Today, we look at the brake fluid in your bike. What types there are and which one is best for you.

The four most common grades of brake fluid are DOT 3, DOT 4, DOT 5, and DOT 5.1. Each grade is manufactured to a specific performance standard. DOT 3, 4, and 5.1 are glycol-ether based, and DOT 5 is silicone based. In general, the higher the number, the boiling point of the fluid (more on this later). Fresh and clean brake fluid will have a higher boiling point than old and dirty fluid.

Today, we look at the benefits of the over-size aluminum handlebars.

Most new motorcycles come standard with steel handlebars that are ⅞” in diameter. This has been used for decades, and all after-market products (accessory mounts, hand-guards, etc.) are made to fit this.

The steel bars have proven to be rugged and relatively low-cost to produce.

More recently, aluminum over-size bars that are 1⅛” in diameter began showing up in the aftermarket. At first, these were used for MX & off-road racing only, but these have big benefits all types of riders.

We want to extend a HUGE thank you for all of the amazing photos that were submitted for this years chance to be in the ProCycle Calendar.  You have all been to some amazing places and have beautiful motorcycles, we're so grateful you shared them with us.

This years voting for the top 3 favorites are in, and the winners are:

Dustin in 1st place taking home $100 in ProCycle Store Credit, with his Yamaha T7 at sunset on the Beaver Rim, section 4 of the WYBDR

No, not that bag of caps and stems your buddy has brought on your annual camping trip. Your tires ability to hold air depend upon the valve stem cores and caps. These tiny items make a big difference with tire performance.

LED lights provide huge safety benefits and are must-have items that help you see and be seen, especially when riding at night.

LED headlights are significantly brighter than stock halogen bulbs. They create a bigger, brighter pattern that reaches farther down the road and wider on the sides, making obstacles easier to spot sooner. Just as importantly, the hue of the light is more noticeable by other motorists, helping you stand out when you are in traffic.

The story of ProCycle starts in 2002 when Jeff Homolka outgrew his two car garage "Small Time" machine shop and decided to rent an official commercial shop space. Before starting his machine shop, Jeff worked in the motorcycle industry as a mechanic and a parts manager. To help pay the rent of this new shop space, Jeff had the idea of drawing on his motorcycle industry experience to sell motorcycle parts to supplement his machining services.

View PDF for printable version

With apologies to Cycle World. We took their comparison chart which makes the KLR look pretty good against the ADV bikes and added the DR650 to it.