Arkansas' Bikes Blues and BBQ Delivers in 2012

Written By: Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys

Bikes, Blues, and BBQ Motorcycle Rally in Fayetteville Arkansas the last weekend in September did not disappoint this seasoned motorcycle rally goer. Arkansas' infamous Bikes, Blues, and BBQ Motorcycle Rally wrapped up shortly after midnight on Saturday September 29, 2012 and had over 32,000 bags of trash to prove that this event is truly awesome.

By everyone's account, Bikes, Blues, and BBQ Motorcycle Rally was an incredible success and a great time for all the motorcyclists who rode in. If riding the beautiful Ozarks isn't enough to get you there add to the rally mix the amazing aroma of the Kansas City BBQ Society Cook-off and Championship.  Not many people would turn away from the smell of 59 teams from 13 states competing for top BBQ spots in four categories brisket, pork, chicken and, of course, ribs.This year's winner was Getting' Sauced from Missouri! 

The main street for the rally is the legendary Dickson St.  Dickson St is packed and the place to be and be seen during Bikes Blues and BBQ.  The bars that line the street are packed to capacity and the streets are lined with people watching the beautiful procession of motorcycles that ride up and down Dickson.  There are vendors lining the streets and the Main Stage area complete with beer tent.  You could buy everything from Motorcycle gear to pulled pork (motorcycle rally staple) to cheesecake on a stick.  

Great bands would take to the Main Stage and so would those romantic motorcyclists who thought tying the knot at Bikes Blues and BBQ would make their nuptials all that more memorable.  Joe Giles, the organizer of the event, is a minister and he performed the ceremony for four couples over the weekend.  And to cap the Main Stage off was the Miss BBB (bikini) contest.  

The Bikes, Blues, and BBQ Motorcycle Rally was capped off by the Parade of Power. This year, over 600 motorcyclists rumbled their way from College Avenue to Dickson Street and passed thousands of spectators and families. The roar of the bikes was both deafening and thrilling for all who attended. 

I loved the area so much to get into the spirit and show my support I donned a Razorbacks tee for the game against Texas A&M - Texas thumped the Razorbacks 58 to 10.  

The motorcycle accident attorneys at Russ BrownMotorcycle Attorneys were proud to be a part of this year's festivities as sponsor and official motorcycle attorney of Bikes Blues and BBQ.  We know why you ride and we understand your passion for motorcycling—because we ARE motorcyclists too. If you are ever injured in a motorcycle accident, we will fight aggressively for you. We always pursue the maximum compensation for our clients to help pay for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Call us today at 1-800-4-BIKERS for a free consultation. We Ride—We Care—We Win!

CycleTrader.com Reaches 40,000 Facebook Fans, Launches Fan Appreciation Contest

In honor of CycleTrader’s fan page reaching 40,000 motorcyclists, we’re holding a fan appreciation contest to giveaway five $50 gift cards to help you get out and ride this Fall. Upload a photo of your motorcycle, or one you found on CycleTrader.com for your chance to win a free tank of gas.

Enter Your Bike Here

Simple Guide to Valve Adjustment

Written By: GearHead.com

So you just got a killer deal on a bike on CycleTrader and you want to make sure everything is in tip top shape before your big upcoming ride. Whether you know if your valves need adjusting or not, it’s a good idea to at least check them periodically, especially in bigger or high compression engines where valves need to be adjusted more frequently. This simple guide will get you started with the basics on how to check and adjust your valves. This guide is for most 4 stroke motorcycle engines, but does not cover every make and model, so consult a repair manual for specifics for your bike. Valve adjustment can seem intimidating but it’s fairly simple on most bikes and can save you lots of money in the long run instead of having to take it to a mechanic. 

What You Will Need:

·         Valve clearance specifications (Exhaust and Intake in mm)

·         Basic knowledge of your bike (how to get to TDC)

·         Feeler gauges – Feeler gauges that match the specs you need to measure. (Some automotive feeler gauges are too big) Any local auto or motorsports store should carry some.

·         Basic Tools – Basic tools like screwdriver, sockets, pliers, and wrenches to remove the valve cover, sparkplug, and turn over crankshaft nut.

·         Valve cover gasket – Just in case the old one is bad or gets damaged. (Always buy factory OEM gaskets)

How to check and adjust the valves:

1.        Remove spark plug(s).

2.        Take off valve cover and set aside. They may need a love tap from a rubber mallet to break loose. You should be able to see the rocker arms and valve stem/springs at this point.

3.        Crank the engine over so that the timing marks point to top dead center (TDC) and it’s at the top of the compression stroke. Rocker arms on intake and exhaust will usually have slight amount play in them since all the valves on the cylinder will be closed. There is usually a timing mark you can view through

4.        Check valve clearance by measuring the gap between the rocker arm and the valve stem with the feeler gauge. (see photo at right)

a.        If valve clearance is correct, there will be a slight drag felt on the correct feeler gauge. If the gap is incorrect, you’ll need to adjust the valves. If you have a shim type valve, you’ll most likely need to remove the rocker arm to replace the current shim with one of the correct size. This may mean more work to make sure that timing isn’t affected and trial and error to get the right shim size. Consult your bikes repair manual for specifics on your bike. If you have a screw and locknut style valve adjuster, then you can simply loosen the locknut and adjust the screw to the correct specs.

5.        Set valve clearance with adjusting screw and then tighten locknut. Check the clearances after the locknut is tightened then replace the valve cover (with new gasket if needed) and tighten in crisscross pattern. (Do not over tighten!)

6.        Do the same for all valves on that cylinder and then move on to other cylinder(s) using steps 2-5.

7.        Install spark plugs. (Do not over tighten!)

8.        That’s it! Now go out and ride that freshly tuned beast like you stole it.

If you run into or cause any broken parts along the way, (bolts, gaskets, etc) be sure to replace them with genuine factory OEM motorcycle parts. Gearhead.com offers free online parts diagrams and sells millions of OEM and aftermarket parts, gear and accessories for all major makes and models of motorcycles.

Note: For a more in depth guide on valve adjustment, please see our other article, “How to Adjust Valves on a Motorcycle or ATV.”