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With the January bike shows behind us, we are now among the ‘glass half full’ crowd. Even though we haven’t pulled out of the winter snows, not by a long shot, spring is now officially closer than fall! I thought this month we would take up some column space and discuss working on the bike a…

I had a question posed a couple weeks ago by a close friend asking why we don’t see Diesel powered motorcycles?  The idea is not new, as I have seen a few diesel powered project bikes in the past, but the idea never really caught on.  Let’s look at some of the possible reasons why:…

I am celebrating our 150th Canadian Celebration in my column by taking a holiday from the Tech side of things…  Graeme asked us to consider Canada day in our scribing and it got me thinking about some of the thoughts and memories I have that are quintessentially unique to Canadian riders. I am not sure…

In a previous column we discussed some basic tools and supplies that the budding mechanical enthusiast should have at close reach if deciding to tackle some of their own basic maintenance chores.  We talked about tools you will need and other supplies that we use daily here in our shop.  Now, let’s walk through a…

As Canadians, parking our bikes for months of cold storage is a harsh reality.  Here are some hints to help keep depreciation at bay. November can be a depressing month for the Canadian motorcycle enthusiast.  If you are a street rider, you are faced with morning single digit temperatures that offer crappy traction and leave…

This Tech column deals with the most common issues that affect a motorcycle’s braking performance. One of the most important aspects of your motorcycle is the braking system.  From a safety standpoint, having a proper working, reliable braking system is critical.  Hydraulic Brakes seem simple enough, you actuate the Master Cylinder and brake fluid flows…

Probably the biggest and most expensive tool in any motorcycle mechanics arsenal has to be the rear wheel dynamometer, or dyno for short.  The dyno can be set up in the corner of a motorcycle dealership, thrown on wheels and dragged to local establishments, or fixed into a large trailer complete with it’s own dyno…

In our last article, we discussed the rear wheel dyno and how it is operated to test a motorcycle for horsepower.  We mentioned how the operator loads the bike on the dyno and goes through the procedure to acquire a base run.  A ‘base run’ is what we refer to as the first usable dyno…

Ok, first things first.  I need to have a word with you!  Yes you, the one reading this column.  You have to help me out.  Every month I wait until hours before my column is due checking my email to see if any of you has sent me any technical questions that I can use…

Hi John, Here’s one for you.  Other than being stickier, can you explain the differences between DOT track tires and street tires?  Since switching from Pirelli Dragons to Pirelli Corsa III’s, I notice that the Corsa III’s are less sensitive to suspension tweaks than the Dragons.  With the Dragons, I could feel a slight difference…