How to Care for Two Wheeler Batteries

Headlight getting dim and horn not working? Slow and struggling movement of the starter? And clicking sounds while trying to start the bike?

Well, these are some tell-tale signs indicating that your battery's health is not in proper order and requires servicing.

A bike battery is a critical element that puts your bike in the starting mode and provides energy to other parts. While a bike battery is what keeps your bike in proper health, it is equally important to ensure that the battery's health is properly taken care of.

Here are some helpful automotive battery tips to improve your bike's battery life:

Visual Inspection:

A visual inspection of your 2 wheeler battery once in every three months is a must-do practice. (Set reminders if you tend to forget) Look for any loose or broken terminals that could lead to dangerous short circuits. Also, check the exterior for any unsafe crack, leakage, bulge or split as it rings a warning bell that your bike is asking for a battery replacement.

Top up at Regular Intervals (Only in case of 2 wheeler conventional batteries)

If you're using regular conventional motorcycle batteries, check and ensure that the electrolyte cells are topped up with distilled water. The electrolyte levels are best kept within the upper and lower limit marked on the container of conventional lead-based batteries. Use only distilled water, simply because it has no impurities and helps the bike batteries last longer. Batteries with VRLA technology don't need any Top-Up.

Clean the Terminals:

The battery terminals and nearby areas should be properly cleaned to prevent corrosion which can cause problems while starting the bike. Keep them in a dry condition always. Cleaning regularly helps prevent the buildup of dirt and sediments which in turn increases the automobile battery's life in the long run.

Regular charging:

Even during long periods of non-use, any automobile battery should be regularly charged. Discharging the battery in an idle state is harmful to the battery; therefore, keep charging the battery every month even if it is not used for a long time.

Keep the battery Grime-free:

Over a period of time tiny dust particles, grime and small pollutants tend to accumulate on the battery. These should be cleaned off using a clamp brush and battery cleaner. To prevent the cleaner from entering the cells, make sure the vent caps are tight. Clean wipe the bike battery with a wet towel and then with another dry towel.

The Best Electric Scooters and Hoverboards - Is the World Finally Ready to Accept Them?

2018 it is deemed to be a lucky year for technology and for hoverboards in particular. After the boom in the past year, the popularity of this electric scooter is destined to grow more and more and to thrill adults and children.

Hoverboards can be considered both an entertainment device and a powerful way to move around the city.

In any case, model after model, the quality of the materials and the level of technology are progressing to being more advanced and with functionality always on the increase. Let's see in detail the most relevant features of the electric scooter.

How and where you can ride an Hoverboard scooter?

Although it is seen more and more frequently, the electric scooter is not recognized today in the Highway Code and this will mean that it can only be used in private or urban contexts, as in shopping centers or inside of parks.

In any case, it is important to buy electric hoverboards that ensure the necessary safety for the user who uses it.

As happens now on any electronic instrument, even the electric scooter undergoes not a few imitations (especially of Chinese mold) and this can lead to the purchase of an instrument that presents a price of lower levels, but that could also go to the expense of safety and quality of manufacture.

Therefore, regardless of where a hoverboard is used, it is important that this is an approved instrument, that is, the UL2272 certification valid for Europe and the United States.

Even if you prefer to buy a used scooter, always check that it is approved and that it is not of Chinese brands.

But how do you use a hoverboard? Simple, it's all about balance! Just lean forward to proceed and retract backwards to stop the instrument.

To be able to maneuver instead, just move the weight on the right foot or on the left depending on the desired direction.

This is possible thanks to the weight sensors positioned below the footrest. In case of difficulty then, on the web there are numerous videos and tutorials that can be very helpful.

Although the electric scooter is very popular with children, it is recommended for users aged 12 and over and under adult supervision.

How a mono electric skate is structured.

The description of a hoverboard focuses on two fundamental aspects: structure and technology. The scooter is composed of a central platform, on which to rest the feet, and two parallel wheels that can be of different sizes depending on the model.

It is important that the materials of the structure and of the parallel wheels are of good quality: the platform, for example, must have a suitable anti-slip coating and the body must be strong enough to withstand knocks and wear.

Some models of electric scooter have bigger wheels, so they can also be used on non-smooth roads and thus guarantee greater stability.

Regardless of the materials used for the construction, however, a single skid must also be light enough to be able to transport it without particular effort.

Generally the weight of electric hoverboards is around 10/12 Kg and has a speed that is around 10-20 Km per hour.

In addition to materials, other relevant aspects are batteries and engines. Generally an electric scooter consists of about 20 batteries, which are recharged in varying times (from an hour and a half to 3 hours) and that give an autonomy of 10/20 Km.

Even the autonomy can vary depending on the type of road you travel and the user's weight. In fact, the maximum weight that an electric scooter can bear is for some 100 Kg, for another 120 Kg.

As for the engine, there are basically two that guarantee from 500W to 1000W of power. Of course, a scooter with 1000W engine is presented as a more professional tool and with a higher speed, less indicated then for do-it-yourself use.

Further features of the best electric scooter.

The technology is always evolving and the electric scooters, in addition to being a good invention in itself, are always enriched with new features.

For example, there are models that have some nice LED lights integrated, which intervene to illuminate the road in the evening but also to give a striking appearance to the walk.

Other additional elements can be the Bluetooth function, the speaker for listening to music and a comfortable backpack to make the transport lighter.

5 Factors That May/Will Influence the Decision Making of the Royal Enfield and Jawa Buyers

A lot has been written about the comparison of technical specifications and design of both Royal Enfield and Jawa, but in this article I am going to discuss the points that are likely to influence the decision of buyers when they choose between the two legendary motorcycles.

Competing with RE is not going to be easy for Jawa as the legendary bikemaker is a force to reckon with in the Indian motorcycling scene. It takes a lot more than just a good price, a superior engine specs and a classic design to beat Royal Enfield in its own backyard.

Iconic and legendary, RE is much more than the technical specifications it offers. As an ardent Royal Enfield rider I can say this with conviction that the motorcycle has a very special place in hearts and souls of its riders and all those who aspire to own it someday. It's a feeling that cannot be expressed in words, it can only be felt when you ride it and feel the thump of its exhaust. To sum it up, "Royal Enfield is a feeling". I am sure that similar is the case with the ardent fans of legendary Jawa.

Jawa is not only back but back with a bang and they mean business. The launch has stirred a debate with respect to its inevitable comparison with another legend that has been ruling the Indian roads like a boss, the iconic RE. Jawa always knew that they are going to compete with Royal Enfield directly, so they have come prepared and launched, not one, not two but three motorcycles, the Jawa, the Forty Two and the Perak (Perak will be available around mid-2019) to take on the Royal Enfield Classic 350, Standard 350, and Thunderbird 350 with premium features and excellent engine specs. Perak being a Bobber has no direct competition in the market in its price and category. Perak surely is a winner at Jawa's hand when it will be available next year provided Royal Enfield doesn't launch a Bobber in coming couple of months before Perak becomes available... You never know.

Below are some of the factors that may influence the decision of the buyers who looking to own one of these legends.

1. Royal Enfield has enjoyed a cult following in India for generations. BULLET has always been considered a symbol of machismo right from grandfather to grandsons who covet the legend and ride one with pride. On the other hand Jawa missed a whole generation of bikers who never rode it and have almost forgotten that this legend once graced Indian roads and was a worthy competitor of Royal Enfield. During all those years that Jawa lost, RE built a loyal customer base which gives it a big edge over Jawa. During all those years Royal Enfield expanded its reach, range of models and upgraded its engines, came up with merchandise and modernized its dealerships. It will take a lot of time and effort for Jawa to fill that gap.
2. RE has a very wide spread network (More than 800 dealerships) that will not be easy for Jawa to match right away though they have started with 105 dealerships, out of which 64 will be operational by the first week of December 2018 as per the Classic Legends.
3. Repair and availability of spare parts of Royal Enfield is not a big deal these days as in last 2 decades the company has developed a dealer networks which is spread to the farthest corners of India and can only be matched perhaps by carmaker Maruti Suzuki. Due to this, they manage to sell huge numbers of motorcycles year after year. So much so that when other motorcycle manufactures begin to feel the heat of low market sentiments RE motorcycles sell with a waiting period of 3-4 months.
4. There is no doubt that Jawa is technically superior to Royal Enfield, and I give full credit to Jawa here, which beats RE engine hands down with its Engine Specifications. With its 293 cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC engine that develops 27 Bhp and 28 Nm, which clearly gives then an edge over Royal Enfield 350 Classic that sports a 346 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled motor that makes 19.8 Bhp and 28 Nm. Jawa engine despite being lower capacity, produces more power and its torque is same as produced by Royal Enfield 350 cc engine. Jawa's engine is Dual Overhead Camshaft (DOHC) with liquid-cooling and a higher compression ratio of 11:1, as compared to the RE's 8.5:1. Both motorcycle come with an ABS. Jawa sports a single-channel ABS as standard, while the Royal Enfield offers dual-channel ABS. Both the motorcycles sport classic designs but Jawa has used some modern cues in their Forty Two Model to give it an urban-retro look.
5. Royal Enfield has a definite price advantage as its lower end range of Bullet Twinspark 350 starts as low as 1.20 Lac and even the Classic 350 range including Gunmetal Grey and Classic Signals 350 with ABS is very competitively priced at 1.55 lacs and comes in the same price bracket as Jawa and Forty Two.

I think it's a wait and watch situation because it's definitely going to be a battle of giants that is going to benefit riders. It's good for the bikers that Royal Enfield's supremacy is challenged as this will result in enhancements in its quality and cut throat pricing which may follow next year.