Morning Reads: 16 March 2007

[mika]

TodayÔÇÖs Birthdays / Calendar

St. PatrickÔÇÖs Day ÔÇô Wikipedia

St. Patrick
Catholic Encyclopedia
Wikipedia

Gunniess Net Resources

Bushmills.com

JamesonWiskey.com

News:

Motorcycle Bloggers International Reads Choice Awards. BMW knocked down three Gold Awards.

Is the new Norton Commando project alive or dead? caferacersreturn.blogspot.com

Infineon Raceway is hosting Two-Wheel Thunder motonewsblog.com

Buell is going off-road. dealernews.com

gizmag.com ÔÇô MotoGP 800cc Round 1 ÔÇô Ducati draws first blood.

webBikeWorld.com looks at Puma Ducati Sneakers. I know pumas sneak but can a Ducati?

It was done in a cage but the idea is still interesting. Via Gadling.com ÔÇô Visit 50 States on a WeekÔÇÖs Vacation

Chicag suntimes.com ChicagoÔÇÖs motorcycle parking plan.

Twistingasphalt.com reviews the Black Widow Motorcycle Ramp. Have pickup?...will haul!

Auto Union D-Type failed to sell at auction. This means if we all pool our lottery winnings we still have a shot at it. CNN.com

DPS.com ÔÇô Depth of Field Video Tutorial

Proficient Motorcycling Clinics with riding skills columnist and author David Hough
Sat, March 17 @ 10am & 2pm ÔÇô Battelle Auditorium, Richland WA
FREE ADMISSION!

Woot

Todays Woot

The Blog

Over Heard in New York | Voice of the City

BMW MOA Chartered Club:

club:
BMW North Carolina Tarheel Travelers, #57

founded:
6/1/1975

contact:
Steve Brunner (president@tarheelbmw.org)
4816 Bluetick Road
Raleigh, NC 27616 US
www.tarheelbmw.org

meetings:
3rd Sunday each month, location varies

events:
Bike Week Coffee stop 1st weekend of Bike Week, I95S rest area in Fayetteville, NC Mile marker 49

Halloween Campout, Pine Lake Campground, Wagram, NC last Weekend in Oct




Gem??tlichkeit is the warm, comfortable feeling
one receives from pleasant surroundings and atmosphere.
I think you will find that when you come here.

Mt. Horeb

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


Travel Information ÔÇô Driving Conditions and other related information sites.

Bike Candy:

 

[mika]

Page 2

All things BMW

Motorcycledaily.com ÔÇô German patents for new BMW off road 450?

World of BMW news

See the bigger picture with BMW Motorrad

BMW Group Press Club:

Tracking the news from BMW at their English language sites and Germany

PressClub Australia

BMW MOTORRAD: CONSISTENTLY SUCCESSFUL

Profit up 10 percent.
- Production and sales top 100,000 units, almost double 1996 figures.
- Two million BMW motorcycles milestone reached.
- Two BMW motorcycles win prestigious design awards.

Everything is looking up at BMW Motorrad, especially the numbers.

BMW MotorradÔÇÖs sales, production, turnover and operating profits achieved new records in the business year 2006, figures released by the company today show.

The pre-tax operating profits increased by 10 per cent to 66 million euros (previous year 60 million euros) and turnover climbed by 3.4 per cent to 1,265 million euros (previous year 1,223).

Product and sales increased impressively ÔÇô an outstanding feat in view of the currency-related position of Japanese competitors and the slow German market.

For the first time in the companyÔÇÖs history, more than 100,000 motorcycles were produced at the Berlin plant ÔÇô 101,352 units to be precise. In addition, 2,407 units were produced in cooperation with Aprilia (Piaggio S.p.A.). At the Berlin plant alone, six new model launches were successfully handled in 2006.

In sales too, a historical record was achieved. Exactly 100,064 BMW motorcycles were supplied by dealers to customers worldwide. Compared to the previous year, (97,474 units) this meant a sales increase of 2.7 per cent, underscoring the success of the current product offensive. These sales figures appear even more impressive in the context of the last few years ÔÇô starting from a figure of 50,465 units in 1996, sales of BMW motorcycles have virtually doubled within the last ten years. In Australia 1,610 BMW Motorrad machines were sold in 2006.

Another historic figure was achieved for company statistics during the last business year: the total number of BMW motorcycles built since 1923 passed the two-million mark in 2006; with exactly 2,061,977 BMW motorcycles built in this time.

Experts estimate that more than 70 per cent of motorcycles built since 1945 are still functional and owned by customers ÔÇô an impressive confirmation that BMW Motorrad builds motorcycles which consistently sustain demand.

The new models presented at INTERMOT 2006 have already made their mark. The new G 650 single-cylinder series is built by BMW in cooperation with the Italian manufacturer Aprilia ÔÇô an important role model for the strengthening of the motorcycle industry in Europe as a whole.

While the four-cylinder BMW K 1200 R Sport has already met with a positive response internationally, the market launch of the highly exclusive HP2 Megamoto in May is anticipated with great excitement. The Megamoto will come to Australia mid-year but there are no plans for the R 1200 R Sport.

In addition to the US market, it is the markets in Western Europe which have the largest share in the impressive sales figures. In Germany, 23,617 units were supplied, making BMW the market leader in its home country. The second strongest market was Italy (13,651 units), while Spain ranked third with 10,002 units ÔÇô here sales have doubled in just two years.

Since 2004, BMW Motorrad has introduced 17 new models and undertaken a complete revision of its model range over the two-year period. In just a single decade, BMW Motorrad has become the biggest and most important European manufacturer of large-volume motorcycles.

Meanwhile the BMW K 1200 GT and F 800 S have just received a prestigious thumbs up in the influential 2007 ÔÇ£Industrie Forum Design iF Product Design AwardsÔÇØ.

An international panel of judges selected the two Motorrad products introduced in 2006 as the most outstanding examples this year of attractive and successful product design worldwide.

In all, the Awards considered presentations from no less than 2,293 products from 35 countries.

The iF Label is renowned and acknowledged the world over as a symbol of comprehensive, up-to-date product quality in design. Presented once a year, this special Award gives leading designers, manufacturers and brands the unique opportunity to successfully face global, inter-disciplinary and therefore highly challenging competition.

In recent years the BMW Group has won a large number of prizes and awards. Numerous vehicles as well as accessories and lifestyle products marketed by BMW Group brands already wear the iF Label.

The criteria applied by the jury in presenting the award include the degree of innovation of a new product, its functionality, the visualisation of its purpose, safety, as well as the environmental compatibility of a new product.


PressClub Mexico

Translation by Dictionary.com / Translator.
Speed and dynamism are the seal of new 650 BMW G Xchallenge

Speed and dynamism are the seal of new 650 moto BMW G Xchallenge.
BMW Motorrad Mexico presents/displays new moto with the smallest piston displacement of the range of models BMW: enduro G 650 Xchallenge.
The clients of novel enduro G 650 Xchallenge will be surprised with the extraordinary all-terrain qualities, by their authentic design and its dynamism, even for the experienced motorcyclists more.

In BMW G 650 Xchallenge their qualities jump at sight. All-terrain purist is one moto, with damping of long routes that does not weigh a single gram of more. The design is determined by the proportions that dictate to the motos type enduro: the superior line is relatively flat and high from the front part to the rear, allowing obtaining a position adapted for the intention of moto. Also the robust pieces of the fairing of elastic and resistant synthetic material to the breakage (mainly of polypropylene) were conceived for the duro use off-road.

The intelligent use of light materials and the high degree of integration of the components present/display a sport and attractive design what results in a very low weight in this category of motos that can vary between the 156 kilograms (weight in route order according to norm DIN, with the full deposit in a 90%). The empty weight varies between 144 kilograms.

The single cylinder motor of 39 kW (53CV) to 7.000 returns and with 60 pair of 5.250 Nm to r.p.m. allows raising quickly of revolutions with one more a more dynamic answer. In addition, they have been managed to improve the virtues of the motor in which one talk about reliability, smoothness of operation, economy and respect by the medio.ambiente.

The propellant of four valves excites by its more dynamic delivery of the power, that is explained by a lighter crank and other modifications in diverse details. Some of the components of high quality that distinguish to the part cycle and the chassis of the 650 G Xchallenge, are the tubular steel chassis with lateral fused aluminum pieces, the structure of the back part of screwed aluminum and the tilted one of fused light metal.

The covering of the front wheel is immediately underneath, with which the wheel has sufficient comfort to roll by difficult lands. The asymmetric light with reflector of sectioned surfaces is covered by a fairing. The off-center navigation lights has the typical design BMW, that also shows through the white color Dawn of moto, with blue seat.

The Xchallenge counts on a sophisticated system of pneumatic damping, front rim of 21 (with tires of series of 90/90-21) and behind a rim of 18 inches (with tires of series of 140/80-18) of fine radios, being possible to mount pneumatic special for the conduction off-road. It behind has a disc of 300 millimeters of diameter with clamp of two pistons in the front wheel and of 240 millimeters, which is translated in a system of brakes that has been conceived to support considerable efforts. Although it can be equipped optionally with a slight system ABS and compact of two circuits, it is possible to stand out that this equipment is unique in this segment of the market. For the motorcyclists who mainly please of a sport conduction type of land or in circuits off-road, the ABS does not mean limitation some, because the system can become disconnected at any moment.

The enthusiastic conductors of the motos enduro can regulate the compression and the extension of the front suspension, based on their own weight and its personal preferences. The regulation mechanisms have marks that allow a balanced regulation. In order to optimize the weight, the hollow bushings of the wheels have 20 millimeters, which also contributes to the diminution of the weight in the later axis.

The back suspension also can be regulated, but of a completely different way. Like in BMW HP2 Enduro, the G 650 Xchallenge takes to pneumatic suspension BMW Motorrad Airdamping System, that works solely with compressed air. Its operation is identical to the system used in the HP2 Enduro, although he is lighter, considering than moto weight less.

With this launching BMW Motorrad it had special well-taken care of in the details, which is distinguished in the additional components of high quality as they are: the handles of brake and change made in forged aluminum making them specially resistant. For the visualization of the controls of moto, a puristic instrument panel was designed, that informs on the speed, the hour and the kilometrage, also when pressing a button can be activated two partial speedometers, in addition, the instruments show the tension of the battery.

The later optical group has lights LED of modern technology. The luminous diodes react more quickly, last greater, their luminosity is superior and, in addition, they consume less current. The intermittent ones take of white series covered with dispersion. The system of power supply and the wiring are of conventional type, in agreement with the usual thing in this segment. The battery is easily in accessible place, underneath the fairing of the side derecho.

The special accessories for BMW G 650 Xchallenge are:

ÔÇó Kit of reduction of power to 25 kW (34 PS) for later assembly (anticipated from 2007)
ÔÇó Protective of lights for all-terrain use ÔÇó aluminum Covering for the later deposit of liquid of freno.
ÔÇó aluminum Covering for pi????n.
ÔÇó Protective of aluminum for cadena.
ÔÇó Protective of aluminum for bastidor.
ÔÇó Protective wadding for manillar.
ÔÇó Protective of hands in the fists of manillar.
ÔÇó Kit of protectors of hands (of greater tama??o).
ÔÇó Kit of protectors of minor hands (tama??o).
ÔÇó Kit of spoilers for the protectors of hands (grandes).
ÔÇó small protective Barra for motor.
ÔÇó Cubrec?írter of material sint?®tico
ÔÇó lower Saddle
ÔÇó Trunks posterior.ÔÇó Stock market posterior.
ÔÇó 12 Enchufe of voltios.
ÔÇó Quiet sport of titanium, accredited for matriculaci??n.
ÔÇó Protective Exhaust manifold of titanio.
ÔÇó of escape of synthetic material reinforced with fiber of carbono.
ÔÇó Kit of herramientas.
ÔÇó Element of subjection for navegador.

G 650 Xchallenge can be equipped with kit optional for companion, that includes handles and forged stirrups of high quality.

"new BMW G 650 Xchallenge represents the front door to the world of motos BMW, and are specially attractive for young motorcyclists of age or of heart", it on the matter commented Alexander Echeagaray, Manager of BMW Motorrad Mexico. "From the beginning of the season of spring this new model in all distributors BMW Motorrad of the country will be able to be acquired." it emphasized.

Rolls-Royse Motor Car PressClub

ROLLS-ROYCE BUILDS 3,000TH PHANTOM
9 March 2007, Goodwood

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has produced the 3,000th Phantom since the launch of the company in January 2003. It was commissioned by a UK customer through Rolls-Royce Motor Cars of London and has been delivered today.

The carÔÇÖs new owner collected the Diamond Black Phantom from the showroom in Berkeley Square. Mrs Tchenguiz-Imerman, a London based socialite, said that she was delighted with her new car as she accepted the keys from Rolls-Royce Chairman and Chief Executive, Ian Robertson.

Mr Robertson said, ÔÇ£Our home market has always been very special to us. It remains one of the most important for the company and our London dealer in particular has been consistently ranked as one of the top three in the world since we launched the Phantom in 2003. It is fitting that they have sold such a significant car.ÔÇØ

He continued, ÔÇ£An advantage of operating in the rarefied atmosphere of the super luxury segment means that I regularly meet our customers. It has been a pleasure to hand over this car today to someone who is so enthusiastic about the Phantom.ÔÇØ

The order for the 3,000th Phantom built at Goodwood was placed with Stephen Foulds, the Sales Manager for the Rolls-Royce Berkeley Square dealership. To date, Stephen has sold more than 130 Phantoms, making him the most successful Rolls-Royce salesman in the world. He puts his success down to an exceptional product and an excellent location. However, a passion for and deep knowledge of the brand play a significant part in StephenÔÇÖs achievement.

Mrs Tchenguiz-ImermanÔÇÖs Phantom features Black Ash veneer with silver inlay, black leather trim with contrasting stitching and two 12-inch DVD screens in the rear. A discreet plaque in the glovebox acknowledges the carÔÇÖs special status.

Phantom
?ú219,975
US$333,350
328,000 Euros
Launched Jan 03

Phantom Extended Wheelbase
?ú260,500
US$395,000
385,500 Euros
Launched Mar 05

Phantom Drophead Coup?®
?ú260,000
US$407,000
370,000 Euros
Launched Jan 07

Prices are based on standard models excluding optional extras. All prices are net of local taxes and delivery charges

THE END

 

[PAULBACH]

From the Morning Reads

For a mere $333,000

Mrs Tchenguiz-Imerman’s Phantom features Black Ash veneer with silver inlay, black leather trim with contrasting stitching and two 12-inch DVD screens in the rear. A discreet plaque in the glovebox acknowledges the car’s special status.

Two Screens? Wouldn't that foul up the surround sound?

 

[BRADFORDBENN]

Nope each person gets their own image and the brain can process it, really I know.

It is the fishnets that has me confused!