the rain and hail will not plaster your face creating serious pain.  Of course, wearing a helmet with a face shield will stop rain or hail on facial skin.

8.  Stay clear of the Sportster, the Softail standard model, the Deuce, the Night Train and other similar models.  These bikes are expensive and they have poor features.  They really do look good on the showroom floor due to their cool style, but for actual touring use or long rides you will need to buy too many accessories to make the bike work, and when all is said and done, they won't work well for you at all.  The Fat Boy is another poor choice.  I bought a new one and it vibrates badly at and above 60 miles per hour.  The engine is counterbalanced, but is solidly mounted to the steel frame without rubber isolation.  It's a nice bike for cruising the mountain roads near Sturgis, but forget driving on fast freeways with it as it will vibrate you to death.  It's a strong, persistent and annoying buzzing of the handlebars and vibrating foot rests that wears you down forcing you to cut back to 55 miles per hour to ride in comfort.  Harley offers a high performance Screaming Eagle Fat Boy model.  If the engine is not rubber mounted to isolate vibration, this monster will likely vibrate so badly it will be of no practical use for anyone who plans to do any interstate riding.   Heritage Soft Tail models are okay, but you should just buy the Road King instead.

9.  The best Harley to buy?  It is the Road King model.  For the money you spend you get the most features and a high quality ride.  Just about everything you need is already on this bike and the price is usually dead on right.  The Electra Glide model has a full fairing and larger storage systems, but it is not needed for most riders, unless you plan to do a lot of highway touring.  You simply can't go wrong with a Road King with mag wheels.  The  Electra Glide is a step up from the Road King and well worth your consideration.

10.  All said and done, you now know the best Harley to buy.  But if you look at the v-twin competition you will find for the price you would pay for a Harley you will get a lot more bike and a ton of extra power from the competition.  If you attend a motorcycle rally you will find eye candy "custom bikes" with "big cube" v-twin engines at equal or less cost than a stock Harley in many cases.  That is if you want a custom bike which is never good for any highway usage.  If you look at the competition v-twin cruisers, you will pay a lot less and get much more of a machine.  Of course, they are not Harley's, but if you must have a Harley, at least now you know which one to buy.  Many Harley Davidson dealers are also authorized dealers for Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Victory or Suzuki cruisers.  Hey, not everybody can afford a new Harley. 

11. You should, when buying a used motorcycle, have a mechanic you know and trust test drive it before you buy it.  His expert opinion will save you a great deal of money.  

12  You should read a lot of motorcycle magazines including back issues so you will be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the motorcycle you plan to buy.  Harley made a V-rod motorcycle to capture the sport rider and create a bike that can keep pace with environmental regulations, but it has failed in the USA as it does not look like a typical Harley and does not sound like one.   Traditional Harley riders will not touch it, so many are switching over to Honda VTX, Yamaha Road Star, Victory, Suzuki Boulevard and the Kawasaki  Vulcan V-twins.  Many are buying custom bikes with big inch motors like TP Engineering, S&S, Patrick Racing, etc., and these custom bikes are highly respected.

13.  Here's a real handy item to have and it is free Checklist To Buy a Cruiser Motorcycle on the JamesRussellPublishing.com Motorcycle Website.  Just print out this free guide and use it when shopping for your new or used motorcycle.  It will save you money, time and grief.

  PUBLISHING RIGHTS - the article is copyrighted August 24, 2004, updated February 25, 2005 but you are granted the right to publish the article herein titled "Buying A New Or Used Harley Davidson" in perpetuity.  You must include the entire article as is, with no changes of wording.  That includes the commentary section by James Russell.  We do request you give full credits to James Russell Publishing and to post an active Website link to James Russell Publishing Website.  This publishing right may also be arbitrarily rejected and withdrawn if the article is misused or employed into an obscene or an offensive environment of which it was not intended to be portrayed.

? QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ?

1.  This is my first bike.  What bike should I buy to learn?  Especially for a woman? 

Answer: You can buy a small used dirt or trail bike, take it to the desert or woods and learn how to ride.  It's really a great way to learn when trail riding.  You learn how to keep the bike upright, how to drop it if you have to, and how to negotiate rocks, sand, and other obstacles like trees and potholes.   Another option is take a rider safety course.  They supply the motorcycle and give you lessons.  Then, after learning the basics you can go out and buy the big bike.  Make sure both your feet are flat on the ground when in the sitting position so you can hold the bike up.  You can't be on tip toes on big bikes.  A side wind at a traffic light will blow you over sideways, easily.  You can have the bike lowered or buy a seat with less padding.  The important factor is comfort.  Is the bike too heavy for you?  At first, all big bikes feel heavy, but if you can keep both feet on the ground and your leg can push the bike up after tilting a few degrees when stopped, you should be able to handle the bike.  Big bikes do require some strength.  Harleys easily get into the 700 lbs area.  That's why the Sportster still sells, it is a small Harley and it sounds good.

2.  Question:  We looked at Harley's but found them all to be too heavy and expensive.  Answer:  Then you should look into buying the Japanese, British or BMW bikes.  Honda and Yamaha have made big inroads into the V-twin market and with Bubs exhaust pipes installed they do sound respectfully good.

3.  Question:  I bought a new motorcycle but it is too quiet.  I need loud exhaust, but I was told by the dealer the bike requires expensive modifications.  

Answer:  Yes, first the cost of the new exhaust is a factor, often costing $450 or more.  Then the engine must be tuned to accept the pipe's increased exhaust flow.  Carburetor models need to be enriched with a jet kit, which is cheap to do.  Most new bikes are fuel injected and that requires a computer module such as the Power Commander and some older models cost about $250, plus the tune up labor.  New commander-type devices cost less and you can tune it yourself with trial and error, just pushing three buttons on the device.  It will cost just as much to do a Harley as it would a Yamaha Road Star.   See question #12 for more details on this subject.

4.  Question:  Any good advice to prevent a mechanical break down?

Answer:  Torque the spark plugs to spec before going on a long trip.  Snug them a bit to insure they are snug tight when on the road.  When stopped for fuel, look at the plugs and see if they are leaking.  For most riders, this is not a problem, but it only has to happen once to you to see a major disaster.  The spark plug gets loose in a Harley and it will strip the threads badly and the cylinder will fail.  It won't be cheap or fast to fix, especially on a week end far from home.  Each morning, check for oil stains on floor; a seal may be leaking.  If you notice smudge spots on your drive sprocket or rear wheel it is a sign an oil leak is developing.  Check your oil levels often if you see stains or oil drips developing.  Harleys are not as reliable as the Japanese bikes, not yet.  They still break down too much, but this won't stop the Harley rider from riding the Harley.  Once more thing; keep your gas tank above 1/2 full.  This way you won't run out of gas. 

5.  Question:  What about oil & gasoline additives.  Should I use them?

Answer:  Yes.  The best oil additive I have used is Dura Lube.  The moment you put just a cup (8 ounces) in your oil you will notice engine noise decreases, fuel mileage and power increases.  I use Dura Lube in my twin-cam Harley engine on each oil change (I have also used CD2 brand). These products reduce friction and heat in the engine and you will learn to love this product due to its engine protection.  Just use it in the engine oil, not the transmission and primary.  If you have a bike that uses the same oil for engine, transmission and clutch, Dura Lube will be okay to use.  It may be good for a Harley in the transmission and clutch, but I have not done so and I have not checked with Dura Lube to see if it is okay.  I would assume some in the primary case will do no harm, but the transmission may be a bit risky.  Dura Lube does sell a manual transmission additive that you could use in the transmission.  It would be best to use Harley's synthetic oil in the transmission and primary chain case.  There are many gasoline additives to clean the fuel lines, carburetor or injectors.  Some of them can be too harsh for the rubbers seals in the Harley fuel system.  Check your owner manual or Harley dealer for recommendations.  I have used many over the counter brands with no adverse affects when traveling, because I do not pour the entire contents in the tank, I use only 1/3 or 1/2 of the bottle.  Then I ride off and burn up that tank of gas.  Then in a few days later I will treat again with the second half of the bottle and ride off and burn off that tank of gas.  Do not leave these additives in with the gas overnight.  That gives the additive time to attack rubber seals.  Just pour and go.  Dura Lube also makes gas additives.  It is a good idea to keep your fuel filter, lines and injectors clean, so do use additives at least once each month of riding.  It is no fun being broken down because of a clogged gas line.  Lucas Oil Products, Inc. makes a nice additive for gasoline engines and I find it makes the fuel burn with a louder explosive sound.  It cleans the fuel injectors, piston rings, piston and valve surfaces and is economical as fuel economy increases to the point it way more than pays for the product!  The product also neutralizes poor fuel quality, reduces pre-ignition, loss of compression, burned valves and broken piston rings.  Increases fuel economy, increases power, raises compression, lowers tailpipe emissions, lubes cylinders and adds longevity to engine life.  What more could you want?  I have had no trouble leaving this additive in the tank overnight or for days as it is like an oil-base lubricant.   I believe you will find these products of good use.

6.  Question:  Can I use synthetic oil in my Harley?

Answer:  This has been a long debate, but now Harley has a synthetic oil, so the answer is yes.  Just go buy Harley Davidson's synthetic oil, or equivalent if you want to use another brand.  The benefit of synthetic is the oil is superior and will not break down and now you can just buy one oil to use in the engine, primary and transmission!  Just using the synthetic in your transmission will increase throttle response and horsepower due to less drag (the synthetic oil is thin and the old semi-synthetic is like molasses).  Add it to your primary, too for even more power increase and cooler running.   The Harley Davidson synthetic oil also protects engine seals better.  You can use it in your engine, but it can be expensive for some riders.  You may want to consider just using the old 20-50 oil in your engine with an additive as in question #5 above.  Other than this, don't mix oils into a blend.  Drain the old oil then add the synthetic oil.  No preparation or engine cleaning or flushing is required to switch to the Harley synthetic oil.  Advice:  switch to it.  It works real nice.  PS:  no additives are required when using synthetic oil.  

7.  Question:  I want more advice on riding safer.  Can you help?

Answer:  Yes.  At the bottom of this page click the link for motorcycle books and movies.  There are books that teach rider safety and you should read it no matter how many years you have been riding!  These books will teach you things on what to avoid and how to avoid dangerous situations.  These books will save your life!  You will agree the moment you begin to read and see all the stupid things you have done.  Have you ever wondered when riding some days it seems everybody is out to get you?  That on these days there were a few close calls?  Well, the books will clearly show you there is something wrong and it is you causing the problem.  You are likely riding in a lane or behind a vehicle or behind a pack of cars that are setting you up to be hit by left-turning vehicles.  You need to read these books!  If you want you can also take rider safety courses, but the books will still go deeper in safe riding and can be read when the weather is not good, like in the fall and winter.

8.  Question:  Do you have instructions when riding with others?

Answer:  Join the Harley Owners Group and they will teach you the proper way to ride in a group.  My advice is to never, ever, never break formation when riding together.  You must keep in formation and if a rider falls out of formation everybody needs to readjust to a lane change to maintain a staggered formation.  Breaking the formation will create huge gaps in the line causing many to get hung up at stop lights and create collisions with other bikes.  Keep the three wheel trikes out of the formation as they are dangerous to riders behind them and can not maintain a correct formation, especially on curves.  Trikes are slower on acceleration and break formation constantly.  Trikes are to be leading the pack or last with the gatekeeper.  Another bit of advice is put the most sensible riders who know how to keep a group of bikes together in the front.  That means riders who know how to ride slow so the pack can keep pace and stay together.  Hot-rodder in the front leave everybody behind in disarray and the pack gets fragmented and creates a nasty bear of a ride.  Do not keep passing cars on streets or freeways.  Lane changing fragments the entire group and increases risk of collisions with cars and bikes.  Many times I have pulled away and left a group when dangerous clowns are leading a bike run.  Don't ride with them.  How many times have you heard or seen bikes being rammed from behind by other bikes?  This is because of the above and one more factor... speeding and stopping, speeding up and stopping.  The ride acts as an accordion bellows expanding and contracting instead of flowing as a pack and will create trouble for all riders.  Usually severe accidents.  If a group is riding fast, faster than you normally would ride on such a road, beware.  These are "clowns" and are too dangerous to ride with.  Groups don't ride fast and reckless.  Drop out of such groups and let them go on without you.  These guys crash.  Do you want to go down with them?  I have seen this time and time again.  Ride with professionals, not clowns.

9.  Question:  Advice for poker runs?

Answer:  Likely too much to list here.  The promoters would get a higher response if they would put a map on the advertisement showing the run.  There are many riders that will not bother to call or write e-mails to find out where the run goes to and they do not like surprises.  People are busy and they need the information up front.  Print a map so everybody can see the run, because people need to know where they are going and how they will return home afterward.  No map = lower turn out!  Make sure you advertise healthy foods too on the advertisement flyer.  Some poker runs have too many bar stops and this can be dangerous to riders as at each bar some riders feel they must buy a drink at each bar, and they do (for some bikers it is a way of life).  I have seen drunk bikers trying to ride and having a tough time of it and endangering us other bikers at the same time.  A shameful way to maim and kill your own poker run riders!  The big successful poker runs cater to the general biker crowd and will have an ice-cream stop, restaurant stop that can serve healthy food, a stop near a shopping plaza, a motorcycle dealer stop, a custom bike stop, a scenic or historic place or other place that caters to bikers.  Five stops in scenic or historic places.  The poker run should be around 100 miles long in good weather and a shorter route in bad weather, if feasible.  There are now so many poker runs the most successful will use intelligent marketing, valuable prizes, good healthy food (not just unhealthy fat-filled hot dogs, hamburger and ribs, but get some chicken and vegetables and salad in there too.  Things have changed!  People are on mandatory diets today and are more health conscience.  I have turned down many rides because the food served was full of dangerous cholesterol (hot dogs, pork, hamburger, sausage) and other fats and grease, the food was just pure junk.  Also, don't let the music play so loud it drives the bikers away.  This is a very common problem that is so noisy bikers get irritable and leave way too soon.  If people can't talk due to loud music, you are intruding into the social fabric of the meet.  Keep the music volume down.  It is not a concert, even if a live band is playing, it is still not a concert.  It is "background entertainment" not a major concert tour, so don't let the band steal your party.

10.  What advice do you have for tires?

Answer:  I have found that the Dunlop tires are too hard and tend to slip on smooth surfaces and I am not impressed with how fast the tires must be replaced.  They just don't last long at all (I got 6,000 miles on them).  Things could change.  What I found is the Metzeler tire (made in Germany) is superior and long lasting (I got 15,000 miles out of them on my Fat Boy with the stock solid aluminum wheels which run cooler than spoke or other mag  wheels).  Avon tires (made in England) are also very good.  The latter two are very high-rounded which gives the bike a lively feel and quick on the corners and they will not slip away from the road like many other tires do.  Those tire snakes (asphalt crack sealant) made the Dunlop tire slip and slide and is "scary".  The Metzeler and Avon tires stick like magic glue.  Make sure you buy tires described as "high mileage touring."  The better tires cost more, but they last longer, are much safer and look good on the bike.  Don't let a dealer talk you out of buying these "quality" tires.  They like to sell inferior tires so you will be back sooner for a tire change bill.

11.  I was told not to buy solid wheels due to wind.  Please advise.

Answer:  Don't worry about it.  The increased centrifugal force of the solid wheel offsets the wind effect.  I have ridden is dangerous winds with my Fat Boy with solid wheels and have had no serious problems.  I have not been blown off the road like others would like to have you think.  In fact, you will obtain higher mileage out of your tires because the solid wheel acts as a "heat sink" taking heat out of and off the tire.  Imagine that!  Those wheels look cool and will save you money on tires too!

12.  I want to install louder exhaust pipes.  Must I jet the carb or fuel injection?  Please explain. 

Answer: If you own a Honda or Yamaha V-twin you may not need to adjust the fuel mixture as long as you leave the stock air cleaner on.  Harley's must have the fuel / air mixture set richer, even if the stock air cleaner is left on in most all cases.  This is how you can tell if you need to adjust fuel mixture.  When you put on the new pipes do you notice that when you shut off the throttle the engine tends to keep running on?  If you blip the throttle does the engine seem to keep running then slowly begins to die down?  Do you hear loud popping noise from the exhaust?  If you experience this you must richen the fuel / air mixture.  First, if you put on louder exhaust pipes on any bike the engine will want to increase horsepower, so you should buy a K&N or similar type air filter that permits free breathing of the intake air to the engine.  However, if you do this you will need to jet or re-map the fuel injection.  The payoff is a smoother running engine, more power and a cooler running engine and a much more fun bike to ride.  You do not need to pay for an expensive dynometer tune-up anymore (unless you are racing).  The new add-on engine control computers on the market today permit the typical rider to slide a lever or press a button to richen the fuel mix for most riding conditions.  This is good for most all street riders.  You only need a dyno tune if you are drag racing for money and need every ounce of horsepower, or you are a very finicky rider and just want everything super perfect.  You don't even need a computer to map the new engine computers because the maps are built into the device.  It is all now a simple bolt on job.  Parts needed: your new exhaust pipes, K&N air filter kit, engine control computer module or interface unit.  You will find all of these in motorcycle parts catalogs.  Advice: exhaust pipes all sound different, so find a bike just like yours that has pipes on it that sound great then copy that formula.  If you don't you may end up with a "ratty sounding" bike.  Cobra makes a digital fuel processor.  Terry Components makes one called the Terminal Velocity.  See Question #3. 

13.  What can I do to get more power from my touring bike without major engine work? 

Answer: See question #12 above about adding exhaust pipes and intake air filter.  That is the best way to gain power, about five to eight horsepower can be expected, sometimes more depending on the bike and altitude it normally runs at.  You should consider using a synthetic oil as less friction increases power and fuel mileage.  Expect about three to five horsepower gain.  Switching to a better firing spark plug can give you two horsepower increase like the NGK brand "U-groove" design.  Using a fuel additive can give more power, but this is too expensive to use all of the time.  Use low electrical resistance silicone or other new development spark plug wires and you will gain two more horsepower.  Using all of the above may give you ten horsepower or more increase, give or take a few horses, but you will get a gain in power and fuel economy.  Reducing the bike's weight and reducing drag will always regain lost horsepower, so travel light.  Also, just install a set of Sumac's Power Volt spark plug wires and this alone you will feel a much more powerful and smoother running engine.  It delivers bright sparks to the spark plugs increasing combustion efficiency and horsepower.

14.  Why does my back brake pad wear out faster than my front brake pad? 

Answer: Your foot is much stronger than your hand and applies a lot of pressure even when you seem to just be pressing the brake pedal lightly.  This is the primary reason the back pad wears faster.  Secondary reason is many riders still fear applying strong hand pressure to the front brake, fearing a skit or flip.  Consider using the front brake all of the time and only use the back and front brakes together when needing to stop quickly.  This will allow both brakes to wear out at the same time.  If you feel this is unsafe, then just do what you feel is best for you.

15.  Should I rebuild or buy a new high performance engine? 

Answer: Depends on how much money you want to spend and what sort of performance is required.  A good route to go is to stay clear of rebuilding because of all the machining and parts that must be replaced.  Things often keep on breaking afterward.  Nothing beats "new" so buy a new high performance engine (if you can afford the price).  Example:  S&S and other engine building firms has big cubic inch engines that bolt right in place.  You just add oil, turn the key and rip up the pavement.  These engines have all the goodies inside to create huge gobs of power.  Keep in mind that if you bought a Harley Davidson Softail Standard or Fat Boy twin cam engine that bolts to the frame (not rubber mounted) you will need to see what is available from the engine manufactures.  They make a lot of engines that are rubber mount compatible.  If you buy a new engine with big power you will need to invest in a belt drive primary system or risk chain failure and case cracking.  Generally the stock drive belt will handle the load, but upgrading to high-capacity belt and drive pulleys will match things up for reliability reasons.  If you have a engine that bolts direct to the frame?  You may have to rebuild the engine.  If so, consider question #16 below.

16.  Should I get my heads ported or not when installing a big bore kit? 

Answer: Technically for racing, yes.  Realistically for street use, no.  Why?  The cost factor is high and the power increase per dollar invested is not worth the money.  Porting (and larger valves) only gives an effective power boost at high rpm. so even hot-rodding around on the street will give you nothing to enjoy.  The power is in bigger pistons.  Get the big pistons and just forget about the head porting.  The increased vacuum the pistons will create will not strangle the engine's air flow as much as you may think.  The air flow will increase to compensate for the small port  and valve size.  This is the lowest cost per dollar invested to get power with a major engine modification.  You don't need a longer duration or higher lift cam for street use.  But if you want more power than just the pistons alone?  Go ahead, but it will cost you more money.  There are "major modifications" beyond what we cover here and that is stroking the pistons, cylinder head porting with combustion chamber reshaping and larger valves, port angle reshaping, hot cam and stronger valve springs and push rods, compression ratio increase (piston shape and cylinder head deck reduction), adding larger carb or injection, stronger clutch and faster timed ignition, forged connecting rods and flywheel, fuel blending, adding a blower to name most of the major items.  A dragster bike will have all out of everything.  A street bike only needs big pistons to really go fast and keep reliability intact.  Once you start adding cams you are near the point where power becomes too strong and wear and tear will increase on all parts of the engine and drive chain.  Power can be very negative when reliability is concerned.  If you go with the big pistons you can ask the mechanic to bore the head port openings to match the intake manifold and exhaust pipe diameters.  This will give you a lot of air to the engine along with your free-breathing air cleaner and exhaust pipes (which is not a full porting job).  You will need to jet the carb or re-map the fuel injection to a richer setting.  You will be very impressed with those big pistons.  How big should you go?  It is not wise to exceed 100 cubic inch in a twin cam 88 engine.  Anything bigger and you will need to start adding the professional things mentioned herein and that will cause a big dent in your wallet.  Let's be realistic.  How many road riders you know are racing their Harley's?  You can build a race engine, but what good is it if fuel mileage and reliability go south?  Everybody will be out riding their bike and yours will always be in the shop or broken down on the side of the road.  Take your pick.  Choose wisely, just get some nice big 100 cubic inch pistons and have fun.      

17.  How should I get a tailgater off my back?

Answer:  Slow down little by little over a couple blocks distance.  Often the tailgater will change lanes and pass you.  If not, slow down and pull over if you can.  If you can't pull over then wave the driver to pass you.  If none of this works the driver is drunk or weird, so accelerate away and make the next left turn you can.  Most tailgaters take a right turn after following a bike (but not all).  It is always better to just pull over and let the tailgater pass by if you can.  Don't speed up and allow the tailgater to stay on your tail at speed.  That is why I say gradually slow down.  If you must have a tailgater it is better to have a slow one than a fast one following too close.  Sometimes just flashing your stop light a bunch of times will frustrate a tailgater and cause him / her to change lanes and pass you.  Many tailgaters are drunk, angry, upset, despondent, depressed, so it is best to let them pass you sooner than later.

18.  How can I tell a motorcycle repair shop is fair and square?

Answer:  The first thing I notice is the condition of the parking lot.  If the parking lot is full of loose sand, gravel, trash or pot holes I head to another dealer or shop.  This sort of shop or dealer has "no concern" for the customer who has to ride an expensive motorcycle into a dangerous parking lot and risk dumping the bike.  That's the first thing I look for; a clean parking lot and usually you find people who care for your health and well being!  Word of mouth is a good indicator the shop or dealer is fair to work with.  Another thing I look for is bike shops that do not offer discounts on products I find are to be avoided.  Every business (even authorized Harley Davidson dealers) has sales and ongoing discounts any day of the week, but the "stingy" dealer will not and is out to take the biker for a ride.  Personal dealing with the manager and owner of the shop and how you are treated is a good indicator.  Any dealer that does not offer sales for customers needs to.

19.  Do you manufacture a motorcycle good luck charm?

Answer:  The product we manufacture is called a Gospel Coin and it is way better than a typical good luck charm (like a rabbit foot, bell or an angel that bikers hang on their bikes) because the promises on the coin are made by God and He must (and He will) deliver on His promises!  You can string or glue the coin to your bike as a reminder and / or carry one with you at all times.  Click here for more information on how to obtain your free sample.  The coin looks good when glued on bike frame parts or the engine.  When using glue, use General Electric Silicone II rubber sealant and the coin will come off easily without ruining aluminum, chrome or paint.  You can buy silicone at Wal-Mart in the hardware or automotive dept.  You may want to drill a hole in the coin and string it to your bike so it can spin or dangle.  Typical good luck charms are only superstition, but God's promises are powerful assurances you can rely on.  Why not try riding with this beautiful gold-tone Gospel Coin?  This coin is better than a good luck charm and it is free.   

20.  I want to buy a new motorcycle.  Are there any books on the subject?

Answer:  We have a free checklist you can use to evaluate multiple motorcycles of your own choosing to help you make a well-informed decision on what bike you should buy.  You will like this checklist.  Go ahead and make some copies and give them to your friends.  Click here for the checklist.  For books on motorcycles click here.

21.  What is the best motorcycle cleaner you have used?

Answer:  I have used Wizards for a couple years and it is an excellent product.  There are many great cleaners, waxes and polishing products on the market and it keeps getting better every year.  I was recently impressed with a spray on wax product by Turtle Wax.  It worked fast on chrome and paint.  

22.  I was told not to buy gasoline from pumps with only one hose due to dilution.  Explain. 

Answer:  Don't buy gasoline from any fuel dispensing pump with only one hose.  This is true for motorcycles because when you purchase high 91 octane fuel the odds are the vehicle before you used low 87 octane fuel.  That fuel hose is now full of cheap fuel, but you are going to pay premium price.  You will get about one quart of this inferior fuel and that will dilute your five-gallon tank from 91 octane to about 89 or less.  As you can see, the oil companies and station owners have found a way to rob people a quart of fuel for each person that comes along who buys from them.  This deceptive sales practice should be outlawed.  It can also cause your motorcycle engine damage if the engine knocks and pings from this fuel dilution.  How come the local government and the weights and measures authorities is not taking corrective action to stop this theft and harmful practice?   Remember, you are paying for premium fuel but you are getting an inferior fuel diluting what is already in your gas tank.  What it did is ruin all five gallons of fuel in your gas tank that you paid premium price for.  It is costing you more than you think.  You will now need to carry an expensive octane booster additive with you to make up for the loss of octane and that adds to your total cost.  These single-hose pumps should be outlawed.

23.  I want to change the oil on my Harley Davidson Twin Cam engine.  How can I learn to do this?.  

Answer:  We have a book that is titled; "How to Change the Oil in Your Harley Davidson Twin-Cam Motorcycle."  The book is designed for the novice; anyone who has never done it before.  It has 70 photos with very easy to do step-by-step instructions.  Even a girl can do it!  Also covers how to change and clean the air cleaner, spark plugs and even lists the tools and parts you will need.  You will learn how to change the engine oil, primary oil and transmission oil and the engine oil filter.  It will be straightforward to do and this book will save you time and money, about $300 each and every year.  Now you can change your own oil and not have to wait for it to be done.  You also receive valuable advice on how to make your engine last thousands of miles longer and gain more power and yet still obtain better fuel mileage than stock.  But that is not all, you will learn and actually will get an increase of about 5 horsepower more from your bike just by following the simple advice given.  Total cost for you to buy tools will be about $35.  After that, your cost will only be what you pay for gaskets, o-rings, oil and the oil filter.  This book will make you money by saving you money!  And yes, your Harley Davidson dealer will sell you the tools and parts so you can do it yourself.  And, you can change the oil for other guy's bikes and earn a lot of extra money for yourself.  You can even use this book to begin a motorcycle mechanic career or just to earn part-time income.  Many motorcycle dealers are looking for oil change people during the busy riding season and at motorcycle rallies.   Get your copy today!

24.  I was told some bikes have outrageous maintenance schedules.  

Answer:  There are some bikes that require the entire engine to be removed from the frame just to check or adjust the valve clearance.  This is terrible and just terrible for the consumer to bear these expensive inconveniences (a major burden in my opinion).  The cost can be as high as $400 in labor each 10,000 miles.  The Harley Davidson V-rod requires engine removal from the frame.  Other bikes you need to check or adjust the valves every 7,000 miles and you must remove the gasoline tank to gain access.  That's not as bad, but it is a messy job and eventually an accident happens to scratch the paint on the tank.  What is worse, people have been burned from exploding gasoline spills, etc.  Look to buy a bike that has hydraulic lifters, like a car engine has that never need to be adjusted.  Other things you need to look at is if the oil filter can be easily changed.  How about the engine, primary and transmission oil, is it easy or very time consuming to change?  Most Harley Davidson engines are harder to change the oil.  There is no way it can be done quickly as three oil compartments must be drained and filled.  Most modern bikes have one or more drain plugs, yet still only drain one oil from all three compartments and that makes oil changing a snap.  Look for motorcycle where you can easily change the brake pads without having to drive out the wheel axle.  Again, the Harley Davidson is weak here as the axle must be driven clear to remove the rear brake caliper.  These things add time to the hourly labor fee you will be charged or it will take up your time if you do it yourself.  See our article on How To Buy A Cruiser Motorcycle.    

25.  I would like to buy the best tires for cruising.  What do you recommend?  

Answer:  Consider Metzler Marathon ME880 tires.  You will get a smooth ride, a lot more tread depth, a very strong road grip with impressively long tread life.  I have put on 15,000 miles on these tires, even on a heavy Harley Davidson Fat Boy.  Avoid Bridgestone Battle-ax brand of tires, they ride rough like a solid rubber tire and they wear terribly uneven making the bike vibrate so bad you can break headlight bulbs.  That has been my experience with those tires. Avon's Viper brand of tire is just like the Metzler in grip, but I only got 12,000 miles on them before I had to change the tires, but that is still a real good tire with good tread life too.    I am trying a set of Dunlop tires at this time on a Vulcan 2000 cruiser.  They make the bike ride okay as the rubber is very a bit soft like sticking your fingernail into bubblegum.  The tires grip the road very well indeed, but I am not happy with the mileage as I only got about 8,000 miles on them.  It is hard to beat the Metzler for long tire life for a cruising motorcycle.  If the Dunlop were to get high mileage it would be a great tire, but the results are now in!  After trying the tires mentioned above on my heavy Vulcan 2000 I just had to go back to the Metzler Marathon ME-880.  These Metzler tires are superior in ride quality, aggressive road grip and very high mileage over 12,000 miles.  At many motorcycle rallies you can get a real good deal with Metzler as they offer to sell and install for a buy-one-get-one-free and that deal just can't be beat.  Now you know the best tires to buy for your cruiser motorcycle and the best deal on how to get them.

26.  I want to change the antifreeze in my motorcycle but I was told there can be a problem.  What is the problem I should know about? 

Answer:  Basically the antifreeze container must say it is safe for aluminum engines.  If it says that, then it is okay to use.  If it does not say it on the label then the antifreeze has silicates or other chemicals that will attack and corrode the metal.  When in doubt, just buy the antifreeze your dealer sells to be on the safe side, always.  Sometimes it is not wise to try to save a few dollars and ruin your engine or mfg. warranty.

27. I get confused with Harley Davidson's cubic inches and cubic centimeters:  

Answer:  88 cubic inch = 1450cc.  96 cubic inch =1585cc.  110 cubic inch = 1800cc.  The largest Harley Davidson classic V-twin engine can be had at the 1800cc size yet it will cost you a small fortune to own one.  If you want big power at a low price you need to look at alternatives because 1800cc is still a small engine by today's cruiser motorcycle standards. 

28. I need a cruise control for my motorcycle but nobody makes one.  

Answer:  The cruise control on a motorcycle is simply a friction device on the throttle hand grip.  You can use a rubber band twisted a few times then slipped over the grip so it applies friction between the twist grip and throttle cable housing.  You can also use a nitrile (stiff) 1"x3/16" O-ring.  The best O-ring to use is made of silicone because it is more flexible (soft) and will last longer.  Caterpillar Tractor Company sells them in two sizes that fit most motorcycles.  The part number for the 24.77mm size silicone is 8M-5266 and the nitrile is  8B-4967.   The part number for the 24.94mm size silicone is 8M-4991 and the nitrile is  5H-7370.  A hardware store may also have them.  Just make sure when you use this "makeshift" system that you can close the throttle.  If for any reason you can't shut the engine down remember to use the kill-switch then find out why the rubber band or O-ring got stuck.  It likely broke with age.  I've used rubber bands for thousands of miles of riding with no trouble.  The size I use is 1/4" wide by 3" long (not stretched).

29. I ride a Yamaha V-Max and I want some pipes that sound like a V-twin.  

Answer:  The best I have heard is the HoleShot brand of exhaust.  I was in the Black Hills of South Dakota and heard one coming down the street in Deadwood and I thought it was a huge 145 cubic inch V-twin engine.  It wasn't, it was a stock Yamaha V-Max with HoleShot exhaust.  I was very impressed how powerful they sounded.  It actually fooled me into thinking it was a huge twin-cylinder V-twin.  I know the sound, as I have a 125 cubic inch V-twin.  I recommend you get these pipes!  I don't know the model number.

30. How can I stop wind from buffeting my helmet?  I have a windshield.  

Answer:  Try putting some weather strip along the top of the windshield. Also, if you can tilt the windshield back, way back, so it resembles a fly-screen you will be amazed how that shallow angle will stop all wind.  I purchased the small Windvest handlebar mounted windshield, tilt it way back (toward you) not upright like a battering ram and it works fantastic.  Gas mileage also goes way up, too!   Corbin also sells a similar device that eliminates the need for a windshield, but I like the Windvest due to some protection from flying objects is still somewhat available.  You will never have a windshield intruding into your vision, as the windshield's top edge when tilted back, is at your chin level.  You will get less battering from the wind too and no wind from gas tank reflection so air wings are no longer required.  If the windshield gets dirty, so what?  You still have a perfect unobstructed view.  I never have to stop to clean my windshield!  National Cycle also makes small windshields.  Try one!  Once you go small well... I will never go back to those huge full-size windshields.

30. My clutch hand hurts.  What can I do? 

Answer:  The angle of the handlebars can cause stress on the wrist and forearm and the cure is to change the bars to a more comfortable set.  Most of the time a hurting clutch hand is caused by a clutch lever that has too much resistance and tires and stresses the muscles in the hand and arm.  Harley-Davidson has a fix for models prior to 2007.  Ask a service repair shop about getting one installed as it is really not a job for the novice as the transmission trap door must be removed and oil removed, etc.  Not a quick fix.  Before you do that you could investigate Barnett Performance Products and ask them about their high-efficiency clutch cables that reduce the pull of the clutch lever up to 40%.  It will be cheaper to go this route first.

31. I need professional tire repair products.  Motorcycle dealers have limited sources and even specialty motorcycle catalogs are lacking supplies.  Where can I find them? 

Answer:  The professional tire repair shops use Tech International as their supplier.  You will find all you need by clicking the link.

32. What is the best advice you can give me before I buy a new motorcycle? 

Answer:  Read every possible review you can get your hand on in magazines and on the Internet.  Also, print out our free, Consumer Checklist to Buy a Cruiser Motorcycle.  You should also buy a book that specializes in how to buy a motorcycle, Motorcycle Books.

33. Can carbon buildup in the cylinder burn valves?

Answer:  Absolutely yes.  The carbon keeps building up inside the cylinder and eventually prevents the valve from seating and that means the valve is now blowing by hot gases and the valve and seat are not cooling down and the burning begins.  Suddenly compression pressure is lost and the valves will need to be replaced along with the valve seats.  In many engines the entire cylinder head must be replaced, as they are a single component system.  I use Marvel Mystery oil on a regular basis.  I just pour in a couple shot glass doses at each fill up.  It cleans and lubricates the entire fuel system from the gas tank to the exhaust pipe.  Chemtool is a product that is very powerful and very strong and "decarbonizes" dirty engines.  Use it once in awhile, maybe each six months or six thousand miles.  Other over the counter aftermarket fuel injection cleaner products can be used and should be used at least once every three months or three-thousand miles.  Fuel injection motorcycles often have a difficult to clean fuel strainer inside the gas tank.  All the more reason to use a fuel conditioner treatment system to keep it clean.  Always read your owner manual to see what sort of products can and cannot be used.

34. My motorcycle jacket zipper has broken.  Can it be fixed and by whom?

Answer:  Yes.   Contact: Diane Boone by e-mail: VerdiBoone@aol.com  She shared some advice with me about motorcycle jackets.  When zipping the jacket be gentle as the metal zipper will actually break or wear unevenly or the zipper itself will warp and that will require the entire zipper to be replaced.  Bikers normally wear gloves and this can cause us to unevenly apply proper pressure to the zipper, twist the teeth out of alignment or jerk the zipper when it gets stuck.  Amazingly, she told me to lubricate the zipper (metal or plastic) with WD40.  Just apply a little bit of lubricant with a cotton Q-tip to the zipper and this will prevent a lot of problems and it will not ruin the cotton stitching.  It makes sense.  She also said that plastic is the way to go as it is self lubricating to a degree and the teeth will not bend or warp as easily as metal zippers often do.  Diane repairs a lot of motorcycle jackets for Harley-Davidson riders (and other of course) and she actually performs high quality embroidery right into the leather jacket not just applying a patch as many others do.  Well, there we have it.  We have to perform oil changes on our motorcycles and now on our zippers!

35. How can I check my tire pressure quickly?

Answer:  Buy a tire pressure indicator.  Tire Minder is one company that makes them and they are economical to buy, they operate on too wide a range of pressure.  Find a brand that is pressure specific that it triggers the moment it drops 1psi below your set tire pressure like TireWise.  How it works?  You screw the device onto the valve stem then look at the indicator.  If it is the color green your tire pressure is okay.  If it is the color red your tire pressure is low and you need to add air.  Don't confuse this with those expensive tire monitoring systems that cost a lot more money, yet do the same job.  Here's how to select the right tire pressure indicator.  Let's say your tire pressure is supposed to be 35psi.  Then buy a monitor that will notify you when the air is low when it reaches 35psi.  This means you need to buy a monitor rated at 36psi.  Yes, you will have to ride with 1psi over your recommended tire pressure which is negligible.  This way, when the air pressure drops to 35 you know it is time to add air.  Don't buy anything that requires a battery to operate.  Just get the brand that operates off the tire pressure itself.  There are many companies selling broad range high or low pressure range caps, but keep looking to find specific pressure caps.  Motorcycle shops and catalogs usually sell them including auto parts stores.

36. Do deer alarms really work?

Answer:  I believe they certainly do.  I have had encounters with deer and other large animals and with the deer alarms they steer clear of the vehicle (truck and motorcycle).  Call it luck?  I believe they work.  For less then $5 it is cheap insurance.  I won't drive without them.

37. What are the best motorcycle tires I can buy?

Answer:  I used to say Metzeler tires, but not anymore.  The new duel compound tires on the market are way better than standard Metzeler tires in ride quality, grip and longevity of tread life.  Things have changed.  Also look for low roll resistant tires that will increase your miles per gallon of fuel.  Now cost is another matter.  You have to shop around to get the best tire prices.  Don't just take your bike to a dealership to get tires put on.  You can save a lot of money by using other motorcycle repair shops.  The best time to shop for tires is when you don't need them.  Go around and talk to mechanics to get their best prices.  The best deal?  Learn to change your own tires.  You save on labor and on tire costs.  Tip:  When you buy a motorcycle, examine the cost of changing tires.  The bikes with those wide rear tires can cost you a big nickel to change and if you ride a lot you will save even more to select a different bike with a smaller size tire.  I go through three sets of tires a year on my motorcycle due to high miles I put on the bike, 35,000 miles a year.  I change my own tires with a tire changing device (go to Motorcycle Tips page for details on a tire changer.  Then you use the Internet to get deep discounts on tires and put them on yourself.    

Click here for Motorcycle Shopping Page

38. I need a loud horn, but I don't want to spend a lot of money.

Answer:  I have good news for you.  How would you like to spend about $20 or less for a horn that will produce 125 decibels?  It will hurt your ears standing within two feet of the motorcycle!  Of course you would like that.  Well, go to a Napa auto parts store and get horn part # 730-1054.  The horn is made by: FIAMM Technologies, Inc., 1550 Leeson Ave., Cadillac, MI 49601.  Phone: 231-775-1373.  Installation is easy. Remove your motorcycle's horn and just hook up the original two wires attached to your existing horn to the new horn.  The horn comes with blade-type connectors already attached to the wires.  If the horn does not work?  Just reverse the two wires.  This loud horn comes with a nice long, thin offset chrome bracket so you can position the horn in many different angles to fit your motorcycle.  And that is important.  It does us no good to have a horn that can't mount into confined areas.  The horn is also surprisingly small in size for the monstrous noise it makes.  They even make a louder horn that sounds like a big-rig truck for about $5 more.  I didn't try that one, yet.  Believe me, you won't need expensive air horns and you won't need to pay big money to get a powerfully loud horn.  Try this horn and you'll see.  Every biker should get one of these horns.  And yes, you can even mount two or three of them to blast a powerful sound wave even a freight locomotive engineer could hear it!  And that's three horns for about $30.  I paid way more than that for motorcycle horn that produce a lot less sound.  Haven't you?  You don't need three horns, but if you do want to experiment with multiple horns or to use marine or heavy truck horns you need to check the amperage draw of the horns and make sure your existing horn wiring can handle the load.  If you use just one horn as I listed above, there will be no problem, just install and ride away.

39. What about heated clothing?

Answer:  Gerbings is heavily advertised as the best you can buy and dealers claim they are the "best", but don't be fooled.  Gerbings is far from the best in heated clothing.  Why?  They are expensive and their heated jacket has no heated elements in the inside portion of the arms and so when you are riding your motorcycle in cold weather, even in mild cool weather, your arms stay cold on the inside and hot on the outside making a very uncomfortable riding experience.  I had a First Gear brand heated jacket that kept all portion of the body warm at much, much less cost.  It was a mistake when I bought a Gerbings heated jacket.  I wrote to Gerbings about this and there was no cure for the problem, as they do not put heating elements on the inside portion of the arms.  What are they thinking?  Motorcycle rider's arms are totally exposed to the wind especially the inside portion of the arms.  I did have some trouble with First Gear's thermostat controller failing which caused me to switch brands to Gerbing, but my next jacket will not be a Gerbings!  I was taken for about $400 and it is the most uncomfortable riding experience I have had in cold weather gear.  Go with First Gear, save money and be warm!

40. I need a strong degreaser to clean my motorcycle that will cut through the toughest grease (even stubborn chain grease) but will not harm any paint.  Do you have a recommendation?

Answer:  Yes, go buy S-100.  It is sold in motorcycle shops or can be ordered by them from the major distributors.  This stuff is amazingly strong and it will even liquefy accumulated solidified chain grease.  Amazing!  And it will not harm paint, chrome, or even plastic or leather.  Once you try S-100 you will be a believer.  Don't buy the aerosol spray can version as you will pay too much.  Get the large spay bottle.  A little goes a long way so you won't be using much to get the job done.  Just wait until you spray it on then wash it off and see how clean your bike is in half the time using other methods.  

41. I have a rubber insert on my front fender that holds the speedometer cable in place, but the rubber keeps breaking over time and the dealer cost for the part is expensive.  What else can I use?

Answer:  Calterm Company makes a Rubber Insulated Clamp that will fix this problem because it has a metal strap along with the rubber.  You will need a small nut, bolt and lock washer to install it.  Make sure the bolt is not so long that it rubs against the tire.  It will look good and outlast the stock strap.  You can get them at hardware stores.  Try the 1" to 1-1/2" diameter size.

42. The mirrors on my motorcycle are small and the convex mirrors are too large that cars use.  Don't they make some small side-view mirrors for motorcycles?

Answer:  Yes, they do.  Bikemaster has what they call an "eyeball mirror" part number 60-0209.  They should be available in parts distributor catalogs at a motorcycle store.  They are small and will not take up much room on your mirror.  Consider buying larger mirrors as small stock mirrors on a motorcycle are not safe.

43. Where can I purchase OEM motorcycle parts?

Answer:  Search the Internet or Original Equipment Manufactured parts, but beware of BikeBandit.com as they charge a hefty 20% restocking fee if you make a mistake ordering a part and you later must return it.  That, my friends is a bad deal for you.  I try not to buy anything from any company that charges restocking fees.  You get burned badly having to pay for shipping charges and then get robbed with a restocking fee.  The company profits at your expense!  One company I like is MotorcycleSuperstore.com  they never charged me a restocking fee on any returns for any reason and they have excellent low prices, discounts and promotions, but they don't have many OEM parts, mostly aftermarket.

44. I need a simple to use fuel injection manager.

Answer:  Fuel injection modules were once dumb and had to be programmed with a computer and a dyno, not anymore.  One product by Accel offers easy tuning.  Just plug it in and the computer learns as you ride.  No need for computer maps to be downloaded and no need for a costly dynometer run.   It works with the factor ECU automatically tuning up your engine even compensating for changing loads, weather, altitude.  Eliminates banging and popping from exhaust pipes.  It will work on stock and mildly modified engines with cams.  Each year these computers are getting better and better.  There are other brands to consider that will meet your type of motorcycle.  CobraUSA is another company.

45. Can I install a five or six speed transmission on my motorcycle?

Answer:  Yes, you can (if you ride a Harley or custom bike) but why would you want to do that?  To lower your cruising rpm's?  If so, you can save yourself many thousands of dollars by just installing a smaller size rear wheel pulley (or sprocket if chain driven).  You'll get impressive results.  Harley and custom bike rear pulleys are large in size so I am not certain how many teeth size you need to reduce to get a good cruising torque band.  I do know they do sell such smaller sizes.  On my Triumph America I installed just a one tooth smaller rear sprocket and got impressive results, but the rear sprocket stock size is only about 32 teeth to begin with, much smaller than a Harley or custom bike.  You'll need to reduce more teeth than that. Do an internet search with the words "Motorcycle Overdrive Pulley" or "Harley-Davidson Overdrive Pulley"  If you still do prefer to go the transmission route check out Baker Drivetrain RevTech and Milwaukee Twins

46. I have had my belt and rear wheel pulley wear out.  What can I do to make it last longer?

Answer:  Makes sure you use quality pulley and belt replacements.  Some have been known to wear out in under 30,000 miles.  That's equal to a chain drive system.   You can have a wear liner installed on your pulley by contacting Supermax Belt Drive you can also convert back to a chain drive, but it too can be expensive to do on Harley-Davidsons and custom bikes.  Conversion is way easier on bikes where the front sprocket can be removed without disassembling the entire primary case.

47. Should I buy a bike with a chain drive?

Answer:  Yes, yes, yes!  I am disillusioned with motorcycles with belt drives.  I have seen the belt fall right off the rear pulley when riding over a bump in the road.  They must be adjusted tightly and that also means they can make noise (you won't hear it with loud pipes) but sand pebbles can chew the belt in half and believe me, those pebbles do get in there somehow and poke holes right through the belt which then create wear tears and the belt fails.  I now prefer a chain drive.  Yes, I bit messier to clean, but not as bad a years ago.  With the new anti-fling chain lubes like Dupont Teflon Chain Lube stays on the chain.  See product image below.  To learn more about this no-mess product go to our next page.

The new superbike chains are so tough you only have to adjust them once every 8,000 to 12,000 miles which is also very easy to do and takes only 10 or 15 minutes.  The chain and sprockets last 30,000 miles or more and also are easily replaced.  A broken or worn belt will require engine disassembly and swing arm removal which is a big job and expensive.  Just because you have a belt drive does not mean you are trouble free.  Those belts and pulley systems I believe is a regression as they are expensive to replace (and they do need replacing) and changing out pulleys and belts are troublesome compared to swapping chain and sprockets.  If the belts reliably lasted 100,000 miles I could reconsider, but my experience and luck was not so good.  I ride a chain-driven bike which is better (for ease of replacement, reliability, safety, anti-tamperproof and cost) and a shaft-driven bike is even better yet eliminating all of the maintenance problems.  There is a danger with a belt drive I do not appreciate and it is being able to be cut by vandalism by anyone with sharp edge pliers.  Imagine that happening to you one day a couple hundred miles from home.  No dealer can replace that belt in one day's time unless you are very lucky to find one who can and be prepared for about a $1,000 bill and your back to square one.  Read my article Problem With Motorcycle Belt Drives

48. A lot of people are selling used motorcycle exhaust pipes.  Why?

Answer:  They are selling them because they are now illegal.  All old aftermarket pipes were made obsolete by the new standard by the Society of Automotive Engineers J2825.  If you get caught with loud pipes law enforcement now has decibel meters and a distant standard to ticket you.  How quiet must your motorcycle now be?  80db and to give you an idea how quiet that is your household vacuum cleaner puts out about 110 db.  The V-twin cruiser guys are going to get clobbered with fines and that is why you now see so many exhaust systems for sale.  The aftermarket pipe companies are already selling the new quiet pipes.  Some still have removable baffles, but if you dare mess with them law enforcement will catch up to you sooner or later.  Many cities have complained that there was no legally enforceable standard to determine what was loud and courts kept siding with the biker with loud pipes to beat the tickets.  This won't be the case anymore.

 49. What is your opinion of KTM motorcycles.  I am thinking of buying one.

Answer:  Some people love them.  I looked at their dirt bikes and they seem fine, but the KTM 990 street bike seems to have some serviceability problems.  It seems it can cost you $300 for a routine oil change because the oil filter is totally buried deep into the frame and many components must be removed from the motorcycle just to get to the oil filter.  This is a serious design flaw, but good for the dealer.  Valve adjustments can cost your $550 just to check the valves with no parts.  This bike reminds me of the Harley-Davidson V-Rod which the engine must be dropped out of the frame to gain access to the valve cover to check or adjust the valves which is insanity in my opinion.  Imagine if you bought a car and they tell you they got to charge you $300 for an oil change or $550 to check the valves.  Nobody would buy it.  Motorcycle magazines tend to be very quiet about such defects in their bike reviews for fear of losing advertising dollars.  People are not being told that Harley-Davidson dealers are charging up to $350 or more for a routine oil change on all of their v-twin bikes.  I wrote a book to show you how to do it yourself for less than $40.  I am also writing a book on the new overhead cam Triumph motorcycles showing you how to adjust the valves, change your own tires, oil change, etc.   Getting back to KTM I would not buy their street bikes until routine maintenance issues are resolved.  The dirt bikes?  Yes, go buy one!

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