How to Protect Your Motorcycle During Summer

Summer is the best time to ride your motorcycle on long trips. The trees are in full bloom. The wind conditions are moderate. But the heat is your number one enemy during the summer season. For a truly enjoyable ride, you need to make sure to protect both yourself and your bike.

How to Protect Your Motorcycle During the Summer Seasonv

A rider can put on gear to stay cool despite the hot weather, but a motorcycle is exposed to the elements. Here are some ways that can help you protect your motorcycle during the hot season:

1. Both the rider and the motorcycle need air flow to stay cool during the summer. There are motorcycles that have detachable panels for proper air flow. There are also motorcycles that come with cooling systems to make sure that it gets enough air flow to avoid overheating. Read your motorcycle’s manual to find out how to dissipate heat for your bike.
2. Stay in the shade when parking. Exposing your motorcycle to the heat of the sun while it is parked can cause it to overheat and it will make riding quite uncomfortable because the seat and handles are hot. Keep your motorcycle in the shade to protect it from the heat of the sun.
3. It is important to keep at a safe distance from other vehicles while you are riding your motorcycle, more so during the summer season. Your motorcycle will need all the air flow it can get and sticking too close to another vehicle will lessen the air flow.
4. Gasoline expands in hot weather that is why it is important to avoid maximizing the capacity of your motorcycle’s gas tank to avoid wasting fuel or spilling it to other parts. Make sure that you park your motorcycle in a shaded area right after gassing up.
5. Brakes tend to overheat faster in stop-start driving, and the hot weather increases the chances of overheating the brakes when you find yourself in that kind of driving condition.
6. Constant exposure to the scorching heat can also wreak havoc on your motorcycle’s paint job. When cleaning your bike, put an extra coat of polish to provide an extra layer of protection.
7. Make sure to cover your motorcycle when you cannot park it inside your garage or in a shaded area. Summer is a good time to invest in motorcycle covers or even portable garages if you’re going out on long trips.

These are a few ways you can protect your motorcycle during the hot season. Following these precautionary measures prevents overheating the engine and the brakes and ruining your motorcycles paint.

While protecting your bike during summer is important, you also need to make sure that you protect yourself from sunburn during this season. You may opt to get riding gear that is meant for hot weather riding such as gloves, boots and jackets that have vents or are made with mesh and other breathable material. As a lighter option for a motorcycle jacket, you can get a motorcycle vest instead.

How to Make Sure Your Helmet Fits Properly

For first-time riders and even the more seasoned ones, buying a motorcycle helmet often means considering the style (yes, that predator helmet looks awesome!), weight, color and certifications. More often than not, riders forget the single most important thing they need to consider when buying a motorcycle helmet – the fit.

The fit of your motorcycle helmet isn’t just important to saving your life in a crash; it can actually make your ride more comfortable if the helmet is the exact size for your head.

How to Make Sure Your Helmet Fits Properly Choosing the right helmet that fits is important. Here are some tips that can help you find a helmet that fits perfectly on your head:

1. Measure your head. Use a tape measure or a piece of string and find out the size in centimetres. As a tip, measure around your head about an inch above your eyebrows and above your ears. Do the measurement several times to get the right one. This can be a good starting point to finding that perfect motorcycle helmet.

2. Try on the helmet you want to purchase first. Go to a motorcycle accessories store to do the fitting. You don’t have to buy it right away, but at least you’ve done your research. If you find the perfect fit, you can look for the same model later on online. Fitting the helmet ensures that it is the right size and shape for your head. There are different head shapes like round, oval, neutral or egg-shaped that can affect the fit of the helmet on your head.

3. Remove any head gear or glasses you have on before trying on the helmet. These items may prevent you from fitting the helmet you want correctly. However, if you plan on riding while wearing glasses, you may opt to keep these on and close the visor on top of the helmet to make sure that the glasses still fit inside the helmet.

4. When you put on the helmet, make sure to push down the top so it touches your head. It should feel snug and comfortable. For full-faced helmets, the cheek pads should touch your cheeks and there should be no space between the helmet and your temples. The chin should not be pressing up against the chin bar. Try to feel if there are any uncomfortable pressure points.

5. Strap on the chin strap and move your head around in the helmet to see how comfortable it is. Make sure that you can rotate your head while wearing the helmet as this is essential when riding your bike. Try to move the helmet while keeping your head steady. The skin on your face should move as the helmet moves. If it does not, then the helmet is too large. As a final test, try to remove it from the back of your head. If it rolls off, then you definitely have the wrong size.

These are some of the tips you can follow when you choose a helmet. It is important that the helmet you wear fits properly on your head. The fit of the helmet contribute to a comfortable ride. After you find a perfect fitting helmet, you can start considering the style. There are different styles of helmets for motorcycle riders. You can look cool and still remain comfortable while you cruise the open road.

Motorcycle Boots Buyers’ Guide

Having the right motorcycle gear is essential in keeping yourself, from your feet to your head, safe from the harsh elements you may experience during a ride. When you make sure you’ve got the proper gear, you’re not only ensuring your safety, but you’re making an investment that will (and should) last you for years to come. 

Here are some tips on how to buy the best motorcycle boots for you:

1. Material - There’s a reason why bikers prefer leather: it’s got high abrasion resistance that’s essential in keeping your feet protected and won’t disintegrate quickly when/if it’s exposed to pavement at a high speed. You can also find boots with double layers of leather, textile, or even plastic sliders. For maximum weather resistance, choose treated leather. 

2. Protection - Make sure the boots you choose have adequate padding to protect your foot on the inside as well. Choose boots that have padding along the side of the foot or on the outside of the ankle. It’ll be useful for those times when you’re leaning on your side during the ride. If you’re worried about clean up, some boots offer removable padding inserts that can be taken out if/when need be. Padding is also great for absorbing vibration from the bike transferred to your legs and feet. Constant vibration from the ride causes rider’s fatigue. Make sure your boots have a good heel to keep your feet anchored onto the bike for balance. They’ll hook onto your bike’s foot pegs and will keep them from sliding off when you’re shifting or breaking. 

3. Length and height - The higher the cuff on the boot, the more protected your feet and ankles will be. The longer cuff also means you’ll be ready for any type of weather - from floods to snow. Adequate height offers better support for your ankles and is especially effective in protecting them from getting scraped up in case of a slide. 

4. Comfort - Don’t get stuck on style. While biker boots may look ultra cool, remember, they still need to be comfortable too. When it comes to motorcycle boots, comfort can take on different meanings. Remember that these are meant for riding and not for walking so don’t expect it to be a great pair of walking shoes when it performs well on your bike. Motorcycle boots are designed to be stiff and tough so it provides comfort when you are on your bike and stuck in one position for hours. 

5. Weather protection - It’s no secret that wearing leather in hot weather isn’t fun, so make sure your have motorcycle boots are good for the summer by purchasing ones that provide sufficient ventilation on the sides or tops of the feet that can be opened or closed depending on the climate. If you are buying motorcycle boots for wet terrain, get those that have waterproof membranes like Gore-Tex or SympaTex. Different motorcycle boots exist for different riding conditions and different uses, so get ones that fit your specific need.