4 Motorcycle Accessories That Can Help You Today

When it comes to riding a motorcycle, being visible at all time is the key. Usually, when we buy something there are accessories that come along with it. Whether this is a phone, a laptop or a motorbike. In our new post, we will discuss some accessories that can help you if you are a rider.

Brake Free

Brake free is an LED light that sits at the back of your helmet. Unlike your motorcycle’s tail light, this LED light is positioned at eye level, so all other drivers can see you. This gives you an advantage because it essentially makes you more visible on the road to anyone else behind or beside you. The LED light works when the rider is slowing down, whether that’s braking, down-shifting, or engine braking. Brake Free is designed with an 8+ battery life and has a 2 hour recharge period when the battery does eventually go flat. In addition, it doesn’t need to be connected with wires or apps. 

The Turn Point smart glove is a new way for motorcycle riders to navigate to a new destination. As riders, something we all struggle with is memorizing routes and how to get to certain destinations. It’s frustrating until we have completed the journey enough times to know where to go based on previous experience. Often, riders will mount mobile phones on handlebars which can work however, this method can be unstable as the phone is shaky, making the directions hard to see or read. The Turn Point device sits on the glove is a new way to use a GPS navigation app on a mobile phone synced to a Bluetooth le device. This device uses LEDs to notify the rider of where to turn when you at turns, and which direction to go. 

The 20s motorcycle Bluetooth communication system by Sena is dynamic, intuitive, and created with the ride in mind. Advancements found in every detail are the result of feedback and suggestions received from experienced riders. In addition, you can pair your mobile phone with the device for quick access to powerful features such as pairing with other 20s handsets, managing rider groups, pre-set radio stations, and set up speed dials to name a few. 

Nelson Rigg

For years, Nelson Rigg has been producing quality motorcycle covers, arguably the best in the industry. The motorcycle covers are accessible in various features, colors, and styles. From lightweight dust covers to keep your motorbike clean, to full strength all weather covers protecting you from extreme conditions. Most Nelson Rigg covers come compact in a compression bag making the ultimate compact storage. Essentially, the cover just must be removed from the motorcycle and rolled up in the compression bag. It offers the ultimate motorcycle protection in a convenient way. 

Motorcycle Training Perth

Are you looking for motorcycle lessons in Perth? At MTWS, we provide 1-on-1 motorcycle training to ensure you have the required skills to excel in motorbike riding. Contact us today for more information or book a lesson now. 

How To Permanently Repair Your Tire

Remove the object that caused the puncture

To repair any tire, you must remove the object that is causing the whole in the first place. Using sandpaper to rough up the inside of the tire so that the patch being used can be effectively applied in conjunction with rubber cement.

Note: for small punctures in the middle of a tire, this method can work. However, punctures on the side of the tire it may be impossible to repair. Once the sandpaper has been used on the inside surface of the tire, you will need to use the rubber cement on the inside of the tire. In addition to the tire, apply the rubber cement to the patch itself, which will soften and vulcanize the rubber. The whole purpose of this repair is that it both fills the void punctured by the tire and it seals the tire from the inside.

Feed the patch through the whole

While feeding the patch through the hole from the inside, grab a pair of pliers and pull the tip of the patch from the reverse side of the tire. Try to get a firm grip on the metal sheet and pull it completely through until you are left with the rubber patch filling the whole. Now, let the patch vulcanize and cure for around 10 minutes and then put the wheel back on the rim.

Then, inflate the tire and see if it holds air. If it does, you have successfully repaired the tire. Hopefully, you have now learned how to do a permanent repair on a motorcycle tire.

Motorcycle Training Perth

Are you looking for motorcycle lessons in Perth? At MTWS, we provide 1-on-1 motorcycle training to ensure you have the required skills to excel in motorbike riding. Contact us today for more information or book a lesson now

How to Change Your Motorcycle Grips

Are you in need of new grips for your motorcycle? Changing the grips on your motorcycle is something that should be done as soon as a rider can feel that grips are starting to wear out. In our new blog post, we will discuss exactly how to remove your worn-out grips and replace them with your new ones.

To remove your old grips, you will need five items; your new hand grips, a blade to cut off the old ones, hairspray or grip glue, safety gloves, and a screwdriver.

Remove Bar End Mirror

The first thing you will have to do is remove the bar end and the mirror from your handle. You can do this by unscrewing the bolt connecting the bar end to the handle. This is the easy part of the process and doesn’t take much effort, all you need is a screwdriver to remove the bolt.

Remove the Hand Grips

Now the hand grips can be removed by either pulling them off which requires more effort or cutting them with a razor blade. If you intend on throwing the grips away, cutting them is the easier way to go. Simply do this by cutting a slit right through the grip. Ensure you are working with a sharp, new blade to cut right through the hand grip on the first attempt. As a safety measure, wear gloves in the event of the blade slipping.

If you are looking to keep your old grips, you can remove them by using an air pressure machine to pull them off. The idea here is to apply air pressure inside the grip while simultaneously pulling it off.

 Apply Glue or Hairspray

In addition to using grip glue, another effective method is using hairspray because this doesn’t leave any residue behind. A pro taper glue does tend to leave a sticky residue that must be removed whenever changing grips. Always ensure the hand bar is clean and smooth before you apply the new hand grips to ensure it remains intact. Usually, the tighter grip will go on the left-hand bar, and the larger grip will be used for your throttle which is the right bar.

Always examine your grips to determine which is the correct side before applying them. Spray the new grip on the inside with either the grip glue or hairspray, and then apply the new grip by pushing it into the handlebar.

Finishing Up

Once you have applied the new grips, let them sit for awhile before using the bike to allow the glue to work. In the meantime, you can put the bar end and mirror back on by screwing in the bolt using the screwdriver. 

Motorcycle Training Perth

Are you looking for motorcycle lessons in Perth? At MTWS, we provide 1-on-1 motorcycle training to ensure you have the required skills to excel in motorbike riding. Contact us today for more information or book a lesson now

 Motorcycle Safety Tips

Safety is always the number one priority. Some of these tipsmay seem obvious, others may seem very helpful. Whether you are a completelynew rider or if you have been riding for years, here are some safety tips thatwill help you:

Don’t Buy ABike You Can’t Handle

A big mistake new riders make is that they buy or use motorbikesthat they can’t physically handle. If you are short or small, recognise thefact that you need a bike that will accommodate that. Too much power and speed willbe making the riding experience uncomfortable and unmanageable. Just like youneed the right size bowling ball to get a strike, you need the right bike to successfullyhandle it.

Hone YourSkills

When honing your skills location is everything. Always trypractice in daylight and in empty streets where you know there won’t be a busystream of vehicles around you. Big residential roads that include a cul de sac whereyou can turn around will help you practice without worrying too much about yourenvironment. This will allow you to practice your turning and getting use toyour bike while honing your skills.

Use TheRight Gear

Getting a helmetshould always be one of the first things you should do before ever getting on abike. You must protect your head always and it’s crucial that this area of yourbody is always protected. Even if you are wearing a helmet, when was this lasttime you checked to see of it needs to be replaced?

In addition to a quality helmet, always make sure you arewearing a reliable jacket, gloves, pants and boots. Wearing appropriate gearwill protect you from a world of problems that you never want to face, soinvest in some gear before your start riding anywhere.

RideDefensively

The unfortunate truth is that, as riders on the road peopledon’t see you and some don’t even care if you are there. As riders we must ridedefensively to protect ourselves and always ensure that we have a clearunderstanding of our surroundings.

For example, when approaching an intersection always lookboth ways. In a car, even if you get hit at least you are surrounded by theframe and air bags, on a bike there is no protection which is why your ridingstyle has to always be sharp and defensive.

Try AvoidRiding in Bad Weather

Always try avoiding riding in rain, snow or any bad weatherthat’s going to increases the chances of an accident. If you ever get stuck inthe rain the best thing to do is find an overpass and just stick it out untilthere is a break in the weather. It’s always better to wait in a safe spot thanto try and rush home to get out the weather.

Its best to wait out bad weather especially in the beginningwhen the roads are getting wet from the rain because that’s when the oils fromthe roads rise. Here, you want to wait until the oils wash to the sides of theroad where it is out of the way.

Check YourBike Before You Ride

Always make sure you have thoroughly checked your motorbikebefore you start riding. Something that you should always be aware of is yourtyre pressure and make sure it is appropriate because if it’s to low its goingto be harder to turn, accelerate and harder to stop.  

Your fuel level should also always be checked because thelast thing you want is to be stranded on an empty fuel tank. A great tip hereis to always fill up and the end of a ride, this way every time you ump on abike you will know you have enough fuel to get to your destination (dependingwhere you are going). Make sure that your bike has no leaks for example if yourmotorbike is leaking oil always address that issue before going for a ride.

These are obvious tips tell help you out the next time you onthe roads and you are encountering challenges. For more tips, please visit our blog. 

Motorcycle Training Perth

Are you looking for motorcycle lessons in Perth? At MTWS, we provide 1-on-1 motorcycle training to ensure you have the required skills to excel in motorbike riding. Contact us today for more information or book a lesson now

How To Promote Motorcycle Lessons

At MTWS, we provide professional motorcycle lessons to riders here in Perth. Our lessons can be found in many ways; through our website, on Google, our Facebook page, and even through customer referrals. To cut a long story short, we do a good job in getting our name out there and promoting our lessons.

As a motorcycle school, it’s crucial that people in your area see you as a professional instructor and someone who specializes in a specific industry. This allows you to be seen as the “go-to” person when someone needs a specific service or solution.

In this blog post, we will discuss why you need to promote your motorcycle lessons and how to do so.

Social Media

Almost everyone today uses social media. In fact, those who don’t own a Facebook account are seen as dangerous, crazy right? The point is everyone is active on a social platform, meaning you can reach them through these channels.

Our Facebook page contains regular updates from out motorcycle school, reviews, motorcycle news and our latest blog posts. This gets our name out there and engages our audience with our brand.

The first thing to do is set up a Facebook or social media account that you know your audience is active on. Create the account and start targeting that audience with promotions and why they should choose you as a motorcycle instructor. In 2018, it’s crucial for a business to be active on social media and engaging with their target market. Besides, setting up an account is free! But it does take work and you may need to put money towards advertising but the point is getting started.

Build a Website

There’s one thing every business needs in 2018, and that’s a website. You absolutely need a website that people can visit to see what services or products you offer. Our website is updated regularly and is highly visible on Google because we know many people search for motorcycle lessons in our area which is why we have put time on our site.

A website does cost but it’s worth an investment. Before putting the resources into building a website consider the following, will you need a web designer to help you? Or an SEO consultant to get your website seen? All these factors cost money so consider them beforehand.

Another reason to have a website is that it makes you look professional. A potential customer needs to see you as someone who is serious and professional before they will go ahead and work with you. A modern, user-friendly website helps convey a professional business and will help you attract a larger market.

Make Connections in Your Industry

Making connections can prove to be beneficial in the long run. Join motorcycle forums in your community as well notable nationwide forums and become familiar with those who contribute on the form. If you form connections with contributors in other countries, explore the possibility of collaborating in some form, perhaps by producing a guest blog post for their site and vice versa.

At the end of the day, how you promote anything can be detrimental to success. So get the word out there, and let people you know you provide motorcycle lessons.

Motorcycle Training Perth

Are you looking for motorcycle lessons in Perth? At MTWS, we provide 1-on-1 motorcycle training to ensure you have the required skills to excel in motorbike riding. Contact us today for more information or book a lesson now. 

Are You Making These Common Motorcycle Mistakes?

So, you’ve gone for your motorcycle lessons, you passed your test and now you out on the open road. Using the skills you learned to ride your ways through the streets and never have to sit in traffic. Congratulations. Especially for first-time riders, there are common mistakes that usually occur due to a lack of experience. It’s normal and we've all made these mistakes and more importantly, they made so we can learn from them and improve as riders. In our latest post, we are going to discuss 4 very common mistakes beginners make on a bike.

Stalling

As a beginner, it's difficult to avoid stalling simply because of the lack of experience you have. Just like driving a car, you will learn to understand your bike as you ride, and it will become second nature. Stalling is arguably the most common mistake, however, learning to avoid this is easy as you just have to master the clutch lever and this will come with experience.  

Stalling occurs when you pull the lever all the way in which causes you to be at full throttle. Ultimately, you need to develop a feel for your friction point. Once you have experience with this, stalling will become an amusing mishap.

Ignoring Your Fuel Range

Running out of fuel is not fun. You might think this will never happen to you, but everyone who has run out of fuel thought the exact same thing so be careful. This comes down to being aware of your bike and understanding how much fuel will be required for a certain range.

What makes things even more challenging for beginners, is that some motorcycles lack fuel gauges. Your fuel range depends on how you ride, so if you find yourself always running out of fuel quite quickly, you may want to make some minor adjustments to your riding style. Fortunately, finding a spot to fill up in an urban area is usually quite easy.

One thing you should do on a regular basis is insect the inside of your fuel tank to establish when you're getting close to empty. When doing this, make sure to always use disposable nitrile gloves to prevent your hands from becoming dirty.

Going for a joyride with Friends

For new riders, the thought of taking others on the bike with you is mind-boggling. You couldn’t think of anything better to do with your day. For seasoned, experienced riders, having someone jump on the back generally doesn’t make the day more exciting, at all.  This is only because we’ve felt the early rush you experiencing when you first start out riding.

This first thing to remember is that your passenger's safety is your responsibility, they trust that you know what you are doing and that you have done this before. The second thing to remember is that the handling and dynamics of a motorcycle are different when riding alone compared to when you’re with a passenger.

It’s best to make 100% sure that you are ready to take someone out for a ride. Driving alone for your first few months is advisable before having anyone join you.

Always Wanting to Ride

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to ride all the time. But what we as motorcyclists must remember is that our method of transport is not the safest. It’s not as safe as a car because of how exposed we are. The more often you are out there on the road, the higher the chance of something going wrong, and that’s just the truth. This applies to any rider. But why this particularly applies to new riders is because you have yet to master your bike, so by putting yourself out on the road all the time you are not giving yourself a chance to ease into it.

It’s almost the same as starting out in a gym lifting weights, you are not going to be at the gym all day lifting weights much heavier than what you can carry. You want to ease into this and work your way up to that level.

All these mistakes are common. We have all made them starting out and it’s important to accept that as a new rider you will make mistakes. But of all the things in this post remember this; an expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made.

Motorcycle Training Perth

Are you looking for motorcycle lessons in Perth? At MTWS, we provide 1-on-1 motorcycle training to ensure you have the required skills to excel in motorbike riding. Contact us today for more information or book a lesson now. 

Riding a Motorcycle in The Rain: Is it Safe?

Let’s face it, no one likes the rain. Ok, maybe some of us do. But as motorcyclists, it can really put a damper on things, being out there in the rain isn’t the most pleasant experience.

Just like we mentioned in our previous post on riding a bike in hot weather, riding in the rain can be equally as challenging, if not more.

A wet road requires smarter decisions and a higher level of awareness because of course, those around you must also drive or ride cautiously. When riding in the rain, there are a few things you need to remember and be cognizant of. This blog post will discuss key tips on how to stay safe on a rainy day.

Gear

Motorcycle gear is so important, and even more so when you out in the rain. In order to stay somewhat dry, you need a waterproof rain suit with gloves and boots that are going to keep the water out your socks. You may think its common sense, but it's often the case that riders are out there in the rain, getting wet, as we speak.

Something to remember is that with even with the correct gear, you are going to get wet if you out in the rain for a long period of time. If possible, try and avoid riding on a rainy day or at least postpone it to see if the weather clears up.

The most important piece of equipment is your helmet. You must ensure that you are equipped with an anti-fog visor because helmets fog up when moisture is present in the air. When you become wet you also become cold and a cold rider can, therefore, lose the ability needed to concentrate and stay focused.

Braking

Braking on a wet road can be tricky. The last thing you want is slipping, skidding and sliding. When applying breaks, try using both brakes simultaneously but slightly reduce the pressure applied to the front brake. You really have to judge the distance ahead of you and when you will need to brake. Whatever you do, do not slam on the brakes abruptly because this will not end well. These braking tips are important in dry conditions, but in wet conditions, they could really be the difference between a safe ride and an accident.

Tires

You need to assess what tyres you will be riding in before getting on the wet road. Ultimately, your tyres are responsible for carrying you on the road, so it's worth ensuring they are ready for water. The majority of motorbikes today are fitted with tyres that are designed to dissipate water through the thread. You need to be wary of wide tyres because these are more susceptible to hydroplane as oppose to thinner tyres which offer a safer ride. If you are constantly riding in the rain, it will behove you to equip your bike with tires that offer wet weather performance.

Accelerating

Similarly to braking, you don’t want to abruptly take off from a stationary position on your bike. In wet conditions, you need to ease into it due to the lack of traction. Lack of traction means lack of control so you need to slow your pace to help your chances. A slippery road is caused by oil rising to the surface of the street which increases the lack of traction.  You want to remain calm and easy on the gas and accelerate slowly and smoothly.  

The wet road requires the correct gear and experience. If you’ve never been out on a rainy day, it is advisable to see a professional motorcycle school for lessons. At MTWS, we can set specific lessons just on riding in wet weather and exactly what, and what not to do. Remember, safety is the number one priority.  

Motorcycle Training Perth

Are you looking for motorcycle lessons in Perth? At MTWS, we provide 1-on-1 motorcycle training to ensure you have the required skills to excel in motorbike riding. Contact us today for more information or book a lesson now. 

Guest Post on LERA Blog: What to Do When Your Motorcycle Won’t Start

In the blog post, we cover the three most important parts of any motorcycle; the compressions, spark and fuel. We go into details about each of these factors and how to troubleshoot each one individually. 

Motorcycle Lessons: How Many Will You Need?

As a motorcycle school, one of the most common questions we get is how many motorcycle lessons will I need?

In my experience, as everyone learns at a different pace, it can take 8 to 10 hours for a beginner and an average of 4 to 6 hours for those with motorcycle experience.

Time and time again this question comes through and it’s expected. As someone looking to learn how to ride a motorcycle, you would want to know how many lessons and how long it would take.

However, the question shouldn’t be how many lessons do I need, but rather how quickly can I learn and adapt. Because after all, it’s based on the individual and their ability to learn and apply new skills.

What Are The Factors That Determine How Quickly One Can Learn To Ride A Motorcycle?

Previous Experience

As mentioned above, it can take up to 4 to 6 hours for someone with motorcycle experience to pass their practical test. Your current or previous experience will have a massive difference simply because you are familiar with the process of motorcycle’s and how to ride them on the road.

For those with little or no experience, like anything else, learning from the beginning will come with challenges but riding a bike is a skill that can always be taught, especially through our professional motorcycle lessons.

Current skill level

Your current skill level also plays a part in how quickly you can familiarise yourself with the different components of a motorcycle and how they function. Do you have experience riding a scooter? If so, the skillset you developed on a scooter can benefit you when learning how to ride a motorcycle. Of course, they are very different but there are small similarities that can help such as general riding experience on the road.

Ability to learn new skills

There is no set or a specific amount of time one needs to pass their practical test because everyone learns differently. Someone might take a full 10 hours to get up to speed, whereas someone else may need 7 or 8 hours to be test ready. It depends on the individual’s ability to learn and apply new skills.

Therefore, our motorcycle lessons are catered to the individual, we gauge where they are at in the learning stages and how quickly they can implement new skills. From this, we can structure and plan our the next few lessons and roughly how many lessons they will need.

So, there you go. The number of motorcycle lessons needed will primarily depend on the factors mentioned above. However, always remember that you learn and process information at a different pace to the next person. It’s important that you focus on your journey and ensure you are ready to undergo a test in a confident and prepared manner.

Motorcycle Training Perth

Are you looking for motorcycle lessons in Perth? At MTWS, we provide 1-on-1 motorcycle training to ensure you have the required skills to excel in motorbike riding. Contact us today for more information or book a lesson now. 

 
Motorcycle Tips: How to Improve Your Motorcycle Skills

Becoming an experienced motorcycle rider is not an easy task. It takes years to learn motorbike riding skills. Even those with years of experience are working every day to improve their skills.

In saying that, here are a few tips for bike riders to improve their riding skills:     

1. Maintain a distance from the vehicle ahead: In case of heavy traffic, it is very challenging to ride your motorbike while maintaining a required gap from other vehicles. The closer you linger, the less time you will have to react. In a car, you may have an estimation of the car’s length but on a bike, you have a better time estimation. Simply stay 2 seconds behind from the vehicle in front of you to give yourself enough time to react accordingly - changing speed, changing direction etc. 
   
2. Apply brakes when required: This is one of the most important motorcycle riding skills shared by experts. Many riders apply brakes rapidly when they want to reduce their speed.This can have serious effects on traction. Undoubtedly, applying brakes hardly is obvious, when it is a sudden reaction, but try to avoid this. Practice applying brakes smoothly and softly.  Similarly, when the brakes are released, it should be rolled out softly. This will make your riding experience more comfortable. You will feel better control over your bike and you will find it easier to manage. 
3. Adjust your speed smartly while entering into another lane:  When it comes to entering into the corner way, we keep our speed high and make adjustments to stay in line. But the reality is if you enter slowly in the corner lane, you will get out of it quickly. So, make sure that your bike is under your control and have the right speed when you enter in so that you can exit at a faster speed.
4. Cover your brakes at defenseless spots: There are some dangerous points on the roads where you need to be extra careful. Follow this tip to improve your motorcycle riding skills. You must follow the traffic rules if you want to protect yourself. Truck drivers can easily say that they didn’t see you or your motorcycle when you were hit (and maybe they didn't). At all times, ride slowly and keep your brakes covered at such intersections. As a result, you will be able to protect yourself from fast-moving vehicles on the road. Try riding a motorcycle by covering your brakes at intersecting points.and always get ready for the unexpected.
   
5. Adjust your speed to safely get space: Slow speed is not always a good option for safe riding. Sometimes, you may need to accelerate your bike’s speed to get into a safe zone. But make sure to use your speed wisely as required to make space for yourself and those around you. Do not enter into blind spots of other vehicles while riding on the highway. Rather, use controlled acceleration to reserve a safe zone on the freeway.