Posts Tagged ‘Motorcycle’

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The DawgHouse Motorcycle Radio…The #1 Motorcycle Show in the US

THIS is hard to believe! Phil wants to punch his man-crush, JD Beach, in the face! Phil is upset that Jiggy Dog did not race in the Oakland Supercross. Which he would have totally won had he entered!
There is going to be a World Superbike Race in Ireland for 2019. Does that mean that they are going to drop another race or just add another stop?
Supercross finally gives us what the DawgHouse has called for, an early start to a west coast race. It was so early that Warren missed the early heats! Big P, Aaron Plessinger and Jason Anderson take care of business while Eli Tomac still struggled

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There’s nothing like setting out for open road in search of a new locale, a different straight of pavement to travel down or a destination you’ve never been to before.  What’s exciting here is the opportunity that awaits in exploring something unique and not knowing exactly where the road might take you.

When preparing for adventure road trips, it’s important to keep a note of certain things. A simple to-do list would help.  From extra layers of clothing to a supply of snacks, there are a number of things that you’re going to need along for your journey.

You obviously not like to spoil the experience because you forgot to carry your riding jacket or stuck on the way for a toolkit. Isn’t it?
Swag for every season

Because there will be nothing between you and the elements, you’ll need to be prepared for every weather condition that strikes you on the way.

Instead of heavy items that will weigh you down and take up extra space, pack synthetic fabrics like polyester or items with wicking properties that will keep you warm and dry.

You’ll want some lightweight shirts, a fleece vest or jacket, a bandana, a set of gloves, and a pair of extra pants.

It’s also important to prepare for rain and cold weather. Pack a rain suit, neck warmer, a heated jacket and extra gloves.

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Toiletries, tools & accessories

Ensure you carry some basics with you. Your ID, insurance papers and phone charger are must. A map would help, if by chance you get off the grid. You must not forget camera and a torch (ed. a Flashlight for us Americans).

Directions would still be handy even when you are fairly aware of the track. You can even install a compass on your smartphone just in case.

Carry some cash but not much. Have your credit/debit cards ready.

Not every time you would find a motel down the highway. Take your kit with essential toiletries. Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, lotion, lip balm and sunscreens, these should all be there.

You cannot ride for hours at a stretch. Your motorbike also needs a bit of rest and maintenance.

Ensure the toolkit is there with all the tools properly greased and working. An adjustable wrench, hex key, screwdriver, and an air pump can be required any time.

Helmet is the first thing that you put on before pushing the ignition button.

Although the helmet visor works well most of the time but sunglasses and night goggles are always a good idea to carry. They are almost a necessity for less predictable journeys.

Motorcycle luggage and saddlebags are other essentials.

You’re almost all bases covered stowing away these items.

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Food, medicine & extras

Items that you’re not going to use will take needless space so carefully decide on what to take and what not.  Let me give you a tip – If you decide to leave something out at the last minute, you’re more likely to need it later. So it’s worth finding some room for it.

Carry a notepad and a couple of pens to note down important events. These will also come in handy when it comes to drawing directions.

Be prepared for any illnesses. It’s not easy to locate pharmacies when out in other places. You should always carry tablets and common medicines. Nausea and headaches are common on a road trip.

When it comes to food, choose snacks that are healthy and keep you fit during the trip.

Dry organic foods can be a good option. Try and pick items that are non-greasy and spill-proof.

Keep some candies and chewing gums in your pocket. They are a great way to keep you alert. Prolonged highway riding can be monotonous. They can make you lethargic and sleepy.

It’s easy to think there will be places along the way to eat, but a few granola bars and some nuts can serve as a great option in quashing hunger.
Final items to check before you start

If you’ve got a heavy load, it’s a good idea to test it out on the road before your trip creeps up on you.

Instead of leaving it until the last minute, take a short ride with your bike packed up to determine if your luggage & racks feel right.

You may also want to give your tools a little bit of a test, especially when you have not used them in a while.

Check for air pressure, oil levels, coolant and also the brakes to avoid any malfunction on the way.

Last but not least, make sure to tightly secure and fasten your load before taking off.

So now, are we not better equipped for our next road trip? Or is there still anything missing?

Sure there would be a thing or two but what’s important is to decide whether it’s worth carrying its weight all the way.

When you’ve got the right gear and all the goods, you’ll be surprised at how limitless the road will seem.
Author Bio
Ashley is a former journalist who quit her job to pursue her wanderlust and meet new people around the globe. She always prioritize motorcycle trips. She tries to pen down her entire travelling experience and has been constant contributor to bboffroad.com.au.

ijustwant2ride.com

The DawgHouse Motorcycle Radio…The #1 Motorcycle Show in the US

On this show!!!!

1st EVER Supercross Triple Crown Event – 6 Main Events!!! In the 450s Eli Tomac is back, Ken Roczen may or may not be back.  The 250s saw rookie Chase Sexton do well with an 8th overall but the regulars clean up overall.

The 2018 X-Games WINTER has 3 motorcycle related events.  Ever heard of a “Snowbike”?

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A lot of memes are just terrible, in fact, I think that the vast majority are horrible.  But, there are those select few motorcycle memes that make me smile!

I collected those motorcycle memes that I really liked though out the year, which turned out to be only 14 in total.  From those 14 memes I worked them down to the best 9.  Why 9?  Because everyone does 10 and 11 is to much work.

 

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I enjoyed Tim Notier’s motorcycle book “Maiden Voyage, The Prequel to The Adventure of a Lifetime.” This book chronicles his and his girlfriend’s (Marisa) first long motorcycle tour/adventure.  A ride that would that would change their lives.

Tim and Marisa started their motorcycle much like many of us with weekend trips around their home.  Of course the travel bug bites and they then expand their scope, this book chronicles their trip to the Rockies where things start to evolve.  By evolve I mean get married, sell everything they own and start a multi-year ride to where ever they are today!

You can tell Tim is very passionate about his story (as well as for Marisa).  His stories are quite relatable as they travel though the deferent National Parks and camp grounds.  If you put a lot of miles down while motorcycle touring you will see yourself in the rain and heat of their story.

There is only one nit to pick with this book and it is not a big one.  I think that, while I really enjoyed the book (enough to pass it on to my wife), a strong editor would only make this a tighter/better book.

I am giving the book 4 out of 5 stars.  You can follow their continuing journey (as of this date they are in Belize) at their website, www.notiersfrontiers.com.

4 out 5 stars

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On this week’s show ……  Supercross kicked off the 2018 season with some great racing.

We open the show talking about the how we like the new format of the race night, and we talk about the new metal girds at the starting line.  Looks like Supercross might be on to something good here!

Moving on to the 250s we talk about the heat races and the final.  The winner, Shane McElrath, look strong all evening and is going to be in the running all season.  Cianciarulo and Plessinger completed the podium.  Phil made an augment that Cianciaurlo is in the west to prepare him to move up to the 450s next season.

The Supercross 450s saw a lot of action with one of the big names, Eli Tomac, not finishing the night due to a crash and saggy pants.  Ken Roczen started is comeback season in decent fashion and Justin Barcia becomes the happiest man in Supercross.

ijustwant2ride.com

The DawgHouse Motorcycle Radio…The #1 Motorcycle Show in the US

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If you follow me on Twitter (@IJustWant2Ride) or FaceBook  or Instagram you know that I post, what I think, are some pretty cool motorcycle pictures.  I post those photos up as “motorcycle porn”.

This year I started with 26 candidates for the “Best Off” but got it down to the Top 9.  Why 9?  Because everyone does 10 and 11 is to much work.

 

 

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Each year I keep an eye out for those cool motorcycle posters or prints.  This year I saw a lot of them, 33 as a mater of fact!

These are posters that I have seen for the first time, they may have been out for a while but I only spotted them in 2017.  Reducing them down to the typical, for me anyway, list of 9 was very hard.  Because of that I thought I would show you guys 5 posters or prints that did not make the cut this year.  Each of these motorcycle themed runner’s up are neat in there own right, I just thought the top 9 were a little better.

OH… if you are interested you can click here to look at the 2015 Best Motorcycle Posters and here for the 2016 Best Motorcycle Posters.

xmas 17Last year I offered a list so this year why not another?

These ideas are only to get you started.  Every rider is different.  These ideas are based on my thoughts from this past year. 

9.  Books about motorcycles – On a cold winters weekend a good book might be the ticket.  Recommendation:

revolutionary rideRevolutionary Ride, the latest book from Lois Pryce, “Revolutionary Ridedocuments her solo motorcycle expedition to and through Iran.  The book vividly recounts her story of finding the truth about the “real” Iran.  I reviewed this book here.

 

8. Motorcycle brake light flasher – Get your rider’s rear end noticed, in a good way, in traffic.  These devices flash your break lights for a few moments when ever your touch your brakes, giving the cars behind you notice you are stopping. Recommendation: 

z3Custom Dynamics Brake Light Flashers is the product that I purchased for my bike.  They make them for more than just Harley’s but not for all bikes.  You can read about my use of the flashers here. Check around for your biker’s make and model.

 z17. Headed Gear – Does your motorcyclist lament cold weather? Then some heated gear might help.  I don’t own any but it is on my personal list!  There are many different companies making heated gear.  Some gear are battery operated while other are plugged into the motorcycle.  At this point it is a personal taste of what to get and how it works. 

z46. Disc Brake Lock – Motorcycle thief is up all over Europe and in parts of the US.  A disc brake lock in and of itself might slow down thieves but as part of a thought out package it might have them moving on to easier targets. Locks come in all colors and shapes some even have load sirens to further deter the bad guys.  

z55. Replacement Gear – Take a look at the gear your rider wear the most, does it need replacement.  Jackets, riding pants, and gloves are all good candidates for checking out and replacing as necessary.

 

z64.  Motorcycle Art or Household Items – Does your rider have a man cave, or maybe wishes for one?  Well every man cave needs some motorcycle themed items or art. I did a post a while back about a man cave bathroom.

 3. Ride Maps – These are maps made specifically for motorcyclist and showcase all the fun and interesting roads. Now in the age of computers and GPS why buy a paper based map?  IMHO there is something to be said for looking at a map on a cold, rainy day planning out the next epic ride. Recommendation:

          Mad Maps

 2. Helmet – Is your biker’s helmet more than 5 years old?  If so ask some sneaky questions to find out what they like in a helmet.  Full face, modular, open face, there are so many possibilities… maybe a gift certificate for a helmet might be better. 

1.  Membership in the AMA – That is the American Motorcycle Association not the medical association (or the version of the AMA in your area).   Membership not only gets you things like emergency towing it gets you a voice in Washington DC.  The AMA is the biggest (but not the only) motorcycle lobbyist group trying to protect your right to ride.  This is, most likely the most important motorcycle gift idea on the list!Motorcycle, motorcycling, Harley, Harley Davidson, café racer, café motorcycle, motorcycle safety, motorcycle advocacy, congress, Motorcycle Ride, motorcycle riding, hog, hd, custom motorcycle, harley owners group

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If you’re a motorcycle mechanic and an enthusiast, you may be thinking of starting your own business. Finding a way to do what you love and still make money is the goal of any entrepreneur. However, there are some things that you should think about before you dive in and get started. Take a look at this list of things you may not have thought of when you were toying around with the idea of opening a shop.

NAME

You may not realize it, but one of the things that can often make or break a business is whether or not it has a catchy name, that people will remember and want to share with others. While it’s not the most important thing to think about, you will want to invest time and a bit of market research into picking the right name.

ZONING

Beware that what looks like a fantastic location might not work out as well as you’d hoped. Local zoning and ordinances can make it very difficult to find a suitable location for your business. Considering that most motorcycle shops tend to be loud, you may find out that options for your shop are limited.

NEIGHBORS

Even if you find a location where the zoning regulations are met, that doesn’t mean that you’re going tod old 4 have an easy ride. Sometimes other local businesses or residents may take issue with the noise, or even the customers. Public perception is often your worst enemy, and many motorcycle businesses find themselves being visited regularly by inspectors, police, and other regulation authorities based on complaints from unwelcoming neighbors.

CUSTOMERS

You probably already have a few folks in mind, but you want to make sure that you will have a large enough customer base to sustain your business. When selecting your location, you want to make sure that it not only meets legal requirements, but also that it will be accessible to your customers.

CAPITAL

Finding the money to start up any business can be hard- finding capital to start up a motorcycle business can be even harder. Because the love of riding is so often not understood by others, convincing bankers and investors to see the value in your company is often difficult. Develop a strong business plan to help potential investors see the value of your business.

d21MARKETING

Part of running a solid business is making sure that you aren’t only satisfying the customers you have, but also enticing new ones to your shop. In today’s business environment, building a website and having a strong social media marketing campaign are crucial to increasing revenue and turning a profit.

 

LICENSING/PERMITS

Any business will need licenses and permits to operate. Be sure to fully research an attain any certifications, licenses, and inspections that you will need. Failure to do so can result in your doors closing before you are up and running, essentially wasting any time and resources you’ve put in already.

SEASONAL INCOME

Motorcycle riding tends to be a seasonal activity in many places. Depending on where you live, there win dcan be several months or more of down-time. Carefully consider the months when you may have reduced traffic because of weather or other limiting factors, and make sure that you have the cash flow to cover any lulls in business.

EXIT STRATEGY

One thing that many entrepreneurs overlook is how they plan to wind down their business when the time comes for them to retire. Whether you intend to close down, sell, or pass the business on to an employee, you will want to understand your exit strategy before you begin. Your options may be limited by your business model and your record-keeping throughout the time you are open. Planning ahead will help you decide which option is best for you when the time comes.

Opening any business isn’t something that you want to take lightly. You’ll want to do your homework and be certain you’ve thought out all of the moving parts of a business before you invest your time and money into making it work.

Sarah Kearns is a hard working mother of three daughters. She is a Senior Communications Manager for BizDb and BizDb.co.nz, an online resources with information about businesses. She loves cooking, reading history books and writing about green living.  Her dad was a motorcyclist and he passed that passion on to her. Sarah loves to travel the world on her motorcycle and she hopes that one of her daughters will become her partner in the near future. Sarah guest posted for IJustWant2ride check it out here.