Different Kinds of Motorcycle Gloves

Riding a motorcycle through the countryside, the highway, or up a mountain is an exhilarating, liberating, and even therapeutic experience for riders. The cool breeze and the soft touch of the sun are some of the things that riders appreciate while riding their motorcycle. But these things will not be as fun, if your hands are uncomfortable because of the weather or the handles of your motorcycle. For maximum comfort while riding a motorcycle, it is best to get the right kind of motorcycle gloves.

Different Kinds of Motorcycle Gloves

There are various types of motorcycle gloves for different riders. Here are some of the motorcycle gloves you can use when you ride around town or through the countryside:

Textile Gloves

These types of gloves are anything that is not made of leather. The common materials used for these kinds of gloves are Kevlar or Ballistic Nylon. These types of gloves are slowly gaining recognition from motorcycle riders. The material used for textile gloves allow makers to sew protective armor into the glove. The carbon fiber, hard plastic and metal plates sewn into some textile gloves make them less prone to abrasion and punctures. The added armor protects the riders’ hands while riding through all sorts of terrain. Also, textile gloves allow more air to circulate into the hands of a rider. Textile gloves are not ideal for wet seasons though because they often lack rain-resistant materials that prevent them from getting wet. You’re better off wearing leather gloves during wet season.

Street Motorcycle Gloves

The pair of leather gloves you commonly see on TV and movies are the most popular type of motorcycle gloves. Leather gloves provide the best protection while still staying flexible and soft. The materials used on leather motorcycle gloves make it easier for riders to handle the controls and maneuvering of their motorcycle. Leather gloves are better at keeping a rider’s hands warm and have better wind-resistance compared to textile gloves.

Off-Road Motorcycle Gloves

This type of glove is similar to its street motorcycle leather gloves counterpart. Some off-road motorcycle gloves use both leather and textile when they are produced. The biggest difference between a pair of off-road gloves from the typical street leather gloves is the thickness. Off-road gloves tend to be thinner in parts but thicker in others. These gloves use padding in specific parts of the glove to lessen impact on certain parts of the hand. Also, most off-road gloves use mesh weaving to provide ventilation to its wearer because off-road biking tends to make hands sweaty.

Motorcycle Accessories for Night-time Rides

Nighttime riding offers excitement and fun for motorcycle riders. The freedom of riding through roads with little to no traffic is exhilarating for any motorbike enthusiast. It’s a great way to de-stress and forget about everything that happened during the day. Staying safe and looking good for your night-time ride can work together, with these accessories:

LED Lights

The most important accessory to have whenever you go on a nighttime ride is LED lights. These high-powered lights illuminate almost everything in sight. Riders see potholes, debris, approaching cars, people, animals, and anything that gets in the way of their motorcycle. Proper lighting also signals approaching cars that you are going to make a turn. There are different designs and sizes of LED lights available on the market.

Nighttime Eyewear

Some riders prefer wearing a helmet without a faceguard. For riders with this kind of preference, wearing goggle or glasses with an amber or clear lens not only makes one look cool, but also improves low-light visibility, protects eyes from incoming light, and improves light contrast. Amber lens or clear lens goggle or glasses are perfect with that leather jacket you just bought.

Motorcycle Reflective Jacket

Wearing a jacket is important whether you are riding at night or during the day. The best kind of jacket to wear while riding at night is a jacket that uses reflective material. Wearing a jacket while riding a motorcycle provides extra protection, maneuverability, and comfort. Choose a jacket that is clearly visible at night. The most common reflective jackets available come in neon colors. Neon colored reflective jackets are easily seen while night riding, but there are other colors that meet different wants and personalities.

Reflective Vest

If wearing neon colored jackets is not your thing, you can opt for a reflective jacket which is more subtle. Reflective vests add protection to any nighttime motorcycle rider. The vest can be your primary or supplementary apparel while nighttime riding.

Riding your motorcycle through the streets at night poses different risks that riding during the day. But with the right kind of accessories, you don’t just say safe, you can look great, too.

What's the Deal with Lithium Motorcycle Batteries?

Are you looking for a battery for your motorcycle? You may have heard of lithium batteries, but not quite sure if they are the batteries you are looking for.

What’s the deal with lithium motorcycle batteries?

Lithium type batteries are often used on electronic devices such as laptops, calculators, clocks, tablets, and other electrical devices. But lithium batteries are now a popular type of battery for motorcyclists.

Lithium batteries are popular with motorcyclists because of their light weight and long shelf life. The lighter weight of the battery makes maneuvering a motorcycle easier. The smaller size of a lithium battery makes it easier for riders to store it during the off season.

Its longer shelf life also means that riders will only need to buy batteries in a year or two, depending on how often they use the motorcycle . This type of battery does not discharge as fast as its lead-acid counterpart. Lithium batteries are also safer compared to traditional lead-acid types. Lithium batteries have no risk of combustion or explosion even if they are dropped, heated, short circuit, or overcharged. This type of motorcycle battery carries no acid, lead, mercury or cadmium that not only harms the environment but also the rider.

The low internal resistance and discharge rate of lithium batteries help riders save more energy in the long run. The less energy you spend riding your motorcycle means that you get good value for money when you use a lithium battery over a traditional one. This type of battery can also be discharged or charged at any time, without a drop in battery capacity or performance. Lithium batteries perform well despite the weather. It provides your motorcycle with the jolt of energy it needs to perform even in high or low temperatures. But riders must limit their use in cold temperatures, because cold temperature can damage the cells of lithium batteries.

The downside to using a lithium battery is that they are more expensive compared to a lead-acid battery. But the expensive price is worth the investment because of the many benefits they offer when using it on your motorcycle.

How to Protect Your Motorcycle During Winter

Your motorcycle is susceptible to damage once winter sets in. The different parts of your motorcycle can be affected by the cold weather, rain, and snow, but there are ways to limit or completely protect your motorcycle from these effects of winter.

How to Protect Your Motorcycle During Winter

If you will ride your motorcycle during winter, there are a few measures you can take to prevent your motorcycle from getting damaged.

Battery

The battery of your motorcycle is hit the hardest during winter, because the lower temperatures slow down its chemical reactions. Your battery needs to use more electric currents to function properly during winter. Charge your battery overnight or keep it charged regularly to keep it fresh. Also, apply some grease on the terminals and ensure that they are tight. Unplug the connectors and spray it with some silicone grease to prevent salty water from seeping in.

Anti-Freeze

Using anti-freeze or any kind of coolant on the water you put into your radiator prevents the system from freezing on a cold and chilly night. Make sure to drain and fill the system properly. After draining, make sure to bleed the system while you refill it. Improper bleeding can lead to an air-lock and eventually, overheating.

Oil & Filter Change

One of the first things you must do when winter comes is perform the oil and filter change. The cold winter months make it harder for your motorcycle’s engine to heat up, increasing the likelihood of damage. Engine oil has all the additives your motorcycle needs to protect your engine from the cold weather. Fresh oil works quicker and provides the protection your engine needs.

Grease Joints

Grease plays a vital role in protecting your motorcycle and its parts from the low temperatures of winter. Start the greasing process by removing the levers of the handlebars. Apply a good amount of grease before refitting. On parts unaffected by heat from the engine, apply a lot of grease for maximum protection. Make sure to apply grease on any bare threads such as wheel spindles and gear lever tie rods.

These are some of the measures you can take to protect your motorcycle from the cold temperatures of winter.

How to Prepare for a Motorcycle License Test

Getting your first motorcycle can be a thrilling experience. Just imagine going out in the open road on your own or with a group. You look cool. You feel amazing. Your bike is the only thing that matters. But before you start planning that dream ride, you will need a license to ride.

Different provinces in Canada have different license class/types for motorcycles.  It is best to do your research for your specific area. In most cases, you will need to pass both a motorcycle knowledge test and a motorcycle skills test.

Depending on your province, failing the written test means you have to take it another day and pay another testing fee. The exam is multiple choice and is pretty straightforward. It is highly recommended that you spend time studying for it.

To prepare for a motorcycle skills test:

·         Find out what the riding requirements are for your province. The test will be based on this information.

·         Understand the different road signs – this is as important in real life as it is when taking the test for your license. Get a reviewer if you are not aware of what the road signs mean.

·         Know the different riding rules – whether it is the distance of your feet from the ground or your tire track positions when passing into a lane, brush up on your knowledge of the different riding rules. Other road rules to read up on include crash avoidance, negotiating intersections and curves, proper riding distance with other vehicles.

·         Brush up on topics such as the proper motorcycle riding gear, riding at night and making yourself more visible, approaching wildlife on the roads, group riding, riding with passengers and the dangers of alcohol and riding.

·         Read up on and practice vehicle control and braking techniques.

 You may also want to try practicing on online motorcycle licensing tests. Make sure you search for ones that are specific to your Province. If you can find a rule book or a motorcycle manual for your province, study this thoroughly as it will increase your chances of passing your motorcycle knowledge test.

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.