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Copyright © 2000 by M. Hilton Taylor. All Rights Reserved by T.A.M.S. It ain’t rocket science . . . is it. |
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Motorcycling is no different from most other pastimes. You will have to sift through the information that is passed along to you by other well meaning people and “experts”. Being able to dispel the myths and retain the good information will help you to get the most out of your pastime. First of all do not believe everything the dealers or shops tell you. They are there to separate you from your money. Use a little common sense to think through what information you get and remember they love to sell service. If it requires that much service you may have the wrong motorcycle. One of the most common myths with motorcycles is oil. They will tell you to use this oil or that oil and you will never have a failure. The truth is that very few motorcycles that have any kind of oil in them fail because of it. The important thing is the right weight or type of oil . . . not the brand. You have two basic types of oil . . . synthetic or natural oil. Sure there are some which you may be able to run a little longer than others. Think of it this way you can buy oil for $3 per quart that will last 5,000 miles or different oil that will last 10,000 for $6 per quart. The cost ends up being the same. The next big myth is to run high octane gas because you get more power or it keeps your engine cleaner. All gas has additives to keep the engine clean regardless of octane rating. What octane is required is determined by compression ratio, atmosphere, head design and other types of engine configurations. It does not give you more power to run high octane fuel. Wow, if it were that easy! The manufacturers will usually specify an octane that will work everywhere. You may find that a lower octane, (less expensive) gas will work just fine. If it does not sound like someone has dropped marbles in your engine when you accelerate then it will work ok. What you want to avoid is pre-ignition or detonation or the gas exploding in the engine before the plugs fire, because that is not a good thing. If you hear the marbles then use a slightly higher octane. I have never found a need with most of the stock bikes to require the high octane fuel. There are situations where it may be required. The important thing is to not get caught up in requirements without facts to back them up. My personal favorite is “these tires give you more traction and greater mileage.” What? Softer tires mean more traction and greater wear. Harder tires give you longer wear and less traction. You cannot have it both ways . . . but you can have a compromise. The most important thing about tires is they must have air in them, not just some air, but the correct pressure. The reason is it will help prevent premature tire failure and possibly prevent a good case of road rash. Have you ever heard someone say to avoid using the rear brake as much as possible because it will cause the rear tire to skid and put you down. If it was that unsafe they would have just left it off of the bike. The front brake generates about 70% of the stopping power and the rear about 30%. Now by my calculation using them both would give you . . . 100%! Now that is worthy of noting. At high speed the front brake will get it done, but during slow speed maneuvers the front brake will help you get acquainted with the asphalt. At slow speed if the front wheel “ain’t rolling” . . . you “ain’t ridin”. The rear brake is your best friend when riding at speeds slower than 15 miles per hour. The rear brake and the friction zone are what give you the stability at slow speeds. The front and rear brakes are on a bike for a good reason; they are useful. How about this one! That bike is too big for that little female to ride. She should get something like a 500cc or 600cc. What a crock! I have seen some small riders that ride great on very large and powerful bikes. Compare it to jockeys on a race horse. They are big and powerful and the last time I looked the jockeys were about the size of a healthy third grader. It is not about size and power . . . it is about fit and the ability to control it. Just ask any of the 100 lbs female drag racers riding some very high horsepower bikes. Riding gear is another great source for myths. Some swear by leather and others by ballistic nylon, or some other high tech fabrics. The real truth is anything is better than nothing. Protective gear will protect you . . . hence the name. According to most tests heavy leather used in racing leathers will last about 20 yards before you wear through and denim about 5 yards. There are some other high tech products that fair better. The point is that anything covering your hide is better than leaving it exposed. You can get good protective gear that is not expensive. It may not always give you the look you are going for but you will look much better after a “get off” if you are wearing it. Body armor is another option for protecting the back, shoulders, elbows, knees, and the seat of your pants. Here is a little test for the value of test equipment. Have someone sandblast you while you are wearing your equipment and then have them do it again after you take it off. You can then choose the one that feels the best. I am guessing you will like it better while wearing it. While this sounds humorous, the point is that sliding on asphalt is like being sandpapered. Is this something that is required . . . no? You just need to determine the facts to make your choice. The advocates of riding without a helmet want you to believe that you will not survive a crash with or without a helmet and that helmets can cause injuries. While helmets are not perfect they have proven that they can save lives depending on the situation. Do your own independent research and make your decision based on the facts you discover. Listening to your well meaning friends is not always the best answer. Lastly, but certainly not the least is loud pipes save lives. A loud exhaust could possibly prevent an accident, and a loud scream could possibly do the same, but not likely. You can be sure that if the driver cannot see 3 bright headlights coming down the road then more than likely the driver will not be able to hear the loud exhaust over the thunderous beat of rocking tunes. You can rest assured that the driver with the radio cranking, talking on a cell phone, and in a hurry to meet their friends are going to be too distracted to hear the soothing thump of a 120 db set of straight pipes. Probably the only thing that will get their attention is the sound of the front end of a motorcycle making a large dent in the side of their vehicle. I think a set of dual air horns mixed with some choice avoiding skills would be a better choice. Sort it all out with a good set of common sense. If it does not make any sense then it is probably not based on any facts. Remember the truth will make you free after it makes you mad!
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