A Power Commander is an electronic module that is used for performance tuning of fuel injected motorcycles.  Having one on your fuel injected street bike is a must if you’re looking for increased performance.

You can install a Power Commander yourself since it plugs right in with your original electronic control unit (ECU).  The original ECU stays in tact and you can go back to using the original map program anytime.  A new display screen uses an SD card to store additional programs (maps) that you can switch to.

continue reading:  "Power Commander for motorcycle performance"

Multiple BMW motorcycle recalls are announced this month for variations of their popular F650 and F800 models, the G650 and also for more than 15,500 units of the R1200 and K1200 series motorcycles.

The four new BMW recalls announced are all safety-related and could potential lead to crashes if not addressed.  Chain-related issues on 650 and 800 series, front brake lines on R1200 and K1200, and fuel tank bolts on R1200 GS are the topics.

continue reading:  "BMW recall for K1200, R1200, F650, F800 and G650"

Instructions for how to ride a motorcycle can depend on who you ask, what they ride, and how long they have been riding.  Here we try to provide basic instruction that hopefully will help you get started, but this is not a substitute for a motorcycle safety course that you should take before getting a motorcycle license.  You may also get better motorcycle insurance rates by attending a safety course.  Now, on with the instructions:

continue reading:  "How to ride a motorcycle: a beginner’s guide"

Italika motorcycles are currently the most popular brand selling in Mexico.  According to motorcycle industry publications, Italika enjoys 55% market share now in Mexico for new motorcycle sales.

Italkia has motorcycles, scooters and atvs have engine sizes ranging from 90cc to 200cc rated from 5hp to 15hp.

continue reading:  "Italika motorcycles becomes most popular in Mexico"

Shopping for a motorcycle jacket for hot weather riding?  There’s certainly a lot to choose from.  It took me about a year before I finally found the right one for me. I ended up buying it at Cycle Gear, but only after visiting several motorcycle dealers and a few motorcycle gear stores.

Because I have personally studied a huge variety of motorcycle jackets and tried on countless numbers of jackets myself over the past year or more, I felt I should share this experience to help others in their search of the best jacket for the money.

Important things to pay attention to when trying on motorcycle jackets are:

continue reading:  "Motorcycle jackets for hot weather riding"

The first Worldwide Motorcycle Awareness Ride is scheduled for Sunday May 23, 2010.   Riders of street bikes everywhere are encouraged to get out an ride for an hour while wearing bright colors as part of this “can you see me now” themed motorcycle event.

In an motorcycle accident earlier this year, four motorcycle riders were killed and five were seriously injured when a dump truck slammed into them from behind while they were waiting at a stop light.  The worldwide motorcycle awareness ride is in honor of these riders and is to encourage riders everywhere to make themselves more visible.

continue reading:  "Worldwide Motorcycle Awareness Ride"

You have to be careful what you use to clean a helmet face shield or motorcycle windshield or you’ll end up with a scratched-up mess.  Here I explain exactly how I used Plas-Tec ® plastic cleaner to make my motorcycle helmet look like new again, as well as give you my thoughts about the product.

One thing I noticed when I picked up my first bottle of Plas-Tec ® cleaner is the quality of the pump spray bottle for the 1 ounce size.  It’s the perfect size to bring on longer rides, to keep in your backpack or bags, or in your tool kit.

continue reading:  "Plastic cleaner for motorcycles, helmets and windscreens"

The annual Kyle Petty Charity Ride is preparing to roll out of Indian Wells, CA on May 1st to mark a return in 2010 to the coast-to-coast motorcycle tour that the ride has been known for.  This year, it will venture all the way from California to Victory Junction in North Carolina.

In 2008, I personally had the pleasure to attend the Kyle Petty Charity Ride visit in Charlotte, NC at the Ballantyne Resort Hotel.   It was an unforgettable experience for me as I witnessed the good that motorcyclists, celebrities, and everyday people can do when they work together.

continue reading:  "Kyle Petty Charity Ride: California to North Carolina"

Piaggio MP3 scooters have been a showcase of technology since day one.  To add to this reputation, Piaggio is replacing their 250cc engine with their new 300 i.e. engine.

Piaggio MP3 300 i.e. engine features ride-by-wire throttle technology to operate the throttle body for the electronic fuel injection.  This helps create increased efficiency in addition to the slightly higher torque that the 300 engine offers over the 250.

continue reading:  "Piaggio MP3 scooter with ride by wire technology"

Classic Harley-Davidson collectors  should not pass by the lightweight, two-stroke engines in the smallest street bikes for model years 1948-1966.  These started off featuring a German-designed (DKW) 125cc two-stroke single.  For trivia fans, BSA motorcycles also used the DKW 125 in their Bantam in the late 1940s.

During the 1950’s, Harley opened it up the engine size to a 165cc, then to a 175cc displacement in the 1960’s.  It’s almost hard to imagine Harley-Davidson ever using two-stroke engines in their street bikes.  Harley big-twin fans, keep in mind that this all started long before the AMF years!

continue reading:  "Classic Harley-Davidson Hummers"