Archive for April, 2011
Motorcycle Luggage And Saddlebags Repair
One of the most common problems with motorcycle Luggage especially saddlebags is sagging. Over the years or some times over the months the saddlebags start cracking and sagging due to either the weather or poor quality. This can be a very frustrating situation as the saddlebags can start to look very unappealing and ruin the aesthetics of a motorcycle.
The good news is that there is a solution that most people do not know about. In case your saddlebags are sagging or cracking you should contact your local hardware store. Get abs plastic glue that is usually found in the plumbing section of most hardware stores. If the saddlebag has a crack or a small hole this abs thick glue can be used to fill the crack. However in many cases these cracks are not minor and look more like a hole in the saddlebag.
In order to deal with a saddlebag with a hole the procedure differs slightly. The application of the following process might vary slightly. The first thing in case of a hole is to get hold of the best duct tape you can find. Make sure it is black in color. It is highly recommended to carry out this procedure in a well ventilated place. Also make sure that the saddlebags are empty while carrying out this repair. Close the hole by applying the duct tape from inside the saddlebag. After closing the hole properly from the inside apply the abs glue to fill the gap from outside. Please ensure that the glue is not used unnecessarily. Also make sure that the glue does not leak from the inside of the saddlebag. Give it 30 minutes to dry and you would be amazed with the results.
Another common motorcycle luggage problem is the sagging of saddlebags. This problem is more common in cheap saddlebags made of 23 mm leather as opposed to saddlebags made of thick cowhide i.e. 812mm in thickness. You can avoid or prolong this problem by buying good saddlebags. Unfortunately this problem occurs in most leather saddlebags over time.
In order to fix sagging saddlebags you would need plastic polystyrene sheets and very strong glue. You can get these sheets and glue from any hardware store in your locality. Once you have both the sheets and glue start by removing the saddlebags from the motorcycle. Then measure the saddlebags and cut an exact replica of the sagging lid or face out of polystyrene sheet. Apply the glue on the sheet and stick it to the saddlebag from inside. In order for the sheet to have a stronger bond with the bag put some weight on the sheet and leaves it over night. Your saddlebags would be ready in the morning.
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Harry Alan has been manufacturing Leather Saddlebags for last 11 years..Find out more information regarding ; Motorcycle saddlebags at http://www.vikingbags.com.
Motorcycle Buying Guide – Dealer Negotiation Tips
You’ve made the big decision: it’s time to buy a motorcycle. You’ve done your research and you basically know what style and maybe even what particular model you want. Now it’s time to head to the showroom and make a deal! Before stepping foot into your local motorcycle dealer keep this in mind: prices are often nonnegotiable… particularly on popular models.
Motorcycle dealers do not work with the same high profit markets as car dealers and are much less capable of making a better deal than what’s listed on the price tag. But slowselling models those usually on sale sometimes have a bit of negotiation room. And of course you’re always free to try and get a few accessories helmets gloves maintenance thrown in to seal the deal.
The good news is that motorcycle dealerships are not nearly as stressful to deal with as their automobile counterparts. The salesmen at these dealerships usually aren’t very pushy so it may be up to you to ask a lot of questions.
Many dealerships don’t allow test drives but they should at least permit you to sit on the bike you’re considering and start the engine.
When checking over a bike consider these important factors:
Whether or not the seat is comfortable.
If the handlebars are comfortable.
If your knees rest neatly on either side of the gas tank.
Next it’s time to check the engine. Rev it up! Take notice to see if it features a nice smooth feel at high RPM’s or if it feels buzzy instead.
Also consider the weight. Does it seem like it will be easy to control? Can you easily pick it up off of the ground?
Now take note of this important tip: don’t buy any bike on your first visit! Even if you’ve fallen in love with it! Always check out bikes form a few different manufacture’s before making this allimportant decision.
Once you’ve made your final decision return to the dealership of your choice and choose from their current inventory.
While price haggling usually isn’t an option for bike buyers trying to get a few free bies thrown is isn’t out of the question especially if you are a cash buyer. Of course most dealers now offer their own financing options so if you don’t have the cash upfront you can still purchase the bike of your dreams.
As you can see buying a motorcycle is a bit different from buying a car but it can also be a lot easier quicker and much less of a hassle! Now get out there and find yourself the bike of dreams.
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Motorcycle Bulbs
The brightest bike bulbs available in the market today are HID bulbs. The HID stand for High Intensity Discharge and it replaces the traditional filament in a bulb with Xenon gas. When the Xenon gases are exposed to high voltage the gases ignite it produces a beam of light that is 3 times brighter than the regular halogen bulbs.
Recently there have been much advancement in lighting technology and now many riders give preference to the HID bulbs over the halogen bulb because they offer three times the brightness and the xenon bulb surprisingly achieves this by only eating up half the power needed to create such brightness. The light produced by the HID bulb is a result of an arc discharge between closely places electrodes that are placed inside a small capsule like structure. HID bulbs require a ballast to start as these deliver the suitable voltage and gives current control. A major advantage of xenon lamps over halogen lamps is that the color they emit closely mimics the color of natural daylight.
Keeping todays scenario in mind installing a HID kit or getting it converted to a HID is very popular among bikers. Since it consumes half the energy as other filament lights it provides the bike with extra power because it can generate a bright light at very low power. Hence installing an HID bulb is also saving the environment as less power consumption leads to less waste. The fact that natural white color that xenon emits reflect road signs better than other bulbs. Although xenon tends to be a bit expensive than halogen it is absolutely worth the investment because it will last you a lifetime.
Considering the life of HID bulbs it lasts about 2500 hours which is far longer than regular halogen bulbs. It consumes only 35 watts but produces about 160 watts of intensely blue white 8300k or white 5000k light which is very efficient. In comparison regular headlight beams draw and produce 55 watts on low and 60 on high almost double the amount HID consumes. So this quality conversion is for offroad use only when buyingnbsp; specify the kit and bulb type for a twobulb headlights one H1 H3 or H7 single bulb a transformer and wiring is needednbsp; to convert it either to low or high beam side or for singlebulb headlights one H4 high/low beam conversion.
The base 35 Watt system gives a typical output of 3200 lumens that is equivalent to 3 times the output of an ordinary halogen bulb. Typically all the HID bulbs utilize the slim line ballasts one can install them almost anywhere behind the fairing or under the fuel tank of a bike even inside the housing of many headlight there is space for the ballast. Each ballast is only 8 oz and barely larger than a folded cell phone!
The HID conversion is a winwin combination of brighter light output and lower power input then the ordinary lights. Xenon or HID lights are more like natural daylight in color and light up the path more effectively. Because of its natural color and bright light it gives better visibility on the road especially in bad weather and at night. HID bulbs are 3 times brighter than halogen lamps
http://www.motorcyclehidlights.comgt;Motorcycle Bulbs
About the writer: Najeeb