HOW TO MAKE YOUR BIKE CONSUME MORE FUEL - DO THESE SEVEN (7) THINGS FROM TODAY!

Fuel efficiency is a critical factor that people look out for when they want to acquire motorcycles and as a matter of fact, it is one of the reasons why you see a lot of motorcycle enthusiasts Detecting the most fuel efficient bike might be difficult when buying a used bike because, even some very clean bikes might have had several faults and gone through a lot that it starts to consume fuel excessively. In this post, I will share with you those factors that contribute to fuel wastage in bikes and tips that can make your bike consume more fuel. Unfortunately, many of us don’t take our bikes for checks and regular maintenance (except the usual engine servicing). Do these Seven (7) things and you will visit the filling stations more often 1. Patronize Bad filling stations: Let me first of all start by telling you not to be watchful of the filling stations where you buy fuel. I don’t want to start mentioning names now but fuel quantity and quality of some filling stations are very poor in this country called Nigeria. Fuel of N4,000 will fill my tank at some stations but will be far from the full tank mark when I buy in other filling stations. This boils down to integrity issues. Also, fuel from different sources tend to burn out at considerably different rates 2. Ride Bikes with Low or Under-inflated tyres: This may appear unlikely to many but the truth of the matter is that under-inflate tyres can increase rolling resistance of tyres. This condition can cost you a mile or two per gallon on a bike that normally delivers 20 miles per gallon of fuel. Gauge your tyres often and inflate them if need be. This factor not only affect fuel consumption but also safety and tyre life. In countries like Nigeria where people predominantly buy used motorcycle tyres, it is good to check factors such as the tyre ratings and year of manufacture. 3. Don't Keep Your Air Filter Clean When air filter of your motorcycle is full of dirt and dusts, it gets clogged. This chokes off air and creates a condition that is called a “rich” mixture – too much gas being burned for the amount of air, which both wastes gas and causes the engine to lose power. Experts have shown that replacing a clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. This is not small at all. 4. Don't Check And Replace Spark Plugs You need not check your spark plugs regularly and do not replace them if they are dirty. Depending on your type of bike, you can have spark plugs ranging from two, four to Six (Goldwings use 8 sparkplugs actually). Sparking of plugs result in a lot of heat, electrical and chemical erosion. A dirty spark plug causes misfiring and that wastes fuel. 5. Don't Fix your riding habits Yes, you too can contribute a lot to fuel wastage. Idling gives you 0 miles per gallon, please avoid it. Turn your engine off if you are going to be stopped in traffic for 15 seconds or longer. If you park your bike waiting for someone, turn off the engine. I have seen people leave the engine on while waiting for people, you can save fuel by turning it off. 6. Carry stuffs About You should imbibe tying unnecessary items on the body of your bike, especially if they are heavy. If you are not a delivery guy, why waste fuel carrying loads? I have a friend that is guilty of this. Do you know that an extra 45kg on your bike reduces a typical bike’s fuel economy by 1-2 percent? 7. Don't Take Bike Maintenance Serious Regularly changing your motorbike oil can also help save your fuel. Dirty oil can reduce fuel economy up to 1.6km per 3.79Liters! Take your vehicle for regular schedules brake inspections and maintenance as dragging brakes can waste car fuel. These tips will considerably help make your bike consume more fuel if you follow them   www.justbikes.ng

MAGICAL TIPS TO RETAIN YOUR BIKE’s PAINT

The paint of your motorcycle is a critical selling point that will attract onlookers to glance twice anytime you ride pass in town. A super clean motorcycle can get that envious look from most of the newbies around. However, what if your bike loses that shiny look as a result of scratches, what will be your next reaction?

It is high time you knew how to take care of your motorcycle paint and how to retain the shiny look . Here are some magical steps to take in protecting your motorcycle paint.

KEEP IT CLEAN EVERY TIME

Motorcycles are exposed to a lot of harsh particles when ridden through various extreme climates and road conditions, thus, your bike gets beaten by a lot of dusts and dirt. Make sure that your bike is kept clean at all times. If the dirt and dusts are left unattended to for a long time, then these can damage the bike’s paint. Make it a priority to always visit the nearest bike wash center or better still do it yourself at home.

POLISH YOUR BIKE

In order to bring out that sparkling look from your bike after washing it thoroughly, try and pamper it with some Wax. A good polishing will retain your bike’s paint for longer and make it shine to its best. Wax layer acts like a protective shield; in addition to polishing the paint, remember to polish the plastic parts of your bike using a good quality dashboard polish. This will ensure overall protection of your bike from the damaging effects of dust, rain, and sun. There are several Wax merchants, however, I will always recommend Biker Duma who specializes on bike paints and also sells good quality Wax at affordable prices. He can be reached on 080 3370 8966 or kodunmbaku@yahoo.co.uk   He delivers nationwide

DON’T IGNORE THE SCRATCHES

Scratches on bikes are inevitable as long as you ride it on the road. Don’t just get unhappy about those ugly scratches; take an immediate action to avoid further damage or rusting. There are several scratch removals in the market to correct minor scratches very effectively. Biker Duma can also be contacted for good quality ones.

KEEP IT COVERED

The best way to protect your bike from damaging elements is to cover it with a bike cover. This will also protect the paint from fading by the effects of sun. You can get durable locally produced bike cover from Shola on 081 3615 2043 at a very competitive price. She delivers nationwide.

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SEVEN FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BUYING A USED MOTORCYCLE IN NIGERIA

If you are ready to buy the foreign/locally used motorcycle you've always dreamed of here in Nigeria, do your research before making this purchase. Consider these tips to help you make an educated decision.

1. Decide what type of bike best fits your lifestyle

If you are planning on long rides, you may want a touring model with all the bells and whistles (heated grips, seat and foot warmers, surround sound, cruise control, etc) to make your journey a little more comfortable. A sports bike however might be more appropriate for shorter rides. You should definitely evaluate your riding goals before deciding on which type of used bike to buy.

2. Research the value of the used motorcycle you are considering

You should check what comparable models are selling for before buying. Try checking bike shops or visiting online bike sales and pricing sites like www.justbikes.ng .These sites can provide thousands of sortable, customizable motorcycle classified ads in Nigeria

3.  Research availability of parts before committing to the purchase
The honest truth is that Japanese bikes are predominantly found on Nigerian roads because of the general belief that they last longer and the cost of their spare parts are pocket friendly. You don't want to invest on Italian or German bikes that very few mechanics are knowledgeable on how to troubleshoot them not to talk of accessing their spare parts. The Nigerian motorbike market has not grown to the level of accessing spare parts locally so we largely depend on ebay/amazon/alibaba to source for parts. The good news is that a young Nigerian has floated a website called www.justbikes.ng for the Nigerian online power bikeS market, spare parts of locally used bikes can be placed there to ease the bottleneck of foreign orders.

4.  Decide where to buy

You should evaluate the pros and cons of buying from either a dealer or from a private party. If you have complaints after the purchase, will the seller be willing to listen and attend to your complaints? If you're considering shopping online, you can check out www.justbikes.ng to make a choice and ensure that you inspect thoroughly before buying from any seller.

5. Inspect the motorcycle before buying, or having a qualified mechanic check it out for you

The goal is to know what you are buying and how much additional money you'll have to spend to make it roadworthy. It's critical that you thoroughly inspect the motorcycle, because one missed problem could make your purchase more expensive than you anticipated.

6. Test drive the bike

This is your opportunity to make sure that you are not buying a bike beyond your skill or experience level. A high performance bike, for instance, should not be driven by a novice rider. It will also give you a chance to make sure that the bike fits your body. You don't want to ride a bike that's too tall or not tall enough for you, as it could be difficult for you to control and maneuver.

7. Make an offer

Now that you've found the motorcycle you want to buy and have done your research on its condition and history, it is time to make an offer. There are four prices you may wish to consider at this time:

1. The asking price
2. Your highest price
3. Your target price
4. The offer price


Best Wishes! 


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THINKING LIKE A BIKER

THINKING LIKE A BIKER

You’ve got a busy morning, beginning with a 9am dental appointment, then coffee with a friend. Just as you are heading out to your motorcycle, you remember that you’ve not paid your children’s school fees and the pressure from the school management. You also remember that Cable TV subscription has just expired and needs to be renewed. Your wife sparked up an argument regarding a strange text message that she found on your phone last night.....

While riding to your appointment, you think of all the bills. You’re having trouble paying attention to the road.

What choice would you make?

1. Focus on your riding?

2. Focus on the argument?

Alertness and concentration

When you’re riding, you need to be alert and give your full concentration to the task. Fatigue or illness can make you less alert. Being cold and wet can be distracting. Drugs, alcohol and even prescription and some over-the-counter medications can affect your focus and balance. Strong emotions like anger or distress can make you lose concentration. All it takes to cause a crash is a few seconds when you’re not paying attention.


Physical Condition

Riding is physically demanding. Here are some things to consider before you learn to ride:

•Coordination
You’ll need good coordination to keep a bike upright and balanced while operating several controls at the same time. This is easier for some people than for others. How’s your coordination?

•Strength and endurance Riding a motorcycle is demanding. It takes strength to push a bike. You need endurance to take the strain that riding puts on the arms and upper body. You may ride in difficult weather conditions.
•Eyesight - your eyes will take in about 80% of the information in the riding scene. You need to have sharp eyesight and good peripheral vision. Should you have your vision checked by a specialist to see if you need to wear glasses or contact lenses?

•Health- some health problems, such as back injury or heart condition, may prevent you from riding or make riding dangerous for you. Seasonal allergies may also affect your riding ability to ride safely. Are you healthy enough to ride? Should you check with your doctor?

Thanks for reading... Please remember to drop your comments/suggestions on riding defensively

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