Posts filed under Tech Tips

Setting Suspension Sag for Balance - Chris Birch

Setting your suspension sag is crucial for your bike's handling and safety, not just to keep your tires in contact with the ground or to compensate for added weight. Renowned adventure rider Chris Birch highlights the importance of getting this adjustment right. Traditionally, measuring sag has been tedious, often resulting in incorrect settings. However, with a new device that simplifies the process and allows you to do it solo, accurately adjusting your sag for varying loads is now easier than ever, significantly enhancing your ride.

Posted on August 22, 2024 and filed under Suspension, Tech Tips.

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Keith Code: Racing with Passion, Living with Purpose - The Inspiring Journey of a Motorcycling Icon

Keith Code is a renowned figure in the world of motorcycle racing and training. With decades of experience as a former racer and an influential coach, Code has revolutionized the way riders approach their craft. His expertise led him to establish the California Superbike School, an internationally recognized institution. In this episode, we explore Keith’s journey while he shares his expertise in the art of street cornering with adventure bikes. Particularly focusing on low-traction situations, we delve into the optimal sitting position—whether upright, aligned with the bike's lean, or leaned inside—and unravel the reasoning behind it all. Tune in to uncover Keith's remarkable story, his path to success, and insights on cornering techniques.

Posted on June 22, 2023 and filed under Racing, Tech Tips, Training, Life.

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What is CAN-bus and How to Add Motorcycle Accessories - HEX Innovate - Stephan Thiel

We’ve heard much talk and debate about the modern motorcycle, with its computer systems and how it affects one’s ability to ride in remote or far off places. Some riders insist on riding bikes that have older technology, while others say the new systems are reliable and are worth the risk of the remote chance of having a problem. The choices for new motorcycles without computer technology is dwindling quickly as manufacturers modernize their line-up, complying with emissions requirements around the globe. But what is this system that we’re so afraid of? This computer system that is so magical, mysterious and yet loathsome for a rider with a broken one? Is it really as difficult, as out of reach, as impenetrable and difficult to understand as many would have you believe? This, travel and motorcycles on today’s episode of ARR.

Posted on January 5, 2023 and filed under Tech Tips, Travel.

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Solo Rider's Guide to Motorcycle Rescue

For the solo rider, or the times when any rider finds themselves solo and having an adventure, it doesn’t take much to find yourself in a situation where your motorcycle has landed on its side, or worse, off the road or trail. This is when one of these techniques will help rescue, retrieve or unstuck your motorcycle. Featured is David Petersen, Chris Birch and Bill Dragoo.

Posted on July 1, 2022 and filed under Tech Tips.

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How to Avoid the Dreaded Dead Motorcycle After Storage

Whether you’re storing your motorcycle in another country while you fly back home for a while, doing winter storage or just parking it for a few months, there are some basic things you should do so that when you’re ready to fire your bike back up again, it actually starts and runs. And if you happen to be planning to leave your bike in another country there are some logistical and legal aspects that you need to consider beforehand - all that on this episode.

Posted on June 2, 2022 and filed under Tech Tips.

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Should You Stand or Sit on an Adventure Motorcycle?

When you come to a tough section on a road or trail, you may ask yourself should you stand or should you sit? On this in depth episode, we talk to an expert rider and trainer, Chris Birch, and a rocket scientist and physics expert, Mark Nesbit, to learn about standing, sitting, what’s happening when we do and why traction has everything do to with the direction your wheels are pointed.

Posted on April 14, 2022 and filed under Tech Tips.

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Dr Chris Leatt Explains the Neck Brace

Just over 20 years ago, neurosurgeon Dr Chris Leatt witnessed his friend and fellow rider die from a neck injury. Dr Leatt decided to find a solution to reduce neck injuries and three years later he sold his first neck brace and then formed his company LEATT which would go on to make body protection gear and then a full range of rider gear and more. Dr Leatt explains how a neck brace works to protect you and we discover in what applications the neck brace works best. And we also talk to Thierry Viardot, who’s in charge of safety and technical at the Dakar, about airbag vest requirements, how they ensure the airbag vests work well for rider safety and why optional neck braces can no longer be worn.

Posted on March 10, 2022 and filed under Gear, Safety, Tech Tips.

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A Rocket Scientist Explains What Really Happens With Peg Weighting

Some riders say that peg weighting doesn’t matter, that the physics of weighting the motorcycle with your feet doesn’t change from one peg to the other. On this episode, we have celebrated off-road racer and renowned rider trainer, Chris Birch, and physicist and rocket scientist, Mark Nesbit, a former space craft designer from the European Space Agency, to work through the physics of what really happens when we weight the peg in a corner - and it’s not what you think.

Posted on September 23, 2021 and filed under Tech Tips.

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GEARING UP: Protecting Your Most Important Tools

You’ve got your tool pouch packed with all the essentials for your motorcycle, and your tool box overflowing in your garage, but don’t forget about your most important tools - you use them every day, all day long, at home, at work, and when riding your motorcycle - your hands. It’s crucial that you take care of them, and part of doing that means investing in the right pair of gloves and handguards for your type of riding. But how do you know which gloves to choose and why? And what can handguards do for you? To find out the answers we spoke with Powersports industry leader, Tim Calhoun, and a designer at Barkbuster Handguards.

Posted on October 8, 2020 and filed under Gear, Gearing Up, Tech Tips.

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Choosing Motorcycle Brake Pads - What is Brake Fade?

If you’ve found yourself staring at the brake pad offerings for your motorcycle, wondering why the huge price difference between one over another or what the difference is between organic pads and sintered pads, you’re not alone. It’s a confusing process that often appears to be price driven - so you choose which ever pad you can afford or that fits into what you feel like spending when in fact that isn’t the way to choose at all. And what about that dreaded brake fade? What is it and why does it happen?

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Understanding the Motorcycle Tube - T.J. Tennent

Spoked wheels offer some advantages to the adventure rider, namely they are more flexible and forgiving in the rough stuff which is why most adventure bikes on the market have them. But that flexibility comes at a cost - and that’s what inside the tire - the tube. On this episode we talk with a tire expert, T.J. Tennent, who answers some questions we have, he dispels some myths and we also learn some interesting facts about tire tubes.

Posted on July 16, 2020 and filed under Tires, Tech Tips.

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Do Tall Motorcycle Riders Have an Advantage Over Short Riders?

Are long legs an enviable physical trait for motorcycle riding? Are short riders destined to find it tough when it comes to riding the rough stuff? To get the answers to these questions, we asked former racers and now top riding instructors, Jimmy Lewis from Jimmy Lewis Off-Road and Pat Jacques from ADV Woman.

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Converting Tube Type Rims to Tubeless | Rider to Rider Motorcycle Rentals

On this episode we talk about converting tube type rims to tubeless, the Outex Tubeless Kit and we talk to two companies who help arrange renting a motorcycle from a fellow rider.

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Rider Skills: How to Ride an Adventure Motorcycle Over Logs - Clinton Smout

If you spend much time riding unmaintained roads and trails in a forested area, then you are bound to find a tree laying across your track sometime. Riding a big adventure bike has some limitations for the average rider but by using a fairly simple method, you can ride over many of the trees you’ll encounter. On this episode of Adventure Rider Radio’s exclusive Rider Skills - Clinton Smout walks us through two methods, one for under six inch trees and one for over six inch trees, both fully doable with a little practice.

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Rekluse Auto Clutch - Africa Twin DCT Demystified - How a Slipper Clutch Works

Auto Clutches, Africa Twin, Dual Clutch Transmissions and Slipper Clutches: Joe Boisvert from Rekluse, Warren Milner, Retired Honda R&D, and Karl Engellenner, motorcycle machinist and race bike builder, explain how these systems work, in easy to understand terms. Not for just the mechanically inclined, listen in and next time the clutch conversation comes up, you'll be in the know. You might even find yourself considering the benefits of an automatic clutch, maybe even a DCT.

 

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What You Don't Know About Motorcycle Air Filters

Asking a motorcycle rider what engine oil or tires he recommends is a sure way to spark a deep conversation, debates and even an argument. But when it comes to air filters... they just seem to be a forgotten, yet essential component. So, what should you really be looking for in an air filter? We talked to a mechanic, a racer and an inventor to debunk some common myths and get us focused on what really matters.

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Ethanol - Sabotage at the Pump?

Ethanol has been around for almost 200 years, but it’s only been in the last 15 years that we’ve been hearing more about it. And the topic of ethanol in gasoline has got a lot of feathers ruffled. Although it’s in our gasoline, the public has never been educated about it. So, exactly what is ethanol and how is it affecting your motorcycle? Should you be concerned about ethanol in fuel? Answers to these questions and more when we discuss ethanol and motorcycles with Michael Sayre from the American Motorcyclist Association and Chris Real from DPS Technical, Inc, both experts in the motorcycle industry.

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Motorcycle Valve Clearance - Questions Answered

Motorcycle valve adjustments can be inconvenient at best, but throughout the life of the motorcycle, many riders will eventually have to deal with it themselves or pay someone to do it for them. But not all motorcycles require valve adjustments, so why does yours? Karl Engellenner, expert motorcycle machinist, answers our questions about valve adjustments.

Posted on November 15, 2018 and filed under Tech Tips.

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What's Under Those Riding Pants? — Is the KLR650 Extinct?

What do you choose to wear underneath your riding pants? And does that choice affect the protection you are getting from your gear? And there’s a rumour that Kawasaki is discontinuing the KLR650. Is it the end of this iconic dual-sport motorcycle?

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What is Motorcycle Suspension Damping and How to Set it Up - Traxxion Dynamics' Max McAllister

Max McAllister is the President of Traxxion Dynamics, manufacturer of suspension components for motorcycles and mountain bikes. In this episode he talks about what motorcycle suspension dampening is and how to set it up.

Posted on October 5, 2018 and filed under Tech Tips, Suspension.

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