What's New at MG the Latest in Motorcycle GPS the Garage

Join our Mailing List Download PDF Version Follow us on: The Motorcycle Gadgets Newsletter is a quarterly report of what’s new at MG, the latest in the gadget industry, our take on useful motorcycle news, and much more... The Garage What’s New at MG It has been a busy summer of riding and testing out new gadgets and the latest products. It may come as a surprise that there are a lot of products that we evaluate that never make it to our store. Let’s face it; if we can’t stand by the product then it’s hard for us to make a case for our customers to buy it. But when we do find something that makes sense or makes our ride more enjoyable, then we are very excited to offer the new products. Oil Change 101 One item we found that we couldn’t wait to offer is the Yurbud headphones. So, what makes headphones a gadget or Newsletter Spotlight something you would find on a motorcycle website?‖ Continued on Page 6 Motorcycle Review: Honda VFR1200 - Other gadgets we have recently added are the Toll Pass Mount The Gadget Minimalist and the Chatterbox Drone alarm. The Toll Pass Mount has made getting through the toll booths a breeze. The Chatterbox Look who’s talking Drone alarm is an extremely low cost security solution for Yurbud Headphones about MG on the web riders looking for advance features such as ignition cutoff. Read more about these products on Page 6 Roads: Explore the Pocono Mountains The Latest in Motorcycle GPS Customer Feedback and Requests The following article provides a background on Motorcycle GPS and answers some of the questions on what makes these units a unique gadget. Motorcycle News - A few articles of interest Electronic gadgets are part of our everyday lives. When you think of electronic gadgets, GPS units are on top of most device lists. Being able to withstand rain, cold, vibration, impact, and other extreme conditions are features you don’t typically find on most electronic gadgets let alone GPS units. Motorcycles are built for the rugged elements and Next Addition electronic GPS units are not. This is where today’s motorcycle GPS units come into play. Motorcycle Review: Triumph Sprint GT What Makes Motorcycle GPS Units Unique? Motorcycle GPS units have been around for a while Product Spotlight: Motorcycle Alarms and their physical design has been basically the The Garage: Tire Care same. The main advantages typically are large displays, waterproof housings, and large buttons. The large sunlight-readable displays let you quickly glance for directions and the large buttons allow Questions or comments? riders to easily navigate the screens with gloves. Email us at: The most demanding requirement for a motorcycle [email protected] Garmin zūmo GPS GPS is it must withstand the elements. or call 866-BUY-MG4U Continued on Page 7 Motorcycle Gadgets LLC is an online retailer, specializing in unique gadgets and accessories for motorcycles. We respect your right to privacy and do not sell or distribute customer e-mails. If you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please notify us at: [email protected] All correspondence, please send to: Motorcycle Gadgets LLC P.O. Box 4139 — Leesburg, Virginia 20177 Oil Change 101 Changing your motorcycle’s oil on a regular basis keeps your bike running at its peak and is critical to the life of the engine. Unless you just bought your first vehicle, you have heard this a thousand times. Odds are you hear this every time you take your car to the shop even for minor repairs. While changing the oil in your car requires some acrobatics getting underneath the car and some skill to keep oil from running down your arm; changing the oil on a motorcycle is fairly simple. The easy access to the motorcycle engine makes changing the oil an easy DIY task. It can not only save you money, but will more than likely be a fulfilling process; a perfect opportunity to spend more time with your motorcycle. So what do you need to know? The following answers some basic questions and provides a simple 10-step process. How much do you save by changing the oil yourself? A typical oil change at the dealer can cost you $50 or more. Changing the oil yourself can cost you less than $25 depending on the brand of oil and requires a minimal investment in tools. How often do you change the oil? Depending on the type of riding, the general rule is every 3000 miles or once a year. After sitting through the winter months, it is advisable to change the oil before hitting the roads. What do I need to know? Here are 4 basic principles we recommend when changing your motorcycle oil: 1 - Always buy the motorcycle manufacturer’s oil filter. I’m sure we will get people writing us saying that the aftermarket brand filters are just as good and cost less money. That maybe the case, but why chance it. The OEM oil filter is made specifically for each motorcycle engine and was engineered for proper fit and function. The aftermarket brand filter was made to replicate the manufacturer filter but at a lower price. 2 - Invest in an oil socket wrench. Oil filters do not go on with much torque, but they will tighten up over time. A good socket wrench makes removing the oil filter easy. The socket wrench also makes getting to the filter easier on bikes with full fairings and protruding exhaust pipes. Shop HERE 3 - Never drain the oil when the engine is extremely hot or cold. When the engine is cold, the oil is too thick to drain properly leaving sediment in the engine. If the oil is too hot, the oil is too thin and can leave the engine exposed to damage when hot; not to mention it is HOT. 4 - Always buy a new washer for the drain plug. This prevents most leaks and costs pennies to replace. Universal Oil Socket Wrench The 10 Step Oil Change Engine should be warm to the touch before changing the oil. Have oil pan ready to catch the old oil. Tools Required 1. Locate and remove the drain plug (drain plug will be located at the lowest part of the engine). Let oil - Filter Socket for oil filter completely drain from the engine, approx. 5 mins. removal 2. Temporarily reinstall the drain plug by hand; do not tighten - Box Wrench or a Ratchet 3. Locate the oil filter and move your oil pan directly under the filter. Loosen the oil filter with the filter and Socket for removal of socket and slowly remove the oil filter by hand. Clean remaining oil with a shop towel. drain plug 4. Before installing the new oil filter, lubricate the rubber seal on the oil filter with the old oil in the pan - Funnel to pour new oil (lightly lubricate using your finger or a towel) into crankcase (Free at 5. Install the new oil filter by hand. Once firmly on by hand, tighten the filter another half turn using the most gas stations) socket wrench. IMPORTANT: Do not over tighten the oil filter. - Something to catch the oil 6. Clean any oil that may have dropped onto the engine when removing the oil filter. ($5 pan at auto supply, 7. Move the oil pan and remove the drain plug to allow remaining oil to drain. litter pan, etc.) 8. Clean the drain plug, install the new washer, and tighten the plug. IMPORTANT: Do not over tighten the drain plug bolt. Tighten the drain plug unit it seats and then give it an additional half turn. 9. Add new oil to the engine using a funnel. Check the oil level while adding new oil and avoid overfill- ing. Check your owner’s manual for the type and amount of oil to add. 10. Let the motorcycle run for 5 minutes and check for leaks. The old oil can be easily recycled by pouring the oil from the oil pan into the new empty oil containers and dropping them off at your dealer or recycling center. Honda VFR 1200F - The Gadget Minimalist The Honda VFR1200F was released in 2010 with much anticipation. There was much hype about the new VFR model being the new upgraded Interceptor and the long anticipated retirement of the ST1300. Two years later and the 2010 model for the VFR1200F still sits in the showroom and the Interceptor and ST1300 are still rolling off the assembly line. At first we were wondering if the VFR1200F was intended as sports bike or a touring bike. If you go to Honda’s website, it is listed under the Sport section with the likes of the 600 and 1000RR. After further inspection, we concluded that the VFR1200F truly looks and performs like a sports bike. 2010 Honda VFR 1200F Photo by Honda Motor Corp. Just as we were sold on the new sports bike look and feel, we rediscovered the VFR1200F at the January 2011 International Motorcycle Show fitted with saddlebags and a top case. At that point the bike instantly became a sport touring bike in our mind. Missing from the VFR1200F, however, were all the gadgets we are used to seeing on a touring bike. No fancy glove box, no trip computer, no auxiliary outlets, etc; hence the ―Gadget Minimalist‖ title. Performance What the VFR1200F lacks in gadgets, it makes up in performance. The 1237cc V-4 engine is the stuff you brag about when you pull up next to other sport bike riders.

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