Holiday Gift Guide

  Motorcycle-related gift ideas from $1 to $100!

Friday, November 27

Dear Readers,
All of the Black Friday through Cyber Monday deals I know of have been added to my Motorcycle News page ... have fun shopping! – Mama

Friday, November 27

Dear VTwin Mama,
My husband and I live in the Northeast, Connecticut to be exact.. While riding sometimes we will feel "static electricity ."  You know, the kind you feel before getting hit by lightning?  Has this happened to anyone else you may know... and... do you think I should be worried ? Please help, – Gena

Dear Gena,
Every once in awhile I get surprised by a question .... and this is definitely one of those times!

I read online that in winter there is generally less humidity in the air and so more likely that you would generate a static charge. But on your motorcycle? The only thing I can think of is that if you have some kind of seat covers (other than the standard leather ... maybe sheepskin?), your movement would generate a charge. Readers ... any ideas?!

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Thursday, November 26

Dear Readers,
I know of a few motorcycle-related Cyber Monday deals ... and I'll be posting those tomorrow so you can see if there is anything interesting! Have a great day ... there is always something to be thankful for. – Mama

Wednesday, November 25    2009-2010 Victory Motorcycles Compared

Dear Readers,
This morning I took a look at the 2010 line-up for Victory motorcycles. Basically they have incorporated the low seat heights from their "Low" models into the standard version and added a couple of interesting touring bike options. Take a look at the 2009-2010 Victory comparison for yourself! – Mama

Tuesday, November 24

Dear Readers,
While there are no new letters to post today, I thought I'd take a minute to announce that my husband and I have put our home in Mobile, AL up for sale. This is an exciting time as we'll be able to consolidate households in our home in Calabash, NC.

Please also welcome a new advertiser, Nelson Rides ... this company, which understands the plus-size woman rider, has an interesting story to share ... you'll love visiting and exploring! – Mama

Friday, November 20

Dear VTwin Mama,
I just purchased a 2008 XL1200 Sportster Harley and will be storing it for 4 months in a store-and-lock 100 miles away with no electricity. Want to remove the battery and take it with me. What other winterizing should be done? – New Harley Owner

Dear New Harley Owner ,
Congrats on the new-to-you motorcycle!

Yes, pulling the battery in this case is a good idea, storing it in a cool and dry place. Before doing that you should fill the tank and add a gas stabilizer (found at any auto parts store) and then run that mix for a few minutes to get the stabilized mix through the system. Then turn the gas petcock to off. Filling the tank instead of emptying it helps with tank corrosion ... an empty tank can collect moisture, which can corrode the inner tank.

You should also change the oil and filter unless you know that that was done when you purchased the Sporty. Clean and dry the bike and cover it with something that breaths. Get the tires off the floor if possible by using a center stand or place cardboard on the floor so that the tires aren't in direct contact with what most likely is cement. – Mama

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Thursday, November 19

Dear VTwin Mama,
I have a Honda Shadow 100. Whenever the weather is damp and my bike sits out, it won't start. On Monday night I started it just fine, Tuesday morning nothing. Please help me out here. – Volcano

Dear Volcano,
Damp and intermittent starting problems (and Tuesday's "nothing") leads me to believe that something is reacting to a film of moisture somewhere. Duh! Like we didn't get that.

I would start at the battery. Check that the battery terminals and cable connections have no corrosion by pulling the cables (negative first, then the positive). Clean as needed with an old toothbrush and baking soda, and then dry off with a rag. Then coat the cable connectors and terminals with dielectric grease. This acts as a moisture barrier. Reattach the cables (positive first) and tighten. Coat the entire area on the outside of the connection.

Could this same problem be somewhere else ... yes, but usually the battery is the culprit. – Mama

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Angel Wing T-shirts and Patch

Hi Petra,
It's Becky Brown, founder of Women In The Wind. I wanted to tell you about a new venture that I started this month ... designing T-shirts! I've started with a beautiful Guardian Angel T, in both short and long sleeve (and matching patch).

My inspiration came from the many riders I've met over the years. So you might be asking, "Why now?" Well, I was an industrial electrician who lost her job after 30 years with the same company. The plant closed in March so I decided to finally do something I always wanted to do!

As you can see in the pictures, the front says "Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly!" and the back has a pair of angel wings, which by the way, have a shimmery bling to them!

The Ts are Gildan Ladies Ultra Cotton; $20 (S-XL) and $21 (2XL) and $21 (3XL, men's T style) for the short sleeve ... $25 for the long sleeve (S-2XL). The matching patch is $5, but you'll get a $1 off with a T-shirt purchase.

I hope you and your readers like the idea and take a closer look at http://witw1.com/Angels to place an order! – Becky Brown