Thursday, May 28, 2009

Used Kawasaki Motorcycle






Kawasaki emerged out of the ashes of the second World War to become one of the big players from Japan. In the late '60s and early '70s, Kawasaki built a reputation for some of the most powerful engines on two wheels, spawning legendary sportbikes like the Ninja series and a line of championship-winning off-road bikes.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Used Harley-Davidson Motorcycle






Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Buell Motorcycle Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Harley-Davidson Motor Company produces heavyweight motorcycles and offers a complete line of motorcycle parts, accessories, apparel, and general merchandise. Buell Motorcycle Company produces a line of sport motorcycles.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Sterilgarda sponsors Yamaha World Superbike Team





talian food brand Sterilgarda has joined up to sponsor the Yamaha World Superbike team for selected races of the 2009 championship season. Starting with the upcoming Monza race, the Sterilgarda brand will feature on the bikes and leathers of both Ben Spies and Tom Sykes.

Sterilgarda is a food production company based in Italy, providing products for over 40 years and today producing over 1200 tons of foodstuffs daily. Core product lines include cheese, milk, yogurt and fruit juices.

Sterilgada are a familiar face in the WSB paddock, having been keen supporters and partners of racing teams and riders for some time. The 2009 Yamaha World Superbike Team has had a strong start to the 2009 season with a new bike and new riders, making it an attractive proposition for sponsors, the team have already won four out of the eight races run so far with rookie Ben Spies who is regularly fighting at the front of the pack for the race win and currently sits second in the championship.

“We are really happy to be able to link our brand with The Yamaha World Superbike Team,” said Nando Sarzi, the owner of Sterilgarda Alimenti. “We’re really excited to be able share the racing emotions and success with the team, starting with Monza this weekend, the home race for both the team and our company. Professionalism and quality are two common, shared elements that drive both Sterilgarda and Yamaha in the search for great success.”

“It’s fantastic to have Sterilgarda onboard,” said Laurens Klein Koerkamp, Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe Racing Division. “It’s very positive to have such a well known brand in the paddock recognize how successful the Yamaha World Superbike Team is and want to be part of it. We’re looking forward to working together and this being the start of a long term relationship.”

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

The Electric Motorcycle






The Ashland, Oregon-based manufacturer—the same collection of motorheads responsible for bringing the road-rocket Ariel Atom to U.S. shores—have decided to confront the global-warming frenzy with an actual product.

A fun and efficient product. One that makes the similarly two-wheeled and battery-powered Segway look like an environmental pocket protector. It's called the Enertia, an electric motorcycle so slick it couldn't be cooler if it were frozen.

On the green front, according to Brammo, this urban transportation tool can reduce a commuter's carbon footprint by 92 percent. But you'd have to get out of that fossil-powered sled and commute every day on the Enertia to see that large of a reduction. But depending on where you live, any reduction to environmental impact couldn't be easier, with perhaps the friendliest motorcycle yet.

The Enertia's appeal should spread widely since it lacks many of the traits that traditionally steer people away from a two-wheeled, mechanized ride. It requires no gas or oil, and thus smells like neither. It is nearly silent, has no exhaust and doesn't get hot. It has no clutch or gearbox. It is light and narrow, and practically maintenance-free. If you'd consider riding a bicycle to work or school, you'll have no issues wrapping your head around this transport option.

Designing the Enertia
To create the Enertia, Brammo harnessed its enthusiast heart and material-science expertise to a global sensibility. By approaching carbon emissions from the perspective of true driving enthusiasts, the goal was to provide a practical product that hits on multiple levels: environmentally sound, sharply engineered, cutting-edge materials, fun to own and look at.

The Enertia is a clean-sheet design, conceived from day-one as a two-wheeled, zero-emission, fully electric conveyance (it is not a "hybrid"). Its central structure is a carbon fiber monocoque, which serves as both the motorcycle's chassis and its battery tray. Machined 6061-T6 aluminum bits for the bike's threaded hard-points (footpegs, swingarm, etc.), are bonded to the carbon fiber structure—a race-bred building technique. Though exceptionally stiff, the entire chassis weighs a mere 16 pounds.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The Motorcycle Shop





The Motorcycle Shop is located in San Benito, deep into biker-friendly Southern Texas. We are a family business with over 50 years combined experience, owned and operated by Wayne and Seth Ruhe. Our philosophy as builders is that bikes are meant to be ridden, not just looked at. We not only design and build unique custom motorcycles, we pride ourselves on the fact that each motorcycle is a reliable, dependable, rideable machine.
Not only can we mold one of our baseline motorcycles into the bike of your dreams, we can also help you design a bike from the ground up to fit you perfectly. From one-of-a-kind custom chassis to high performance engines with over 140 horsepower, our bikes will invoke excitement you can see with your eyes and feel in the seat of your pants.
The Motorcycle Shop also does a limited number restoration projects. We can rebuild or restore your original engines, transmissions, chassis, or complete motorcycles to original or better condition. With experience rebuilding flatheads, knuckleheads, panheads, and shovelheads, no bike is out of our scope.
The only thing we love more than working on bikes is riding them. Wayne has been riding, repairing, and building bikes for over 40 years. Seth has been riding since he was 5 years old and wrenching since he was 9. If you have any questions, need repairs, need a quote, or just want to go for a ride, give us a call at (956) 399-3562. Motorcycles aren't just our business. Motorcycles are our life.

Motorcycle history

Arguably, the first motorcycle was designed and built by the German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Bad Cannstatt (since 1905 a city district of Stuttgart) in 1885.[6]

The first petroleum-powered vehicle was essentially a motorised bicycle, although the inventors called their invention the Reitwagen ("riding car"). However, if a two-wheeled vehicle with steam propulsion is considered a motorcycle, then the first one may have been American. One such machine was demonstrated at fairs and circuses in the eastern U.S. in 1867, built by Sylvester Howard Roper of Roxbury, Massachusetts.[6]

A pre-war Polish Sokół 1000

In 1894, Hildebrand & Wolfmüller became the first motorcycle available for purchase.[7]

In the early period of motorcycle history, many producers of bicycles adapted their designs to accommodate the new internal combustion engine. As the engines became more powerful and designs outgrew the bicycle origins, the number of motorcycle producers increased.

An historic 1941 Crocker

Until the First World War, the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world was Indian, producing over 20,000 bikes per year. By 1920, this honour went to Harley-Davidson, with their motorcycles being sold by dealers in 67 countries. In 1928, DKW took over as the largest manufacturer.

After the Second World War, the BSA Group became the largest producer of motorcycles in the world, producing up to 75,000 bikes per year in the 1950s. The German company NSU Motorenwerke AG held the position of largest manufacturer from 1955 until the 1970s.

NSU Sportmax streamlined motorcycle, 250 cc class winner of the 1955 Grand Prix season

In the 1950s, streamlining began to play an increasing part in the development of racing motorcycles and the "dustbin fairing" held out the possibility of radical changes to motorcycle design. NSU and Moto-Guzzi were in the vanguard of this development both producing very radical designs well ahead of their time.[8] NSU produced the most advanced design, but after the deaths of four NSU riders in the 1954–1956 seasons, they abandoned further development and quit Grand Prix motorcycle racing.[9] Moto-Guzzi produced competitive race machines, and by 1957 nearly all the Grand Prix races were being won by streamlined machines.[citation needed] The following year, 1958, full enclosure fairings were banned from racing by the FIM in the light of the safety concerns.

From the 1960s through the 1990s, small two-stroke motorcycles were popular worldwide, partly as a result of East German Walter Kaaden's engine work in the 1950s.[10]

Today, the Japanese manufacturers, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha dominate the motorcycle industry, although Harley-Davidson and BMW continue to be popular and supply considerable markets. Other major manufacturers include the Piaggio group of Italy, KTM, Triumph, Aprilia, Moto-Guzzi, MV Agusta and Ducati. In overall numbers the Chinese currently manufacture and sell more motorcycles than any other country and exports are rising.[citation needed]

In addition to the large capacity motorcycles, there is an enormous market in smaller capacity (less than 300 cc) motorcycles, mostly concentrated in Asian and African countries. The growth in this market is popularly thought to have started with the 1958 Honda Super Cub, which went on to become the biggest selling vehicle of all time, 60 millionth unit produced in April 2008.[

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Summer Is Coming. Ride A Rental Motorbike And Feel The Freedom






Fancy spending an exhilarating weekend touring the open road, or spending the weekend on some grit, volcanic tracks, a pure off road adventure, or simply taking a day out riding classic bikes through the inner city easily bypassing the urban congestion, then you will definitely require a motorbike to engage in any of these activities. Motor bike rental fulfils your desire to hit the open road, off road tracks or urban inner city on two wheels without the cost of having your own bike and insurance to worry about.

Motor bikes will generally get you to some of the most scenic, exotic places, places with rough roads or no roads at all only ventured into by the dare devils, giving you a feeling of utmost freedom, thrill and excitement. Off-road motor biking involves biking over land not intended for vehicles thus enable fans not only to enjoy the pleasure of the machine but also offering them an opportunity to see a countries hidden beauty. Whatever the weather conditions, off road biking is an all year round activity designed for all who want to enjoy without necessarily doing speeds.

The experience of the open road is also viewed by many motor bike fans as the ultimate biking experience. In addition to giving travellers an opportunity to explore and discover the country, it also imparts a feeling of total freedom as the riders embrace the adventure through the stunning scenery and the special atmosphere that pervades the clear country side air with a full peace of mind.

A further motor bike rental option is to hire a motorcycle just to have a day out riding a classic fully outfitted bike and lunching at friendly pubs.

Motor bike rentals are now available in different shapes and sizes, and are accessorized with fittings best suited for the activity you will engage in. You can tailor the selection process to suit your personal requirements and rent either a Harley Davidson a brand very synonymous with classic motor bikes, a Ducati underscored for its speed, a BMW or even a Honda.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Knowing What Makes Motorcycle Prices Zoom Up and Fall Down




Knowing What Makes Motorcycle Prices Zoom Up and Fall Down
By Max Manroe

If you wish to make a wise investment when purchasing a motorcycle, you should start by learning about the various factors that affect motorcycle prices and to what extent it’s able to affect them.

Factors Affecting Motorcycle Price :

1. Engine – The engine is arguably the most influential factor regarding motorcycle prices. Size, power, and type are properties of motorcycle engines that you should be most concerned. A bigger engine, for instance, may hamper your motorcycle’s speed. Power allows you to achieve greater performance but at greater risk to yourself because a powerful motorcycle is harder to control than one that’s designed for leisure driving only.

2. Level of Expertise – The level of expertise required to handle a particular motorcycle model also marginally affects motorcycle price. Expect motorcycles designed for the use of first-timers and beginners may be priced cheaper than those designed for experts and professionals. The reason behind this is simple: motorcycles for novices need fewer requirements to deliver customer satisfaction.

3. Type – The type of motorcycle you’re buying will also affect the price range that you’ll have to accommodate. There are various types of motorcycles on the market so you need to determine your purposes for buying a motorcycle before making any purchases.
Sports bikes are for speed junkies and look best when accessorized with lots of bling-blings; standard bikes on the other hand ensure that you reach work or home quickly but safely; motocross bikes are specifically designed for users fond of off-road travel; while cruiser bikes are the motorcycle industry’s version of show-type dogs like poodles and other toy dogs as opposed to those belonging to the sports or work classes.

4. Aesthetics and More – Lastly, the style and design of motorcycles also has an effect on its price. The materials used are just one of them. Expect motorcycle prices go up when additional modifications have been made such as the inclusion of an audio system and security alarms. Motorcycle prices which include insurance charges are naturally more expensive than those without although they may prove more affordable in the long run.

Brand name is definitely a factor since the motorcycle industry has its own hierarchy and in which names like Ducati and Harley Davidson reign supreme.

Now that you know all the factors affecting motorcycle prices, the only step left to take is determining which factors are most important for you and which motorcycle models are capable of meeting your expectations. Have fun with your big bike!

How To Register a Custom Motorcycle






Finding out how to register a custom motorcycle or chopper begins long before you present your finished motorcycle at the local registration office for getting everything legal to go on the highway. In fact, the process begins with the purchase of your very first part and continues throughout the build process and after. This report covers the most common situations which arise when preparing to register a custom built motorcycle. Antique motorcycles are not covered since the process is rather complex and most custom builds today are not built from antique components.

First of all you must be aware that every State of the Union is slightly different in its laws and exact procedures for registering a custom built motorcycle, but many aspects are exactly the same. In order to ensure, however, that you do not fail to dot every "i" and cross every "t" along the way, you should open a dialogue with a helpful representative at your local registration office to learn any special details and requirements that may be specific to your State. In fact, it is a great idea to attempt to locate someone at the registration office who is helpful and friendly and be especially nice to this representative because you will probably need to ask some questions along the way and having a contact who is familiar with what you are attempting to do will ensure a pleasant experience when finding answers to hard questions.

Some States limit the number of "builder's titles" an individual can apply for within a specific period of time without holding a business license as a motorcycle builder. In other States, this limit is not simply based on builder's titles but is, instead, based on the number of vehicles of any kind which are titled in a person's name within one year. For example, in order to prevent people from using their front lawns to open illegal used car lots, Florida created a law stating that a single individual could not title 10 or more vehicles within one year unless they could prove either they owned and drove the vehicles (such as a car collector) or they applied to become a business. Be sure to learn about any such regulations in your area.

Much of the process required to register your custom built motorcycle will depend upon exactly how you obtained the parts and equipment used to build the bike. If the motorcycle was purchased as a basket case with frame and engine parts, you should have obtained the title to the motorcycle with the purchase. This is a key to successful registration. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the frame and engine should match the VIN listed on the motorcycle Title of Ownership and allow you to easily transfer the title. But many situations are not that simple and each situation has differing requirements. Before looking at specific custom build scenarios, let's look at the parts of the process which are the same for each type of build.

Save All Paperwork: Whatever paperwork arrives with your parts or which is provided from the seller should be maintained. Every major component should have some type of proof of ownership provided which states the VIN.

Emissions Inspection: In some States, motor vehicle emissions must meet certain standards established by law. Most of these States do consider motorcycles to be a type of motor vehicle and therefore must meet the required emissions levels permitted by law. This has long been the case in California, but more and more States are setting standards as global warming becomes more and more of a concern. If you live in a State which has legally established emissions standards, you should learn from your Department of Motor Vehicles exactly what equipment must be incorporated into your custom build to control emissions and what standards your motorcycle must meet. Also, inquire about what certification you must obtain and where tests can be run on your completed, functional motorcycle in order to obtain an emissions certificate.

Safety Inspection: After assembly, you must present your operational custom built motorcycle to a law enforcement agency in your State for an inspection to certify that the motorcycle is road-worthy and to certify the odometer setting. This usually must be performed on the proper Department of Motor Vehicles form and a small fee is usually charge for the service. These safety inspections are only valid for a specific period of time, usually 90 days.

Should the safety inspection reveal problems which cause the custom built motorcycle to fail the inspection, you can expect to have to pay the fee anyway. When you resolve the issue and return for another inspection, you will again need to pay the required fee, so try to avoid submitting your bike for inspection before it is completely ready to pass the scrutiny of law enforcement officers who are certain to look at every detail.

Title Application: Regardless of the method used to build your custom bike, you will need to obtain a Title of Ownership, or at least have proof of application of such, before registering the motorcycle. The exact type of Title and requirements, however, vary based on the type of build.

Proof of Insurance: All States require insurance be carried on vehicles to be driven on the streets, roads, and highways of that State. Proof that you have insurance on the motorcycle must be provided in order to register the motorcycle.

New Custom Built Motorcycles

A new custom built motorcycle is usually defined, for the purposes of registration, as a motorcycle assembled from new parts, usually aftermarket parts, which is assembled by a person other than a manufacturer of motorcycles by using major components which are purchased from authorized manufacturers of component parts and which are accompanied by the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO).

This is, perhaps, the simplest scenario for obtaining a title for a custom built motorcycle. Because each part that is purchased comes with a payment receipt and the larger components such as frame and engine also must have a valid MSO, the builder simply saves and organizes each of these key pieces of paperwork until completing the motorcycle. Parts which do not have MSOs should have the original receipt saved for proof of where the parts were obtained. It is important to be able to prove that each and every part was obtained legally.

In the case of the frame and engine, the VINs listed on the MSOs must be visible on the completed custom built motorcycle for verification. If these numbers do not match, it will be almost impossible to register the bike, so check that the paperwork included with your major components match the numbers on the components and if an error is found, contact your supply source immediately. Do not install the part and think that you can work it all out later; you might have to return the component in a worst case scenario and have replacement shipped. While these errors are very rare, anything can and often will happen during a custom motorcycle build project and the registration office is no place to reach the initial realization that you have a major issue with VINs and MSOs.

The motorcycle will need to be presented to a local law enforcement agency in your area for an inspection of road-worthiness, comparison of the VINs, and certification of the odometer reading. This certification is required for the next steps in the process.

The next step in the process is application for an Assigned ID Number. This requires filling out an application and providing photocopies of all documentation, including the law enforcement inspection, along with any fees charged by your locale. This is then submitted to the Department of Motor Vehicles. If approved, an Assigned ID Number plate is manufactured and mailed to you. This must be properly affixed to the motorcycle.

Next, a Certificate of Title for a Custom Built Motorcycle from Aftermarket Parts must be obtained. The original supporting documentation, along with an Application for Title, and the specific fee charged by your State, must be submitted.

Once the title is received in the mail, you can obtain insurance and take Proof of Insurance to the Registration Office. You will need to pay the normal fee for registering a motorcycle along with fees associated with receiving a license plate.

Kit Motorcycles

If you are building a custom motorcycle based on a complete kit you purchased which includes the rolling chassis and engine, the VINs and MSOs will be included with the kit. If you choose to use a kit which does not include the engine and you purchase a new aftermarket engine, you will need to use the MSO for the frame from the kit and obtain an MSO for the engine from your supplier.

The remainder of the process will be exactly like that of all other scenarios.

New Rolling Chassis and New Aftermarket Engine

When you purchase a rolling chassis on which to assemble your custom motorcycle, you will be provided with the necessary MSO and VIN. You must ensure the documentation matches the numbers on the chassis. Your new engine will arrive with VIN and MSO.

The remainder of the process will be the same as that of other situations.

Custom Built Motorcycle Assembled from Used Non-Salvage Parts and Components

This situation becomes a bit more difficult unless the motorcycle builder is well aware of requirements and ensures all paperwork is readily available. The frame purchased must have a clear Title associated with it, as must the engine.

The term "non-salvage" does not mean that some of the parts or components may not come from a wrecked motorcycle. It does mean that the wrecked motorcycle has not been assigned a Salvage Title, in some States called a Scarped Title. In other words, if you locate a person holding a clear title to a wrecked motorcycle who wants to sell the engine from the motorcycle while scrapping other parts, you need to ensure that you either obtain the Title to the motorcycle or you contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles and, along with the seller, fill out an affidavit or other form required by the State in this situation. If the seller needs to sell the frame as scrapped, your local DMV can tell you the process to follow so that both parties are protected and have the legally required paperwork. This varies greatly from State to State, so be sure to fully understand your area's requirements for this situation.

By keeping all receipts as proof of purchase and ensuring you have title to the engine and frame, or other proof of ownership acceptable to your state, you can progress through the process through the standard safety inspection, titling, insuring, and registration.

Custom Motorcycle Built from Some or All Salvaged Parts

This scenario is one of the more difficult situations with which to ensure your custom build will be easy to title and register. When a motorcycle has been involved in an accident and declared a "total loss" by the insurance company and the State's Department of Motor Vehicle, the title is taken from the vehicle, reducing it to a pile of parts which can be sold to people like you who are seeking low priced parts for a custom build.

Because the definition of a total loss simply means the cost of restoring the entire motorcycle to its original, safe operating condition is too costly to perform, this does not always mean that all of the parts and components are of no use to a custom motorcycle builder. If you are planning to modify the frame anyway, you may not mind a little damage in certain areas of the frame. Some experts can straighten a frame without weakening the frame strength even when it is slightly bent. Perhaps the engine was not seriously damaged but the rest of the motorcycle is beyond repair and you want that specific engine for your custom build.

Some States make it especially difficult to title a motorcycle which includes salvaged major components. It can actually be beneficial in some situations to go ahead and buy the entire motorcycle and obtain the Title which has been marked as Salvage unless the seller is willing to surrender the Salvage Title with only purchase of some of the parts. Generally, a seller will want the frame and engine to go together in order to surrender the title since these are the parts that carry the VIN displayed on the title's face.

If you buy one motorcycle to get the frame and obtain a Salvage Title with it and buy another bike to get the engine and obtain a Salvage Title with that component, you should still be in good shape in almost every State. Before you invest the money, however, take the time to call the local DMV and be absolutely certain of the regulations in your State if you wish to present two Salvage Titles with the other proof of ownership for your custom restored motorcycle.

In many States, the safety inspection required will be more extensive and more costly, but than that required for custom built motorcycles using non-salvaged components. However, the cost is still usually under $100.

When you obtain a Title for a motorcycle which was created from salvaged parts, the Title will most likely carry a description of "Restored Salvaged" or it may continue to simply be state "Salvaged Title". Some States, however, will provide a clean title to the custom build motorcycle, considering it as if it were simply constructed from used parts. Check with your local DMV to learn the exact policy regarding this issue if it matters to you. As long as the State issues you a valid Title, you will be able to register the motorcycle. Therefore many custom builders do not consider it a bad connotation to have a Salvaged Title for their custom ride.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Minerva Launched Three Sport Motors






three new models the motorcycle is launched by PT Minerva Motor Indonesia, today. The three models were Minerva 250 S (naked bike), Minerva 250 R (sport), and Minerva 250 M. (the super-motto). The uniqueness of the three motor kinds was collaboration of three manufacturers, that is: Minerva Motor Indonesia, Sachs Bikes (Germany), and Megelli (England). According to the President Director Minerva Motor Indonesia, Kristianto Goenadi, the support of two foreign manufacturers could it was hoped reap the success of the sale of the Minerva product. “Terutama in the segment sport,” Kristianto words in launching gaps of the product. Hartmut Hunh, Director Sachs Bikes, stated the optimist with the motorcycle market in Indonesia. “Di Europe this year the motorcycle market descended 30 percent. We saw in Indonesia the market was very promising with the sale that continued to increase every year.
Since 2008 Minerva established the co-operation Co-branding with Sachs Bikes. His first product of Minerva Sachs MadAss 125. Whereas in 2009, Minerva also established collaboration with Megelli to produce Minerva 250. Simon Brown, Global Sales Director Megelli, said, for the Minerva product 250, Megelli contributed the sector of the framework and the model. “Produk Megelli indeed menyasar all through the corner of the world, by carrying out the co-operation with the producer of the motorcycle in dunia,” Brown words. In his origin country, England, Megelli carried the machine 125 cc. Nevertheless the machine with the capacity was bigger could easily dicangkok in the chassis of the motor. ”Konsep him mesn from 50 cc to 250 cc could enter inside rangka,” Brown words. The Minerva machine 250, according to Kristianto, were developed in Thailand. ”Tapi the assembly continued to be carried out in Indonesia,” said he. Because of being assembled in Indonesia the selling price was cheaper compared to overseas that was marketed $ 3,900 American, or around Rp 40 million.
Minerva 250 were marketed with the Rp price 28.9 million R types (sport), Rp 25.9 million for the type naked bike (S), and for the super-motto model was appreciated by Rp 26.9 million. The Minerva machine 250 were still relying on the conventional model with the air cooler, and the control of the SOHC fuel, and karbarator. The transmission system of five acceleration, with disc brakes in the front wheel and behind. Minerva claimed the newest product has passed emissions were on a level with Euro 3.