mika
Still Wondering
dealernews.com: HusqvarnaÔÇÖs new Italian HQ on schedule
superbike.co.uk: BMW HP2 Sport test ride and review
Motorcycle-USA.com takes some first rides on ÔÇô
2009 BMW K1300GT
Releated piece moto22.com: Husqvarna moves to a new factory
sportrider.com: 2009 Ducati Street fighter -
motorcyclenews.com: MCM /News UK ran a ride review in their week magazine and has a batch of pictures to ogle.
1st5ive.ccom: Riders who switch motorcycles are more likely to crash
The following is an opinion piece from the Motorcycle Industry Council
: The Power of Three Letter Words
[url=http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2009/03/republican-pedantry-thwarts-le.html]hellforleathermagazine.com: Republican pedantry costs motorcycle industry $1 billion
A bit of DIY that may spark some ideas for you
cyrilhuzeblog.com: Gas Tank ÔÇô Do it yourself with a little help from Paughco
thebeachcruiser.com: Fight over motorcycle track is really about class warfare
dealernews.com: Yamaha cuts workforce [U.S.]
gizmag.com: Honda Titan MIX ÔÇô the worlds first flex fuel motorcycle
Related piece: Honda.com: March 11, 2009 ÔÇ£Honda begins sales of flex fuel motorcycle CG150 TITAN MIX in Brazil
Unrelated but cool Honda based piece: thekneeslider.com: Honda XR600 9 cylinder radial engine update
helmethairblog.com: Apartments built for motorcycle owners
thebikergene.com: Ripper rad crash captured on film @ Deals Gap
thekneeslider.com: Monocoque motorcycle chassis possibilities
nextautos.com: Fish DesignÔÇÖs hybrid motorcycle concept
Catching up on the propaganda at the BMW-web.tv channel
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BMW SELECTED AS A MULTIPLE 2009 BRAND IMAGE AWARD WINNER
03/13/2009
BMW Receives "Coolest Brand," "Best Performance Brand," and "Best Exterior Design Brand" Awards from Kelley Blue Book
Woodcliff Lake, NJ - March 13, 2009... BMW is the only manufacturer to receive three awards in the 2009 round of Kelley Blue Book's annual Brand Image Awards, scoring for "Coolest Brand," "Best Performance Brand," and "Best Exterior Design Brand - Luxury."
"We are delighted to accept these awards from Kelley Blue Book on behalf of BMW," stated Jim O'Donnell, Chief Executive Officer for BMW of North America, LLC. "BMW is a brand full of youthful energy, driving excitement and fresh ideas and these awards perfectly reflect the commitment to sustaining those virtues in every corner of the BMW organization."
In their remarks, editors from Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com stated the following about the BMW brand:
Coolest Brand
"What's cool to the kids is often irrelevant to their elders. And what's cool to those elders is usually treated as toxic by the kids. Not BMW, though. [They are] as cool and desirable to not-yet-licensed tweens as they are to young-at-heart retirees."
Best Performance Brand
"Fill in the blanks: The Ultimate _______ _______. A key reason that BMW's long-running tagline is so recognizable and effective is that its cars consistently deliver on the promise. From the company's high-performance M vehicles to its three-row [X5], every single vehicle wearing a BMW badge is among the quickest, most agile vehicles in its category."
Best Exterior Design Brand - Luxury
"Describing BMW's exterior styling as polarizing is like describing the early 2009 economy as difficult. But as great designs will do, the so-called 'flame surfacing' found across the lineup continues to gain more and more acceptance and admiration (and win more awards). Parking next to a BMW, fans of the brand's styling will contend, is a sure way to make most any competitor look boring."
The 2009 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards are based on consumer perception data collected from Kelley Blue Book Market Research's Brand Watch study, which surveys more than 12,000 shoppers annually on Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. For more information, visit www.kbb.com/2009brandimageawards.
BMW hydrogen engine reaches top level efficiency
03/12/2009
Munich. The BMW Group Forschung und Technik, in cooperation with researchers in Graz and Vienna, Austria, in the "H2BVplus" project has succeeded in developing a monovalent hydrogen engine with diesel-typical geometry and progressive H2 high-pressure direct injection technology, achieving efficiencies on par with those of the best turbodiesel engines with a maximum of up to 42 percent. Partners in this project, which is sponsored by Austria's Federal Ministry for Transportation, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT), are the Institute for Internal Combustion Engines and Thermodynamics at Graz University of Technology, HyCentA Research GmbH in Graz, as well as HOERBIGER ValveTec GmbH in Vienna.
"In light of the limited availability of fossil fuels and the rising environmental impact from harmful emissions, we are convinced that the H2 combustion engine will assume an important position in the product portfolio of future alternative drive concepts. It will crucially contribute to safeguarding our individual mobility at the high level the customer expects," said Professor Dr. Raymond Freymann, Managing Director of BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH.
The newly developed combustion system combines the strengths of spark-ignition and diesel concepts, while utilizing the favorable combustion properties of hydrogen, and thereby achieves efficiency values that easily bear comparison with even those of state-of-the-art turbodiesel engines. In the process, the engineers based their work on the joint EU "HylCE" project, during which maximum specific powers of up to 100 kilowatt per liter displacement were demonstrated for a spark-ignition hydrogen combustion process.
Engineers from the BMW Group Forschung und Technik developed a new cylinder head for hydrogen operation based on a production diesel engine. The combustion chamber of the engine was configured jointly by BMW and the Graz University of Technology using numerical flow simulation. HOERBIGER ValveTec GmbH designed high-pressure injectors for direct injection of hydrogen into the combustion chamber with pressures of up to 300 bar. These injectors were tested and calibrated at the Hydrogen Center Austria, which also provided the hydrogen infrastructure. Extensive test runs on the test benches of the Institute for Internal Combustion Engines and Thermodynamics of the Graz University of Technology have shown that a combination of spark-ignition and diesel combustion systems using surface ignition subsequently followed by a diffusion type of combustion is the ideal solution with respect to engine efficiency. As a result, the entire characteristic engine map range of a typical passenger car engine can be covered and top level efficiency values are achieved. Attendant benefits are the increase in specific power and reduction of fuel consumption. Thus, even in an early concept phase this combustion system matches the efficiency values of the currently best turbodiesel engines at a maximum of 42 percent. As the exhaust gas heat of internal combustion engines can be used well due to the high temperature levels, further increases in overall efficiency will be possible in the future as a result of waste heat utilization.
BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH is a 100% subsidiary of BMW AG and has been responsible for research within the BMW Group since 2003. Its subject areas cover Vehicle Technology, CleanEnergy (hydrogen technology), EfficientDynamics (intelligent energy management/alternative drive systems), ConnectedDrive (driver assistance/active safety) and ITDrive (IT and communications technology). Its legal independence as a limited company guarantees creative freedom and maximum flexibility. Global access to new trends and technologies is ensured by an internationally established network with branches in the USA (Palo Alto, CA and Clemson, SC), Japan (Tokyo) as well as liaison offices in France with Eur?®com (Sophia Antipolis) and in Germany (Saarbr??cken) with the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI GmbH).
HOERBIGER ValveTec GmbH is a company of the HOERBIGER Group. HOERBIGER is active throughout the world as a leading player in the fields of compression technology, automation technology and drive technology. The focal points of its business activities include key components and services for compressors, gas-powered engines, and turbomachinery, hydraulic systems and piezo technology for vehicles and machine tools, as well as components and systems for shift and clutch operations in vehicle drive trains of all kinds.
The core objective of the Institute for Internal Combustion Engines and Thermodynamics at the Graz University of Technology is to carry out innovative and internationally recognized teaching and research within the interrelated fields of energy, engine, transport and environment, and in particular to contribute to solving environmental problems. Within the section "Innovative Combustion Systems" new combustion processes are developed not only for conventional fuels, but also for alternative fuels (e.g. natural gas) and energy carriers (e.g. hydrogen), which are becoming more and more important. In general, these research activities focus on all relevant targets such as maximum efficiency and power density as well as minimum emissions.
The HyCentA (Hydrogen Center Austria) promotes the use of hydrogen as a regenerative energy carrier. With its hydrogen test center and the first hydrogen delivery station in Austria, the HyCentA acts as a focal point and information platform for hydrogen-oriented research and development activities.
sportrider.com: Consistency is key in motorcycle riding
electraglideinblue: Which leather is best for motorcycle leathers?
motorcyclistonline.com: Hearing protection ÔÇô Listen Up!
Economy got you down Bunky? Need a new job? Feeling entrepreneurial?
How about a mobile sausage unit? from MoppedBlog!
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Knjmoto.com:
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xkcd.com:
Bike Candy
From bottpower.com follow link to article
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