Friday 14 August 2015

How to Choose the Right Kind of Motorcycle

You are way past your childhood and are on the way to adulthood, this is exactly when your interest in motorcycles and biking pressures arise. If you are one among the 500,000 people looking out for a new motorcycle but are relatively new to the sport, then you could use some expert advice so that you can easily come to a conclusion of what exactly your requirement is.

When deciding on the type of motorcycle you require, the first thing that you need to do is to analyze and understand your use for this bike. There are a lot of options when you talk about the type of motorcycles depending on what you would want to do with the motorcycle. Your options are varied depending on if you want to ride the bike off-road or on road.

If you are seeking for a motorcycle to be ridden on road then you are at the right place. Discussed below is the complete picture of all that you need to know.

On road motorcycles are grouped based on style and then further based on the engine size. On road bikes can be used for purposes such as touring, sport touring, cruising and sport.

Motorcycles that are designed for touring purposes are manufactured keeping this intention in thoughts. These motorcycles are usually very expensive and because they are used for providing touring purposes, they come with a few comforts that include heated grips, navigation systems, CD changers, intercom systems and large luggage bags. The engines of such bikes are large and these motorcycles are the heaviest. If you are a constant traveler then this motorcycle is a perfect fit.

Motorcycles designed for sport purposes are very light and manufactured keeping speed and performance as primary objective. It is common knowledge that the lighter the bike the more expensive it would be. The size of the engine could range from 250 cc and 1000 cc. If you plan on participating in a lot of motorcycle sporting, then this bike is for you.

Bikes manufactured to accomplish both touring and sporting needs is a sport touring motorcycles. Sporting bikes are generally light and a more focused on speed whereas touring bikes focus more on comfort and are very heavy. Sport touring motorcycles get the best of both bikes by being comfortable in the same time lighter in comparison.

Being one of the most versatile kinds of bikes the on/off Road bikes are for individuals who use their motorcycle on the road as well as off the road.

The best of the lot are the cruiser motorcycles. These are the bikes that people dream of and often think of when speaking about motorcycles. The bikes are perfectly personalized too. These motorcycles are better for longer rides in comparison to sports bikes however, would not out pass the capabilities of the touring bike. These bikes produce a lot of vibration and noise that can be a little irritating to the rider. The victory judge is a perfect example for this kind of bike.

Important Motorcycle Safety Tips

Ever more popular, but very dangerous, motorcycle riding is very common in many states. Following are some guidelines which are offered in an effort to provide useful traffic safety information. While some of the suggestions are common sense, other points are important to review:

Lane Splitting

One of the most dangerous and disruptive actions of motorcycle riders is lane splitting. This is also known as lane sharing or filtering. Some states have confusing laws, neither allowing or prohibiting a motorcyclist sharing a lane with other vehicles going in the same in the same direction within the same lane. Extreme caution should be used as a biker participating in lane splitting. All it takes is for a car to pull out unexpectedly into another lane and a serious injury accidents is the result.

Motorcycle Helmets

California has a motorcycle helmet law, enacted in 1992. While somewhat controversial, it is a requirement for every motorcycle rider to have a compliant helmet. A helmet is one of the best forms of protection in case of a motorcycle crash. Helmets are designed to absorb the impact of a crash, and hopefully lessen the injuries after a motorcycle accident.

Keep Safety in Mind

It is the responsibility of both drivers and motorcyclists to maintain a safe highway environment. Common sense would tell any driver to be alert and courteous while travelling on streets and especially freeways. Keep a safe distance behind any vehicle in front of you. Use the 2 second rule, staying behind whatever is in front of you. Always wear both a helmet and other protective gear. Obviously, do not ever ride while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

While on the Road

Don't speed! A motorcycle collision is much more likely than a car crash to cause serious injury or death. Realize that most drivers cannot see you, be aware of blind spots in cars and trucks especially. Weather conditions, road conditions and traffic can all factor in to the cause of a motorcycle crash.

Know Your Bike

Before you head out on the roadways, be sure you have practiced and know your motorcycle well. Many motorcycle crash victims realize they might have been able to avoid the accident if they had been more familiar with their bike. Practice fast stopping, accelerating, turning and swerving.

Have You Received Injuries After a Motorcycle Accident?

If you have suffered injuries after a motorcycle accident, seek immediate medical care. You may not realize how seriously you have been injured. Internal injuries are common, and can be deadly. Don't try to settle with an insurance company on your own. Contact an experienced motorcycle accident attorney for an initial free consultation to discuss your potential motorcycle collision lawsuit. Your Newport motorcycle collision attorney will be able to best represent you and reach a fair settlement.

Contact The Law of Jeffrey S. Dawson today at 949/861-2191 for a free consultation to discuss your personal injury case. Jeff Dawson is a uniquely qualified personal injury lawyer. He has worked on the other side, as well - for the insurance firms, and knows how they think. If you have been involved in an accident where you have suffered injuries, contact the law offices of Jeffrey S. Dawson to discuss your potential lawsuit settlement.

Ways to Identify If the Motorcycle You Intend To Buy Is a Good Match

Looks can be deceptive, and this can be true when it comes to buying a motorcycle too. They can look amazingly gorgeous and shiny however you would never know if the motorcycle complements you perfectly. A person develops a relationship with his bike as the miles keep increasing and that is what matters.

The most important consideration to make is to learn to assess if the motorcycle is good for you. This involves asking some questions about what exactly you require from your motorcycle, what is your expectation, the kind of riding that you actually do and the type of riding skills you possess. These considerations will help you decide on the most suitable model.

There are few components involved in motorcycle evaluation that includes comfort, dependability, ease of handling and finally the looks.

The ease of handling depends a lot on the riders riding skills. However, a motorcycle that has fine handling capabilities will turn the power it has into gracefulness. Each rider is different and any given motorcycle handles differently with different riders. These days riders are moving towards owning huge motorcycles but novices should start their riding experience with smaller displacement bikes because they are easier to handle. After all there is no point if you are only able to ride your bike in a straight line comfortably. In terms of handling, the requirements of an off-road rider are not similar to the on road riders. The most important indication of good handling lies in the capability of the motorcycle to perform equally well at low as well as high speeds.

In order to identify how comfortable the motorcycle is, all you need to do is spend a day on the ride. The motorcycle is designed considering basic comfort necessities like suspension and ergonomics. The comfort factor is decided depending on the purpose the bike was intended for. A sport bike is steeply angled and given an aggressive position for the rider in order to provide agility and speed. The riding position provided to cruisers and touring bikes are more upright.

The height in which the seat is placed is a major comfort factor. The cruiser that is low saddled will be able to easily fit in a small rider; however a taller person could get severe cramps when riding this cruiser. This is why it is very important to be able to identify your perfect match. Other parts like fairings and windshields provide comfort to the user by preventing tiredness caused by the wind buffeting.

A very important factor is the bond and the trust between the rider as well as the motorbike. A motorcycle that is undependable may cause a lot of concerns to the rider and he would constantly keep worrying about what is to happen. This preoccupation may distract the rider and cause accidents. Though the motorcycle technology has improved a lot, leaks in engine and electronic fails are still inevitable. But beyond this if you need to keep thinking about if the machine will betray you then it is time you find a new one that you can trust.

The overall look of the motorbike is definitely an important part when it comes to choosing one. If it has everything mentioned above but you cannot come to terms with its look then maybe you need to look for another bike that you will love.

Performance Engine Building

Performance engine building is not a task to be taken lightly. Not only does it involve utilizing advanced mechanical skills, but optimizing the performance of an ATV or motorcycle also involves making a substantial financial investment. Therefore, before delving into high-performance engine build, it is important to keep two key factors in mind.

Factor #1: Understanding the Purpose

The first step in performance engine building involves determining the purpose of the build. If your goal is to build the fastest machine possible for the local track, your plan will be different from someone who simply wants to add a bit of extra horsepower for weekend riding. To determine the purpose of your engine build, you need to consider the type of riding that you do, whether or not you plan to use your bike or ATV for racing and what you expect to get from your engine build. You also need to consider where you would like the RPM range to be when you ride your bike. Finally, you need to analyze your budget to determine how much you can invest in your high-performance engine build.

Factor #2: Determining How to Reach Your Goal

The steps you take toward building your engine will be dependent upon your purpose. Some common methods for adding horsepower and torque include:

• Compression: Increased compression increases horsepower and torque across the entire RPM range. Since compression increases pressure and heat, it should only be raised until just before the point of detonation.

• Camshafts: Camshafts dictate the type of power the engine will produce and where in the RPM range power will occur.

• Lift and Duration: Lift opens the valves further while duration holds them longer. Therefore, the two are most effective when used in combination.

• Titanium Valves: Titanium valves are strong and lightweight. Replacing steel valves with titanium valves is recommended for increased red line or faster revs.

• Ceramic Bearings and Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) Coatings: Ceramic bearings and DLC coatings help to minimize friction, which helps to find additional horsepower in the engine. Ceramic bearings are also available for front and rear wheel bearings.

• Head Porting: Head porting reshapes the intake and exhaust ports, which helps to fill the cylinder with air and fuel while maximizing the benefits of high compression builds, oversized valves and camshafts.

Obviously, some of these procedures are more difficult to complete than others. Head porting, for example, is a job that is typically best left to the professionals. By taking these steps to improve your engine's performance, you will soon have the machine you have always desired.

How to Avoid Truck Blind Spots

Most Australians have become accustomed to driving in a congested mix of cars, bikes, trucks and buses. However, this familiarity means that over time many forget or choose to ignore the dangers when travelling close to trucks.

Truck drivers do their best to drive safely on our roads, but all motorists have a responsibility to keep clear of truck blind spots and avoid the many other known dangers when driving with trucks.

In this article, we give you several driver safety tips and teach you how to spot truck blind spots.

Learn the truck blind spots

A blind spot is where a driver loses sight of other vehicles. Trucks come in all shapes and sizes, but the one thing they all have is blind spots. Knowing the location and scope of these blind spots or danger zones can help you avoid catastrophe. Truck blind spots are:

Directly behind the truck.

On each side of the truck.

Directly in front of the truck and extending into the left-hand lane.

Beside the truck's left door.

The golden rule is: if you can't see the driver's face in his side mirrors, move quickly so you can.

Don't linger at the side of a truck

Even though the law says to keep left unless overtaking, many motorists on the highway choose to "sit" in the middle lane. This practice puts everyone at risk, especially when people "sit" beside a truck in its blind spot. If the driver needs to change lanes for any reason, there could be big trouble. So, keep left and pass trucks decisively and safely.

Pass safely

Trucks need twice as much time and room to stop than cars do. That's why you should never cut in front of a truck. Remember there's a blind spot right in front! It's a good idea to wait until the whole front of the truck is in your rear-view mirror before pulling in front.

Avoid tailgating

Tailgating is also a big no no. The driver can't see you and you have no clue what's happening up ahead. Back off until you can see both left and right side mirrors.

Keep clear for wide left turns

Truck drivers often need to swing wide to the right to make a left turn. Ignoring a truck's indicators could see you squeezed between the truck and the curb. Always pay attention to truck indicators, keep clear and give trucks room to turn.

Other safety tips for drivers

Here are a few other really useful tips to make sure your next encounter with a truck is a safe one:

Always signal well in advance when stopping or turning, to give truck drivers ample time to avoid you.

Deactivate cruise control when overtaking a truck. You will want to increase speed to pass and minimise time spent in a truck's blind spot. Of course, ensure your higher speed is a safe speed.

Be observant. Look at the truck's mirrors to see if the driver sees you.

Never cut in front of a truck that's slowing down.

Never walk around or drive around a truck that is reversing.

Truck drivers, including those in the heavy haulage industry, do their part to make sure they drive safely. However, it is also the duty of other drivers to be keep clear of blind spots, give trucks room to move and drive safely and predictably.

NHH has an enviable record in truck driver safety. As mass freight and heavy lift specialists, we work hard to operate no accidents, no damage and most importantly no worker injuries.


Tuesday 21 August 2007

How to Wear Security Earpieces

Radio earpieces look really cool. They are generally used for surveillance but some enthusiasts also wear them just for fun. Secret agents and spies in the movies have made these accessories really cool to wear.

Putting on a radio earpiece is not a tough job. To put on an earpiece, first of all you need to take that earpiece and microphone clip in your hand. The microphone is to be put where you are most comfortable with it. It can be put on your hands, specifically on your wrist. You must have seen Spies or Secret Service agents in movies lifting their wrists talk. This is where they are speaking into the mouthpiece on their wrists.

If you're not comfortable with the mouthpiece on the wrist, you can also put it on the tie or on the shirt, on your chest. Once you have clipped on the mouthpiece, it is time to put on the radio. Take the wire dangling from the mouthpiece and put it inside your shirt. Take this wire out from the top of the shirt. This way the dangling wires will be completely hidden. Take the earpiece and put it on your ears. Make sure, that it fits tightly and would not fall off when you start to walk. You can put it on either ear. If you are wearing the mouthpiece on the wrist, you will find it comfortable to put the earpiece on the same side ear.

Once you are comfortable with the mouthpiece and the earpiece, it is the turn of the end which goes into the radio. Take this dangling wire connecting that end with earpiece and mouthpiece and put it inside your shirt. Take out the wire from the bottom of the shirt. Put it in the radio and clip the radio in its place on your pants. Once you have that these wires inside your shirt completely, you need to tuck in your shirt inside your pants so that none of the wires are visible.

Once everything is fixed, switch on the said radio and test the settings. If everything is working as it should be then you have put on the radio earpiece correctly.

Wait, you are not done yet!

Once you have tucked in your shirt inside your pants and put on your jacket, you need to test the comfort level of this piece by walking around a few paces up and down. If you're comfortable with the earpiece and the mouthpiece and are able to talk on radio, then you are set for the job. If any of the wires are the earpiece or the mouthpiece is making you uncomfortable, you need to reset your wires.

The real advantage of a concealed earpiece is that others wouldn't notice when you are talking on a concealed earpiece. If you're uncomfortable wearing these or with the wires, you lose the advantage of a hidden radio earpiece. Therefore it is very important to check the complete settings by walking around.

Congratulations, you have successfully put on a radio earpiece. Now, enjoy talking like a secret service agent.

Wednesday 22 March 2006

Taking a Closer Look at Video Conferencing

Video conferencing is defined as real-time audio and video meetings, sessions and discussions that are conducted between two or more users in different locations. Video conferencing technologies have become a blessing for small and large businesses that have their operations in different parts of the world. It has become easier to engage with employees with this strategic communication tool and there are other benefits associated with it as well. Numerous industries have adapted to this method of communication because it has simplified procedures of training and increased productivity. There are endless ways in which a business can use video conferencing as long as it's done right.

There is some equipment that's needed for conducting a video conference such as video cameras, a high-speed internet connection and proper software installed on a computer. With the right equipment, video conferencing doesn't take up a lot of time as opposed to an in-person conference. A video conference will only take up a couple of minutes whereas an in-person conference may require several hours of traveling, setting up a conference room and other preparations. Regular conferences can be very costly, especially if the attendees live in different parts of the country. The cost of flying and accommodation can put a huge hole in a business's budget.

Video conferencing can aid a business in saving thousands of dollars that would have been spent otherwise. At most, it will cost a couple of hundred dollars, even if it's set up by a professional. Thus, the potential savings offered by this method are huge for a business that has conferences on a regular basis. There is nothing lacking in a video conference except for the fact that you cannot formally shake hands with the attendees. Apart from that, the images are crystal clear so people feel as if they really are in the same room.

In fact, viewing presentations becomes easier for every individual because they can see them on their screen. Thus, they have the best seats in the house, unlike an actual conference room where some slides may not be clearly visible because of someone sitting in front of you. When using video conferencing instead of in-person conferences, a business ensures that everyone is able to attend without being late. Generally, there is no restriction on the number of people who can attend the conference, but just to be sure, a business should consult with their service provider.

There is no need for anyone to leave the office or get delayed because of traffic as video conferencing can be set up within minutes. This means that these conferences can also be organized on an urgent basis because no travel is required for it. Holding conferences like this is very beneficial for businesses as it allows them to improve efficiency and resolve problems as soon as they surface. There are various types of video conferencing programs and services that can be used by a business, depending on its requirements and needs and operations can be conducted smoothly.