Motorcycle Group Riding Signals - Let your fellow riders know what's going on

It is still Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month so I am still bent on making you aware of safety and motorcycles.


Hand signals play a large part in motorcycle riding if you are riding in a group (unless you have those handy helmet radios).  As the “leader of the pack”, they are a great way of letting everyone behind you know what is going on and what to watch out for.



The signals are somewhat universal but I’ve thrown in some illustrated guides in this post to help you out.  When riding in a group, your members can decide on which ones work best for you.
See the full post for the illustrations or to read more articles on safety, head over to Motorcycle.com’s Rider Training and Safety section.



As I said, the hand signals seem pretty universal from what I’ve seen.  Click on the image to enlarge them to better see what’s going on.  Print them out or bookmark this post for reference!

source : motorcycle.com

Some Really Classic Motorcycles Made by Harley

Harley Davidson has had over one hundred years of developing motorcycles to help them in continuing to please consumer.
The 1957 Harley-Davidson XL Sportster is among more than one hundred fifty classic motorcycles from around the world that has become a collectible by many avid motorcycle enthusiasts. The 1966 Harley-Davidson Sprint motorcycle was an Italian-American hybrid that filled a gap in Harley's line. Introduced in 1961 as a result of a cooperative venture between Harley-Davidson and Aermacchi of Italy, the Sprint was powered by a 250-cc horizontal four-stroke single.

1957 Harley-Davidson XL Sportster
Despite being decidedly unlike Harley's traditional products of the time, the Sprint was quite popular with buyers. Little had changed by 1966, although styling had become somewhat more modern. Both street and on and off-road Scrambler models were offered by that time, and modified versions enjoyed a fair degree of competition success. Displacement increased to 350 cc for 1969 on the street-going Sprint, which is now called the SS, while the Scrambler version did not get the larger engine until 1972. Both models disappeared after 1974 to be replaced by two-stroke machines, also built by Aermacchi.
The 1948 Harley-Davidson FL is among the many classic motorcycles from America's iconic motorcycle marque, because it was big and brawny, loud and proud, and made Harley-Davidson is America on two wheels. It is no coincidence that the history of Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson, founded in 1903, parallels that of the 20th Century, the American Century. Racers, cops, soldiers, stars, lawyers, and loners all seem to have found themselves on a Harley by experiencing the magic in these profiles and pictures of very special Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Harley Davidson began building motorcycles with the 1905 Harley-Davidson, then they followed up with the 1909 Harley-Davidson V-Twin. During the 1910s, Harley Davidson designed four motorcycles, which were the 1912 X8A, 1915 11F, 1916 J, and the 1918 18-J. Then in the 1920s, Harley Davidson only manufactured three motorcycles, which were the 1920 20-J, 1925 JD, and the 1927 BA.

1905 Harley-Davidson
During the 1930s and the 1940s, Harley Davidson continued with their great motorcycles with the introduction of ten fantastic motorcycles. These motorcycles were the 1931 Model D, 1934 VLD, 1936 EL, 1938 UL, 1942 WLA and XA, 1947 Servi-Car, 1948 FL, 1948 S-125, 1948 WL, and the 1949 FL Hydra-Glide. Harley designed nine motorcycles during the 1950s. These motorcycles were the 1951 Police Special, 1952 FL Hydra-Glide, 1954 FL Hydra-Glide, 1955 FL Hydra-Glide, 1956 KHK, 1957 XL Sportster, 1958 FL Duo-Glide, 1959 Police Special, and the 1959 XLCH Sportster.

 
1977 Harley-Davidson XLCR
During the 1960s, Harley Davidson came out with the 1963 Topper and FL Duo-Glide, 1964 XLCH Sportster, 1965 FL Electra-Glide, 1966 FLH Electra-Glide and Sprint, and the 1967 XLH Sportster. During the 1970s, Harley Davidson developed the the 1971 XLH Sportster and FX Super Glide, 1973 FL Electra-Glide, 1975 XL-1000, XR-750, and the SS-250, 1977 XLCR, 1978 FXS, FLHS Electra-Glide and the XL-1000 Sportster. Since the 1970s, Harley Davidson has developed closed to forty other wonderful additions to the Harley Davidson collection.

Bali Chopper Modification

As a city full of art and culture, it's the biker, builder and enthusiast in Bali are really concerned modification of existing local wealth. This two-wheel artists do not want to just follow the world trend, but local elements must be able to give donations.

For example, Kawasaki KZ200 of this Custom. According Bagoes, the owner of the motorcycle world the virus combines seed in HD overseas magazines with elements of Balinese culture, which certainly also worldwide.

"That we can see in the motifs painted on the tank" said the artist paints based on Jl. Daffodils, No. 30, Denpasar.





Artha Wiguna the owner of the motor wants to have Balinese sarong motif is very popular on the bike. "It's actually a simple motif, is not only just boxes. But of course there must be other effects derived from choosing this form," said Bagoes again.

If a Balinese sarong usually patterned black and white box, then the motor is shown with a black rigid red. "Also on each box is also a kind of gradation so that there are effects that lead to three-dimensional shape," he said again. In addition, modern element that is currently also applied.

"For the community in Bali when the motor is the use of paint with glitter effect again many requester. It is happening again in Bali," added the modifier is indeed a place hang out HD and fans of this great motorcycle. Local culture can be side by side with a virus or world trends.

DATA MODIFICATION

Front tire: 120/80-18 Swallow
Drum: Cham
Rear tire: 120/80-18 Swallow
Sissy Bar: Custom
Tank: Custom
Head lamp: Waste moge Japan
Seat: Leather Chacha
Handlebar: Sportster
Sepatbor: Custom
Custom Bagoes: 0817-4720-523

Bike Art Soul | Music for Merzy Riders

Kawasaki KZ200 A group of bikers who love music and try to express through an album titled BAS (Bike Art Soul) contains 12 tracks which contained material that hilarious song when I listened to and may be very familiar by music lovers that are not difficult to understand each of the songs .
Elements of Rock n roll they offer a very fresh and we all here like to sing are invited to dance off with fun, playing in the genre of rock n roll which is becoming a basic music with them where they explore a variety of music and thus BAS (Bike Art Soul) introduce their music with the name of The Funky Blues Motorcycle yeahhh ....

And after a long time I get a demo of my relatives and finally congratulations guys ... exactly December 24, 2008 ago, which took place in the MU Cafe Jakarta, they (BAS) recently held a launching her first album and I think wow ... it's amazing a new breakthrough at the end of 2008 and maybe this is a sign that the music Rock n Roll will soon rise in 2009 (a good move to sustain this kind of music). let us return to the album, the 12 songs dialbum can be said about the daily life of a true biker who struggled with their motorcycles.

Check out some of his songs such as my girlfriend is not my bike, Oil Bottles, Together, Rock n Roll, there are some singles that are very familiar dialbum dikehidupan kebingaran behind us apart from the hearts of the bikers they were certainly must be pointed thumb.

Hopefully, BAS can compete with the musicians in Indonesia and hope BAS can always exist in bringing music Rock n Roll.

Please visit their website : http://bikeartsoul.webs.com/
Source : alverrocker

Tips For Staying Warm On Your Motorcycle

Picture by 123RF

Riding your motorcycle can be fun in almost any kind of weather or season, providing you are properly prepared. However, inclement weather combined with wind chill can make riding miserable and even dangerous is you don't have the right equipment. Here are some suggestions to help you stay warm while riding in even the coldest conditions.

First, you need to protect your hands as they are a part that is very exposed and very vulnerable to the cold. During the winter months, winter gloves with Gore-Tex or a similar material are a must. Do not skimp when it comes to getting adequate protection from the cold - paying an extra $10 to $20 to make sure your hands are protect is well worth the price! However, if you have a special pair of riding gloves that you just can't bear to ride without, layering gloves is another option. You may want to consider even putting a pair of latex gloves on under your favorite riding gloves. They can provide extra insulation and help trap your natural body heat, provided you are not allergic to latex of course.


Wrists are an often neglected body part, and you need to take measure to make sure they are protected as well. If your gloves already offer wrist coverage you do not need to worry, but if they don't you should consider purchasing a pair of winterized wristbands.

In cold weather, you will also obviously want to wear warm shirts and pants. A thermal layer is usually a must under a warm shirt and your jacket. Try to choose materials that will help wick moisture away from you body if at all possible.

You will want to take a good look at your jacket to see if there are areas that allow the wind in. If so, consider sewing or even duct taping those portions to keep the wind out. You should also carry rain gear with you whenever there is an even slight chance of showers.

Consider if you need additional layering under your helmet as well. A ski mask may be suitable for the coldest weather, while a beanie may work in other situations. You will also want to take measures to keep your helmet from becoming fogged up when you ride. Some riders suggest breath mints help, while certain helmets already come with a breath deflector that will help solve this problem.

Feet also need to be well protected, and getting state of the art ski socks well help as well as insulated boots. Finally, for those riding in the worst conditions, you should seriously consider purchasing heated riding gear and warming packs for your hands and feet. These will make a huge difference in terms of your enjoyment level when riding in the coldest weather conditions.

KZ200 Rider On The Beach

This is picture of my friends from Black Mangoes Motor Club which is taken at Tirtamaya Beach, Indramayu – Indonesia. Shoot in the morning during the sunrise. I like the lighting and atmosphere of silence.

Kawasaki KZ-200 Year 1983 modified with chopper style make the perfect silhouette of this picture. Thanks to Embong for the great job.

History of Choppers

Author: Chris Martin

Many people are crazy about bikes and for them it does not count the number of bikes they have. This craze gives them the possession of some of the most adorable bikes, in the motorcyclist community you will find a group of people who love their bikes to be responding to the basics. They are the persons who love to ride bikes that are powerful, fast and just have the essentials. Further choppers have a unique styling statement to them. Choppers are created by taking an existing bike or a new bike tearing them apart and creating a bike which is on their own terms and specifications; this is how the creation of choppers takes place. To define choppers, is obviously a difficult task, choppers are fairly flexible customized motorcycles which do not possess anything else other than what is required for it go- from windshields and mirrors to the brakes and the speedometers.

As far as the history of chopper is concerned, the choppers were developed after the Second World War. The former soldiers wanted the motorcycles like the one’s they drove during the war, so they brought bikes and modified them according to the one’s they had during the war times. The bikes that they built were like the ones wherein the front fender were taken off from the bikes and the rear fender came into two sections and the soldiers just took off the rear most portion. The new shorter fenders were called as bobbed fenders and the people who used the bikes after such modifications were referred to as bobbers.

After this there were radical changes in the bikes or to the choppers, there was a state wherein many of the people would strip every piece of the bike and rebuild it strip by strip. Building a chopper requires lots of knowledge about the engineering of the bikes. They fabricated the different parts including the exhaust pipes or gas tanks so that they could feel the experience of their self designed bikes. It was at this stage that the people began to call these bikes as choppers because they had chopped each and every part of the bike and created something new.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s some of the movies like the "The Wild One" and the "Easy rider" featured these choppers and thus the choppers were in the limelight. It was after this that the nation saw many chopper enthusiasts , the crazy bikers almost spent about months and several weeks to design their customized bikes and all for various needs like comfort, touring, speed and even to create the styling statement.

In the 1980s the motorcycle companies also began to offer the customized bikes or the choppers based on some of the most popular designs. But after the economic recession the culture of choppers so its decline but how long the crazy bike users can survive in 1990 again there were many companies offering many different varieties of choppers. In this recent days the choppers new creation really rocks.

About the Author

Chris Martin is a SEO Copywriter of Choppers history. He has written many articles on Custom choppers, custom chopper kit, chopper motorbike, chopper for sale …etc. For more information visit: Xtreme Texas Choppers or email us at chrismartinseo@gmail.com

Looking for parts to accessorize and customize your motorcycle?

Author: Article Syndication


Your motorcycle is more than just a vehicle. It is a way of life. It represents an attitude. Think Easy Rider. Traveling on the long open road in amotorcycle can be an incredible, liberating experience. Depending on your needs, you can customize your motorcycle to adapt to your style and taste as well as utilitarian needs. There is so much that you can do with a motorcycle and with just a few adjustments and adding a few accessories, you can achieve a really dynamic looking bike. Here are some things you can consider when building or customizing your bike and how to select the motorcycle gear you need for the project:

1. 1. What is your goal for your bike??

In customizing your ride or choosing motorcycle accessories, you have to be very clear when it comes to your purpose. Do you need the bike for work, commuting or for cruising around time? Do you want to race your peers up the mountain? Do you want to use themotorcycle for off road adventures? Do you want to just tinker with your ride and enhance its existing features? Whatever your reason, there are motorcycle parts that will fit your every need.
The great thing about the motorcycle is that every detail of your ride can be customized and enhanced. Every single thing you do can be changed. Here are some options that might help you out in choosing your motorcycle accessories:

• If you want a simple and less flashy appeal, you can opt for motorcycle gear like wind screens, engine covers or caps, motorcycle gloves, enhanced pedals and replacement gears and bolts. This is an excellent option for those who want to simply improve an old motorcycle without making drastic changes.

• If you want more utility, you can add saddlebags so you can transport your professional items, i.e. architectural plans, business designs, reports and supplies. Extra storage can save you valuable time and help you to meet your business demands.

• If you use your motorcycle for a more rigorous purpose like driving in very tough terrain or to competing in racing competitions, then you will want to improve on the engine. Motorcycle gear and enhancement devices can be used to increase engine performance. You can also improve the tires and suspensions of themotorcycle . It is essential to understand that the engine to be used should not overpower the existing suspension system. This will improve the performance and lessen wear and tear.

• For fully customized bikes, of course you will be using similar kinds of motorcycle parts and gears. However, most of the time, you will be needing help from specialists to create custom shapes if you want to change the whole geometry of themotorcycle. Professional metal cutters can use computer technologies to create the form of the motorcycle to improve the functionality and appeal. This kind of customization is known as chopper style, and you can find unlimited sources of inspiration for transforming your bike. The end result will be like a trophy in your garage.

1. 2. What is your budget?

When it comes to customization, budget is a big aspect. Choosing the right motorcycle gear will depend on how much you can spend. If you are only planning on changing very minimal things, costs can easily be maintained. The motorcycle accessories are available online and most are geared to fit universally with any bike. There are some that are configured on specific models and brands of motorcycles. If you want to know more, ask the dealer or send an email to let them help you find your motorcycle accessories.
The budget will greatly affect how big your customization will be. Remember, as stated earlier, the motorcycle can be customized in its entirety using readily manufactured motorcycle gears or parts and there are those that have to be fabricated to match specific motor needs. The more intricate the customization, the greater the cost.

1. 3. What brand are you currently using?

There are certain models and brands of motorcycles that are geared for specific purposes, for example Harley Davidson. Some motorcycles are sporty in design and have more engine power for acceleration and speed. Some bikes are geared for short distance driving, others for long hauls. Your existing motorcycle can be enhanced to become sportier by adding essential motorcycle parts. Some motorcycle accessories like plastic kits, foot pegs and grips are good for dirt bike customization. You can also add motorcycle accessories like decals for added flair and design.
Again in the case of a chopper style motorcycle, you can take your bike down to its bare bones and basically start from scratch. If you want to make your bike really edgy, full customization may be for you. The sky is the limit for a fully customized bike. Of course, you need to have a concept and design in mind and not just buy various motorcycle parts. In customized bikes, you can go for companies that sell custom parts but sometimes the quality is an issue. It is best to be hands on and have a great help from specialized customization companies. From there you can add aesthetic touches on your bike.
In a Nutshell: Choosing to accessorize or customize a motorcycle from ground up is a matter of choice. The most important aspect in doing these projects is finding the best and highest quality motorcycle parts for your ride. From the handle bars to the engine of the motorcycle, you can go crazy with customization and accessorizing. However, the quality and of course the functionality of the motorcycle accessories on the road will be the determining factor of its overall appeal.
Do your research, follow tips from professionals and really think about your desired end result so you can choose the best motorcycle gear for your precious ride. Happy building!

About the Author

R. Harley owns a website called "D2Moto.Com" which is a great place to buy Motorcycle Accessories. If you want to buy Motorcycle Accessories in real competitive price then this is right place for you.

Motorcycle Saddlebags History

Saddlebags are most commonly used to carry luggage on a motorcycle. There are 2 major kinds of motorcycle saddlebags. Throw over saddlebags and hard mount saddlebags. The concept of hard mount saddlebags originated from throw over saddlebags which were used in early 1950 for the first time.

As the motorcycle industry experienced a big boom in 1960 especially after the Vietnam War the motorcycle luggage also evolved. As major motorcycle companies launched bigger and better motorcycle people started traveling farther on there motorcycles. Many riders formed groups and rode cross country and from city to city. The throw over style of saddlebags was soon replaced by a better and more reliable way of carrying luggage.



A group of riders drilled several holes in the back fender of their motorcycles in order to permanently bolt the saddlebags to the motorcycle. This permanent installation resulted in the saddlebags being more reliable and sturdy. This step also contributed towards the aesthetic appeal of the motorcycle. The trend soon gained popularity amongst the riders.

Motorcycle companies like Indian Motorcycle Company and Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company noticed this trend and soon started producing motorcycles with struts. The struts enabled motorcycle riders to bolt the motorcycle saddlebags without making any permanent changes to the motorcycle such as drilling holes in the back fender. Later the same strut enables other accessories to be securely mounted on a motorcycle such as motorcycle carrier and sissy bars.

As the Asian motorcycle manufacturers such as Kawasaki, Honda and Yamaha made their way into North American market they also made sure that the riders get enough room for the luggage. Yamaha motorcycles are a classic example of this as they manufacture most of their bikes with most room for the saddlebags. They also make sure that the turn signal does not interfere with the saddlebags, a common problem with smaller motorcycles.

In 1980 the motorcycle companies realized that most 1000 cc and above motorcycles are used for long rides. To further add value to their motorcycles they started selling motorcycles with fiber glass saddlebags. These motorcycles did well as most of these came with the motorcycle specific luggage. This also saved the motorcycle rider a lot of time and headache.

Despite the popularity of factory installed saddlebags motorcycle riders still prefer leather saddlebags in most cases. This is due to the fact that motorcycles leather saddlebags can be customized to a greater degree as opposed to motorcycle specific fiber glass bags.

Most early motorcycle saddlebag companies used studs, spots and conchs to decorate the saddlebags. Recently the more advanced motorcycle saddlebag companies have started manufacturing and offering saddlebags that are not only motorcycle specific but also match the color of the motorcycle. Another approach is to design the leather motorcycle saddle bags in such a way that it blends in with the overall design of the motorcycle. These advancements have resulted in more and more people willing to install saddlebags on their motorcycles.

Jogjakarta Merzy Club

The formation of Jogjakarta Merzy Club originated from KMCI (Kawasaki Motor Club Indonesia). KMCI is an organization whose membership consists of owners of Kawasaki motorcycles manufacturers who stand around in the 1980s. Then in 1992 each of the Kawasaki brand want to stand alone, as a sub from KMCI then came the Kawasaki motorcycle clubs are covered by KMCI. One is the JMC.


JMC was incorporated in the organizational structure of IMMI. Due to a period between vacuum events occurred in 1998-2000, IMMI turn of stewardship and moved to new premises, files bylaws JMC disappeared. So that the JMC members never know when the exact date of JMC was formed. The information that we know only comes from the story Babe aka Mas Antok.

Until now there has never been JMC official stewardship, there are no rules or budget. Because they do not want to be bound by the rules. They agreed that the JMC is a community of lovers and enthusiasts Binter Merzy (a popular name for Kawasaki KZ200) in Jogjakarta. they consider JMC as a forum to establish brotherhood or friendship and information for the Merzy Mania where the members of JMC has a main goal of completing college.

Under the overpass Janti is where they often get-togethers at this time. A place for relaxing as well as sharing information.