3 Tips That Aren't "Good Advice"

The majority of us want to help- and for some reason, when a friend or family members ask us for advice, it's waaay easier to solve their problems than our own.

We see it occasionally at FX Caprara Harley-Davidson- those that are 'new' to the sport ask a friend that rides to help them. To advise them on what helmet to buy, or what bike they should get. 

Most of these friends are good at dispensing advice without letting their ego get in the way. They'll actually ask us if they don't know, rather than make something up.

Then there's the "Harley Advisers" that have been there, done that, and will tell you (and anyone else within ear-shot) just what's wrong with your choice of [fill in the blank]. 

In case you know of someone that fits this description, this post is dedicated to you -you probably already figured out that they're full of sh*t (although some do honestly feel like they're 'helping'). 

Here's the most common advice that these Harley Advisers give that's not good advice at all:

• Riding Gear= 

Bad Advice: "You want to get a leather jacket a size bigger so you can wear a sweatshirt under it." Except that when the leather jacket breaks in, it'll be way to big. 

Good Advice: With a new leather riding jacket, you actually want it to fit a little snug, so that once you've gotten it broken in it'll be juuuuust right.

• Which Bike= 

Bad Advice: "That bike doesn't have enough power- you're going to be disappointed in six months." 

Good Advice: Actually, Harley has their Freedom Promise, which takes care of that. 

• What to Do= 

Bad Advice: "If you're going to crash- just lay your bike down." Unless you're a real life stunt rider, there is no reason to do that... 

Good Advice: If you find yourself in a situation where an accident is about to happen, your best bet is to keep your bike upright and shed as much speed as possible. Even if you can only slow down 10-20mph, it'll make a big difference.

I'm not saying you can't bring a friend with you to the dealership. What I'm asking is that you seek more than that friend's opinions and advice. Get a rapport going with the dealership employees, go to bike nights and talk with Bikers there, and you can always ask your Riding Coach (if you've taken a Basic Riders Course) as well. 

5 Tips for Riding in the Rain

I've always been that type of person that I'll do what I have to do to get the job done.... eventually. Procrastination is definitely in my 'wheel house,' but only when I dread what it is I have to do. And riding my motorcycle in the rain is one of those dreaded things. 

That being said, if you're the type of those 'fair weather' riders, I feel that you are missing out. The sights, the smells, that feeling of riding through a storm and coming out on the otherside... it's something that separates so-called bikers from actual, no-sh*t Bikers.

To better equip you to ride in liquid sunshine, here are some tips for you:

1. Wear proper gear - At the bare minimum you're gonna need a rain suit made for motorcycle riders (click here)!! One that has heat shields to protect the plastic from melting onto your hot exhaust. Bonus: Waterproof = Windproof. Even if it's not raining, but you're cold, you can wear your rain suit to block the wind.
2. Go smooth on the controls - Riding in the rain is not the time to dump the clutch unless you wanna end up on your a**. Take your time, slow and smooth starts and stops, and choose an arcing line through the turn rather than a sharp one. Also, increase your following distance and lower your speed.
3. Pay attention to the pavement - Don't ride down the center of the lane, where the oil build up from cars & trucks is. And those lovely "tar snakes," you'll want to try to avoid those as well, but sometimes it's next to impossible. If that's the case, ride through them straight up & down (not leaning), and don't speed up or hit the brakes.
4. Improve your vision - Sunglasses may be cool at night, but while riding in the rain definitely not. Use day-to-night or clear goggles if your helmet doesn't have a shield. If your helmet does have a shield you can treat it with RainX to help deflect those pesky rain drops. Another factor is that your goggles or shield can fog up. For that you can use anti-fog coating like CatCrap.
5. Motorcycle maintenance - When it comes to riding in any kind of weather, proper maintenance plays a big part. But even more so when those blue skies turn grey and the rain starts coming down. Having good tread on your tires is extremely important since there's less traction on wet pavement. Also a tire that is under- or over-inflated will play havoc with your ride, so check your tire pressure. And surprisingly, a final drive belt that's too tight or loose can affect the power to the rear wheel, which you don't need in rainy weather for sure. When was the last time your bike had the proper service? Call FXCHD® Service to get it scheduled (315-583-6177).

With these tips you'll find it an absolutely joy to ride in the rain.... Oh, who am I kidding? Maybe 'joy' isn't the right word, but at least it won't be such a chore. And hopefully your bike won't stay parked when the weather calls for the wet stuff.