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The months keep flying by, and I’m happy to say that Iron Horse is in better shape than ever. In fact, last month we hit an all time new bike monthly sales record. We are servicing more bikes than ever from all over Arizona and neighboring states. Luckily for us, more and more BMW enthusiasts recognize that our 27+ years of experience, combined with our vast resources are earning us more and more customers. I apologize, by the way, for being so busy in the service department. We have hired a new apprentice technician to help alleviate some of the burden, and expect to be able to meet everyone’s needs in a more expeditious manner in the near future. I appreciate your patience! We are working harder than ever to be the best dealer in Arizona.
We are also excited about the future of BMW motorcycles. Next year we expect at least four new models. Many of you are on various lists for these new machines. The K1200S should be here in January or February, followed by the R1200RT, K1200R and possibly some other surprises. We actually have some R1200GS models available to purchase, and a demo will be made available so that some of you can get a feel for the new technology.
Additionally,
we are very excited to introduce a new “Loyal Customer Rewards
Program” starting January 1st, 2005. Recognizing that many of your
service needs often outweigh your parts bill, and wanting to reward all of
our customers for their continued patronage, we will replace the current
“parts only 10% discount” given to members of MOA and other
organizations with an all-inclusive program. This new program
will reward customers based on parts purchases as well as service.
We have been doing a lot of math and we will be able to outline the entire
program in the December newsletter. The future is bright for all of
us who love BMW motorcycles.
Thanks for all the support you give us -- John
ARIZONA MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE
Since John and I were not busy enough taking over Iron Horse Motorcycles in February 2004, having our first daughter in April 2003 and expecting our next daughter to arrive February 2005, we decided to add another component to our business – a motorcycle insurance agency conveniently located in our dealership. Our agency, Arizona Motorcycle Insurance LLC, will specialize in motorcycle insurance.
We are excited to offer our customers “one-stop shopping” at Iron Horse, namely the same great personal customer service and quality motorcycle products in addition to the insurance you need with Dairyland, Foremost and Pacific Specialty Insurance companies. If you currently have any of these insurance carriers and are happy with your coverage, but would like to have your agent be someone you know and trust, we can change your agent of record with just your signature and policy number. If you have your insurance through a different carrier we would love to have the opportunity to see if we could be competitive with your current rates. So far we have been able to give outstanding rates, so call us to compare.
Thank you to everyone who is already an Arizona Motorcycle Insurance customer. Greg Johnson was my very first policy ... sorry Gary Blomstrom and Deborah Josselyn - thanks for wanting to be the first! Allen and Diane Moore put me into double digits! It only takes a few minutes to get a quote, so if you have the time, come visit me. I am at Iron Horse Tuesdays (9am - 5 pm), Wednesdays (9:30am - 12:30pm) and
Fridays (9:30am - 12:30pm). I am always available though- just call me at 520-271-2399. Evan Eckert will have his insurance license soon to assist me in writing and reviewing policies.
Also, we are in the process of setting up our website, so you can fill out a quick form on-line at your convenience and I can get back to you with your quote. By the next newsletter, www.arizonamotorcycleinsurance.com, will be up and running for business.
No Tricks, Just Treats
Well, the month of October looks to be an exciting time at Iron Horse.
We have quite a few new bikes on the way as the riding season gets into full swing.
Come take a look at the R1150RT's, K1200LT's, and F650GS Dakar's that we have coming.
We still have several R1200GS’s on there way that are available.
Take advantage of 3.9% financing on 2005 K1200LT's, F650 models, and all 2004 Cruiser models. For those looking on the sportier side, 2004 R1100S, R1150R, and Rockster models are available with 0.9% financing and 3 payments made by BMW.
We also have a large inventory of
used motorcycles presently. Come check out everything from Ducati’s to Harleys, as well as many BMW models.
We are now offering two different aftermarket warranties for your
motorcycles. If your motorcycle is still under factory warranty, we
can extend it 3 years with unlimited mileage. Please contact our
Sales staff for more details.
BMW Club Jacket
Active safety wear that that looks great on or off the bike.
- Abrasion and tear resistant Polyamide
- Removable shoulder and elbow armor
- Two outside pockets and one inside
- High collar with closure
- Adjustable waist strap
- Cool styling for any outdoor occasion
$235.50
LED Taillights
- LEDs simply look cool
- Works with clear lenses
- Updates your bike’s look
- Rugged and reliable
- Vibration-proof
- Very low power consumption
The old Racer’s Rule: “Ya Can’t Go Fast……. If Ya Can’t Stop”
Why Brakes?
Brakes are vital to the safe operation of your motorcycle…no doubt.
Brakes are used on moving vehicles to bring them to a stop. That applies for motorcycles, cars, airplanes, and even we humans use our muscles and the grip/friction of our shoes or bare feet to stop in time before hitting the wall…ouch.
“Brakes” meaning brake shoes (as used on older motorcycles) or brake pads (as used on most newer bikes) are used in conjunction with hydraulics (master cylinder, brake calipers, brake hoses etc.) and its hydraulic clamping force, with the use of friction from the brake material against the brake disc or brake drum to stop you from hitting that hard object.Suggestion:
To completely understand the basic function of brakes overall, we suggest you search the web or better yet go to the library or bookstore and read the technical books available, if you are technically minded.
Brake Fluid:
Basic Hydraulics: Fluids cannot be compressed thus they are used as a medium to
transmit force from the hand/foot lever to the master cylinder (which becomes hydraulic force) then via the brake hoses to apply clamping force via the brake calipers directly unto the brake disc.
Brake fluid (Dot 3 or 4) with the exception of Dot 5 (silicone fluid) is hydroscopic, meaning that it will over time absorb moisture/water directly from the atmosphere.
Remember: the brake master cylinder is vented via a small hole (directly located in the cover) to atmosphere, for proper function. Over time, brake fluid will change color from a light straw color or nearly clear in color to a dark brown or worse yet, almost black color.
Tests have shown that a brown color indicates that the fluid has an approx. content of 25% water already.
Therefore, it is vital from a safety point to flush out the bad brake fluid, since the absorbed water will boil within the brake fluid if the brakes are used hard and will give you that
"OH NO" feeling when the brake lever pulls all the way back to the handlebar (because you have just compressed the air bubbles of the boiling water within the brake fluid).
And that's usually when you need the brakes the most… in a panic stop.
This also applies to your car, truck or airplane, etc. Note: Brake fluid reaches high temperatures when riding in stop and go traffic or when going downhill in the mountains.
Think: Constant brake applications.
Dot 3 vs Dot 4:
The difference between the two fluids is the heat tolerance, thus Dot 4 fluid will tolerate a greater heat level, before the brake fluid itself begins to boil.
CAUTION: Dot 3-4 and Dot 5 brake fluid are not to be intermixed. Dot 5 brake fluid is not approved for BMW motorcycles.
Using Brake Fluid:
When refilling your master cylinder, use only the recommended brake fluid as indicated on the cover of the brake reservoir. Refill only from a sealed brake fluid container.
CAUTION: Never allow brake fluid to come in contact with the paint surfaces etc of your bike, as it will melt the paint etc., be sure to immediately clean off any spilt brake fluid with lots of water.
Maintenance of Your Bike:
Seriously consider having the Annual Service done on your motorcycle, regardless of the mileage. Brake fluid flush is part of it…since the brake fluid gets dirty/absorbs moisture just like the engine oil. Also consider the consequences if it not done on a timely basis: moisture will damage the vital components such as the ABS Hydraulic Pump Unit.
Using Your Brakes:
Just like the racers: ya can’t go fast if ya can’t stop. As taught in the MSF courses, learn to use your brakes effectively, for the “sudden stoppage” will get you each time, as they say in the airplane business. Thus practice panic braking to hone your skills in getting the bike stopped in a big hurry. Certainly it is wise to practice panic braking in a safe location, such as an empty parking lot. You can increase your braking feedback by pressing your knees against the gas tank while applying full brakes.
A Word About ABS Brakes:
The beauty about ABS brakes is that you can (just like a car with ABS) still control the direction of the travel while braking, thus sometimes you can go around the danger/object…certainly helpful. When in ABS mode, it will certainly apply/release the brakes faster than you can manually, while keeping the tires from skidding. Remember tires slide only when locked up or when spinning, which in turn creates an unstable situation…the bike goes sideways! And so does a car/truck. Standing on the foot pegs at this time may help gain control of the bike.
CAUTION: Mother Nature will remind you that you cannot defy gravity, inertia, etc., not even with ABS brakes!! Remember that if there is little or no friction/traction (think: ice, snow, rain, sleet, gravel) between the tires and the road surface/ground then the bike cannot stop in due time, because it is not getting enough traction via the tires to the ground. Thus inertia will carry you out of the curve off into the boonies or likewise, you may hit that object you just wanted to avoid. Similarly, the safety effects of ABS are reduced somewhat when the bike is leaned over hard in a corner, i.e., if you're going way to fast in the corner, you could still wash out, ABS or not.
Brake Pads and Brake Discs:
These two vital components do all the work and generate lots of
heat. The action results from turning the bike’s inertia into heat via the friction of the brake pads against the brake disc in order to stop your bike.
Both items wear out, meaning that they should be checked and replaced in due time before metal to metal contact of the brake disc and brake pad backing plate occurs.
As part of our routine safety check while your bike is in for any service, we will check the brake pads for remaining thickness and advise you if the replacement will be necessary before the next scheduled service is due.
We recommend staying with the BMW stock brake pads since these, like your tires, have been extensively tested by BMW to provide the best possible performance.Brake Hoses:
Brake hoses will wear out over time. Routinely check your brake hoses for chafing, ballooning bulges, scrapes, dry rot, ozone damage. A spongy feeling hand or foot brake usually indicates a problem.
Also: Replacing rubber brake hoses with stainless steel versions will change the brake feel and feedback (if only little). It will take some time and practice stopping to get used to the “new feel” which is usually a more abrupt ON-OFF braking feel. Stainless steel brake lines were first on the Butler & Smith roadracers in the early 1970’s to improve the stopping under racing conditions.
Brake Dust:
When working on brakes, avoid the brake dust which usually over time covers all the brake components and wheels. Wash and dry these items first, before beginning the work. Also, remove brake dust from the cast wheels routinely, since over time the brake dust can etch and discolor those beautiful wheels. When washing your bike or car, use a separate sponge and wash those dirty wheels last, thus avoiding the scratching effect of brake dust on the painted surfaces/body panels.
We are here to help and advise you on your brake system, so call us or come by should you need any assistance.
Remember: A well-maintained bike will perform better, last longer and can help you avoid those critical situations by letting you maneuver around those objects.
Ride Safe.