If you own a motorcycle, you probably know how beautiful and unique it is to ride it. It is a prized possession that you do not want to damage while transporting it. Using a proper towing procedure ensures that you maintain your bike’s structural integrity after transportation.

Tips for Motorcycle Towing
There are three methods that you can use to tow your bike. All of them are safe and effective. However, you must use proper setups and equipment to accomplish this. Whether it is flatbed or two-wheel towing, it depends on your circumstance and preference.

Flatbed Towing
This is the most common method that people use in towing their bikes. The truck’s flat surface is unrestricted and boundless with four wheels and a sturdy frame supporting it. Moreover, operators use special straps, ropes, and locks to keep your motorcycle on the bed so that it doesn’t tip over.

There are several advantages of using flatbed tow trucks. First, they are readily available. You can hire one from truck rental companies. Also, they are user-friendly. Moreover, their solid setup ensures that there are limited chances of errors.

Two-Wheel Towing
This is a very effective and perfect method for transporting motorbikes. Two-wheel tow dollies consist of two wheels that are connected to an axle with a frame supporting them. You can just push your motorbike up the ramp, connect it properly, and you’re ready to go.

Towing Cradles
This is a great choice to tow your motorbike. Towing cradles (also called bike trailer hitches) are user-friendly, compact, and cheap. They work excellently on tow motorbikes. All you need to do is attach the trailer to the vehicle’s back and the bike’s front end to the trailer.

Contact us today to learn more about our local towing services in Portland.

Most people prefer staying at home and sipping hot coffee down their throats when it rains. You could be one of them. However, some occasions may demand that you get out and drive your car no matter what. A typical example is during a rainy season. For safety and convenience consider the following tips.

Take it Slow
Driving at a high speed when it is raining could cause accidents. If you are the type that doesn’t like your accelerator being far from the plate, you might get into trouble. The worst thing that could happen to your vehicle is hydroplaning. Here, you might lose control of your vehicle and brakes may fail.

Monitor Your Car Battery
The most common effect of a rainy season is on how fast your car battery drains and requires a jumpstart. Also, sharp changes in temperature and humidity may cause corrosion and affect your battery’s performance. Therefore, monitor your car battery consistently and do proper maintenance.

Ensure Your Visibility
Rains and the associated fog reduce drivers’ visibility. Always ensure that you have quality headlights as well as fog lights during a rainy season. They could really help you improve your visibility as well as driving experience. This could also keep you off of the wrong side of the law in many countries.  

Beware of Ponds of Water
During rainy seasons, ponds of water form on many roads. Never underestimate such ponds. Even if you have a large vehicle, ensure that you slow down when you see them. Consider using other roads if the one you love has many ponds.

Worried about driving during the rainy season? Contact us for more tips and towing services.

Defensive driving can help you become a safer and more proactive driver. With it, you can take precautions to prevent accidents by expecting the unexpected. Defensive driving involves a number of skills that can protect you from poor weather and bad drivers. Here are some of them.

Defensive Driving Guide

Traffic Rules
By simply following traffic rules, you can prevent a lot of accidents. Defensive driving is a concept that makes drivers understand that traffic rules are for their own protection. Always ensure that you drive at designated speed limits. Completely stop where there are stop signs.

Internal Distractions
Using a cell phone while driving can lead to distracted driving. Don’t call, text, or chat while driving. For many drivers, conversations within the car can also be a source of distraction to them. If you are the type, ensure that your passengers converse under low tones.

External Distractions
Aggressive drivers can also cause distracted driving. You should avoid swervers, tailgaters, and motorists who love giving you a finger at all costs. You’ll not gain anything by participating in their high jinks. The best thing to do with them is slow down until they get away from you.

The Three Second Rule
You’re probably familiar with the Three Second Rule but you do not follow it. It is a precautionary measure. This defensive driving concept requires your car to pass stationary objects on roadsides at least three seconds after the motorist ahead of you has passed it.

Be Informed
For you to be safe on the road, acquiring sufficient information is a must. Whether you are a commuter, an elderly driver, a car-pooler, or a new driver, take a defensive driving course. Apart from improving your driving experience, it could prevent auto accidents.

Do you need a local towing service? Contact us for more information about our services.

Vehicles that have a cruise control feature are convenient to drive. If yours has it, you can lock the accelerator and control your driving speed. What if you are using a tow truck? There is a temptation to use the feature. Here are some towing tips that would keep you safe on the road.

Cruise Control Guides
Cruise control is not meant for every road. Especially, it is not fit for roadways that require frequent turns, stops, or driving maneuvers. Depending on your driving conditions and experience, these towing tips can apply to any type of vehicle.

A Heavy Load Uphill
If you are carrying heavy loads uphill, using the cruise control feature may significantly reduce your vehicle’s speed. It may even cancel out the automatic speed control if there is a drop of about 8 mph. It is advisable to resume manual control until you reach a level terrain.

Weather Conditions
It is not recommended to use cruise control during dangerous weather conditions. Always judge well before utilizing the feature. If you have never used the feature before, check the road properly to ensure there are no oncoming obstacles before applying cruise control.

Extreme Care
Some drivers tend to relax when they have their cruise control on. This is okay but you should always be watchful on the road especially when towing. In case of an emergency, you’d have to deactivate the cruise control before slowing down or stopping.

The Fatigue Factor
Some drivers are likely to suffer from fatigue if they use the cruise control. If that’s your case, it is advisable not to use it. Relaxing your legs and not having to closely monitor speed while driving may increase the chances of becoming fatigued.

Looking for a cruise guide? Contact us for more information.

You’ve just passed your driving test and now you get on the road with a passenger or two in the car. Now you have no supervisor to take you around. Only you behind the wheel. Well, driving isn’t something you finish learning at the school. On your own, there are a couple of challenges you’d have to face.

Challenges of Being a New Driver

As a new driver, you’ll have to deal with the following problems:

1. Varying traffic conditions. Adjusting from light local to heavy highway traffic may not be easy.
2. Varying conditions and types of roads that require different skills. Especially, driving on unpaved roadways may prove difficult if you are a novice. Highways, freeways, and main roads may also be confusing as you’d have to read signs to direct you.
3. Extreme weather conditions. A new driver often finds it difficult to drive in the rain, ice, and fog.
4. Visibility difficulties especially at night. When the sun glare appears at dusk or dawn, it may make it hard for you to see the road or oncoming vehicles properly.
5. Actions that you did not expect from other road users. Some motorists may stop quickly or turn without a warning. Also, some pedestrians may run onto roads without looking. Such things can make you panic. That is why you should learn to drive at slow speeds.
6. Distractions from your car. Sometimes, a passenger simply talking to you may cause confusion that could lead to an accident. You may also prefer turning off the radio and your phone while driving.

Contact us to learn more about road driving tips or call for emergency towing services.

Did you lock your car with its keys inside? Are you thinking about calling a locksmith? Car lockouts could happen to anyone. If that’s you, then here are some things you should do to get out of the problem. Some of them might be embarrassing but they could get you back in your car.

Car Lockout

Check All Doors
It is common to panic when you are in a tough situation. However, the last thing you’d ever want to do is call for help when one of your doors has been unlocked all the time. Just make sure that you check every door including the trunk before considering any other option.

Recover Your Spare Key
Smart people invest in spare keys. If you’ve done this, then you are lucky. If you can locate where your spare key is, then you’ve saved some money and time. You just make that call and someone can bring it to you. You’d be thankful you invested in it.

Roll Back Your Sleeves
Do you believe in yourself? Then you can unlock your car just as tow service professionals do. You may only improvise the tools they use for the job. However, the DIY door unlock may damage your door if you do it the wrong way. If you are not sure, consider other options.

Contact a Tow Service
Although it is an expensive option, calling a professional tow truck service is the quickest and most convenient way of solving a car lockout. Contact one that is closest to you. If your car insurance plan or road assistance program includes a tow truck service, then take advantage of it.

Contact us for more information about our car lockout services and how you can get back control of your vehicle.

All types of car breakdowns are undesirable. However, the ones that happen at night are worse. Even if you are confident about changing your tire or doing repairs, doing this at night can not only be difficult but also dangerous. Here are some tips to help you deal with night-time breakdowns safely.

Car Breakdown Safety Tips During Night Time

Turn on Your Hazard Lights
This should be the first thing to come to think of when your car breaks down in the middle of the night. The flashing hazard lights ensure that your vehicle is visible to oncoming motorists. This ensures car safety as you do your repair or wait for a towing company for rescue.

Get Off the Road
If possible, move your vehicle off the road as soon as you detect that there’s a problem with it. Car safety is important at this time. The move could protect it from further damage by the passing traffic. It also ensures that other motorists do not hit you in the process of tire changing or repair.

Stuck in the Car?
If you are unable to get out of the car because of traffic or any other reason, it is advisable to call a towing company. These professionals have enough experience when it comes to dealing with odd road conditions and traffic problems. You can rely on them.

Seek For Help
If you find out that your spare tire is flat, call a nearby friend or family member to help. If you cannot do the repair on your own, then contact a towing company. It may cost you some dollars but it is better to do it than to sleep on the road.

Contact us for information about our local towing services.

Many people find out that they don’t have jumper cables in their vehicles when they need them the most. This may not be your problem. You could be having them but you’re confused on how to connect properly. Or probably, your battery’s lifetime is over. If you are not sure, contacting a jumpstart service could prove helpful.
Most car batteries last between 36 to 72 months. Depending on the battery’s quality and your driving experience and habits, you may require a replacement or frequent jumpstarts. Is yours completely dead or it just requires a jumpstart? Here are some important things you might want to know about this.

Battery Jump Start

Reasons Why You May Require Jumpstart
Batteries normally weaken with time and may require frequent jumpstarts at the end of their lifetime. At other times, your starter might have some technical issues that may keep the car from starting. You may also need a jumpstart in case of forgetting to switch off your car’s light or radio while getting out of it.

When to Jumpstart

1. Your battery is less than 36 months old.
2. You forgot to switch off your lights and radio.
3. You hear clicking on attempts to start the car.

When to Replace Your Battery
You should consider replacing your battery, rather than a jumpstart if this is the case:

1. Your battery is older than 36 months.
2. You don’t hear clicking when attempting to start the car.

Call a Professional
If you are in need of battery jumpstart services, why not call a professional company near you? They are experienced in doing proper connections. Make sure you do enough research and contact professionals who are reliable and quick to respond.
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Not sure about how to jumpstart your car? Call our professionals today to get your car back on the road.

At a glance, all tires look almost similar. However, they vary greatly in performance and longevity. Price and tread wear may influence the way you choose your tire. However, weather conditions are the greatest determinant when making purchases.

Best Tires for Driving During Each Season

Why Not All-Season Tires
Many consumers prefer all-season tires. That’s why the sales for these types overshadow those of off-road, summer, and winter models. Nonetheless, all-season tires do not perform optimally under all conditions. There are several important performance factors that you should look into before purchasing any tire.

It is strongly recommended that you buy the right tire for each season. Following the advice would ensure that you maximize their commercial aspects and improve safety. The best tires for cold seasons are winter tires while the best for warm periods are summer tires.

Summer Tires
It is important to use these types of tires during warm weather seasons. Since they possess special tread compounds and patterns, they guarantee high grip levels on both wet and dry road surfaces. Summer tires also offer optimum mileage performance and high driving stability along bends during warm temperatures.

Winter Tires
These are the best tires for cold and rainy seasons. They offer a stronger grip on cold, slippery, or wet roads than their summer counterparts. For optimum performance and safety, it is advisable to purchase winter tires as the cold season comes knocking.

It is also important to consider the advantage of using wider winter tires in cold seasons. They offer better steering precision and traction, shorter braking distances, and a sportier performance. Contrastively, standard width tires may not perform well on compact snow as well as on dry and wet roads.
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Looking for a local towing service? Contact us for more information or call for the service.