So, how many folk REALLY LOOK at their tires?  How often do you look at them?  What are you looking for?

Possibly the most important part of a bike, safety wise, are the tires.  Think about it, these are the sole contact between the road and the bike, they are how we stop, start and go around corners.  If the tires are too soft or too hard, the bike handles VERY poorly if the tires are too worn they will not grip the road in wet conditions and are prone to going flat.  If you are using the wrong kind of tire for your bike that too will contribute to poor performance.  On a bike the contact patch is so much smaller than for a car or truck so therefore it is that much more important to us the rider.

Here are some things to watch for.

I often get asked,”What tools do I need in a tool kit on the bike?”

My answer.

What kind of riding are you doing, just in town or do you plan on going on long trips?

If you’re going to be staying in town with maybe short trip just outside the city limits then might be you don’t “really” need to have a kit at all.  If you feel you want to have a kit then a basic set of sockets, a screwdriver, a Spark plug socket for the size of spark plug in YOUR bike and maybe a pair of pliers.  Yes, there are basically three different sizes of spark plug used in bikes today also be aware that on many bikes there is limited room between the outside of the plug and the space in the top of the cylinder head to get a socket so bear that in mind and buy a GOOD quality thin wall socket.

We, as a community, will talk endlessly about our bikes and how we keep then running and or improve the way they handle / run / perform . . . but how often do we do the same for ourselves?  How often, as we go on this or that run, do we really look at what we do for ourselves?  Think about it, do we always make sure we get enough sleep before we head out on a long ride to, or from a given event?  Do we make sure we eat enough to balance out against the rigours of the ride, do we take in enough fluids (not beer / whiskey / wine)?  Many of us are now, I’m sorry to point it out, no longer under 30 or even 40 and all of this will and does take it’s toll. 

Question: What do On-line Games and Safe Motorcycle Riding have in common?

Yes, I know there are several answers here, however consider the following.

The saying goes that, “Nothing happens for no reason.”  I had a real life example of this I’d like to share with you folk.  As some of you know, Southern Alberta is coming out of winter in fits and starts, and today was warm enough that the ice in the ally behind my garage had melted enough that I could safely ride out to the street. 

Touring / travelling / camping season is coming!!  Are you ready?  What do you take with you to eat, how do you cook it?  How much and what to pack, has always got to be weighed against concerns of how much space we have and the kinds of facilities we will be using.  If you’re going to be using motels, then packing food might be limited to snack foods for the occasional rest stop. If you are going to be camping, then decide how much and what you carry, based on where you will camp and if there are known facilities for buying food or other supplies.