Motorcycle FAQ: Useful Links

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Additional Pages in this Site

25kW Motorcycles Available in Europe Most European countries have a system of engine power restrictions that relax with rider experience. Thus there's a huge market for small motorcycles. Here is a list of bikes available in 2003.

Riding in Europe European traffic laws are a little different from US laws. Here’s a summary of how they differ.

California Laws About Motor Vehicle Lights A complete list of what lights you can and cannot have on your motorcycle in California. Similar laws apply in other states, but check with local authorities.

Federal Law about Headlight Modulators The federal regulation that legalizes headlight modulators for all 50 states.

Riding Without Gear is a Personal Choice

Ladies and Gentlemen ... wear Leather

Chicken Strips

Decreasing-Radius Turns

Why You Should Wear a Helmet

Snell Labs Tour. In August, 2004 I visited the Snell Labs where they test ooycle and other helmets.

General and Noncommercial Links

This is not intended to duplicate Yahoo or Google, just to list a few popular useful web sites. I might as well stop building this list. Tom Hunt’s Infomonger Motorcycle Page has more stuff than I know what to do with!

A Case for Smaller Bikes “DO YOU EVER WONDER why so many inexperienced riders crash, and often spectacularly? ... It’s the sheer competence and ease of big speed the newer sport bikes are capable of.”

BARF: Bay Area Riders Forum “This site is dedicated to motorcycle riders in the Northern California Bay Area, although we welcome riders from around the country, and even the world.”

www.beginnerandbeyond.com “So you've decided to buy a motorcycle. After the endless debates with yourself, after the late-night fears about getting into traffic on two wheels and adequately controlling the bike, after the uncomprehending reaction of your loved ones and friends, you're ready to choose a ride.”

California Law Web Site “Vehicle Code” and “Streets and Highways” are probably the most useful.

California Motorcycle Roads. According to Charles Stembridge, “the mother of all California road sites. Don’t go there unless you’ve got a lot of time to spend.”

California Traffic Conditions

Critter Crashes

Ontario Traffic, Toronto Traffic, and Ottawa Traffic, thanks to Matt from Guelph. I guess I have to make a World Traffic Conditions page.

Caltrans Report a Problem Report a problem on the California State Highway System, State Routes, Interstate Highways or Freeways and US Highways in California.

Doc Wong’s Street Riding Clinics and Doc Wong’s Dual-Sport and Dirt Clinics Doc Wong is a chiropractor in the SF Bay Area who organizes free street and dirt riding clinics.

Yet another unofficial and spurious site about the Denizens of Doom.

Elena's Motorcycle Rides Through Chernobyl

Everything Motorcycles @ About.com

Home of the Short Bikers mailing list, list of motorcycles with low seat height, techniques for handling a big motorcycle

Noemi Berry's Short Bike List FAQ Short Bikers List founding member Noemi Berry's desire to ride a BMW despite her 5' 1" frame led her to compile this excellent FAQ on short legged techniques.

The “Hurt” Report Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures, a 1981 study of factors causing motorcycle accidents and injuries. Still the most comprehensive source of information this subject.

SFGate article on lanesplitting.

www.megarider.com The tools to help you ride better, safer, faster.

MicaPeak mailing lists and web pages

Moto-Rama A portal to information about motorcycling.

Motorcycle Beginners

Motorcycle Tire-Changing

Motorcycle Safety Strategies for Avoiding Panic Braking or Swerving By the time you recognize the danger, you have two seconds or less until impact. A motorcyclist, no matter how skilled, is more likely to stay upright if he learns how to avoid instead of how to react to dangers on the road. One of the authors of the famous Hurt Report—and a guy who has seen every sort of motorcycle crash concocted by man—offers 11 was to avoid getting into trouble. From the August 2005 issue of Motorcycle Cruiser magazine. By Jim Ouellet.

No Fault Braking: A Real-World Comparison of ABS Systems, an article on the IBMWR web site.

The Rat Bike Zone

SF Bay Area Track Days Not only does it have all the track days, it has links to all the local folks.

SFBA Motorcycle Resources

San Francisco Motorcycle and Scooter Coalition is working to improve parking and traffic for motorcycles and scooters.

Tony Foale Designs Motorcycle Steering and Suspension

Two Wheel Safety Training MSF classes in the San Francisco Bay area

The uk.rec.motorcycles FAQ a FAQ for another news group

Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One’s Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments

Used Motorcycle Evaluation Guide by Adam Glass

Useful Bike Setup Articles by Andrew Bentrup

Handy Checklist for by Nicholas C. Weaver for the Used Motorcycle Evaluation Guide

National Association for Bikers with a Disability.

Vanishing Point

The Wave

Commercial or Brand-Specific Links

Inclusion here is for information only. It is not an endorsement, nor does it mean commercial support of this site.

Riding Gear and Body Armor

Action Stations sells Bohn body armor

Aerostich sells excellent Cordura motorcycle riding suits, pants, and jackets.

Belstaff (new URL Jan 5, 2008), "The original makers of protective gear."

Galls cop, EMT, and safety gear

Squad Fitters the Police Motorcycle Experts

GT Distributors America's Law Enforcement Supply Specialist

SafetyLine The Best in High Visibility Clothing.

Motorcycle Leather Exchange sells new and used motorcycle riding gear.

New Enough Motorcycle Leathers “… is a dealer for Vanson, Alpinestars, FirstGear, Fieldsheer, Teknic, Icon, Joe Rocket, HJC, Hein Gericke and Olympia. Also we sell boots by Alpinestars, Sidi, Oxtar, Prexport and Icon. From these quality makers, we personally evaluate and hand pick products that provide the best mix of quality, fit, style and value. We frequently offer great prices on discontinued items since we have built a reputation with our sources as being a buyer of large quantities of closeout gear.”

Kisan Technologies make headlight and brake light modulators.

BMW

BMW Luxury Touring bulletin board

Internet BMW Riders Technical information about BMW motorcycles

R1100GS Owner Registry

www.bmwrt.com a "sport touring website" lots and lots of good info

www.cyclegadgets.com a gadget-aholic's dream (read: most BMW owners)

www.bmwbobs.com stuff-n-things

www.r1150r.net all about the R1150R

www.advrider.com Adventure Riders: mostly R-GS but other bikes as well.

Harley-Davidson

Honda

Motorcycle Schools

CLASS Motorcycle Schools

California Superbike School With Keith Code, author of the “Twist of the Wrist” series.

dp Safety School Here’s your chance to improve your riding skills and learn from the pros!

Books and Magazines