7 Of The Most Annoying Modifications

1) Hidden License Plate

If you’re riding in such a reckless fashion where those around you want to call you in and report you, I guess this might just be the best option for you. Just hide your plate so police and other motorists can’t identify you!

Also an easy way to spot riders that have plans to ride like a complete ass.

2) Chassis Lighting

Distracting to those around the bike, often ugly, lack style and most of all are just unnecessary.

3) Tail-Gunner Exhaust

  

Want to make all that chrome look ugly? Here's how !

4)Motorcycle Stereos

 

Some more sound on top of your already blaring straight-pipes? Yeah, no thanks.

5) Hidden Turn Signals

                           

Because other motorists don’t have enough trouble spotting you and predicting your moves on roadways already, so why not just make it impossible!

6) Automatic Flashing Headlights

 

I get it. We all get it. It’s incredibly important for motorcyclists to be seen, especially at night. But is the best way to make sure of that by annoying other drivers until they just let you pass them?

7) Loud Exhausts

 

Blaring down a residential street in the middle of the night? Blasting between lanes? Revving excessively at traffic lights? If you’re going to have this annoying mod, at least be considerate and respectful with it.

Tell us what you think are some other annoying mods! Let us know in the comments below.

Sameera Dahiya's Journey From Her Father's Scooter As A Child, To Leh On A Bullet !

Working as an IT professional  currently, but my passion runs in Riding, realized that one year back. My journey as A RIDER has been a breathtaking one. Taking you to a flashback. It was when i was 8 years and i tried my dad's Bajaj scooter. But I was pushed down by people around saying "Girls and riding don't go along" I always wanted to prove this wrong because RIDING does not depend on gender, caste or religion. 

It was on my 1st ever bike ride to Goa on a friend's Bullet, which triggered where i was destined to be and I knew my next step : Grab my own RIDE.

Bajaj Pulsar 180 was me first bike! I started with a solo trip to Coorg right after 20 days of learning how to ride a bike. Now I own a Bullet Classic 350! Yes THE THUMP!

Riding and Travelling has just grabbed me tight! My Riding journey has taught me a lot of things! It has given me the feeling of being FREE, filled me with POSITIVITY around,  gave me a lot of experiences which added to my strengths! A lot of them made me feel that women are no less than men (p.s: which the society needs to understand). I would stand up at every point of my life to remove the stereotype!

My trips in the past year includes Coorg, Kerala, The Western Ghats, Goa and the most special one "BANGALORE TO LEH". Not even a single time i had felt that i was somewhere less than any other guy riding on the roads!

Adding to my experience I would also make it a point to every budding rider, "Always wear your Riding Gear!" Riding and exploring is one thing but along with it I would want everyone to be safe on roads, so that in-turn you can EXPLORE more.


You can find Sameera and her adventures here . 

Top 3 Great Motorcycle Books That Will Urge You To Get Out And Ride

1. Jupiter's Travels
Ted Simon rode around the world on a Triumph motorcycle during the early 1970s and wrote one of the best travel books ever. Jupiter’s Travels is his account of the trip, 78,000 miles over 45 countries. Before the trip Simon was already writing as a journalist and Jupiter’s Travels flows on every page. In 2001, when he was 70 years old, Simon took the trip again – a similar route on motorcycle – and wrote Dreaming Of Jupiter. His observations from the first trip to the second one 30 years later are truly fascinating.

2. Long Way Around
One of our favorite travel books, this is a motorcycle trip around the world by two actors. Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, inspired by Jupiter’s Travels, set off on their BMW bikes and head from London to New York. Long Way Round is a series of journal entries written separately by the pair and recounts an adventure with some interesting characters along the way (particularly in Ukraine). It’s not deep writing but very raw and gives you a sense for the joys of the long open road.

3. The Motorcycle Diaries
The trip of Ernesto ‘Che” Guevara and Alberto Granada in South America is a book (and subsequent film) which is one of the most common mentioned when talking about travel. With The Motorcycle Diaries, as well as the other books mentioned, you begin to realize the road changes the riders in a way that travel by plane or train does not. The motorcycle cannot be separated metaphysically from the traveler and the trip is where Guevara transformed into Che. The Motorcycle Diaries is a powerful read and inspirational tale.


So what are you waiting for? Read it, but while you're resting in between your long adventures!

6 Motorcycle Films That Are Worth Watching

The fine art of the motorcycle film has hit a speed hump in recent years. Raw and gritty paens to the alternative lifestyle are harder to find. And easy access to broadcast-quality DSLR recording has caused a rise in quantity rather than quality.

But it’s not all showers of sparks from angle grinders, or softly-spoken men with beards muttering dreamy platitudes. Here are six terrific films that we’ve enjoyed recently,

On Any Sunday, The Next Chapter

Released back in ‘71, On Any Sunday is one of the best-loved motorcycle films of all time. Directed by Bruce Brown—famous for the surf classic Endless Summer—it captured the spirit of motorcyling in a way that even non-riders could understand. And deservedly won an Academy Award nomination.

A sequel is now being readied for release, directed by Bruce’s son Dana Brown and shot using 4K Ultra HD equipment. On Any Sunday, The Next Chapter is backed by Red Bull, KTM and Skullcandy, and the PR machine is about to hit top gear.


Long Live The Kings

Clement Beauvais and Arthur de Kersauson scored a king hit with this oddball six-minute documentary. Released two years ago, it follows the lads from Blitz Motorcycles on a roadtrip through France. Shot on Super 16 film, it’s a beguiling mix of edginess and elegance.

If you like Kings, keep an eye out for Beauvais and de Kersauson’s new full-length documentary, The Greasy Hands Preachers. It’s just premiered at the San Sebastian Film Festival, with Orlando Bloom on board as executive producer. Early reports are mixed for that one, but we’ll reserve judgment until we’ve seen it ourselves.


Tom Fugle

If the name Scott Pommier sounds familiar, you’ve probably seen his peerless motorcycle photography—often monochrome, but always atmospheric. Pommier has now made a five-minute film: a profile of veteran builder Tom Fugle.

Fugle is one of the founders of the El Forastero outlaw motorcycle club—which counted artist Dave Mann amongst its members. But this film is about Tom’s passion for bikes, and mighty fine it is too.


Waiting Out Winter
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. This is Andrew David Watson’s homage to craftspeople who spend cold days inside their workshops, building and fettling, and waiting for better weather. If you’ve ever shivered inside your garage while working on your bike, you’ll sympathize.


Chennai To Pondicherry
Director Skylar Nielsen took a crew on a motorcycle tour of Southern India, and the result is as tasty as a hot masala dosa. The trip south down the East Coast Road was eye opening, and Nielsen has somehow captured the mayhem of being surrounded by thousands of cars, tuk-tuks, cows, goats, and dogs. Sensory overload at its finest.


Shinya Kimura - Chabott Engineering

This is the gold standard: the film that raised the bar, and every other director looks up to. It’s four years old now, but has lost none of its appeal. Director Henrik Hansen takes us on a trip into the world and mindset of Shinya Kimura, the enigmatic Japanese builder who set up Zero Engineering and now practices his craft in the small town of Azusa, California.

He’s one of the few builders who can command more than $100,000 for his work, and after watching this, you’ll see why. It’s two minutes and 45 seconds of perfection.

Picking The Best Motorcycle Helmet For You

Welcome to one of life's greatest adventures. Whether you ride a sportbike or a cruiser as a pleasure seeker or commuter, riding on two wheels is a phenomenal experience designed to give you years of enjoyment and satisfaction.

Before you fight traffic with cars or plan that weekend excursion on backcountry roads you'll need to invest in some very important equipment - namely riding gear. Body protection is a must when riding your sportbike or cruiser and nothing could be more important than a helmet. You likely did some research before deciding on a sportbike or cruiser so you're going to want to do the same before grabbing any 'ole helmet.

You'll notice a sportbike helmet looks much different from a dirt bike or motocross helmet. Helmets designed for sportbikes and cruisers are more round without the extended chin protection needed for dirt bike riding. Plus, you have a variety of choices depending on your preference:

• Full Face
• Dual Sport
• Half Shell / Open Face
• Modular

 
Let's go through a few points to help narrow down to your ideal helmet.

What will the helmet be used for? 

1. Are you a beginner?
If you're new to sportbikes or cruisers, a high-end, high-priced helmet loaded with features may not be the best purchase. Getting your feet off the ground and adapting to the bike is important in order to decide whether riding on two wheels is the hobby and transportation method for you.

2. Do you plan to ride a lot or commute to work?
If riding is your everyday transportation or you take weekly road trips, higher end helmets may prove to be more comfortable and offer better dynamics and reduced wind noise.

3. Are you riding with a group?
Many bikers join riding groups and if you haven't already done so eventually you'll pal around with others and find group riding enhances the overall experience. One key element to group riding is communication and you'll want a helmet with built in communication provisions.
What features do you want?
1. Helmet weight
Helmets typically range in weight from 1400 to 1800 grams. The key to weight is a properly fitting helmet so the weight is distributed evenly around your head and shoulders. If the center of gravity is off a lighter helmet can feel heavier and strain your neck. Modular helmets often weigh more than a Full Face because of the apparatus installed to flip up the visor.
2. Helmet construction
What the helmet is made of influences a number of factors including weight, comfort and safety rating. Polycarbonate, Fiberglass composite and Carbon Fiber compose most helmets.
3. Optional features
Today's helmets offer numerous technological advances. Features like integrated sunshade, wind reduction measures and communication provisions all serve to enhance the riding experience. 
What type of bike do you ride?

Adventure Touring

Riders on these bikes typically prefer Modular helmets which allow you to raise the face shield and some incorporate elements to raise the entire front of the helmet.

Cruiser

Cruiser riders generally enjoy the breezy style in the Half Shell helmet. This is a minimalist helmet for the casual rider.

Old School/Cafe Bike

These riders hearken back to yesteryear for the old days of motorcycle riding using an Open Face helmet. It offers more protection than a half-shell and provides a big nostalgia factor.

Sportbike

A full face helmet is the norm for sportbikers. Full face helmets offer elite all-around protection with a solid chin bar and flip-up shield. These are the safest helmets.

Helmet Safety Ratings

1. DOT - The United States Department of Transportation sets a minimum standard level of protection for helmets.
2. ECE22.02 - The U.N. Economic Commission for Europe sets a standard level of protection for helmets in Europe.
3. Snell2010 - A non-profit in the United States founded after the death of Pete Snell, a sports car racer who died from head injuries.

You can find myriad of articles debating the merits of Snell's stringent standards over the government's guidelines and whether or not a helmet with Snell certification is better than DOT or ECE. The bottom line is every helmet MotoSport sells meets or exceeds the standards set by DOT. We also carry helmets certified by ECE as well as helmets manufactured to meet Snell Standards.

Top Five Motorcycle Life Hacks

Who said life hacks are only for things at home?

FortNine, previously called "Canada's Motorcycle" has compiled five of the most useful life hacks for your bike!

It's amazing how you can make your rides better by just using a few little things that are laying around your house.


Do watch this video and share it with your friends! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3Vwpo_Xbgk

10 Biggest Dangers To Bikers On The Road

1. Oncoming traffic

Maybe a driver is texting on his cell phone. Maybe a driver is eating a burrito. Maybe a driver is just daydreaming. It doesn’t matter what causes it, but all it takes to cause a serious wreck is for one driver to drift into the other lane.

A driver doesn’t even need to hit a rider directly since even being clipped by an oncoming car can knock a rider from his bike. Sadly, keeping a constant eye on traffic and riding like everybody is out to kill you is the only way to minimize your risk of colliding with oncoming traffic.

2. Cars waiting to turn

Intersections are about as dangerous as it gets, and part of that has to do with drivers making careless left turns. Motorcyclists all have stories about narrowly avoiding a collision with a car pulling out in front of them, and sadly, far too many have stories about actually being hit by those cars.

Drivers need to put down their cell phones and pay better attention to what’s going on around them, but riders need to also pay extra attention while riding through intersections. That added vigilance could save a life.

3. Panic stops

There’s always potential for a wreck when someone has to slam on the brakes, but it’s always more dangerous when you’re on a motorcycle. Since your front brake provides 70% of your stopping power, you have to use it, but if you grab the brake too hard, locking up your front wheel and throwing yourself off the bike are always risks.

Buying a bike with anti-lock brakes will help mitigate this problem, but if you don’t have ABS, it’s even more important to learn how your bike handles under heavy braking. That way you’ll be ready the next time you have to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting the car in front of you.

4. Gravel on the road

Motorcycles are very good at going around corners in normal situations on normal roads, but when you start throwing obstacles into their path, that’s when things get tricky. Sticks, dirt, and even roadkill can be difficult to handle, but the worst road obstacle is gravel.

Gravel kills your grip, causing your bike to behave unpredictably and easily causing a wreck. If you’re going to go down, a low-side fall is about as good as it gets. Unfortunately, riders trying to recover from hitting gravel can easily high-side as well, which is much more dangerous.

5. Too much speed through a corner

One of the best things about motorcycles is that they’re fast. For the cost of a new Honda Civic, you can buy a bike that will hold its own against quarter-million-dollar supercars. Experiencing raw, unbridled speed for the first time is intoxicating, but it’s also dangerous.

In a straight line, most riders don’t get themselves in too much trouble, but learning to take a corner is much more difficult. New riders are especially at risk of taking a corner too fast, but even experienced riders occasionally make mistakes.

6. Opening car doors
This isn’t usually a problem once you’re out on an open road since drivers rarely open their doors while moving, but in cities, riders have to be be on the lookout for people opening their car doors. Cyclists have dealt with this problem for years, but it’s even more dangerous for motorcycle riders who often travel at faster speeds than bicycles.
Despite the fact that they’re putting someone else’s life at risk, those drivers have no problem opening their doors to prevent riders from splitting lanes.

 7. Cars changing lanes

You would think drivers would care more about not murdering people, but despite the increasing number of motorcyclists on the roads and cars with blind spot monitoring systems, drivers still routinely attempt to change lanes without looking or paying attention. Unfortunately, two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. When a car hits a motorcycle while changing lanes, it’s the rider, not the driver who loses every time.

At highway speeds, that can easily be deadly even if a rider is wearing proper gear. On a crowded highway, it’s even more dangerous. Not all drivers signal their intentions before changing lanes, but most do. Paying attention to which cars are beginning to drift over can help you spot a dangerous lane change before it happens.

8. Other drivers behind you

Riding through an intersection is dangerous, but so is being stopped at one. Drivers who aren’t paying attention have a habit of rear-ending other vehicles, and in most cases, it’s unfortunate, but at least cars have crumple zones and seatbelts. When a distracted driver rear-ends a motorcycle, there isn’t much to protect the rider even in a low speed crash.

Even when you’re not stopped at an intersection, other drivers can still be a threat. Slow-moving traffic may even be more dangerous than stopped traffic. Vehicles are bunched much more closely in that kind of situation, and all it takes is a driver getting distracted for a second to knock a rider off her bike and into traffic.

9. Inclement weather

Riding a motorcycle in rain is pretty miserable. You usually get soaked, other drivers splash water on you, and the large puddles that collect at the bottom of hills may as well be rivers that you have to drive through. The roads get more slick, visibility is reduced, and drivers rarely adjust their speed, making the road a dangerous place for motorcycle riders.

There’s also a reason riding in winter is not advised. Yes, proper equipment can keep you warm, but snow and ice are about as dangerous as it gets. Even if you’re not riding in an area with snow on the ground, you still need to be careful on long rides, because you never know what could be down the road a few hundred miles.

10. Drinking and riding

Unlike cars, motorcycles offer riders the illusion that they’re safe to ride even while intoxicated. At speed, they’re self-stabilizing, and with so much room in the lane, a little swerving seems like it will probably go unnoticed by law enforcement. Mix that with the drinking culture that surrounds motorcycles, and you have a recipe for trouble.

No matter how safe it feels at the time, alcohol slows your reaction time, impairs your judgment, and is a factor in an unnecessarily-large number of wrecks. Simply not drinking and riding reduces your risk of wrecking drastically. Don’t be your own worst enemy. Only ride sober.