BRAP · For riders
BRAP Pitstop
Motorcycle news, garage tips, interesting facts and in-depth articles for riders.
Fresh from Pitstop
Cold start: the choke versus the ECU
On a carbureted motorcycle, the choke enriches the mixture for a cold start. The rider operates it.
After the last ride of the season: five checks
After autumn the bike sits for months, and dirt, moisture and small faults don't go away on their own, they get worse. Half an hour in the garage right after the ride saves you headaches in spring.
Paralyzed rider takes a turbo Hayabusa past 320 km/h
Briton Talan Skeels-Piggins is the first paralyzed motorcyclist to break the 200 mph barrier. At the Straightliners World Speed Record event in England he hit 322 km/h (200.254 mph) over a mile run on a turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa.
What not to wash a motorcycle with: products to avoid
In autumn, dirt, road salt and damp hit a bike hardest, and it's tempting to reach for something stronger. But harsh chemicals ruin plastic, paint, rubber and lubricants faster than any mud.
Kawasaki KLE500 SE Smartride gets a self-engaging clutch
Kawasaki has added an SE Smartride version to the KLE500 for the 2027 model year. Its key feature is a self-engaging clutch: in stop-and-go city riding you use the lever far less, and pulling away no longer needs delicate half-clutch feathering.
Speedway bikes: no brakes at all
Traditional speedway motorcycles have no conventional brakes at all. None.
No chain to lube doesn't mean no maintenance
A shaft drive doesn't need chain lubrication, because there is no chain to lube. But that doesn't mean it's maintenance-free.
A front tire can wear in waves even at the right pressure
Correct pressure doesn't guarantee even wear. A front tire can develop cupped wear, where the tread turns uneven, almost stepped.