| What Kind Of Motorcycle Gloves Do I Need? |
9 Jun |
When it comes to motorcycle gloves there are a lot of choices, some of these depend on your riding style and what you want to wear. I personally like full fingered gloves but a lot of guys that ride cruiser’s will not wear a glove at all or they wear half fingered gloves. These look a lot like weight training gloves where the palm and top of the fingers are covered but the tips are exposed. The advantage to these gloves is that you don’t loose all the sensitivity where with a totally closed glove you will. Also the short fingered motorcycle gloves will keep your hands from sweating. Hatch makes a really nice pair of these gloves called shorty gloves. Hatch makes quality gloves so I would recommend those if you like short fingered gloves.
Short fingered gloves are a favorite of the cruiser crowd. I guess they go with the whole image and they do offer some protection in case you go down. I have seen a guys hand that had a spill without any gloves on and the road took all the meat of the palm of his hand. Not a real nice feeling I am guessing, therefore it is essential to wear some sort of hand protection when you are out riding. If you do fall I can almost guarantee 99 percent of the time your hands are going to touch that pavement and unless you have some leather on them your hands are asking for a serious case of road rash if youre lucky. So at a minimum a set of short fingered gloves will do the job nicely.
Full fingered gloves offer a bit more protection then their short fingered counterparts. Most of your sport bike crowd will use a full fingered glove. Some are gauntlet style or just a regular glove. Icon makes some really nice gauntlet style gloves as does AGV and Alpinestars. I personally own a pair of Alloy Alpinestars gloves which I have had for about 3 years now. These gloves are perforated and a are perfect for warm weather riding which is about 9 months out of the year where I live. I also like these gloves because they are simple and even when I am out on my chopper they look good where some of your more flashy hard core sport rider gloves are a bit to flashy for a cruiser these do double duty quite nicely. Icon also makes a set of gloves called pursuit gloves that are much along these lines. However if you want the ultimate in protection you will want to get a pair of gauntlet style road racing or track gloves. These types of gloves are made to really do the best job when it comes to protecting you in a spill. Most of them offer some sort of knuckle protection as well as a reinforced palm, also the seams are usually reinforced in order to ensure that the glove will stay in one piece under extreme conditions.
Ultimately the choice is yours, whether to wear gloves or not period. You will find that most bikers that have been riding for a while do wear some sort of hand protection. Their are many different styles of glove available so there is bound to be one that suits your needs. It doesn’t matter who makes them but I would recommend you go with a quality manufacturer of motorcycle apparel like Alpinestars, Hatch, Icon or AGVSport. When you go with one of them you can be ensured that the gloves you are getting are of the best quality and will do the job they are designed for.
Tags: 3 Years, 9 Months, Alloy, Counterparts, Crowd, Eve, Fingered Glove, Fingers, Gauntlet, Hatch Gloves, Motorcycle Gloves, Nice Feeling, Palm Of His Hand, Pavement, Quality Gloves, Road Rash, Spill, Sport Bike, Warm Weather, Weight TrainingRelated posts
read comments (0)| Next Generation Of Hybrid Cars |
30 May |
Every once in a while, an invention comes along that gains so much popular attention that it may seem like it has been around forever. While the basic idea for the hybrid car has been around since 1917, the hybrids that we talk about on the market today have only really been around since the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius made their debuts in the 1990s. Since that time, other dealers have become involved in the hybrid trade, in part thanks to government initiatives such as the Clinton administrations agreement with Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors (Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles). What the growth in both popularity and diversity means is that several issues that have come up in the evolution of the hybrid car are being dealt with in the age old capitalist way of competition.
Hybrid cars have always lived up to their touted ability to save gas, but unless your soul is painted green this was not necessarily of any benefit to the average consumers. Most hybrid cars end up costing more than their standard engine counterparts over the long term, largely due to their initial cost. In addition, hybrid parts can be hard and expensive to obtain.
These are some of the key issues that need to be resolved from a consumers perspective in order to make the mass purchase of hybrids by the public a reality. It should come as no surprise that in terms of long term cost, the original manufacturer of the hybrid, Toyota, is far ahead of its competitors when it comes to addressing the purchasing needs of consumers. This is currently the only model that over time will actually save a consumer some dollars because of gas savings. Here are some other models of hybrid cars slated for debut in the next few years.
Toyota Prius: Still the gold standard for hybrids, the Prius 2007 model is now being advertised for sale and is in the lot of a dealership near you. The model brags an incredible 110 miles to a single gallon. It is also expected that Toyota will continue to set the standard when it comes to speed for the hybrid (which has been another knock on hybrid vehicles, although they can maintain a legal speed along with any other model of vehicle just fine) as the 2004 model was designed to reach speeds of up to 130 miles per hour. $20,875 US dollars.
Ford Escape: The 2005 is the latest model in the Ford hybrid line, and is great for both domestic car enthusiasts and those who insist on having a sports utility vehicle. The Escape offers 50 miles to the gallon (keep in mind that it is an SUV) and all the luxuries of a standard model car. $27,000 USD.
Honda also offers three models in hybrid version, and these are a few thousand dollars less than Toyota models. As for hybrid luxuries, they might be in the near future as well, with Lexus and Mercedes working on perfecting their own models.
Tags: 1990s, Capitalist Way, Chrysler, Clinton Administrations, Counterparts, Diversity, General Motors, Gold Standard, Government Initiatives, Honda Insight, Hybrid Car, Hybrid Cars, Hybrid Toyota, Hybrids, Invention, Models Cars, New Generation, Next Generation, Prius, Toyota PriusRelated posts
| Muiltimeters or Test Lights? Does It Matter? |
24 May |
I have been to a lot of car audio shops that use test lights, and not as many that use digital multimeters. Is one really “better” than the other for finding power sources?
Absolutely! A test light looks like a screwdriver with a sharp pointed end, and consist of a small bulb and a grounding wire or cable. It works by grounding the bulb, and once it comes in contact with a power source, it will complete the circuit and light the bulb. This is the easiest way to test power because the bulb either lights up for power or doesn’t if their isn’t any power.
The problem with using this type of testing on todays vehicles is the complexity of some of the circuits inside the dash. When you complete the test light circuit on a “hot” wire, you essentially create a small “arc” of electricity that can short some of the more sensitive equipment such as an air bag sensor or relay. I have actually seen one installer blow the airbags out of a new BMW M3 by testing wires with a test light. In most cases, it won’t cause any harm, but when it does the cost can be very high.
I highly recommend using a digital multimeter to test circuits. The are very accurate and can tell you a lot of useful information such as voltage, amps, and ohms, all of which are essential to know when building a good sound system.
These multimeters work a little differently than a standard test light. They typically have a battery on board to power the meter, so they don’t pull power from the power source, reducing the tendencies to “arc” the power source. They are generally safer to use on sensitive systems than their test light counterparts for this reason.
Digital Multimeters are a great tool for car audio installers, as they can help track down problems in the system. They are also a must have when installing any other 12 volt auto accessories. A test light will light up under power, but wont tell you if you are getting the proper voltage and amps. With a multimeter, you can start at the component taking readings, and work your way backwards until you find the component that is not functioning properly.
Multimeters range from about $10.00 to over $100.00, and depending on your level of work and how accurate you need to be, you can find one that will work for you. They are a great investment, and will save a lot of headache when you are problem solving a system.
Tags: Air Bag, Amps, Auto Accessories, Bmw M3, Car Audio Installers, Counterparts, Digital Multimeters, Grounding Wire, Hot Wire, New Bmw M3, Power Source, Power Sources, Proper Voltage, Screwdriver, Sensitive Equipment, Sensitive Systems, Tendencies, Test Light, Todays Vehicles, Using A Digital MultimeterRelated posts
| Expert Tips On Buying Certified Used Cars |
3 Mar |
Used cars are not as risky a purchase as they used to be. Thanks to certification programs, the industry is changing for the better, and more Americans are turning to used cars for better value.
Certification offers a way to weed out unscrupulous used car dealers who might sell damaged cars. The nearly 600,000 vehicles damaged by floodwaters from last year’s storms are prime candidates to end up as part of such scams.
As more car buyers turn to certified vehicles, the number sold this year is expected to increase significantly from the 1.6 million purchased in 2005. Besides costing less than their new-car counterparts, certified vehicles also come with many of the same benefits, eliminating much of the guesswork associated with buying used.
Be wary, however, because not all certification programs are created equal. To help sort out the best from the worthless, used-car experts offer the following tips:
Certified by whom? Make sure you know who sets the standards for the certification program and who makes certain they’re being enforced. Look for a manufacturer-backed program-the best people to certify a car are the ones who built it and specialize in that make. Most manufacturers will offer a limited warranty in addition to honoring the car’s original warranty.
Do your homework. Research the makes and models that make sense for your driving needs. Check safety and reliability reports published online and prices from your whole area.
How was the car certified? At a minimum, a car should have a detailed mechanical inspection and a vehicle history report. Carfax Vehicle History Reports are a mandatory part of the certification process for 80 percent of today’s manufacturer-certified programs.
What does it get you? The certified used car you’re buying probably comes with an extended warranty. Make sure you know exactly what this covers and for how long. You can always add additional coverage.
Ask for more. If you want roadside assistance, options added to the car, free oil changes or anything else, don’t be afraid to ask.
Tags: Assistance Options, Car Buyers, Car Experts, Certified Used Cars, Check Safety, Counterparts, Expert Tips, Extended Warranty, Floodwaters, Guesswork, Homework Research, Makes And Models, Mechanical Inspection, Prime Candidates, Reliability Reports, Roadside Assistance, Safety And Reliability, Scams, Vehicle History Report, Vehicle History ReportsRelated posts
| Check That Used Car |
31 Jan |
A new car may not be worth all that money you are planning on spending!
If you are on a really tight budget, and dont care too much about the prestige of having a brand new car, purchasing a used car might be the best option for you. Why do we say that might be the better option?
All you have to do is pick up a used car listing to see that brand new cars lose anywhere from 30 to 40 percent of their original price in as little as two years. Thats a pretty steep number. Heres another number, 65 percent this is the amount you save if you buy a used car that is five years old instead of a brand new one.
Theoretically speaking cars of this age, as long as they have been well cared for will perform just as well and are just as reliable as their brand new counterparts. In fact, they may even be better customized for daily use since it has already been broken in and properly set up.
Of course, you cannot discount the possibility that the used car you are looking at is not in the best of conditions. Therefore when surveying used cars to purchase consult the following tips.
1. Check the Exterior
The first thing to look at is the overall condition of the cars body and finish. Look out for paint blotches and poor body fit. Also look for body filler. You may want to use a simple magnet to help you pinpoint suspicious spots. Finding any of these is evidence of a previous car collision.
Also look out if the car is newly painted. You may want to inquire why this is so. It may mean a major overhaul due to some extensive damage. Rust is a bad sign of body damage, so is dampness in the trunk.
2. Check Suspension
Go to each corner of the car and push down on them. If the car bounces more than once, you may need to have shocks installed.
Try nudging or pulling the wheels from beside the car. If the wheels can be nudged, or if they move in or out, there could be serious damage to the CV joints or the bearings.
If tire wear is uneven, this is indicative of bad suspension. If the car you are checking has new tires, you will have to exercise more caution and test the suspension thoroughly.
3. Check the Insides of the Car
Make sure the upholstery, odor, and condition of the cars interior are acceptable and in line with the age of the car.
4. Take It for a Spin
Have a friend observe you while you take the car for test drive. The car should be stable and should not show signs of shifting from side to side. If so, there could be a major problem with the frame or suspension. If you can, have a mechanic look at it too.
The internet has changed the way everyone does business. Businesses have begun to explore how the internet can facilitate better, faster and more convenient operations. This has resulted in businesses that offer anything online – from selling clothes and shoes, to ordering pizza online and even searching for available realty. Believe it or not, you can even search for used cars online too.
Tags: Bearings, Blotches, Body Filler, Brand New Car, Brand New Cars, Car Collision, Car Wheels, Counterparts, Cv Joints, Dampness, Magnet, Money, Number 65, Paint, Prestige, Purchasing A Used Car, Rust, Shocks, Tight Budget, Tire WearRelated posts
