Cars and Motorcycles

Archivo de diciembre de 2011

It’s still sitting out there, beside your garage, right were you parked it all those years ago. You’re not quite sure what to do with it. The snow has fallen to cover it, then melted and refrozen so many times that it looks like a poor attempt at an ice sculpture. Then a thought comes to mind, ‘why not donate your junk car’?

There are millions of unused vehicles out there that are just languishing where they sit. Their owners do not have the time or the inclination to fix them up, it could potentially cost more to get them running again than they would be worth, even in good working order.

Towing a vehicle to a salvage yard is expensive to have done. It is dangerous, as well as time consuming, for you to do yourself. So these old junkers just sit, year after year. This is a shame because they could be put to good use. Whether as a fixer project for someone else, or as a handy tax write off for you, if donated to charity.

These old vehicles can become a liability or even hazardous if left to sit for too long. An internal combustion engine has some pretty exotic and dangerous chemicals inside of it. Over time, as metal components rust away, these chemicals can be released into the environment and are exceptionally expensive to clean up. What’s worse, they can be a danger for pets and children. If it were donated; it would no longer be a worry.

There is no other single thing that will make your home look nicer, for less effort and expense, than removing that old four wheeled eye sore. It might be an important first step in improving your relationship with your neighbors as well.

The time and expense involved with selling a used vehicle can add up pretty quickly. Taking out classified ads, fielding phone calls, and an endless line of window shoppers and tire kickers. This is sure to be much worse if the car isn’t in running condition. Nobody wants to buy a car that doesn’t run unless it is a classic or unique auto, very few people will be interested in taking it on as a project themselves. The easiest solution is, to donate your old junk car. Many organizations who would like take your old car off of your hands, will gladly arrange to have it towed away at no expense to you. All they need from you is; the title and keys. They’ll take care of everything else. You’ll have the satisfaction of helping those less fortunate than your self. To say nothing of improving the look of your home and avoiding a potential threat to: children, animals, and the environment.

The best reason for you to donate your junk car is, it becomes a handy tax write off. You just need to obtain a receipt for it, to show that it went to a good cause, and your CPA will see that you get credit for it when tax season comes around.

Motorcycles have always been a thrilling and efficient way to get around. Since its invention in 1867, the two-wheeled machine has memorized thousands upon thousands of people. It has been used by some for daily transportation and others as a weekend hobby. Motorcycle Development In 1867, Sylvester Howard Roper’s invention called the motorcycle featured a two-cylinder steam-engine that was powered by coal. By 1885 Gottlieb Daimler used a wooden bike frame to produced the first ever gas powered motorcycle. As the years passed a number of start-up motorcycle manufacturers developed the motorcycle. One of these companies was formed by the inventors William Harley and the Davidsons brothers who later launched the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Although there have been many improvements since the introduction of the motorcycle in 1867, there are still a number of safety concerns for motorcycle riders. Motorcycle riders suffer from catastrophic injuries and even death with colliding with a car or truck. Unlike other vehicles a motorcycle does not protect the rider from the road in a crash. There are no airbags, no seat-belts and no barrios between you and the asphalt. Motorcycle Safety There are a number of dangers that could harm you when operating a motorcycle. A mechanical malfunction while riding at freeway speeds, right of way accidents at an intersection and other vehicles colliding with a motorcycles due to blind spots are all common reasons why you could become injured in a motorcycle accident. To keep you safe when you are on the road there are a number of important factors that you should consider. Some of these motorcycle safety tips could save your life. Others you may already be aware of. Because safety should be a top priority, I have included seven important motorcycle safety tips that every rider should read and share with friends and loved ones. The Seven Motorcycle Safety Tips 1. Always Wear A Helmet. A good helmet is priceless. Choose a helmet that displays the DOT label, which indicates that it meets the federal safety standards. 2. Use Both Brakes. When braking apply both breaks at the same time. Using only your front or back breaks individually could throw you off balance. 3. Watch Your Seed. As a motorcyclist, it is easy to pick up speed. With more speed also comes less time to react and a longer breaking distance. Follow posted speed limits at all times. 4. Know Your Limits. Your motorcycle has limits and so do you. 5. Keep Your Distance. No one likes a tailgater. Keep a safe distance between your bike and other vehicles. 6. Signal. Use your turn signals to allow other vehicles time to react and anticipate your maneuvers. 7. Be Seen by Other Vehicles. Avoid blind spots and always use your headlights day or night. What to Do If You Are Involved in a Motorcycle Accident If you are injured in a motorcycle accident it is important to seek medical attention immediately. If another party is negligent for the accident, you may have a claim for compensation. In this case, it would be a good idea to consult with a skilled motorcycle accident attorney who can help you receive compensation for your medical bills, lost wages and any other damages you may have.

Once they were invented, it didn’t take long for people to stat racing cars. Once that began it was just a matter of time before organized racing developed. In America there are two dominant racing institutions. The first is Formula 1, or F1 (Indy cars) that race under the care of the FIA, or Federation International de Automobile. It is a billion dollar industry that has its main popularity outside of the United States. The second group is NASCAR.

While scientists remain clueless as to the cause, NASCAR is huge in America. It is a 3 billion dollar a year industry that boasts over 75 million fans. NASCAR racing is one of the highest rated television events, behind only football for watching popularity. People have favorite drivers, favorite cars and even favorite sponsors. There are endless debates over who is the best.

NASCAR is a cleverly disguised acronym for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. The biggest difference between it and other sports is that is a family owned and operated business. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948 and currently his grandson, Brian, is the CEO of the company.

Another huge difference in NASCAR is the way they run the championship. They use a complex scoring system. Each race every driver wins a number of points based on his finishing position in the race. At the end of the series the points are added up and the person with the most points wins.

While NASCAR runs several races that act as sort of a “minor league,” they also run three large, sanctioned series. The most popular and most lucrative series is the Nextel Sprint Cup Series. Consisting of 36 races over a 10 months season it easily has the most popular drivers. From 1972-2003 the series was known as the Winston Cup, but that all changed when Sprint took over in 2004. The Winston/Sprint Cup has had such famous drivers as Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and of course Dale Earnhardt.

The second tier series is known as the Nationwide Cup. Founded in 1982 it was originally sponsored by Budweiser and known as the Busch Grand National Series. However, in 2007 Nationwide Insurance took over as the official sponsor. The money and prestige is significantly lower the Sprint Series but it still remains fairly popular.

Finally there is the Camping World Truck Series. Created in 1994 and sponsored by Craftsmen tools, it was originally seen as “final tour” for senior NASCAR drivers. The last few years have seen it grow in popularity and since then is has produced several Sprint drivers who skipped the Nationwide circuit all together.

Yes, it is true that NASCAR has been privy to many jokes but despite that it has continually expanded its market and every year grows more and more in popularity. Something many other sports, like Tennis or even the NHL, wish they could do.

Remote key is a small device, which functions with the press of a button. It not only protects your car from theft, but also makes locking/unlocking, igniting the engine much easier.

A vehicle for personal use is an important purchase that we make in our lifetime. Buying an expensive car is just one part of achieving this dream. The next real challenge is to maintain the car and ensure its safety and security. Car thefts are on the rise and even petty meddlers too are ever present and thus the safety of cars is a constant concern for owners. Children too, often meddle with cars and leave scratches on the body and scrap off the paint. The best way to protect your car against all these woes is to adopt the remote keyless locking system for cars.

The keyless remote system helps in locking all the doors of the car with just one push on the button of a remote. This remote can be operated from quite a distance and also features an alarm for the car which gets triggered if anybody tries to meddle with the car. The alarm is generally linked to the horn of the car which starts blaring on the alarm getting triggered and is designed to scare off miscreants. The car remote can also be linked to garage doors and the ignition of the car.

The keyless car remote works on radio wave transmission and operates on specific wavelengths. On being locked the car generally lets off a single beep and on being unlocked lets out two beeps. This system can be modified as per the needs of the user and different beep tones can be set as per the choice of the user. Each model of car has a remote designed specifically for it and can be bought from the local automotive dealer or can be bought online. Automotive keyless remotes mostly have a button termed fob which is actually a radio transmitter. The transmitter emits radio waves in a frequency generally between 300 to 400 Mega hertz.

The radio waves are generally encrypted to ensure that miscreants do not hack into the wavelength and play truant with it. Most fob remotes also have a button which directly opens the trunk of the car and makes it easier to use the car without having to get into the drivers seat for every activity. In case you lose your car remote, replacements for it are available in the market and can be bought depending on the make and model of car that you use. This is then specifically coded for your car and is a safe method to keep your car secure. Keyless car remotes are easy to use and are successful in keeping vehicles safe from meddlers and thieves.

The author of this article is associated with Fob Keyless, the one stop shop for keyless entry, remotes for all major car brands like, Didge, Acura, Audi, Buick etc.

You will find many courier vans along the M62 or the M1, how often do you see a motorbike courier?

Motorbike couriers can travel longer distances and in less time than any van our car, so why don’t you see more of them on the road each day?couriers have the ability to filter through traffic and be agile whilst being secure giving them a good advantage over the white van man. In some cases our bike couriers have been able to deliver a package in under a third of the time it would have taken a standard van to do!

bike couriers are a niche in the courier industry with many couriers not offering the service, however some couriers specialise in only using biker couriers! We have scooters and bikes available all day every day, we are aware of our customers needs and can deliver what we promise through our motorbike couriers.

Late tender documents are a speciality for our motorbike couriers delivering many packages to clients up and down the UK. If you have a late tender document and you need to get it to a destination as soon as possible there is no better way than a biker courier. We collect and deliver a wide range of packages including keys, passports, letters, documents, parcels, medical samples, parts, blood.

Have you noticed that a boom of alternative niche courier services has hit London and the UK, taxi firms doubling up as couriers, cyclist becoming couriers and ‘Marathon’ couriers running through the cities to bring you goods we have originally delivered!

Is it just progress and evolution of the industry or is it pressure on over heads, ethical and environmental issues or standing out amongst an over crowded industry. What ever it is that made the motorcycle couriers stand out amongst brands and firms has disappear a bit, in a hyper competitive environment is being forgotten the way the motorbike couriers want to go out in the city centers?

Yes we are still the best form of transport for long distance journeys but what ever happened to motorbike courier’s dominance in the city centers? I have been on a lot of forums these past few weeks reading about motorbike couriers complaining about the lack of ‘quick jobs for quick cash’ as a call it.

Has the motorbike courier industry stopped fighting and now some firms just want to make quick cash. I believe we are still dominate amongst city centers due to our ability to change and adapt to any situation, rain, traffic, road closures, and heavy documents. Any situation that arises we are able to change our route effortlessly.

Filtering through traffic is something many of the new city centre couriers can not do! Come rain or shine motorbike couriers are able to deliver unlike many of the new niche city courier services.

I still believe that the motorbike couriers in the UK are still the best form of transport for same day deliveries in city centers! What are your thoughts…

Any type of vehicle you own requires maintenance and care to keep it in good working order and motorbikes in particular require special attention as their working parts are exposed to far more environmental damage than other forms of motor vehicles, therefore once you have driven it off the lot of your local Yamaha motor bike dealer you need to know how to maintain it.

Keeping your motorbike clean is one of the best ways to avoid excess wear and tear, here are some beginners tips to help your care for your motorbike:

Washing
It might seem obvious but washing your bike regularly will have a huge impact on the long term condition of the bike, particularly if it has been exposed to road works, sea salt or mud. At the least a hose down should be given to remove the majority of debris.

Wheel Cleaning
It goes without saying that keeping your wheels in tip top condition have a huge impact on the quality of ride from your bike along with, of course, your safety. Thoroughly removing road debris and corrosive materials with a non-acidic cleaner will help keep these important parts in top working order.

Paint Care
How your motorbike looks has no bearing on whether it’s reliable and is enjoyable to ride, it does however have a bearing about how you feel about it and also on the resale value. Keeping your paintwork in top notch condition is an investment in your future return on the sale price.

Chrome and Metal
Like the paintwork on your bike the chrome and metal parts have a huge impact on the visual appeal of your Yamaha motor bike, however as these are also working part of the bike it’s important to clean and maintain them to a high standard to ensure no corrosive damage can occur.

Leather
Taking good care of your leather seat along with your leather riding gear will not only provide the finishing touch to the visual appeal and therefore value of your motorbike but also the longevity of these items. Riding gear is a big investment and taking time to care for it will provide you with years of comfortable riding.

Engine and Chain
Caring for your engine and the chain are the most important things, a chain that is not in good condition and well maintained can cause an accident. Make regular inspections of the chain to ensure it is well lubricated and that the tension is correct. This should be conducted every 600kms or sooner if in excess mud, and carry out repairs or remedial work as soon as you see something to ensure continued safe riding.

If you are in doubt about any of the care and maintenance your local Yamaha motor bike dealer will be able to offer many tips and expert advice.

Opening its doors in May 2004, Waikato Yamaha is New Zealand’s number one Yamaha dealer and is also the first Yamaha Platinum Dealer in New Zealand.

The Service Department strives to provide a higher level of service, skill and professionalism. It is important to have highly skilled motivated staff in this very competitive industry. Waikato Yamaha’s dedicated staff, have a wide range of motorcycle experience, in the industry, competitive and recreational riding, and in the farming sector.

The new Ferrari 458 Spider is the Prancing Horse’s first mid-engine retractable-hardtop convertible which provides the 458 Italia sport-car performances with the open-air driving experience. Docile and reliable enough to be driven daily, the new 458 Spider is powered by the 4.5-lietr V8 562 horsepower engine. The car’s ride is reasonably smooth even on the most irregular roads.

With the top up, the Spider is essentially a hardtop, but after just 14 seconds of pushing a button it becomes a convertible. The new V8 convertible features a two-panel top that folds into two parts, goes from horizontal to vertical, and slips into a small space just behind the seats and in front of the engine. The time and attention to details is everywhere and, for example, the 458 Spider hardtop system weighs 55 pounds less than similar soft-tops. Another nice feature of the new Ferrari 458 Spider is the two-position motorized rear window that rises up as a draft-stop.

FERRARI 458 SPIDER TECHNICAL SPECS

Dimensions and Weight
Overall length 178.2 in
Overall width 76.3 in
Height 47.7 in
Wheelbase 104.3 in
Front track 65.8 in
Rear track 63.2 in
Kerb weight* 3384 lbf
Dry weight* 3153 lbf
Weight distribution 42% front | 58% rear
Boot capacity 8.12 cu ft
rear bench capacity 2.05 cu ft
Fuel tank capacity 22.7 US gallon (4.2 US gallon reseve)

Performances
Maximum Speed 199 mph
0-62 mph 0-124 mph 0-437 yd 11.4 s
0-1093 yd 20.5 s
62 – 0 mph 107.6 ft
124 – 0 mph 421.6 ft
Dry weight / power ratio 7.53 lbf / kW
Fiorano lap time 85.5 s

Tires
Front 235 / 35 20″ x 8.5″
Rear 295 / 35 20″ x 10.5″

Brakes
Front 15.7 x 8.8 x 1.4 in (iso F142)
Rear 14.2 x 9.2 x 1.3 in (iso F142)

Engine
Type V8 – 90° Direct injection – dry sump
Total displacement 274.5 cu in
Bore and stroke 3.7 in x 3.2 in
Maximum Power 419 kW** @ 9000 rpm
Maximum Torque 398 lbf ft @ 6000 rpm
Specific Output 1.53 kW / cu in
Maximum revs per minute 9000 rpm
Compression ratio 12.5:1

Fuel Consumption and emissions
Fuel consumption*** 19.9 mph (US)
CO2 Emissions*** 0.442 kg CO2/mile

Transmission and gearbox
7 gears F1 dual clutch transmission

Electronic controls
E-Diff3, F1-Trac, High performance ABS with Ferrari Pre-Fill

Notes
* with forged rims and racing seat
** Included 3.7 kW by dynamic over pressure
*** Combined cycle with HELE system (ECE +EUDC)

When it comes to upgrading your bike, one of the best investments you can make is in your exhaust system. Aftermarket exhausts are lighter weight and less restrictive which mean better exhaust flow. What that really equates to is more power baby! Now there are a lot of brands on the market, but there is one brand that stands above the rest, and that’s FMF!

Now I’m not saying that they’re the best because of my own personal experience, because I do think they’re awesome. No I’m going off the amazing history and reputation that FMF has built for themselves in the industry. They have deep roots in the biker world, and it shows. Not to mention that amount of people rocking their exhaust systems on their bikes, that alone speaks for itself.

Ready Set…GO!

FMF exhausts dirt bike passion, is what makes the company so great! They started over 35 years ago as just a small little ma and pa setup. Since then they have grown to become the leading off road exhaust brand on the market.

They Hear Me Rollin

Out of all the dirt motocross tracks in the world, there is one thing that they share in common. There will always be some serious MX bikers sporting FMF exhaust. They have built a reputation for offering some of the best dirt exhaust systems on the market.

Material: FMF’s pipes are constructed from high quality titanium. This means that there lighter and stronger than stock pipes.

Performance: All their systems are professionally constructed. There designed to allow for the maximum amount of exhaust flow. This means more power and better gas mileage, which means you’ll always come in first place.

Style: Dirt bike exhaust pipes aren’t usually the most stylish, and for good reason, they get thrashed when you’re riding. However FMF has sought to change that, by adding some style to their systems. They are curved in such a way that they flow with the frame of the bike, and topped off with a sporty carbon fiber muffler. Suffice to say your buddies will be jealous out there on the track.

Giving Back

FMF’s exhaust motocross support is unrivaled. They sponsor some of the biggest motocross riders in the industry, such as Andy Bell, Kurt Caselli, Charlie Mullins, Steward Baylor, Justin Seeds, Russell Bobbitt, Mike Brown, Kailub Russell, Cory Buttrick among many more pro riders. They also have open sponsorships for many up and coming armatures, looking to make it to the big leagues.

4×4 trucks are a lot different from lifted trucks. Let me begin by explaining the major difference between the two. A 4×4 truck is manufactured as a 4×4 and a lifted truck has had a lift kit added to it to lift it higher off the ground.

With that said there is something about the strength of each of these vehicles that attracts their buyers. This along with the height of these trucks makes them appealing to drivers of all ages, shapes and sizes. I venture to guess it is the powerful feeling all the way around that draws people to purchase 4×4 trucks as well as the trucks with lift kits.

Let’s take a look at some of the differences between the two trucks.

Cost

To begin with because the lifted truck is a kit, you will most likely end up paying more because you will have to purchase the pickup as well as the lift kit, and then pay someone to install it for you. The cost of a 4×4 will run the buyer somewhere around $22,000 – $25,000, as it is, brand new.

However, there are quality used 4×4′s available for less money, and you can find one that runs almost as well as a brand new one.

Driving

The 4×4 models will run more smoothly down the highway than the lifted trucks do. The way the lifted trucks are made it is not as easy to accelerate to higher speeds as the standard 4×4 truck. The 4×4 trucks are a favorite amongst wilderness drivers. The ability to go off road in mud and snow attracts adventure seekers who love the outdoors.

Many drivers who own the higher trucks feel that they have an advantage on rough terrain over 4×4 trucks because of the additional height with the lift kit. Of course these same truck owners say that their truck doesn’t handle corners as well as the 4×4 trucks.

The Risk Factor

The standard manufactured 4×4 risk factor is lower than the lifted truck. The 4×4 really drives similar to a car with the agility equal to other vehicles. If you can drive a car you can drive a 4×4.

This cannot be said as easily with the lifted trucks.

Because of the height you have additional instability that you do not have with the regular 4×4. In fact, if you plan to purchase a truck that has a lift kit you will want to check with the state that you live in because different states have different laws as to how high you can have a truck lifted. This is due to the increased occurrences of rolling over the lifted truck.

You should consider these factors before choosing between the two of them. And make sure you drive the truck before buying it to see how it handles. These are a few of the differences between a 4×4 trucks versus a lifted truck.