mika
Still Wondering
The motorcycling world viewed from the saddle of a BMW. A daily look at all things BMW, Euro-bike, products and things I find interesting on the internet. With links to news, reviews, events, riding skills, maintenance and racing series updates. Morning Reads is a one stop shop for motorcycling information.
TodayÔÇÖs Birthdays / Calendar
World of BMW news
Dreaming of Jupiter
BMW MOA Chartered Club:
club:
BMW Riders Of Oregon, #83
founded:
1/1/1978
contact:
Ed Barton (ebarton@coni.com)
91 Walnut St.
La Grande, OR 97850 US
www.bmwro.org
meetings:
Held quarterly at various locations
events:
Chief Joseph Rally, Father's Day weekend
Christmas meeting current location Bend, OR in November
other events:
Beach Bash, current location Florence, OR in January
Gem??tlichkeit is the warm, comfortable feeling
one receives from pleasant surroundings and atmosphere.
I think you will find that when you come here.
Ozaukee ÔÇô Washington Daily News
Fond Du Lac Reporter
The Sheboygan Press
Daily Citizen, Beaver Dam
Weather
West Bend WI
Current
10 Day Forcast
United States
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Canada
Meteorological Service of Canada
News:
Argusleader.com: Janklow finishing his probation in manslaughter case.
Popularmechanics.com: The truth about hydrogen.
world.Honda.com: HondaÔÇÖs global site announces its corporate motorcycle racing plans for 2007.
Feature:
An interesting think piece by Alex Edge of Motorcycldaily.com. 800cc MotoGP Machines Point the Way for Future Sportbikes. While not specifically MotoGP inspired, how will BMWÔÇÖs new F800 series fit into the class of bikes suggested in this article?
Blog Update:
Peter EganÔÇÖs title is Editor-at-large. For many of us Leanings is our first read when we receive our new issue of Cycle World. Fans with more control are able to save it for last to show their perseverance and masochism. With luck we may see him at the National Rally. Wanting more of an Egan fix and curious to see what else he has been writing about I tracked down his Road & Track column, Side Glances.
Roda&Track ÔÇô Side Glances: Polo Helmets & Terrified Haybales
by Peter Egan
January 2007
Gear:
Crusty the Biker would normally show up as a blog update. His current blog entry talks about a nice addition to the planning gear. I have one and can recommend it.
Motorcycle Repair and Care:
Sprotrider.com: Suspension tuning guide
Riding Skills:
Accident Management - thinking ahead , being prepared.
Wonderings:
The BMW press release that follows in the All Things BMW section is one great set-up for all sorts of one liners. I wonder what Flash would say?
Manufacturer of the Day:
EXCELSIOR
Forget what you think you may know about this. There were multiple manufactures operating under this marque over the years.
Excelsior (Bourgoin) ÔÇô Listed in multiple sources I have found no information beyond the listings for this variant.
Excelsior (Brandenburg) ÔÇô 1901-1939, Excelsior Fahrrad Motorrad-Werke in Brandenburg operated as an assembler using various engines including JAP.
Excelsior (Coventry)
Excelsior Coventry ÔÇô Wikipedia
European Motorcycle Universe ÔÇô a brief marque history
Excelsior Manxman
Excelsior ÔÇô United States
The Excelsior marque began as a bicycle company in 1876 as the Excelsior Supply & Mfg Co., in Chicago. In 1905 the company was taken over by Ignaz Schwinn of Schwinn Bicycle fame. The Excelsior Autocycle appeared in 1907. By 1910 they were producing a 500cc single.
In 1911 The American Henderson Motorcycle Co. was founded by William G. and Tom W. Henderson. Quickly they moved in the direction of a long wheelbase inline 4 cylinder model which they developed between 1911 and 1917. It was considered by many as one of the finest motorcycles in the world. A 1912 model Henderson completed a 10 month 18,000 mile circumnavigation of the globe thus claiming to be the first motorcycle to do so.
The Henderson brothers sold their company to Ignaz Schwinn in 1917 and the Excelsior Motor Mfg and Supply Co Henderson brand, Excelsior Henderson, was born. The company continued to develop highly desired motorcycles until the summer of 1931. In the beginning of the depression Ignaz Schwinn called his motorcycle staff together. The company was flush with orders, yet to everyoneÔÇÖs surprise Schwinn declared that motorcycle production would cease and by September 1931 the company had reached the end of the line.
The Henderson Motorcycle Marque
Henderson Motorcycle ÔÇô Wikipedia
Excelsior ÔÇô Henderson (Belle Plaine)
The 1990s were exciting times in Minnesota motorcycling. Motorcycle magazines regularly ran articles about fights over the Indian brand name, the attempts to resurrect the Norton name and other similar attempts at tapping the burgeoning motorcycle market. In less than a decade I watched a manufacturer rise and fall just 40 miles up the Minnesota River from Lilydale.
In 1993 the Hanlon brothers formed the Hanlon Manufacturing Company and began to develop a motorcycle concept they felt was lacking from the current market. As part of their marketing they found that the Excelsior Henderson trade mark had been allowed to lapse. They applied for and acquired the rights. They continued their research and develop their prototype using the Excelsior Henderson Super X as a starting point. Production of the new Super X began in December of 1998. The production run was less than 2000 units and ceased in August of 1999 when the company declared bankruptcy.
Arizona based Swift Motorcycles, a custom motorcycle manufacturer, purchased all of the remaining assets of Excelsior- Henderson from the bankruptcy court in 2002. Swift has not disclosed its plans, if any for the brand name.
Excelsior Henderson Super X Registry
Woot
Todays Woot
The Blog
All things BMW
Bikes in the Fast Lane: Multiple videos ÔÇô ÔÇ£You don't see any BMW TV ads for ages, and suddenly you get a whole bunch of them. Here are almost all BMW motorcycle products, K1200R, K1200S, R1200ST, R1200CL, K1200LT, R1200RT, R1150R and R1150R Rockster:ÔÇØ
Jalopnik.com: More Series 1 rumors, now the car tabloids say it wonÔÇÖt be the Euro hatch version but a new version with a trunk and a convertible version.
Motortrend.com First Drive: 2008 Mini Cooper
BMW Group Press Club:
BMW Named ÔÇ£Energy Partner of the YearÔÇØ by EPA
Less than two weeks after being named 2006ÔÇÖs ÔÇ£Top PlantÔÇØ by Plant Engineering magazine, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) named BMW Manufacturing Co. LLC, and partner D??rr Systems, Inc., as joint recipients of the Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) ÔÇ£Energy Partner of the YearÔÇØ award. The award was presented at todayÔÇÖs 10th Annual LMOP Conference and Project Expo in Baltimore.
The prestigious award was given to BMW Manufacturing and D??rr in recognition of their achievements in implementing one of the most ambitious Landfill Gas to Energy Projects in North America ÔÇô recycling landfill methane gas from the Palmetto Landfill to provide energy to BMWÔÇÖs paint shop. D??rr built the paint shop.
By utilizing the previously unused energy from landfill gas, BMW was able to reduce area emissions of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, by approximately 60,000 tons and recover enough energy to heat 15,000 homes per year. Landfills are the largest human-made methane source in the United States. Methane is produced as waste decomposes. When released into the air, it is a greenhouse gas and contributes to local air pollution.
Currently, 63 percent of BMW ManufacturingÔÇÖs energy is now provided by this renewable resource, saving the company at least $1 million per year in energy costs. The additional use of methane gas also reduces greenhouse gases the equivalent of driving a car around the globe 4,300 times, or more than 100 million miles.
ÔÇ£Three of our core principles are innovation, protecting the environment, and being a good corporate citizen,ÔÇØ said Briggs Hamilton, BMW ManufacturingÔÇÖs environmental section manager. ÔÇ£This is such a positive for everyone involved. There literally hasnÔÇÖt been a downside to this project. This project allows us to take a previously wasted energy source and use it to generate electricity and heat for our plant, this results in lower emissions, which helps to protect the environment and the community.ÔÇØ
ÔÇ£The usage of renewable fuel significantly reduces the economic and ecological footprint of a D??rr paint shop,ÔÇØ said Ralf Dieter, CEO of the D??rr AG Board of Management. ÔÇ£Projects such as these assure our future generations of the natural resources they rightfully deserve and we consider it our duty and responsibility to continue to provide cutting edge energy efficiency solutions.ÔÇØ
BMW Manufacturing gained international recognition in 2002, when the automotive manufacturer first announced that it would use recycled landfill methane gas as an energy source in its automotive manufacturing facility. In order to do so, the company had to construct an unprecedented 9.5-mile pipeline from the landfill to its facility. The system went online in February 2003.
Bike Candy:
The Pit Crew View: Racing News:
F-1
blogf1.co.uk Renault launch.
f1complete.com Tech briefing on the new Renault
Unless noted otherwise, I have no known commercial interest in any products, retailers or manufactures discussed in the Morning Reads. The links used in the Morning Reads are for informational use only. The use of all links is subject to the terms of use of the originating site. [/size]
THE END
TodayÔÇÖs Birthdays / Calendar
World of BMW news
Dreaming of Jupiter
BMW MOA Chartered Club:
club:
BMW Riders Of Oregon, #83
founded:
1/1/1978
contact:
Ed Barton (ebarton@coni.com)
91 Walnut St.
La Grande, OR 97850 US
www.bmwro.org
meetings:
Held quarterly at various locations
events:
Chief Joseph Rally, Father's Day weekend
Christmas meeting current location Bend, OR in November
other events:
Beach Bash, current location Florence, OR in January
Gem??tlichkeit is the warm, comfortable feeling
one receives from pleasant surroundings and atmosphere.
I think you will find that when you come here.
Ozaukee ÔÇô Washington Daily News
Fond Du Lac Reporter
The Sheboygan Press
Daily Citizen, Beaver Dam
Weather
West Bend WI
Current
10 Day Forcast
United States
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Canada
Meteorological Service of Canada
News:
Argusleader.com: Janklow finishing his probation in manslaughter case.
Popularmechanics.com: The truth about hydrogen.
world.Honda.com: HondaÔÇÖs global site announces its corporate motorcycle racing plans for 2007.
Feature:
An interesting think piece by Alex Edge of Motorcycldaily.com. 800cc MotoGP Machines Point the Way for Future Sportbikes. While not specifically MotoGP inspired, how will BMWÔÇÖs new F800 series fit into the class of bikes suggested in this article?
Blog Update:
Peter EganÔÇÖs title is Editor-at-large. For many of us Leanings is our first read when we receive our new issue of Cycle World. Fans with more control are able to save it for last to show their perseverance and masochism. With luck we may see him at the National Rally. Wanting more of an Egan fix and curious to see what else he has been writing about I tracked down his Road & Track column, Side Glances.
Roda&Track ÔÇô Side Glances: Polo Helmets & Terrified Haybales
by Peter Egan
January 2007
Gear:
Crusty the Biker would normally show up as a blog update. His current blog entry talks about a nice addition to the planning gear. I have one and can recommend it.
Motorcycle Repair and Care:
Sprotrider.com: Suspension tuning guide
Riding Skills:
Accident Management - thinking ahead , being prepared.
Wonderings:
The BMW press release that follows in the All Things BMW section is one great set-up for all sorts of one liners. I wonder what Flash would say?
Manufacturer of the Day:
EXCELSIOR
Forget what you think you may know about this. There were multiple manufactures operating under this marque over the years.
Excelsior (Bourgoin) ÔÇô Listed in multiple sources I have found no information beyond the listings for this variant.
Excelsior (Brandenburg) ÔÇô 1901-1939, Excelsior Fahrrad Motorrad-Werke in Brandenburg operated as an assembler using various engines including JAP.
Excelsior (Coventry)
Excelsior Coventry ÔÇô Wikipedia
European Motorcycle Universe ÔÇô a brief marque history
Excelsior Manxman
Excelsior ÔÇô United States
The Excelsior marque began as a bicycle company in 1876 as the Excelsior Supply & Mfg Co., in Chicago. In 1905 the company was taken over by Ignaz Schwinn of Schwinn Bicycle fame. The Excelsior Autocycle appeared in 1907. By 1910 they were producing a 500cc single.
In 1911 The American Henderson Motorcycle Co. was founded by William G. and Tom W. Henderson. Quickly they moved in the direction of a long wheelbase inline 4 cylinder model which they developed between 1911 and 1917. It was considered by many as one of the finest motorcycles in the world. A 1912 model Henderson completed a 10 month 18,000 mile circumnavigation of the globe thus claiming to be the first motorcycle to do so.
The Henderson brothers sold their company to Ignaz Schwinn in 1917 and the Excelsior Motor Mfg and Supply Co Henderson brand, Excelsior Henderson, was born. The company continued to develop highly desired motorcycles until the summer of 1931. In the beginning of the depression Ignaz Schwinn called his motorcycle staff together. The company was flush with orders, yet to everyoneÔÇÖs surprise Schwinn declared that motorcycle production would cease and by September 1931 the company had reached the end of the line.
The Henderson Motorcycle Marque
Henderson Motorcycle ÔÇô Wikipedia
Excelsior ÔÇô Henderson (Belle Plaine)
The 1990s were exciting times in Minnesota motorcycling. Motorcycle magazines regularly ran articles about fights over the Indian brand name, the attempts to resurrect the Norton name and other similar attempts at tapping the burgeoning motorcycle market. In less than a decade I watched a manufacturer rise and fall just 40 miles up the Minnesota River from Lilydale.
In 1993 the Hanlon brothers formed the Hanlon Manufacturing Company and began to develop a motorcycle concept they felt was lacking from the current market. As part of their marketing they found that the Excelsior Henderson trade mark had been allowed to lapse. They applied for and acquired the rights. They continued their research and develop their prototype using the Excelsior Henderson Super X as a starting point. Production of the new Super X began in December of 1998. The production run was less than 2000 units and ceased in August of 1999 when the company declared bankruptcy.
Arizona based Swift Motorcycles, a custom motorcycle manufacturer, purchased all of the remaining assets of Excelsior- Henderson from the bankruptcy court in 2002. Swift has not disclosed its plans, if any for the brand name.
Excelsior Henderson Super X Registry
Woot
Todays Woot
The Blog
All things BMW
Bikes in the Fast Lane: Multiple videos ÔÇô ÔÇ£You don't see any BMW TV ads for ages, and suddenly you get a whole bunch of them. Here are almost all BMW motorcycle products, K1200R, K1200S, R1200ST, R1200CL, K1200LT, R1200RT, R1150R and R1150R Rockster:ÔÇØ
Jalopnik.com: More Series 1 rumors, now the car tabloids say it wonÔÇÖt be the Euro hatch version but a new version with a trunk and a convertible version.
Motortrend.com First Drive: 2008 Mini Cooper
BMW Group Press Club:
BMW Named ÔÇ£Energy Partner of the YearÔÇØ by EPA
Less than two weeks after being named 2006ÔÇÖs ÔÇ£Top PlantÔÇØ by Plant Engineering magazine, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) named BMW Manufacturing Co. LLC, and partner D??rr Systems, Inc., as joint recipients of the Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) ÔÇ£Energy Partner of the YearÔÇØ award. The award was presented at todayÔÇÖs 10th Annual LMOP Conference and Project Expo in Baltimore.
The prestigious award was given to BMW Manufacturing and D??rr in recognition of their achievements in implementing one of the most ambitious Landfill Gas to Energy Projects in North America ÔÇô recycling landfill methane gas from the Palmetto Landfill to provide energy to BMWÔÇÖs paint shop. D??rr built the paint shop.
By utilizing the previously unused energy from landfill gas, BMW was able to reduce area emissions of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, by approximately 60,000 tons and recover enough energy to heat 15,000 homes per year. Landfills are the largest human-made methane source in the United States. Methane is produced as waste decomposes. When released into the air, it is a greenhouse gas and contributes to local air pollution.
Currently, 63 percent of BMW ManufacturingÔÇÖs energy is now provided by this renewable resource, saving the company at least $1 million per year in energy costs. The additional use of methane gas also reduces greenhouse gases the equivalent of driving a car around the globe 4,300 times, or more than 100 million miles.
ÔÇ£Three of our core principles are innovation, protecting the environment, and being a good corporate citizen,ÔÇØ said Briggs Hamilton, BMW ManufacturingÔÇÖs environmental section manager. ÔÇ£This is such a positive for everyone involved. There literally hasnÔÇÖt been a downside to this project. This project allows us to take a previously wasted energy source and use it to generate electricity and heat for our plant, this results in lower emissions, which helps to protect the environment and the community.ÔÇØ
ÔÇ£The usage of renewable fuel significantly reduces the economic and ecological footprint of a D??rr paint shop,ÔÇØ said Ralf Dieter, CEO of the D??rr AG Board of Management. ÔÇ£Projects such as these assure our future generations of the natural resources they rightfully deserve and we consider it our duty and responsibility to continue to provide cutting edge energy efficiency solutions.ÔÇØ
BMW Manufacturing gained international recognition in 2002, when the automotive manufacturer first announced that it would use recycled landfill methane gas as an energy source in its automotive manufacturing facility. In order to do so, the company had to construct an unprecedented 9.5-mile pipeline from the landfill to its facility. The system went online in February 2003.
Bike Candy:
The Pit Crew View: Racing News:
F-1
blogf1.co.uk Renault launch.
f1complete.com Tech briefing on the new Renault
Unless noted otherwise, I have no known commercial interest in any products, retailers or manufactures discussed in the Morning Reads. The links used in the Morning Reads are for informational use only. The use of all links is subject to the terms of use of the originating site. [/size]
THE END
