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Ultimate Motorcycle Road Trip Packing List

By General Posts

Road tripping on your bike is an excellent way for celebrating your love of riding

Are you planning a motorcycle road trip? Then you’re in for an enjoyable time. Road tripping on your bike is an excellent way to visit scenic locations while celebrating your love for riding.

However, bringing all the necessary supplies on your trip is essential to having the best experience. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of all of the most critical items you’ll need for your trip. Read on to learn our ultimate motorcycle road trip packing list.

Click Here to Read this short, simple guide on Bikernet.com

Ride Free, Ride Safe ….

If unfortunately, you ever find yourself a motorcycle accident victim, you can call Law Tigers team at 1-888-863-7216 for assistance. Tell them Bikernet.com sent ya.

5 Best Motorcycle Routes to See Fall

By General Posts

One of the best parts about owning a motorcycle is having a front-row view to all things nature. There’s nothing standing in between you and all the colors of the natural world. Fall is one of the best times to go cruising through the wilderness. Leaf peepers are known for chasing bright yellows, reds, and oranges all over the country as autumn sets in. Chances are there’s a great leaf-oriented stretch of road near you.

Get Your Bike Ready for the Trip

Before you head out on your trip, make sure you have everything you need to explore the open road. Some of these routes can be quite remote, so you need to have a plan in case things take a turn for the worst.

Above all else, use helmet communication to keep in touch with your loved ones on your trip, especially if you stray far from home. You should be able to call for help or check your GPS without taking your eyes off the road. You drove all this way to look at the leaves, after all.

Looking down at your phone can be a recipe for disaster. You also need to keep your hands on the handlebars at all times to stay in control. Use a Bluetooth motorcycle helmet to use your electronic devices hands-free for more peace of mind behind the wheel.

Find a Bluetooth motorcycle helmet with speakers that produces clear audio. You need to balance the sound of your music, call, or GPS with the sounds of the road in case another driver needs to get your attention.

Your phone may not be there to rescue if you get lost or get into a wreck. Consider bringing along paper maps of your destination and a backup communication system, such as two-way radio, in case you don’t have access to cell service.

Inspect your motorcycle to make sure it’s ready for the trip at hand. Add air to the tires, if needed. You should know the approximate distance of your trip. Check the mileage and consider visiting your local mechanic if it’s been over a year or 6,000 miles since your last tune-up.

Tunnel of Trees – Michigan

The country’s “third coast” is known for its rich forestry and sprawling coastlines and Michigan’s Tunnel of Trees is perhaps the best example of both. The branches of the trees extend over the road, creating what looks like a tunnel.

Most of the action takes place on M-119. You can catch it at the north end of Petosky. The tunnel official starts in Harbor Springs. Follow the route for another 20 miles around the edge of Lake Michigan. The bluff, which runs around 140 feet above sea level, keeps you up high for a panoramic view of the coast. Be sure to slow down or stop when taking in the sights. The state road narrows at several points, including the infamous Devil’s Ridge. Lots of drivers will probably have their eyes on the trees, so don’t be surprised if they make a mistake.

Coastal Route One – Maine

Route One has a reputation across the East Coast. It makes for a stunning drive, whether you’re coming from Key West, Florida or New York City. We suggest taking it all the way north to Maine, where you’ll see some of the most picturesque roads of your life. New England is full of many charms, including open farmland, quaint towns full of history, and weaving coastlines, and Route One lets you see the best of everything.

You’ll need to take I-95 about 90 minutes north of Boston to the Maine border. From there, hop on Route One to cruise through small towns like towns as Kennebunkport and Ogunquit, both of which are teeming with lush forestry. The road takes you along the coast, which gives you the chance to explore the area’s many islands, nooks, and peninsulas. You’re bound to pass a lighthouse or three.

There’s a certain humble charm to the remote towns of Northern Vermont. Turn down the noise of your engine to enjoy the peace and quiet as the water laps against the rocky shore. Wildlife can get pretty bold in the more rural parts of the state. Don’t be surprised if you run into a moose as soon as you get out of the city.

San Juan Mountain Skyway – Colorado

If you love the mountains, head out west to Colorado to experience the thrill of the San Juan Mountain Skyway. The road gets its name for its steep incline and sharp turns. The road goes from 6,200 feet above sea level near the city of Cortez to over 11,000 feet near what’s known as the Red Mountain Pass.

It gives you the ultimate mountain experience, complete with expansive river valleys, peaks over 14,000 feet tall, and trees that feel larger than life. The arching road gives you a cascading view of the trees during the fall. You can see several miles into the distance in some parts.

The road starts in Durango, CO, the largest city on the path. This is the time to stock up on supplies. Your choices start to thin out from here. Follow the road north via U.S. 160 to Mancos. Consider stopping by Rocky Mountain National Park and Mesa Verde National Park while you’re in the area if you feel like seeing more of what this iconic state has to offer. It continues for a total 235 miles, or 7 hours, going all the way up to Telluride and Silverton.

It’s best to start your trip in the early fall, as some roads turn icy early in the season. The mountains have a climate all their own, so be prepared to encounter some snow along the way. Bring along a few extra layers to stay warm on your motorcycle as temperatures fluctuate.

Nothing beats the gorgeous palette of fall foliage. Chart a course for one of these autumn destinations to enjoy the ride of your life.

Best motorcycle cleaner for 2021: Top 10 products

By General Posts

by Kyle Hyatt from https://www.cnet.com

Cleaning your motorcycle can be a pain, but this stuff makes it a lot easier.

Motorcycle cleaner notes
The visual benefits of keeping a clean bike are pretty obvious, I mean, more shiny is more better, right? But there are some performance and safety benefits, too. For example, if your bike is filthy, it can be hard to see if you’ve suddenly sprung a leak of some vital fluid (usually oil).

Some road crud can be corrosive over time to the exposed steel and aluminum parts of your motorcycle, not to mention the fasteners that hold things onto your bike. You thought changing out that clutch was going to be easy, didn’t you? It would have been if you hadn’t left a bunch of road salt all over the bike for months. Now it’s broken-bolt city, population: you.

The performance benefits are more subtle but no less real. This is especially true when it comes to chain maintenance. Just think, if your motorcycle has to fight the friction of a dry, dirty or corroded chain, then that’s power lost. If you’re on a 200-horsepower sport bike, that’s not a big deal, but if you’re on a 20-horsepower motorcycle like the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 I recently reviewed, you might just notice.

Keep your bike clean with a well-stocked motorcycle care kit, and make your life easy.

Best general motorcycle cleaner overall
S100 Total Cycle Cleaner $15

Best general motorcycle cleaner overall runner-up
Muc-Off Nanotechnology Motorcycle Cleaner $16

Best motorcycle quick detailer
S100 Detail & Wax spray $15

Best waterless motorcycle wash
Muc-Off High-Performance No Rinse Bike Cleaning Spray $18

Best motorcycle chain cleaner and lube
Maxima Clean Up and Chain Wax $28

Best motorcycle chain cleaning brush
Simple Solutions The Grunge Brush $14

Best motorcycle wheel cleaner
S100 Motorcycle Wheel Cleaner $21

Best motorcycle chrome cleaner and polish
Simichrome Polish $14

Best complete motorcycle cleaning kit
S100 Motorcycle Detailing Kit $50

Best motorcycle helmet cleaner
Motul Helmet Clean $8

I love riding motorcycles, but kind of hate the care and maintenance that they require — especially when it’s my own bike. Luckily, I live in a place where things are dry and dusty rather than wet and muddy, so I can get by most of the time. But when it’s time to buckle down and wash the bike, there are a few motorcycle cleaning products I always turn to.

In addition to keeping your bike clean, it’s important to clean and lubricate your chain (if you have one) and make sure your helmet is free of crud and dried bugs. I’ve listed some of the best motorcycle cleaner products here. They’ve been good to me over the years for both purposes and hopefully you’ll appreciate them too.

Best general motorcycle cleaner overall – S100 Total Cycle Cleaner
I’m one of those people who like a clean motorcycle, but hate actually cleaning their motorcycle. That used to mean that I’d just live with a dirty motorcycle most of the time, but not since I found S100 spray cleaner.

This cleaning product is awesome and it’s easy to use. Spray it on, let it sit for a few minutes and hose it off. It does a great job of removing dirt, road grime, grease, dried-on bugs and whatever else I’ve accumulated on my adventures. It’s also safe on plastics like your motorcycle windshield and metals, so no worries about it harming any exposed components on your motorcycle.

Best general motorcycle cleaner overall runner-up – Muc-Off Nanotechnology Motorcycle Cleaner
The Muc-Off Nano Tech bike cleaner spray is awesome. It smells better than the S100 and it’s biodegradable. Muc-Off also sells it in concentrate form, which I love, so you don’t have to constantly buy new plastic bottles.

Like the S100, it’s a spray on and rinse off affair and it does a great job of removing caked on road grime nastiness from all parts of your motorcycle without sending a bunch of harsh chemicals down the drain.

Best motorcycle quick detailer – S100 Detail & Wax spray
Sometimes you just need to touch up your bike before heading out on an all-day ride with your buds. I mean, you don’t want to show up and have the least shiny two-wheeled machine, now do you?

This S100 Detail and Wax spray is great because it’s specifically geared towards motorcycles and does a good job of shining paint and powder-coat. It’s easy to use, too. Just spray on the detailer and wipe it off with a good microfiber towel.

Best waterless motorcycle wash – Muc-Off High-Performance No Rinse Bike Cleaning Spray
What do you do if you have a dirty motorcycle and you don’t have access to a hose? Either take it to a coin-op car wash to use the pressure washer (which kind of sucks) or grab the awesome High-Performance Waterless Wash spray from Muc-Off.

Like basically every Muc-Off product, this bike cleaner is easy on the environment while still being tough on stubborn dirt and grime. All you have to do is spray it on, let it soak for a minute and wipe it off. After you wiped the dirt off, get a new clean microfiber cloth and buff your bike until it shines. It’s super easy and packs into a backpack or side case for easy motorcycle cleaning on the go.

Best motorcycle chain cleaner and lube – Maxima Clean Up and Chain Wax
Keeping your motorcycle’s chain clean and lubed is a miserable task, but it’s critical if you want to keep your chain and sprocket in tip-top condition. There are as many different products and techniques and old-timey sage wisdom for cleaning and lubing motorcycle chains as there are stars in the sky, but I’m going to recommend what works for me.

The Maxima products — Clean Up chain cleaner and Chain Wax — are the perfect one-two punch for chain maintenance. Clean Up does an excellent job of removing dirt, debris and and acting as a degreaser for old gross lube while at the same time being gentle on the delicate O-rings inside your chain. Chain wax is a spray-on chain lube that goes on wet and then dries into a waxy coating that resists coming off and doesn’t encourage dirt to stick to it. The best part is that Maxima offers it in a combo pack with a decent penetrating lubricant as a bonus.

Best motorcycle chain cleaning brush – Simple Solutions The Grunge Brush
As we’ve already established, cleaning motorcycle chains sucks. It’s greasy, grimy work and depending on how nasty you’ve let your chain get, it can be hard work, too. Having a good chain-cleaning brush in your cleaning kit is a huge help and my personal favorite brush is the Grunge Brush.

The Grunge Brush has stiff bristles that clean your chain on three sides at once, plus longer bristles at the other end for getting into your sprocket teeth and so on. It’s cheap and effective and it even has replaceable brushes, so you’re not constantly buying new ones. When paired with a good chain cleaning solvent like Maxima’s Clean Up, this makes the work of chain maintenance a whole lot easier.

Best motorcycle wheel cleaner – S100 Motorcycle Wheel Cleaner
There are a zillion different wheel cleaners on the market and they all do something a little different, but one of the things I like best about the S100 motorcycle wheel cleaner is that it is a thicker, more gel-like formula which sticks to your wheels better. It does a great job of getting brake dust, dirt and other grime off as well.

The other nice thing about the S100 Motorcycle Wheel Cleaner is that it’s gentle, which means it’s safe on all kinds of wheels — be they painted, powder-coated, aluminum, magnesium or stainless steel. If your bike’s wheels are too dirty for normal bike wash to take care of, grab a spray bottle of this.

Best motorcycle chrome cleaner and polish – Simichrome Polish
Unlike most cars these days, it’s easy to buy a brand new motorcycle with a bunch of chrome. And chrome looks great until it starts to dull or pit, but then it looks like crap. Thankfully the solution to that dull chrome problem is easy: Just polish it!

If you’re going to undertake that task, you’re going to need a good chrome polish compound and one of my personal favorites comes straight outta Germany. It’s called Simichrome and it works really, really well. All you need to do is apply the elbow grease with a microfiber towel using this metal polish and get ready to be blinded by the shine.

Best complete motorcycle cleaning kit – S100 Motorcycle Detailing Kit
If you’re detecting a theme with the S100 products here, you’re not mistaken. The fact is that S100 offers some of the best motorcycle-specific cleaning and detailing products around and at reasonable prices. Still, what if you don’t necessarily want to buy each product by itself? Thankfully there’s a motorcycle cleaning kit.

The S100 detailing kit comes with everything you’ll need to detail your motorcycle short of a hose and water — including a drying towel. Even better, it comes in a tidy little carrying case, so you can keep all your motorcycle cleaning supplies together and not let things get lost in the back of some dank, daddy longlegs-infested garage cabinet over the winter.

Best motorcycle helmet cleaner – Motul Helmet Clean
Everybody knows that riding with a motorcycle helmet is a good idea — hell, it’s even the law in most places. What people might not know is that while keeping your helmet clean is a good thing, using chemicals is a huge no-no — even on the outside. Luckily, there are a few great helmet cleaning products on the market and my favorite comes from Motul.

The Motul helmet spray not only does an epic job of loosening dried on bugs and dirt from the shell of your helmet, it also offers up a nice shine that is more resistant to getting bugs stuck on it in the future. Spray it on, let it soak and wipe it off.

For the inside of your helmet, never try and clean the pads and liner when they’re still inside the shell. Always remove them and wash them gently according to your helmet manufacturer’s guidelines.

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By General Posts

Bikernet Weekly News for 01 August 2019

Sturgis is starting tomorrow and news is coming in from the road out. The cute little Easyriders French editor is coming to see me next week. Frankie went to MetalSport about his FXR front wheel yesterday and is coming to see me around his Dyna front wheel today.

Hell, James and Jeremiah rolled James’ Dyna in the shop yesterday while George “The Wild Brush and I worked on the canopy latch. They replaced his stock clutch with an extra plate Barnett clutch. We will bring you a report next week. Works like a champ, if you have upgraded your performance package.

I’m also working on three bike features for Bikernet Readers. Let’s hit the news:

CLICK HERE TO READ THE WEEKLY NEWS IN THE CANTINA

Motorcycle Museums Worth Making a Pit Stop For

Every bike has a story and taking a look back at how motorcycles have evolved over the years can bring out the warm fuzzies of even the toughest rider. Lucky for us history buffs, there are a ton of museums around the United States that will gladly transport you back in time and show you just how far we’ve come in the motorcycle industry.

Check out our list of the top five motorcycle museums you need to visit below.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE TRAVEL SUGGESTIONS IN THE CANTINA

An Eye on Recent Motorist Rights Court Cases

By General Posts

FROM National Motorists Association https://www.motorists.org

Motorist rights cases have made news and even history recently. There have been so many as of late, we are dedicating two separate newsletters to provide some insight on the legal rulings that are affecting drivers around the country.

This week’s newsletter focuses on recent rulings and pending US Supreme Court and federal court cases. Part 2 next week will outline state court decisions.

TheNewspaper.com, featured prominently in these two newsletters, is a great supplement to the NMA’s Motorists.org site for the latest news and opinions on the politics of driving.

The US Supreme Court (SCOTUS)

Last week’s unanimous decision that curtails excessive government fines and property seizures has provided further impetus for one of the NMA’s primary lobbying initiatives: civil asset forfeiture (CAF) reform. The decision received broad bipartisan praise. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote in the ruling that the excessive fines clause is a fundamental restriction that applies to the states under the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. While the SCOTUS decision is monumental, the fight is far from over. Some states still allow the seizure of property from citizens — motorists are prime targets — who have never been charged with a crime. Our work for reform at the federal and state levels continues in earnest.

Additionally, SCOTUS accepted a case in January that will decide whether an unconscious drunk person has given implied consent for a blood draw to determine alcohol level. The case might resolve an important constitutional question: Can state legislatures obviate the warrant requirement by “deeming” that citizens can consent to Fourth Amendment searches without explicitly expressing that consent?

Federal Appeals Court Cases

Judges for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in late January that a person driving a registered vehicle on a public road is not “reasonably suspicious.” Federal authorities appealed a motion to suppress evidence obtained from a border patrol traffic stop in Freer, Texas. The driver turned onto a public road that happened to bypass a checkpoint 50 miles inland from the Mexican border. The U.S. government has declared anything within 100 miles to be under Border Patrol jurisdiction. The Court ruled that turning onto a road that is “known” for smuggling in a truck registered to an individual is not enough to support reasonable suspicion. If it were, then virtually anyone driving within 100 miles from the border could automatically be deemed suspicious.

In December, judges in the Eighth Circuit US Court of Appeals ruled that it is appropriate for officers to use force to ram a driver with an expired registration sticker off the road. The driver sued the Arkansas state trooper for using excessive force and a US District Judge agreed with the plaintiff that the officer was out of line. She felt that at the time the trooper turned on his lights to make the stop, she could not reasonably do so on the shoulder which was unlit, dark and narrow. She continued to drive 20 mph under the speed limit for 42 seconds to find a safer spot, but after she passed an exit the trooper used a precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver to push her vehicle into a ditch. She and her young daughter were both injured. The Appeals Court sent the case back to the same district judge who now must determine if the lawsuit can proceed on the basis of malicious intent.

In early February, the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that police do not need a reason to place American citizens on a ‘Suspicious Person’ list. Judge Milan Smith wrote, “Tips and leads required only ‘mere suspicion,’ a lower standard than the reasonable suspicion required for criminal intelligence data and is up to the discretion of law enforcement and other government officials. This case is chilling in the sense that the government can put anyone on the list for not much more than a whim.

The Ninth Circuit US Court of Appeals ruled in January that police cannot demand ID from car or truck passengers without a reasonable suspicion of a crime. The judges agreed that in this Arizona case, the US Supreme Court ruling in Rodriquez v. US, which prohibits police from prolonging a traffic stop by asking unrelated questions, established precedent.

In January, the Eleventh Circuit US Court of Appeals upheld a traffic stop over a fast blinker. Apparently, driving with a turn signal that flashes “too fast” is potentially a criminal act in Georgia. The blinker was actually working properly; the Georgia Code does not stipulate how fast a turn signal should blink, only that all equipment be kept in “good working condition.” The appellate panel suggested that the plaintiff’s blinker was not in compliance because it was in working condition, just not “good” working condition. American jurisprudence at its best.

Check out Part 2 next week when we showcase recent state cases that could impact motorists.

The National Motorists Association is a membership-based organization dedicated to protecting the rights of the motoring public.