Perfecting Motorcycle Riding

The racetrack isn't the place to learn to stop. Track days are expensive, time-consuming events that happen only a few times a year but you can ride around an empty or abandoned parking lot for free nearly any day of the year. Save yourself time and money by practicing your braking and steering inputs in a parking lot so you can spend your track time working on high-speed maneuvering. All you will need is an empty parking lot that is free from gravel and oil, a measuring tape, an hour of your time and some cones or chalk or some other way of marking the ground.

Measure out 10-feet and mark both ends of the line with a cone or chalk and draw a circle around the line. Measure another 10-foot line that touches the edge of the previous circle and mark the ends of the line with a cone or chalk and draw a circle around the line. You should have two 10-foot circles side by side. Begin riding around the first circle at 15 mph.

You should be looking at the other end of the circle as you spin around the circle. Try increasing your speed slightly. Does the bike feel more or less stable at higher speeds? Change your body position so that the bike is leaned over but you are sitting upright with your weight resting on the outside foot peg. Does the bike feel more or less stable the farther the bike is pitched over and the more upright you sit?

Move on to trying a figure 8 by riding clockwise around one circle and counter-clockwise around the other circle. This will help you ride with your feet light on your toes to aid how well you transition from one side to the other. Now we move on to practicing braking. Draw a chalk line and mark a line off every six inches behind that line for 4 feet. Ride at 25 mph with our heads looking up at the horizon and our peripheral vision searching for the line.

As we approach the line we apply the front and rear brakes and stop in as little time as possible. Did you keep your head up, staring at the horizon the whole time? If not repeat the process until you feel comfortable looking off at the horizon even as the bike dips forward under heavy braking. Notice how and where your tire finally came to a stop. Repeat this drill until your can reduce the amount of space it takes you to go from 25 mph to a controlled stop. Try applying more or less front and rear brakes until you feel the tires start to go into a slide. This is the upper threshold of your braking and a parking lot, not racetrack, is the best place to learn to stop better.

How Harley Davidson Has Revolutionized The World

Think motorcycles and the name "Harley Davidson" comes to mind. Harley Davidson is synonymous with world class top quality motorbikes today. Harley Davidson was founded in 1901 when William Harley had a smacker of an idea - he thought it would be cool to attach a motor to a bicycle and the rest, as they say, is history!

A Brief History

William, together with his friend, Arthur Davidson started working on this project in a wooden shed, which had the worlds, "Harley-Davidson" scrawled on its door. Their tireless work resulted in the first Harley Davidson bike which was launched in the year 1903 - a mere two years after Harlet had thought of it!

And today, Harley Davidson is a force to reckon with. In the new millennium, this company flooded the global market with a stunning array of different types of motorcycles. What is more, this company is now the best and biggest in the motorcycle industry, owning 60% of the market share! And looking at the breakneck speed at which they are still growing, things are going to be this way for a long time to come.

Beware!

But, because of this, Harley Davidson is not really your average man's bike. It is pretty expensive and not everyone can afford it. But if you save up for a couple of years, it should be within your reach and I can guarantee that you will not regret this investment. But beware of fakes. There are a lot of people selling motorcycles which are branded under names such as "Harly Davidson" or something like that and you should be careful not to be tricked by any of them.

In fact, the best way to tell whether you are being fooled is by the price. These motorbikes are unbelievably cheap when you compare them to the original Harleys. There are plenty of legitimate Harley-Davidson dealers all over the world - in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and just about anywhere in Asia.

Parts and Seconds

It is best to go to them. Once you have a bike, you might need a number of accessories and parts. Again, you should only stick to originals from Harley Davidson. In fact, you might even get your own custom built bike, complete with racks, chrome fenders, chrome screws and even bolt covers. You could even go a step ahead and have your bike painted in colors of your choice. But just be sure you're not being taken for a ride.

A lot of times you can buy used Harley Davidson for good prices, if you are not willing to be all that much. These too, can be found at authorized Harley David dealers'. In fact they give you a wide range of financing options and maintenance deals which you just cannot resist. Plus, you even get a document which certifies that your bike is legal. So if you are looking to save money but still want a Harley Davidson motorbike, then this is your best way to go about fulfilling your dream!