Valentine’s Gift Ideas to Help Convince a Woman to Ride a Motorcycle

So you love motorcycles, and you love the girl, but she’s kind of meh about motorcycles, or maybe you think all those stupid memes dudes post on the holidays throughout the year are true and she hates them and you have to do everything you can to hide and lie about your two-wheeled life. We have come up with a better approach for giving your lady gifts, and because Valentine’s is just around the corner we came up with Valentine’s Gift Ideas to Help Convince a Woman to Ride a Motorcycle.

If you’re reading AMERiders I’m willing to bet you’re pretty cool. And I’m willing to bet that if you’re into her she’s pretty cool. So, she might be open to changing her opinion. The trick is how you go about making that change You could try yelling: “You just don’t get it! Motorcycles are more important than anything in life – including you!” But there are other ways around this dilemma.

The Forward Approach

This is the bold move, as you run the risk of failing to get her something she might truly be more interested in or be happier with, to get her something that might disappoint. Read the room here dudes; if she keeps dropping hints to you about a contouring palette from Sephora, maybe don’t show up with a Bright Silver Ladies motorcycle helmet instead. In that case, check a little further down in the article for ideas that work for most ladies, even if they aren’t motorcycles – yet. Or, you just get her the sparkly Anastasia highlighter kit she wants, but put it INSIDE the helmet! Boom! Or even find her a sparkly helmet too.

Talk to her on the ride, so she feels more confident

Get a pair of Sena Bluetooth communicators and set one up in her helmet. If you are able to talk to her on the ride you can do nice things like give her a “heads up” about a move you’re going to make. You can pull a Huell Howser (possibly an obscure reference for people who didn’t grow up in Los Angeles), and be a tour guide, or just point out beautiful vistas to her. You could even serenade her as you carve the canyons to really ramp up the romance.

Give her the gift of protection

For her hands a another of our gift ideas is, Our Full Finger Women’s Gloves With Faux Fur are made from top quality leather and feature white faux fur inside of the glove to give that extra added bit of warmth in the winter. These gloves not only work nicely when riding in autumn but they also can make her look stylish and keep her warmer around town as well with the faux fur lining.

Boots she can wear every day and on special occasions

Women love boots I should know I am one. We love our boots Winter and summer. They are often a fashionable part of the outfit we are wearing. I have at least 5 pairs of boots at home and 2 of them I use for riding. Women’s 6-inch black biker boot is built for comfort, durability, and traction control. Extra heavy duty traction sole for added protection and style.

This boot has good-year welt construction with top quality full grain oiled leather, a lace-up design with buckle strap, and YKK zipper. They are a fashionable, with a classic design, and can be worn with jeans or even shorts. One of my other pairs I wear I get compliments from stylists and fashionistas. It’s a Women’s 10″ Side Pocket Boot Black. I also ride around town in them and love the high ankle coverage of both boots, as well as the grip the soles gives me. The first pair has a small heel makes this boot a pretty sassy part of any outfit for sure, but and doesn’t hurt your feet. I often stand in them all day. That doesn’t mean you get out of giving foot rubs, though, because you want to stay in this relationship right??

The sexy little black motorcycle jacket

This Women’s Leather Jacket completely passes as a fashion jacket with or without the pads inside. The perfect black leather jacket is a necessary part of every cool lady’s wardrobe and this one does not disappoint. It is also a technically designed motorcycle jacket with features a Zip-Out lining that runs through the sleeves.

It also features air-vents on the sleeves and back of the jacket, small ventilation holes on the underarm area, padding through the sleeve and back for extra protection, a snap down collar, gathering at the waist and zippered cuffs for ultimate fitting. I showed this to some of my friends who don’t ride and it received a 100-percent approval rating for gift ideas from ladies who rock a variety of looks.

Not all ladies are the same of course…

I actually happen to have a lot of lady friends who don’t ride their own motorcycles but often ride pillion, so I did some real investigative journalism here. I’ve tried my best to make it This Gift Ideas list universal, but, still, it’s possible this list may or may not work for you. In which case, you’re on your own. Good luck.

~And as always….

~Live Free Ride Hard~

~AMERiders

and

Let AMERiders help you with Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas to Help Convince a Woman to Ride a Motorcycle.

And as always don’t forget to send us your stories, pictures, and events for posting to GALLERY.AMERIDERS @ GMAIL.COM and we will post them for you. The more people that know about your event the better and we are offering free advertising. We would also love to hear about your rides and love to see those bikes so send those stories and pictures.

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Great Starting Tips to Know When Beginning to Ride a Motorcycle

When your friends find out that you ride a motorcycle, some of them maybe horrified: “It’s so dangerous!” just remind them that life is dangerous, that driving a car is dangerous, that walking down a busy sidewalk is dangerous, and yet we somehow manage every day. Some of us spend years honing our motorcycle riding skills and don’t take unnecessary risks. It’s all about managing risk, and risk versus reward. The rewards of motorcycling are great, and (for some of us) more than worth the risk. So AMERiders decided to compile some Great Starting Tips to Know When Beginning to Ride a Motorcycle, so you have some knowledge when begin to hit the asphalt.

When our non-riding friends talk with us about motorcycling, some of them are fascinated. A few have even asked our advice about getting started on a motorcycle this is what we and a few other of our riding friends have come up with.

1. Try a Class

The first of our Great Starting Tips that we give is that you should always, always take a riding class before committing to motorcycling. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has a great program, the Basic RiderCourse, which is available in most parts of the United States. Many locations have motorcycles available for loan or rental in coordination with the classes, so you can see if riding is for you before you invest a significant chunk of cash on a bike. In most states, you have to have taken a course before you get your license to ride one.

2. Hit the Dirt First

Another of our Great Starting Tips that some of us suggest is that If we had it to do all over again we might have started out on a dirt bike before we learned to ride on the street. The skills you can acquire riding on dirt will translate to better control on pavement, particularly when it comes to managing traction. Handling cornering on dirt definitely will keep you a from freaking out from a little bit of gravel on a city street. You may have a dirt bike school or a small dirt bike course near you that will help you learn this.

3. Scoot Before You Ride

And last but certainly not our least one of our Great Starting Tips is that even if you decide to start with a scooter, there’s a training course for you— and you should take it. Scooters generally have automatic transmissions and much simpler operation. However, jumping on and taking off without instruction and some basic understanding of how to handle yourself on two wheels is just asking for trouble. Not to sound like an advertisement for the MSF, but they do offer a half-day Scooter School for entry-level riders. An internet search for “scooter training” will help you find instruction in your area.

For those of us that skated when we were younger think about it if you decided to ice skate or skate on an inline skate, it was harder if you never roller skated before. If you knew how to handle yourself on wheels themselves then it was much easier to handle yourself on inlines. Or even the blade of an ice skate or at least some of us at AMERiders thought so.

If you spend the time and energy to learn to ride safely, your time on two wheels can be safer and more fun – much more reward than risk.We hope that these Great Starting Tips have helped you talk to some of your biking friends they will also be able to help you with some other Great Starting Tips as well.

~And as always….

~Live Free Ride Hard~

~AMERiders

and

Let AMERiders give you some Great Starting Tips to Know When Beginning to Ride a Motorcycle.

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AMERiders Article Conclusion to Learning To Ride Can Stir the Soul

On Wednesday we explained how Learning to Ride on Two Wheels Can Stir the Soul and is basically an extension of a few articles that we have written previously as well On Starter bikes and Riding motorcycles safely. Today we give you the Article Conclusion to Learning To Ride Can Stir the Soul which will give you more information to chew on and apply to your everyday riding skills. So lets continue with our conclusion to the article.

Riding

Most motorcycles have a power to weight ratio that rivals any supercar on the road — hell, even Milwaukee’s heaviest hogs can keep with a porker from Zuffenhaus these days. Putting that power to the pavement in a fluid and controlled manner will save you and your bike unnecessary embarrassment and, in a worst-case scenario, road rash. While wet clutches are generally more forgiving than their cable controlled counterparts, both are built to handle some abuse. Find an empty parking lot and experiment gently rolling on and off the throttle to find the sweet spot on your left lever, developing your southpaw’s kung-fu grip. It’ll pay off on those long, damp evening commutes. The goal here is to always leave the lights in a linear fashion and to leave the lurching to the cages.

On the road, upshifts are quick and easy and can be fired off with a sniper’s precision right from the start — slowing down is a different story. Some Motorcycles will spoil you with a slipper clutch (or similar technology) to keep your back wheel from locking up during ill-timed downshifts. You’ll understand how a Ride Can Stir the Soul when following these tips.

Braking

It’s the same story with braking. Dive on the binders too fast and too hard and you run the risk of locking things up. With 70% of the stopping power coming from that skinny front tire, it doesn’t take much to overwhelm its contact patch. In an emergency situation, you want to apply initial pressure to the brakes quickly but delicately and increase your pull while the forks bottom out. Transferring your weight will happen naturally, but try and stay centered so the rear end doesn’t wash out. It sounds more complicated than it is, but threshold braking can be a lifesaver, so try it out a few times to get the feel before you truly need it.

When negotiating tight spaces at low speed, ride your rear brake to keep power under control and learn how doing so can mechanically center the balance of your bike — you’ll be balancing your beast at a dead stop in no time with this under your belt. Not only will this keep things composed in commuter traffic, but uphill starts and dirt roads will be infinitely easier. Pay attention to your braking and You’ll understand how a Ride Can Stir the Soul.

Corners

Corners are where things get tricky — and fun. Come in too quick, and any corrections could make things messy. Do it too slow and watch your stability wash right out from under you, literally. The key to cornering correctly is in combining the elements you’ve learned already. Get on the brakes (both of them) and gear down in the straight leading into the turn to settle on a comfortable speed before you even think of leaning in.

Next, get off those brakes, stabilize your throttle and push on the opposite side of the handlebar that you’d think makes sense (right side for right turns, left side for left turns). Your body follows the natural lean induced from the bars; don’t fight it. Once you hit the apex and can see the corner exit, roll on the throttle to add speed and the bike will bring itself back into alignment. Now do it again, faster. When you park your baby after a corner-carving adventure, check the wear marks on your tires: when you lose the “chicken strips”, start booking some track days. Oh, and don’t forget to wave back, brother.

And that concludes our Learning To Ride Can Stir the Soul Article set. We hope it has been informative and has given you some food for thought.

~And as always….

~Live Free Ride Hard~

~AMERiders

and

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Before You Rev up Gear up With Protective Riding Gear

At AMERiders we are all about that Epic Ride each summer, and ensuring that you are geared up and safe is our number one priority. So, before you rev up gear up with protective riding gear, for motorcycle riding. As you can tell this is an addition and add on to our last blog post about helmets which we said we would elaborate more on the head to toe aspect of Protective Motorcycle Gear. Before Revving up there are questions you need to ask yourself.

Questions to ask yourself before riding this summer

Is your Jacket fitting the way it should, is it loose or too tight, or is it showing signs of wear?

Protective Riding Gear — A Jacket and Trousers can save your skin

If the answer to this question is a yes, then you need to be looking for a new jacket for riding. Most of us have two jackets for riding with anyway, one for summer and one for winter. Our winter one usually is a bit bigger so we can have our thicker clothing on underneath it. However, our summer one is usually lighter and cooler and fits a bit closer than our winter one would.

When a jacket is too loose then it will move and not protect as it should, if it is too tight then it is distracting and can cause a distraction. This can lead to laying your bike down which is never fun. Also, if your jacket is starting to signs of wear and there is a crash then it may not protect you as it should. It may shred when sliding across the asphalt giving no protection to that area at all.

At AMERiders we have a large selection of Jackets for Men, Women, and Children to choose from like this Women’s Leather Jacket With Zip Out Lining features Zip-Out lining and multi pockets. The classic style collar gives this jacket the fashionable look, plus a ton more features and is a great selection of one of our many Protective Riding Gear items in stock.

Another question to ask is about your chaps and riding pants.

The same questions you are asked about jackets can be asked about your pants and chaps. However, if chaps are too tight on the thigh it can cause you to lose circulation while you are riding. It will also make them uncomfortable if you “layer up”. You should be able to slide your hand under the top of the chap while sitting down. If Chaps are too loose they may move or shift making removing some of the protection from the area they are exposing. If the pants are worn as with a jacket they will shred and remove protection from the area they are exposed.

If Chaps are too loose they may move or shift making removing some of the protection from the area they are exposing. If the pants are worn as with a jacket they will shred and remove protection from the area they are exposing.

When having your measurements done for fittings for your chaps remember this. Ensure your measurements are taken while wearing riding clothes and boots. Plus always ensure your measurements are taken snuggly but not tight. And allow one inch for expansion.

For Instance, these stylish Cream Dreamcatcher Women’s Chaps titled the ‘Dreamcatcher’ due to the Native American dream catcher design. Have bone, beads, fringes, and the leather is made from top-quality ivory colored leather to give it its final stylish look.

These are gorgeous chaps to be riding your motorcycle in, and a great choice for Protective Riding Gear. Again this is just one selection that can be made of our many pairs of chaps and riding pants we have in stock at AMERiders.

~And as always….

~Live Free Ride Hard~

~AMERiders

and

Let AMERiders help you gear up with our large selection of Protective Riding Gear.

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Smart Tips for Handling the Road on Your Motorcycle in Cooler Weather!

We at AMERiders know that Fall and Winter will not always stop a motorcycle rider from riding. So, we scrounged around and found you some Tips for Handling the Road on Your Motorcycle in Cooler Weather! When riders think of going out for a ride, we sometimes imagine it to be an enjoyable ride through our favorite scenic area during pleasant weather. However, that’s not always the case. Mother nature is unpredictable, meaning riding conditions can change from one moment to the next. We as riders must adapt to these unpredictable conditions, as they can affect the road or impact our ability to safely operate our rides. Fall and winter each provide unique challenges for motorcycle riders.

Fall Riding

Cooler Weather — Motorcyclist On A Winding Road In Autumn

Crisper air and falling leaves are all sure signs that summer winding down and fall is here. However, before you worry about that snow and ice, you might need to prepare for wet roads and slippery leaves littering your favorite stretch of road. Those of us that ride have probably gotten caught in the rain now and then. Keep waterproof (or water-resistant) rain gear in a backpack or saddlebags. Also, visibility can become impaired by rain, so make sure to pack an extra pair or glasses or goggles, just in case.

As leaves turn from green to yellow, orange, red and brown, they often fall to the ground, sometimes hiding the surface of the road from our eyes. Ride over and through leaves with caution, as they can cover potholes in the road that could affect your control of your bike. Also, wet leaves could be slick and affect a bike’s traction making it difficult to stop quickly. Reducing your speed and maintain a constant state of awareness to maximize your safety on the road when riding in these conditions and cooler weather.

Winter Riding

Even the most avid motorcycle riders will consider putting their bike away during the coldest months. The Wind, snow, ice, and frigid temperatures generally don’t make for great or even fun motorcycle riding conditions for some but there are those of us that just ride because it is our “Wind Therapy” and helps us get away from it all. Before you hit the road check some of these tips for riding in cooler weather.

Penny Test

Before you hit that frozen road, it is important to check your tires. First, check the tread on your tires by doing the same “penny test” you might do on your car’s tires. Take a Lincoln penny; hold it between your thumb and forefinger so that the head is showing. Place the top of Lincoln’s head into one of the grooves of the tire’s tread. If any part of Lincoln’s head is obscured by the tread, you have a safe amount of tread. If you can see above Lincoln’s head, then you need a new tire.

Replacing after 6 years

If your tires are six years or older, consider replacing them. Checking the age of your tires is easy, look for the four-digit code near the Department of Transportation (DOT) markings. The first two numbers in the sequence represent the week they were manufactured. While the last two digits represent the year. It is also very important to check your tire pressure, for the main reason that for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit that the temperature drops, your tires can lose 1-2 pounds per square inch of pressure.

Staying warm on a ride.

Keeping your body warm and protected can require some serious gear, so plan ahead. Depending on the temperature, consider thermal underwear, glove liners, balaclavas and other base layers. Hypothermia due to severe wind chill can be a concern, especially riding a motorcycle. When the temperature is 32 degrees Fahrenheit, traveling at 60 miles per hour can result in a wind chill of approximately 0 degrees Fahrenheit. To help warm your extremities, which are generally most susceptible to cold temperatures, consider using chemical heat packs on gloves and boots, or even outfit your bike with grip, seat and foot warmers.

Leather and Textile apparel, like the jacket to the left not only are good for fall and winter riding but spring and summer, as well as you, can open up the vents on them to allow for cooler air to flow through. Regardless of the season, through proper preparation and the use of the right equipment and gear, you can safely enjoy your motorcycle year-round.

And as always….

~Live Free Ride Hard~

~AMERiders

and

Let AMERiders help you get geared up for cooler weather with our leather and textile gear and accessories.

And as always don’t forget to send us your stories, pictures and events for posting to GALLERY.AMERIDERS @ GMAIL.COM and we will post them for you. The more people that know about your event the better and we are offering free advertising. We would also love to hear about your rides and love to see those bikes so send those stories and pictures.

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Riding a snowmobile instead of the bike this winter? Check this out!

Winter will be fast approaching since fall has now arrived. Which means either winterizing your bike and/or grabbing winter gear. For those of you who will be winterizing your bike for storage, we will cover some tips for you in another post. For those of you Riding a snowmobile to have some fun instead of riding your bike through the freezing cold, we at AMERiders have plenty of gear for you and a tip on how to cook with your snowmobile. So don’t worry about cold sandwiches and energy bars while your out fire up a hot meal with these tips.

No stove in site, use your sled to cook your hot meal

Riding a snowmobile — Let your buddies have their cold food, crack open your warm meal.

After hours of riding in the cold, a frozen sandwich or energy bar just doesn’t hit the spot when you’re hungry. However, there is a solution to your hunger problems! When you’re calf deep or more in the snow in the backcountry with no stove in site. Your sled can now double as your stove. We even had our doubts about this type of cooking by thinking of cancer, exhaust fumes, partially cooked meat. Food can be cooked on your sled, and you won’t taste the exhaust fumes.

Snowmobile cooking has already been established as a great way to eat a hot meal without having to lug around a stove or build a campfire. Some smart person already figured this out for us a few years back, and we applaud him for it. No more waiting or attracting bears, just to fill your empty stomach, just ride, wait, and eat.

Really my snowmobile for a hearty warm meal?

When done right, you can make some pretty decent meals. Even when it’s done wrong, your food will still be warm. That is still by far much better than the frozen sandwich or that tasteless granola bar that you don’t really want to eat.

Creativity and patience can help you can turn that sweet sled into your own personal mobile kitchen. Let your buddies eat their frozen tasteless foods, while you crack open that engine and pull out a warm dish that’s been slow roasting, and reward yourself for your ingenuity.

What to cook and how to do it.

First, you need to plan on a dish to cook and how long your ride may be. The Next thing you should decide on is how to prevent your food from being exposed to engine fumes. There are many solutions to this problem. Specially designed products such as the Muffpot are a great way to cook your food in an enclosed space that will keep your food from tasting like gasoline.

If you don’t have one of these items then wrapping your food securely in aluminum foil or placing your food in a sealed empty soup can to keep any fumes from reaching your food. Cooking hot dogs, burritos, scrambled eggs or beans are just a few items that can be cooked while riding a snowmobile. AMERiders has gathered some recipes for you, to help turn you into a chef for your buddies while riding a snowmobile through the snow.

List of dishes to cook while Riding a snowmobile: Not a complete list.

1: The Dog:

The classic hot dog is a great warm dish. However, take that normal dog and pimp it out in various ways (onions, peppers, marinade). Cooking a hot dog in awesome chicken stock with some spices and vegetables will only make that dog taste better. This is great for short trips.

2: The Bird:

If you’re going on a long ride, then take your favorite uncooked poultry, season it with your favorite herbs and spices. Wrap that baby up with aluminum foil, and place it near the muffler without clogging up the engine. To get an even cook, try throwing that bird in the Muffpot. Make sure you bring some wet-naps.

3:The Burger:

Burgers are a staple American food served almost everywhere in the world, so why not in the back-country? Unless you’ve got a mini grill attached to your engine, making the perfect burger might not be so easy. Attach this special burger griller to your exhaust and cook the perfect patty every time… just make sure you bring all the fixings.

4: The Pig:

Cooking slow is basically the same thing as braising. If you’re a top chef at snowmobile cooking, try braising a pork tenderloin. Get the perfect sized tenderloin, marinate it in some barbecue sauce, wrap it up in foil and throw it near the muffler for a long ride. Careful on where you throw the pig, too close to the muffler and you might overcook one side.

5: The Leftovers:

Someone already did all the hard work of cooking that delicious food; all you have to do is reheat it. The snowmobile method of cooking is a great way to reheat yesterday’s steak, burrito or anything else that might fit securely near the exhaust for quick trips. We think this is the best option to experiment with until you figure out how hot your sled runs and how fast the food cooks, before trying to cook with raw meat.

The long and short of it.

Let your creativity help you eat well while in the backcountry. It is easy to cook food with your sled with all that useful energy radiating from the muffler. With hot tasty food, you’ll be the envy of all your buddies. But don’t forget you need to ensure you’re wearing the proper gear while Riding a snowmobile as well. And we have Helmets, Gloves, and all-weather headwear that can help, as well as some great eyewear.

And as always….

~Live Free Ride Hard~

~AMERiders

and

Let AMERiders help gear up, and cook great meals while Riding a snowmobile.

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Simple Motorcycle Tips to Save Your Life, and the Life of Your Passenger

Safety is important and AMERiders wants to give you these Simple Motorcycle Tips to Save Your Life, and the Life of Your Passenger. When riding either by yourself or with a passenger it is always important to always stay alert and know what is going on. However, there are other simple motorcycle tips that can help ensure yours and your passenger’s safety. We offer these to you just in case the unthinkable happens and you (in the words of so many car drivers) “just come out of nowhere”, and can help to avoid serious issues or at least save you and your passenger from a few broken bones. An experienced rider will see some of these as obvious but it’s always worth reminding yourself of the dangers out there.

Wear Your Gear

This should be a no-brainer, however, it’s not just about wearing the gear; it’s about wearing the right gear all the time. This is what you need and some reasons why you need it. We sell all types of safety gear so check the links in each section to get your new piece or set of gear.

Helmet

simple motorcycle tips — DOT Full Face Skull Pile Motorcycle Helmet

A helmet that conforms to safety standards (DOT/SNELL) is what you want protecting your head, not something bought second hand at all. It is important to note that, many helmets lose their protective integrity after one impact. Helmets can be expensive, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Buy new and always wear your own, as you may not know the history of the helmet. A good helmet is a key element of yours and your passenger’s safety.

Jacket and Trouser

There are many different kinds of jacket and trouser gear out there; some riders wear leather, but some prefer Kevlar. Regardless of what you choose always remember, your skin can only survive a slide so far before muscle tissue and bone start to show. It may sound horrible but a quick Google search can show you the damage no gear can cause unprotected skin!

Gloves

When in a fall (crash or even just dropping your bike) your hands always instinctively reach out to break your fall. If you’re not wearing good gloves, your hands are going to suffer for it. Gloves are often forgotten; even if you’re wearing the rest of the gear – don’t forget your gloves. Skinned hands take forever to heal. Not only that they make everyday tasks a complete nightmare. Walking away from a crash may seem like a win but having to get someone else to help undo your zipper for the bathroom isn’t fun.

Boots

Everyone has seen the images of riders riding bike scooters and small dirt bikes with flip-flops on; now search for the images of when things don’t go to plan. We have all heard the horror stories and that should be reason enough not to do it. The long and short of it is, you’re riding a large engine on two-wheels with little space between your feet and the floor. Durable, sturdy, thick boots are always recommended. You want something that can protect your ankles, and feet as well as stop a bike from squashing them and survive a slide along the floor. Most importantly stay on if you do crash.

Using Your Eyes is paramount

We all know that you need to look where you want to go. Scan for potholes and other hazards and be aware of the traffic. You should also assume that every other vehicle on the road is driven by a moron and above all don’t assume they know what they are doing. How many times have you seen the unbelievable first-hand? How often have you thought ‘they’re definitely not going to attempt that…No way, they’re actually doing it’? Surprisingly it happens so often that the answer is yes.

It’s important to keep your eyes open; use your mirrors, over-shoulder checks and above all keep an eye on the traffic too. Look around and analyze every potential hazard; your mind should do this automatically as you ride but it’s always good to keep your eyes out for danger. This is especially important when a passenger is riding with you. Don’t forget to wear a great pair of glasses to help protect your peepers if you are not wearing a full face or visor on your helmet.

Avoid Debris in the road and in your path

If your eyes are open, you should be able to avoid any sand, gravel or other debris that may be lying across the road. When riding with one or more other bikes, it’s just polite to point it out to whoever is behind you, So that they can make preparations to tackle it or avoid it. If you can not avoid the debris, make sure you approach it slowly, with your bike upright. Off-road tires can handle the debris but still keep the bike upright. If you’re armed with road tires, make sure that you cross the patch slowly, don’t aggressively brake or accelerate while you’re going over it.
If you’re in a corner and don’t have time to get upright before entering then you’re more than likely going to take a tumble. You were going too fast in the first place or didn’t look far enough ahead and consider the danger. It has been known to happen.

Smart braking is important

One of the most important of our simple motorcycle tips is smart braking. Braking too rapidly can cause an accident, however,so can braking too slowly. To prevent slow braking, ensure that your brakes are in tip-top condition and adjusted to the way you like them. You should also be aware of the state of your tires too. Make sure they have the correct amount of tread of them, cause a tire blow our or bad tread can also cause serious accidents.

Braking rapidly can be because you’re too close to a hazard. Always leave as much room as possible between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. Consider your braking routine as weight distribution rather than slowing down; some riders say they never use the front brake first while others swear by it. Using the front brake does shift all of your weight to the front of the bike but you can counter any potential lock up by applying the back brake, smoothening out your weight distribution.

When riding with a passenger you should expect that as you slow the motorcycle to a stop, this will be the time the passenger moves around or makes adjustments. This will challenge your slow speed control, skills and help you master them! Practice your braking as often as you can with and without a passenger. Knowing how to brake appropriately in any situation could save both your lives!

Educate Yourself

When thinking of simple motorcycle tips this one stood out most. All of the skills you need to improve your riding can be learned on an advanced riding course. These courses are designed to help you re-learn the basics, lose bad habits and take your riding to the next level. It’s interesting to go and try the new testing requirements and you may be surprised to find gaps in your knowledge. By taking a course or booking time with an instructor, you can fill in all the blanks and re-acquaint yourself with the rules of the road. You might think it’s a waste of time now but you’ll feel differently afterward!

It is also very important to know how to ride with a passenger as well, we will cover more on this in our next post. We should also make note that taking an advanced rider course can lower the cost of your insurance.

Last words for thought

Some last few quick simple motorcycle tips for thought. When riding with a passenger ensure that your gear shifts are smooth to the point of the passenger not even sensing the shift has occurred. If their helmet is knocking into the back of yours, you’re not smooth enough yet. Smoothness in your stopping and starting is important. When you move off from a stop aim for such smoothness that the passenger is not quite sure that you have started to move. This goes the same for a stop, smoothness all around.

Also, the extra weight of your passenger will increase the stopping power of your rear brake. You’ll need greater clutch finesse and more throttle when starting from a stop. If your passenger is heavy, it will take longer to turn, slow down, or speed up on your motorcycle. Avoid traveling at extreme speeds.

We hope that these simple motorcycle tips have helped you to adapt your riding and maybe even given you something to think about that you don’t already do.

And as always….

~Live Free Ride Hard~

~AMERiders

and

Let AMERiders keep you up to date on your riding with these simple motorcycle tips.

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Are You a Biker Newb? Tips to Know and Prevent Noobishness!

Are You a Biker Newb? AMERiders is happy to give you some tips to let you know if you are a Biker Noob and how to prevent newbishness in the future. A motorcycle is only as good as its rider, and being a newb is something that we have all dealt with at one time or another in many aspects of our life. However, there are sometimes that riders continue to do newbish stuff without realizing they are. We wanted to provide a list to our brothers and sisters to get them in the know of the newbishness and how to prevent themselves from looking that way.

Sun’s out guns out.

When the temperature starts to rise above 65 degrees bikers love to ride, if they aren’t already. However more often than not many will drop wearing their protective gear such as Jackets, and Chaps for T-shirts and maybe even a sleeveless vest. Some will go as far as to even wear shorts, and flip flops too, thinking You’re only going 40 mph, nothing bad can happen (how wrong they are). So if you are Riding down the road, squeezing the handlebars so your triceps flex, looking around to try and catch people watching you. You might want to re-think what you’re doing. It is a bit newbish.

You choose your gear based on the motorcycle you are riding.

We all have been guilty of this at one point or another but who wouldn’t want to make sure that they wear Harley-Davidson gear with their Sweet Harley-Davidson Screaming Eagle bike? Or Indian gear with an Indian Chieftain? It just makes sense! However, dressing like a racer because you are riding a Japanese bike doesn’t make sense. Neither does wearing a full-face helmet, only while riding a Honda CBR600RR, otherwise it’s your favorite custom half helmet, no matter the riding conditions, when riding your Harley. Sure, the full-face is more comfortable and far safer, but what will people think?

You think 600cc sports bikes are for girls and new riders.

Surely, you will outgrow that puny engine as soon as you get comfortable with operating the clutch. The power is just so limiting, you actually have to be able to turn to keep up with your buddies and can’t just catch them in the next straight. Also, absolutely no one is impressed when you say it makes 125 hp.

Your style of riding is the best version of motorcycling; everyone else is doing it wrong.

Those sportbike guys dress like idiots in their onesies and their bikes look like transformers. Those Harley guys look like pirates and ride bikes that are too heavy, too loud, too chrome, and too obnoxious. Those café dudes are posers who ride uncomfortable bikes just so people will think they look like Steve McQueen. Those dirt bike dudes, in their lifted trucks, flat bill hats, and Monster-fueled blood – have to actually truck their bikes places to ride. Those adventure guys just sit on their bikes, wearing brightly colored snowsuits, while miles accumulate underneath them; those things would be miserable to ride downtown. If you think any of this while riding your own bike take a look at the pic on the left, and think to yourself “I am a newb”.

Doing the Secret Motorcycle like a Geek.

Those of us who ride motorcycles will know exactly what I’m talking about. Those of you who don’t – Well you’re a newb, and might learn something. We are referring to that secret “wave” that oncoming bikers may or may not flash each other as they pass on the highway. Oh sure, it seems customary enough – two fellow riders politely saying “hi” to each other as they approach… but is it? Is it really that simple? Actually, it isn’t. A Rider could be sending you a very intentional message, here is how to know!

The Big Five

When a fellow biker is approaching, their left arm and hand will tell the story. Whether they are the initiator or the replier, the signals are the same. Following are the five main hand gestures you may encounter:

1. The Nothing – This is the “default” hand position of most cross-encounters. Simply leaving his left hand on the handlebar can mean anything from “not paying attention to the fact you’re approaching” to “I see you but I’m not interested in exchanging a greeting” – to the harsher, “I see you but since we don’t enjoy any ‘equity,’ I’m not going to acknowledge your existence.” Of course, since no words are ever exchanged to clarify, all the rider can do is simply speculate.

2. The Two-finger Flip – The most casual AND most common acknowledgment. Left hand still on the handgrip, but the index and middle fingers raised briefly. This one simply says “dude, how’s it going?” Most of the time the receiver will respond just out of courtesy. Of course the whole issue of who goes first really boils down to nothing more than a game of greeting chicken – or whoever’s in the better mood at the time.

3. The Big One – This is the granddaddy of all greetings. Left hand down off of the handlebar and out to the side. Fingers may either show a “peace” sign or be spread open palm side out. Here, the initiator is sending a clear signal that he acknowledges you. Not replying to this blatant plea for hospitality may be considered rude – and could possibly be interpreted as a strong message of inequity.

4. The Dis – Left hand down and resting on the thigh. This could be viewed as a request to treat the opposing party as a hostile witness – ESPECIALLY if it is moved there while you are approaching. Dating back to the days when rival motorcycle gangs roamed the streets, this signal indicated disrespect to the other rider(s) and was clearly meant as negative and often times led to a confrontation. Today, however, the old cultural significance has been lost, and could simply just mean your arm is tired and resting on your leg.

5. The Geek – Left hand raised high in the air as if to say, “Hi mom!” This one is specifically reserved for the new rider, who is “SO excited to be one of the gang!” Also, may be seen being used by Moped or scooter riders. Recommendation: Just don’t it definitely shows off the newb.

And lastly……

If you don’t rev your bike at idle, it might die.

Doesn’t matter if you’re on a 600cc sportbike or a bobber, any time your bike isn’t in gear you give the throttle a few good twists just to let the world know you’re a bad ass who’d be doing 100 mph if you weren’t stuck at that light. When asked why, you mumble something about it being good for the engine, it being important to let people know you’re there for safety reasons, or that it’s just a habit and you, “don’t realize you are doing it.” However, there is no conclusive proof that it is good for the engine, and it just is annoying to most everyone.

Offended? We didn’t try too! These are just a few things that might show you might just be a Biker Newb! There are plenty more we just picked out our favorite few.

And as always….

~Live Free Ride Hard~

~AMERiders

and

Let AMERiders help you figure out if you are a Biker Newb or not.

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Don’t Forget These 10 Things on Your Next Moto-Camping Trip!

Camping by Motorcycle can be a fun experience which is why AMERiders offers up these 10 Things not to forget on Your Next Moto-Camping Trip! Let’s face it there are usually only two ways people think of camping and that is loading up a backpack and hike/scramble/stumble to a backcountry campsite, or where you load up your car, truck, SUV or RV and drive to a campsite, usually in a designated campground. Although most of us don’t really think that an RV= Camping.

Motorcycle camping can be an awesome and fun experience, as a person can cross country camp on a motorcycle easily especially if they are geared up right. If it’s true solitude and the stars over your head then, load up, grab a map from the local National Forest or BLM station, and ride out. With this list we have of course left out the obvious items such as “appropriate tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc and instead we are focusing on tips and tricks that we’ve discovered (learn from our mistakes, trust us, it’s easier) and items we’ve found to be especially helpful while on your Moto-Camping Trip.

1- Ziplock Bags

Carry various sizes of Ziplock bags to hold your phone, fire starter (see #3), matches, snacks, and any other small items you don’t want to get wet. Gallon-sized bags work great to stow trash, marinate meat for dinner, and even carry extra water (don’t skimp, buy the good freezer storage kind).

2- Multi-tool (with corkscrew!)

This one is pretty self-explanatory: knife, screwdriver, can opener, pliers…a decent multi-tool is a must for any motorcycle road trip. One with a corkscrew for the inevitable bottle you may pick up while cruising through wine country. After all, who doesn’t love a good bottle of wine with dinner?

3 – Firestarter

Yes, the newspaper is a cheap firestarter, but it’s also bulky. For a few dollars, you can buy a fire starter that’s small and easy to carry, and it works way better. Such as Zippo’s Fire Starter Puck ($1.95/one puck, enough for 4 fires) or Lightnin’ Bug ($2.95/pack of 8). Zippo’s scored Campfire Starter Cedar Puck easily breaks into four pieces to start 4 fires. Blended of compressed cedar sawdust, the wax lights quickly even when it is wet. Made of 100% all-natural recycled materials. Lightnin’ Bug Nontoxic, compact fire starter nuggets are made from natural wood by-products and contain no chemical additives

4 – Nalgene bottle

Perfect for that post-ride campfire beverage.The plastic Nalgene is lighter than glass and non-breakable, plus it’s safe for short-term alcohol storage. Nalgene makes a wide range of BPA free reusable water bottles and containers to suit your personal preferences, needs and lifestyle. So whether you’re looking for a virtually indestructible water bottle for a back country adventure, or you want a clean, green way of storing something, you’ll find a Nalgene product that gets the job done.

5 – Extra tarp

Using a ground cloth under your tent, to protect the floor from sharp rocks and other hazards is a given. We also like to bring another small tarp, especially on trips to wet or muddy areas. Doing so gives you a clean, dry place to sit, put down your gear, etc. It also prevents the clothes changing dance–you know what we mean, when you’re pulling off your gear, and trying not to put a stocking foot down in the mud or dirt.

6 – Disinfecting wipes

To reduce the amount of water you need to carry or use, clean your hands and wipe down dishes with disinfecting wipes. Some people like to use Clorox wipes, but for those of us that are allergic to Clorox, there are other options. A quick splash of water afterwards is enough to rinse off any leftover residue. Stash dirty wipes in one of your Ziplock bags to transport to the next trash bin you come across.

7 – LED headlamp

We prefer headlamps to flashlights; they free up your hands for those middle-of-the-night bathroom runs. Petzl and Black Diamond Spot are two of the most popular and high-quality brands. Most also feature dimmers and red LEDs as well. The Spot ($39.95) is a Powerful, precise, fully-featured and waterproof, the redesigned 200-lumen Spot offers Black Diamond’s convenient PowerTap Technology for on-the-fly brightness adjustments in all weather.

8 – JetBoil Flash

Back-country cooking is typically pretty simple, and modern freeze-dried meals have come a long way towards being not only edible but quite delicious. Plus prep and clean-up are easy as well. Being a minimalist on a Moto-Camping Trip is essential. Which is why the JetBoil Flash ($99.95) is the only camp stove you’ll need. It does one thing, but it does it very, very well: boil water. Two cups in just under two minutes, in fact. Perfect for meals, coffee, and hot cocoa. Best of all, it packs down into a very compact self-contained package.

9 – REI/Helinox camp chairs

One thing you don’t want to lug around on a bike is a big, heavy chair. A company called Helinox happens to make some of the best camp chairs out there, and they pack down small enough to easily fit into a pannier or duffel. For a similar chair at roughly half the price, take a look at REI’s Flex Lite Chair ($79.50). Both the Helinox and REI models are small, lightweight and hold at least 250 lbs.

10 – AMERiders luggage and gear

Ok, we may be tooting our own horn here but we know that our luggage and gear are great for packing all this great stuff up in for your Moto-Camping Trip. We have a large selection of luggage items for your bike. Not only that we have a ton of leather and textile riding gear, helmets, and other protective wear that is useful for camping as well.

So, when your heading out to Sturgis which is coming up in a couple weeks or out for vacation/sight seeing trip ensure that you have these items or at least some of them with you as they can come in very handy.

And as always….

~Live Free Ride Hard~

~AMERiders

and

Let AMERiders help you gear up for your next Moto-camping Trip.

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The Great Debate Leather vs Textile! Which is better?

There has been a great debate going around for 30 plus years now on the topic of Leather vs Textile and which is better to wear while riding your motorcycle. AMERiders takes an in-depth look at the two materials to help you make your decision. Used to be, leather outperformed textile by a very wide margin in most all categories tested. Today, however, that isn’t the case. With all the new advances in the quality and construction of various textile fabrics, textile gear now has many qualities not only as good as, but in some cases far superior to, leather gear.

Leather vs Textile which are you? — Leather Gear

A well-manufactured textile jacket will often be superior to a low-end leather one, on the other hand, a high-end leather jacket will more often than not be superior to a low-end textile jacket. Whether you decide on leather or textiles isn’t really the question anymore. Instead, you need to know the difference between various grades of leather jackets, and between various grades of textile jackets. This is important to know when choosing your side of the fence with the Leather vs Textile debate.

Starting off with leather gear.

Leather vs Textile what is your choice? — Men’s Scooter Jacket With Zip-out Lining

Quality leather products begin with the leather itself. High-quality products are made from large pieces of leather that are graded for blemishes, thickness and uniformity of grain. Virtually all leather has blemishes. To what degree and quantity of blemishes help to determine what type of product it will be used for and for how much.

Most deer and elk hides are called “naked leather” and are not treated with any sealant product which smooths and hides blemishes. Hence, products made with naked leather are much more supple and expensive as well. “Protected hides” are leathers that have combined the best facets of natural leather, yet utilizing tannery technology to create a product that is more consistent in appearance. They are also sealed to prevent staining from water and other liquids, so products made with protected hides have easier maintenance than others.

It is also important when buying leather to know what quality you are buying. However, the grading system used for this purpose is very misleading, such as…

“Top Grain Leather”

The most confusing term used in the industry is “top grain.” It is a total contradiction in terms, because it implies exactly what it is not. “Top grain” is the term that is used when the grain is not genuine! This is when the real grain was sanded away to remove or hide imperfections, and an imitation grain was stamped into the leather.

“Full Grain Leather”

Just as the grain, texture and markings of wood should reveal the nature of the tree from which it came, leather should display the natural markings and grain characteristics of the animal from which it was taken. The best leathers are clear, clean, and supple.

Leather vs Textile which will you choose — It is important to know the difference between good and bad leather gear

So when buying leather ensure that you check the type of grain if it is called “full grain” or “full top grain,” then it is true leather. However, if it says simply “top grain,” this is actually an inferior product don’t be fooled by inferior products. It is difficult to judge leather by a photo, as it really helps if you can feel it. However, just looking at a jacket you can tell that superior jackets grain and coloring are uniform throughout, and that the material is supple, as it easily folds and drapes. It would probably feel soft, and almost sensual to the touch. In which, an inferior jacket has varying grains and colors from section to section, possible lousy and mismatched dye job and will feel stiff as a board.

Looking at and going over each of these points can help you choose your side of the fence with the Leather vs Textile debate, or maybe you want to have one of both types of gear.

Now we will move on to textile gear.

Nowadays, there are multiple synthetic materials used in constructing motorcycle gear. Here is a short list of some common materials and some of the terminology associated with them, with definitions of each this is not a complete list there is lots more.

Breathability: Humans control their body warmth by perspiring and thus preventing their bodies from overheating. When you’re riding, it is necessary to transport at least two pints of perspiration (water vapor) through your clothes every hour.

CE Armor: “CE” is a European system of grading motorcycle protective armor that encompasses both energy absorption capability as well as pad shape and size. The armor or pads are designed to offer added protection to a rider going down with a motorcycle, particularly when sliding or facing lesser impacts. CE armor is made of hard foam pieces encapsulated in softer foam that compresses on impact. If your jacket has body armor in it (and it really should), insist on CE-approved armor.

Gore-Tex: Is a thin, lightweight membrane mounted between the face fabric and the lining that is waterproof, windproof and breathable. Gore-Tex was the original membrane of this type, and it totally revolutionized the motorcycle gear market with its use in jackets, suits, pants, gloves, boots, etc.

PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride): Nylon alone is not waterproof. In rain suit and waterproof garment descriptions, you will notice the acronym PVC. This is a rubberized coating that is laminated to the nylon to make it waterproof.

In conclusion

We probably have you pretty well confused by now and wondering, “How in the H. E. double hockey sticks do I choose good textile riding gear or leather riding gear?” The best we can tell you is to look for a reputable manufacturer that uses a practical combination of the above items. Still, there are other manufacturers that make very good textile and leather jackets or suits that don’t cost an arm and a leg to purchase. Just look for the materials suggested in this article, and pay attention to how it is constructed as well.

Think you’ve made your choice on the debate of Leather vs Textile? You can find the reasonable prices and great styled jackets with us. Going with textile? Check out our great selection of textile motorcycle jackets for men or women. Or have you Decided on classic leather? Shop the highest quality leather motorcycle jackets for men or women at the best prices on the web with AMERiders.

In the end, what matters is your comfort and protection, ensuring that you have both is important when you ride. We hope we have helped you to make your decision on the Leather vs Textile debate.

And as always….

~Live Free Ride Hard~

~AMERiders

and

When you are trying to decide between Leather vs Textile, let AMERiders help you out.

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