Last week while looking for “How It’s Made”’s that I haven’t seen yet (There are so few left…), I saw a listing for a show called “Crash Science - Motorcycles” on NatGeo so I decided to set the ol’ Tivo for it. Well, seeing how good ol’ Tropical Storm Fay has kept me inside (and miserable) for the last 3 days, this show was a pleasant surprise when it recorded Wednesday night — and after watching it I was very, very, impressed.

Today I saw that they are replaying it one more time. So, if you can, I highly recommend recording this show. It goes over some of the variables that cause Superbike crashes, and what science goes into helping solve these issues. Overall it’s a great crash course (no pun intended) into the evolution of Sportbike technology and how this technology trickles down into street bikes.

And Best of all.. It’s in HD…

Channel: National Geographic / NatGeo / NatGeo HD
Show title: Crash Science - Motorcycles
Date/Time: Tuesday Aug, 26th @3PM EST

There is a great conversation going over at Kawiforums about the use of Magnets to help trigger stop lights.

The issue is that Motorcycles, Scooters, Bicycles, and some small vehicles (Scion’s, Yaris’s, Fit’s) don’t contain enough metal to trigger the induction loops that tells the stoplights that there is a vehicle there waiting to turn. ( ‘Induction loop’ is just a fancy term for metal detector. ) This becomes a major issue if you do lots of night riding, or riding in low traffic areas. As there is typically no one else in the turn lane to assist with triggering the light.

So the solution? Simply Magnets. In fact there are a ton of products out there that are really no more than rare earth magnets with fancy cases or adhesives on them. But you can do this yourself for less than 10$ at your local big-box store (Home Depot, Lowes, or ugg — Walmart)

1. 3M Acrylic Automotive tape (Which every man should have a roll of in his garage)
2. 2 Neodymium rare earth Magnets.
3. Plasti-Dip (Something else every man should have in his garage..)

Just attach the Magnets with opposing poles to the bottom of your frame or swing arm, and enjoy. Remember though, magnets do rust. So, if you do ride in the occasionl inclement weather, dip the magnets in a thin coating of the Plasti-Dip to help protect them from the elements.

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Since the Ninja 250R is a very popular first bike for many riders, there might be a few tools that you don’t know about That can really help you out.

The First MUST HAVE is a solid mechanics stool. This will keep you off the ground and off your knees. Most importantly, it’ll keep your arms at project level so they don’t get fatigued while working. This guy is perfect for working on Motorcycles, ATV’s, Quads, Scooters, etc.

As an added bonus, make sure you buy one with a parts tray. This way, as you take off nuts and bolts, you have a place to put them so they don’t get misplaced. I personally like one with 2 trays.. I have one tray to keep tools, and one to keep parts.

You can pick a craftsman one up at Sears (see picture) for about $80 — Or you can find they at most home improvement and auto-parts stores for ~$40.

Trust me. They are worth every penny.