There are many varieties of sturdy motorcycle storage bags you can consider. If you live in the city, a storage bag may be just what you need. Most of these bags are made of steel with a zippered front and rear. Included is an anchor to stabilize the bag and keep it in place. These motorcycle storage bags are affordable the prices vary according to the size you require.

Certainly, a motorcycle is quite an investment therefore you want to ensure that it is being properly maintained throughout the year. Most insurance companies will ask if your motorcycle is garaged. If it isn’t, the insurance premium may be a bit higher. Protecting the motorcycle from rust and other factors will not only extend its longevity, but keep it in tip top shape throughout the year.

Before utilizing a motorcycle storage bag, you may want to make a check-list for storing it during the winter months:

* Make sure it is clean

* Use wooden blanks upon which you place the motorcycle

* Drain the gas from the tank

* Look for any leaks that may cause corrosion

* Take out the battery

* Ensure all intricate parts are free from debris

In addition to motorcycle storage bags, you can also check out sheds as well as garage units which are portable and easy to assemble. If you do own a home, you can just as easily store the motorcycle in a storage bag in the garage. This will be a double guarantee that the elements will not cause any damage to the bike.

With the economy in a state of flux and gas prices surging, anything you can do to avoid incurring additional expenses relating to your motorcycle is warranted. If you’ve like to purchase a motorcycle storage bag, you can research the many varieties online to determine which one is best suited for your bike. Make a list of bags, then compare and contrast their features.

Think of it this way, the money you invest in a motorcycle storage bag now can save you quite a bit of money in the future.

A few months ago one of my friends called to tell me he was going to be late to the trail because he had a part on his bike that was being recalled. He wanted to stop at the bike shop and have his part replaced before our regularly scheduled ride. I too thought it was a good idea to get the part replaced before our ride so I told him that I will see him when he is finished at the store.

When I met up with my friend later in the day I asked him how he found out about his recalled part. He told me that his wife signed up for email alerts on product recalls. She subscribes to these email notification to be aware of toy issue for their children and it just so happened that a mountain bike part was on the email.

Just like other consumer products, mountain bike products occasionally get recalled for various reasons. I do not want to speculate so I am not going to give examples. It is important to be aware and not to ignore these recalls because your safety could be in jeopardy.

So in an effort to keep riders aware of product recalls the links below will direct you to the Consumer Affairs and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission websites. These sites will allow you to search their database for product recalls that might pertain to your bike, gear or both.

The two sites listed below are not meant to be the all encompassing sources of information. It is to help you get started in you product recall search. If you come across more sites with mountain bike recall information let us know and we will add it to the list.

Check out the websites below.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

- http://www.cpsc.gov/

Consumer Affairs

- http://www.consumeraffairs.com/recalls/recalls.htm

You can find new or near new parts on Bike Servant is a mountain bike classifieds website which lists mountain bikes for sale, bike parts and race events.

ATV are used as outdoors utility vehicle such as on farms, hunting… ATVs are good recreational vehicle, they are fun to rid on dirt and sand dunes; there are many professional, sanctioned off road ATV races. The demand for dirt bikes and ATVs has drastically increased. There are many ATVs and dirt bikes available at cheap prices for kids and adults. It is now common to see youngsters who are seven to eight years old mounting dirt bikes and ATVs expertly and with ease. But injuries caused by riding dirt bikes and ATVs happen very often. Studies by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission have come up with stunning figures: many as 4 out of 10 people who are involved in an ATV accident are kids under the age of 16.

The primary safety rule of course is to first learn how to ride an ATV or Dirt Bike before hitting the outdoors. The responsibility for properly training a child to ride ATVs or dirt bikes lies with the parents. The young rider must be supervised at all times while riding an off-road machine.

The law in the US does not allow ATVs on freeways and kids should never be allowed to ride where there is traffic. Children should not be allowed carry anyone on the off road vehicle; this is a major cause of serious accidents. It’s a good practice to make a complete pre-ride check before using the ATV or dirt bike. Check the tire pressure, gas level, test the brakes front and rear as well as the lights. Please refer to the respective ATV manufacturer manual for complete details.

Riding on public roads can prove fatal. Ensure that children never ride without a helmet and wear gloves, eye protection and protective gear. It is good sense not to make do with protective gear meant for other activities such as daddy’s football gear – because the gear required for safe riding on dirt bikes and ATVs is designed with that purpose in mind.

Bikes and ATVs are age specific and size specific, so elders are well advised to buy and upgrade the bike according to the child’s age. There is no rule as to what age a kid has to be to ride an ATV or dirt bike but do not put a 4 year old on a 110cc ATV or a 50cc dirt bike. A 4 stroke 70cc ATV for kids packs enough punch for an adult to have fun on it. Thankfully most youth ATVs and dirt bikes are equipped with safety controls such as:

A speed governor that sets the maximum speed as low as 5MPH

A corded plug that allows an adult to run along with the youngster and pull to kill the engine (great feature for very young riders)

A remote control that can kill the engine by the press of a button within up to 200 feet (great to keep little older kids under control)

As for the ever-popping question, how young of a child can ride an ATV? Since every kid is different, it is up to each parent to decide what age a child can ride what ATV or dirt bike.

Remember that a child on a bike is definitely vulnerable. Riding vehicles off road can be very fun and provide a healthy workout. To reduce the risk of injury, good training, constant supervision and following the manufacturer’s instructions are a must.