In honor of this week, I've compiled a list of tire maintenance tips to help you get the most out of your ride.

#1: Get to know your owner's manual. Yeah, it can be a bit dry to sit and read a manual, but you're going to get a lot out of it. Specifically, your manual will tell you about ideal tire pressure, how to adjust your pressure for load or environmental conditions, and more.

#2: Store it right. How you store your bike can make a big difference in the lifespan and performance of your tires. Keep them out of direct sunlight. Avoid using “cleaning” products that actually just dry tires out. Make sure you store your bike properly over the winter: check out this article I wrote for Michigan Midwest Motorcycle Magazine for winter storage tips.

#3: Check before you ride. Check your tire pressure when the tires are cold using a reliable pressure gauge. Many manufacturers recommend checking pressure only once a week, but my thinking is it takes 2 minutes to do… why not just do it before you ride, and at the same time, check your lights and brakes too. Better to find a problem before you go than while you're out riding and trying to enjoy yourself. Need a reliable tire gauge? Request one here (sorry, limited to Michigan residents only).

#4: Look at your tires. Seems obvious, but a lot of people don't. When you check your pressure, give the tires a once-over to make sure there are no cracks, flat spots, weird wear patterns, or embedded objects. Again, it could save you from wasting a bunch of time on the side of the road trying to patch a tire on the fly.

#5: Be prepared. Get yourself a portable repair kit. It should have tire plugs, a rasp, some razor blades or a box cutter, an allen wrench, and an air pump or portable canisters. You can buy these items to assemble a kit yourself, or buy one pre-assembled from a retailer. If you can, get one that also has a First Aid kit built in… just in case.

Want more information for tire maintenance and safety? Check out NHTSA's What's your PSI tip sheet! If you or someone you care about has been injured in a motorcycle accident, the number to call if you fall is 1-877-BIKER-LAW. 

Harley-Davidson has issued two additional recalls this month that I want all bikers to be aware of:

The first recall (NHTSA file #14V725000

) affects about 5,000 FLS Softails (2014-2015). The problem with these bikes is they may be missing  a sensor that lets the rider know their front turn signal(s) isn't working. Without working turn signals, riders could be at higher risk of a crash or an interaction with a motor vehicle.

When I saw this recall had been issued, it really hit home for me how important it is to do a pre-ride inspection before every ride. It only takes a few seconds, but it could save your life. Things to check before every ride:

• brakes
• tire pressure
• tread depth
• headlamp
• turn signals
• others: see PDF list

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) publishes this printable PDF that provides a pre-ride checklist. Print it off and keep it handy and always check your bike before hitting the road. With all the other risk-factors that can affect your ride, including potholes and other motorists, it makes sense to do as much as you can yourself to ensure your own safety when you're out on your bike. If you do realize your turn signals aren't working, make sure you brush up on your hand signals; click here

for an easy tutorial.

The second recall (

NHTSA file  #14V750000) affects just over 1,500 Tri-Glide FLHTCUTG (2015) bikes built between mid-July and mid-October, 2014. The issue is that these bikes may have a rear brake master cylinder assembled with an incorrect piston, which may not provide enough support and could allow the primary cup to tear. A primary cup tear could decrease how well the brakes work and increase the risk of a crash.

If you think your bike is affected by either of these recalls, contact H-D's customer service line before your next ride at 414-343-4056; the recall number for the Softails is #0681, and for the Tri-Glides it's #0162.

Spread the word and ride safe! If you or someone you care about has been injured in a crash, call me

.

If you've been following me for a while, you know that I'm always talking about how important it is to take good care of your bike's tires. With that in mind, I wanted to let our readers know about a new video released by the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) that is totally focused on tires. In just over four minutes, the video talks about the importance of choosing the right tires, how to properly and regularly inspect them, some tips for maintenance, and when it's time to replace your tires.

MIC chair Dennis McNeal says, “your safety depends on you becoming well-versed at selecting, inspecting, maintaining, and replacing your bike's tires.” The video was designed to accompany the MIC's Tire Guide booklet. Tire maintenance is an important aspect of motorcycling safety, but can also have an effect on how well your bike rides and your fuel consumption, so it's worth keeping up with it.

It's easy to add a quick but thorough tire inspection to your pre-ride routine, especially since inspecting your tires is part of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's (MSF) T-CLOCS inspection, which includes:

• Tires and wheels
• Controls
  
• Lights and electrics
  
• Oil and other fluids
• Chassis
• Stands

Obviously, keeping your motorcycle in great condition won't guarantee your safety, but it's still worth doing, if only for your peace of mind. Plus, it can help your bike last longer, ride better, and allow you to focus more easily on the road and other drivers instead of your equipment.

Read more about the MIC's new video here.

Read more about MSF's T-CLOCS inspection here.  

Clutch Issue:

If you own a 2014 Harley-Davidson, brace yourself: the company is recalling more than 100,000 bikes for a clutch issue. Harley-Davidson is recalling over 105,000 motorcycles (2014 model year) for a clutch issue. Some of the following 2014 models are affected:

Electra Glide Ultra Classic; Ultra Limited; Police Electra Glide; Street Glide Special; Street Glide; Tri Glide Ultra; CVO Limited; CVO Road King; CVO Breakout; Electra Glide Ultra Classic Twin Cooled; Ultra Limited Shrine; Street Glide Shrine; and CVO Softail Deluxe.

A component in the clutch master cylinder of affected bikes could fail, which could lead to the clutch not having enough pressure to remain disengaged. If that happens, the motorcycle could creep forward when the rider means to be stopped, which could lead to a crash or injuries. Harley will be contacting affected owners; if you own an affected bike or think you might, contact Harley-Davidson's customer service department before riding it again: 1-800-258-2464. More information here.

Fuel Cap Issue:
Just under a thousand Harley-Davidson XG500 and XG750 motorcycles (model year 2015) are being recalled because of a fuel cap issue. The affected bikes were made between June 11 and August 14 of this year.

The fuel cap on affected bikes may not seal properly, which could lead to fuel leakage and a potential fire risk. Harley will be contacting affected owners; if you own an affected bike or think you might, contact Harley-Davidson's customer service department before riding it again: 1-800-258-2464. More information here.

Are you in the market for a new Victory motorcycle or Polaris powersport vehicle? Do you have a Costco membership? If so, you're in luck… Now you can pick out your new ride when you pick up bulk bagels and paper towels.

Costco itself isn't actually selling motorcycles; those sales are managed by dealers who participate in a partnership program with the wholesale chain (un-creatively named the Costco Auto Program).

The program isn't new, either. Victory and Polaris are joining Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Honda, Husqvarna, Indian, Kawasaki, KTM, Moto Guzzi, MV Agusta, Spyder, Suzuki, Triumph, and Yamaha. As a matter of fact, a number of major car companies also participate in the Costco Auto Program, which Costco says sold about 350,000 vehicles last year.

What do you think? Would you buy a motorcycle, powersport vehicle, or even a car through Costco? Let us know: Comment here or join the conversation on Facebook.

Source: http://bit.ly/1vkJLM2

We've talked about a lot of powerful machines in our previous blog posts, from motocross to motorcycle ice racing to... lawn mowers?

Believe it or not, lawn mower racing is growing in popularity every year. Some people call it the "poor man's NASCAR", but most just call it fun. These racing machines aren't your average mowers, either: the blades are removed for safety, and everything from engine to body is customized for speed. Some racers will spend over $10,000 to get their machines ready; fortunately, as with NASCAR, many companies are willing to sponsor racers to help get them on the track.

Photographer Jennifer Boomer has been following lawn mower racers with her camera; you can see her photos here. Do you race? Tell us all about it in our comments section! 

July is Women's Motorcycle Month, a chance to celebrate women who ride.

Ashley Fiolek is not your typical motocross racer, and not because she's a woman. Ashley, a two-time women's motocross champion and two-time X Games gold medal winner, was born deaf. She doesn't let it slow her down.

Because she can't hear, Fiolek says that she had to learn to shift her bike by feel. She and her dad worked on it again and again, until feeling for the vibration of the bike became second nature, and she learned to fly. Shifting by feel is one thing, but not being able to hear other bikes on the track can make passing or moving laterally a huge challenge. To overcome it, Fiolek watches for shadows on the ground, and uses corners to check behind her to see if she can move. It seems like no obstacle is too difficult for Fiolek, who keeps racing, jumping, and winning.

While most motocross racers get a thrill from the noise on the track, Fiolek says that she feels at peace when she's racing. For her, racing is a chance to focus and be alone with her thoughts. “It calms me down,” she said in an ESPN interview. “It feels like you are flying.”

To watch the full ESPN interview on Vimeo, click here.