Archives
Spring is early in New England- get on a motorcycle!!!
February 21, 2012
As winter came in like a lamb, it is also going out like one! That means one thing: it’s time to start riding. The best deals on used motorcycles are had early in the season so give us a call to throw your leg over a new ride. Bring in your trades and we’ll make sure to get on on th best bike for your money!
Keep the rubber side down!
Mike
Fall in New England… New bikes arriving weekly!!
October 19, 2011
With the changing of the season and the color of the leaves in New England, motorcyclists everywhere are taking their final Fall rides and preparing for winter. At Motorcycles and More we are actively buying bikes, with new pre-owned units arriving weekly. If you have a bike to sell, let us know. If you want to put a deposit on one for 2012, check back often for updates and pictures!
Ride Safe and enjoy the beautiful weather while it lasts!
Mike
Motorcycle Sales Rise, Driven By Pricey Gas
April 28, 2011
Straight from the pages of the Wall Street Journal and the Motorcycle Industry Council, motorcycle sales are returning strong. After a 2 year dip in sales and inventory, in addition to general production from all the major manufacturers, the motorcycle industry is making a rebound!!
“Motorcycle sales rose 7.2 percent in the first quarter of 2011, compared with the same period a year earlier, says the Motorcycle Industry Council.
In its retail sales report, which tracks sales among the 18 leading brands sold in the U.S., the industry trade group said scooters posted the biggest sales increase of nearly 50%. Sales of dual-purpose motorcycles, which are designed for highway and off-road use rose almost 25%. The group attributed the rise in dual purpose sales in part to the segment’s overall fuel efficiency.”
It’s a sign of the times for consumers with pent up demand who have been saving their pennies; and it’s a great time to ride! Save some gas, svae some green and go greener for the environment; everyone wins.
For the Full article please visit:
http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2011/04/27/motorcycle-sales-rise-driven-by-pricey-gas/
Let’s get rolling straight through Winter!
February 22, 2011
With record cold, snow, and rising gas prices, who isn’t ready for winter to be over?? At Motorcycles and More we are prepping bikes and ready to get you down the road on a new ride. Whether it’s your first time or your are looking for a new mount, check our inventory over the next few weeks for the latest updates and new arrivals!
Keep the rubber side down in 2011!
Mike
2010 is as strong as ever!!!
May 16, 2010
We have been unable to post since late March which means one thing…we have been very busy! April and early May have seen us flat out with new sales and new riders. A busy selling season menas that many new riders are hitting the road despite the continues econimic troubles that have touched most of our lives over the past few years. In fact, it’s hard to turnaround lately and not see a desperate headline or read of some shocking new financial fraud. But, as long as there are good deals to be had, sunshine and great roads to ride, we will find a way to get out and enjoy them!
One such individual will be the highlight of our next post and is Motorcycles and More’s farthest customer this year. He just completed a 3400 mile journey across the US aboard a 1999 Kawasaki VN 1500 classic. It embodies the spirt of the true American Road Trip and is the type of adventure we all ride for.
Enjoy the great weather this weekend where ever you are!
GNCC Racer Bob Santheson, local hero sponsored by Motorcycles and More…
March 31, 2010
by: Rachel Fluharty
January 12th, 2010 Openning of the GNCC
Plymouth, Mass., native Bob Santheson grew up around bikes while working at his dad’s shop. Through the years, Santheson raced NETRA but came over to the GNCCs in 2003. Since then he’s left to race for a local championship and for an injury, but last year he came back to race the XC2 Pro-Lites bike class for the entire season. Santheson talks about how he got started, how his first full year in GNCCs went and how he’s going to get on a 450 in 2010.
Hey Bob, why don’t you start of telling us how you got started racing? Well, my family pretty much got me started. My dad grew up racing and he had his own bike shop. So that was pretty much bound to happen.
Did he make you work at the shop growing up then? Oh yeah. I was sweeping floors and all kinds of stuff. I still work at a bike shop now. My dad closed his a few years back and I still enjoyed the industry and atmosphere so I stuck with it.
You have kind of a New England accent, where are you from? We’re in Plymouth, Mass. I just realized after going to all these races, that people notice the accent pretty quick.
It’s not one you hear a whole lot at the races. I bet all of your drives are long then! Pretty much! The shortest one is Unadilla and that’s six hours. And then Pennsylvania is nine. After that it’s 12, 14, 16 and 18 hour drives. It’s quite the amount of travel.
And you’re always with Tara your wife and Ava, your daughter. The Ohio race was their first race. It’s been good to keep the family going together. Before Tara started coming, it was pretty much just me and a buddy. I went to Florida and Georgia with some other guys. Tara takes care of getting the gear ready and in the truck. She does a lot actually. She’s definitely a key team player.
I see her posts on the GNCC Facebook. She is very supportive. Unfortunately, you probably won’t see her at most of the races next year. It’s fortunate and unfortunate that she got a job where she works on Mondays.
How did you find out about the GNCC series? I found out through friends that raced in the NETRA series. I raced in that series for quite a while. Some of those guys went to a GNCC in 1999. I had wanted to do it since then, but I just didn’t have the finances. I raced them again in ‘03 and ‘04, until I ran out of money. Did the first 3 in ‘03 and did PA too. Then in ‘04, I did the first three again but at that point, I had been on my way to winning a championship locally, and I made that my main goal. So I focused primarily on the local series. And then I got injured, so 2005 and 2006 were rehab years. In 2007, I was back and in 2008, I won the New England Cross Country Championship. That’s when I picked up a ride with a Kawi through a dealer and I went for it that year for something local.
You said it took you two years to recover from an I tore my ACL. I tried riding through it in 04 and 05 and in 2006 I reinjured it. That was pretty much the straw broke the camel’s back I pretty much couldn’t walk after that. It escalated to a major problem. But I have that taken care of now. It’s been three years now and it’s healed.
Photo By: STS Motorsports
Santheson was grilled on Track Smack Live with Tomblin and Digital Dave. Those guys really ask the tough questions.
injury. It must have been pretty bad?
Last year I really gave it my full effort. Stopped doing the local stuff, put them aside, picked and choosed which ones I used for practice.
The 2009 series was your first full GNCC season, why don’t you run through how it went for you. It went pretty well. Basically, I started the season off doing the bike week thing. I chose the XC2 class since I was on 250F, and didn’t meet requirements for XC1. But I didn’t want to be the sandbagger in the A class, since I had raced up in New England for years. Then the results really kept going and by round 4 or 5 I just did whatever it took to get to the races. It definitely took a lot of effort and it was a lot of fun. But it took a lot of sacrifices too.
What kind of sacrifices did you have to make to compete? Monday I usually started getting everything cleaned up after the race. Tuesday would be training and riding. Wednesday was more training. Thursday, I would have to have the bike ready. I just had one bike making it a lot tougher, so I had to have it race ready. I’d have it loaded it up Friday, and then hit the road Friday and drive and drive and drive. Sometimes there would be leftover things, like changing tires when I got to the track though. And then driving for 6-7 hours straight on Friday was always tough.
Photo By: Bob SanthesonThis photo is from Rattlesnake Run in 2000 and apparently Nate Kanney is in it somewhere.
We would pretty much drive all night to get there on Saturday. And we always stopped at Dunkin Donuts for coffee for Tara and then she would drive pretty much the rest of the way. On average we were getting there about noon, when ATVs were taking off. And then we’d relax for the rest of the day and get things ready.
I guess the people you work for at the shop were pretty cool to let you go to the races. What was really cool was that we had Mondays off this year. Saturday is usually a busy day at the dealership. It was a sacrifice to the shop to let me go, and that was really cool. This year, just experiencing the new tracks was really cool. It’s a lot different than what we have up here.
How do the tracks differ in GNCCs? There are more wide opens like width and speed of the trail. And up here we only race for like 2 hours. That extra hour is a big difference. A lot of the tacks, depending on the soil conditions are a lot like my home town. We are very fortunate to have a lot of faster trails and that’s always been the type of track I excelled at locally. It seemed fitting that the GNCCs are my type of riding actually. I feel comfortable going fast.
You’re in your 30s, what was it like racing with guys as young as Buttrick and Russell? It was tough. But I never really looked at them at battling with them. The top 4 or 5 guys would have minutes on us by the end. I battled with guys like Ryan Echols, Eric Bailey and David Snyder. It was fun and I definitely don’t see the age thing as being a downfall.
Photo By: David Whitten
Santheson discovered GNCCs while racing the NETRA series. Bob hails from Plymouth, Mass.
So are you coming back for the 2010 Season? I would definitely like that. It’s what we are looking at right now. I’m basically starting over I don’t have any bikes and old gear right now. It’ll be a little bit tougher but we’ll try to make it through. I think without having Tara at the races will be the toughest part. She’ll make it to a few of the closer ones. If we can make it to Plymouth by 7 a.m., for work she’ll be good.
You’ll have to do a lot of the driving then! I got used to the driving home. In Ohio, I ran out of fuel at the race, and I was so upset that I drove 12 hours straight all by myself.
I guess that could be good or bad. The long drive to think about what you did wrong could be torture. It makes the drive go by though. Thinking about how things went wrong, or excited about how things went good, either way you’re beaming the whole way home.
If you can come back in 2010, which you hopefully will, what are your goals for the season? I want step up to XC1. I’d love to do XC1 on a 450 and see what I can do up there. I thing the bigger bike is going to help. I was racing a 250 stock pretty much up against bikes that had stuff done to them. I don’t think too many people are doing too many crazy things to the 450. In XC1 I’m thinking it will be easier, because there might be less wear and tear. The bike will last a little longer. With the 250, you tend to run it to the limit.
We hope to see you back in 2010. Anyone you’d like to thank? I would like to thank Spectro Oils, Loud Fuel, Kawasaki, hoping they can help out again this year and STS Motorsports I definitely want to thank my family and friends, that’s a huge part of it.
Get the bike out and ride already….
March 28, 2010
If you live in the Northeast, or any northern latitude plagued by snow and cold there comes the time each and ever year to sock your ride away for the winter followed by bringing it back to life between 5 and 6 months later in the Spring. Granted, New England tends not to have a real spring, we like to think of it as a “Wet” time between winter and summer without the white stuff. Given the likelihood of continued temperature fluctuations rousing your ride in the spring can be like shooting life in Frankenstein…but I digress.
Needless to say there are a few basic precautions and preparations each rider can and should take to make their spring riding season enjoyable; let’s take a closer look at each one.
Fuel: The stuff that makes your cycle go and can help guard your tank from rusting, can be the same stuff that gums up your efforts to hit the road if not cared for properly. Given the additives in most of the petrol we use today shelf life is increasingly reduced and it is ever more important to use a good fuel stabilizer or drain your tank all together before putting the bike in storage. If you weren’t fortunate enough to take these precautions prior to storage it may be beneficial to drop some dry gas into the tank prior to starting.
Battery: Most motorcycles run off of 2 distinct types of batteries 1) Sealed maintenance free batteries or 2) Lead acid batteries. The names are very straight forward and imply just what they are. Maintenance free batteries are completely sealed, black or gray in color, used on most late model motorcycles and are just that “maintenance free”. Once this battery is removed for storage it should be placed in a heated area on a 1amp or smaller trickle charger attached to maintain its useful life. Lead acid batteries work on the same principles, are usually white in color with a black top, and the operator needs to keep an eye on fluid levels to be sure they are at the proper height whether in storage or under regular operation. To properly store lead acid batteries, remove them from the machine and also place them in a heated space. Remove the cell fill caps on top of each independent cell and fill any cells that appear low to the higher level with distilled water. (Only used distilled water to avoid build up of mineral deposits in the cells). Once each cell is filled, leave the caps off and place on a trickle charger to maintain a consistent charge throughout its storage, checking fluid levels occasionally.
When the time comes to take your motorcycle out of storage and replace the battery, place a multi-meter or voltage meter on the positive and negative terminals to test for proper Volts DC, which should give a reading of around 12.5 Volts. You may also test the specific gravity of the batteries acid which must be around 1.26 to 1.28 (in a fully charged battery) with a hydrometer. The battery may appear fully charged but its acid may be no good. Use a small 5 ball, pencil types available at most auto parts retailers.
Tires: Tires can be a motorcyclist’s best friend and worst enemy if not cared for properly. Always remember 1 thing when it comes to tires… Application, Application, Application; of course there are other things to remember, but first we need to start with the right rubber. Prior to storage it’s always a good rule of thumb to check the tread wear indicator on both the front and rear tires. If either tires is questionable and close to the indicator, order new rubber and make that part of your next winter project to have them installed. On the other hand, if your rubber is in good condition store your motorcycle in a dry, heated (if available) garage, and place a bike stand under the front and rear wheels, or engage the center stand if applicable. This will keep both tires off the ground during the winter months and prevent flat spots.
If you have followed all the right steps prior to storage and are ready to start riding, do one final check on the treads and sidewall to ensure there is no dry-cracking or weathering on the tread. Note: NEVER Armor All your tires! You may think it looks clean and shiny, but it robs your tires of all their moisture and will cause pre-mature dry-cracking.
Brakes: As much fun as it is for all riders to continually twist the throttle and speed up, it’s equally as important to know how to stop. Braking begins by knowing first and foremost that your motorcycles brakes are in good working condition. Visual inspection is the easiest first step which will reveal the primary clues on whether or not your brakes are in proper working order.
1) Inspect the brake rotors; the shiny disc shaped metal things on both the front and rear wheels. Are they in good condition? Is there excessive grooving on the surface, or chips and nicks on the edges?
2) Inspect the brake pads. These are located inside the brake caliper, the device that squeezes the pads on to the discs, and can usually be seen with the aid of a flashlight to inspect there thickness.
3) Inspect the brake calipers. When you squeeze the front brake lever or apply the rear brake pedal, do the calipers move freely? Do they squeeze the pads and then return to the original position when released?
4) Inspect the brake fluid. In all hydraulic brake systems, which most late model sport bikes and cruisers use, the braking systems are activated by hydraulic fluid which applies pressure to the brake pads through the caliper. Over time, the fluid will heat up, break down, and often become contaminated; much like engine oil in automobiles. If the fluid brakes down braking will be reduced and the brakes will tend to feel “squishy”; inspect and replace if so.
5) Inspect your brake lines, cables and master cylinder. Through repeated expansion and contraction during braking operation brake lines and cables will have a tendency to become stretched and lose some of their effectiveness. Always inspect and replace these lines and cables as need if stopping power if less than perfect.
Note: Drum Brakes: drum brakes, found on many older motorcycles, or newer entry level bikes, work on similar principles as hydraulic brakes minus the brake fluid, lines and master cylinder. These are sometimes noted as mechanical brakes and visual inspection / confirmation of smooth action, cable condition and brake show ware can be confirmed by following the instructions of your owner’s manual.
Final Drive: Without the final drive, all of the power we like our engine to produce while we twist the throttle would go to waste…what a pity. And, in order to use that power efficiently and effectively, we need a way to transfer it from the engine to the rear wheel- enter the final drive. There are 3 main final drive systems that the average motorcyclist will encounter. 1) Drive Chain 2) Drive Shaft and 3) Drive Belt. It is vitally important to keep all these systems in good working condition and to regularly inspect them for wear and/or adjustment. Let’s take a quick look at each system:
1) Drive Chain: Perhaps the most common system the rider will encounter, the drive chain is composed of small metal plates linked together by metal pins with rollers in the middle to “Roll” off the teeth of the front and rear sprockets; attached to the engine and rear wheel respectively. This movement causes heat and friction which eventually leads to wear. It is important to verify the specifications and wear limits in your owners manual, and to maintain both proper chain tension and lubrication; ensuring smooth operation and proper life from your drive chain. There are 2 basic types of drive chain- 1) Sealed O-Ring, with internal lubrication and 2) Standard link chain, which requires outside lubrication. Always visually inspect your drive chain for wear, sagging, rust, and proper lubrication.
2) Drive Shaft: Found on many touring bikes and cruisers, the drive shaft system is an internally contained shaft with joints, allowing movement of the suspension, which rotates in a constant bath of gear oil. As this is a contained system, they are relatively maintenance free; save for the routine inspection of the oil level at the check hole and replacement of gear oil when necessary. Check your owners manual for maintenance intervals and always inspect your gear oil check hole to ensure proper levels prior to riding.
3) Drive Belt: Appearing on most Harley Davidsons, Victorys and other such cruisers, the final drive belt operates much like a drive chain, differing in that it is constructed of rubber and requires no lubrication. The drive belt system is usually constructed of a fiber core, encased in a tough rubber belt. Known for long life and easy of maintenance, drive belts must also be inspected for proper wear, tension and visually inspected to ensure that the rubber is not drying, cracking or decaying due to age or weather. Check your owners manual for maintenance intervals and proper adjustment.
Suspension: Suspension is not just for smoothing out bumps and there’s more to geometry than a subject most of us would rather forget in high school. Suspension, on a typical motorcycle consists of several components contained within the frame geometry to ensure the rider a smooth rider, keep tires tracking firmly on the ground, and transmit the sense of the road directly to the operator in order to achieve proper 1)driving, 2)steering, and 3)stopping. Your average motorcycle has a form of front suspension, or forks, and rear suspension, or shock. It is important to inspect both front and rear suspension components for proper adjustment, please see your service manual, oil leaks (check the shock and front fork tubes for dry seals and oil), and check for proper alignment of the front forks and bushing in the rear shock. If any components appears to be seeping oil or require repair consult your owners manual and seek to have it serviced before hitting the road to ensure safe operation and a trouble free ride.
Body and Cosmetics: Body panels and cosmetics do more than just make your bike look cool…though they do that too if properly cared for… The body panels of a motorcycle can direct airflow, protect the rider, and tell an interesting story about how the bike has been treated or how it is functioning if you look close enough. If you are buying a second hand motorcycle, check all body panels for scratches and abrasions that would suggest a fall, low speed or even a high speed crash. Check the bike and panels for cleanliness, which should indicate daily maintenance and care of the rider. On a bike you already own, check for cracks, panel alignment and oil leakage coming down the edges. Monitor for smoke or fumes arising from the engine either captured or created by the panel rubbing. Checks to make sure all air dams are clear and in proper alignment to direct airflow. A good pre-ride inspection should alert you to any potential problems. Good rules of thumb to remember, if something does not fit or looks wrong, it probably is, trust your instincts.
Oh, and as always, enjoy the ride!
Be Safe in 2010 
Motorcycles and More is getting ready for the Spring!!!
January 19, 2010
It’s hard to believe we were just recently pushing all the bikes in, installing the trickle chargers, and hibernating for the winter…and to those of you who ride the street all year round, I applaud you, that is not we…but we’re now starting to get that itch for Spring.
Where did the time go this year? Whether you have been affected by the economy, covered in snow, or still trying to recover from the usual holiday adventures, this has been quite a year to say the least. What better way to look forward than to start thinking about your bike; or if you haven’t pulled the trigger yet, about buying a new one.
There’s many updates to come in the near future to MAM. We have re-designed the web site (behind the scenes so, no you won’t see much outwardly), we have many updates still to post from the last 2 major tips, many new finds for the MAM collection, and starting next week we will have a series on prepping your bike for the spring, followed by a How To guide for buyers!
Happy New Year to all; here’s to keeping the rubber side down in 2010!
HELL TRIP 2009 IS ON!
June 18, 2009
It’s 8:54 am, June 18th, 2009- the NH contingent has been on the road for 54 minutes and I will be suiting up the duck shortly to meet them in western ma! We did it, so far….this is a trip that has been in the works for years, and now we’re off. 5 guys, 2 with no experience at all, are heading off to take on the Tail of the Dragon full steam ahead! First stop will be Westrn MA, on to OCC, hit Pittsburg for a Primati Brothers sandwich, and then off to appalachia! Will we make it, who knows? But that’s the fun. More to come as we venture on….
Mini-Bike Fest 2009!
May 24, 2009
Let’s delve into a little background on this.
So, routinely every Fall, there is a growing number of us who gather in the small NH town of Warner for a “Fall Foliage Festival”. On one such occassion, I brought up a 1996 Honda XR 70 (my first acquisition for the group) and invited anyone who so desired to throw a leg over and take the bike for a ride. After several hours and an incident where our fearless and frankly stuipd, merry ring-leader, one Jessie MacNeil- popped the throttle and nearly ran our resident Photographer, Kristian Whipple, aka “Whip” straight over, I thought…”We need this mayhem on a large scale!” Mini-Bike Fest was born.
Mike Fixes the BW again!
I slowly began trolling craigslist and various want ads looking for suitable mounts in the 70-80cc range. First of course, was the 96 xr 70, which was quickly followed by a 2000 XR 70; Julie Mento is kind enough top model the 96 for us here- thank you. Next I though it might be nice to incoporate mounts from the other major manufacturers. Suzuki, I chose the DS 80, 2-stroke oils injected. From Yamaha the PW 80; a fat tired oil injected fun machine. I worked on this one for about 4 hourse the gay before the ride as the yamaha carburetors are notorious for causing problems. This particular one had a penchant for peeing on the riders foot. From Kawasaki I picked a 1987 KD 80, but the metal tank and subsequent “rusty gas”made this machine a no-go.
Next we needed a location to ride. My good compatriot, Tony Mento, otherwise known as the “God Father” was kind enough to ”convince a local 
land .owner that we needed a place to go do a little riding…naturally the neighbor agreed.
Doin the butt..sexy sexy
Of course, now that we had “permisson” to go out and create a ruckus, that is exactly what happened. We started with a little rider orientation and got people familiar whith how to start the bikes, shift, jump rocks and throw ruster tails and various what not which we didn’t even know was possible on a mini-bike……like breakdancing…
Whit a quick sharing of smiles, enough to not only say “This is FUN!”, but also “I’m going to kick your ass!” -they were off. Of course, beginners luck led the field as Julie put the boys to shame and claimed the holeshot into turn 1. The boys were quick to try and catch up and the laughs and crashes started piling up; literally… like this nice little donut, the result of going into a corner just a little too hot; a feat in its own right on the XR. Or perhaps this nice little front flip of Larry’s. Which we are still having troubling figure out, and also still wishing that someone other than Larry was holding the video camera while this one happened.
A great time was had by all!
For additional photos of Mini-Bike Fest 2009: http://picasaweb.google.com/motorcyclesandmorellc