by Grant W. Wood

These items to ponder have been previously published in HOG TALES, the newsletter of the Eastern Ontario Ottawa Harley Owners Group. There is no specific order with respect to the date published and the items have not been albhabetized.

Hopefully, you will find something to think about that will affect your motorcycling. Of course, the items are slanted towards events and suppliers in the area of Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA .

I will continue to add the newest points to the top of the page each month I write a column for the newsletter.

UEY TRAILS – That’s right, uey trails. They are those two semicircular tracks made in the gravel at the side of the highway where some cop has pulled a uey in order to go the other way. If you see uey trails along the highway be on your guard when following cars and meeting cars. Don’t assume it will always be a car with bubble gum dispensers on top; it could be a ghost car that suddenly turns in front of you. Also, be aware of your speed because fresh uey trails also mean that stretch of the highway is being actively worked and the cops are looking for someone to fine.

CHECK YOUR SHADOW – When riding on a nice sunny day it may be possible to have a look at your shadow on the ground to see if there is anything loose hanging off your motorcycle. If you are loaded down with camping gear and your kit a quick look may be all it takes to assure you everything is OK.

STAY IN YOUR PART OF THE LANE – When you are riding with one or more other riders in stagger formation it is extremely important you stay in your part of the lane and not wander back and forth across the roadway. For example if you are riding the closest to the center line and wander right in a left hand turn you severely obstruct the vision of the rider behind you and they should then drop back to restore the distance they need to look ahead. Also, if you are riding in the lane closest to the shoulder and you swing wide on a right hand curve you also obstruct the vision of the rider behind you. If you find you wander in or out on the curves you should practice looking far ahead around the curve as you ride and you should also consciously practice push steering. The problem may also be related to speed in that you are riding too fast and you need to "cut" to feel comfortable rounding the curve. Slow down!

CBs – I have to revisit this subject because I truly believe that a CB on a motorcycle is a necessity. I was just on a ride where I Road Captained and the Sweep also had a CB. We were able to keep in touch all the time and it made things much easier for me and all the other riders with CBs because everyone had the same information as I had. Also, if anyone in the group of riders needed to speak to the Road Captain or anyone else the CBs made it possible to effective communicate.

OIL CHANGES – I have heard a number of people tell me they had to have their oil changed in the spring before they started driving their motorcycle. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the oil and filter should have been changed when you put your motorcycle away in the fall. You should never let your engine set over the winter with used oil. Next year change the oil in the fall. If your other fluids have not been changed recently it might be an opportune time to change them as well.

TIRES – Now is the time to take a close look at your tires and replace the ones showing significant wear. The spring tends to be wetter and it is more likely that you will be driving on wet roads than during the summer. You need good tread to provide the best grip. At best, wet tires probably only have a portion of the gripping power on wet roads as on dry roads and lack of tread isn’t helping.

PLAN NOW – The time is now to plan for those summer trips. Book all your rallies, hotels, and/or campsites now. Even at this late date most of the prime choices have already been booked and you may have to do a lot of hunting to find accommodation.

S100 – I find it necessary to repeat myself about the use of S100 and other similar cleaning products for your motorcycle. Friends are telling me about the excessive amount of time they spend cleaning their motorcycles and about the nicked and cut hands they get trying to get into all those difficult areas to clean. I still prefer S100…spray it on the COLD motorcycle and let it set a while, but do not let it dry. Hose it off with a strong spray or use a spray washer for best results. RINSE WELL and then I use the spray washer to wash the motorcycle with spray wash soap/wax combination, then rinse well again. Use your leaf blower or wet/dry vacuum to blow off the excess water. Dab off the remaining droplets and you are done. If you are a fanatic you may then polish/wax to your hearts content. The whole process to do two motorcycles takes about ½ hour with the bride wielding the chamois to dab up the excess moisture. Add another 10 minutes to clean up and put away the pressure washer, hose, etc. What could be simpler?

EASY CLUTCHING – If you dislike the feel of your clutch and complain about the sore left arm you get after being stuck in a traffic jam you should consider adding one of the many products that makes your clutch lever easier to pull. There are devices that attach to the clutch lever at the handlebars but they are susceptible to breakage of the springs and need periodic spring replacement. Also, if you let the clutch lever slip out of your grip and snap forward it may damage the mechanism. Another available device fits inside the clutch housing and is unseen. It also makes the clutch lever easier to pull and is probably the most desirable and less intrusive solution. The final option may be to add a full hydraulic clutch…just like the brand J motorcycles!

LAWN MOWERS – You might ask what lawn mowers have to do with motorcycle riding. Recently, I was struck with multiple projectiles propelled at me by a riding lawnmower. I was perhaps 15 feet away from the mower. Just as I was passing a street corner the mower operator ran off the curb with a wheel and the blade threw pieces of concrete at me. One piece hit the motorcycle, another hit the little finger of my right hand where the fingernail joins the finger and I thought it might have broken the finger but luckily it didn’t. The most damaging piece hit me in the right side about 1" above my belt. It felt like I had been stabbed. The skin was heavily bruised and a red welt appeared immediately. Lesson learned! Give lawnmowers a wide berth because you never know what the operator might run over and what might be ejected.

LOCKS – Lubricate your motorcycle ignition lock, steering head lock, and helmet lock at the beginning of the riding season and also lubricate your disc locks and padlocks. They gather dust and dirt all riding season and will work much better after they have been lubricated.

LOCK YOUR LOCKS – Duhh! What’s he nattering on about now! I recommend you keep your disc lock, padlock, Cobra Lock, etc. locked in/on your motorcycle. If you keep them locked you must be carrying the key to unlock them before you can lock up your motorcycle. Think how unsetting it would be to lock down your motorcycle with a lock you left open only to find you did not have the key with you to open the lock!

NEW SKIN – This is a product available in most drug stores and is the absolute best product we have ever found to protect a burn and alleviate the pain. Granted, it will sting like blazes when you put it on but the pain will be well worth it because it will provide a waterproof cover over the injury and almost immediately relieve the burn pain. It is a direct replacement for most other types of protection such as bandages. It is available in liquid form with an applicator attached to the lid or available in a spray form. I prefer the spray but the spray nozzle clogs so clean it out after use. I always carry it in my motorcycle First Aid kit and I buy a new container every year or so because it has a shelf life.

NON-STANDARD PARTS – I know all those non-standard or after market parts make your scoot go better and look really cool but be aware that when you are travelling and need repairs at some out of the way Harley shop the likelyhood of obtaining replacement parts is almost zero. So think twice about modifying your scoot if you like to travel lots of distance each year. The most repairable Harley is one with stock parts!

MULTI-LANE HIGHWAYS – We were recently riding on a multi-lane highway when one of the motorcycles died. It was rush hour and were stuck in the third lane from the shoulder….not a good place to be at that time of day. Fortunately, we were able to block traffic and the disabled motorcycle managed to coast to the shoulder. Next time I will ride closer to the shoulder just in case an emergency occurs and I need to get to the shoulder quickly.

SALT DUST – I know you are all anxious to get your motorcycles back on the road but you should be aware of the damage the salt dust can do to your motorcycle. When the roads are white with salt dust or littered with salt crystals the salt is thrown up as you pass and can work its way into all the cracks and crevices of your motorcycle. Washing your motorcycle may even exacerbate the problem by providing the moisture necessary to get the electrolytic action going so the less noble metal (aluminum) is eaten away. Wait to ride until the roads have been washed clean with rain. Also, be aware of all the gravel and sand the roads department spread during the winter does not get washed away with the rains and will continue to be a hazard until the streets and roads are swept.

H.O.G. PHONE NUMBERS – If you cannot remember the toll free phone number for H.O.G. Canada, or need to know the toll free phone number of H.O.G. USA, or what the H. O. G. office hours are, or where to call to find a Harley Dealership, look at the back of your H.O.G. membership card. You may need a magnifying glass or may have to find a young person with good eyesight to read the printing but the numbers are printed on the back of the card. You may be surprised by all the information printed on the back of the card. Even the USA address of H.O. G. is printed on the card but they did not print an address for H.O.G. Canada.

EYE DROPPER – You can use an eye dropper to check the electrolyte level of your battery. Simply place the tip into one of the battery holes and squeeze the bulb. If the battery liquid level is high enough the electrolyte will be pulled up into the glass tube. If no liquid is pulled up add distilled water to your battery and try again. You may need to make a mark on the eye dropper tube or put some tape around the glass tube to stop it from going too far into the battery hole. I was lucky enough to find a small Yuasa hygrometer (made for testing motorcycle batteries $9.95) that just fits perfectly so the glass tube bottoms out in the hole at the right level.

VINYL GLOVES – Keep a couple pair or two of stretch vinyl examination gloves in your motorcycle for an emergency where you must do dirty work to get your motorcycle back on the road. Your hands will be clean when you finish the work. You probably can con your doctor or a friendly nurse into giving you a couple pair of gloves. I would not recommend using used gloves…especially those from a proctologist.

SAYINGS – I’ve always had a problem with "Live to Ride, Ride to Live". It sounds somewhat repetitive to me and I am not clear if "Ride to Live" means you should earn a living riding like a Pony Express Rider would or if riding causes such a great feeling that it is truly "living". I have recently embraced another saying that is much more meaningful……..."Live by Chance, Ride by Choice".

AFTER-MARKET LIGHTS – Those after-market lights look really cool on your new HOG but most of the lights are not as visible as the stock lights and you are more susceptible to having another vehicle cut you off when you are turning. I would recommend you use hand signals as well as your new signal lights. As a test, set your motorcycle next to a friend’s and check out the visibility of both sets of lights…fore and aft (that’s nautical talk for all you landlubbers). If your after-market lights are more visible…and some of the new LED lights are, let the supplier know so they can recommend that model to their other customers.

SUNSCREEN – I am seeing some riders with a combination of sun and windburn on their faces. Always carry sunscreen with you and use it when you are riding. Choose a SPS value of 20 or higher to give you proper protection and if you are easily burned with the sun choose a value of 45. A little protection now can prevent serious health problems in the future.

SPARKPLUGS – When you install spark plugs remember that the threaded portion is steel and it threads into the aluminum head. I would recommend always using an anti-seize on the threads and always properly tighten the plugs to the proper torque setting specified in your manual. A loose plug will eventually loosen and could possibly strip out the threads and blow out the sparkplug damaging your gas tank and perhaps shattering your knee.

HANDLEBARS – If your neck and shoulders bother you on those long rides it is probably caused by the position of your handlebars. Consider adding pullback risers if you have shorter arms and need to lean forward to reach the handlebars. Even the smallest movement of the handlebars may alleviate your problem. It took three adjustments before I found the proper position for my handlebars. Now I ride with my forearms parallel to the ground and my arms are bent at the elbow.

SEATS – There is no substitute for a good motorcycle seat with a good backrest for those long trips. If you are a boulevard rider who only rides a couple hundred kilometres at a time then you can probably tolerate any seat. If you are a serious rider consider adding a quality seat and backrest (Corbin, etc.) to your motorcycle then adjusting the handlebars to suit.

SAFETY COURSES – If you are a self-trained rider or have not had a recent safety course you probably have many bad riding habits that could get you killed. I try to take some type of riding course every two years and try to review those things I was taught each riding season. You must continually practice your swerving, braking, and push steering for it to become a reflex action. If you have to think about what you need to do in an emergency situation it is probably too late to avoid the accident. The best riders are the smart riders who realize they can benefit from formal safety training. I have noticed that the riders who periodically seek safety training tend to be those riders who ride the most kilometers.

BATTERIES – If you want to prevent being left on the road with a dead battery consider purchasing a new battery each year. It is possible to get two or more years out of a battery but if you ride lots of kilometres don’t even think about it. I am also of the opinion that batteries fail quicker if they do not receive proper water level care. Vibration, low water level, and infrequent usage all help to destroy your battery. If you own a motorcycle that has battery built into a box where the water level is difficult to check weekly consider purchasing a gelcell battery that does not need water. They may be a little more expensive but they are well worth the money and they save all that work checking the water level.

RIDING CLOTHES – Everyone wants to look macho riding down the street bare-handed in their tank top, showing off their tattoos. Save the macho crap for posing on the market or in the bars! Serious riders soon learn that protective clothing is necessary to prevent sunburn, skin damage caused by debris and bug hits, and to provide some protection in case you fall off or get forced off your motorcycle. Leather provides the best protection but due to the heat most people usually wear denim in the summer. Also, some type of gloves should be worn. Even fingerless gloves give some small amount of protection for the palms of the hands and are better than nothing. If you feel invincible go purchase a 1" thick steak, tie a rope to it and place a brick on the steak then pull the steak along the pavement a short distance. Now imagine pulling the steak down the road at 80 kilometres per hour. See all that meat left on the roadway? That is what happens to unprotected skin when you try pavement surfing! If you have been there, done that, you don’t ever want to do it again!

KEYS – Be extremely careful with the barrel keys (round keys) you have for your Harley ignition and for your Kyrptonite disc lock. There is the possibility you may mix up the keys and try to open a lock with the wrong key. The key may slide into the lock and may turn and get stuck in the lock and it will likey be impossible to remove the key without destroying the lock and/or the key. You can never be too prepared so why not go out tomorrow and have a couple spare keys cut for your ignition and disc lock?

HEADLIGHT – If you want/need extra illumination for your headlight you can replace the standard H4 type bulb with a higher wattage bulb. The halogen replacement bulbs give you 100 watts as opposed to 60 watts for the standard bulb. The low beam is 60 watts for the halogen and I think 50 watts for the standard bulb. Be advised these bulbs may not be legal in all places you might travel.

FOOTPEGS – If your hamstrings get tired after a long ride it may be caused by your riding with the ball of your foot on the footpegs…leaving your heel unsupported and therefore tiring your legs. You could change your footpegs for Harley/Kuryakyn footpegs with stirrups to support your heels. Stirrups are much smaller than floorboards and definitely look better. We have seen stirrups used on Sporties/Dynas, without forward controls, to support the rider’s heel. Also, some people mirror the stirrups for the passenger footpegs to place the stirrups in front of the footpegs. This arrangement reportedly gives the rider very good foot support but do not rely on the stirrup to support the passenger’s weight when getting on/off the motorcycle.

HIGHWAY FOOTPEGS – If you have tried the offset brackets and footpegs that mount to the engine guard and found your legs could not reach the highway footpegs don’t give up hope. Kuryakyn is bringing out a new, longer, offset to move the pegs closer to the rider. I am told they will debut at Sturgis this year and should be available by late summer or early fall.

PAINT SCRATCHES – If you have scratches in your paint you may be able to buff them out with one of the many Scratch Out products on the market. Before you try to fill the scratch with paint try to buff it out first. Hopefully, just the clear coat is scratched and has left a white color scratch on your tank or fender. A buffed out scratch is preferable to a touched up one and may not be noticeable unless you look for it.

ENGINE BRIGHTNER – Does your engine case/cylinders/brake castings look dull and no longer have that nice black it was when you took delivery of your motorcycle? I recently washed my motorcycle and tried the S100 Engine Brightener on all the black areas, including the hoses and other rubber components. You simply spray on this stuff and let dry. Don’t overspray! Don’t spray the footpegs or tires! You can touch it up to add more where it is not black enough and that is easier than wiping off the excess. All the black components look fantastic now, just like when it was new.

KICK THE CAN – Don’t. If you get the urge to kick the can or any other object lying on the roadway you should think twice. If you are travelling at 30km and kick something lying on the road you are trying to instantaneously accelerate the object from rest to the speed at which your foot is travelling. Your foot may bounce back off the object and smash into your motorcycle or you could break bones in your foot or leg.

WATER BOTTLE HOLDER – If you desire to carry a bottle of water or a bottle of soda pop the easiest way is to attach a bicycle water bottle bracket to your handlebars. Attach the bracket with cable ties or gear clamps. The bracket should be on the left side so you may remove the bottle and drink while driving your motorcycle.

CABLE TIES – One of the handiest devices you can carry on your motorcycle is a bunch of cable ties. They may be used to hold cables and wires in place, to repair broken saddle bag straps, to attach items temporarily to your motorcycle, etc. If a cable tie is not long enough simply join two or more ties end to end to get the length you require. For heavier duty use two or more cable ties in parallel to hold the item.

CRACK FILLER – Every motorcyclist hates the crack filler tar compound the highway department uses to repair cracks in the roadway. Always drive across the material and never along the filled crack. The wider the filled crack the more dangerous it is. It may throw your front wheel and scare the living bjesus out of you. It may also cause you to lose control and crash. Be especially wary of the filler when it is warm and avoid it at all costs on those entry and exit ramps where you have the motorcycle leaned over rounding a curve.

WATER BOTTLE COOLER – If you visit any trade shows pick up at least two of those foam cylinders they give out that are intended to fit around the base of a beer bottle. I used two to make an insulated water bottle cover. Cut a ¾" hole in the center of one of the foam holders and slide it over the top of the water bottle then place the second one on the bottom of the bottle. I usually keep at least one water bottle frozen in the freezer and when leaving I slip the foam over the bottle and put it in my saddle bags. It will stay cold with at least half the ice in the bottle for 8 hours. When I drink all the cold water in the bottle I pour more water in it from my other water bottle to get more chilled water to drink.

ALARM SYSTEMS – An alarm system for your motorcycle is a good idea. It may afford additional protection and may warn off possible thieves. If possible have a flashing LED installed on your motorcycle to indicate when the alarm is activated. Many alarms are extremely sophisticated and provide motion sensors, current sensors, warning voices or chirps when someone gets too close, remote pagers to warn you from a long distance, etc. You will have to choose the features and decide how much money you should spend to help protect your motorcycle.

MOTORCYCLE COVER – When travelling I carry a weather proof motorcycle cover which helps to keep my motorcycle dry and protected from the birds, dripping trees, etc. My best advice would be to purchase a cover that does not have the Harley logo emblazoned all over the cover. The idea is to also hide your motorcycle from prying eyes. Who knows, perhaps the thieves will think it is a Brand J bike and leave it alone?

PROGRESSIVE SUSPENSION – Consider adding Progressive Suspension springs to your front end. You will get nearly the same feel under normal conditions but when you decelerate the front end does not dip so violently and you should be able to apply the front brake quicker and harder than with the stock suspension.

FOOTPEG MOUNTING – There is a theory that you should tighten the bolts holding your footpegs so if the motorcycle falls over the footpegs do not fold up and thus help support your motorcycle. That may be fine for stock footpegs but if you are using Kuryakyn footpegs you will definitely damage the footpegs. Of course it may be cheaper to replace damaged footpegs than damaged parts on your motorcycle. If you do damage the Kuryakyn footpegs be aware that you may order just the spare piece you require and do not have to replace the entire set of footpegs.

STEAL ME SIGNS – Most motorcycle riders are careful and protective of their motorcycles. Why then would you put "steal me" signs on your other motor vehicles to alert possible thieves that you have a Harley. I see numerous Harley riders with Harley signs on their cars, trucks, and even around their homes. Even thieves are capable of making the connection that if you advertise with a Harley sign that you must have a Harley worth stealing.

KEEPING YOUR BALANCE – When you pull up to a stop keep your eyes straight ahead of you and focused ahead of the motorcycle ten to fifteen feet to help maintain your balance. If you tend to look left or right as the motorcycle stops your terms of reference for your balance changes and you may even drop your motorcycle if you become unbalanced enough. We all have the tendency to look left and right so we can get away from the stop quicker but resist the urge to look around and keep focused on stopping.

COUNTRY ROADS – People driving those 4 wheeled vehicles in the country have a habit of cutting the corners and kicking up gravel onto the roadway making the roadway extremely hazardous to motorcyclists. Cars travelling the road tend to move the gravel across the roadway and I have found the best spot to ride is usually closer to the centerline of the road, certainly not from the center toward the side of the road. The highways departments could prevent the roads from getting layered with gravel by installing curbs or placing barriers at the edge of the road. If you have a curve near you where the gravel is always scattered on the road why not find a few big rocks and place them along the inside of the curve as a test to see if this works to solve the problem? Make sure the rocks are big enough for the 4 wheelers to see easily. We would not want to damage anyone’s vehicle, would we?

AUTUMN LEAVES – When the leaves begin to fall on the roadway it may look nice but it may be extremely dangerous. If it has rained the leaves trap water under the leaf and then the leaf begins to get slimy underneath and becomes very slippery. If you ride over a leaf or two on a curve you may slide and cause an accident. Avoid the leaves on the road, even on those bright sunny days when the roads are dry and the riding seems perfect.

CLEANING YOUR MOTORCYCLE – I have talked to a few people this summer who were grumbling about the time it takes to clean their motorcycles. Well, I guess it depends how clean you need to have your motorcycle but I find we can clean two motorcycles in less than an hour. I drag out all the equipment and then spray down the cold motorcycle with S100 and let it sit for a minute or two, but do not let it dry. I use a pressure washer with a fan shape spray and go over the entire motorcycle to remove the cleaner and the bugs. Next I spray the entire motorcycle with the soap mixture made for use with my pressure washer and then rinse the motorcycle with lots of water to make sure no cleaning solution is left. Now I use my leaf blower to blow off the excess water (works better than an air compressor and is cheaper) and then use my S100 drying towel to wipe down the motorcycle to remove any water still clinging to it.. Sometimes I will use a little chrome cleaner on the chrome and some Protect All on the paintwork. That’s it!

MOTORCYCLE STORAGE – I know, it’s too early or you have heard this a dozen times but this is for those new members! Change the oil and filter after warming up the motorcycle. Lubricate your cables and perform any maintenance required on your motorcycle. Wash you motorcycle and dry completely. Fill the gas tank, add some fuel stabilizer and about an ounce of fuel line antifreeze. Shut off the fuel valve and drain the carb. Remove the battery and connect your battery tender. (If you don’t already have a battery tender Canadian Tire has a great one for $40 that keeps your battery fully charged.) I use the connector for my electric vest to connect the battery tender when the battery is in the motorcycle but I have a switch to shut off the electricity to the vest and must turn it on or else the battery will not charge. Don’t forget to check the water level periodically. (If you have a sealed battery like I have leave it in the motorcycle with the battery tender connected but disconnect your alarm system to prevent a drain on your battery.) Remove the sparkplugs and squirt a couple of squirts of engine oil into the cylinders and reinstall the plugs. Check the tire pressure. I remove the seat and leather items and place them where mice cannot reach them by hanging them from the center of the garage ceiling. Put a tag on the right handlebar near the clutch detailing what you have done and what you have disconnected. Also write on the tag what maintenance must be performed in the spring. Cover the motorcycle with a breathable cover, NOT your rain cover. Set a few mousetraps around your motorcycle and bait the traps with peanuts in the shell or with peanut butter.

BRIGHT STOP LIGHT – You can brighten up your stop light in a couple of ways. You can use one of those high power bulbs that are brighter than a standard bulb but that may produce enough heat to melt your taillight lens. I purchased a kit from Custom Chrome that has a high power bulb and a special reflector that fits inside the taillight lens. Now I use a standard or heavy-duty bulb and the reflector concentrates more of the light to give me a brighter stop light. Anything you can do to make your motorcycle more visible is a positive step towards protecting yourself and your Harley.

STORING YOUR BAGS AND SEAT – When I put my motorcycle into storage in my garage I remove the saddlebags and the seat and hang them from the ceiling of the garage and cover them up to protect them. By hanging them at least 2 feet away from anything else mice cannot span the gap to get to your costly seat and saddlebags to build a nest or chew on the covering.

BACKREST – If your riding partner complains about your backrest not being tall enough to provide support or your T-Bag just doesn’t have enough backrest support to hold it properly consider increasing the sissy bar height. You probably shudder at the thought of installing the optional tall sissy bar because it will ruin the look of your motorcycle. There is a reasonable alternative made by Mid USA, part #28209 for XL’s, FXR’s and FXD’s. This sissy bar adds about 1.5" to the height of the standard short sissy bar. They probably carry one for other models as well. Don’t even consider having a piece welded into your old sissy bar and having it rechromed because that might seriously weaken the sissy bar and it might break and your passenger might fall off your motorcycle.

HELMET – If your helmet is 3 to 5 years old, you should purchase a new one. No, helmets are not good for an indefinite period because they age just like you do. You should destroy your old helmet to prevent it from being used. Also, never purchase an old helmet and think it will offer you much protection. As well, if your helmet has been dropped many times that can greatly degrade the protection the helmet offers. Check your helmet carefully and if it has check marks or lots of nicks and scratches purchase a new helmet. If you offer a helmet to a passenger you may be legally responsible for that person’s safety so you should make sure the helmet is relatively new and fits the passenger’s head properly.

SPOKES – If you have wire wheels on your motorcycle you should check the spokes once or twice a year to ensure they are properly tightened. Take a small wrench and go around the wheel tapping all the spokes and listening carefully. You should hear a slight ringing sound, not a dull or dead sound. A tight spoke will not ring like a tuning fork or a bell but you will be able to tell the tight ones from the loose ones. Loose spokes can cause poor handling in the corners and other problems. If you don’t have the confidence you can tighten all the spokes correctly and evenly leave the work to someone more qualified.

WAXING WINDSHIELDS – That’s correct, wax your windshield with a good paste wax. It helps repel water if it rains and also helps you remove bugguts (pronounced bug-gits) without scratching your windshield. Of course you should always wet down your windshield to soften the bugguts before attempting to remove them. One member tells me he places a wet towel on his windshield for an hour or so before cleaning his windshield and then the bugguts come off easily. Remember to NEVER use the squeegee at the service station to clean your windshield because it will probably scratch your lexan and/or clear coat. If you have to dip some paper towel in the water trough or better yet use the water from your water bottle to clean your windshield.

ANTI-SEIZE – Always use anti-seize compound on your spark plug threads to prevent the steel threads from damaging the aluminum heads. It is not expensive and a container will probably last you a lifetime. I also use it wherever there are dissimilar metals, especially where the non-removable / replaceable part is a softer material. When I put on mufflers I coat the exhaust pipe to make future removal easier.

CB ANTENNA – If you are adding a CB this year or are replacing your after-market CB antenna consider purchasing one of those stiff fibreglass antennas because it can also be used as a pole for flying your chapter flag or your Canadian flag when you attend rallies in the States. I close off the top end of the flag sleeve and place the flag down over the antenna then make a small hole in the sleeve at the bottom and put a cable tie around the antenna to capture the sleeve. Tighten the cable tie as much as you can and clip off the excess. I use nail clippers to nip the cable tie off when I want to remove the flag.

FREE FLAGS – You may be able to get a free flag for your motorcycle from your MP like I did. I mentioned that I travel outside Canada and wanted to display the Canadian flag at rallies, etc. Also, I have gotten lots of those little Canadian flag pins from my MP and some Ontario pins from my MPP. You don’t get if you don’t ask!

SUNGLASSES – I have tried a number of different sunglasses for eye protection while riding my motorcycle. The best ones are the swept back or curved ones because they provide the most protection and help prevent your eyes from watering when it is cool outside. Regular sunglasses are quite good but provide less protection so why not start searching now for those perfect riding sunglasses?

NEVER PAY RETAIL – I am quite well known amongst my friends and family for stretching a dollar and I take great pride in getting a deal. I always ask for a discount if I think one is possible. Recently, at a plumbing/electrical store I asked the clerk if I was going to get my usual 50% discount (it was probably the first time I had ever purchased anything there). Guess what? He gave me a 50% discount! You don’t get if you don’t ask!

FOOTWARE – I have always looked for footware that provided some protection up past the ankles. Most important is the sole of the footware. The sole should provide a good grip, especially on loose sand and gravel on tarmac. Select a sole with large cleats separated by at least 1/8". The tread should be about ¼" deep to provide enough room for the loose material to roll into if your foot begins to slide. Avoid soles with shallow ridges, they do not provide adequate gripping.

WATERPROOFING YOUR LUGGAGE – A cheap method is to pack your clothes in Baggies, squeeze out all the air then seal the bags. If you can afford to buy the weatherproof bags, such as the Sealline bags, they are the best way of keeping your clothes dry on a rainy trip. Since all T-Bags seem to leak I use two fabric covered (not rubberized) bags, which I slip into my T-Bag. When I get to my destination I remove the two bags easily and just tuck them back into the T-Bag in the morning. Packing up is very easy. If I need more room I bungee a couple of the bags to my saddlebags. Also, I usually carry a fabric weatherproof bag and a couple of bungees to carry home things I purchase on a trip.

ULTIMATE RAINSUIT – I have tried various rainsuits in an effort to keep dry on my motorcycle during a rainstorm. Look for a rainsuit that is flexible and will give as you move, has storm flaps over the zippers, protective fabric on the inside of the leg to prevent burning on the hot muffler or exhaust pipe, and has a hood with a draw string that closes the hood around the face. No matter how you try some water always tries to seep into the suit and without a hood water always runs down your neck. I have added a large leather bandana that covers my face up to my glasses. On the tip of the bandana I have added a snap that snaps the bandana to the front of my rainsuit to prevent the tip from flying up in my face when driving.

CHEAP RAIN GLOVES – Try the foam rubber gloves that ice fishermen use. The gloves keep you warm but you do sweat in them. They are available at LeBarons in Bells Corners, Ontario. I have tried rubber gloves but they are cool and you also sweat in them enhancing the heat transfer from your hands to the rain water running off your hands.

ELECTRIC VEST – You are never too young to purchase and wear an electric vest. Remember, if the air temperature is below 37°C you body is giving up heat to the air. If you get wet in a sudden rain storm the heat transfer rate increases dramatically and you can actually suffer from hypothermia on a 20°C day. Always carry your vest, even in the summer. The vest will warm you up and keep you warm. It may even save your life.

ACCESSORY WIRING – Wire your bike up with a two-connector trailer connector wired across the battery through a 20 amp fuse. Wire the male pin to ground and the female socket to the battery positive. You can use the connector to plug in your electric vest and you can make an adaptor cord that has a cigarette lighter socket so you can plug in your cell phone when the battery goes dead. Also, you can charge / maintain your motorcycle battery through this same connector. I have also installed a switch in the line so I can shut off my vest while driving.

DRIVING LIGHTS – Consider adding driving lights to your motorcycle. Not only do they provide better illumination at night but they make you much more visible during the day. Motorists will now see three lights coming towards them instead of just one light. With the lights on the engine guard the large triangle formed by the lights makes you very visible. You may even want to replace the standard sealed beams in the driving lights with aircraft landing light sealed beams. Also, have a look at the rear of your motorcycle. One tail light is not enough to make you visible at night. Consider purchasing the new HD module that adds tail lights to your rear signal lights so they are on all the time. The new module also comes with red lenses to replace the amber lenses.

Please send correspondence to: wyliecoyote@igs.net