7 Tips To Choosing The Best Motorcycle Helmet

admin — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 23:10:11 +0000

So, why do you need to choose the best motorcycle helmet? What exactly is the best motorcycle helmet? It’s the best if it suits your needs perfectly. What might be well suited to your friend, might not necessarily be all that suited to your needs. You need comfort, safety and the right price.

In this article we’ll cover 7 tips you can take to ensure you’re getting the best motorcycle helmet for your needs. Whilst it might seem obvious what features to look for, this article will go over some tips you can take to ensure you get the most for your money.

1- Does it fit?

One of the most important things any motorcycle helmet must offer is safety. Many inexperienced riders will often buy a helmet that’s too big. Whilst this may be more comfortable it doesn’t offer enough protection if it’s too loose.

2 – Is it comfortable?

You may be wearing your helmet for long periods of time such as on long journeys. Therefore it’s very important your helmet’s comfortable. You don’t want to get a headache half-way through your journey which will cause a distraction.

3 – Is it competitively priced?

It may seem a bit obvious, but some manufacturers can get away with charging above market value for products. However, brands such as Nolan offer helmets that give optimum performance at competitive prices. Lookout for Nolan helmets next time you’re shopping.

4 – Have you tried it on?

It’s surprising how many people will buy a motorcycle helmet without trying it on. You need to make sure it fits properly and is comfortable. Even if you’re buying online you can easily exchange it for the right size if it doesn’t fit.

5 – Is it suitable?

What type of biking will you be doing? If you’re using your bike for commuting you’ll need a different sort of helmet than if you use your bike for sports. Caberg helmets are great for off-road biking and sports usage.

6 – What gender is the helmet built for?

There are differences between male and female helmets. Since head shapes vary slightly between genders. To ensure your safety and comfort you’ll need to get the right gender. There can often be style differences too.

7 – Are you happy with it?

Finally, are you happy with your chosen motorcycle helmet? Can you afford it? Is it fit for the job? If the answer to all these is yes, then you have found the best motorcycle helmet for you. Being happy with you purchase is the most important thing to consider if you want to get a long life from it.

The Suzuki GSX 1300R

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:46:43 +0000

The Suzuki GSX 1300R, also known as the Hayabusa, is a hypersport motorcycle introduced in 1999. The name Hayabusa is the Japanese term for the Peregrine Falcon, known for its speed, and perhaps a joke at the expense of the Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird which was the fastest production motorcycle prior to the Hayabusa. The Peregrine Falcon is a predator of the common blackbird. Its extreme performance capability has also dubbed the bike as a “high abuser” of legal speed limits.

Afterwards, certain bikes were out to dare the Hayabusa top speed for a production motorcycle, including the BMW K1200S, the Kawasaki ZX-12R and the new ZX-14. And now Suzuki has decided for the 2008 model that they’ll not only revamp the super-bike, but will boost the size of the engine from 1299cc to 1340cc.

The compression power increases from 11.5:1 to 12.5:1. The 41cc increase in displacement stems from a 2mm increase in stroke giving each tube of the Inline-four a final spec of 81mm x 65mm (bore/stroke). Inside, there’s a new three-ring aluminum alloy forged slipper piston. The motor also gets a new set of titanium valves for intake and exhaust. The sizes haven’t changed, but the alternative metal has reduced the weight.

A little technology pulled from the GSX-R line is the Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (S-DMS) which provides three options of power delivery. A 4-2-1-2 exhaust which meets Euro 3 and Tier 2 emission regulations has been attached. Overall length has increased to 86.6 inches while the wheelbase is same. A 15mm higher windscreen and vertically stacked dual headlights are a part of the new look. The seat and rear sub-frame have been lowered by 17mm.

A pair of 310 mm balanced front rotors (10 mm smaller) offer less unsprung weight and are pinched by new Tokico radial-mount calipers. The single-piston rear caliper grabs a larger 260mm rotor (+20mm). There’s a Diamond like Coating (DLC) on the lower section of the inverted fork for less stiction. The steering geometry is virtually indistinguishable at 24.2 degrees of rake and 98mm of trail, an increase of 1 mm.

The revamped instrument cluster now features four analog meters for speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge and water temperature with a new S-DMS mode indicator, gear position indicator and adjustable engine rpm indicator.

Since its introduction, the major Japanese motorcycle manufacturer realized that the power and speed wars among flagship sports bike would not end and would eventually lead to increased government regulations, an unfavorable public image due to more fatal accidents and higher insurance premiums.

The new Hayabusa will be available in Orange, Blue, and Black. Expect to see this ‘fiend’ sometime in October with a price tag of $11,999.