March 07, 2010
Motorcycle Touring Made Easy
....the eZine
....inside this issue
- Welcome to the Motorcycle Touring Made Easy eZine
- Knowing the Basics - General Motorcycling
- Out on the Road
We encourage you to email our eZine to your friends.
Welcome to the Motorcycle Touring Made Easy eZine
Our goal with our website is to provide motorcycle touring information to others that would like to get involved or know more about motorcycle touring. We've spent the last two years gathering information and getting it together on the site and now with our eZine we're looking to bring you more and up to date information directly to you. Feel free to forward this eZine on to all your friends and if someone has sent this to you, please go to our home page and subscribe to get your own monthly copy. Just fill out the form and your there!Back to the top
Knowing the Basics - General Motorcycling
I think everyone can agree that motorcycling can be much more enjoyable when you ride with others. That's why Judy and I joined an organization. Regardless what you ride, you'll find a group or organization for you. From touring bikes to cruisers and street bikes there are all sorts of organizations.Organizations can be structured in many ways. Some are just a group of folks that have a website and a common interest in riding while others are internationally organized with benefits such as monthly magazines and educational programs for riding. Decide what your needs are and look at a few in your area. Also check with your state's department of motor vehicles, they may have some good information on local organizations. You can also check our website for some organizations that we are aware of that you can join.
The great thing we've found about organizations, especially nationally organized organizations is that you can go almost anywhere and have a friend to ride with or help you out. On a recent trip to Florida, we ran into Gary and Cheryl Loy with other members of the Georgia K chapter from GWRRA who were setting up a coffee stop on Interstate 95 for folks going to Daytona Bike Week and for others interested in finding out more about motorcycling and what GWRRA has to offer.
Other groups organize charity rides and work with other local agencies and organizations to provide services and support in the local communities where they live. All are a great way to give back, make friend and enjoy riding. So look into what's going on in your local area, and if you can't find something, begin one for yourself. Even with organizations as large as GWRRA, it only takes five people to start a chapter and bring all the benefits of a national organization to motorcycle enthusiasts.
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Out on the Road
Getting out on the road in spring can sometimes be like starting out all over again for some. The long snowy winters can keep you off the road for a couple months. Most of us know how to check over our bikes but one thing you also need to look over is your riding gear.For those who like to get an early start on the season and have heated gear, make sure that it is in good shape. Check the wiring on both the bike and gear. Dab a small amount of electrical grease on the connectors to help keep the contacts clean. Any parts of the gear that are not heating up should be looked into.
For the rest of us, check for tears or seams that may be coming apart. We all have that old leather jacket we love. Look to make sure snaps and buckles are in good shape, especially around the neck area. You don't want a collar flapping up in your face while you ride. Also check any liners you may have to ensure that they attach to your jackets or chaps securely. And if you wear chaps, make sure to adjust the lacing. We all may have to loosen them up a bit after a long winter of holiday cheer.
Raingear is another thing to check. Don't wait till it's raining to find out it's not going to keep you dry. Check the seams to ensure they will not allow water through them. Depending on the material used, you can use a seam sealer that's used on tents to ensure they are sealed tight. Check Velcro and elastic to ensure it's all in good repair. And of course it may just be time to go out and pick up a replacement item or even look at something new. We found for raingear and some great quality leather, no place beats Fox Creek Leather. They have the best gear we have been able to find, made in the USA and constructed with quality. You should really check them out. You won’t be disappointed.
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If you have any information you'ld like to discuss, we have our new forum up and need YOUR input to get some great and current discussions going. Plus a new area to post "For Sale" items. See our Forum Here
Judy and I hope that you've enjoyed our eZine and if so, please send it on to your friends. If you have any tips that you would like to see posted on our site go to our tips page. We'll get them on our site and maybe use it in our eZine as well.
Also feel free to Contact Us with any questions or suggestions.
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