#T10

I’ve often felt that the real reason many motorcyclists don’t winterize their motorcycles is that they keep holding off in hopes to squeeze in one more ride. Although the MO Towers are located in Southern California, many of us ventured from colder climes to the Great American West in an effort to enjoy year-‘round riding. The journalism gig is just something we managed to weasel our way into as a means of supporting our habit.

Well, this seemingly decade’s-long election cycle is winding down to its climactic conclusion. If we’re lucky, on November 9th, we’ll know who the 45th President of the United States of America will be for the next four years. The really good news is that we will have a couple of Presidential-campaign-free years ahead of us. However, that doesn’t mean that the gears of government will stop grinding. Lots of other issues will be voted on during the election days of this year and those in the future. So, why not make the process of voting fun. Ride your motorcycle to the polls.

If you’re a motorcyclist, you’ve heard of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. With Sturgis being one of the largest motorcycle gatherings in the world, people think they know what there is to do when attending the event. However, when questioned, they mostly mention shenanigans that take place on Main Street – activities that are so numerous that they’ve long since spilled onto and taken over nearby Lazelle Street. Or perhaps newbies express their desire to attend the events at the famous campground, concert venue, and all around party central, the Buffalo Chip. While these two locations are essential to the Sturgis experience, so much more is available to riders who attend the rally.

Your friendly Motorcycle.com staff has been there. Really. We all remember that moment when we decided we wanted to become motorcyclists. We will also never forget the day we threw a leg over our first street motorcycle. No moment in life – with the possible exception of parenthood – has so many hopes and fears associated with it.

Changing a motorcycle chain is a relatively easy job for even the most inexperienced mechanic. Back in the old days, you needed little more than a hacksaw, a pair of vise grips and a correctly sized chain. Many beginning mechanics installed their first replacement chain in this manner. However, times have changed, and riveting master links, rather than clip connectors, are the standard. So, while the process is still fairly simple, you will need a specialized tool (or a friend that has one).

Motorcycle racing is an inherently foolish activity. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Dressing in a leather suit, going out to a remote track to bake in the middle of the summer (or shiver in the winter), riding a fundamentally unstable machine around in circles as fast as it and the your capability will allow – while simultaneously pouring buckets of money into other people’s pockets – is ridiculous. And dangerous.

We here at MO enjoy the sensations and challenges of riding motorcycles briskly along twisty and undulating roads, and our collective decades of experience have taught us many lessons in how to do it – for the most part – safely. We’ve flogged hundreds of motorcycles and returned them virtually unscathed, so we’re sharing a few tips on our favorite techniques that just might save you a little or a lot of unnecessary grief.