Move it along folks. Nothing here to see...

Just for kicks, City Biker is moving over to www.CityBikerBlog.com

August will be our transition month – we’re slowly packing our bikes and moving over to this new URL (metaphorically speaking).  So we hope to see you over there soon!  So if you’re a citybiker or a citybiker at heart point your bookmarks to our new URL!!  Cheers!

This won’t be news for most of my readers, so…if you want to read it anyway…what you can do with this post is [a] try to guess what bike the above picture is of, and [b] post any other tips you might give to a new citybiker on basic chain maintenance.

Some people really like getting their hands dirty with motorcycle maintenance. I don’t particularly enjoy it, but there are some things you just have to do: and if you have a chain driven motorcycle (which is most motorcycles except BMW’s and some Harley’s) you have to clean and lubricate the chain. The truth is modern o-ring chains hold on to lubrication so well that they really don’t require too much fuss. Nevertheless we want to keep our bikes in top shape, and the only thing that’s more of a pain than cleaning and lubing a chain is replacing one. So here’s a quickie step by step you can do every couple of weeks or (if you’re riding long distances) every thousand miles or so…

Step One: Warm up the chain.
You do this by riding around for twenty minutes or so. The idea is that you want the lube to be on the chain as it cools down so that it is pulled into the o-rings. I don’t know where I read that. It makes sense… But from an engineering perspective, it doesn’t make THAT much of a difference. Nevertheless, it gives you an excuse to ride around for a bit.

Step Two: Clean the gunk off the chain.
Once the chain is warmed up you want to clean off all the dirt that is stuck to the old grease. You can use WD-40, Kerosene, or even just spray on lube if it’s oil based…

[a] Put the bike up on a center stand (watch this for help) or rear stand (you can do this without a stand, but it’s more of a pain, rolling the bike a foot forward at a time to roll the chain).

[b] Put the bike in neutral so that the rear wheel spins freely.

[c] Spray the chain with a cleaning agent and wipe it down. Try not to get it all over the rear wheel. Spraying downward helps. And you might want to put a newspaper or a rag underneath to catch drips. Roll the wheel slowly until you douse the entire chain. [Tip: there's usually one link with a rivet, that looks slightly different from the others. If you can find it, you'll have a reference as to where you started spraying]

What cleaning agent should you use? Some people just use the (oil based) spray-on chain lube and wipe it off for routine cleaning. Some people use WD-40 (but others say this is no good because it cleans too much of the lube off). Others use “chain cleaner” type products in a spray can. And old school folks use kerosene on a rag and just wipe the chain.

* Super anal types use a toothbrush to really get all the gunk off the chain. You can also use steel wool.

Step Three: Lubricate the Chain.

[a] The part of the chain that matters is the o-ring…or the links, so wherever else the lube winds up make sure you get those spots.

[b] Let it sit for a while so that the lube can “set.”

If you need a visual, try this video.

What kind of lube should I use? Everyone has their own opinion on this… I think the bottom line is it doesn’t really matter all that much! Any of the motorcycle “Chain Wax” or “Lube” that you get from a bike shop will do. Probably around $8 for a can that will last you many many months. Old school folks like using regular automotive grease. Some folks like using Teflon spray (sounds good to me, but it’s hard to find). I personally use the spray on Wax kind mainly because it goes on white…so it’s easier to see where I’ve already sprayed… but that’s really the only reason.

How often do I need to do this?

Once you know what you’re doing the whole thing should take you 5 minutes, every couple of weeks… And maybe half hour for a thorough cleaning once (or twice if you ride in the winter) a year.  When should you do it?  It really depends on the riding conditions.  Just look at your chain every now and then to see how dry or dirty it is.  A dry chain will rust in the rain, but no biggie, you can clean it off with steel wool – or just clean the gunk off and make sure it’s lubed in the right places.

[Next you'll need to learn how to check and adjust the chain tension...]

One of the joys of driving a nice car is looking out at the road over a cool fighter-pilot inspired dashboard. Of course your eyes are on the road, but you can see the speedometer in your lower field of vision – always ready for a quick glance at the speed or rpms or navigation system. The problem is, this perfectly good practice of having the instrument panel in your field of vision when driving a car encourages a really bad habit for motorcyclists… In a car, you can see the instrument panel while seated in the proper driving position looking out at the road; but in a motorcycle, the only way to see the instrument panel is if you’re head is down looking at the front wheel.

This is why full race bikes do not have speedometers and many racing schools tape over the speedos of their school bikes. Because when you’re riding properly there’s no time to look down at the gauges… In the same way when you’re looking into a corner while turning, if you’re looking in the right place, you won’t be able to see the front of the bike: you shouldn’t be able to see the front wheel, or the gauges, or the mirrors (check your mirrors before you begin a turn) because you’ll be looking in a different direction entirely.

One of the reason people have trouble with sharp turns is because they’re not used to looking away from the bike deep into the turns. And one of the main causes of crashes is a rider being unable to turn the bike sharply (even though the bike is more than capable of the turn). Because the only way you’ll be able to (really) lean a bike over on its side is if you turn your head and look in that direction.

So here’s the tip: Eyes up here buddy! If you can see your speedo by just looking down with your eyes, then your head is probably in the wrong position. Learn to judge your speed with your eyes rather than using your gauges (that’s what the pros do)… Cheers!

On the one hand CityBiker is a regular blog for people who love to ride motorcycles – with a slight inclination toward people who live and ride in cities – but the other way people come to the site is through Google search looking common riding topics… So here are the top 5 posts that many people jump to – in case you missed it.

#1 Riding Tips: Finding the Right Position

Most people can get by with bad riding habits…but what the proper riding position offers is direct control over the motorcycle… When you are locked in the correct position on a motorcycle you can swerve left or right or make emergency maneuvers without having to brace yourself or change your body position… Steering becomes a simple matter of pushing left, to go left, pushing right to go right…this way you can focus on your driving without struggling with your weight or balance.

#2 How to Park your Motorcycle on the Street

It’s a strange feeling, the first time you leave your bike unattended on the streets of New York. Someone could just go sit on it and start messing around. A car could knock it over while parking. Anyone could come over and steal it. But the remarkable thing is…you CAN park on the streets, and it CAN be safe! Of course there are real “dangers” to worry about, but there are some simple things you can do to minimize the chances of it. First let’s talk about WHERE you can park in NYC…

#3 What Makes a Good Starter Bike?

…On congested city streets, a person who lacks the sense to learn safely on a 600 will not be safe on a 250. However there are principles and needs that can be understood and addressed to benefit new riders while increasing chances of safety developing motorcycle skills. So here’s a quick rundown of some basic needs new riders have along with some principles to apply in choosing a first motorcycle…

#4 Riding Tips: Taking a Passenger

Everyone who aspires to ride a motorcycle dreams of riding off into the sunset – or at least a nice dinner and a movie – with a friend or a date riding on the back.

#5 How to Buy a Used Motorcycle

With a few simple checks you will have a sense of the bike’s “Story.” If you have a bad feeling about something, simply walk away. There will always be another “perfect” “great deal” bike on Craigslist…

Two Runners Up:

Let’s Talk Motorcycle Jackets

Safety & Style

Are automatic (shift-less clutch-less) motorcycles the way of the future? Newer sporty/motorcycle/scooter crossover bikes like the Aprilia Mana and Honda DN-01 bring the convenience of automatic scooters and the performance (not to mention the looks) of motorcycles together. But here’s the question: would you ditch your shifter for an automatic if it could offer comparable performance (as these bikes claim)?

It has become more important than ever for the general public to realize that motorcyclists are not just Hell’s Angels Biker types, or Nazi Helmet wearing sportbike guys…with loud pipes and even louder personalities.  There are many of those (perhaps a few too many).  But motorcyclists come in all shapes and sizes and all walks of life.  Not only that, for some reason people on motorcycles are usually friendly and helpful (bikers usually help out other bikers) and the kind of people you’d generally want in your neighborhood… This is so contrary to what people think (from television and movies) bikers are like that it’s going to take a lot of work to break the stereotypes.

I think it’s more important than ever because both the environment and gas prices make motorcycles a great alternative to automobiles…  If you’re too far to bicycle, and don’t need to carry large amounts of gear, a motorcycle can get you anywhere a car can get you, faster, safely (once you learn to manage your risks), and with more fun.  But the key to having more motorcycles on the road and more motorcycle friendly cities is changing the public perception.  So here’s your chance!  Wednesday July 16 is the annual “Ride to Work Day.”  I don’t know anything more about these guys than what’s on the web site here.  But the weather should be great here in NY tomorrow…  Cheers!

I (like a lot of people my age) grew up with a slight bias against Japanese cars and bikes, but when I grew up I put my childish ways behind me and saw the light… A nice shiny Honda headlight.

Most of you have already seen this – but just in case you missed it…here’s a hint: this bike gets 168 miles per gallon…and can run on used vegetable oil rather than that pretentious 10W40 stuff…

Riding in and around NY is probably not quite like riding in other motorcycle towns. You don’t have windy roads with scenic outlooks, you have windy cabs with aggressive drivers on cell phones. The apex of a canyon turn never changes, but the proper line between an SUV, a cab and a delivery truck is constantly in flux. All the traditional advice holds true here: “ride like no one sees you”, “ride like they’re trying to kill you.” To which we can add one more: Always have an exit strategy! A VIABLE exit strategy…

How do you define a viable exit strategy? If any of the cars or trucks near you decided to suddenly come into your path, a viable exit strategy = having someplace to go and the time to get there. So if there’s a car ahead of you in your right lane, a possible exit strategies might include: [a] brake hard (if there’s no one behind you and you’re going at a reasonable speed); [b] swerve left (if there’s no one to the left or rear of you); [c] swerve to the right (to where the offending car came from). The point is that you should ALWAYS have an exit strategy should a driver decide to become inadvertently homicidal toward bikers. And it should be a VIABLE exit strategy meaning: Can you actually brake in time if that car decided to swerve (or are you going too fast)? Can you actually turn in time (or are you too close)? Can you actually get into that space if this truck decided to swerve for a pothole?

Some common problems to watch out for:

1. Cars that swerve right to make a left turn (and vice versa) - I don’t know why people do this, but it seems to be a quite natural reflex. If there is a sharp left turn people steer right (first) and then left. This is dangerous for motorcycles in two ways. [1] Often the car will slow down a bit and begin to swerve…this can prompt a motorcyclist to try to pass the car. If the car swerves right, the motorcyclist tries to pass on the left and gets hit. [2] The car signals left and slows down, the motorcyclist goes to pass on the right and gets hit as the car swerves right.
2. Cars stuck in a slow lane jumping out into the faster lane - This is a problem especially when you are in the free lane to the right…but it’s also a problem when you’re in the left lane as some cars have a bigger blind spot to the left.
3. Cars and trucks swerving for potholes…
4. Oncoming cars making left turns into your path - This is one of the most common causes of accidents…especially when you’re going fast. Even when they see you many drivers have trouble judging the speed at which you’re traveling toward them.
5. Cars slowing down to make sudden illegal u-turns - Happened to me the other day…on a one-way road. The car slowed and pulled to the right lane while it was far ahead of me, then unexpectedly (to me) turned left and blocked the entire road in order to make a u-turn (did I mention it was a one-way street)…my only option was to emergency brake… What’s ironic about this is that the road was fairly empty – which probably contributed to this driver making such a bonehead move.
6. Trucks making wide turns - When a truck makes a right turn there’s it will first move to the left of the lane and then turn late in order to clear the curb. If you’re making a right turn, it’s tempting to just pass it on the right. How fast is the truck moving? If you’re in that turn when the truck turns in you’re toast.
7. Taxis crossing several lanes to get to the curb - this past holiday season an older couple was hurt and killed as a cab they were hailing crashed into another cab careened out of control and pinned them to a lamp post. Crazy! Most cab drivers are reasonably professional, but a few of them are exhausted and have little love for humanity… Cabs hit pedestrians all the time, so they’re the number one thing to watch out for in Manhattan. Most cabbies, when they see you, will make room for you to pass. But if a cabbie makes eye contact and still aggressively inches into your path, then be forewarned, he’s not one of the friendlies!
8. Cars Trucks or Taxis running a red light - Just because you have a green light doesn’t mean it’s safe to go. Watch out for that red-light runner before you cross the intersection.
9. Pedestrians - because we live in a society that values human life, there are many people walking the streets who have no common sense when it comes to traffic. Don’t just look for cars, look for pedestrians and have an exit strategy should one break loose from the curb unexpectedly.
10. Buses and the cars stuck around them - Buses, especially the extended double buses, are some of the biggest causes of traffic along the Avenues. Whenever there are two or more buses you can expect zig zagging cars trying to get out from behind and pedestrians running into the street. Watch out because they can also be quite aggressive in taking over lanes.

Right now all the non-riders and non-New Yorkers are thinking, “Why would anyone want to ride in a place like that?” It’s often not as bad as it sounds. But like motorcycling in general, you need to manage risks effectively… And one of the key ways we manage risks riding in the city is to ALWAYS HAVE AN EXIT STRATEGY. It’s not enough to ride slow – riding slow can put you in danger. Ride smart, ride safe! Cheers!

Today is a heavy traffic day. And it’s hot… And there are a lot more trucks than usual. And did I mention the temperature? But every time I think it’s too hot to wear a jacket or too difficult riding a sportbike I think of this guy… See video.

There’s another guy, Nick Sanders, who’s going around the world (for the 7th time!) on a motorcycle, and I think he’s doing it on a R1. But Sjaak (“shock”) Lucassen was probably the first to try and make a trip like this on a sportbike…and he wears full leathers…in the jungle…on an R1. Now I think he’s crazy, but this has got to be the epitome of motorcycling. The sense of freedom. The sense that you can, quite literally, go anywhere.

Yogi Berra put it well when he said “Ninety percent of baseball is all mental (the other half is physical)!” You can apply this to motorcycling… The difference between a safe fast ride and a slow dangerous one is not just a matter of skill, but of mindset…

I linked the MCN video here – you don’t have to watch it if you’re not into this sort of thing – but what’s interesting is on the laps where the rider was able to go faster, he actually felt like he was going slower. And along with that he felt more relaxed and less on edge, but he was actually going faster! Now this doesn’t mean if you relax you will automatically go faster around a track – but what it does point out the mindset of effective motorcycling… Motorcycling is like poetry in motion. It forces you to be relaxed (tension in the arms works against you on a motorcycle), to think ahead, and be fluid (stop and go and sudden throttle movements don’t help you on a motorcycle).

So relax. Don’t rush into turns or poorly planned positions in traffic. Think ahead. Be aware of your surroundings. Feeling rushed just works against you. Instead focus on effective throttle control (rolling on smoothly whenever you crack the throttle open), body position(s), braking (smoothly yet quickly) and your position in the traffic around you. A good ride won’t feel fast – it’ll feel relaxed and fluid.