| 31 October, 2011 - X-Rated Ad For Suzuki Motorcycles | I saw this funny, X-rated, print advertisement in a French motorcycle magazine for the Suzuki Gladius.
The tag line reads "Position Number 1: Take advantage of your agility to surprise the four cylinders"....
|
|
| 31 October, 2011 - Customizing the ..... e-Solex | The Solex was a popular transportation vehicle (not a motorcycle nor scooter, not even a moped) in the 70's. Many people had one (7 million), including A-list celebs, like Steve McQueen and Brigitte Bardot. Production stopped in 1988, but recently an electric version is being made, the e-Solex.
Ecological, fun and reasonably expensive, one person wanted more. He contacted the car customizer, Carium, and had the e-Solex customized.
|
|
| 28 October, 2011 - French Politicians Getting Caught Speeding | Last Sunday, the President of the Great Paris area (Ile-de-France) got caught speeding and lost his driving license on the spot. He's the last one in a long series of politicians who are caught speeding, including the President of France.
If the politicians who make up these repressive laws can't even be seen to be respecting them, what chance do we motorcycle riders have?
|
|
| 28 October, 2011 - Motorcycle Mirrors and the Press | What is it that attracts press photographers to motorcycle mirrors? Is it that it's supposed to be art? It's not like it's an original idea....
Here are 6 press photos of motorcycle mirrors taken this month.
|
|
| 28 October, 2011 - Top Internet Stories - 28 October 2011 | This is a special week, after the disaster that struck last Sunday at the MotoGP race in Malaysia, killing Marco Simoncelli. The first few top internet stories listed are of people who knew #58 and recount their memories of him.
Then, to be in a better mood, I'll show a few interesting motorcycle related articles. Sad week....
- From Happy To Sad In Less Than 120 Minutes. Goodbye Marco (AutoMotoPhoto)
- 34x34: RIP Ciccio (Superbike Planet)
- Marco Simoncelli: MotoGP rider's career highlights (BBC)
- Addio, Marco Simoncelli (Eurosport)
- Toby Moody Remembers Marco Simoncelli (Autosport)
- How To Get Your Head Around Cold Weather Riding (Scooter in the Sticks)
- Top 10 Ways To Stay Safe On Your (Kakimoto)
- Top 5 Polishes For Motorbikes (Honda Motorcycle Blog)
|
|
| 27 October, 2011 - Movie Review: The Silencer | Review of the "biker" movie entitled "The Silencer". A B-movie about a women who rides her Harley motorcycle catching and killing men who make sex slaves, all the while she sheds her clothes at the drop of a hat.
The plot is reasonable, a bit far fetched, but the script itself is very bad, and the movie director should take up another job.
|
|
| 27 October, 2011 - Indian Cricket Team Has Run Out Of Money | Well, it sure looks like it. The Indian national cricket team can't afford multiple motorcycles, they need to three-up the team on their motorcycles.
That's pretty bad...
|
|
| 27 October, 2011 - BMW R80 Diesel Motorcycle For Sale | A unique opportunity for those who want to ride a motorcycle that is different!
On the German eBay, there's a BMW R80 motorcycle for sale, equipped with a Smart car diesel engine. You can dial in the horse power (using a laptop) between 30 and 60 hp, it'll run a the decent speed of 150 kph, despite its 270 kilos.
And it only uses 3.5 liters/100 kilometers.
|
|
| 27 October, 2011 - MotoMatters 2012 Calendar Is Out Now | If you haven't got a 2012 calendar, or even if you have, here's a great one for you. The MotoMatters 2012 calendar, chock full of Scott Jones high-gloss photos of MotoGP and World Superbike photos.
Not only does it have great photos, but also the whole schedule of MotoGP and Superbike races are clearly marked on the calendar; Now you can't miss a single motorcycle race.
|
|
| 26 October, 2011 - How To Prepare Your Motorcycle for Shipping | A guest article by Amar Patel on the things to do (and not do) for when you plan to ship your motorcycle using a transporter.
It's not something to take lightly if you want to see your motorcycle in a riding condition at arrival, but it can make your life a lot easier.
|
|
| 26 October, 2011 - Using Motorcycles Eases Congestion - Scientific Study | A very detailed report has been published in Belgium that proves something we all knew....
.. it's better to have more motorcycles! The scientific study shows that replacing 10% of cars by motorcycles will result in a saving of €350,000 per day in Belgium!
Another interesting fact found in this report, is that despite what a popular TV program in the US has stated, motorcycles pollute less than cars!
|
|
| 25 October, 2011 - France: Car Association Recommendations For Motorcycles | After many motorcycle lobby groups and associations, it's the turn of France's largest car association (40 million car drivers association) to thrown in their recommendations for motorcycles in France.
All of them, except one, have already been fought for by the French Association of Angry Bikers (FFMC).
|
|
| 25 October, 2011 - Video: AEG Trademan Series - Geoff Ballard | A very nice "infomercial", a mini documentary of Australian off-road motorcycle champion, many times winner of ISDE, Geoff Ballard.
The video was made for the German AEG Powertools company (for their Australian outfit), and gives a nice look on this Australian motorcycle legend.
|
|
| 24 October, 2011 - Video: Toyota Hilux Australia- Wild Boar Motorcyclists? | Toyota Australia have a couple of pretty well done TV commercials for their Hilux pickup truck. Since Top Gear has shown that the car is indestructible, that's more or less what they show.
In one of the advertisements, they show a motorcycle rider... but the biker is a flame-throwing wild boar, with body armor and a rocket launcher... nice image!
|
|
| 24 October, 2011 - 2 New Motorcycle Games On iPhone | Live has moved on. More and more smartphone games have arrived with motorcycles in them.
Here are two that are very popular at this moment; Bike Baron and Race, Stunt, Fight!.
|
|
| 21 October, 2011 - What To Do During A Power Outage | This really looks like a great idea! Since it happens quite a lot where I live (the irony is that I live 10 kilometers from a nuclear power plant), I think next time, it's going to be my motorcycle, me and a power nap...
|
|
| 21 October, 2011 - Top Internet Stories - 21 October 2011 | You may have missed these interesting motorcycle articles over the last few days, so here's your chance to catch up.
- The Art Of The Wheelie (AutoBlog)
- Rosy's Motorcycle Blog: Why I Wanted Ride (Get On)
- JIS Screwdrivers (webBikeWorld)
- Top Ten Best Sounding Motorcycle Engines (Motorcycle.com)
- The 8 Coolest Fictional Motorcycle Gangs (Motorcycle Insurance)
|
|
| 20 October, 2011 - Yemen: What A Shitty Way To Go On A Motorcycle | It's probably not the best way to go on a motorcycle, but at least they are trying to save the man's life.
They can't call for an ambulance, since the ambulances work for the tyrannic government, the same that shot the man.
|
|
| 20 October, 2011 - Renting An Electric Scooter In France | Peugeot is offering a rental service, initially in the French cities, but shortly all over the big European cities of not only their normal scooter range, but also of their electric scooter, the e-VivaCity.
Prices are very reasonable. Currently their web site only allows rentals in France (and in French).
|
|
| 20 October, 2011 - Honda To Sell The Crosstourer Motorcycle in 2012 | Honda has announced that they will announce at next month's EICMA exhibition, that the Crosstouer motorcycle will go from concept to reality, and that you'll be able to buy it in 2012.
Yet another motorcycle making a stab at BMW's dominance in the adventure/dual sports motorcycle market.
|
|
| 19 October, 2011 - Video: Three Ships Whiskey and Royal Enfield Motorcycles | This is a nice and smooth (no pun intended) TV commercial for the South African Three Ships Whiskey. It's a narrative advertisement (ie someone is talking over the ad), featuring prominently three Royal Enfield motorcycles traveling round the world.
It has some very nice images with the three motorcycles. Makes you thirsty .... for a ride.
|
|
| 19 October, 2011 - European Motorcyclists Say NO To Mandatory Technical Inspections | FEMA has handed over a petition with 110,000 signatures to try to stop the mandatory technical inspections on motorcycles.
Statistics show that only 0.3% of all accidents is due to technical failure, so it makes no sense, and will cost the motorcycle owner money.
|
|
| 19 October, 2011 - Yet Another Motorcycle Cop Crashes During POTUS Escort Duty | Something is very wrong with this picture, and I don't mean the photo below, but if you see it, and look at the ones in the related articles, it's a very worrying trend.... motorcycle cops crashing during escort duty for the President Of The United States.
I wonder why so many crash. Is it bad training, or big demands on the job, faulty equipment, bad communication, or all of the above? Let's face it, it couldn't have been speed, since he was escorting the Presidential bus....
|
|
| 18 October, 2011 - Ad: Digicel - Another One I Do Not Understand | I seem to be hitting a few advertisements recently that just don't make sense to me. This one is not motorcycle related, but got my attention because it has a big police motorcycle in it.
It's for Digicel, the telecommunication company in the Caribbean. With a tag line reading "We're all in. Digicel. Proud sponsor of west Indies cricket." it just doesn't make sense. The ad was made by the Boys and Girls agency in Ireland. Maybe something got lost over the distance.
|
|
| 18 October, 2011 - Need To Be Heard On Your Motorcycle? | Forget about loud pipes! Forget about truck horns!
Here's the solution to make sure your are heard when riding your motorcycle, and you want to warn a cage that you are passing...
Perfect!
|
|
| 18 October, 2011 - MV Agusta Release Book: F4 - The Most Beautiful Motorcycle | | MV Agusta have released a 240 page book, full color, about their top-of-the-range sports motorcycle, the F4. Dubbed "The Most Beautiful Motorcycle in the world", it contains many photos and drawings never published before.
Your, just in time for Christmas. |
|
| 18 October, 2011 - The Easy Way Of Moving Your Motorcycle | Need to move your motorcycle around in a crowded garage? No space to maneuver? Lots of other motorcycles and junk in your way? Need to work on your motorcycle, but don't have a lift? Call Rahul Tiwari! He's your man.
Next step -.- a Gold Wing.
|
|
| 17 October, 2011 - Got The Motorcycle? T-Shirt? Now Get The Frying Pan! | Just what you're looking for. You've got the motorcycle, you got the t-shirt, now you can have the frying pan....
That's right, Ural, the Russian motorcycle manufacturer, in its merchandising section, sells an enamel frying pan, complete with the Ural logo.
|
|
| 17 October, 2011 - The *Perfect* Motorcycle Helmet For Women? | Female motorcycle helmets distinguished themselves by nothing... except maybe the color.
.... until now !
Introducing the Luxy female motorcycle helmet!
|
|
| 14 October, 2011 - Top Internet Stories - 14 October 2011 | Come and read it while it's still hot. Here are the interesting motorcycle related articles I found on the net during the last few days.
- Rising Petrol Costs Ways To Save Money (Get On)
- Basic Aid Case Emergencies (Bike Advice)
- End Of Proper Japanese Motorcycle In America (The Superbike Blog)
- San Francisco's All Lady Motorcycle Gang (BuzzFeed)
- Ducati-A Story Of The Superbike (2 Wheel Tuesday)
|
|
| 14 October, 2011 - Record Your Own Lap Times and Analyze Performance | Italian AIM company provides you with several options for your track days, riding around on your motorcycle. The easiest and cost effective solution SOLO, a GPS with a built-in database of world's race tracks (but you can add your own), giving you a full analyze of your performance. The GPS device even includes an accelerometer.
But you can get even more. With their SmartyCam, you can not only log your laptimes, you can actually see it with superimposed telemetry data on the video. See what you did right, see where you can improve.
|
|
| 14 October, 2011 - United Nations Condemns European Motorcycle License | The United Nations is telling the European Commission to watch out with the standard and uniform driving license for motorcycle riders.
The aim to have a dual stage license, one for beginners with a restricted power, the other for more experienced bikers, is going to cause problems internationally.
Next step: - bomb Europe...
|
|
| 13 October, 2011 - France: Motorcycle Cop Crashes Into Barrier And Dies! Debate Open | A member of the elite French Republican Guard, on a motorcycle, while doing a recon mission in France, fell of his motorcycle and crashed into an unprotected crash barrier, killing him on the spot.
Dubbed Guillotine Barriers, many bikers have been decapitated by them, and pressure has been put on the government to do something about it. But they have been moving very slowly.
Maybe now, with the unfortunate death of a government representative, will they do something now.
|
|
| 13 October, 2011 - Video: Mini Car Ad - Biker Woman Prefers Car | Well, what do you know... According to this TV commercial, a female motorcycle pillion prefers to be in a Mini Coupe car than riding on the back of a motorcycle....
Do you think that's true in real life?
|
|
| 13 October, 2011 - France: Lane Splitting To Be Legalized? Hell Freezes Over | You can see that the presidential elections are coming up..... the French Minister of Interior has stated yesterday during a parliament debate that they would need to look into legalizing lane splitting....
... and we thought that this would happen when Easter and Christmas fell on the same day. Motorcycle world rejoices...
|
|
| 12 October, 2011 - Video: Funny and Sexy Dutch Motorcycle Insurance Ad | Pretty funny, and sexy (for both guys and gals) TV commercial for Central Beheer Insurance company in The Netherlands.
It's a pretty old and often done theme, but nevertheless, it remains funny, specially with some sexy shots. The kind of pretty girls you meet on your motorcycle...
|
|
| 12 October, 2011 - France Primary Presidential Candidate On A Motorcycle | It looks like the front runner of the 2012 French Presidential elections, the socialist Francois Hollande, doesn't mind using motorcycle for getting around Paris.
Let's hope he doesn't forget how useful those things are after he becomes the Prez. But as usual, politicians have small memory banks.
|
|
| 12 October, 2011 - Imbecile Wheelies With 3 Year Old On Fuel Tank | Some people should never ride a motorcycle, nor have children. This UK guy is one of them.
Speeding, dogging, riding on pavements, wheelie (small ones) - all that while you got your 3 year old on the fuel tank - and no protection whatsoever.
Here's the video...
|
|
| 11 October, 2011 - Ads: Ducati Motorcycles - More I Do Not Get It! | Harley-Davidson are not the only ones who at times make motorcycle advertisements that no one (except maybe their designer) can understand. Ducati also have missed hitting the nail on its head with this series of print ads.
The Ducati ads were made by the Maruri Grey PR agency in Ecuador, land of cocaine and other interesting mind-altering drugs. If it weren't for the Ducati logo at the bottom of the ads, I would have sworn it was not related to a motorcycle company.
Anyone want to make a guess what the message is?
|
|
| 11 October, 2011 - Another Sliding Motorcycle & Biker Caught On Radar | Second time we see this happening. A motorcycle rider gets ejected from his motorcycle just before a speed radar takes a photo of him speeding.
Last one was in the Netherlands, this time it's in Switzerland. But unlike the Dutch one, this Swiss one is going to be fined.
|
|
| 10 October, 2011 - Ossa Releases The Explorer Motorcycle | The old, but new, Spanish motorcycle manufacturer Ossa, have released their second model since their re-launch 2 years ago.
Based on their successful Ossa TR280i Trial motorcycle, the new Ossa Explorer is halfway in between a Trial and an Enduro motorcycle, weighing only 74 kgs.
|
|
| 10 October, 2011 - Ducati Music, Or Musical Ducati? | It's not often you get to see a Ducati motorcycle on a music album.
Here's one, and the album is appropriately named "Ducati Riddim".
|
|
| 10 October, 2011 - Marc Coma King of the Desert. Wins 5th Pharaons Rally | Marc Coma is the King of the Desert! The Spanish KTM rider won for his fifth time the Egyptian Pharaons Rally on his KTM motorcycle.
He needs to win the next race (Morocco) to clinch the world title. He's now favorite to win the Dakar race, again.
|
|
| 7 October, 2011 - Video: Motorcycle Superman | Incredible how some people ride their motorcycles, or in this case mopeds. This video is of a souped up 50cc (very noisy) doing an enormous speed on the motorway, and one of the reasons the guy is going so fast is because he's gotten as aerodynamic as possible; he's horizontal!
Incredible but stupid!
|
|
| 7 October, 2011 - If Steve Jobs Ran A Motorcycle Company | What if Steve Jobs had not worked for Apple and designed so many gadgets we all love and covet? What if Steve Jobs had worked as CEO for a motorcycle manufacturer?
Which company would he have founded, and what kind of motorcycles would we be seeing?
|
|
| 5 October, 2011 - Resident Evil 5 To Feature Motorcycle Riding Zombies | The hit movie franchise Resident Evil is reaching its 5th installment and will be called Resident Evil: Retribution.
The movie director, Paul W.S. Anderson (don't worry, Milla Jovovich still plays the main role) told the press that this episode will have the zombies more functional; i.e. they will be riding motorcycles!
Looks like they'll be hiring a lot of motorcycle riders I known.... |
|
| 5 October, 2011 - Out Of Here For The Rest Of The Week -10/2011 | I've skedaddled off to Paris on a Nikon invite for Thursday, followed by an assignment on Friday.
Back Monday afternoon, but I've programmed some articles for your amusement, so enjoy.
|
|
| 4 October, 2011 - Ads: Harley-Davidson - Just Do Not Get It! Help | Below are two print ads for Harley-Davidson in Colombia. The ads were made by Publicis who have made some very good commercials for Harley, but these has got me totally confused.
What are the messages?
|
|
| 4 October, 2011 - Germany: Hells Angels Banned From Frankfurt | Germany has banned two chapters of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang from Frankfurt, and seized all their assets.
But nobody was arrested! Sound like harassment to me...
|
|
| 4 October, 2011 - Learn Motorcycle Racing Photography From A Real Pro | Andrew Wheeler from AutoMotoPhoto is one of the great motorcycle race photographers of the moment. You can see many of his fantastic photos in magazines and websites around the world. And Andrew is not selfish, he wants to share his talent.
For the upcoming MotoGP of Australia, Andrew is offering a seminar on how to make photos of race motorcycles. And it doesn't end there...
Andrew will also cook you a meal. Two for the price of one...
|
|
| 3 October, 2011 - Getting Social With Famous Motorcycle Riders | Social networking has become the buzz in the last years. Twitter, Facebook and even Google + has become the place to follow your friends, but also people you don't know. Or even further, famous people.
There are quite a lot of famous people who ride motorcycles (professionally, but also for leisure) who use social media to let you know what they are up to, what they are thinking.
Here's a list, not exhaustive, but growing, with all the social media addresses of famous motorcycle riding people I could find, plus those of companies and teams involved in the motorcycle world.
|
|
| 3 October, 2011 - France’s Minister of Sport: 1st Official Visit? A Motorcycle Race | The recently appointed French Minister of Sports, former multiple world champion Judo David Douillet, went for his first official visit.... and it was to the world champion round of motorcycle enduro in France.
David, himself a passionate motorcycle rider, handed out the prizes and spent some time talking to enduro legend David Knight.
Not bad for a member of the government who do not like motorcycles. Wonder how much time he'll last?
|
|
|
