Sponsored by: http://www.balootisme.com
When it comes to touring motorcycles, we normally think of the big Harleys, Beemers and Gold Wings with their huge fairings, bags and stereos. I've always kinda thought of them as two-wheeled cars but there are a lot of people who wouldn't ride anything else.
At the other end of the scale are the people who wouldn't ride any motorcycle that has a fairing, windshield or mirrors! These are the purists of motorcycling!
So, where does the truth lie? The truth is that any motorcycle can be used for touring! Yeah, I know that sounds pretty outrageous. Who in his right mind would want to travel any distance on a 100cc Honda or Yamaha? It depends on your budget and your ability to tolerate discomfort. There are people who have no other transportation. It can be done!
What do you look for in a motorcycle you want to take on a tour? First, are you riding solo or two-up? If there are two of you, you'll need more power to handle the weight of the riders and their stuff.
How wind-in-the-face are you? Some riders want nothing between them and their surroundings. They want no windshields or visors blocking the wind, rain or bugs. They love their motorcycles bare and raw. A lot of bikes fit this category but you'll probably see more Harley Davidson like this on the open road than any other make.
How many miles do you want to ride in a day? If you're going to ride long distances, you'll be better off with a motorcycle that has a good fairing or, at least, a windshield. As exciting as it can be to ride with the wind in your face, it can also be physically tiring. If you are physically exhausted, your reflexes may not be quick enough to save you in the event that someone does something stupid in front of you.
How much comfort do you want? There's one rule to remember: the more comfort, the more weight. Just realize that you'll have to give up one for the other. The really comfortable touring motorcycles are the big ones mentioned at the beginning of this article. The really small ones will beat you to death if you're riding any distance at all. Your butt will hurt along with other parts of your body. You won't get up the next day looking forward to doing it again!
How well do you want your motorcycle to handle? Some smaller bikes handle extremely well but are "twitchy." That means you can never really relax on them. At the other end of the scale are the "two-wheeled cars." If someone pulls out in front of you, it's very hard to take them through an emergency maneuver. It's almost like driving a truck. You hope your brakes, or luck, will save you.
I personally like the European sport touring bikes. They have enough fairing on them to provide decent protection but they're also designed to handle well in high-speed riding or emergency situations. BMW's and Moto Guzzi's are especially good in this regard.
What kind of seating position do you prefer? There are two major things to consider: do you lean forward or sit back, and where are your feet in relation to your seat? Sport bikes tend to have you lean forward with your feet directly below your seat or a little farther back. The sport touring motorcycles will have your feet directly below your seat or a little forward of that point. Touring bikes will have you sitting as though you were sitting on a chair. Cruisers have you leaning back with your feet farther forward.
What about comfort? Cruisers have your weight on your tail bone which can cause discomfort over a long distance. Sport bikes have you almost crouching over the tank with your upper body weight on your arms and hands. By far the most comfortable are the touring motorcycles with the upright seating.
I, personally, prefer the seating arrangement of the sport touring motorcycles. I'm leaning forward a bit but not enough to put my upper body weight on my hands and arms. My feet are under me where I can stand up on the pegs to maintain control if an emergency situation arises. They give me acceptable comfort while still keeping that level of control.
Which motorcycle is best for you? Whichever one most closely meets your needs and desires is the best one for you. Look at the factors above and decide what is most important to you.
The bottom line is that any motorcycle you enjoy riding any distance you want to go will be, for you, a great machine. They'll all offer a level of freedom and awareness of your surroundings you can't get in a car.
Isn't that what motorcycle touring is all about, anyhow?
PhotoCredit:
http://www.bmwxplor.com
http://www.vectorsite.netAuthor: Ed Hill bought his first motorcycle back in 1966. Since then, he has ridden thousands of miles in all kinds of weather conditions - on a variety of bikes. Most of his miles were accumulated doing long-distance motorcycle touring. You can read more of his thoughts at http://www.EnjoyMotorcycleTouring.com
What Kind Of Motorcycle Is Best For Touring?
Michigan State Police Tests New Cars. It was Dodge Charger 2006.
Labels: Cars, Dodge, Muscle Cars Jan 5, 2008Photos taken at the Chrysler Proving Ground in Chelsea, MI, where the Michigan State Police tests new Dodge Charger police cars. Now, Michigan State Police rules the road and off-road. That was a pretty damn thing. I already post about this before. Check it out here
read more | digg story
What else is there to say? BMW has unveiled the production version of the 2008 M3 Coupe. Its 403 horsepower and V8 weighs less than the outgoing M3's six-cylinder, and it goes like stink, all while cocooning the driver in the expected level of luxury. What is so cool about this 2008 BMW M3: regenerative braking provides the power to the car's on-board network. That was cool. Check it out man. This is also my dreams car besides 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500.
read more | digg story
The Chevrolet’s Astro has an amazing pulling power of 5,500 lb. Now that is the strength of Chevy's Astro.
Introduced in 1985, Chevy’s Astro is a multi-purpose van that effectively competed with rival Dodge’s Plymouth Voyager and various van models of the Japanese manufacturer Toyata. It is a versatile van and could be used as a standard passenger van or a cargo van. The Astro is also used as the base for ‘converted vans’ designed for a variety of uses. General Motor’s Safari, a truck-based platform, is the sibling of the hardworking Astro.
Astro’s body belongs to the M-Van class and is much like its predecessors, the F-Body and X-Body types manufactured by General Motors.
In its article about Chevy Astro, Wikipedia featured an image of this model of a Coca-Cola delivery van. The impression given is that it is for a targeted group of people. That is why people who drive this van are noticeably hardworking folks or at least that’s what the manufacturers want to convey. And there is way to commend them in a very special way – give them a stylish Chevy Astro Keychains.
Compared to Chrysler minivans, the Astro offers much room. General motors marketed this model using the tagline “life is too big for a minivan.” Astro takes pride in accommodating large numbers of people, more than an ordinary car (up to eight (8) passengers). This makes the model ideal for a mini-school bus, tour van, or a family vacation companion......
The Chevy Astro is undoubtedly a durable model, just what hardworking people are looking for in a multi-purpose van. There is this story about one of the eight Special Edition Astro vans manufactured at the Arlington, Texas plant in 1986. According to Wikipedia, the unit spent 20 years in Belton, Texas and is now an ice cream van in Mexico. Uh! That ice man must be a proud owner of a Chevy Astro! He deserves a fine top grain black leather keychain sporting the Chevy Logo and the model name “Astro”.
And mind you, Astro was also a hit in Japan even if the model is only available in left-hand drive units! Japanese converters must have found its genuine power and durability to be above the class its “own” brands. So our keychain manufacturers must take note. Maybe a keychain featuring the Chevy logo and the name “Astro” in Japanese script could be a hit in Japan.
The last of the Astro and Safari models came out just before May 14, 2005 - the day when its manufacturers decided to take it out of production. Two years had passed since then; and there are still a good number of people still driving this hardy vehicle. There are many loyal fans for the Chevy Astro.
This reliable vehicle deserves an honor badge. So what are you waiting for? Give your hardworking friends a great gift to make them value their fellowship with their own great, reliable vehicle. It is a perfect gift for birthdays or this coming Christmas season.
PhotoCredit:
http://www.minivansearch.com
http://www.buysafe.net
http://www.alsaffordableautos.comAuthor: Kathy Austin is an internet marketing consultant for http://www.wholesalekeychain.com. Wholesale Keychain sells officially licensed key chains, made in USA and comes with lifetime guarantee against flaws.
Work Hard Like The Chevy Astro
Convert your car to run on water – save gas, save your car, save money and save the planet.
Fox News recently broadcasted an interesting and very important video report.
A savvy automobile owner has come up with a very simple yet incredibly efficient way of boosting his old car’s gas mileage by up to 100% - that means several thousands of dollars economy every year.
The creator claims that his developed invention converts water into a gas called HHO (2 Hydrogen + 1 Oxygen). Also called Brown's gas or Hydroxy burns better than regular gas at our fuel pumps and provides more energy. This process is often referred to as Hydrogen Fuel Cell conversion.
Gas prices are on constant rise and the fuel economy question is starting to get very serious. More hybrid cars are sold all over the world, concepts of electric cars and Hydrogen fuel cell cars are developed in almost any country and finally there is a way for you to add a little something to fuel efficient revolution.
Car owners seem to forget or maybe ignore the fact that they could get better gas mileage simply by changing the way they drive. You do not need to buy an ugly and slow prototype in order to save on gas. You could increase gas mileage of your V8 truck as well! To get better gas mileage you should follow these simple rules;......
• Accelerate gently. This will use less gas.
• Keep your distance - every time you stop you will have to accelerate.
• Take your car to a mechanic; simple air filter change or spark plugs replacement could greatly increase gas mileage
• Drive slower. Going over 120kph will use up much more gas.
• Change gears as soon as possible - low gear uses up to 30% more fuel than needed.
Our cars’ engines are designed in such poor way that they only burn about 20% of the fuel – the other 80% is wasted in heat and unburned gas (pollution). When converted to money at 3$ a gallon – per every gallon your car actually uses only 60 cents, and 2.40$ is completely wasted. When you convert your car to run on water, you create a gas which helps burning the fuel in a better proportion.
Instructions on how to convert car to run on water are also available for sale on the Internet. There have been many skeptical people that do not believe in the efficiency of the system – but there doubts always vanish after finding out that the instructions come with 2 month full satisfaction money back guarantee.
Is it not only the “saving money” part that attracts people - when you convert your car to run on water you also increase your car’s engine longevity and you greatly decrease the pollution. The system allows you to burn gas more efficiently – which decreases the noise of the engine and the wear and tear of the motor’s parts.
The system is composed by simple parts that are basically bolted on the engine. It could be done at almost no cost, by anyone and to any car. The system is completely untraceable when taken off of the engine.
Just imagine yourself buying half the gas you are buying now! Wouldn’t it be nice to have an extra couple of thousand of dollars for Christmas presents? For a vacation? For a down payment on a new car?
I hope this post gave you enough of useful information to consider converting your car to run on water.
PhotoCredit: http://www.takeawayfestival.comAuthor: Alexandre Sol is an author who enjoys reviewing different products that he tries himself. To see more information on converting your car to run on water, feel free to visit the following site: http://WaterAsFuel.info
Convert Your Car To Run On Water - Save Money, Save Gas!