Too bad, I didn’t read my owner manual.

One night I was riding and the forward control bracket of my shifter disconnected as I was downshifting to 1^st gear. Luckily, I was in second gear and was able to keep the bike moving. Another stroke of luck was that this happened right next to a gas station.  I was quickly able to get off the road and into a safe and well lit area.

It was about 11PM and I was about 20 miles from home.

I only had the bike for a few months, never had a problem with it, and purchased the bike without the owner manual. I figured I could fix the problem with the motorcycle tool kit but I wasn’t sure and had no idea where it would be. My initial thought was that it would be under the seat like on sport bikes. But of course, to get the seat off, I needed tools.

Luckily, a biker was in the gas station, saw my struggles, and offered a helping hand. He rode a Honda VTX 1300 and was familiar with motorcycle maintenance and metric cruisers. He was able to help me find my tool set, fix the forward control, and I was back on the road in 10 minutes.

This spring, there will be lots of bikers out on the road that will be as clueless as I was regarding basic motorcycle maintenance and repair. There will also be bikers who drop their bikes and need help picking it up. These are minor problems but to a new biker, they can seem catastrophic.

The guy who helped me out gave me the motivation to learn more about my bike so that I would never be so helpless again. Maybe you can do the same for another biker in need.

Remember to always use caution and your best judgment when stopping to assist a biker or any motorist.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident in the Boston or Andover area, contact personal injury lawyer and avid biker Tom Kiley! Or order a FREE copy of Tom Kiley’s motorcycle accident guide, Do Loud Pipes Save Lives.

For Harley and metric cruiser fans, this has been a major dilemma. What do you do if you want the style and comfort of a cruiser but also want the raw power and torque of a sport bike? In general, there was no option that captured the true essence of both styles.

Not anymore.

Can you imagine turning your Harley Road King or Honda VTX into a rocket that has enough power and torque to make Hayabusa owners stop and take notice?

Procharger Superchargers have made it possible for cruisers to achieve a 40 to 50% increase in horsepower. These 13 lbs dynamos are also simply bolted onto your bike. Within a few hours, you will have performance that was only a dream among cruiser owners a few years ago.

Ok, here’s the bad news. This upgrade is a far cry from adding a hypercharger or a motorcycle fuel management system. Procharger Superchargers can cost in the neighborhood of $5000. In many cases, you can buy a used cruiser or sport bike for that amount of money.

Why not get the best of both worlds in one bike? Besides, if you have more than one bike chances are one of them does nothing but collect dust in your garage

Also, before to pony up the dollars for this upgrade make sure you do some research. You may need to make a few additional changes to the motorcycle exhaust, tires, and other parts to optimize your investment.

That doesn’t have to mean that life has to stop.

There is no reason for people who have the ability to pursue their hobbies to completely put the breaks on the things they love. Sitting at home stuffing your mattress with every extra dime  is not the solution. Life is too short for that.

For bikers, this is especially true. There is absolutely no reason why motorcycle lovers cannot have their cake and eat it too.

I am not suggesting that it makes sense to go out and buy the latest and most expensive 2010 motorcycle on the market. I’m suggesting that bikers get tough and creative during these times. There are lots of ways to continue riding even if you are experiencing some financial hardships.

• DIY: Instead of taking your bike to your local motorcycle mechanic for every little thing, take some time and learn to do basic motorcycle maintenance yourself. You’ll find that with your owner manual and a good motorcycle shop manual, you’ll be able to figure most things out yourself.

• Trade Down: Instead of getting rid of your bike completely, trade down to a less expensive bike. That way, you can continue to ride and get some cash in your pocket. No one wants to trade down from a Harley Road King to a Honda VTX but at least you are still on the road.

• Project Bikes: Finding low cost project motorcycles and parts is easier than you might think. With some guidance and a few books, you can probably accomplish 75% of the work yourself.

• Swap Meets: Some of the best deals on parts can be found at swap meets, flea markets, and motorcycle salvage yards. You can find the parts that you need at a fraction of the cost at motorcycle retailers and online stores.

• Research: Don’t make a quick move regardless if you are buying, selling, upgrading, or downgrading your bike. There are deals out there regardless of your situation. Get online and check out all of the best sources out there before making a decision.

The hallmark of the biker world is creativity. Thinking outside of the box can help you get through this tough economic time while keeping your love of motorcycles rolling strong.

Since 2002, the Yamaha Roadstar Warrior has been one of the most original, most powerful, and most highly sought after metric cruisers. While it has never been a huge seller like the Honda VTX line, the Warrior has been a favorite in the used motorcycle market.

There are several distinctions that make the Warrior very different from most metric cruisers.

• Style for Miles: The 2010 Roadstar Warrior is a stunning motorcycle with performance to match. Since the Warrior is not as big a seller as Honda and Suzuki, the Warrior provides a stylish options opposed to ‘ordinary’ metric cruisers.

• Air Cooled Engine: Most metric cruisers have liquid cooled engines and feature a large radiator in front of the engine. The Warrior is air cooled giving the motorcycle a cleaner, more streamlined look.

• Belt Driven:  Some of the early Honda Shadow motorcycles were chain driven but most current metric cruisers have maintenance free shaft drives. Shaft drives are great due to the zero cost of maintenance but the belt driven motorcycles have very low maintenance costs and much more flexibility. The fat tire look is very popular and the Warrior can achieve that look much easier than other metrics.

• Race Bike Inspiration: The Warrior has always been billed as the bike for the person who can’t decide between and race bike and a cruiser. The Warrior has low weight for a 1700cc motorcycle, lots of power and torque.

• Customization: The main benefit of the Warrior is its ability to be customized. As a platform for creating a radical custom motorcycle, the Warrior does not need to be re-invented. With a few changes, a Warrior can look like a completely custom bike; not a stock bike that has been enhanced.

It’s not surprising that the Warrior is one of the best cruisers on the market. Yamaha’s R1 race bike has been one of the best performing sport bikes for years and clearly the same level of performance has been built into the Warrior. Warrior’s also have great resale value. Frequently, 2002 Warriors sell in excess of $5000.