RIDING CONCEPTS Saddle Up! Grab Life by the Handlebars®

Vol. 1, No. 4 www.saddleupva.com Fall 2013 MRC News Don’t’ be Left Out in the COLD (All) ture continues to rise. Then the sun sets, and the evening ambient temperature drops to 30o F. Traveling at 35 MPH, By Rich Yuras at 30o F, the wind chill is 14o F. So far, I haven’t painted a The sun has set on another fun filled summer riding sea- very pleasant picture of my earlier statement that fall and son, but that is no reason to start thinking of winterizing winter riding can be exciting and enjoyable, have I? your motorcycle. The fall and early winter months can be The cold temperatures create a problem, but there are solu- an exciting and enjoyable extension to your riding season. tions. Let’s go back to “Is Your Gear Ready?” Your per- As the fall foliage flutters to the ground, new scenery may sonal protective ensemble (PPE) is one part of the answer. be exposed on those back county roads. Waterfalls, mead- How you dress can help regulate your body’s temperature. ows, unique rustic homes, and spectacular roadside views Riding in fluctuating temperatures can be a challenge. become visible beyond the bare trees. Will I be too hot or too cold? Outdoor fashion designers Riding in the fall and winter months does require more suggest we use the “layered” system. thought as to “ are you ready” and “is you gear ready?” Dressing in layers affords you the ability to regulate your The temperature can fluctuate 10 to 30 degrees during a body temperature by adjusting your PPE to current con- ride and let’s not forget how that changing environment ditions. You can remove layers as it gets warmer and add can affect you. layers as the temperature decreases. The “three layer” look Let’s take a quick look at how the environment plays a part requires you to know what the correct clothing articles are in being “ready” to ride. for each layer. The three layers are often referred to as the Our body is designed to function effectively when the inner, middle, and outer layers. Each layer is designed to core temperature hovers around 98.6o Fahrenheit. As the perform a specific function in aiding in body temperature body temperature begins to fall from exposure to the cool regulation. ambient temperature (leading to hypothermia) the body’s The inner, or base layer, is the clothing that will be closest self preservation instinct kicks in. It begins to regulate the to your skin. body temperature. Blood flow is restricted to the upper Its purpose is to be comfortable while keeping the skin dry. and lower extremities and directed toward the central core The clothing used for the inner layer should have the prop- (brain, heart, kidneys etc) to maintain functional organ erties to draw moisture (sweat) away from the skin, thus temperature. Fingers, hands, feet, and toes begin to lose making you feel warmer. The clothing moves the moisture their dexterity as they start to get cold. The rider’s basic motorcycle operational ability decreases (i.e. braking, Continued on Page 2 shifting, and reaction time). In This Issue As you begin to ride, the wind begins to draw heat from Don’t’ be Left Out in the COLD (All) Pg. 1 your body, dropping your skin temperature and eventually High Side, Low Side, Right Side, your core temperature. When your core temperature drops Wrong Side? (All) Pg. 3 o 3 F, your judgment is impaired and you cannot effectively The Personal Touch Pg. 4 search, evaluate, and execute. Braking – the Art and the Science (Intermediate) Pg. 5 Let’s say you start your ride in the early afternoon at a balmy 400F. Traveling at 35 MPH, the wind chill makes it From the Maintenance Shop… (All) Pg. 7 o feel like 28 F. As the afternoon progresses, the tempera- Motorcycle Blogs I Love (All) Pg. 8

© Copyright 2013, Motorcycle Riding Concepts, All Rights Reserved. Page 1 Don’t be left out in the COLD - Continued from Page 1 moisture as your body temperature starts to acclimate to the new environment. away by capillary action (wicking). The action is similar to a paper towel drawing water up into the matter without There are other areas of your body that will feel the affects the use of auxiliary pressure. of windchill other than your torso and extremities. My mom used to say that if your feet are cold put on a hat. Synthetic materials like polyester and microfiber base Your head transfers out 70-80% of your body heat. Cover clothing are good choices as they transfer moisture well. it and the heat remains within your body. A full face/mod- Wool has relatively good wicking properties, but may not ular helmet provides the most protection and it also is the be very comfortable against the skin. Silk feels great but best in reducing heat loss and protecting your face from has less wicking properties and can be difficult to maintain. wind chill. Other styles of helmets will reduce heat loss but Cotton is inexpensive and feels comfortable against the remember to protect your face and neck from the wind. skin. It absorbs moisture easily, but is slow to dry in a cold environment. Judging by all of this, the synthetic materials Leather chaps and the addition of an inner and middle rate highest on the list for that all-important base layer. layer will protect your legs. Take along a couple pairs of gloves, both heavy and medium weight to keep yours The middle layer’s job is to provide additional insulation. fingers warm and comfortable as the temperature changes. Using multiple thin layers will help you adjust the amount Wool or synthetic wool-like socks and a good pair of insu- of warmth you desire. The layers should be loose fitting lated boots will keep your toes toasty and dry. Don’t for- - not as tight as the inner layer. The air between clothing get the unexpected. Traveling in the mountains, weather acts as an insulating barrier. The barrier also helps circulate conditions can change quickly. Don’t forget the rain gear. air that can assist with moisture removal. Rain and snow can come on suddenly. Also, rain gear can Wool is the oldest clothing material used for the middle serve as another outer shell and maintain body heat. layer. It has good insulating properties even when it is The other important factor that I mentioned before is “ Are wet. When it is wet, it doesn’t really feel wet. Polar Fleece You Ready?” made from PETE (polyethylene terephalete) or other synthetic material contains many of the same properties as There are certain medical conditions, chronic and acute, wool and is lighter than the old standard. Fleece absorbs that can affect your body’s ability to regulate body tem- little moisture and dries quickly. Synthetic fiberfill such as perature. Prescription and Over the Counter (OTC) Thinsulate, Primaloft and Thermolite is inexpensive and medications will treat a specific medical condition, but does provide good insulation when wet, dries quickly and could have side effects that can cause problems with the absorbs little moisture. Cotton is a cheap alternative to hypothalamus, the body’s temperature thermostat. Check the other materials, but is a reasonable choice only when with your health care provider to ensure that your medical limited insulation is required. Most outdoor experts agree condition and/or current prescriptions will not cause you that cotton is not a good choice since weather conditions problems when riding in cold temperatures. can change and you may need more insulation. When riding take frequent breaks; drink liquids for hydra- The outer layer is often referred to as the shell. The shell tion and warming; stay away from caffeine drinks. Do not is designed to block wind and water, have good me- forget to take time for lunch and dinner if you are out rid- chanical strength, and let moisture escape to the outside ing. Remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the (breathable). Today’s breathable material, even the most day. A high protein based meal is great. Food and liquids expensive product, has a trade-off between water and wind are a must to keep you generating body heat. resistance and moisture exchange to the outside. Your body can only compensate for cold up to a point. If Leather jackets are the most common outer shell used by your body is not capable of producing its own heat, ex- motorcyclists. Leather provides the wind protection, and ternal heating is required. Find yourself a warm rest stop many new leathers are treated to repel water and have to let your body recover or just spend the night in a ho- excellent mechanical strength. Man-made synthetic jack- tel. Another option you may consider if you plan to ride ets used for motorcycle riding possess many of the same year-round is to invest in a set of heated riding gear. It can qualities as leather. be expensive but you just “plug-in” and set the amount of heat you desire. The external heating source keeps you Dressing in all the layers can take some time so when nice and warm. Heated seats and hard grips are also nice you finally get ready to ride, you will likely be sweating. accessories to have on a chilly day. The inner layer should be able to absorb and transfer that Continued on Page 3 © Copyright 2013, Motorcycle Riding Concepts, All Rights Reserved. Page 2 Don’t be left out in the COLD - Continued from Page 2 joy could fall to the ground like a homesick rock. Now most of the new being built today are provid- I look forward to cold weather riding just to feel the ed with engine guards and saddle bag rails to minimize warmth of the gear. I also enjoy the looks I get from cage any damage that may occur to your motorcycle if it falls drivers. They must think I have no common sense to ride over. Unfortunately for the rider of these machines, the in 20o weather and they have no idea just how warm and manufacturers have yet come up with a design that protects happy I am. the rider if their motorcycle unexpectedly falls over when Dressing in layers of the correct material, protecting all they are parking. I’m going to share with you a technique exposed skin from the wind, utilizing other protective gear that has been taught to Fairfax County Motor Officers for to help maintain heat, and ensuring your body is ready for decades that helps minimize injury to a rider when they are cold weather riding, all contribute to an enjoyable cool/ mounting or dismounting their motorcycle. cold weather ride. Oh yeah, don’t forget to check the As motor officers we are taught to mount and dismount weather. Rain, sleet, snow and freezing fog are possible in the motorcycle from the “high side” of the motorcycle. the fall and winter. The “high side” of the motorcycle is the side opposite the Be prepared - ride safe and warm! side stand and the side of the motorcycle that is the farthest from the ground when the motorcycle is resting on the side High Side, Low Side, Right Side, Wrong stand. Now there are several reasons for mounting and dis- mounting from this side of the motorcycle, some of which Side? are law enforcement specific but, the majority transfer over By Master Police Officer Scott Bates, Senior Instructor for to civilian or pleasure riding. the Fairfax County Police Motor Squad The most difficult time to control a motorcycle is when If you had asked me fourteen years ago if there was a right it is static, or stationary, as the rider has to use his or her way or wrong way to get onto your motorcycle I would strength to control the weight of the motorcycle. This is have probably told you that as long as your butt ended up why mounting and dismounting a motorcycle can present in the saddle, hands on the appropriate hand grip, and the a hazard to the rider as it doesn’t take much to lose control on the pavement that you were doing it right. To be of a 900lb. machine. By mounting and dismounting from completely honest with you it’s something that I never the “high side” of the motorcycle the rider can minimize thought about until I attended my first Police Motorcycle the risk of injury if he or she loses control of the motor- School. I learned quickly that Police Motorcycle Officers cycle and it falls to the ground. In my experience this have reasons for everything they do and that 95% of them typically occurs when the rider fails to fully extend the are related to safety and 5% are just because they look side stand so that the locking tab is in place prior to dis- cool. This couldn’t be truer than when they do something mounting the motorcycle. This causes the motorcycle to as simple as getting on and off the motorcycle. fall to the “low side” as the side stand collapses back to the “100 years of tradition uninterrupted by technology” is a frame. If the rider is dismounting to the “high side,” the quote that one of my former motorcycle mechanics would rider is actually stepping away from the falling motorcycle often use when he talked about my Harley-Davidson Po- and away from the danger of getting injured by or trapped lice motorcycle. The current design of the Harley-David- underneath the falling machine. If the rider is dismounting son side stand represents this statement very well. If you on the “low side” then the rider is actually stepping into think about it, your several thousand dollar piece of Mil- the path of the falling machine and placing themselves into waukee iron is depending on a 12” piece of metal, a spring, a very vulnerable position with a high likelihood of getting and a small locking tab to hold up, in some cases, over a injured. thousand pounds. Amazingly enough this design works Another reason motor officers are taught to dismount to extremely well providing two things happen. The first and the “high side” has to do with conducting traffic stops on most important thing is that the rider fully extends the side the right shoulder of the roadway. This allows the officer stand so that the locking tab is in place to prevent the side to dismount away from the side where traffic is passing the stand from collapsing back against the frame. The second stopped motor officer and takes away the risk of the officer thing needed to provide the rider with the best chance of stepping into the path of a passing motorist. Now I realize success using the side stand is a solid and level surface for that civilian riders are not going to be making traffic stops the side stand to rest on. Unfortunately when one of these on the side of the road but, you may find yourself having two things are not completed or obtained your pride and to pull off on the shoulder due to a mechanical problem or Continued on Page 4 © Copyright 2013, Motorcycle Riding Concepts, All Rights Reserved. Page 3 High Side, Low Side... - Continued from Page 3 to perhaps to put on your rain gear just prior to the heavens opening up on you. By dismounting to the “high side” of the motorcycle the rider is stepping towards the shoulder and away from roadway and passing motorists.

The Personal Touch Did you know that Motorcycle Riding Concepts is the only motorcycle rider training facility in the region that offers “private” lessons? It’s true! We’ve actually offered them for some time, but never referred to them as “private” les- sons. We’ve only referred to them as Individual courses. As a professional and pleasure rider I’m going to provide Individual Novice Course you with one last argument for mounting the motorcycle from the “high side”. This final argument doesn’t have We recommend this two-hour course for beginning stu- so much to do with safety for the rider as it does for the dents who need or prefer one-on-one training with a appearance of the motorcycle. I often watch other riders professional or who have specific needs that might not and can’t help but notice that the majority of the riders that be addressed in our Headstart course. This is the perfect mount the motorcycle from the “low side” have a tenden- prep course before you take the Basic RiderCourse. The cy to misjudge the height of the opposite-side saddle bag. Individual Novice course is tailored to your needs after an This often leads to the rider kicking and scuffing the saddle initial interview and riding assessment. bags of their motorcycle. When mounting on the “high Individual Intermediate Course side” the rider is forced to raise their leg higher at the beginning to clear the “high side” saddle bag reducing the This course is a two-hour one-on-one private lesson. The risk of the rider kicking or scuffing their motorcycle. curriculum is created just for you so we can work on just In closing I cannot guarantee using the “high side” mount- what you want. This is intended for licensed riders who ing and dismounting technique will keep you from drop- want to kick it up a notch or still need some work on the ping your motorcycle or getting injured. I can promise you basics, but have enough riding experience to perform some that if you use this technique you will minimize the risk of of the basic motorcycle maneuvers somewhat proficiently. injury if something bad does happen. Individual Skills Course If you are not satisfied with your riding abilities and want to improve them, but want a special one-on-one experi- ence, our Individual Skills Course is a good fit for you. One of our professional instructors will tailor a class just for you. You’ll experience three hours working on exactly what you need - no more - no less. This is your perfect opportunity to get the training you want and need one-on- one. It doesn’t get any more personal than this. We schedule individual classes to fit your availability. So, what’s your choice: Novice, Intermediate and Ad- vanced? Check out our website (www.saddleupva.com) to learn more or call us at 703.491.9102. © Copyright 2013, Motorcycle Riding Concepts, All Rights Reserved. Page 4 Braking – the Art and the Science were linked that he only needed to use one or the other (Intermediate) . He even wondered why there were two devices (lever & pedal) when you really only need one. I asked By Don Withrow if he had read his owner’s manual about exactly how the We apply the while riding for one of two reasons: brakes worked. Of course he said he had, but we all know we want to slow or we want to stop. We just apply pressure he hadn’t. I suggested he read it again. If he did he might on the front brake lever and the rear brake pedal until we learn that applying the rear brake in a combined braking get the job done. Pretty simple, huh? Well, of course it is. system only partially applies the front brake. Not ideal for But, maybe it’s not always so simple. general use by any means. You may be a new rider or an experienced rider. Either We could go on and on about braking systems, but the way you’ve probably experienced a braking situation that smart thing to do is read and learn about the braking sys- wasn’t quite what you might have preferred. Understand- tem on your motorcycle. ing more about braking systems and braking techniques ABS is all the rage these days. Everyone wants ABS. will make your riding (at least your slowing and stopping) Most say they want them because they’re better or safer or more enjoyable and just might save your life. because the rider won’t have to be so careful not to lock a Types of braking systems and so forth and so on. I’m not going to chide you about wanting or having ABS. Heck, the next motorcycle Most motorcycles on the road these days come equipped I buy will probably come with them in the standard pack- with standard braking systems. That is the front brake is age. I won’t have a choice. I’m not against ABS, mind independent from the rear brake. You squeeze the front you. But, they have to be used properly. Relying on the brake lever to apply slowing or stopping power to the anti-lock feature will cause you to form bad braking habits front wheel and press on the rear brake pedal to apply the and will not stop you in the shortest distance possible. You same to the rear wheel. If you’ve ever taken an entry level disagree? Well, just think about it. The anti-lock feature motorcycle rider training course you probably learned works by sensing an impending skid and releases and re- that there are also integrated, linked and anti-lock (ABS) applies the brake several times in a fraction of a second. It braking systems. If you do a bit of research on motorcy- does that to keep the wheel from skidding not to stop in the cle manufacturer websites you’ll find that just “linked” or shortest distance. If you learn to apply as much pressure as just “integrated” braking systems are few and far between. possible to the brake to a point just before the ABS kicks You might also find the term “combined” braking system, in then you will stop shorter than when the ABS kicks in. which simply means that the braking system is something Hey, we may only be talking about a foot or two shorter, other than standard. but that foot or two may mean the difference between So, why do we need to worry about the type of braking hitting a solid object or not. My definite preference would system we have on the motorcycle we ride or even the one be to stop a foot short of the solid object rather than riding we want to buy? Because they affect the way we operate a foot into it. the motorcycle. You will find that with linked or integrated Continued on Page 6 systems there is a connection between the rear and front brakes so that application of one may cause some applica- MRC News tion of the other. With older motorcycles this could cause a MRC News is a periodic publication written by the staff problem when you wanted to apply a bit of rear brake but and faculty of Motorcycle Riding Concepts for the ben- not the front brake like when you are making a slow tight efit and continuing rider education of our students. turn (U-turn). With the addition of sophisticated electronics Articles contained in each issue are geared to novice, on newer motorcycles that problem has all but vanished. intermediate and advanced riders. Readers must use New models have speed sensors so that the front brake is their own judgement to determine the applicability of the content to their skill level. not applied if the wheel is moving at less than a specified speed – check your owner’s manual for details. Authors make every attempt to fully explain concepts, skills and techniques to a general audience. Interpreta- You know, or should know, that the best way to effectively tion is up to the individual reader. We welcome ques- brake is to use both brakes. I heard a comment from an tions and comments about the content of MRC News. experienced rider who had linked brakes that he only used You may address your comments to us through the Contact Us page of our website or via email to info@ the rear brake. I asked why and he said that because they saddleupva.com. © Copyright 2013, Motorcycle Riding Concepts, All Rights Reserved. Page 5 Braking... - Continued from Page 5 will definitely be the result we’ll likely add to that some damaged body parts resulting from our short flight through Planned vs. Emergency Stopping the air ending in a less than graceful landing onto or into a A typical rider executes planned (normal) stops about 98% solid surface. Ouch! That’s gonna hurt – a lot. of the time. A planned stop is simply one where we want So, what should we do if we lock the rear wheel? What is to stop the motorcycle at a given point on the roadway. So, the proper remedy? The obvious remedy is to practice so when we know we have enough momentum to coast to the that you don’t lock the rear wheel. But, we all know that intended stop point, we simply squeeze the clutch fully to even the most experienced rider might lock the rear wheel disengage power to the rear wheel and then apply pressure during an emergency stop. The remedy is simple. Release to the front brake lever and the rear brake pedal until we the rear brake and reapply while the rear wheel is still, or stop at the desired point. Of course, during the stopping nearly, in alignment. What? You learned in that entry level process we’ve downshifted to be in first gear at the stop. motorcycle rider training course to always, always keep We use this same process to slow significantly even if we the rear wheel locked in this situation. That was entry level don’t stop and we make sure we’re in the proper gear to and you were a novice. That is certainly good advice for a continue the ride. novice. If you’re not a novice anymore, then release and Emergency stops are unplanned. The situation that re- reapply. Remember the objective is to stop in the shortest quires an emergency stop develops quickly and we have distance that you safely can and you can’t do that if you little choice but to react to the situation by applying sig- don’t have sufficient traction on both . nificant pressure (with all four fingers) on the front brake Locking the front wheel is a different story entirely. A lever and rear brake pedal to stop in the shortest distance skidding front wheel means total loss of control of the that we safely can. That is stopping without locking either motorcycle. What you want at this point has absolutely wheel. To be able to stop in the shortest distance takes nothing to do with what will likely happen. You’ve got practice. You have to learn how much pressure is enough less than 3/4 of a second to release the front brake lever to so you will be able to judge how much might be too much. regain traction or the outcome will be inevitable. You will Too much pressure will lock one or both wheels or cause meet the pavement in a rather unpleasant way. Release and the ABS to kick in and chatter. reapply. Release and reapply. Release and reapply. Say that Locking the rear wheel is certainly less than desirable. three times and remember it. It usually occurs when we use more than the toes on our The dynamics of a locked front wheel are significantly dif- right foot to apply pressure to the rear brake pedal. It’s an ferent than a locked rear wheel. Just think of the obvious. emergency situation, after all, and if we haven’t practiced The rear wheel is following and, left to its own devices, is emergency stopping we tend to get our entire foot and being pulled by the motorcycle when it’s not providing the maybe even our leg in on the action. Overreaction, for power. The front wheel is being pushed by the momentum sure. When we’re stopping with both brakes and lock the of the motorcycle and when skidding will tend to fold – rear wheel we put the motorcycle in a precarious situation. deflect left or right. That same effect of pushing the front The front wheel continues to have traction and is slow- wheel will cause it to right itself if and when traction is ing while the rear wheel has lost traction and is sliding. restored. Say release and reapply three more times because Well that’s obvious, isn’t it? The problem is that without that is a good thing - traction. traction the rear wheel is capable of traveling at a higher speed than the slowing front wheel. At speeds above 20 – All this being said, remember the objective of the emer- 30 mph the skidding rear wheel can only go faster than the gency stop is to stop short of the solid object in our path. front wheel if the rear moves to one side or the other of We’ve all heard that braggart say something like “that the center line of the motorcycle. If we allow that to hap- a**hole pulled right out in front of me and I had to lay pen to a significant angle we’ve gone past the point of us- ‘er down to keep from hitting him.” Oh, if I had a nickel ing other options to remedy the situation. We can continue for every time I’ve heard that I’d have, well, only about the rear wheel skid and fight to keep the rear wheel behind 15 cents, but you get the point. We should never hear that us, but if we lose that battle the motorcycle is going to low because it should never happen. If you practice, and you side and we are going to have some nice road rash. If we should, straight-line maximum braking until you’re good concede the battle and release the rear brake while the rear at it, then you have that in your toolkit when you need it. of the motorcycle is significantly out of alignment with the Let’s say you’re traveling at 45 mph and that “a**hole” centerline our reward will be a high side. While road rash Continued on Page 7 © Copyright 2013, Motorcycle Riding Concepts, All Rights Reserved. Page 6 Braking... - Continued from Page 6 Really? Let’s compare: • Operational speed - Motorcycle engines tend to pulls out in front of you. You execute maximum straight- operate at engine speeds (RPMs) higher than auto- line braking but you still hit the at 10 mph. That’s a mobile engines. good thing. What? Well, if you “lay ‘er down” then you’ll • Compression ratios - Motorcycles tend to have likely hit the car sooner and at a speed much closer to 45 higher engine cylinder compression ratios. mph. You don’t want either, but if you have to choose… • Horsepower - Motorcycle engines produce nearly you know the answer. twice the horsepower per cubic inch of displace- So, how do you avoid locking the front wheel in an emer- ment compared to automobile engines. gency stop? Answer: by applying the front brake proper- • Variable engine cooling - Although both motor- ly. Just squeeze the front brake lever progressively until cycle and automobile engines can both have water you’re stopped. It’s not a quick squeeze. There’s no arm cooling systems, there are still many motorcycles involved. It’s just your right hand squeezing until you’re manufactured that rely only on air cooling. stopped or the lever won’t squeeze any more. If you apply • Multiple oil requirements - Some motorcycles too much pressure too quickly the front wheel will lock. It utilize oil from a common sump to lubricate both locks because your weight plus the weight of the motor- the engine and the transmission. cycle haven’t had time to shift forward, putting more • Inactivity - Motorcycles are typically used less downward force on the front wheel. The weight transfer than automobiles and may even be used on a sea- and downward force on the front wheel creates more trac- sonal basis. tion (friction) and increases the size of the contact patch What is the difference between fossil oil and synthetic – that’s where the front rubber “meets the road.” That’s oil? what gives you more stopping power with the front wheel. Synthetic oils are typically synthesized, not refined. Refin- The science of braking is provided to you by the research ing fails to remove all of the impurities and limits perfor- and engineering that went into the braking system deliv- mance qualities and lubrication ability of the petroleum ered to you by the manufacturer. You can’t do much about products. that except learn as much as you can so that you totally un- Synthetic oils are more stable at high engine speeds and derstand the proper use of your braking system. The art of temperatures. Fossil oils have a limited service life and braking is yours to learn and develop. It’s not an artful skill experience a breakdown and dissipation of additives over a that you were born with, but a skill that you must learn and shorter period of time. Synthetics have proven superior in practice to point of proficiency. And, remember. Practice lubricating properties, heat stability, lubricant breakdown, does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. oxidation and formation of deposits. Ride often and ride safe. Bottom line: Synthetics outperform refined oils in every aspect except cost. Synthetics tend to cost twice as much as fossil oils. From the Maintenance Shop… (All) Consider this: Service intervals can be as little as 1500 By Mike Nicholson miles between oil changes on some non-off road motor- cycles. There are synthetic oils that are guaranteed to Here at MRC we do a lot of motorcycle repair. Our fleet perform for 15000 miles or 1 year. Even at a 3000 mile of almost 60 motorcycles is a veritable testing ground for service interval, the synthetic offers better savings when it Harley-Davidson/Buell/Suzuki. lasts 5 times longer than its counterpart. At the heart of what keeps the fleet rolling is the type oil Myths: we use. This has spurred many a debate during classroom • Using synthetic oil will void my motorcycle’s war- breaks amongst students and instructors alike. ranty. Synthetic vs. fossil oil? Bring this topic up in various cir- All vehicle manufacturers are required to warranty cles and watch the sparks fly. Some old school bikers and equipment failures as long as the owner has fol- tech heads will easily go -to-toe at the mere mention of lowed the proper viscosity grade and American it… defending their position with amazing passion. Petroleum Institute service requirements with the Oil is oil and an engine is an engine. oil they choose. Continued on Page 8 © Copyright 2013, Motorcycle Riding Concepts, All Rights Reserved. Page 7 From the Maintence Shop... - Continued from Page 7 - I love reading about motorcycle adventures, but the Johnsons’ 11-year trip around the world (and the 500-plus • Synthetic oil won’t allow my new motorcycle to photos of it) was mesmerizing. “break-in”. Modern motorcycles are manufactured with incred- Cyril Huze (http://cyrilhuzeblog.com) - This is a well- ible precision. Every working part in a motorcycle organized blog with good information, including reviews engine is engineered to fit perfectly and operate of parts to make custom modifications for all types of at the highest tolerances with no break-in. Some motorcycles. motorcycles even come off the manufacturers The Knee Slider (http://thekneeslider.com) - I like the assembly line with synthetic oil already installed in section on vintage motorcycle clothing and collectibles. the engine. This might be a good place to shop for the holiday season. • Synthetic oil will make my bike leak oil. Helmet Hair (http://www.helmethairblog.com) - This blog If your motorcycle does not already leak, synthetic has nothing to do with hair, but it has a great feature called oil will not suddenly create a leak. It should be the Test Zone with the writer’s opinions of the motorcycles noted that some antique and older models were he’s ridden. built before synthetics were used in motorcycles and were never designed to use them in the first Faster and Faster (http://www.fasterandfaster.net) - If you place. Again, abide by the manufacturers require- can get past all the pictures of biker babes, there’s a good ments for viscosity and API requirements. video review (April 2013) comparing popular dual sports bikes. The site is updated regularly. It is clearly evident where MRC stands on the synthetic vs. fossil argument. From a business stand point, using a Tilted Horizons (http://www.tiltedhorizons.com) - You can product that lasts longer, performs better and ultimately skip the book and calendar reviews and go straight to the reduces operating costs in the long run makes complete honest and thorough product reviews. sense. Even if your fleet is only 1 bike used on a seasonal AltRider (http://www.altrider.com) - Go to the blog and basis, synthetic oils can provide exceptional benefits. then to the Lady Rider section, which has a collection of Some information in this article was extracted from educational materials articles about inspirational lady riders. produced by AMSOIL Power Sports Group, Superior, WI. Two-Wheel Females (http://www.twowheelfemales.com/ forum/index.php) - This is an in-depth forum for women Motorcycle Blogs I Love (All) who ride with posts on trip planning and a book for newly By Trish Blomquist licensed female riders. Staying active and knowledgeable when it comes to Garage Night (http://www.garagenight.tv) - The purpose motorcycling, the biker community, and motorcycle here, as the blog says, is to “Watch, Learn and Fix maintenance is sometimes tough when you spend all your Your Motorcycle.” There are instructional videos on time out on the road and trails. On the days when you are everything from changing your chain to making the proper stuck at home, reading motorcycle blogs can be really fun modifications to your bike for various off-road terrains. and rather addicting. It’s an opportunity to learn what other motorcycle enthusiasts are saying and doing to improve the culture and knowledge for all riders. I put together a list of my personal favorites, many of which are geared toward the female rider, dual-sport riding, and the love of motorcycling. Enjoy! Fuzzy Galore Girlie Motorcycle Blog (http://www. fuzzygalore.com) - My favorite blog. She doesn’t forget Join MRC at the Virginia State H.O.G. Rally that motorcycles are supposed to be fun. Great pictures Our top MRC instructors will be at the Rally conducting and trip reports, most of which are from the Mid-Atlantic free clinics for Rally participants. The 2014 Rally is in Har- region. Worth visiting for her links to free paper maps of risonburg, VA from June 26 to 28. Stay tuned for details... all the states and to other women’s motorcycle blogs. We certainly hope you have found the articles in this issue Horizons Unlimited (http://www.horizonsunlimited.com) informative and entertaining. Look for the next exciting issue of MRC News in the winter of 2014. © Copyright 2013, Motorcycle Riding Concepts, All Rights Reserved. Page 8