Category: Motorcycle Articles

The 2010 Motorcycle Show – Some Highlights, Part 1

Cameron Martel | February 2, 2010 | Comments (0)

The Calgary motorcycle show was a few weeks ago, but I’ve been so crazy busy that I never had a chance to post some of the pics that I took. There were a ton of really excellent motorcycles on display this year, including some new BMW’s that really got the crowd excited (197 horsepower will do that to people). However, being the guy that I am, I tried to get a line on some of the new entry level and/or tamer motorcycles that would be better suited for beginners.

With all that being said, here are some of my personal highlights from the 2010 motorcycle show…

Getting Used to the Speed: Keep Your Eyes Open

admin | October 7, 2009 | Comments (0)

Have you ever noticed that whenever you buy a new car (or motorcycle) that it always seems faster the day you buy it than it does six months later? This is what happens when your mind and body get used to the speed (as well as the forces applied to it), making your motorcycle feel slower than it is.

Remember, especially if you’re just learning how to ride a motorcycle, that the motorcycle doesn’t actually slow down- you just got used to the speed. This is why people modify their cars to make them faster, and this is also why people go from 600cc super-sports (already capable of 10/11 second quarter mile times) to 750cc or 1,000cc motorcycles.

Five Things that Influence Your Motorcycle Insurance Premium

Cameron Martel | September 24, 2009 | Comments (0)

Keeping your motorcycle insurance premiums low can be a real tough challenge. These five tips will help keep your premiums as low as possible, keeping more money in your wallet (for gas, of course).

Debunking Myths About Beginner Motorcycles

Cameron Martel | September 10, 2009 | Comments (0)

For new motorcycle riders, the look and feel of a motorcycle is often as important to rider as actually riding the motorcycle. Let’s be completely honest for a second: every rider wants to feel “cool” when they’re on their motorcycle.

For this reason alone many people jump into a motorcycle that’s far too big for their needs, resulting in unnecessary risk for the rider (as well as those surrounding the rider on the road). I cringe every single time I hear about a new rider hopping on a Yamaha R6 or Honda CBR600RR. I break into a full-on sweat if the motorcycle is a litre-bike (Yamaha R1-esque machines).

There’s a reason that “beginner motorcycles” exist: they provide a safer base that a motorcycle rider can use to hone his or her skills. The fact that they are quick, fuel efficient, and easy on the wallet is simply a bonus.

What Exactly is a Beginner Motorcycle, Anyway?

Cameron Martel | August 27, 2009 | Comments (0)

Doing a quck search in Google for the term “beginner motorcycle” will net you over 750,000 results. Within these results you’ll find everything from beginner motorcycle guides to rundown of what a beginner motorcycle is.

So, of course, that begs the question: what exactly is a beginner motorcycle?

Review: VRides Motorcycle Training Guide

Cameron Martel | August 4, 2009 | Comments (0)

After one of our visitors asked us to review VRides we decided to pony up the $10 and check it out for ourselves. Right from the get-go we knew that this particular motorcycle training guide was created on a budget- the website screams “amateur”. However, in the world of motorcycling apperances can be deceiving, so we decided to reserve judgement.

We found ourselves surprised by VRides. Very surprised.

Review: Get Ready To Pass Instructional Videos

Cameron Martel | July 23, 2009 | Comments (2)

A couple of weeks ago we reviewed MotoLearn.com, an excellent online training guide for new motorcycle riders or prospective motorcycle riders. MotoLearn.com is a well written guide that any new rider, especially considering its skimpy $16 price tag, should read.

“Get Ready To Pass” is, by all accounts, a much better product. Along with pictures and reading material, it presents incredibly high quality videos on every aspect of riding. Not only that, but the material presented is applicable for both cars and motorcycles. While most people will already have their car license before getting their motorcycle license, having that information present is a bonus if you don’t have either license.

Are You Ready For A Passenger?

Cameron Martel | July 23, 2009 | Comments (0)

I can still remember the first time I had a passenger on the back of my motorcycle. I was riding a 1999 Kawasaki Nina 500R at the time (a classic beginner motorcycle- read our Kawasaki Ninja 500R review here), which was just barely big enough for me (I was 6’2″ and 265 lbs at the time). When my passenger, my 115 lb girlfriend, got on the back the motorcycle the suspension dropped a fair bit at the rear. It was like riding a completely different motorcycle.

Are you ready for a passenger on the back of your motorcycle?

Riding ATGATT – It May Save Your Life!

Cameron Martel | July 9, 2009 | Comments (4)

Riding ATGATT (all the gear, all the time) is something that every new rider does at first. After all, it only makes logical sense. However, many riders soon begin to stop wearing some of their gear when they go riding. They forget that safety is more important than “looking cool”, and it only takes one meeting with the asphalt to make that a rather harsh lesson.

This article explains why riding ATGATT is crucial for all riders, especially new ones. If you have ever wondered what the difference between a pair of work boots and riding boots were, or why those $30 motorcycle gloves are so important, this article will explain it all.

Review: MotoLearn.com Motorcycle Training Guide

Cameron Martel | July 1, 2009 | Comments (6)

Many people will ask an experienced rider the same old question: “How do I ride a motorcycle?” The answer, of course, is quite complex. Most riders start off with the “oh, well you just do this yabba yabba yabba…”. Good luck trying to explain it, because to be honest, it’s the feel of riding a motorcycle that a new rider needs to experience.

Naturally, because of this, we tend to find the “how to” guides to be a little off the mark. Some do a good job of explaining the mechanics of riding a motorcycle, and others do an excellent job of describing the feeling that comes with riding a motorcycle. None of them, it seemed, were able to do both.

Until MotoLearn.com.