UND-Pilsa Blog

All rubber tires wear down over time, whether they’re on a motorcycle or automobile. However, you want to watch out for uneven or excessive wear, both of which can cause serious problems for motorcycle riders. If you pay attention to the following causes of excessive and uneven wear, you will extend the life of your tires and keep yourself safe:

1. Improper Tire Pressure - We have all heard about the importance of maintaining proper tire pressure at all times. Improper air pressure in your tire is a big reason for many tire problems and failures. Be sure your tires have the recommended pressure in them at all times.

2. Humped Roads — Most roads are “humped” slightly in the middle or banked away from the center to allow rain and water to drain off. However, this hump can have a dramatic effect on one side of your motorcycle’s front tire because the side of the tire closer to the center of the road will wear faster. There’s not much you can do about this, and it can become very visible if you ride a lot. So be aware of this phenomenon and check the left side of your front tire often.

3. Disproportionate Cupping — Cupping is a normal phenomenon on rubber tires that occurs when the brakes are applied. However, excessive use of the front brake can produce disproportionate cupping, when one side of the tire is more cupped than the other. Using the front brake will naturally put more pressure and force on the front tire to make it stop, thereby using up more rubber.

4. Wheel Alignment - While this problem is not as common on motorcycles as it is on cars, it causes uneven tire wear. Any number of things can cause wheel misalignment on motorcycles, including getting into a fender bender, riding over potholes, jumping over sidewalks and curbs, etc. It is a good idea to have your wheel alignment checked out at least once a year to make sure that a misalignment isn’t unevenly wearing your front tire.

5. Shock Absorbers — A bad shock absorber can wreak havoc on the handling of your bike and promotes uneven front tire wear. So make sure your shocks are in good shape.

6. Improper Loading — The final major problem to keep in mind is improper loading of your bike, which causes your front tire to wear unevenly. Proper weight distribution is essential to being able to handle and steer your bike safely. Loading down one side of your saddlebag with tools or equipment can keep you from riding as vertically as possible, creating uneven tire wear.

So check your tires frequently, and keep these causes in mind if you begin noticing excessive or uneven front tire wear. Having the knowledge and taking the proper precautions will not only make you a safer rider but will prolong the life of your bike’s tires.

Jeff Sinason aka Tools - is the owner Bikerwares.com. Being an avid biker, he spends most of his time working on his web site and touring the country.

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Got a young kid at home? Well then maybe you should think about starting with a trike. Tri scooters are wonderful for the overall development of kids helping them to get to grips with balance and get them ready for their future adventures with a bicycle when they are older.

Tri scooter manufacturers take greatest care to make the rides attractive to the youngsters while still ensuring safety. And what is a better attraction to children than their popular kids TV characters?

Barbie My Special Things tri scooter - A girlie pink colour and a huge image of Barbie on the handle make this triscooter any small girl’s best companion. See your child develop their balance and road sense under the able steering of Barbie.

Disney Princess tri scooter - They are all here- Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, and Mulan. These eight princesses from various Disney stories make this trike extraordinarily special. Developed as a vehicle fit for a queen, the scooter comes in visually attractive blue and pink colour scheme. A must have for any princess.

Dora the Explorer tri scooter - This feisty adventurer has lessons to share from her involvement with various situations and faces. Let your kids learn to explore the world with Dora the Explorer as they go on their excursion of the unknown.

Mookie Peppa Pig tri scooter - Peppa Pig and her mates teach the kids about normal life like nursery, visiting grandparents and going to the playground. If you have already acquainted your child to the Peppa Pig, it makes great sense to let your youngster begin on wheels under the watchful eyes of Peppa. A great design ensures your kid stays fixed to this trike.

Though themed differently, all of the tri scooters rank high on safety and comfort. The body has been kept easy to handle and the design is extraordinarily cartable. The feedback for the scooters have been extremely positive with users loving their abilities to engross the kids imaginations while still teaching them some extraordinarily valuable lessons.

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Are you lacking exercise? It’s a common feeling - we all recognize this, yet so much gets in the way of actually working out. You see people packed into gymnasiums doing workouts, and think : I must go to the gymnasium, pay my membership fee, then workout. It just seems like a lot of trouble, can’t I do something that’s not going to waste a lot of my precious time - even something useful?

Then you may consider cycling, as cycling is a very effective way to improve one’s well-being . You can ride to work or to the shops, so it’s rather practical. It’s also cheap - there’s no fuel involved and the running costs are negligable. It’s also environmentally friendly. Oh, and it gets you into shape too!

Yet many people are put off getting a push bike because it’s TOO much exercise. As odd as that sounds, it could be because they might live in a hilly location, be elderly or suffer from particular ailments that make bicycling too “hardcore” for their capabilities. Also for some individuals, it’s not practical bicycling to work simply because they sweat too much because of the exertions of cycling.

Now it’s time to talk about e-bikes, or electric bikes. They allow you to give your legs a break on the awful hills merely by turning your hand on the grip and letting the electric motor take the strain - pedalling is no longer required then. Then when you’re ready to switch to manual, just start pedalling. You get modest exercise and clean air without over-doing it. E-bikes are also money-saving to operate necessitating only a daily recharge if you do about 15 to 22 miles per day, although most individuals need only two re-charges a week as they’re not doing this kind of distance. If you need to carry your bike around, consider a lightweight ebike.

These days the real cost of purchasing an e-bike have dropped in price, so you can save yourself a lot of money on gym memberships, fuel, bus fares etc. by purchasing and regularly using an e-bike.

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