Synergy Sports

Archive for the ‘Sport Bikes’ Category

Nothing beats riding a sport bike with the wind on your hair, the open road in front of you and the beautiful scenery passing the corner of your eyes. Some people consider owning a sport bike as one of the best things that they have ever purchased. However, statistics has shown that motorcycle accidents have increased 89% from 1997 and that those involved are usually aged 20 to 29.

The high rate of motorcycle road crashes can be alarming so imagine what a high-speed sport bike would fare in terms of crashes and accidents. It’s not therefore a matter of question that protective gear be used and prioritized to prevent the fatal consequences of motorcycle accidents.

1. The Helmet

The all-essential helmet is the most important protective gear for any serious sport bike rider. Full face helmets are usually required and can protect the head better than open-face ones. High impact lightweight helmets are popular but the important features for a good helmet include its ability to absorb shock, a comfortable internal lining and a tear resistant face shield. Make sure that the helmet can also be removed easily and that it has a cooling system that will allow your face to breathe.

2. The Knee straps and braces

This gear is important to prevent any injury to the knee, calves and lower part of the thigh. Make sure that you pick a high quality knee brace that is lightweight as it is durable. Some braces use velcro for straps but this is not advisable. Choose pull on designs that can securely fasten the brace to your knee and can comfortably compress the brace to your knee to prevent it from moving or shifting.

3. The Gloves

Gloves can protect your hands from scratches and gashes. Since they are the ones most likely to borne the impact of any crash, make sure that they are sheathed with gloves made of leather or high-quality synthetic material. The better ones are perforated for ventilation and have a comfortable inner lining to prevent the palms from sweating. Some gloves come fingerless, while others fully-cover the whole hand. Make sure though that they fit you well and the straps holds the glove in place.

4. The Jacket

Primarily, jackets are more for style than they are used to protect the body from injury. Today, however, more and more jackets are produced with protection as the primary purpose. The exterior may be made of leather or of a synthetic material, but inside, the jacket is stuffed full of pads to protect the shoulders, elbows and chest from injuries. It also functions as a reflector for sport bike fanatics who take out their bikes in the evening.

Racing pocket bikes is a sport that is very popular in places like space-starved Japan. Racing meets are also found in Europe and elsewhere in the world. The bikes are also known as mini-moto’s and the races as Mini GP Racing. Races are typically conducted on a kart track. The miniature motorcycles resemble sport bikes but are only about one-quarter the size.

Mini-bikes are about 20 inches high and forty inches long. They usually weigh in at around 50 pounds. This small size means they can be operated by either adults or children. Power for the mini-bikes is usually supplied by a small two-stroke engine of around fifty cubic centimeters in size. The entry-level bikes usually provide from 2.4 to 4.2 hp, with increased horsepower for racing bikes. The high performance minibikes have anywhere from eleven to seventeen horsepower output.

In Japan, where the concept of minibikes was first put into practice, the original bikes were much less developed than they are today. The early bikes were simply smaller frames with a small two-cycle motor attached. As the idea of mini motorcycles spread into Europe, the Italian engineering skills came into the picture. They took the idea of mini-bikes and upgraded the technology to produce a racing machine that is optimized for weight, balance and wind stream effectiveness. The speed record has been set at 78 miles per hour in a recent race. Races are typically held on kart tracks.

Beginner bikes are available now from China at prices less than $200. At the other end of the range, superbly engineered racing machines sell for as much as $7000. Early racing models cost much more than they do today, because of the costly research and development expenses. The bikes of today reflect precise relationships between braking systems, engine configuration, geometry of the frame and available power.

Even a child can pick up one of these mini-motorcycles and put it into a rear seat or cargo compartment of an automobile. The price means that both children and adults can enjoy the fun of operating a racing motorcycle. Children as young as six own and operate the mini-bikes in races. Adults can have the enjoyment of racing without the cost of purchasing and maintaining a full-size motorcycle.

Mini-bikes are not legal for street riding in most countries. Even though you don’t need a driver’s license to operate a mini-bike, they should only be enjoyed in car parks, trails, parking lots or race tracks. They are safer to operate on fairly smooth and clean paved areas.

Even though the mini-moto is a small and lightweight machine, riding it takes experience and skill. Safety training is important and safety equipment such as helmets, protective boots and other items are imperative. This is particularly important when young children are riding. Pick your place for riding based upon the skill and experience of the rider and always do a vehicle safety check before riding.

If motorcycle riding interests you, pocket bikes may be a good way to include your family in riding. Racing events for mini-bikes are popular in Japan and Europe and are also found in the United States. Races are divided into categories by gender and age group. Three main types of bikes are raced.

Do you want a bike that is faster than a mountain bike on road but tougher than a road bike? You might need a cyclocross bike and not even know it. Cyclocross is an off road sport that runs in the fall. The courses are on grass, mud and dirt roads with sections with barriers that the riders must dismount and run over. The laps tend to be short making for a spectator friendly type of racing. Cyclocross started in Europe as an off season sport for road racers but has grown into it’s own specialty. The bikes that have grown out of this sport have to be fast and light but tough with lots of traction due to the conditions. Even if you don’t race cyclocross, this type of bike may be the best option for all round riding.

Cyclocross bikes look a lot like a road race bike until you look closely. While they have the drop handlebars of a road bike, they run mountain bike cantilever or disc brakes. This means more stopping power is messy conditions and more clearance so fatter tires fit in the frame. This increased clearance also allows for the running of fenders for wet weather training and commuting. The frame geometry is a little more relaxed than a road bike so they are stable on slippery trails. This carries over to winter riding where that stability and the room to run studded tires make these great four season bikes.

Cyclocross bikes are available made from all of the popular frame materials including steel, aluminum, titanium and carbon fiber. Depending on what you would like to use the bike for you can get very streamlined models specifically for racing or more utilitarian designs that have rack and fender mounts. The cyclocross bike is a jack of all trades. Put a road racing tire on and you can go on club group rides. Put on your racks and wider tires to turn it into a commuting or touring bike. I build a lot of cyclocross bikes for people that never get raced. They use them as an all round machine that is at home on both roads and dirt trails. Faster than a mountain bike but you can take it places a road bike could never go.

Most bike companies offer cyclocross options but for racing I recommend the Kuota Kross, a full carbon speed machine and for all round use you can’t beat the Surly Cross Check.