Motorcycle care and maintenance

Proper care and maintenance on you motorcycle brings you safe on every rides. Right way in maintaining you motorbike less hassle and less costs. Maintenance is the second thought a rider must take into consideration and not taken for granted from insuring the perfect condition likewise with assurance to the journey. Taking care of the vehicle is next to insurance. Some illustrations below should remember to avoid risk in riding which cause into accident.

Engine/transmission oil level - It is important to ensure that the oil level doesn't drop below the minimum marking. An engine in good condition will use very little oil between oil changes. If your bike has an inspection window, check that the oil level is between the MAX and MIN markings.

Before checking the oil level, support the bike upright on level ground to allow the oil level to stabilize.If your bike has a dipstick, note where the oil comes to in relation to the MAX and MIN markings. If the level is too low, remove the filler cap from the top of the crankcase and top up with the specified oil type. Always use motorcycle engine oil - not oil designed for use in car engines.

Steering and suspension - Check that the steering moves smoothly when the handlebars are turned from side to side. Also check that the front and rear suspension operates smoothly when you sit on the bike.

Coolant - The coolant level should not fall unless the system has developed a leak. Locate the coolant reservoir and check that the coolant level is between the two level marks on the reservoir. If necessary top up with a 50/50 mixture of distilled water and antifreeze.

Tyres - The correct tyre pressure is essential on a bike. Always check tyre pressure with the tyres cold - never after riding because the pressure increases when hot. Give the tyre a quick visual check for any damage or wear of the tread.

Use a tyre pressure gauge to measure the pressure in each tyre, compare this with the specified pressure (usually on a label attached to the chainguard or rear mudguard) and use a pump to increase the pressure if necessary.

Lights and horn - Check that all lights, brake lights and turn signals work. Check that the horn works - you never know when you might need it!

Brakes - Check the brakes regularly. Their application must be firm and they must be fully applied without the lever (front) or pedal (rear) reaching its full travel. They must also free off completely when the lever or pedal is released and allow the wheels to turn freely without drag. Check the fluid level of hydraulic brakes by viewing the level in relation to the lines on the master cylinder reservoir. If it is below the LOWER line, top up the fluid. Use the fluid type marked on the reservoir cap (usually DOT 4) and top up to the level line inside the reservoir.

Drive chain - Most bikes have chain drive to the rear wheel. It is important that the chain is well lubricated and does not have too much freeplay.  If the chain looks dry give it a quick squirt of aerosol chain lube. If the chain looks too slack adjust its tension as soon as possible.

Tips for Infrequent Drivers

Drive as Often as You Can - Parking a car for long periods of time can wreak havoc on accessory belts, engine fluids and more. It's also bad for the battery, which incurs what Tony Molla, a certified technician and spokesman for the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, calls "parasitic draws"; things like the car alarm, on-board computer and dashboard clock are still using small amounts of battery power.

Over time the battery loses its charge, and the car will need to be jump-started. Starting a car every two or three weeks and driving 15 to 30 minutes in order for the engine to reach a working temperature. 

Check the Tires - Use a tire pressure monitor. A tire may be a little low even if it looks fine.

Over time, the tires on a parked car can deflate. They can also "flat spot," a condition where the section sitting on the ground warps disproportionately.

If you don't have time to drive your car, Molla said simply moving it to a new parking space is an easy way to prevent flat spotting. "Look at one tire," he said. "Note the air valve position, like on a clock. Is it at 9 o'clock? If so, when you back the car up, make sure it's at 3 o'clock or 12 o'clock. As long as it's a quarter-turn, you're fine."

Drive Easy - If your car has been parked for some time, hard acceleration and braking are a recipe for things to go wrong. The engine needs time to circulate all its fluids, and the brake rotors may have accumulated considerable dust since they were last used.

"One should never rev up a cold engine that's been sitting for a while, you should let it idle," Molla said. "Give it a chance to slowly wake up. Don't go slamming on the brakes because, chances are, things won't stop quite as quickly as you're used to."

MacDonald said the length of your drive is equally important. He said starting up and driving just two blocks before turning the car off can do more damage than not driving at all.

"It's a cold start," he said. "Lubrication isn't really functional until fluids and components are at operating temperatures. You usually don't reach that in two blocks; it's more like two miles.

"You want your temperature gauge to come up to normal, and you want it to be there 10 or 15 minutes. Then you've arguably done some good. You have everything covered in oil again."

Change the Oil

Check the owner's manual to find out how often you should change the oil in your car.

Oil changes aren't the only thing to remember. Brake fluid, engine coolant, transmission fluid and other liquids also need regular maintenance. Nielson said service intervals for most fluids are listed in the owner's manual.

When you fill up, consider adding a fuel-injector or fuel-system cleaner that's appropriate for your vehicle, Molla said. Most service stations carry a range of them for less than $5, packaged in pint-sized containers that empty directly into your fuel tank.

If you don't want to spend $100 or more for a quality cover, experts said you should at least consider an inexpensive windshield sun shade. It offers some protection for the dashboard and keeps the interior cooler.

By Kelsey Mays, Cars.com

How to Keep Your Car and its loads Safe?

"Better to be safe than Sorry" probably also coined the phrase "You can never be too careful." That said, keep your doors locked at all times — as soon as you get in the car, while you're driving and after you park. Whether you're parked in a garage or driving through a seedy neighborhood, locking your doors is the first step to car safety.

Keeping car into safety should not be taken fro granted. Many things should be keep to consider. If you have to park in a deserted area, have a friend walk you to your car. Always lock your doors.

A wise person (who surely spent more than $1,000 a year on textbooks) once said, "It's better to be safe than sorry." When it comes to bringing you car to campus, truer words were never spoken.

The following advice might seem like common sense, but as a college-educated young adult, you probably know what they say happens to common sense as intelligence increases.

Keep Track of Your Stereo -Often, thieves don't want your car so they can make a beer run; they target a car for its parts or what's inside it. One common target is aftermarket stereo equipment. If you've installed a killer sound system in your car, write down the equipment's serial number so that if it's stolen and recovered it can be returned to you. Some systems come with a removable faceplate that you can take with you when you park your car — much like cyclists who remove their bicycle seat to prevent theft. 

It's always a good idea to park in well-lit areas that have lots of foot traffic. You may also want to bring a friend when walking to your car late at night.  Don't leave valuables out in the open. Leaving your iPod in plain view on the car seat is like taping a "steal me" sign to it. If you must leave your valuables in your car, conceal them in the glove compartment, center console or trunk.  No one wants to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with an empty gas tank or a dead battery. 

Try to keep your gas tank at least a quarter full. Get routine oil changes and maintenance checks when you go home, or find a trusty mechanic near campus. It's also smart to join an organization such as AAA, which can help you in the event of a breakdown. Also check if your insurance company offers roadside assistance.

Check Out Your Surroundings - When deciding to bring your car to school, it's a good idea to consider the neighborhood you'll be driving in. Your campus may be beautiful and well-lit, but remember to check out the surrounding area. Does it have a high crime rate? Are you driving a high-theft car? If you're concerned, you may want to invest in an anti-theft device.
By Renee Krejci, Cars.com

What is your car best security feature?

Nine-out-of-ten cars are hot-wired and driven away. Mechanical devices such as steering wheel bars and pedal locks are only a minor inconvenience for the professional. Although they may work as a deterrent, car alarms can be "hot wired" around. The professional thief simply cuts or jumps the alarm wires and he is gone. Tracking devices used by police to locate stolen cars do not STOP the vehicle from being hot-wired and driven away. They depend on early notification of authorities by the owner. A car that is taken at 2 a.m. can be dismantled miles away before the owner even realizes it is gone.

A vehicle is stolen every 20 seconds... 9 out of 10 are hot-wired.

No security system can stop a thief from hot-wiring your vehicle and driving away...

EXCEPT

the only vehicle security system that is 100% effective against hot-wiring!

No security system can stop a thief from hot-wiring your vehicle and driving away except Power Lock®

WHY CHOOSE POWER LOCK? Power Lock is the only system guaranteed to prevent your car, truck or van from being hot-wired and driven away! It is simple and easy-to-use - yet 100% foolproof.

This is a totally unique "sealed" electronic system, impossible to circumvent. The system is continually armed by creating an open ignition circuit that disables the starting circuitry at the starter.

WHAT KIND OF VEHICLES ARE STOLEN? Some models are more popular than others, but any vehicle is a target for car thieves. A dismantled vehicle is worth two to four times its showroom value in parts.

News theft cases:"I have watched suspects steal a Mercedes that had an alarm system in less than a minute. We have had suspects dismantle tracking devices on cars as they are driving down the freeway."
Los Angeles Police Department - Detective Gary Sims (retired), as quoted in the Los Angeles Times, September 10, 1998
"Or they (vehicle owners) can go all out and buy the GPS security systems like LoJack or OnStar. The problem, Moraga said, is that thieves have started stealing those as well."
Peter Moraga, Spokesman for the Insurance Information Service of California, as quoted in the Orange County Register, March 12, 2003
Kim Hazelbaker said the Escalade's anti-theft system has not been certified by one industry body, the Insurance Bureau of Canada, because thieves have found a way to defeat it.
Kim Hazelbaker, Senior Vice President, Highway Loss Data Institute, as quoted by CNN/Money, October 19, 2004
Researchers said Saturday they have found a way to crack the code used in millions of car keys, a development they said could allow thieves to bypass the security systems on newer car models. The research team at Johns Hopkins University said it discovered that the "immobilizer" security system developed by Texas Instruments could be cracked using a "relatively inexpensive electronic device" that acquires information hidden in the microchips that make the system work.
The radio-frequency security system being used in more than 150 million new Fords, Toyotas and Nissans involves a transponder chip embedded in the key and a reader inside the car. "We stole our own car," said Avi Rubin, who led the research team.
Excerpts from an article published in the Detroit News, Sunday, January 30, 2005
They preyed on large swaths of Koreatown, Mid-Wilshire and Jefferson Park, sometimes making off with two cars a night. Their secret? Los Angeles Police Det. Frank Carrillo said they used "shaved keys" plain car keys, which can be bought at a hardware store or junkyard, that are filed down to pick door and ignition locks. "If you shave the girth of a key, most often it will unlock a car," said Carrillo.

The LAPD in the past has dealt with highly organized groups that systematically stole expensive cars and took them to "chop shops" to be disassembled and their parts resold. But this case, despite the high numbers of thefts, was low-tech, authorities said. "Shaved keys are particularly effective on Toyotas and Hondas, which made up nearly half of all cars stolen in the Wilshire area in 2005," said Carrillo.
Excerpts from an article published in the Los Angeles Times, January 28, 2006

 "The Integra has been in the top 10 of the insurance group's "hot cars" list for five straight years, even after Honda started adding a passive anti-theft device as standard equipment in the 2000 model year. Car thieves learn to break systems almost as quickly as manufacturers can churn them out. On Acuras, as on vehicles of other brands, immobilizers are thought to be more effective in deterring amateur thieves than [deterring] the professionals."

Kim Hazelbaker, Senior Vice President, Highway Loss Data Institute, as quoted in the Los Angeles Times, May 22, 2002

How to make your car safe?

You know what is the cheapest and most effective weapon against car theft? ok, it is good old common sense. Be careful where you park, and don't leave anything of value — like wallets or MP3 players — visible inside the car. This may seem obvious, but never leave your keys in the ignition while the car is unattended — this is how many cars get stolen.


Buying a car is usually in the mind of every individual regardless of life level. Everyone need a car, its not considered as luxury anymore, but it is now a basic necessity. Which has high demands in the market considering the price.  And risk of having own car is high with respect to car theft as per crime research statistics. The solutions is Car Anti-theft Devices.

A steering-wheel lock like The Club is one of the cheaper anti-theft options. By the time you finish reading this sentence, your car could have been stolen; in the U.S. alone, a vehicle is stolen every 26 seconds, according to the FBI's 2007 Crime Reports. Though there's no guarantee your car won't be a thief's next victim, there are some things you can do to improve your odds without spending a fortune.

Before you bolt your car down, here are some factors you should consider:

• How much are you willing to invest? Establish a price limit before you start shopping. 


• Where do you live? Urban areas tend to be more crime-ridden, and you may need more substantial security there than if you live in the sticks. Port cities and cities along the border (mainly the southern border) also present a higher risk. 


• What type of car do you drive? Newer cars are visually more appealing but usually have more security, while older cars can be dismantled easily and sold for parts. According to the Texas Theft Prevention Authority, vehicle parts can be worth up to three times the price of the car. 

Though common sense will take you a long way, you should still consider investing in some anti-theft devices. The more security you have, the less appealing your car will be to a thief. Also, depending on what device you have installed, security measures can lower your insurance premium by as much as 30 percent. Think of these as investments:

• Brand parts with your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): Your VIN is a 17-digit serial number assigned uniquely to your car. You can find this number on the title of your car, your insurance and registration cards, and on the driver-side dashboard.
  


• Steering-wheel lock: Arguably the most popular of the lot thanks to The Club, these locks go over the steering wheel and completely immobilize it.
  


• Kill switch: When activated, this device shuts down part of the engine's electrical system. Some models have one built in; if not, they're relatively easy to install. Hide the switch in an unlikely spot so a thief can't find it and disable it. Also, check your car's warranty, as some do not allow installation.
  


• Alarms: These are very effective at drawing attention. Make sure they're hooked up to a backup battery or invest in a hood lock, as an experienced car thief will know to unplug the battery, rendering the alarm useless.
  


• Hood locks: These deter thieves looking to sell your car off for parts and prevent access to the battery.
  


• Tire locks: Similar to the infamous "boots" used by law enforcement when you've parked illegally, tire locks are very visible, but a very big pain in the neck. These might not be the best option if you drive your car on a daily basis.
  


• Vehicle tracking system: If you have a photo of your car on the mantle, you might want to consider this option, but prepare to shell out some big bucks for first-class protection. The two big companies currently in the market are LoJack and OnStar. LoJack works directly with law enforcement. OnStar is a similar system that comes standard on all of GM's new models, as well as brands like Acura, Audi, Isuzu and Volkswagen. It uses the same kind of tracking system as LoJack.
  


• Also worth mentioning: Gearshift locks and ignition/steering wheel column and crook locks.