Pocket bikes are miniature racing motor cycles which have the details and proportion of a regular world class motor bike but are one-fourth its size. Good maintenance is important for the smooth running of your bike. Therefore, good quality pocket bike parts, which go into good maintenance, are vital for your bike.
These pocket bikes consist of many parts, all of which are offered under different categories and serial numbers. Many of these parts are exchangeable. The most important parts of a pocket bike are tires, wheels, axles, gas tanks, chains, engines, pistons, carburetor, throttle units, brake parts and cylinders. High velocity chrome stack and high performance air filters are also essential to increase the power of your pocket bike
Each of these parts has an important role in the proper functioning of your bike. The quality of these parts, both original and replaced, will decide how long your bike performs at its peak efficiency. It is recommended that you first check out the availability of bike parts before you decide on the model to buy.
The parts you buy need not be from original equipment manufacturers. Such parts, called stock parts in the trade, may not be necessary if there are good generic equivalents available. You will find that these generic parts cost much less and work as well. In fact, with a little modification you may find these parts working even better.
These generic parts are available at many bike parts shops and on the Internet. If you cannot get a part from these sources, search for Internet auction sites, which sell pocket bikes and their parts. You can also ask for mini bike parts at message boards or forums. Another member may direct you to a seller or even have the part with him.
Ingenious use of bike parts
The uses of bike parts are not restricted to maintenance. They can be creatively used to give your bike a personalized custom appearance. These parts can also be used to turn an inexpensive branded or unbranded bike into an attractive, high performance custom bike
You will find many bike parts shop selling lots of accessories like chrome racing pipes, mufflers, decals, decabs, chain holders, tachs and meters besides mini bike parts. These parts and accessories offer you an opportunity to innovate and give your bike a customized look. Some extra features that you can add on to your bike are high powered gas engines, front and rear disc brakes, racing tires, light weight aluminum alloy cast frames and swing arms.
It can also happen that you have shopped unwisely and are left holding a low quality pocket bike. Do not despair, as these parts and accessories can convert that bike into a power racer, which could be the envy of others. All that is needed are the right parts, the right tools and a little ingenuity.
Robert Sheehan is a freelance writer and co-owner of
http://www.bicycles-are-us.com Visit Robert And
read more about bicycles at
http://www.bicycles-are-us.com/Pocket-Bikes.html
Sailing Tactics; Rules of the Road
Rules of the Road...Who has the Right of Way?
The Right of Way rules do not technically come into effect
between boats until there is the possibility of collision.
Sailboats should never get so close to each other so that a risk
of collision exists. vessels should pass portside to portside
and as far to starboard as water depth permits.
When two sailboats meet there are three rules to follow:
1. The boat on the port tack gives way to the boat on the
starboard tack. 2. When on the same tack, the windward boat
gives way to the leeward boat. 3. The overtaking vessel keeps
clear of the slower vessel.
To learn more about the rules of the road, download a Free!
"Rules of the Road" article with graphics at our website at
http://learntosail.net/
Piloting- Deviation and Variation
There are two types of Poles; the Geographic North and South
Poles, also called True North and True South, and the Magnetic
North and South Poles. The Geographic poles are stationary. The
earth is a big magnet with magnetic lines of force running from
the magnetic north pole to the magnetic south pole. The magnetic
pole is located in northern Canada; somewhat west of the
Geographic Pole. It's location changes over long periods of time.
Variation is the angle between the magnetic north and the true
north. This is indicated by a compass when it is free of any
nearby magnetic influences. A magnetized pointer, or needle,
that is allowed to spin freely, will point to the magnetic north
pole. On a boat compass, this needle is situated in the middle
of a ring which shows 360 degrees. Now matter in which direction
the boat heads, the compass still points to Magnetic North.
Deviation
Boats with lots of metal have their own magnetic fields and the
compass may respond to it and be pulled somewhat away from the
direction of magnetic north. When this happens, it is called
compass deviation and needs to be compensated for. This can be
done by installing small internal magnets in the compass, or,
you can make up a deviation chart for your boat and refer to it
when figuring out what course to steer by your compass. This
especially applies to the small boat sailor who won't be using a
mounted compass with magnets.
Variation
Often you will be given a course to steer from one place to
another in true directions. This means that you will have to
convert this to magnetic in order to steer this course with your
compass. There is a very consistent and simple rule to follow
when going from true to magnetic. In the Eastern US and Canada,
to go from a true course to a magnetic course, you add a west
variation. To go from a magnetic course to a true course, you
subtract a west variation. In the Western US and Canada, to go
from a true course to a magnetic course, you subtract an east
variation To go from a magnetic course to a true course, you add
an east variation.
Sailing Terms
Piloting-Navigation performed using visual references such as
aids to navigation.
Aids to Navigation-Established markers on land or sea that aid
sailors to avoid danger and fix their position.
Bearing-The direction of an object to an observer, such as a
buoy or other boat. Chart-A nautical map.
Demarcation-Boundary.
Nun- A buoy that is not lit but numbered, red and pointed, and
always on the starboard side when returning from seaward, port
side when going out.
Can- A buoy that is not lit but numbered, green and flat, and
always on the port side when returning from seaward, starboard
side when going out.
Happy Sailing! __/)_
About the author:
Linda Cullum is from Cape Cod, MA, with a second home in
Vermont. She is the author of Learn to Sail! with Multimedia! a
Sailing training CDROM/DVD which teaches all aspects of Sailing
including Knots, Piloting, Rules of the Road, Weather with
digital video from Sail Magazine, narration, animation and
quizzes.
Click here
to visit her site! Happy Sailing_/)__
Sailing Tactics Revealed: Person Overboard!
Person Overboard! Sailing Rescue Techniques
Most one man-overboard drills usually consist of throwing over a
cushion and returning to pick it up by the strap. A good sized
fireplace log is a better way to do the practice because it is
much more awkward to get aboard. There are four important steps
to retrieving a person who has gone overboard. The first is to
return without delay to a position near the victim. The second
is to maneuver your boat close enough so you connect him or her
to the boat. The third is to get the person aboard, and the
fourth is to see that they are ok. The moment someone goes over
the side, a boat cushion or life preserver should be tossed to
him/her. Make sure to keep him/her in sight, and as the distance
widens, it is increasingly important to maintain visual contact.
Even when you are alone on the boat, keeping the victim in sight
is second only to getting the boat back to him. Everything
becomes more practical as you get in closer proximity to the
person in the water. Here are three methods of rescue.
Method One...This method involves jibing to rescue the person
over board. Only do this in light winds to avoid capsizing.
Remember to stay in constant communication with the victim.
1.When a person falls overboard, immediately yell "Crew
Overboard!" 2.Next, throw a flotation device toward the victim
and keep a close eye on them.3.Jibe the boat. 4.Now quickly head
up to a close-hauled course. 5.Retrieve the person on the
windward side of the boat. Let the mainsail out to stop.
Method Two... If the wind is too strong to jibe the boat, then
tacking in a figure eight is a good way to go. Remember to stay
in constant communication with the victim. 1.When a person falls
overboard, immediately yell "Crew Overboard!" 2.Head on a broad
reach for about 15 to 20 seconds. Keep your eyes on the
victim.3. Then come about and head up. 4.Go beyond the victim
and come about again, proceeding on a broad reach. 5.Head up to
the leeward side of the person and let the mainsail out.
Method Three...The Quick Stop maneuver is a new, widely
recommended method that calls for the boat to go head-to-wind as
soon as a person goes in the water. The jib is backed to further
reduce speed while the continues turning until the wind is abaft
the beam. The course is stabilized on a beam- to broad-reach for
two or three boatlengths, then altered to nearly dead downwind.
If the wind is light, you can tack immediately after the person
falls overboard and leave the jib cleated. Remember to stay in
constant communication with the victim. 1. First,immediately
yell "Person Overboard!" and toss them a flotation device.2.
Keeping an eye on the victim, immediately come about and
backwind the jib by leaving it cleated. 3. Let the mainsail out
so that it luffs and drifts towards the victim. 4.Let the
mainsail all the way out and uncleat the jib. All these methods
are good and each will benefit from practice. Most practice
sessions are held in calm water onclear days, which is rarely
the condition in which a man-overboard emergency will occur, so
think about handling the situation in a storm, or at night, or
in fog. The wise sailor reviews his plans for handling
man-overboard scenarios every time he goes aboard a boat. He
applies his plan to the conditions prevailing whenever he goes
on deck. When a crew member goes in the water there should be no
delay in starting the best retrieval method. Many safety
authorities believe that the victim should be picked up on the
windward side, but I believe that with a sailboat the leeward
side is likely to be both lower and more sheltered, with the
boom readily available as a mounting for the hoisting block. As
the boat drifts to leeward it will drift away from a victim who
is to weather, but will remain close to the victim to leeward.
Watch out, though, to make sure that the boat bouncing in a
seaway does not slam down on top of the swimmer. Resist the
temptation to have someone go in the water to help the victim -
you may lose two people. If the person in the water is unable to
help himself you then may have to send a spare person into the
water to help. In this case make surethere is a line securely
attaching the boat and the would-be rescuer. Plan ahead how you
are going to get this person back aboard. Of course the more you
know about how your boat behaves under differing circumstances,
the better will be your performance in any emergency. Picking up
a mooring under sail, particularly in winds over 30 knots,
teaches you a lot that you can use to save a friend's life. At
all times handle your sails at racing speed. Whenever you can,
practice and think about what you are going to do in a
man-overboard situation. The seconds you save may be important
in an emergency.
About the author:
Linda Cullum is from Cape Cod, MA, with a second home in
Vermont. She is the author of Learn to Sail! with Multimedia! a
Sailing training CDROM/DVD which teaches all aspects of Sailing
including Knots, Piloting, Rules of the Road, Weather with
digital video from Sail Magazine, narration, animation and
quizzes.
Click here
to visit her site! Happy Sailing_/)__
