Morning Reads: Wednesday, 30 January 2008

[mika]

TodayÔÇÖs Birthdays / Calendar

crash.net
RUMOR: No more big GSs from BMW?


RUMOR: MCN is reporting that HondaÔÇÖs EV06 naked 1800cc flat six may be heading for production.


G450X in action
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Polaris: Investor Relations : News
Polaris, the parent company of Victory Motorcycles, reported a strong 4th quarter and finished 2007 111,151 units sold.
ÔÇ£Sales of Victory motorcycles increased seven percent during the 2007 fourth quarter compared to the fourth quarter of 2006. Shipments to dealers as well as retail sales to consumers of the all-new Victory Vision(TM) touring models ramped up in the fourth quarter 2007 and that pace is expected to continue into 2008. Full year 2007 Victory motorcycle sales to dealers grew less than one percent compared to 2006, primarily due to the impact of the slowing industry on the cruiser side of the Victory motorcycle business. Although overall motorcycle industry retail sales in North America declined during 2007, Victory continued to increase retail sales to consumers, expand market share and maintain its industry-leading quality position. The Victory business remains a significant long-term growth opportunity for Polaris as the Company expects to continue to add new products and markets in the future.ÔÇØ

womenridersnow.com
VIDEO: In the saddle with Venevieve Schmitt ÔÇô Test Ride: 2007 Victory Kingpin Tour


wormenridersnow.com
VIDEO: Traveling alone by motorcycle


This looks dangerous.
motorcycledaily.com
2008 Honda CBR1000RR ÔÇô First ride
And danger is my middle name.


Triumph Speed Triple promotional video
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Spy photos of KnaryÔÇÖs new endurance ride.
Italian source motoblog.it is reporting Knary has been secretly testing with Suzuki when not working on his new artist digs. Is Knary going to the dark side? Will he be racing against BMW Motorsport at Le Mans? Inquiring minds want to know.



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amadirectlink.com
2008 AMA Sports Rulebook governing Pro-AM, Standard, ATV and youth competion along with supplemental rules are available on line.


motorgp.com
Toseland making positive progress for debut season
Shenton delighted with Capirossi input

BMW Sauber F1
BMW Motorsport


world.honda.com
The Honda Racing F! team reveals the RA108


it seems that Honda have gone for the revolution rather than evolution with the desing of their 2008 machine- and given the poor performance of the RA108s predecessor, that is not suprising.
formula1.com
Brawn on the RA108L a wholly different concept


hondaracingf1.com
Link to video of the RA108 launch


[urol=http://www.fiawtcc.com/fiawtcc/sport_sto1461481.shtml]fiawtcc.com[/url]
A Honda Accord for Thompson


wrc.com
New Superspecial stage for Rally Poland

windingroad.com
EPA Director calls for end of horsepower war



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popularmechanics.com
2008 Subaru Legacy Outback Test Drive: Is America ready for worldÔÇÖs firs boxer diesel?

BMW Website Review:


bmw-motorrad.co.za: Few spaces left on BMW Club CapeÔÇÖs Wild Coast Tour


TED: Ideas worth spreading
TED Blog,Conferences, Themes, Talks and Speakers


BMW Yachtsport


BMW Golfsport


BMW Oracle Racing


BMW Sport website


BMW PressClub



Even wider range of BMW Group cars eligible to use biogenic fuel.
01/29/2008

Munich. BMW models built as of 1998 have recently been announced as E10 compatible. Now further considerations have confirmed that E10 can be used even in all earlier BMW, as long as Premium Plus fuel is not required as mandatory by the owners manual. Furthermore, E10 can be used in all MINI models since the relaunch of the brand in 2000 and all Rolls-Royce motor cars as of 2003, the year the current Phantom model was launched.
E10 is the name for a new fuel mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline that is expected to be legalised by the German Government in 2008 for regular and premium fuel.

Also the new B7 diesel fuel (diesel with 7 per cent rape methyl ester) can be used in all BMW diesels ever built - with or without a particulates filter fitted as standard - as well as with a retrofitted BMW filter. The same applies to all MINI Diesel models produced since 2000.

Given this, the vast majority of all BMW Group customers will not experience any changes when the new fuels are introduced. Rather E10 and B7 lead to another welcome reduction of CO2 emissions. This is because the biogenic share in fuels bound CO2 when they grew up as a plant.

"The use of fuels with a sensibly limited share of biogenic substances in our cars is very important to us. This is indeed a substantial element of our global BMW EfficientDynamics development strategy to reduce CO2 emissions without forefeiting that dynamic performance so typical of BMW. Which means, quite simply, that we are able to offer the best of both worlds. states Dr. Klaus Draeger, BMW Board Member for Development.

Fuels with an even larger share of biogenic substances such as E85 or pure bio-diesel would limit usability in practice to very few cars.

Furthermore, a larger shares of biogenic substances in these first generation alternative fuels would further tension the existing global competition between the production of food and fuels. Only second generation bio-fuels - which are currently not available in large quantities - will offer further opportunities here. Hence, the use of E85 or pure bio-diesel in BMW engines is not planned and the current engines would not be able to run on such fuels.

BMW advocates the use of alternative fuels since they help to reduce the general dependence of mankind on carbon-based sources of energy such as oil and gas.

These enable BMW to continue producing its cars as environmentally as possible until CO2-free vehicles, such as BMW Hydrogen cars, become available on a broader scale.

The Rider: Skills, gear, accessories and more


webbikeworld.com
REVIEW: VholdR Helmet Camcorder


The ÔÇÿRad: Care, repair, parts, accessories and more


motorcycle.com
Smolder, Pop, Burn


motorcycleclassics.com
View from the sidecar ÔÇô a few mods for the Enfield


Wonderings:


After all the threads about the delay in bringing the F800GS to the US, rumors about the impending demise of King GS, rants about the cost of bikes, reading about the need to bring youth into the motorcycle market and a couple of beers I am left wondering: Is BMW missing the boat by not bringing the F650GS to the US market?


Stuff: Everything in place and a place for everything (including stuff)


dPS.com
Introduction metering modes


motorcyclenews.com
Play MCN Fantasy Road Racing free online



M.R. Traveler


Places 2 Ride Blog


www.biker-events.com
Finding the Good Time on 2 Wheels


Horizonsunlimited.com ÔÇô Newsletter

2008 International Rally
Gillette, Wyoming, July 17-20 2008


Mining The Website


A message from home, the Home Page that is.

NEW FEATURE: Picture This!
As inspired by the Forum, each month we'll provide a topic for photo contributions. Members are invited to submit one photo that best depicts the topic. Photos will be judged by MOA staff. Those selected will be featured in the BMW Owners News. Each photo must include a 50 word (or less) description, your name, member number, city, state. Topic: Where I keep my Owners News. Send your photo to picturethis@bmwmoa.org. The winners will appear in the APRIL issue of the BMW Owners News.


BMW MOA 2008 Election Information


Threads worth following:


I am a big fan of the potential for long form posts on the forum. Canadian Odyssey ÔÇô James Bay Road is a great example of this. If you havenÔÇÖt checked it out yet I am not certain your really a Morning Reader.


Photo Assignment:
Here is a link to the PHOTO ASSIGNMENT INDEX, with links to the various excellent Photo Assignment threads

Latest project: ÔÇ£Old CroÔÇØ the R-evolution

Diary of a Barn Queen

Dakar 2008


Blogs:


2strokebuzz

A Blog by Mike Odom

American Junky

Biker Chickz Blog

Bikes in the Fast Lane

BluepoofBikers Motorcycle Adventures

Canyonchasers News

Church of the Choppers

CruisinÔÇÖ Down Under

Dazz

Desert of the Real Economic Analysis

GSXR.es - Spanish

Helmet Hair

Invictamoto: On the Road Again

Knucklebuster

KÔÇÖtelontour of the World

lÔÇÖlnsetto Scoppiettante Spanish

LuckyÔÇÖs Hideaway

Moto Adrenaline

Northwest Harley Blog

RedlegÔÇÖs Rides

Return of the Caf?® Racers

Rippin-Kitten

SheRidesABeemer

The Great Motorcycle Pizza Tour

The New Caf?® (Racer) Society

Underblog Rides Again

Vespa Gang

WorldRider: Journey of Adventure & Discovery


TodayÔÇÖsRoadFood.com


abcloco.g.com
Stout & Cheddar Soup


Woot

Todays Woot
The Blog

Packer News: Packers.com, jsonline.com - Packers Plus Online


Humor

Over Heard in New York | Voice of the City
Sluggy Freelance
The Onion
xkcd


Bike Candy:

From: Bonnevillevintagegp.com ÔÇô Sidcar Raodracing


THE END

 

[SNOONE]

Every time I see Mothership News in the daily reads I'm expecting you to announce the upcoming Led Zeppelin tour for late this summer coming to a town near you. The name of their new release is Mothership!

 

[testinglogin]

I just don't see them getting rid of the "Big GS" any time soon. Isn't it their best seller? On top of that, look at things like "Long Way Round" and "Long Way Down". Sure, they could switch to 800's (if they manage to remove some of their luggage), but the 1200 is pretty well known.

I'm all for it, IF they replace it with an Airhead boxer; 800-1000cc.

They tried to kill the boxer before... it didn't go over well...

 

[PAULBACH]

Whenever something seems mysterious just follow the money. Remember that from All the President's Men?

Of course if (Bayerische Motoren Werke) wants to sell a lot of the F800s then ...

they will have to sell F800s which doesn't seem to be in the "werks" this year even if people are standing in line with cash in hand.

Go figure and Follow the Money.

 

[kreinke]

Whenever something seems mysterious just follow the money. Remember that from All the President's Men?

Of course if (Bayerische Motoren Werke) wants to sell a lot of the F800s then ...

they will have to sell F800s which doesn't seem to be in the "werks" this year even if people are standing in line with cash in hand.

Go figure and Follow the Money.

So what your saying is if they kill of the big GS they're forcing people to buy the F800. The law of supply and demand will allow BMW to charge a higher price because demand will be greater....thus they'll make more money off it even with a weak dollar.

 

[mika]

BMW and the rumor may be following the EU and Brussels continuing tightening of environmental regs for bikes. FI and cats became the norm out of the last iteration. The next brings a stiffer real world test for compliance rather than a dyno test. Boxers are dirty engines.

The rumor mill has wondered how long any manufacturer ÔÇô car or bike ÔÇô will be able to push the technology to make them comply. With BMW Motorrads two largest markets being European and their emerging markets following the EU for regulatory leads it is the regs rather than money that give the rumor legs. IMHO

 

[testinglogin]

BMW and the rumor may be following the EU and Brussels continuing tightening of environmental regs for bikes. FI and cats became the norm out of the last iteration. The next brings a stiffer real world test for compliance rather than a dyno test. Boxers are dirty engines.

The rumor mill has wondered how long any manufacturer ÔÇô car or bike ÔÇô will be able to push the technology to make them comply. With BMW Motorrads two largest markets being European and their emerging markets following the EU for regulatory leads it is the regs rather than money that give the rumor legs. IMHO

Rumors of environmental regs killing off the boxer have been around for a long, long time. I'll believe it once it happens. One thing I'd like to see; I hear people say the boxer is "dirty". Is there any test data to show this? For California testing, is there a lower standard for boxers over say.. a K bike, or just another bike from another manufacturer?

They can only push the regulations so far before everything would have to be electric or another alternative fuel. Anyhow, look how much use the boxer gets as a police bike all over the world. Plus, how much would sales decrease if the boxer ceased to be? Look at the backlash last time. That would lead to job losses in Germany; is the government going to allow that to happen, or will they be as protectionist as the US tends to be?

 

[mika]

Can not lay my hands on the articles I have read on this, but yes there is something basically dirtier about the boxer as an engine design. Have to get organized one of these days.

I find it difficult to imagine a BMW lineup without a boxer and shaft drive models. But the regulators in Brussels have not been returning my calls lately. I found the article interesting because it feeds into my belief that on the motorcycle level we are living out a modern motorcycle version of the muscle cars of the 60s and t0s.

 

[testinglogin]

They could always do what Subaru is doing and convert the boxer to diesel.

Lots of articles out there about their change. Sadly, nothing specific about emissions from a gas model; and there isn't anything specifically saying the switch to diesel is due to emissions issues with the gas boxer. I'll have to do more research.