Personal scooters are a highly valuable mobility tool for those who, for health reasons, are unable to move around in public or in their own homes. They can ease the burden of having to carry things like heavy groceries or other personal effects. In this sense they can also help people who have back problems and strains. Progresses in technology have made scooters more energy efficient, faster, lighter and more reliable, which means that there are plenty of attractive options available to you should you ever need to purchase one.For those with a disability, scooters are an essential transportation device. One of the best things is that, if you are eligible, Medicare can cover some or all of the cost for a personal scooter. To be eligible, however you should meet the following guidelines: 1.You need a scooter to move around your home. 2.You are unable to operate a manual wheelchair. 3.Your doctor prescribes a scooter for your personal use. Please contact your Doctor and ask if you are eligible to receive government aid for a personal scooter.There is now a huge diversity of scooters available worldwide. You will first need to decide which type of scooter best fits your needs and your budget. Perhaps the most important factor when deciding to buy a new scooter is to make sure it is comfortable. You will be using it a lot and it is best to make sure you are comfortable in your new little vehicle. Not all scooters are created equal and it is important to find one which suits your body type and sense of style. Scooters come in all shapes, sizes, weights, and colors. Some scooters are even ultra light-weight so conveniently they are able to fold up into small packages meaning they can be carried virtually anywhere. This feature is great for people who have difficulty getting around generally but still have enough mobility to get around on public transport. Most carry-on scooter units are fairly easy to carry and some even weigh under 50 lbs. If you are looking for this type of scooter, make sure you are able to carry it around with you.Scooters designed specifically for the elderly are now more and more common and they are a great solution for people who have trouble moving around the house. Scooters are a good solution in many circumstances as they are able to be driven around without having to rely on someone else to power them. Think about how inconvenient it is sometimes for people in non motorized wheelchairs to have to rely on a pusher at times. Scooters are convenient and highly personal.Accessories can also enhance a scooter. Rear view mirrors, extra batteries, extra pouches, and headlights can all be purchased for your scooter. You can almost add anything you need - it just depends on your personal scooter requirements.Darren Safrin is the owner of AtoZ
Scooters which is a
premier source of information about Scooters. For more
information, go to: http://atozscooters.com

William Harley and Arthur Davidson, both in their early twenties, built their first motorcycle in 1903. During their first year, the company's entire output was only 1 motorbike; however, by 1910, the company had sold 3,200. Movies such as Easy Rider made Harleys a cultural icon and soon the company attracted people who loved its bad-boy mystique, powerfulness, rumbling voice, distinctive roar, and toughness. It sounded like nothing else on the road, and even Elvis Presley and Steve McQueen longed to ride one.The Harley-Davidson Motor Company has had its ups and downs, and at times, the downs seemed as if they would end in bankruptcy. In the sixties, Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha invaded the American market, and when sales at Harley-Davidson dropped drastically due to decreasing quality and increasing competition, the company began to look for buyers and was finally sold. However, the new owners of Harley Davidson knew little about how to restore profitability. The quality became so bad that dealers had to place cardboard under bikes in the showroom to absorb the oil leaking.Daniel Gross, in Forbes Greatest Business Stories of all Times, recounts how in 1981, with the aid of Citibank, a team of former Harley-Davidson executives began negotiations to reacquire the company and rescue it from bankruptcy. Among these executives was William Davidson, the grandson of the founder Arthur Davidson. In a classic leveraged buyout, they pooled $1 million in equity and borrowed $80 million from a consortium of banks lead by Citibank.Harley's rescue team of loyal executives knew that the Japanese motorbike manufacturers were far ahead in regard to quality management, and they made a bold decision to tour a nearby Honda plant. Paradoxically, the Japanese had learned Total Quality Management from the Americans, Edwards Deming and Joseph Juran. The new business concept outlined by these two pioneers was a new management approach that, interestingly enough, had been rejected by American manufacturers. As a result, they offered this approach to Japanese manufactures that were eager to learn and implement it. Therefore, soon after their tour of the Honda plant, the Harley Davidson Motor Company decided to put into practice this originally rejected approach.After implementing just-in-time inventory (JIT) and employee involvement, costs at Harley had dropped significantly; this meant that the company only needed to sell 35,000 bikes instead of 53,000 in order to break even. Their lobbying at Washington also helped, and import tariffs were raised temporarily from 4 to 40 percent on Japanese bikes. This extra breathing space was something that the U.S. motorbike company desperately needed for its recovery.The combination of visiting a Japanese motorbike manufacturing plant and lobbying in Washington for import tariffs was a daring move on behalf of Harley's executives in their attempt to bring back profitability and growth to the company. Another important strategic move was the company's unique marketing and branding campaigns. Studies showed that about 75 % of Harley customers made repeat purchases, and executives quickly recognized a pattern that refocused the company's overall strategy. Simply put, they needed to find a way to appeal to the extraordinary loyalty of customers, which they found in creating a community that valued the experience of riding a Harley more than the product itself.The sponsorship of a "Harley Owners' Group" has been one of the most creative and innovative strategies that has helped create the experience of this product. Without realizing it, Harley executives had pioneered a new paradigm that would be increasingly embraced by other industries in their quest to increase profitability by converting their product into an experience. The company started to organize rallies to strengthen the relationship between its members, dealers, and employees, while also promoting the Harley experience to potential customers. The Harley Owners' Groups became immensely popular; it allowed motorcycle owners to feel as if they belonged to one big family. In 1987, there were 73,000 registered members, and Harley now boasts to have no less than 450,000 members.In 1983, the company launched a marketing campaign called SuperRide, which authorized over 600 dealerships to invite people to test-drive Harleys. Over 40,000 potential new customers accepted the invitation, and from then on, many customers were not just buying a motorcycle when they bought a Harley; instead, they were buying "the Harley Experience."Harley-Davidson offered its customers a free one-year membership to a local riding group, motorcycle publications, private receptions at motorcycle events, insurance, emergency roadside service, rental arrangements on vacation, and a host of other member benefits. Branding the experience, not just the product, has allowed the company to expand how it captures value, including a line of clothing, a parts and accessories business, and Harley-Davidson Visa card.If you were to scan the list of companies that delivered the greatest returns on investment during the 1990s, you would discover Harley-Davidson. Only a few companies have been successful in inventing entirely new business models, or profoundly reinventing existing ones. Harley-Davidson went from supplying motorcycles to antisocial raiders to selling a lifestyle to the aging bad boy wannabes caught in their midlife crises. Traditionally, Harley-Davidson bike owners came from the working and middle classes, but as quality and prices of the bad-boy-bikes rose, and with energetic marketing, the company soon attracted a different class of buyers-currently one third of Harley buyers are professionals or managers, and 60% are college graduates. The new customer segments of Harley are the Rolex Riders or the Rich Urban Bikers. Hell's Angels do not run in the same group anymore. Now there are groups of accountants, lawyers and doctors. Women also account for a significant portion of the new riders, and there are women-only riders clubs spreading all over the globe.The future looks bright for the U.S. motorbike company. According to The Economist, overall U.S. sales increased over 20% in 2000, and more than 650,000 new motorcycles were sold in the U.S. in the same year, up from 539,000 the year before. Bike buyers spent an estimated $5.45 billion on new bikes in 2000.Stay alert and get it early. The new branding paradigm is to sell a lifestyle, a personality and it is also about appealing to emotions of your customers. Increasingly, it will be more and more about creating an experience around the product. Brand managers and executives will need a new set of lenses. The rules have changed as well as the opportunities to maximize profitability and create value in the process. Nonetheless, the majority of companies continue to follow traditional ad campaigns and they seem to ignore the fact that the media has fragmented into hundreds of cable channels, thousands of magazine titles and millions of Internet pages.Consumers are no longer sitting ducks for commercials; they are looking for new experiences. Whether it is the bad-boy-aura of the Harley riding experience, the exquisite coffee experience in Starbucks caf

All rubber tires wear down over time, whether they're on a motorcycle or automobile. However, you want to watch out for uneven or excessive wear, both of which can cause serious problems for motorcycle riders. If you pay attention to the following causes of excessive and uneven wear, you will extend the life of your tires and keep yourself safe:1. Improper Tire Pressure - We have all heard about the importance of maintaining proper tire pressure at all times. Improper air pressure in your tire is a big reason for many tire problems and failures. Be sure your tires have the recommended pressure in them at all times.2. Humped Roads -- Most roads are "humped" slightly in the middle or banked away from the center to allow rain and water to drain off. However, this hump can have a dramatic effect on one side of your motorcycle's front tire because the side of the tire closer to the center of the road will wear faster. There's not much you can do about this, and it can become very visible if you ride a lot. So be aware of this phenomenon and check the left side of your front tire often.3. Disproportionate Cupping -- Cupping is a normal phenomenon on rubber tires that occurs when the brakes are applied. However, excessive use of the front brake can produce disproportionate cupping, when one side of the tire is more cupped than the other. Using the front brake will naturally put more pressure and force on the front tire to make it stop, thereby using up more rubber.4. Wheel Alignment - While this problem is not as common on motorcycles as it is on cars, it causes uneven tire wear. Any number of things can cause wheel misalignment on motorcycles, including getting into a fender bender, riding over potholes, jumping over sidewalks and curbs, etc. It is a good idea to have your wheel alignment checked out at least once a year to make sure that a misalignment isn't unevenly wearing your front tire.5. Shock Absorbers -- A bad shock absorber can wreak havoc on the handling of your bike and promotes uneven front tire wear. So make sure your shocks are in good shape.6. Improper Loading -- The final major problem to keep in mind is improper loading of your bike, which causes your front tire to wear unevenly. Proper weight distribution is essential to being able to handle and steer your bike safely. Loading down one side of your saddlebag with tools or equipment can keep you from riding as vertically as possible, creating uneven tire wear.So check your tires frequently, and keep these causes in mind if you begin noticing excessive or uneven front tire wear. Having the knowledge and taking the proper precautions will not only make you a safer rider but will prolong the life of your bike's tires.Jeff Sinason aka Tools - is the owner Bikerwares.com. Being an avid biker, he spends most of his time working on his web site and touring the country.

How do you make your Harley Davidson look and feel like an extension of yourself!Do you think maybe it's time to do a little customizing for that old girl of yours? Ask yourself this first.Why do we customize and add accessories to our Harley?Well, for me it's simple!We want to stand out above all else! The last thing we want is to look like every Tom, Dick, and Harry out there on the road!You may have different reasons. You may want to add an Accessory to your bike because it fits with you and your taste.There is an element of being practical as well. If you install a nice chrome luggage rack on your back fender, or a detachable windshield, it not only looks good but it also serves a purpose. How else would you carry your tent and keep bugs out of your teeth?Not everyone has the same taste in customizing. Thank God for that, or it sure would be boring taking a walk down on main street in Sturgis South Dakota during the 1st week of August.Some people go overboard on customizing their bike. Overboard for someone may be a masterpiece for someone else. It all depends on who you are and what you're about.How do you pick out a Harley Davidson Accessory or decide on customizing?It's a hard question to answer.I would suggest that you decide on what you want out of your bike. Sit back and have a look at yourself. What kind of biker are you anyway?Are you a speed demon that likes to lay rubber on the road every now and then. Do you get a kick out of doing a little showing off at bike rallies to friends and family? Do you like to participate in show and shine contests?If you are this person you may want to look at getting your engine rebuilt for increased horsepower. You can't go wrong with a lot of Harley chrome either. Just when you think you have had enough of chrome, you find some more in that catalog.Don't worry, there is a chrome Harley Davidson motorcycle built to date.Your style may be a little more subdued. Your main motorcycling purpose in life may be ride the road and not waste time with anything else. You would have to agree, most people still want to look good riding a Harley.If you are this person you may only want one or two Accessories. A nice luggage bag that slips over that backrest on your bike looks good when you are on a long trip and it serves a purpose.Every Harley Davidson owner at some time or another has thought about adding an accessory to his or her motorcycle. You rarely see a stock Harley Davidson!Keep in mind the kind of person you are when making Harley Davidson Accessory choices. A properly customized Harley is above all else, an extension of the owner who rides it.Keith Nivon is an avid Harley Davidson Motorcycle Enthusiast! His website contains information on all things Harley Davidson. http://www.everything-harley-davidson.com/ is a great article resource for anyone who shares his passion for Harleys. Have a look here for specific info on suppliers.
http://www.everything-harley-davidson.com/jpcycles

Call them crash protectors, crash bobbins, fairing protectors or frame sliders, all these products ultimately seek to do one thing - protect your expensive bodywork or the essential and often expensive structural parts of your motorcycle from damage in the even of a fall or tip-over. The frame slider concept is as old as the proverbial 'crash bar' and today there are as many designs and brands as there are models of bikes. The proliferation of these types of products testify to the success of the idea of providing a sacrificial item to absorb some of the damage in the event of a fall. We are by no means experts on this concept nor were we the first to come
up with it, but in this article we hope to provide you with an unbiased view so that you can make an informed decision when you're ready to put down your hard earned cash.Cost:Cost of the frame sliders must be appropriate to the items that they are designed to
protect. Price is not necessarily the best indicator of quality. Poorly designed frame
sliders made of the nicest shiniest materials may not serve their purpose as well as
well designed but less 'bling' ones.Mounting Configurations:The frame slider must be designed to mount securely onto a strong enough part of
the motorcycle so that impact forces can be adequately distributed or absorbed.
Here are some popular mounting configurations.Fairing Mounted Frame SlidersSliders that mount onto the fairing with small fairing screws may provide some
protection in a minor tip-over but offer very minimal protection in a slide. These
sliders are not generally recommended for serious riders.Frame Mounted Sliders - DirectThe most popular and viable mounting option is directly to a selected strong point
of the frame. Sliders with this design offer the most protection and impact force
distribution. The installation of this type of slider often require modification of the
fairing and in some cases like the Honda VFR800, as extreme as requiring the
modification of the coolant bottle. For this reason, many choose the first or the
third option as fairing modification can at times be quite intimidating. This option is
the most popular for serious sportsriders, amateur and semi-professional racers
alike as they provide the best protection for the money. One other thing to consider
when choosing these types of sliders is where they will be mounted to.Many
models of sportbikes offer several places to mount them, frame slider
manufacturers all have their personal reasons for choosing the mounting location
for theirs and many of them make that choice for the wrong reasons. An example is
cost - a location that offers a two short bolt mounting location is cheaper than one
using a long through the engine bolt choice. The former being a much weaker
location. If you own an SV650 you will know what we mean. Another choice is the
use of a bracket so that cutting of the fairing is avoided - see below (Frame
Mounted Frame Sliders-Through-Engine Bolts).Frame Mounted Sliders - In-DirectTo address some of the concerns owners may have about modification of the
fairing, some manufacturers have opted for a design that allows for the slider to
mount onto an offset bracket that then mounts onto the frame. This offset
introduces a whole new set of variables into the mix. Depending on the degree of
the offset, impact forces now include amplified torque stresses which will be applied
to the frame mounting points. Offset brackets will need to be of beefier
construction, but not so beefy as to stay intact during an impact while severely
damaging the frame mounting points. This is often the most costly type of slider
configuration as most brackets require ingenious CNC work and design. In some
situations employment of a bracket is a calculated risk, in others it is just not
feasible. No cut sliders are attractive to most bikers so do your homework and ask
the manfacturer questions before you buy them.Frame Mounted Frame Sliders-Through-Engine BoltsThe third mounting option found only on certain models of bikes like the Suzuki
DL1000 Vstrom, TL1000S, SV650 and Ducati models of bikes allow for use of the
long, through-the-engine mounting bolt. This method is by far the strongest
available as impact forces are allowed to be distributed over a much larger area.
This is also the second more costly design as these long bolts are quite expensive
to manufacture. The design must be structurally strong enough not to break off
when encountering the various types of impact forces but not so strong that these
forces would be transmitted entirely to and damage the considerably more costly
frame mounting points. In other words you want to sacrifice your slider before your
fairing and then your frame in that order. It's a delicate balance and there is no sure
way to ensure that any one design will accomplish this desired goal.Frame Slider Material:The choice of material used for the frame slider should be a balance of the following
3 requirements:Abrasion Resistance - the material should be hard enough to be
able to slow the bike down in a slide and not be totally worn down to the bolt half
way through a slideStructural Strength - the material should be strong but not brittle and snap off too
easily on impactEnergy Absorption-the material used should have some energy absorbing
properties but not be so hard that all impact forces are transmitted to the mounting
points or fasteners (solid steel or aluminum materials are examples of non-energy
absorbing materials).Most high quality frame sliders today are made of some kind
of nylon or other for energy absorption and with aluminum inserts for strengthening
of the fastening points. The range of nylon types, with different levels of abrasion
resistance and "brittleness" used is also quite varied.Fasteners and Components:Quality of materials used, aesthetics and quality of workmanship should also be
considered when choosing the right frame slider for your bike.
Look for high quality anodized steel bolts. Black non-coated bolts will rust in a
week or less depending where you live. Stainless steel washers between your steel
bolts and aluminum inserts in the slider also reduce potential corrosion problems.
Socket head cap screws offer the smallest footprint allowing for a thicker and
stronger slider dimensions and are generally much more expensive then regular
hex-head screws. Nyloc lock nuts where applicable are another added safety
feature. True, these are all minor considerations in the overall scheme of things but
they all add up to the cost of manufacturing. One last thing to remember is to
always try to use some form of thread lock compound like Loctite and to properly
torque the mounting bolts to the manufacturer's recommendations. If you're not
sure check out our torque reference guide.CONCLUSION:Where does that leave you the consumer? Well, we all don't want to think about the
day when we will be able to justify the purchase of frame sliders. The reality is that
as long as bikes have only two wheels, you can expect them to fall over sooner or
later. Frame sliders are one of the surest and least expensive ways to ensure some
protection for the expensive or sometimes irreplaceable parts of your bike. After all
some protection is still better than none. Think about broken rear brake levers, gear
shifters or even worse - punctured radiators or coolant bottles, when you're miles
from civilization. The rule is the same in our opinion no matter what you're
spending your money on - buy the best you can afford and don't be afraid to ask
the manufacturer why their product is better than the plethora of other brands
available out there. Any good manufacturer will be very clear about what
differentiates their products form others so that you will be able to make the correct
purchase decision.Author is the manufacturer and distibutor for US based frame slider and accessories
company. http://www.motovationUSA.com

Motorcycles are becoming more popular because of its convenience and relatively inexpensive cost compared to automobiles. They are capable of the same speeds as cars and can also be licensed for use on public highways.Owners and drivers of motorcycles opt for these motorized, two-wheeled vehicles as transportation because aside from it being an inexpensive alternative to cars, they can be easily maneuvered and they deliver higher fuel economy. In addition, they take less space for parking. No wonder a lot of Asian countries have more motorcycles than cars.And for drivers who love speed, motorcycles are great vehicles because they can accelerate more quickly than an automobile. Nevertheless, motorcycles are not for everybody. Riding and controlling this vehicle requires skill and extra caution especially during difficult maneuverings on wet or slick surfaces.But when you do get the urge to ride a motorcycle, you would want to learn a lot of information on the vehicle, like "Where do I start?"; "How do I start my motorcycle?"; "Do I need to shift gears?" "If so, how do I do it?" And most of all, any beginner would want to know first the makings and basic parts of a motorcycle and how they work.One author wrote that to give steps on how to start a motorcycle on a hill involves a tremendous number of motorcycle parts. And it doesn't matter if its aftermarket motorcycle parts or OEM, once a new rider begins to learn to ride it, he or she must also be able to identify which part is which, or how to operate the basic procedures for riding a motorcycle.One of the most important and popular part of a motorcycle is the muffler. Other than the tires, the body, the most well known part I believe is the muffler. The motorcycle muffler includes all pipes and baffles needed to reduce, if not quiet, the exhaust noise. It is also used to match with the carburetor jetting. Most often than not, factory mufflers are changed to aftermarket pipes to tailor to the specifications of the user according to sound and performance.However, not all motorcycles have the same parts in the same places. Each motorcycle, whether they have aftermarket motorcycle parts or OEM, has its own names for its parts and even the way that the parts are interconnected may be different. It's up to you, the rider, to identify these parts according to the model and brand of the motorcycle you're going to use.Granny's Mettle is a 30-something, professional web content writer. She has created various web content on a diverse range of topics, which includes digital printing topics, medical news, as well as legal issues. Her articles are composed of reviews, suggestions, tips and more for the printing and designing industry.Her thoughts on writing: "Writing gives me pleasure? pleasure and excitement that you have created something to share with others. And with the wide world of the Internet, it gives me great satisfaction that my articles reach more people in the quickest time you could imagine."On her spare time, she loves to stay at home, reading books on just about any topic she fancies, cooking a great meal, and taking care of her husband and kids.For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.motorcyclepartsbin.com

There is some great looking motorcycle clothing on the market these days, but believe me not all of the motorcycle clothing offers as much protection as you think. In Europe, for motorcycle clothing to be lawfully sold as "safety" clothing, it has to pass a series of European standards, which are pretty lengthy but are available on my website. The standards cover the clothing's performance in abrasion, tearing and impact tests, and when they have passed; they are sold with the CE mark. However, no such regulation is available in the USA, so what should you look for?Protection in the right places?Not many people realise that most motorcycle injuries occur below the belt. Your legs and feet are extremely vulnerable, so make sure that you wear a decent pair of high boots and some protective pants. The pants should be reinforced at the knees and hips; ideally they should attach to your jacket by a zipper. Boots should be thick leather, with a sole that can flex with the foot but has a resistance to crushing across the foot.Traditional material for motorcycle clothing is leather, but thick nylon and other synthetic materials work well too. Kevlar reinforced jeans are better than normal jeans .Normal jeans last 0.6 seconds in the European standard abrasion test, while protective motorcycle pants will last 5 seconds or more. You don't really want to be ripping your skin open within less than half a second of falling of your bike do you? Thought not.Same principles apply to jackets. Make sure they are hardwearing, if they are leather make sure it is thick leather not fashion leather like some jackets. Stitching should be uniform with no dropped stitches, and all your "sharp bits", your elbows and shoulders should be reinforced, ideally with some impact protection included.A decent pair of gloves is a must; your palms will be at risk in an accident; you instinctively put out your hands palm side down to stop yourself in a slide, so the palms of your gloves should be reinforced with patches. Knitted Kevlar is especially good for this kind of abrasion resistance, but reinforced leather works well too.Impact protection can be bought separately like back protectors and so on, but remember where your most vulnerable areas are. And make sure if you buy impact protection you actually wear it! If you have any doubts it may be better to go for motorcycle clothing with a degree of impact protection included so that you know when you put on your jacket and pants, the protection is always going to be there.Last but not least, pick out a helmet you can wear and wear it always. You may have a greater chance of getting injured below the waist in a motorcycle accident, but the consequences of being involved in an accident without a helmet just don't bear thinking about?.So, next time you are shopping for motorcycle clothing, give a bit of thought to the level of protection it offers before you buy it. You never know it could save you a lot of unnecessary pain!Michael Holmes is a enthusiast for all thing motorcycle. His website, http://www.motorcycleparts-accessories-andmore.com, is a great resource of articles aimed at motorcyclists of all levels, including a page specifically for motorcycle clothing.

These are some quick adjustments and tips for the B1 liquid cooled minimoto that I have found helpful.Extra heat protection:To protect the bike I've put some aluminium tape on the inside of the fairing at the closest point to the exhaust and on the underside of the fuel tank. I?ve done this because the engine gets so hot I wanted to protect the fairing from melting, and it doesn't hurt to protect the fuel tank for the same reasons!My cooling system tips:When you run out of cooling liquid for your B1 rep, use is distilled water which is available at your local garage, add some food colouring to it so that you can easily tell the level and away you go.Only fill the reservoir to a quarter full, this is easily enough coolant and it leaves room for the pressure.Once you have filled the coolant reservoir, there is often air locks in the system. To get rid of these start the bike and allow it to warm up, then bounce the bike (gently) on its back tyre with the bike vertical. Do this a few times, this should get rid of the air locks in the system and prevent overheating. The coolants level may need to be topped up now.Where not to ride:Hi just bought my new B1 air cooled from you guys. Thanks it's a great bike. A quick word of advice for your other customers. DO NOT RIDE YOUR MINI MOTO ON THE ROAD. My friend (who also rides a mini moto, but on tracks where they are supposed to be ridden!) is a police man (boooo!) and the law is very strict:The driver or rider of a motorised board or cycle on a road could face heavy fines, endorsement of licence, disqualification and in the case of dangerous driving, up to 2 years imprisonment.Remember that the term road includes not only a carriageway but also pavements and verges and also any highway which encompasses footpaths, bridleways and by-ways.It can also include privately owned roads to which the public have access and has in some cases included car parks?Car park warriors beware!!!???Here's a good tip. Before riding your mini moto you will need to make sure that your wheels and chain are aligned. Here's how. Loosen the bolts on the back wheel so that you can move it. Place a piece of perfectly straight wood (I used a meter stick) up against the front wheel. When the front wheel is straight the meter stick should be flush against both the front of the tyre and the back. Then it's a simple case of lining up the back wheel. The chain should now also be straight.Changing the gearing on your mini moto is simple. A bigger front sprocket combined with a smaller rear sprocket creates a smaller ratio, this means that the mini moto will have better accelelaration but less top spead. A smaller front sprocket with a bigger back sprocket will give your mini moto a better top speed but slower acceleration.Here are the possible variations of gearing: The lower the ratio the faster acceleration. The higher ratio, the better the top speed.8/54 6.75>1
8/56 7>1
8/58 7.25>1
8/60 7.5>1
7/54 7.714285714>1
8/62 7.75>1
7/56 8>1
8/64 8>1
7/56 8>1
8/66 8.25>1
7/58 8.285714286>1
8/68 8.5>1
7/60 8.571428571>1
8/70 8.75>1
7/62 8.857142857>1
8/72 9>1
6/54 9>1
7/64 9.142857143>1
8/74 9.25>1
6/56 9.333333333>1
7/66 9.428571429>1
8/76 9.5>1
6/58 9.666666667>1
7/68 9.714285714>1
8/78 9.75>1
6/60 10>1
7/70 10>1
7/72 10.28571429>1
6/62 10.33333333>1
7/74 10.57142857>1
6/64 10.66666667>1
7/76 10.85714286>1
6/66 11>1
7/78 11.14385714>1
6/68 11.33333333>1
6/70 11.66666667>1
6/72 12>1
6/74 12.33333333>1
6/76 12.66666667>1
6/78 13>1I tried 7/56 with my B1 Rep at GP Karting, I think that this is just about right for that track as it has lotts of tight corners. Might go to Stretton soon so I can try my 7/68 setup. This should be good for the straights however it may take a while to get up to speed!!Matt Tong has been importing and riding Mini Motos for two years. For expert advice and Mini Moto information please visit http://www.minimotosandmore.com

For every motorcycle enthusiast, it is indeed very taxing to maintain bikes as good as new ? its engine running and all its other parts functioning. We know for a fact that it's not only for the sake of transportation but also for a little satisfaction of our vanity ? seeing everyone admire us, atop an excellent piece of machine. Like any road going vehicle, a motorcycle's performance is based on the smooth running of thousands of parts, large and small. It is a nuisance indeed to find some faulty parts on a vehicle and prevent owners from enjoying its full use.Broken parts on a motorcycle can spell tragedy for its driver and extensive damage to the machine. In a motorcycle, the safety and security provided by a four wheel vehicle on each corner doesn't exist as such, when its rear wheel locks up at 70 mph it could skid out of control and throw its rider. What's more heartbreaking is to know that the cause of the accident is because of a broken part.The best solution is to always have a replacement part handy in order to have extra parts for those which have been damaged or lost. Having ample budget for this would, however run risks for your pocket. If you do not have sufficient budget to afford the high costs of brand new replacement parts but afraid of scratching around for used motorcycle parts from questionable origins and warranty, don't fret. There's still a way for you to save money by buying used motorcycle parts and prevent you from living your worst nightmare.Yes, indeed! Buying used motorcycle parts are a great way for you to save money and keep your bike going splendidly. There are just some pointers or guidelines for you to remember once you have decided that your budget leaves you little choice between brand new and used motorcycle parts. By following several general guidelines, you could still acquire used motorcycle parts that are in tip top shape, good condition and will not be the cause of your bike getting torn apart.First of all, when scouting for used motorcycle parts, especially online, make a point to double ? check, there are things to look out for, consider and avoid. Don't ever miss out on crucial details, like, how old can the used part be? How compatible will it be to your bike's model and make? Next, it is understandable to be skeptical, after all, the World Wide Web is full of BS and scams. You have to be careful to avoid those who make stupid claims that expect you to believe them. It is but your right to verify and countercheck the validity of everything that they are offering you and once you have placed an order, as much as possible, give certain conditions for your purchase. Something that may go like, they will have to show you if the purchased part functions upon getting secured on your bike. You could also inquire for warranty periods.There are ways to save your money and still get above-average used motorcycle parts. Just be wise enough once you decide to be practical and economical.Lala C. Ballatan is a 26 year-old Communication Arts graduate, with a major in Journalism. Right after graduating last 1999, she worked for one year as a clerk then became a Research, Publication and Documentation Program Director at a non-government organization, which focuses on the rights, interests and welfare of workers for about four years.Book reading has always been her greatest passion -- mysteries, horrors, psycho-thrillers, historical documentaries and classics. She got hooked into it way back when she was but a shy kid.Her writing prowess began as early as she was 10 years old in girlish diaries. With writing, she felt freedom ? to express her viewpoints and assert it, to bring out all concerns -- imagined and observed, to bear witness.For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.motorcyclepartsbin.com

Speeding is illegal, yet we sell racing motorcycles and cars which are so powerful and look so intimidating that a police man could write the owner a ticket even if it were parked. Take today's crotch rocket, nearly all of these motorcycles can barely get out of second or third gear going sixty miles per hour. We complain when our teenagers drive these bikes like they are meant to be driven. Silly of us to think that anyone is going to drive these bikes and never speed?Any one who has ever gotten on a race bike and felt the acceleration knows that such temptation is just to great. Once you give it some throttle you want to take it thru the gears. Yet, if you do choose to take it thru all the gears and redline the sixth or last gear you find yourself often over 135 miles per hour even on a 600 CC race bike. On the 750's and 1000 plus CC race bikes you are well over 160 miles per hour at redline. Those of us who dare know that you must really pay attention when you are going at such speeds while sitting out in the open, namely you need to hang on.Why do we sell these motorcycles to teenagers if we know that there is no possible way and no current teenager alive who owns one who has not sped on it? It is safe to say that such a statement is correct. Perhaps we ought to have speed limits within reason; for instance if you have taken a super bike class and have shown you can handle the raw power and speed; then you should be allowed to open it up all the way when no one else is around to get hurt. Montana use to have such a law on their roads, unlimited speed limit as long as you were not endangering others, this seems to be a good rule. Germany has the autobahn, yet we are denied the pursuit of happiness because some lawmaker who has no balls is afraid we might get hurt and it might go into the newspaper and make a few weak voters sob? No one has the right to deny those capable and willing to push the envelope a little our pursuit of happiness as such rules are in complete contrary to what it means to live in a free country.Just because there are Jerry Springer guest stars out there still wearing their free T-shirts for being on the show and a few Jeff Foxworthy "here's your sign" recipients is no reason to make laws to protect the weakest link of humanity from their destiny and happiness. The need for speed is an innate characteristic of mankind and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. For those who cannot perform, they can win the Darwin Award, but we should not make laws to protect the stupidest human and deny the cr