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Showing posts with label Motorbike Shop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Motorbike Shop. Show all posts
Motorcycle Accidents
Friday, August 20, 2010
Is Protective Clothing As Good As it Should Be?Due diligence is a commonly used expression these days. People refer to it in reference to business deals and agreements, health and safety matters or public services. In fact anything that involves an element of risk could and should be mitigated by taking steps to head off potential trouble. We all know that accidents happen. We all realise that there are ways to lessen the chances of problems and that we should do all we can to show 'due diligence.'
In the case of motorcycle riders there are a number of clear and sensible steps that can be taken to try and keep out of harm's way. Perhaps one of the most obvious and effective methods that bike riders can adopt to try and prevent serious injury is by making sure that you are wearing appropriate protective clothing.
Prevention is always the best cure
There are two important aspects to protective clothing. The 'prevention is the best cure' approach by which high visibility helmets, jackets and riding gear works to ensue that other road users have a clear awareness of your presence. Fluorescent orange or yellow clothing that can be seen from the side and back as well as the front can dramatically improve the chances of being seen, often from great distances, and staying safe. It's important too that all lights are working properly and that your visor or goggles protect your eyes from wind, rain, insects and dirt on the road.
If you do find yourself in an accident then there are ways that wearing suitable protective clothing will limit or even on occasions prevent bad injuries. Motorcycle safety helmets are not only essential for minimising the possibility of suffering serious head injuries, they are also a legal requirement. But boots, jackets, gloves and gauntlets and other forms of motorcycle body armour or protective clothing in the form of reinforced jackets, elbow and knee shields, neck and back protectors as well as protective shorts and shirts worn underneath bike clothing are also available. Their sole purpose is to absorb impact and prevent injury. But they are expensive, and while top of the range protective gear may help to prevent a serious motorcycle injury, they are often out of the price range of many riders. And in the event of a serious accident, even the best protective clothing won't help you walk away unscathed.
Protective clothing offers no guarantees
Realistically, whilst advances are made all the time in design, protective qualities and toughness, there's only so much protection that clothing and motorcycle body armour can offer. Such is the nature of biking. The fact that you aren't encased in a protective shell like car drivers makes it simply impossible for protective clothing to offer complete protection.
There are no guarantees and biking remains an inherently risky pursuit with road conditions and other road users notoriously unforgiving. Putting it bluntly - there is always a risk of serious bike injury.
In the event of a serious injury the advice is simple. Talk to an expert lawyer. It takes a specialist injury lawyer to properly appreciate the challenges and fully grasp the complexities and implications of a bike injury claim. Whilst generalist lawyers will have an overview of serious bike injury, there are many aspects to a serious injury compensation claim in which they are unlikely to have the experience and expertise of a specialist.
Suzuki Gladius Concept by Nasty GPDESIGN
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
GPDESIGN proposes an interesting concept motorcycle called Nasty based Suzuki Gladius 650. The concept of the motion is focused on technology and innovation leading to customize both design and emphasize safety. Concept Nasty has the task of entertaining the motorcyclist in everyday life, with versatility.
The saddle height from the ground has been increased by 70 mm and increased to 855 mm. The range was adjusted to allow a more sporty. The surface of the saddle was made with high quality water resistant leather, the upholstery has been increased to 2 cm. The double stem section 22-28 has completed a new curvature from raiser and coverage between the two plates look more impressive. In the version submitted for the painting was used an innovative material that fruit properties of photo luminescence, this type of material was used for the cuffs, the tank and wheels. The property of the photo luminescence is to accumulate a certain quantity of both natural and artificial light and then return the shine in the dark for a period of about 4-5 hours. Were used and exhaust tip from the official catalog SUZUKI. Nasty will continually evolving and customized as desired by allowing the end user to have a motorcycle customized.
Modified Car Insurance
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Modified Car Insurance
So you're thinking about building a cool modified street car; but before you get started, you need to consider your car insurance premiums. Insurance for a modified street car used to be hard to come by, but things have changed a bit. However, one thing that hasn't changed is the way in which insurance companies determine the insurance premium for your vehicle. It's all about the risk profiles of the driver and the car; and insurance companies tend to determine your risk profile by placing you as a driver into categories like gender, age, income, etc. and the same goes for your car.
As far as car insurance companies are concerned, there are two types of modified street cars: show cars and street race cars. Show cars are likely to do extremely low mileage, usually in warm sunny weather, and are usually drives very carefully. They are also less likely to be stolen, and more likely to be garage parked at night. All of this is good new for your insurance broker. A street racer however is a different story. These cars are more likely to be abused, involved in accidents, driven in all weather, driven fast and at high RPM, stolen, parked in the street, and driven by 'boy racers'. As a result the insurance companies have to charge a large enough premium to cover any possible claim. How much the insurance increases deepens upon the type of modification.
As far as car insurance companies are concerned, there are two types of modified street cars: show cars and street race cars. Show cars are likely to do extremely low mileage, usually in warm sunny weather, and are usually drives very carefully. They are also less likely to be stolen, and more likely to be garage parked at night. All of this is good new for your insurance broker. A street racer however is a different story. These cars are more likely to be abused, involved in accidents, driven in all weather, driven fast and at high RPM, stolen, parked in the street, and driven by 'boy racers'. As a result the insurance companies have to charge a large enough premium to cover any possible claim. How much the insurance increases deepens upon the type of modification.
Car modification can be performed at many levels; from small modifications such as fitting alloy wheels, to major modifications such as fitting a forced induction system. Small modifications are not likely to cause a great impact on your insurance premium and will only increase the value of your vehicle and increase the likelihood of it being stolen. Proper security measures, such as fitting an alarm system, and fitting lock wheel nuts to alloy wheels might help you avoid an increase in your insurance policy. However, major modifications and engine modifications will cause an increase in your car insurance premiums as they greatly increase the risk of the vehicle being involved in an accident. The insurance company might also quote with a higher excess when covering the risk of theft or accidents. Most insurance companies will consider other modifications, such as fitting performance exhaust systems, body kits, and lowering the suspension, on a case by case basis.
DISCLOSE YOUR MODIFICATIONS
The important thing is to disclose your modifications. You may be tempted not to disclose the modifications you've made to your car, so that your premiums remain relatively low. However, this is not a wise move as, technically, you are not covered if you do not disclosed any modifications you've made. If you had an accident, the assessor from the insurance company can, and probably will void your insurance policy if the assessor notices any undisclosed modifications. And I'm not just talking abut engine modifications, even if you fit a set of alloy wheels, or a body kit after you have signed an insurance policy, you must disclose your modifications to you insurance company.
The important thing is to disclose your modifications. You may be tempted not to disclose the modifications you've made to your car, so that your premiums remain relatively low. However, this is not a wise move as, technically, you are not covered if you do not disclosed any modifications you've made. If you had an accident, the assessor from the insurance company can, and probably will void your insurance policy if the assessor notices any undisclosed modifications. And I'm not just talking abut engine modifications, even if you fit a set of alloy wheels, or a body kit after you have signed an insurance policy, you must disclose your modifications to you insurance company.
To find the best car insurance for your modified car, you'll need to do quite a bit of research. If the car is already modified, search the Web and phone around for the best modified car insurance quote you can get, based on the modifications made to the car. Remember to find out what the excess would be in case of theft and accidents. If you intend doing some modifications, contact your existing insurance company and find out how the modification would impact on your insurance premiums. Find out if another insurance company will offer you better premiums but remember to take the excess into account.
But it doesn't stop when you've got your modified cars insured. As I've mentioned earlier, car insurance companies determine your risk profile by placing you into a category that says something like "under 21 year old male driving a souped up Nissan 200SX has a high accident risk". This is because the driving behavior of other drivers in your age group and gender has resulted in numerous accidents that have cost the insurance industry. As a driver of a modified street car you have a greater responsibility to your fellow road users and your fellow modified car owners. You also need to have greater respect for your car. More power on wet roads means a greater probability of sliding and locking your brakes at a stop. What you can do is be a conscientious driver rather than a conservative driver and never kid around behind the wheel, never drive under the influence, never speed in residential areas, know when you can apply the power, and learn what to do when the car goes into a slide. An advanced driving course should do the trick for the latter as it takes a lot of courage and skill to turn a front-wheel vehicle into a slide, or to release and reapply the brakes when the wheels lock up. If you drive conscientiously, you would be less likely to be the cause of an accident and you would contribute to improving the image of car owners like you and me, and bringing down the premiums for modified car insurance.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE INVOLVED IN A CRASH?
You've got your modified car insurance covered but you're involved in a crash. Depending on the extent of the damage, your insurance company will determine if your car is a write off by comparing the estimated repair costs of the car against the estimated value of your car. If the estimated repair costs exceed the estimated value, the car is considered a write off. However, when it comes to modified cars, the estimated value of the car after the crash can become quite contentious. Most modifications will push up the amount of money you've spent on the car without adding a similar amount to the value of the car. Fitting a $5,000 stereo to a $2,500 car, for example, won't push the car's value up to $7,500. In such cases you may save a significant amount of money by keeping the parts for your next car. So it may be worth fighting the insurance company on their estimated value of your car. To do that you need to understand how the insurance company operates.
After the crash, the insurance company will usually take a few days to get the estimated value for your car. What the insurance company does is enter your car's information on a computer and send it off to an evaluation company, which then finds similar cars to yours that were recently sold and comes up with an average based on those cars' resale value. This value they send back to your insurance company. By the time the adjuster comes back with this value, you should have already done your own research. You need to look for recent sales information on cars similar to yours in model year, options, mileage, and aftermarket modifications. Look for cars that are in worse condition than yours but are going for a relatively high price as the insurance company will have a hard time arguing you down if a car with more mileage and less options than yours is going at a higher price than their estimate.All is not lost if the repair costs still exceed the value of the car. You can still keep salvage if you have a place you to store the car. The insurance company will deduct the salvage amount from your claim check if you keep salvage but you must move the car from the tow yard as soon as you reach settlement with the insurance company. Remember the insurance company is responsible for tow and storage fees up to the settlement date; after settlement date tow and storage fees become your responsibility.
You've got your modified car insurance covered but you're involved in a crash. Depending on the extent of the damage, your insurance company will determine if your car is a write off by comparing the estimated repair costs of the car against the estimated value of your car. If the estimated repair costs exceed the estimated value, the car is considered a write off. However, when it comes to modified cars, the estimated value of the car after the crash can become quite contentious. Most modifications will push up the amount of money you've spent on the car without adding a similar amount to the value of the car. Fitting a $5,000 stereo to a $2,500 car, for example, won't push the car's value up to $7,500. In such cases you may save a significant amount of money by keeping the parts for your next car. So it may be worth fighting the insurance company on their estimated value of your car. To do that you need to understand how the insurance company operates.
After the crash, the insurance company will usually take a few days to get the estimated value for your car. What the insurance company does is enter your car's information on a computer and send it off to an evaluation company, which then finds similar cars to yours that were recently sold and comes up with an average based on those cars' resale value. This value they send back to your insurance company. By the time the adjuster comes back with this value, you should have already done your own research. You need to look for recent sales information on cars similar to yours in model year, options, mileage, and aftermarket modifications. Look for cars that are in worse condition than yours but are going for a relatively high price as the insurance company will have a hard time arguing you down if a car with more mileage and less options than yours is going at a higher price than their estimate.All is not lost if the repair costs still exceed the value of the car. You can still keep salvage if you have a place you to store the car. The insurance company will deduct the salvage amount from your claim check if you keep salvage but you must move the car from the tow yard as soon as you reach settlement with the insurance company. Remember the insurance company is responsible for tow and storage fees up to the settlement date; after settlement date tow and storage fees become your responsibility.
NOS Basics and Layout
Thursday, July 15, 2010
The basic nitrous oxide injection system, or a NOS kit, is pretty straight forward and easy to grasp. It consists of a nitrous oxide tank, some tubing, a nitrous solenoid, a fuel solenoid and toggle switch, throttle position microswitch, jets, a nitrous fogger, a relay, nylon pipe, and a distribution block.The nitrous tank is used to store Nitrous Oxide in a liquid form. The tank is actually a pressurized canister as Nitrous Oxide must be compressed to remain liquid at room temperature. Remember N2O reaches boiling point (i.e., it becomes gaseous) at -127° F and more Nitrous Oxide can be stored when it is in a liquid form. Approximately 850 psi of pressure is required to keep Nitrous Oxide liquid at room temperature and at sea level but the nitrous tank must be pressure tested and certified to withstand 1,800 psi. If the certification on your NOS tank is older than five years, your nitrous dealer will not refill it and you will have to have the tank pressure tested and recertified. The tank is mounted in the car's trunk and has a siphon tube that is connected to the release valve and extends to the bottom of the tank. The tank must be mounted at a 15° angle to ensure that the maximum amount of Nitrous Oxide can be released from the tank.High pressure nylon or Teflon inner-lined braided-steel pipe is used to carry the Nitrous Oxide to the engine where it is regulated by the NOS solenoid. The solenoid is an electrically controlled valve which uses a strong electromagnetic field to open a small plunger the blocks the flow of the liquid Nitrous Oxide. A second solenoid is used to supply extra fuel so that the air/fuel mixture remains constant. Both solenoids are controlled by electric switches that activate the electromagnetic field. The NOS system should have at least two switches — a microswitch that is fitted to the accelerator linkage and is only activated at full throttle; and a spring-loaded momentary switch that is activated by the driver. The microswitch on the accelerator linkage ensures that the nitrous system can only be activated at full throttle. Activating the system during part throttle or during a gear change can have very catastrophic consequences. As an added precaution, the oil pressure switch can also be used to ensure that the system can only be activated when the engine is running and there is oil pressure. Starting an engine with NOS in the combustion chamber can also be very catastrophic.
Some more high pressure nylon or Teflon inner-lined braided-steel pipe is used carry the nitrous and fuel (which are still separate at this stage) to the intake manifold where it is released into the engine via two small jets that are located in a special nitrous injector. The jets must be correctly calibrated to release the correct amount of fuel for a given amount of nitrous. In addition, the pressure on the fuel supply side must be adequate and at a constant level to ensure that the air/fuel mixture is correct at all times. This may require the fitting of an electric fuel pump and a fuel regulator.
The quantity of the nitrous flow depends on the size of the jet fitted. A jet is basically a screw with a whole through it. It's used as a restriction tool depending on the size of the link up orifice. Applying a bigger jet is the easiest way to squeeze a bit more power out of your current system. The fuel supply comes from a similar jetting system.
How to Install a Motorcycle Alarm the Right Way
Thursday, July 1, 2010
This article is written for beginners with little electrical experience; however, some knowledge of electricity and mechanics are assumed. This information is provided by West Coast Cycle free of charge and on an "as is" basis, without any representation or warranty to the products being installed. It is your responsibility to insure proper installation. West Coast Cycle assumes no responsibility with regards to the accuracy or currency of this information. Proper installation in every case is and remains the responsibility of the installer.We think you've made a good choice in deciding to use an alarm system to protect your motorcycle, after all, in 2005 over 70,000 motorcycles were stolen. Now the question is: "How in the world am I going to install this - there are so many wires." What seems like a hard task is actually not too bad; however, you need to have a least some mechanical ability. You will need to know how to test the polarity of a wire using a digital multi-meter. So if you don't have a clue as to what a multi-meter is, save yourself the headache and take it to a motorcycle shop. Lastly, you will need basic tools to remove some side panels and covers to access the motorcycles wiring.
Gathering Information and Reference Material.
Information is the backbone of your soon to be successful installation. You should gather documents with vehicle specific wiring colors, locations and polarities. These charts are available in a multitude of places, generally free of charge. You can locate this information in the bike's shop manual, at the dealership of the motorcycle, or possibly online.
Planning the Alarm Install.
Your plan will be the difference between a finished product and a job left for next weekend. A few minutes of planning and prepping will yield at least an hour and a half less install time. It's not fun, but it needs to be done! Begin by studying your motorcycle's specific diagram side by side with your bike alarm installation diagram. Identify which features you plan to use on the alarm, not all features are necessary. (e.g., engine immobilizer, remote starting)
Preparing the Wiring.
Before installing, be sure to disconnect the (-) negative terminal of the motorcycle's battery. This will eliminate the possibility of accidental electrical shorts and/or unnecessary battery drain.
Once you identify which features you will install, eliminate the unused wires, if any, to prevent clutter. It is common practice to twist the wires of a same plug together then secure them to each other with black electrical tape. Do not wrap the entire bundle, as different wires go to different locations. Once you finish wrapping all the harnesses, tape them to each other to create one large pigtail containing all of the used wires. This keeps the wires together, secure and free from frays and obstruction. You will now want to identify the locations of the wires which you will connect to on your bike. Here is a hint: the majority of your wires will run from the ignition of your motorcycle back toward the center of motorcycle where the fuse box is usually located. The easiest way to locate these wires is to open the ignition key switch, and test the wires at this point to verify it is the correct wire. You won't want to tap into the wire right next to the ignition. Rather, trace the wire back toward the fuse box or center of the bike where it is closer to the mounting location of the alarm system. This way you won't have to run wires as far. The further you have to run wires the greater chance for something to go wrong.
Execution: Removing the Panels.
The right tools are the difference between bloody knuckles or no sweat. We suggest you seriously consider the specialty items, as they will be handy in other wiring projects in your future. You will want to begin be removing the panels where your wires are located. Be sure to notate where all clips and screws go, there is nothing worse than leftovers - if you know what we mean.
Wiring the Alarm Unit.
Once the panels are removed, you will want to locate a good spot to mount the main alarm module. The harder to see, the better. This will make it much more difficult for a would-be-thief. You will generally tie strap or adhere (if adhesive pad is provided) the module to a support brace or flat surface. Be sure to mount the unit in a location that is not too close to the engine. As a general rule we suggest at least 12 inches from the engine. Also, if an adhesive strip is provided with your alarm system, be sure to prep the surface with rubbing alcohol or degreaser prior to mounting. One of the best locations to mount the alarm module is beneath the seat of the motorcycle. Another possible location is within the spare tool compartment, if you don't mind giving this space up.
Next, run the LED display light, siren, and external antenna, if equipped. Be sure to mount your siren in an obscure location also. At this time, everything which will be plugged into the unit should be. Begin by wiring any necessary relays first, if any are necessary. Most motorcycle alarm systems do not require relays; however, remote starting applications will often require relays on motorcycles with electronic fuel ignition. If you don't have a remote start feature chances are you won't need any relays. Getting these relays out of the way now will save you from a rat's nest of wires. After the relays are wired, begin connecting your wires to the proper locations. You may want to read West Coast Cycle's article on testing wire polarity before making any connections; you can find it at http://www.wcc-tech.com. You should always test wires before you make a connection. Connecting the wires can be done in a number of fashions. You can splice the wires and tape them using electrical tape. You can solder then tape or heat shrink. You can use t-tap connectors, although we personally do not recommend them for long-term use. T-tap connectors work well for preliminary tests of wires, but once you know the alarm system is working correctly, go back and solder the connections. It is completely your preference, but we suggest soldering connections followed by heat shrinking. Just be sure the connection is solid and free of any tension.
Identifying the correct wires.
If you don't know the correct wire color to look for, here is how you can determine the correct wire. We also have an article on the technical support page of our website that offers detailed information on using a multi-meter to locate the correct wires.
Most motorcycle alarm systems have 5 basic alarm system wires:
ACC / Interface Wire: The ACC wire of the Installation Harness connects to the IGN / ACC wire in the bike's ignition key switch harness. The wire you need to find in the bike's harness should be +12v only when the ignition key is switched to the ON position; and if the ignition key is switched off, this wire should not show any voltage. Two tips: This wire runs from the ignition to the fuse box. If the bike already has a factory immobilizer, you can use the ACC alarm wire to shut off the fuel pump or cut the starter line.
Engine Immobilizer Wires: This common alarm system feature always uses two wires. This feature is like connecting a second kill switch to your motorcycle which is housed in the alarm system module and can be shut of via remote. There are three ways to use this feature; we'll address the easiest way here. If you want more information on alternative ways to install this feature see the FAQ section of our website. You need to cut the side of the Kill Switch wire that leads back to the main power of the bike. You then connect one end of the cut wire to one of the two immobilizer wires and the other end of the cut wire to the other immobilizer wire. Hint: it does not mater which end is connect to the immobilizer wires, the feature will work either way.
Power and Ground Wires: We saved the easiest wires for last; we thought you'd appreciate that after all your hard work. All alarm systems have a power and ground wire. It is recommended that you connect the power and ground wires directly to the battery terminals. You may need to purchase wrap-around clamps, terminal taps or extensions for making an easy connection to each battery post. Failure to use the proper connecting method is surefire way to have problems with your alarm system down the road.
Congratulations, your bike is now safer!
Your installation should now be complete. Before putting the panels back on the motorcycle, open your alarm manual. There should be a section which displays the functions of your alarm system; this is great for testing your installation. Go through this process thoroughly. You will want to address any issues immediately. If you are having problems, refer to troubleshooting the troubleshooting section of your alarm system and check all your connections. If not, congratulations!
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