Grip Warmers

This morning I had a nice little brisk ride home from work on my motorcycle. It was somewhere around 17°F before factoring in the fact that I was going 45 MPH. Needless to say I was cold. On the 26th of December I installed Heat Demons Grip Warmers. That was my Birthday present from the parents. They do work but it just wasn’t enough to battle the low temps. The fingers were in pain about halfway home on my 11 mile journey but at least my toes and the rest of the body was okay. I guess some better gloves are in order or maybe a Road Glide (I wish). I also saved up some money and purchased a removable windshield from someone off of craigslist for $150. Not too bad of a price for something that probably cost him $300 or more.  

No matter what ensure that you prepare properly when riding in the cold. Hypothermia can sneak up on you fast and before you know it you are in the hospital or worse. Dress warm, make sure you have something to break the wind, and eat enough calories for your body to burn. Just  try to stay warm while still keeping your motorcycle on the road.

By:  Keith Theusch

http://www.bikerleatherandclothing.com

Many people who don’t ride believe that bikers wear leather because of the way it looks.  To those of us that do ride, our leather means so much more.  Although we may like the way we look in our leather, leather is also a very important source of protection.  In the unfortunate event that we find ourselves sliding down the asphalt at 60 MPH, we no longer care how we look.  At this point, our leather becomes all about the protection it provides.  Leather is thick, durable and will take a lot of abuse.  Bikers have been using leather for protection for many years.  Leather will also serve to protect you from the weather elements.  Leather will keep you warm in cold weather and it is waterproof which will help keep you dry in the case of rain.  In warmer weather, vented jackets will help them not be so hot to wear.  Leather gear usually consists of a jacket, pants or chaps, gloves and boots.  Many riders will also wear a leather vest.

A properly fitted leather jacket used for riding will be large and roomy enough to allow the biker to properly operate the motorcycle.  It should also be large enough to wear a sweatshirt underneath during those cold rides. Recently, some cruiser riders have been wearing the split-tailed style Drover Coats. These coats are durable, windproof, waterproof, and reasonably priced. As attractive as a Drover Coat might be for riding a horse, it’s less than ideal for motorcycling. These long coats can become tangled in the running gear. This is extremely dangerous and I advise against wearing a Drover Coat while riding motorcycle.

Many people only wear chaps to keep their legs warm while riding in colder weather.  However, chaps do much more than keep your legs warm.  In the event of an accident, your chaps will act as a tough, thick layer of skin to help protect your legs.  Chaps will also protect your legs from small rocks that are kicked up form vehicles in front of you.  A properly fitted pair of chaps will fit snug while sitting on your motorcycle and have a little play while up walking around.

Leather gloves are very important.  They protect your hands.  Your hands control the most important aspect of motorcycle riding and it’s important to protect them properly.  It is essential that your gloves fit comfortably and that they are flexible enough to allow you to properly control your motorcycle.

Leather boots will provide much more protection than ordinary fabric shoes.  The leather uppers will help deflect debris and help prevent your legs from being burned on the hot pipes of a motorcycle.  In the event of an accident, leather boots will help protect your feet from impact and abrasion.  A stepped boot will help you keep your feet on the pegs.  I recommend using a slip-on or zippered boot rather than one with laces.  Laces can become entangled on a motorcycle part while riding or reaching for the ground.  Always, Always, wear boots that have oil resistant, non-skid outsoles.

Leather vests are a traditional part of the motorcycle culture.  Although they will provide some level of protection, vests are worn more as a statement than for protection.  Leather vests can be worn either under or over your leather jacket.

Remember, you will always be safer wearing your leather biker clothing while you ride.  Even the safest and best riders can have an accident.  Ride safe and ride often.

Keith D. Theusch

http://www.bikerleatherandclothing.com<–>

If you are not already a member now is a good time to join!

Hypothermia;

Well according to Dictionary.com it is

• an abnormally low body temperature, often caused by prolonged exposure to cold.

Some of the symptoms include uncontrollable shivering, slowed heart rate resulting in lower blood pressure, confusion, and loss of memory. Hypothermia is deadly and can kill even after you have been warmed back up in some extreme cases because of your bodies weakened state mostly from pneumonia.

You may wonder how it can happen; well with the blowing wind flying across your body at 60 to 70 mph stealing away your body heat it happens rather quickly and before you know it your core body temperature is falling to dangerous levels. So how do you prevent falling prey to such a sneaky bastard? In the army we use the acronym COLD for a few tips and I will start with those;

Clean. Keep your clothing and yourself clean. Sounds kind of funny but dirt in your clothing keeps it from being as effective at insulating your body from the elements as it should be. Take care of your clothing so it can take care of you!

Overdressing. Now this can be hard to judge but you don’t want to wear so much that you begin to sweat while riding. Once you begin to sweat, the moisture can rob you of valuable body heat.

Loose Layers. Dress loose and in layers, that way the looseness creates extra layers of air around your body and helps with insulation and the layers make it easy for you to adjust your clothing to the conditions. We will talk about the layers that you may need later on in the article.

Dry. This is very important. The moisture as stated above will rob body heat faster than anything. It is very important to stay dry even in seemingly warmer temperatures. The effect of the wind blowing across your body and drying the moisture from your body is the same process your body uses to keep cool when you sweat. As liquid evaporates it cools. Now this can be very bad on cooler days and can decrease your body temperature very quickly. Be very aware of this and please stay dry.

Now that is not all there is to preventing hypothermia. You should also eat properly to replace all of the calories that your body burns while trying to stay warm. They say that the average athlete may burn 4000 or fewer calories in the warmer months but winter activities may burn 6000 or more calories with the added load of keeping your body warm. Now don’t get carried away and eat too much. Just remember that your body will need a little more food than normal so try and eat some more pasta or any good carbohydrates (candies and cookies won’t cut it). Now along with eating well you also need to stay hydrated (with water). Now just for those of you that are wondering, alcohol will reduce your ability to stay warm.

I told you before that we would talk about that clothing, well here it goes;

Base Layer

Keep a good layer of clothing next to your skin that is not cotton. Cotton will keep moisture next to your skin and rob heat from you. Try something like polypropylene or wool. Those pull moisture away from your body. Under Armour Tech Long Sleeve Tee is a good product that I use and I am very happy with the results.

You want to wear something over that layer that will compliment it. Now cotton is still not your friend here so try and just find a loose fitting shirt made from some material other than cotton. According to how cold it is I sometimes wear some type of fleece jacket or pullover. Now I have been known to wear a cotton hoodie if I think it is not going to be wet but if you think you may get wet do not wear cotton. I know it can be hard finding some type of pants to fit this bill but it will be worth it on that ride that turned colder than it was supposed to. This is the layer that is going to hold the warmth in so make sure it is adequate.

Outer Layer

This is going to be what keeps the wind and rain off of your body. All of the other layers make no difference without this one. You will need a quality jacket and pants with all of the protection that you prefer to have when buying motorcycle gear plus the added protection from the elements. Make sure to get something to cover your body while in your riding position. You may end up buying gear to go over your normal jacket/pants just make sure it is quality. Rain suits make great wind breakers and can sometimes be just what the doctor ordered when it is cold and windy out. Check out this Tourmaster Rain Jacket.

Gloves

You need to make sure that these things are waterproof, windproof, and insulated enough to keep your hands warm. If you are like me and no glove will keep your hands warm enough you may want to pick up some of those little hand warmers to stick inside of your gloves when you really need them. Also try some thin glove inserts to help out on those colder than normal days. Just remember; don’t buy your gloves to tight. You will cut off circulation to your hands and no gloves will keep your hands warm then. Also ease off on the death grip you have on your bars.

Boots

These need to have the same qualities as your gloves except they need to be sturdy. Sometimes the first thing to get wet and cold will be your feet so try and make sure the boots you buy are truly waterproof or buy some slip-on covers for your boots to keep the wet out. Buy some good socks too. A good pair of socks will make a world of difference and help you stay comfortable and enjoying the ride.

With these tips and a little planning maybe we can all enjoy riding this winter. No matter what, be safe and enjoy the ride this winter. I am going to try and get in over 5000 miles this winter, what is your goal?

Panel urges mandatory motorcycle helmets

By KEN THOMAS
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — States should require motorcycle riders to wear proper helmets, government investigators urged Tuesday as part of several recommendations that seek to stem a steady rise in motorcycle deaths.

Read the rest here.
Head on over into the forums and talk about it or post a quick comment here (just click on comment below this article)

The first is a magazine; The Horse Backstreet Choppers. That is the best, down to earth motorcycle magazine I have ever read. I read it front to back a few times over before I put them in my library. They feature a lot of bikes built by normal people, not these superstar big time builders and their $100,000 machines. If you can pick up a copy and I am sure you will enjoy it. Horse Backstreet Choppers

There are a few movies that I like but one of my new favorites seems to be The World’s Fastest Indian. I really enjoyed the movie and plan on watching it a few times over. Another few movies that are a must see for any rider are The Wild One and Easy Rider (35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition). These are all great movies while some may shed some light on the biker mystique not all of them do and you have to understand it is just Hollywood’s version of the biker and lifestyle that goes with being a biker.

I will probably post a few more things later on but until then try some of these out. I am sure you will be happy if you do.

Qualities of Good Saddlebags

Author: Harry Alan

When it comes to motorcycle saddlebags and luggage you would be surprised to know that most people do not have a clue what they want. There are a very few motorcycle manufacturer who truly concentrate on motorcycle saddlebags. Most motorcycle dealerships do not carry any motorcycle saddlebags. Motorcycle dealerships that do carry the saddlebags offer a limited variety. To make things worst some manufacturers offer cheap bags made of extremely poor quality leather that sag within the first 3 months.

This article concentrate on what a motorcycle manufacturer should look for when buying saddlebags. Buying a saddlebag is not a rocket science. It is easy and beneficial. A motorcycle saddlebag is made up of leather, metal, plastic and hardware. Making sure all of these are of good quality is the first step towards a smart buying decision.

The leather is the most important factor to concentrate on while buying a saddlebag. Saddlebags are either made of leather (cowhide) or synthetic leather. Both have their own advantage and disadvantage. Leather is usually preferred over synthetic leather by most motorcycle riders. However leather is also a lot more expensive than the synthetic leather. A Saddlebag made of leather should cost between 200 to 400 dollars. On the other hand a saddlebag made of synthetic leather should not exceed $200. If some one is selling saddlebags made of leather (cowhide) for less than $200 it is most likely not genuine leather. The thickness of leather on a saddlebag is the first and the best way to identify the quality of a leather saddlebag.

The second most important component of a saddlebag is the metal used on it. The metal is used on the saddlebags in the form of studs, rivets, spots and conchs. Some of this metal is used for decoration and the other is used to put the saddlebags together. Make sure that the studs and rivets used on the saddlebags are made of stainless steel. Some manufacturers use brass which has a tendency to rust.

The third and final issue to watch out for is mounting hardware provided with the saddlebags. Mounting of Motorcycle saddlebags is very important. If the saddlebags are not mounted properly they can not only be a great in convince but they can also be hazardous. Make sure the saddlebag manufacturer or the company you buy saddlebags from also provides you a clear set of instructions on the way to mount those saddlebags on your motorcycle. Your first preference should be a manufacturer who also offers the mounting hardware for your saddlebags.

Last factor to concentrate on is the features the motorcycle saddlebag offers. The most basic feature every saddlebag should have is locking system, detach ability and quick release buckles.

Source: Submit Articles at ArticlesBase.com

About the Author:

Harry Alan has been manufacturing Leather Saddlebags for last 11 years.. Find out more information regarding ; Motorcycle saddlebags & Motorcycle Luggage at http://www.vikingbags.com.

Why Should You Wear A Helmet When You Ride Your Motorcycle (Ezine Ready)

Author: Gregg Hall

As I am writing this article I am thinking of the recent accident involving the Pittsburg Steelers star quarterback, “Big Ben” Roethlisberger. If he had been wearing a helmet his injuries would not have been nearly as severe.

For most of us bikers a helmet just doesn’t fit our perception of what biking is all about, which is freedom! I mean, hey it just doesn’t look cool to be on a hog with that little sissy helmet. But, I think it looks way less cool to have your face all scarred up from sliding on it down the road!

According to statistics almost every crash where the rider wasn’t wearing a helmet resulted in a major head injury. In one study out of 900 crashes there were 980 head and neck injuries which seems to indicate that the passengers on many of these motorcycles were not wearing helmets either.

Our neighbors to the north in Canada have now made it illegal to ride a motorcycle without a helmet due to the large percentage of fatalities in accidents in which the rider was not wearing one. Of course in the United States, like many other laws it is left up to the individual states to decide the ruling. I know where I live in Florida they repealed the helmet law a few years ago and according to an EMT buddy of mine it has caused a dramatic increase in head injuries.

If you value your brain and your life you should be responsible enough to wear a helmet. Some of the factors that you should consider when buying a motorcycle helmet are below.

All motorcycle helmets consist of two main parts, an inner shell or liner which is made of impact reducing foam and an outer shell which is made to absorb the initial impact and protect your head as well as take all of the damage that the road or other hard object would have done to your head.

When buying a motorcycle helmet you should be sure that it has been approved by the Department of Transportation. If the helmet has been approved it will have a sticker from the government agency stating so. Another sticker that is recognized all over the world is from the Snell Memorial Foundation.

Another thing that is hugely important is making sure that the motorcycle helmet you buy fits properly. You need to make sure that it doesn’t fit too loose or too tight. When you take it off there should be no marks on your face from the pressure of the helmet, if so the helmet is too tight.

You also want to be sure that it doesn’t wobble around or come off easily. If you are in an accident and the helmet comes off at first impact you may be bouncing down the road on your head!

Source: Submit Articles at ArticlesBase.com

About the Author:
Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Get reviews on motorcycle gear and accessories at http://www.motorcyclegearandaccessories.com