Biker Lifestyle Articles

Fall-Proof Your Gear

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Fall brings crisp mornings and warm afternoons. These changes in weather can be a challenge for motorcycle enthusiasts. One secret to day-long fall comfort is to wear layers of clothing you can take off as the day warms and put on again when the evening chills. Begin with a non-cotton base, such as thermals or synthetics. Then add layers. One of those layers might be a hoodie like the Jolly Roger Skull hoodie. It’s made of cotton, so it won’t be a good base layer. On the black background are the skull and crossbones from the pirates’ flag, bones on each arm, and skulls on the hood. Another option for a middle layer is a long-sleeved, heavyweight cotton shirt. It’s screen-printed with a bald eagle on the front and the American flag flowing down each sleeve. One long-sleeved shirt for women is the Poco Loco shirt. It’s made with a blend of 98% cotton and 2% lycra for excellent, classic cut fit. The Poco Loco design on the front is printed in gold foil ink. Horizontal slits down the sleeves are a real biker touch. Your top layer should be a leather jacket, and if it has a zip-out lining, that’s even better. For example, women might like this jacket. The black and purple jacket’s interior is mesh lined with and added zip-out padded lining. It features decorative quilting and has a studded bird decoration on its back. It has a full-zip placket and a mock-turtleneck collar. The cuffs are zippers as are the vents on the sleeves. It has two zippered, waist-level front pockets, one zippered chest pocket, and one snap-flap chest pocket. Men might like a jacket like the Eagle Reflective Jacket. It’s made of soft naked cowhide. The removable full-sleeve, zip-out liner makes it perfect for autumn days. Reflective piping across the chest and back makes you more visible on those shorter days. This jacket gives you riding comfort with an action back, stretch-panels on the sides, and Velcro® straps to adjust the waist. It features a snap-closed mandarin collar. It has two zippered front pockets and two inside pockets, one zip-closed and one snap-closed. It also carries the standard Eagle Leather two-year warranty. Don’t forget gloves! Cold hands are sluggish on the controls, and at the same time, you don’t want sweaty palms from gloves that are too warm. Your best bet is to start the day with leather gloves. The black cruiser-style gloves are made of premium goatskin with a light lining. They feature a knuckle design, gel palm, and an adjustable wrist strap. When it’s warmer out, you could easily switch to fingerless gloves such as the Flame Fingerless Gel Glove. They are also made of goatskin, but are unlined. The flam design is embroidered. These gloves have gel-padding on the palm and an adjustable Velcro® wrist strap. With the right gear, you can ride comfortable in most fall weather, whether that’s a daily commute, or rides into the glorious autumn countryside.

Raising A Glass To Oktoberfest

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

The first Oktoberfest was held in Munich, Bavaria, Germany in 1810. Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese on October 12 and invited the citizens of Munich to celebrate with feasting, a parade, and horse races on the fields outside the town walls. The event was so enjoyable, it was repeated the next year. Over time, the festivities came to include, besides the horse races and the parade, tree climbing, swings, bowling, and carnival booths. In 1832, a Greek delegation came and was inspired to put on the Zappas Olympics, which became our modern Olympic games. The ceremonial keg-tapping is held at noon, precisely. The mayor of Munich taps the first keg and declares, “It’s tapped.” Twelve shots are fired, signaling the other beer halls that it’s time to begin serving. People take bets on how many swings of the hammer the mayor will need to tap the keg (so far, that number ranges from two through nineteen). In Leavenworth, Washington Oktoberfest is held on the first three weekends of October. This year, that’s October 4 and 5, 11 and 12, and 18 and 19. Admission is $10.00 for Friday from 5 p.m. to midnight and $20.00 for Saturday from noon to 1 a.m. Children under twelve are free with an adult but, like all minors, must leave the grounds by 9 p.m. Active and retired military receive free admission; just show your military ID. Remember, that’s just the admission fee. You’ll get a bracelet; don’t lose it. Food and drink tickets are sold separately. You can’t bring in your own food or beverages. The admission fee is cash-only, but you can get food and drink tickets with a credit card. The Keg-Tapping Ceremony is held at the Festhalle on each Saturday at 1 p.m. It’s preceded by a procession and is followed by music from the Musikkapelle Leavenworth. The parade is led by the Muenchener Kindl in Bavarian folk costume, and includes a band wagon with the Musikkapelle playing polkas and marches, then comes the Edelweiss Tanz Gruppe and the Bavarian-style Bier Wagon. The mayor and other dignitaries also ride in horse-drawn wagons. Once inside, get your food and drink tickets. Four venues offer food, drink, and non-stop live entertainment. The four venues are the Festhalle, the Bier Stube, the Tanz Halle, and the Spass Platz, which is only open on Saturday. You can move from one venue to another. Bands from across the US, from Canada, and from Germany will play at the various venues (schedule). Other entertainment includes music at the Park Gazebo and L-Bow the clown on Front Street on Saturday at the Kinderplatz, where you’ll find other child-oriented information such as a climbing wall and bouncy toys. Besides the beer, you can purchase brats, with or without coleslaw and beans; pork ribs; turkey legs; pulled pork sandwiches; hamburgers; or veggie burgers. For dessert, try German cake with whipped cream, or apple strudel, or a root beer float. We invite you to share your Oktoberfest experiences on the Eagle Leather Facebook page.

Have a Boo-tiful Halloween

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Looking for something special to do this Halloween season? Here are a few suggestions in the Tacoma area, some for families, some mainly for kids, and some especially for adults. These events are in the Tacoma area, but the venues are ones that you might not think about, so check similar organizations where you live. Tacoma’s Metro Parks have a plethora of events. If you attend a Park event, please bring a non-perishable food item that will go to a local food bank. The W.W Seymour Conservatory at 316 S G St. has a display of pumpkins and mums. The display opened October 15 and will run every day but Mondays until November 3 from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. It’s not only a great way to find decorating ideas, it’s a terrific backdrop for pictures—or even proposals. On Halloween night, the Conservatory will host Halloween Hurrah from 4 to 7 p.m. with spooky plants, treats and goblin brew, and games for the whole family. For each event, a $3.00 donation is requested. At Port Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, you can watch animals chomp on and play with pumpkins: badgers at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, October 26, grizzly bears at 1:30 p.m., and wolves at 3:00 p.m. and on Sunday the 27th, wolverine at 11:30 a.m., porcupine at 1:30 p.m. and wolves again at 3:00 p.m. People’s Community Center will host a Harvest Fest on October 31 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Your family can enjoy a costume contest, a haunted house, arts and crafts, music, and games. The STAR Center’s Harvest Fest will be held November 1 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Family fun will include games, music, a costume contest, and arts and crafts with a Dia de los Muertos theme—including decorating sugar skulls and Calavera face painting. The Tacoma City Ballet will present The Haunted Theatre, including a backstage tour and eerie dancers. Performances will be October 26 at 2:00 and 4:00 p.m., October 27 at 2:00 p.m., and October 31 at 7:30 p.m. On Halloween night, from 6:00 to 8:00 the Fircrest Pumpkin Patch will include carnival games and a bounce house as well as prizes for children aged ten and under. You can get a goody bag for a buck too. At the Lakewood Library, you can get a free comic book all day on Halloween. Treat yourself! If you know of other events, please mention them on the Eagle Leather Facebook page. We’d love to see pictures of you and your family in costume on the Facebook page too.

Amping Up Visibility

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

In dim light, anything a motorcycle enthusiast can do to increase visibility makes them more safe. You can ride a bright-colored motorcycle and wear gear that reflects or at least has reflective stripes. Fluorescent colors seem brighter in dim light because they absorb short-wavelength light that we can’t see and send it out again at a higher wavelength that we can pick up. Add reflectiveness, and you’ve made yourself much more visible. In addition to neon-colored reflective gear, you can add reflective tape to your motorcycle. Spots for tape include the front of your forks and, in general, anything that sticks out such as panniers or tall windscreen. And don’t forget wheel rims so cars can see you as you cross an intersection at ninety degrees from them. In addition, there are some things you can do with lights that will help other drivers see you that instant earlier that makes all the difference. Switch to LED lightbulbs. Incandescent bulbs are bright, but LED lightbulbs are brighter. They may allow you to see farther and they will make you more visible from other vehicles. Using an incandescent bulb with higher wattage drains power from your bike and adds heat. LED bulbs use less energy and don’t generate as much heat. They do reduce resistance and that can affect your flasher. You may need to change your resistance flasher to an electronic flasher. Change your brake light flasher. You can get flashers that cause your brake light to flash several times when you hit the brake, then stay steady. This gets more attention from following vehicles than a steady light. You can either add to or change out your brake light to add this feature. If you don’t do that, you can also just tap your brakes to get the attention of following vehicles. Modulate your headlight. You can get a headlight modulating kit that will cause your low beam headlights to pulse. This gives you extra attention from oncoming drivers—though it may annoy them. Some advocate using high beams at night, even in the face of oncoming traffic. This might cause drivers to “return the favor,” and that could blind you momentarily, so it’s a debatable idea. Add lights. You can find lights that are made to help you see farther or to see better in fog. You can also add single bulbs or strips of bulbs in a variety of colors. Some even let you change colors from your smart phone. Honda did a study that showed drivers were twenty percent more accurate about an oncoming motorcycle’s speed and ten percent more accurate about it’s distance from them when the motorcycle had lights arranged to resemble a human face. Think eyes and mouth, at least. Eagle Leather has closeout sales on a huge variety of auxiliary lighting kits. Ask your expert in the store or email (sales@eagleleather.com) or phone (253-1-800-972-3572) what will work best for you. Always have a spare. Carry spare bulbs and don’t forget to pack extra fuses. You may not be able to find a place to buy them at night, especially out in the country. Check your brake and turn-signal lights to be sure they work. Clean your lights of dust and gunk. Clean your side reflectors and be sure they are intact. As winter closes in, with shorter and cloudier days, riding in dim light might be necessary. Please share with us on the Eagle Leather Facebook page any tips and tricks you have that might make other riders more safe.

Celebrating 21 Million Vets!

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

This year, Veterans Day will be officially celebrated on Monday, November 11. We’ll tell you about some of the Veterans Day events in the Tacoma area. Elsewhere, look for events like parades and fundraisers in your own neighborhood. The Mike Licari Memorial: Bowling for Veterans event will be held at the Hi Joy Bowl in Port Orchard November 17 from noon to 4:00 p.m. VFW 2669 Post & Auxiliary sponsors the event. Proceeds go to the Posts efforts to help local veterans and their families. If you bring a nonperishable food item, which will go to the South Kitsap Helpline Foodbank, you’ll get a raffle ticket. There will also be a silent auction. Contact the Post for event tickets. Friday, November 8 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. enjoy community and camaraderie at The Swiss Restaurant and Pub with the Student Veterans and UW Tacoma. The Washington State History Museum will present a history of the changing role of women in the US Army followed by an onstage interview with Dr. Margarethe Cammermeyer. She was born in Oslo, Norway, in 1942 came to the US in 1951. She became an Army nurse and married a fellow officer but was forced to leave the military when she became pregnant. She re-upped in the Army Reserves when women could serve with dependents. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Washington and spent twenty-five years in the VA Medical Health Care system as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Practitioner and Researcher in Neuroscience Nursing. She came out as a lesbian in 1989 and was ultimately discharged in 1991. She filed suit, and her discharge was ruled to be unconstitutional. After writing an autobiography, Serving in Silence, which was made into a TV movie, and working for years to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Colonel Cammermeyer led the Pledge of Allegiance when that law was repealed. Pacific Lutheran University will hold a ceremony with music, singing, and a speaker who is a veteran and will make you laugh. After the ceremony, enjoy refreshments at the fireside reception. The event will be held at the University’s Lagerquist Hall, 12180 Park Avenue S. on November 11 at 10:30 a.m. Work of Honor will host a special event on November 12 ,with the theme Military Veterans - Driving the Competitive Business Landscape. Three military veterans who are successful in business because they combined civilian and military skills will be interviewed. The topics are: The Art of Winning—Maximizing your Corporate ROI through Veteran Talent; Hidden Potential—Skills, Attributes and Abilities of Veterans You May Not Know; and Building a Veteran Talent Pipeline—Attract, Retain and Motivate. Multicare and the Association of the United States Army will co-sponsor the event. It’s a great way to learn how veterans are using their skills in new ways to serve and succeed. Work of Honor sponsors hiring fairs for veterans and military spouses. Don’t miss the 54th annual Veteran’s Parade in Auburn on Saturday, November 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year the parade theme is “Celebrating the American Legion Centennial.” The parade will begin at the corner of Lincoln Way and Cleveland Street. Marchers will proceed on Lincoln Way to Central Square where they will pause for a patriotic ceremony to include a flyover (weather permitting), dove release, rifle volley, and taps. The first five hundred veterans to attend will receive a commemorative medal. Veterans who can’t walk the parade route can get rides. After free hot dogs, chips, cookies, and soft drinks at Armory Hall, enjoy a patriotic program, “Proud To Be An American” with music, singing, and exhibitions. At Eagle Leather, we honor veterans and serving military personnel every day of the year at our store in Lakeville. Just show your military status to the cashier at checkout and you’ll get a discount. or this year.

Harley History & Odd Facts You May Not Know

Oct 30, 2019 Damien Heenan

Harley History & Odd Facts You May Not Know You can name every make and model and rattle off the differences in gas tanks and tail pipes. You can even tell what type of Harley is coming down the road by the sound of the engine. You have spent your life riding and appreciating Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, but did you know… The first Harley-Davidson motorcycle actually came from a blueprint drawn by William S. Harley in 1901, who was 21 years old at the time. That blueprint was meant for a bicycle. The first bike would later be produced in 1903. The first woman to ride a Harley was Janet Davidson; however it was not confirmed if the motor was running. Janet is an aunt of the Davidson boys and helped out with pinstriping and painting the letters on the motorcycles. Speculation is, one way or another, she climbed onto one of the first Harleys, making her the first ever woman to ride one. Take that, Amelia Earhart! Carburetor giving you troubles? Start digging through that recycling bin! The first Harley used a tomato can for a carburetor. Harley-Davidson made its first appearance in the US Military during a 1916 conflict along the US-Mexico border. After the bikes proved their valor in battle, the US military started working directly with Harley. By the end of WWI, over half of the Harleys that were produced between 1917 and the end of the war had gone to the US Military. At the end of the war, there had been more than 20,000 Harley-Davison bikes used by the military! During WWII Harley won the Army-Navy “E” award for excellence in wartime manufacturing. Looking to cash in your change jar for a new bike? The most expensive Harley is the CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide where only 4,200 were made, with a whopping $40k price tag! (Do we know anyone who owns one?) Have you ever wondered why they call them hogs? A group of bike racers had a pig or hog as a mascot; when they would win a race they would put the hog on the bike and make a victory lap. Harley tried to patent the "HOG" name but was advised that the name was already used to represent motorcycles of all kinds. They later used the name H.O.G. for the Harley Owners Group. Later the Harley stock symbol was changed to HOG. We saved the best for last. When’s the last time you saw six inches of snow on the ground and said, “What perfect weather for a ride”? If you answered with “last winter” then you, my friend, probably own one of the fabled Harley-Davidson snowmobiles. Yes we said it, a Harley snowmobile. It has been more than 40 years since Harley released its snowmobile in an attempt to expand the product line. They had a short run from 1971-1975 and then decided to exit the snowmobile market. While the snowmobiles did feature a twin cylinder engine, it was not the same V-twin we all know and love. Maybe they would still be making them if they threw a full sized V-twin in those bad boys!?

Let's Celebrate: Harley Davidson's 116 Anniversary

Oct 7, 2019 Eagle Leather

Harley-Davidson is celebrating its 116th anniversary this Labor Day weekend at the Milwaukee Rally and H.O.G. National Rally. Festivities run from August 29 through September 1. The Harley-Davidson Museum is the hub, where you’ll find free, live performances by national and local artists and musicians all weekend long on two separate stages. In fact, everything that goes on outdoors at the Museum during the celebration is free to the public. Inside the Museum, in addition to its amazing regular exhibits, you can take in the special summer exhibit, “Daredevils: A Century of Spine-Tingling Spectacles” until September 8. Members of the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) get free admission to the Museum and a 2019 Museum H.O.G. Pin. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Let’s take a look at what’s planned. Everyday from the 29th of August through the 1st of September, you can: Enjoy live music on two stages, including tribute bands for Led Zeppelin and ZZ Top. Shop for hand-crafted leathers and designer clothing, paintings and drawings, and motorcycle parts art, or just watch the artists at work. : Customize your ride with custom pinstriping by professional artists. Get a souvenir tattoo by professional tattoo artists. : Watch top motorcycle stunt performers do the seemingly impossible. Take a selfie in front of the Shed, where the Harley-Davidson motorcycle was born in 1903. : Sip an adult beverage in the Budweiser® and local craft beer tents or Bulleit® Bourbon cocktail; devour the offerings of outdoor food concessions or visit MOTOR® Bar & Restaurant and the CAN ROOM. On Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., participate in demo rides. Each day, the show begins with check-in and staging from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. The Harley-Davidson styling team judges the bikes from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Prizes are awarded on the beer tent stage at 4 p.m. If you go, please share your experience on the Eagle Leather Facebook page.

Guaranteed Great Mother's Day Gifts

Sep 4, 2019 Eagle Leather

Did you forget? Or have you been procrastinating? Maybe you have something and need a little more. On Mother’s Day we remember our biological moms, but also the mothers of our children, our grandmothers, and all the women who’ve played a motherly role in our lives. Here are some last-minute gift ideas. Let’s start with two jackets that are made for fashion, not for motorcycle riding. The Elle jacket, shown here in black is the epitome of chic. It’s a mid-length jacket in the retro trench coat style. Diamond quilting and extra, decorative, seaming show the attention to detail that is the hallmark of high fashion. The fox-fur collar adds glamor. The Elle jacket is made of sheepskin and has a removable belt. It has a snap sleeve for good fit and is fully lined. Every woman wants pockets, and the Elle jacket has three: two zippered and one snap-down. This jacket also comes in oxblood. Another jacket she can wear anywhere is the Daisy jacket. It has fringe, fringe, fringe! The collar is asymmetrical. Made of cowhide, the Daisy jacket comes in black, oxblood, and whiskey. The sleeve has a zipper closure and the jacket is fully lined. This jacket has pockets galore: one on the chest, two at the hips, and two more inside. Both the Daisy and the Elle jacket are Eagle Leather brand and carry our two-year standard warranty. Maybe you don’t know her size. How about luggage. We have several tank bags that are great for riders but are also very useful for non-riders like this bag. It’s got a touch-screen compatible pocket for maps or electronic devices like tablets as well as several other pockets to keep things organized. The interior is lined in red so it’s easy to find stuff. It measures 14” long by 10.5” wide by 7” high and expands. Riders will appreciate the anti-scratch, combined strap and magnet mounting system and reflective piping and logos. Non-riders will notice that the base can be removed and that the bag has both a carry handle and a shoulder strap. Sure, summer is coming, but any woman who loves the outdoors will appreciate the Cascade vest. It’s a go-anywhere heated vest powered by a lithium-ion battery that delivers instant heat for hours—from four to eleven hours, depending on the heat setting. It’s got four heat settings and she can use it when she’s hiking or skiing or just enjoying the outdoors. The Cascade vest is made of Windshark®, which is a four-way stretch fabric that if flexible and comfortable and still protects from rain and wind. The tapered waist and taped seams ensure a good fit. The Cascade vest is thick enough to serve as an outer layer and thin enough to be worn under a jacket or coat. It’s got a quilted polyester core and zippered pockets for hands and for a cellphone. The battery and charger come with the vest. Comfortable riding or driving gloves are another item every woman can use. These lined gloves come with pink or purple laces. They’re made of premium cowhide with a welted design on the top panel. The gel palm makes for a comfortable grip on handlebars or steering wheel. The gloves are lightly lined and have fingertips that let the wearer use a touch screen. If you just need a little something, consider the Infinity Scarf. One size fits all. Ask our trained staff for other gift suggestions (jewelry, T-shirts, jeans, and so much more). And, if you aren’t sure what she’d like, how about an Eagle Leather gift card?

Update: Motorcycle + Sidecar Endorsements

Aug 10, 2019 Eagle Leather

Beginning on January 1, 2020, the process for getting a motorcycle endorsement and sidecar endorsement has changed. If you have a two-wheel motorcycle or scooter that is 50 cc or smaller and has a maximum speed of 30 miles an hour, you don’t need a motorcycle endorsement. Note that the maximum speed must be on the speedometer—you can’t just tell the officer that you never go faster than 30. To get a motorcycle permit, you must pass a basic knowledge and skills exam. You must be at least 16 years old to apply and, if you are younger than 18, have a signed parental consent form. At any age, you must have a valid Washington State driving license and pass the motorcycle operation knowledge test. With a permit, you can ride your motorcycle on a public roadway, but not at night and not carrying passengers. The permit is valid for 90 days and is renewable as long as you passed the knowledge test within the last 180 days and had just one permit during the last five years. To renew a second time (third permit) you need proof that you are enrolled in a motorcycle training course and the permit may not expire before you start the course. The DMV urges that, if you have a valid permit, you finish your tests before the end of 2019. To get an endorsement on your driving license, you must pass an advanced knowledge and skills exam. There are two ways to get this endorsement: You can successfully complete a motorcycle safety course, which includes the knowledge and riding skills tests, at an approved motorcycle training school. There is a fee for the permit. Or You can take and pass the knowledge test at an approved motorcycle training school, then bring the pink score sheet to the DMV office to get an instruction permit. You can then take and pass the riding test and, within 180 days, bring the green score sheet to the DMV office to get the endorsement. You cannot get a motorcycle endorsement while you have an Ignition Interlock License (IIL). Once the IIL has been removed, you can take the necessary steps to get a motorcycle endorsement. There is a fee for the original endorsement, which includes a new driving license, and a different fee for endorsement renewal, which is added to the driving license renewal fee. You’ll find a list of approved motorcycle training schools here. Each school sets its own charges for the classes and for the tests. These charges are in addition to the state fees. You can find both sample questions from the knowledge test and videos showing typical tasks from the riding test here. And you can download a pdf of the Washington State driver’s manual here. The manual includes: safety information; the rules of the road; advice on how to handle some mechanical problems; and sample test questions. If you ride with a sidecar or ride a three-wheeler (trike, including a Can-Am or Piaggio MP3), you need a special endorsement to ride on public roads in Washington. If you ride it without the proper endorsement, your motorcycle with sidecar or trike can be impounded. You don’t need this endorsement if, and only if, your sidecar or trike is equipped with safety belts, is steered with a steering wheel, and has a partially or completely enclosed seating area. Getting the sidecar/trike endorsement is pretty much the same as getting the motorcycle endorsement. You can take safety courses or tests at one of the approved sidecar/trike training schools listed here. Note that, just as with the motorcycle endorsement, permit holders may not carry passengers. We’ve done our best to summarize and explain the requirements for these two endorsements, but don’t just take our word for it. Check out the DMV website or send an email with questions to: motorcycle@dol.wa.gov

Winter Is Coming!

Aug 9, 2019 Eagle Leather

It’s getting to be “that time” again. The weather is changing, and fall is here. It might be time to winterize your motorcycle and say goodbye until spring. Read through the appropriate sections in your owner’s manual; the instructions there are more complete and accurate for your machine than we can give here. You might as well have the items you’ll need handy before you start, so buy 4 or 5 quarts of the motor oil that’s recommended in your owner’s manual. For example: Spectrum HD Platinum Oil is designed for high-output, twin-V motors like those in a Harley’s high-performance bikes. You’ll also need fuel stabilizer, like the Spectro Fuel Conditioner It fights corrosion and keeps gas from getting gummy. You can also use this fuel conditioner In other gas engines—in your lawn mower, for instance. You might need a new oil filter. Eagle Leather has several in stock. Check your owner’s manual and buy the one that’s meant for your ride. You might want to buy a battery tender, which will keep your battery alive over the winter. Otherwise, you should remove the battery and keep it indoors. Eagle Leather has several battery tenders. The Battery Tender Junior is one of our bestsellers. It’s light and compact, fully automatic, sparkproof, and protected against reverse polarity; it’s perfect for any lead-acid, sealed maintenance-free, or gel-cell battery. You’ll be cleaning your motorcycle, so be sure you have enough washing liquid. It has to be strong enough to get rid of dried on bug remains. You might try Spectro XL Bike Wash. It’s water-based and non-flammable. While gentle enough to use every day, it’s tough enough to conquer any grime and dry goop your motorcycle is wearing. And, using it is spray-on, rinse-off simple. You’ll then need wax to protect the finish. You could also use Purple Slice Spray, which doesn’t need rinsing; it cleans and protects at the same time. You’ll need something like Blue Job Polish for your chrome and steel parts. You’ll also want to pick up an oil tray or can for the old oil and a can WD-40. If your motorcycle will be stored where it might freeze, you will probably need antifreeze. You might want to buy a bike stand. Smaller items include newspaper to protect the garage floor from stains, steel wool, plastic kitchen wrap, a cloth for polishing, rubber bands, and rubber gloves. You might also want to buy a bike cover. The first step is fun: Taking your fuel stabilizer along, ride until your gas tank is almost empty, then fill it and add the fuel stabilizer. On the ride home, the stabilizer will mix with the gas so it can prevent it from turning to gunk. Once home and before your bike has cooled down, check coolant and antifreeze levels and add them as needed. When your bike has cooled and with your newspapers in place, put the oil tray under the release valve, drain the oil, and replace with new oil. Lube the chain and other moving parts. Drain any gas from the carburetor float bowl. Either remove the battery and store it inside or hook up your battery tender. Check your tires. If they need more air, inflate them. Now is the time to fix any tire problems you can see. Clean your motorcycle, being sure to remove any splattered bugs or bird poop. Be sure to dry all the nooks and crannies. When the bike is dry, wax it. Spray the exhaust pipes with WD40. To keep rodents from living in your motorcycle, plug up any holes with steel wool. Now your bike is ready to hibernate while you dream of the roads you’ll travel next year. If you have a bike stand, use it now. Otherwise, you’ll want to move the bike often during the winter to avoid ruining the tires. Cover your bike. You can tie down a makeshift cover with your rubber bands or bungee cords or use purchased cover.

Snow Bike: A Winter Dirt Bike Update

Aug 1, 2019 Eagle Leather

We’ll talk about snow bikes in a minute, but first we’re excited to tell you about something you’re gonna love that’s happening this Saturday, February 9 at the Eagle Leather store. (Online shoppers, you’re out of luck this time.) Here’s the scoop: You come to the Eagle Leather store in Lakewood and buy whatever you want. After we’ve rung up your purchases, you’ll draw for a percentage discount on the whole transaction. If you bought sale items, you’ll get either the percentage you draw off the pre-sale price or the sale price, whichever is less. Discounts cannot be combined with any other offer or sale price. Once you’ve drawn a discount, you can’t add any more items, and the discount applies to just that one transaction—not anything in the past or the future. You can buy more, but you’ll have to go to the end of the line and draw another discount. And we put the discount you drew back into the pot for the next person to draw. The biggest discount is fifty percent and you have one in five hundred odds of getting that. So come on in Saturday and take a chance with us! Now, about the snow bikes. First, what it’s not. It’s not using a bicycle-type frame but replacing wheels with skis. That is skibobbing. Skibobbing was first patented in 1892 and was long used to allow people without knee strength to ski in the Alps. A skibobber can go really fast, and the Fédération Internationále de Skibob has held annual world championship races since 1967. And it’s not snowmobiling, which you probably already know enough about. A snow bike is a modified dirt bike. Like a snowmobile, it has a ski-type runner in the front and a caterpillar-type track in the rear. But where a snowmobile has two skis in front and two rear tracks, a snow bike has just one ski and just one track. That means a snow bike is lighter, skinnier, and more maneuverable than a snowmobile. They can make a way through trees and let you cut across steep slopes without sliding down. They don’t exhaust smaller riders the way snowmobiles can, because they are lighter and easier to steer. And they let you carve down steep hills the way you can on a snowboard. People have been trying to invent something like a snow bike for almost a hundred years. Both Germany and France had research going on during World War II, seeking a vehicle useful in Alpine warfare. But it was an American company, J. E. Love, and its Shrew snow cycle, that first put a ski on shocks at the front of the machine. They didn’t make many Shrews, because the vehicle was hard to turn and easy to tip over. Attempts continued, including the Snow Job kit and Chrysler’s Sno-Runner, but both were expensive and never got off the ground. Technology keeps on improving, though, and nowadays the Idaho company Timbersled seems to lead its competitors, such as Moto Trax, Sno Ripper, Yeti Snow MX, and CMX. It was Timbersled that figured out that just using a snowmobile ski to replace the front wheel of a dirt bike didn’t work very well. The problem is the ski’s flat bottom. Timbersled engineered a ski with keels that have well-defined edges. When you go straight on hard-packed snow, the center keel carries the weight. A shorter keel on each side get you across the side of the mountain. And the grooves between the keels give you a lot of flotation. Fans say that riding a snow bike is like riding a motorized snowboard. It is said to be very easy to learn to use—even if you have no experience on a motorcycle or dirt bike. Snow bikes are mostly a do-it-yourself project. You buy a conversion kit (for a few hundred dollars) and turn your dirt bike into a snow bike. And that means you use one machine all year long, which is a big savings. Check with the Motor Vehicles folks about licensing. There’s a law moving through the legislature that will simplify it, and they will be up to date about what you need to do.

The Oyster Run 2019

Jul 8, 2019 Eagle Leather

“The Largest Motorcycle Run in the Pacific Northwest,” the Oyster Run, will be held Saturday, September 22. And Eagle Leather will again have its booth in Anacortes on Ninth and Commercial. It’s a busy day for the Eagle Leather staff, who get up at dawn to get the booth set up, spend all day interacting with customers, and then take the booth down before the long drive home. Damien says, “So much work goes into preparation and setup to do that one day, we have usually been preparing for more than a week. Everyone is tired until the crowd starts showing up, then it’s nonstop all-day, and you are living off your adrenalin. You don’t get much chance to enjoy it while it’s happening, but for days after you get to hear everyone's favorite experiences.” One of the items the Eagle Leather team will be putting on display is the lined Veteran vest in black. It packs a lot of style with an asymmetric closure, buckles at the waist, and a detailed pocket flap—and it’s on sale! Adrey says the day at the Oyster Run is “lots of fun, always busy, always something to do. Worth getting up super-early to drive up with the sun.” She’ll show you a wide variety of leather goods, including the Ladies’ Scarlett Star jacket. The full-sleeve, high-performance insulated thermal liner is perfect for fall rides. The liner and the jacket have matching stretch panels for comfort without tearing. Decorative snaps on the collar let you change the look of the jacket. The zipper closure is offset and antique-silver rivet details on the back, sides, and cuffs add pizzazz. Last year, Kayla said, “The Oyster run was a very busy day but was very fun and a nice change of pace from normal store life.” She wants you to know about the men’s General jacket, shown here in oxblood , which is on sale. The center-zip jacket is made of distressed cowhide leather; it’s fully lined with zip-out sleeve liners. It has two zippered pockets on the chest, two more in the front, and a snap-closure pocket inside. Military patched stitching on the sleeves and shoulders make this jacket special. Liz is looking forward to the Oyster Run. She says, “I’ve always enjoyed myself up there but it’s a lot of work, but it’s fun.” She likes the Ladies’ Sweet Sienna Vest. This fitted vest has a full satin liner. It has two exterior pockets. Decorative seams enhance the structured style of the classic motorcycle vest. And it’s on sale too! Speaking of last year, Emma said, “The Oyster Run was one of my favorite days working for Eagle Leather. It was exciting to see my regular customers in a different environment and eye-opening to see how many people from all over know about our store.” She things lots of men will like the Premium Maverick jacket. It’s made of soft, naked-touch cowhide and has a perforated action back and a heavy mesh liner. Adding to riding comfort are the stretch panels in the liner arms, the fully opening zippered cuffs, and the side zippers at the bottom. It has four outside pockets and two inside pockets. The mandarin collar, the stripe detailing on the chest and the upper sleeves, and the hidden zippers give this jacket style. When you see the Poet Laureate of Eagle Leather, Kayla, at the Oyster Run, tell her how much you enjoyed her haiku: Oyster Run, so fun My candy bar in the sun Can’t wait for next year And we can hardly wait to see you there!

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