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Tips & Tricks

Get It Rolling Again: Carb Rebuild and Service

Many of us have a great older bike that we used to ride the wheels off of, and then something—a newer, sexier machine, work,...

Stayin’ Safe: Gravel? You Can Count on It.

Over the years, I have learned there are a handful of things that can make even the most experienced riders immediately uncomfortable. The unexpected...

Super Stopping: Servicing Your Brake System

Most motorcycle manufacturers recommend replacing brake fluid every two years. That’s because brake fluid absorbs moisture, and the more water it absorbs the lower...

Stayin’ Safe: Road Striping Can Be Slippery When Wet…or Dry

Two friends of mine, Al Mattson and Paul Michelin, shared a recent experience they had when out with a buddy enjoying the twisties. All...

Cleaning Your Motorcycle Helmet

Despite its outward simplicity, a helmet is a complex collection of materials designed to keep you safe in a crash. Keeping all of them...

Putting Your Bike on its Centerstand

Try as I might, I have a very difficult time putting my motorcycle on its centerstand to lube the drive chain or check rear...

Tips for Packing a Motorcycle

You know where you’re going and how you’re getting there. But what should you take, and how should you pack it? Here are some...

Stayin’ Safe: Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

On any given ride, we are presented with countless road signs along the way, each strategically placed to guide and warn of potential...

Tech Q&A: Fork Oil Drain Plugs

Q: Why don’t late-model motorcycle forks have oil drain screws? Didn’t they used to? I need to change my fork oil but really don’t...

Plug In, Stay Warm: The Joys of Electric Motorcycle Apparel

Unless you live where the snow piles up hip-deep in winter, there’s no reason to stop riding when the mercury takes a nosedive. Heated...

Stayin’ Safe: The Shadow Knows

Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of Main Street? The shadow knows! There are vehicles that seemly lie in wait, hiding between overgrown...

Rainsuits 101: Staying Dry At Speed

Weather forecasting isn’t an exact science, and you get caught in the rain even during the summer. If you keep riding through the fall...

Long-Term Review: 2015 Kawasaki Versys 1000 LT

6,555 Miles // MSRP: $12,799 Since our last Long-Term Rides report on the Versys 1000 LT in the July issue, we’ve logged another 5,000 miles...

Stayin’ Safe: Goldilocks and the Three Gears

Through our Stayin’ Safe on-road training program, we’ve seen several consistent rider habits. One is failure to shift to an appropriate gear for corners....

Born Again Fairings: Giving New Life to Damaged Bodywork

Murphy’s Law tells us that, when you borrow someone else’s motorcycle for a photo shoot, it’s the one bike that will end up on...

Motorcycle Camping Checklist

Use this as a baseline to get started. Add or remove items to suit. Once you’ve camped a few times, add your location on...

Prep Your Motorcycle Battery for Spring

Spring is here and it’s time to get your motorcycle ready for some fun. Yuasa Battery Inc., the worldwide leader in powersports batteries, recommends...

Sport Touring’s Most Common Mistakes

As a solo and two-up sport tourer of many moons, in my experience there are two mistakes many canyon strafers make more often than...

Better Shifting for Sport-Touring Riders

One of the more revealing ways to find out how well a rider shifts gears and manages the clutch on a motorcycle is to...

How to Handle the Four Most Common Road Emergencies

You’re on a leisurely Sunday ride or a multi-day journey and suddenly your bike has a problem. You’re dead in the water. What to...

Motorcycle Safety and Skills: Handling Low-Speed Maneuvers

Attend any bike week event or rally and you’ll see riders doing things that make you nervous: paddling their feet at stops, duck-walking their...

Motorcycle Safety and Skills: Group Riding Tips for a Safe Experience

Summer is coming and with it, the rally and event season. Whether it’s Daytona, Laughlin, Myrtle Beach, Sturgis or a H.O.G. Chapter ride, if...

How to Build a Proper Motorcycle Roadside Tool Kit

Harley-Davidson motorcycles are more reliable now than at any other time in their 107-year history, but they are also much more mechanically and electrically...

Motorcycle Weaves and Wobbles: How to Avoid Them and Deal with Them

There are some aspects of motorcycles that motorcycle manufacturers are reluctant to talk about. Weave and wobble are two of them. Either can put...

Understanding Motorcycle Rake and Trail

“I may be the only rider to not know this, but what is ‘trail’ about when discussing the front fork?” Variations of this question from...

Harley-Davidson Electronic Throttle Control

In 2008 Harley-Davidson introduced a new throttle system called Electronic Throttle Control (ETC), which eliminates the throttle cables connecting the throttle and the throttle...

15 Safety Tips for Motorcycle Riding in the Rain

By Reg Kittrelle The best advice you’ll hear regarding riding in the rain is don’t do it. Bad weather and wet roads raise motorcycle riding...

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