Yamaha Recalls CP250 and YP400 for Fuel Pump Problem

Yamaha has issued a recall of certain 2006-2007 CP250 and 2005-2007 YP400 motorcycles.

The engine could stall and be difficult to restart because the wire terminals in the fuel pump wire coupler have corroded. Water can enter from the main wire harness end and run through the harness to the fuel pump coupler. If the water remains in the coupler for an extended period of time, the terminals can become corroded, which can prevent the fuel pump from operating properly.

9600 units are affected.

Check out my Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.

Motorcycle Pictures of the Week - Shawn on his Spyder 300

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Web site. These are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery.

See Shawn on his Johnny Pag Spyder 300.

If you'd like to see your bike as Picture of the Week, submit a picture of you and your bike along with a description of the bike.

Motorcycle FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions About Motorcycles

I have just released a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for the Motorcycle Views Web site.

The questions and answers in the motorcycle FAQ cover a wide variety of information about motorcycling.

My approach is to consider the various phases that a motorcyclist goes through in his/her search for motorcycle information.

In the beginning, a prospective motorcyclist may just have basic questions. As they get deeper into the subject and actually realize that they want to learn to ride, their questions change.

As a person becomes a rider, they then want to buy a motorcycle and all the stuff that goes with it. The questions continue changing as the rider becomes more experienced.

I attempt to treat most of these major questions normally asked throughout the complete life of a motorcyclist -- a big undertaking.

Check out my Motorcycle FAQ for the complete set of questions and answers.

Joe Motorcycle - Just an Average Guy

I happened to run into a biker friend of mine named Joe Motorcycle. Now Joe is an average guy, kinda like Charlie Brown in the comics. Joe spends a lot of time on the Internet, especially on the Motorcycle Views site and on the Motorcycle Views Forum when he's not out riding his bike.

Joe has consented to answer a few questions for me. I must warn you though. Joe is a man of few words.

Oh, and please resist the temptation to click on the links until we get to the end of the interview. If you do click the answers, please remember to use the Back button to return to the interview with Joe.

Walt: "What brand of motorcycle do you ride Joe?"


Joe: "Hey, I just got a new Harley-Davidson Softail Rocker. It's great!"



Walt: "How did you learn to ride?"


Joe: "Never went to one of those new schools. Learned on my own."



Walt: "What color is your scoot?"


Joe: "Some people around here seem to like red but the only motorcycle color I like is black."



Walt: "How many motorcycles do you own?


Joe: "Well, I used to have an old Panhead but had to sell it. I only have one motorcycle these days."


Read the rest of the interview

United Motors of America Recalls V2C-650 and V2S-650 Motorcycles for Gas Cap Leak

United Motors of America, INC has issued a recall of certain 2007 V2C-650 and V2S-650 motorcycles.

These motorcycles were built with fuel tank cap gaskets that prevent proper tank ventilation. This could result in vehicle stalling which could result in a crash and/or fuel leakage which could result in a fire.

1145 units are affected.

Check out my Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.

Motorcycle Pictures of the Week - Ival and Gordon

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Web site. These are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery.

See Ival on her 1997 Honda Gold Wing Aspencade with DFT trike conversion. Also see Gordon on his 2007 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard.

If you'd like to see your bike as Picture of the Week, submit a picture of you and your bike along with a description of the bike.

Motorcycle Club or Group Pictures

Motorcycle Clubs have been around as long as motorcycles. If you belong to a motorcycle club or other motorcycle group and have a picture of your club members as a group, consider sending the picture in to be displayed in my Motorcycle Club or Group Pictures Gallery. Here are the rules.

Do you belong to a motorcycle club or other motorcycle group?

Does your motorcycle club or group have its own Web site?

Do you want the world to see a picture of the members of your club or group? (no member names will be given).

Do you have a group picture of the motorcycle club or group that you can send me?

Do you have the permission of your club's or group's officers to send the picture?

If you can answer YES to the above questions, send in a picture of your club or group along with some information about the group. Also include your club or group's Web site URL so we can link to it. Of course, we encourage you to link to us from your site as well. We will place your picture in the Motorcycle Club or Group Pictures Gallery. Submit a picture and description today.

Submit a Picture of Your Motorcycle Club or Group

See Gallery > Motorcycle Club or Group Pictures

Vectrix Corporation Recalls 2007 Scooters for Battery Pack Problem

Vectrix Corporation has issued a recall of certain 2007 Scooters. These are electric scooters.

The battery module interconnect cables can become loose at the battery terminal within the battery packs. If loose, the battery can overheat. Overheating may cause damage to the battery packs and possibly the bike which could result in a potential fire hazard.

616 units are affected.

Check out my Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.

Motorcycle Touring - Take a Long Trip on Your Motorcycle

The dictionary defines a tour as "a journey for business, pleasure or education often involving a series of stops and ending at the starting point." Thus a tour is a complete circuit.

Motorcycle touring has always been a part of motorcycling. Early riders wanted to jump on their motorcycles and ride to see what was over the next hill. Of course the roads weren't too good in those days and travel could be slow. Bill Stermer in his book, Motorcycle Touring and Travel: A Handbook of Travel by Motorcycle, says:

"The bike on which most people choose to tour tends to be the one they own at the time."

This was certainly true early on before the advent of the heavyweight touring motorcycles of the last twenty-five years. The introduction of the Honda Gold Wing has changed all that. Read more.

Motorcycle Pictures of the Week - Tatiana and Mel

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Web site. These are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery.

See Tatiana on her 1989 Yamaha XV250, "Little Hot Stuff." Also see Mel on his 1959 Cushman Super Eagle, that he had in high school.

If you'd like to see your bike as Picture of the Week, submit a picture of you and your bike along with a description of the bike.

Motorcycle Tips - Useful Tips for You and Your Motorcycle

When you run five motorcycle forums very long, you begin to see people posting motorcycle tips. Maybe you've found something that works for you and you want to pass it on to other motorcyclists to help them out. That was the basis for a long running Motorcycle Tips feature that I created on the old site. I also had a submission form so readers could submit their own tips. I got a lot of submissions and the rest came from responses posted in the forums.

I've just re-created Motorcycle Tips on my Motorcycle Views site. To start off, I have motorcycle tips in six categories: Safety, Riding, Maintenance, Cleaning, Insurance, and Touring. Other categories may be added later depending on additional tips received by readers.

Here's an excerpt from a motorcycle tip, How to Keep Your Bike From Being Stolen, from the Safety category:

• Never leave your bike unattended in questionable/high threat areas. If in doubt, don't park it there.



• Out of sight, out of mind. A good bike cover if you must leave your bike outside or have no garage (as it is in my case). This simple piece of equipment not only protects your bike from the environment but also from prying eyes.



• Secure the bike to a solid, immovable object using the heftiest locking device you can find/carry. Supplement with an alarm system if you wish.



• Simple deterrents like disc locks and what not are a last resort. Typically, only useful in lower threat areas or when you cannot lug that 15-lb New York Chain and lock around.

Check out the rest of this tip, take a look at all the Motorcycle Tips and then send me one of your own to help out other riders.

Kawasaki Recalls EX250 for Engine Air Pressure Build-Up

Kawasaki has issued a recall of certain 2008 EX250J8F and EX250J8FL motorcycles.

An engine crankcase vent hole in the air filter box may be blocked. If so, air pressure can build up inside the engine, causing the cylinder head cover gasket to fail and leak oil. If enough oil leaks from the engine, it could drip or spray onto the rear tire. This can create the risk of a crash, possibly resulting in injury or death.

487 units are affected.

Check out my Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.

Aprilia (Piaggio) Recalls 2008 Tuono 1000R for Brake Line Leak

Aprilia (Piaggio) has issued a recall of certain 2008 Tuono 1000R motorcycles.

A leak can occur in the front brake hydraulic line. This can cause a loss of brake pressure at the front brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.

10 units are affected.

Check out my Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.

Triumph Recalls Rocket III Touring Motorcycles for Label Misstatements

Triumph has issued a recall of certain 2008 Rocket III Touring motorcycles.

These motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 120, "Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other Than Passenger Cars," and Part 567, "Certification." The certification label, located on the left front frame tube, includes incorrect information regarding tire sizes and pressures, as well as an incorrect Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). An owner may under-inflate the front tire if using the incorrect information. Under-inflation may cause a tire to slip or come off the rim causing a loss of control which could result in a crash.

356 units are affected.

Check out my Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.

Honda Recalls 2007-2008 Motorcycles for Bad Fuel Control Valve Diaphragm

Honda has issued a recall of certain 2007-2008 VT600, VT750, and VTX1300 motorcycles.

The motorcycles may have an improperly manufactured fuel control valve diaphragm and the fuel valve may drip fuel. In the presence of an ignition source, dripping fuel poses the risk of fire.

38934 units are affected.

Check out my Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.

Motor Scooters - A Picture Gallery of Motor Scooters

Pictures of motor scooters



My previous blog entry -- done for April Fools Day -- discussed how motor scooters might form the basis of a new economic stimulus plan. Irrespective of the veracity of that article, it is a fact that motor scooters are gaining new respect among motorcyclists and the non-riding public as well. Being able to get more than 50+ mpg means a lot in this new $3-4 per gallon world.

I'm seeing more and more motor scooters on the road. The high price of gas seems to be driving both motorcyclists and regular folks to look into acquiring a motor scooter. They're relatively cheap to buy, cheap to operate, and fun to ride.

To showcase some of these motor scooters, I've just opened a gallery of motor scooter pictures as submitted by visitors to the Motorcycle Views site.

One of the biggest features on the Motorcycle Views site is Moto Pics, where visitors to the site can display and describe their motorcycles. There are some motor scooter pictures in Moto Pics. To get the new gallery going, I have extracted these motor scooter pictures from Moto Pics and from the old site.

We need your help

Are you a motor scooter rider? Send in a picture of you and your scooter. We will place it in the Motor Scooter Picture Gallery. Submit a picture and description today. These pictures will also become part of Moto Pics.

Take a look at the Motor Scooter Picture Gallery. You'll also find a link there to submit your own motor scooter picture.