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Morning Reads: Tuesday, 6 May 2008

mika

Still Wondering
TodayÔÇÖs Birthdays / Calendar


baked%20white%20chocolate%20cheese%20cake.jpg


237639668_YKXLs-XL.jpg



<embed id="VideoPlayback" style="width:400px;height:326px" flashvars="" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=2411183515421477915&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> </embed>


aprilia.com
Aprilia Dorsoduro 750: Play hard


Bimoto:
6th Apr 2008
1 Motorbike BIMOTA FORUM ITALY

They exploited the bridge of 25 April more than forty Bimotisti who took part in the 1st meeting of Bimota Forum Italy, community born from the passion of concesisonario Bimota GMOs Racing of Cassano Magnago (Varese).

26 Meet Saturday morning directly at the headquarters of Via Bimota Giaccaglia, where a small group of employees of the house Romagnola has opened the doors of the factory for a convivial lunch and a visit to all departments.

After having seen and lived the reality that distinguishes the craft Bimota from all the other houses motorcycle manufacturers in the world, all in motion! In the streets of Rimini hills, passing near the Adriatic Misano circuit, another beautiful scenic route along the road of Gabicce, then come back again on the hills where the central square of the village of Montescudo, has agreed motorcycles and motorcyclists for lunch.

The Bimota thanked all participants, that with positive support and enthusiasm and appreciate the motion craft built with care and passion at the seat now you note.

The appointment is for next year, increasing numbers and with the same enthusiasm!


benelli.com
Benelli Victory


Ducati Motor Holding Press Release
ducati.com
Ordinary shareholders meeting


KTM Investor Realtions
KTM to adjust result expectations fro current business year due to US-dollar
Ad-hoc relase Result 1st HJ 2007/2008


mvagusta.com
MV Agusta E-shop


AMA News:
May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month
Reed wins Monster Energy Supercross Championship


bbc.co.uk
Rider is killed in motorbike race


bikernewsonline.com
Jay Leno 9-11 Memorial Bike to be sold

bikervood.com
Tata rumored to be in talks for stake in MV Agusta


blg.evfr.net
Rear wheel moves


moto22.com
Helmet with Airbag


motoronline.com
BMW Motorrad: Sales fall, not optimism


thebikergene.com
GSXR-engined Stealth Tryke takes aim at T-REX


thekneeslider.com
Hercules W2000 Rotary Engine motorcycle


womenridersnow.com
Night Riding


fasterandfast.net
MV Agusta: Special plans for Legend of the Motorcycle Concours DÔÇÖElegance


thenewcaferacersociety.blogspot.com
Zen Moment


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<embed src="http://bikerpunks.com/mediaplayer.swf" width="500" height="375" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="&file=http://bikerpunks.com/m_videos/EeefV62627b7510.flv&height=375&width=500&frontcolor=0xFFFFFF&backcolor=0x000000&lightcolor=0x333333&link=http://bikerpunks.com/&image=http://bikerpunks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/bpmovie.jpg&autostart=false" /><br /><font size=3><a href="/videos/police-officer-uses-his-vehicle-to-take-out-a-runner.html">Police officer uses his vehicle to take out a runner</a> - Watch more <a href="http://www.bikerpunks.com/">Motorcycle Videos</a></font>


[img[http://bp0.blogger.com/_qpWtg6IvDLk/SBs0AYPCsSI/AAAAAAAADgE/7uMKwWdX4ao/s1600/BWMRaceLight.jpg[/img]



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Sorry I found most of the motorcycle motorsport news dull so I am not posting any of it.



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BMW Sauber F1


BMW Motorsport


Ah the F1 silly season is beginning and BMW is a part of it, but in a different role. When Kubica tried to blow himself apart in his Canadian accident last year and came back in short order and with style I began to wonder when people would start to go after him. This seasonÔÇÖs efforts have put him in the spotlight as the coveted driver de jure.

planet-f1.com
ÔÇÿFerrari and Renault chasing KubicaÔÇÖ

I sincerely hope Kubica will stay with BMW.

The potential for friction in the team in the coming months in the season is how Heidfeld handles himself. He has been seen as the number one driver in this BMW duo. He is senior in time with the team and in years. If you notice he is always the focus of the race weekends pictures until the post race shots come out. Yet on the track this year it has been parity at best for the German.

The silly season has chosen to focus on Alonso and now Kubica. For BMW fans, I believe the story to speculate about and follow is Heidfeld.


formula12.com
Away from the groove ÔÇô Bridgestone of the return of slicks


formula1.com
BMW SauberÔÇÖs Pit Lane Park season to start in Istanbul


formula1.com
A race weekend with Robert Kubica


f1complete.com
First win at Hungary or Monaco for BMWÔÇÖs Kubica?


wheels24.com
BMW to copy Ferrari ÔÇÿnose holeÔÇÖ


BMW Sauber F1 Team - Turkish GP - Preview
05-02-2008 Press Release
9th ÔÇô 11th May 2008
5th of 18 World Championship races

Munich/Hinwil, 2nd May 2008. The next stop on the world tour will see the Formula One entourage doing a daily commute between two continents: from the hotels and events on the European side of the sprawling city of Istanbul to the race track on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. At the challenging Istanbul Park circuit, which opened in 2005, the aim will be to come off as well as possible in the three-way contest between the top teams. Ferrari had a clear edge in Barcelona, while the BMW Sauber F1 Team and McLaren Mercedes were more or less level-pegging. There are no tests between the race in Barcelona and the Turkish Grand Prix on 11th May, but all the teams will be lining up with detail improvements again.


Nick Heidfeld:
ÔÇ£IÔÇÖm looking forward to the race in Istanbul, particularly to turn 8, the main feature of the track. It earned its fame in the very first grand prix because it is so tricky and causes plenty of spins and action. ItÔÇÖs a very long, very fast corner with several apexes. Then you need a good top speed for the long back straight with its right-hand kink. But apart from the race track, IÔÇÖm looking forward to Istanbul itself. This city is one huge international metropolis in a totally unique location. ThereÔÇÖs a lot more to discover there than our schedule ever allows.ÔÇØ


Robert Kubica:
ÔÇ£I donÔÇÖt have the best memories of the races in Istanbul Park, as last year and in 2006 they really didnÔÇÖt go at all well. Of course this time I hope my luck will change and I shall have a strong race. The race track itself is pretty interesting, and in turn 8 especially we face a lot of g-forces. Istanbul Park is one of the tracks where you have to find the right balance between high- and low-speed corners.ÔÇØ


Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
ÔÇ£Our targets for the Turkish Grand Prix are clear: we want to consolidate our position among the leaders, where Ferrari is currently the yardstick. For the fifth race of the season we will be making detail improvements to the F1.08 again. The layout of this ultra-modern circuit on the Asian side of Istanbul is a real achievement and presents a true challenge. The race has been moved from the height of summer to this earlier date, which should make quite a difference to the demands on the teams and their material. Last year we had to contend with air temperatures of 36 degrees on race day.

ÔÇ£For the Formula One teams and their partners, an international metropolis like Istanbul is an excellent platform. For the first time in the 2008 season we have the BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park in tow. It gives fans a chance to grasp ÔÇô in the truest sense of the word ÔÇô what they can normally only see from a distance. We have significantly extended the Park again, which now has space to accommodate even more visitors. Plus it now features new high-tech exhibits with which visitors are invited to experiment.ÔÇØ


Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
ÔÇ£The race in Barcelona showed the order at the top has not changed. Ferrari still has the advantage, while McLaren Mercedes and the BMW Sauber F1 Team are practically on a par. ItÔÇÖs so close that the slightest modification could swing the pendulum either way. ThatÔÇÖs why we are pushing our development forward at full speed.

ÔÇ£Drivers race in an anti-clockwise direction at the Istanbul Park, which apart from that also provides plenty of variety. It has slow sections where good traction is called for, but then thereÔÇÖs also the spectacular turn 8, which comprises four sections that are taken in one go at around 250 km/h. Because of the long, often uphill straights, the carÔÇÖs aerodynamic drag must be kept within limits. ThatÔÇÖs why for Istanbul we select a downforce setting a notch lower than in Barcelona.ÔÇØ


Facts and figures:

Circuit/Date: Istanbul Park/11th May 2008
Start time (local/UTC): 15.00 hrs/12.00 hrs (14.00 CEST)
Lap/Race distance: 5.338 km/309.396 km (58 laps)
Corners: 6 right-hand and 8 left-hand corners
Winner 2007: Felipe Massa, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, 1 hr 26:42.161 min
Pole position 2007: Felipe Massa, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, 1:27.329 min
Fastest lap 2007: Kimi R?ñikk?Ânen, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, 1:27.295 min

Data 2007 (race)
Full-throttle percentage: 63%
Top speed: 315 km/h
Longest stretch at full throttle: 16 sec / 1,200 m
Gear changes per lap: 42
Tyre wear: medium to low
Brake wear: medium
Downforce level: medium to high


Nick Heidfeld
Date of birth: 10.05.1977
Place of birth: M?Ânchengladbach/Germany
Nationality: German
Place of residence: St?ñfa, Switzerland
Marital status: Partner Patricia Papen, daughter Juni, son Joda
Height: 1.67 m
Weight: 61 kg
F1 debut: 2000, Melbourne
GP starts: 138
Pole positions: 1
Wins. -
Podium places: 8
Fastest laps: 1
Best placing: 5th (2007)
Total points: 156
Points 2008: 16 (5th place)


Robert Kubica
Date of birth: 07.12.1984
Place of birth: Krakow/Poland
Nationality: Polish
Place of residence: Monaco
Marital status: Single
Height: 1.84 m
Weight: 69 kg
F1 debut: 2006, Budapest
GP starts: 26
Pole positions: 1
Wins: -
Podium places: 3
Fastest laps: -
Best placing: 6th (2007)
Total points: 64
Points 2008: 19 (3rd place)


BMW Sauber F1 Team
Founded: 01.01.2006
Locations: Munich (DE) and Hinwil (CH)
F1 debut: 2006, Melbourne
GP starts: 39
Pole positions: 1
Wins: -
Podium places: 7 (4 x 3rd / 3 x 2nd)
Fastest laps: 1
World Championship placings:
5th (2006), 36 points
2nd (2007), 101 points
2nd (2008), 35 points after 4 GPs


History and background:
The rollercoaster circuit designed by Aachen-based architect Herman Tilke entered the Formula One calendar in 2005. Prior to that there had been no Turkish Grand Prix. Thanks to the successful design of the complex and the attractions of the city of Istanbul, this newcomer to the fold has enjoyed tremendous popularity from the outset.

Istanbul encompasses the southern end of the Bosphorus strait, which divides it into a European part in the west and an Asian part in the east. The Golden Horn is an inlet of the Bosphorus that runs westwards and divides the European part of the city into a southern peninsula flanked by the Sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn, where historic Istanbul is located, and the northern districts of the city bordering on historic Galata.

The centre of former Constantinople is dominated by imposing sacred architecture. The city limits encircle an area of 1,538.77 square kilometres, while the metropolitan region of Istanbul covers 5,220 square kilometres. The cityÔÇÖs population has passed the ten million mark.

The statistical mean top temperature in May is 21 degrees Celsius. In August, when the GP was previously held, it is around eight degrees higher than that. But in absolute terms the difference in highest temperatures is even greater: 34??C in May and 49??C in August.
 
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autoblog.com
Spied? BMW M1 Prototype caught undisguised (maybe)

bimmerfile.com
Yes, its a rendering


Is anyone aware of a study like this for BMW bikes?
blogs.automotive.com
Why that Mitsubishi Lancer costs more than the MINI Cooper


teslamotors.com
Tesla in Monaco


Will and how will BMW react?
iht.com
U.S. sales show shift to smaller cars


This AUTOCAR.co.uk claims to have the answer to my question above.
autocar.cu.uk
BMWÔÇÖs electric baby



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BMW Website Review:


BMW Yachtsport


BMW Golfsport


BMW Oracle Racing


BMW Sport website


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<object width="425" height="271"><param name="FlashVars" value="requestUrl=http://www.bmw-web.tv/en/stage/playerxml?items%5B0%5D=P8oB4vR"/><param name="movie" value="http://www.bmw-web.tv/en/player.swf?requestUrl=http://www.bmw-web.tv/en/stage/playerxml?items%5B0%5D=P8oB4vR" /><embed src="http://www.bmw-web.tv/en/player.swf?requestUrl=http://www.bmw-web.tv/en/stage/playerxml?items%5B0%5D=P8oB4vR" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="271" allowfullscreen="true" FlashVars="requestUrl=http://www.bmw-web.tv/en/stage/playerxml?items%5B0%5D=P8oB4vR"></embed></object>

I think I posted this, but I like the car so here it is again
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BMW-motorrad.co.sa: 2008 GS Challenge Dates


BMW PressClub


BMW Group wins prize for "The Best Factory 2008".
05/05/2008

Dingolfing/Munich. The Production of Chassis and Driveline Systems division at the BMW Group in Dingolfing wins the industrial competition for "The Best Factory / Industrial Excellence Award 2008". The BMW Group is the first automobile to receive the prestigious European award since 2002. The award acknowledges outstanding production management which gives companies a permanent competitive advantage.
The jury mainly justified the award by citing the clearly defined strategy which has achieved a very high level of penetration across all levels of the organisational unit. This is evident from the high level of independent improvement management carried out by the workforce. The other factor is the high level of efficiency confirmed by the outstanding performance of indicators for quality, time and costs.

Nikolaus Bauer, Director Chassis and Driveline Systems Production assesses the effect of gaining the award: "Our application for the Industrial Excellence Award has confirmed the route we have taken and sharpened our perspective on strategy and customer focus. This award also provides confirmation of our performance as an in-house manufacturer of components and all employees are entitled to regard this achievement with a sense of pride. We perceive this award as a motivation to meet the challenges of the future. I am particularly pleased to receive this award in the year 2008 - the centenary year of industrial production at the Dingolfing site. Living confirmation that age is no restriction for innovation!"
The Industrial Excellence Award competition looks at how management quality influences the excellence of a division. The jury looks at the operating unit itself and assesses all the processes along the entire production and logistics chain - from the supplier to the final customer. A key contribution is consistent tracking of all stakeholder interests - including customers and employees, as well as shareholders, business partners and other interest groups. The Industrial Excellence Award highlights strategic customer focus and a corporate culture directed towards sustainable, long-term development. The award is based on a comprehensive questionnaire developed by academics at INSEAD - one of the world's biggest and most prestigious business schools and the WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management.

In addition to winning the Bavarian Quality Prize in 2003, Chassis and Driveline Systems was also the first business in the automobile sector to gain Germany's most important award for corporate quality in November 2005 - the Ludwig-Erhard Prize 2005. In 2006, the division received the European Quality Award - the highest European award for universal corporate excellence.
Chassis and Driveline Systems is part of the worldwide production network of the BMW Group and has developed in Dingolfing as a centre of competence for chassis and axle drives. The vehicle modules produced here are supplied to all BMW plants in Germany and abroad.



As usual BMW NA does not report the sales of the familyÔÇÖs evil child that rides a motorrad. Perhaps that is the problem, BMW NA doesnÔÇÖt know that a motorrad is a motorcycle and they sell those things too.

BMW GROUP (USA) REPORTS APRIL SALES
05/01/2008

BMW Group (BMW and MINI combined) US sales up 9.6 percent in April. Year-to-date sales are down 4 percent.
Woodcliff Lake, NJ - May 1, 2008... The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) today reported April vehicle sales of 31,448, an increase of 9.6 percent from the 28,692 vehicles sold in the same month of 2007. For the first four months of 2008, BMW Group sales are still down 4.0 percent, to 99,977 vehicles versus the 104,125 sold January through April of 2007.

Among other factors, April sales results were posively affected by new products all launched this spring (BMW M3, BMW X6, BMW 1 Series, MINI Clubman).

BMW Brand Sales
BMW brand sales were up 5.6 percent, to 26,735 vehicles compared to 25,310 vehicles sold in April 2007. Year-to-date, BMW reported sales of 85,100 vehicles compared to the 92,670 reported in the same period a year ago, a decline of 8.2 percent.

BMW Automobile Sales
Monthly sales of BMW brand automobiles increased 3.2 percent in April, to 20,930 versus 20,290 in 2007. Year-to-date, BMW automobile sales are down 6.7 percent to 67,083 versus 71,906 reported in the same period last year.

BMW Sports Activity Vehicles
Sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles were up 15.6 percent for the month, to 5,805 vehicles compared to the 5,020 reported in April 2007. Year-to-date, BMW SAV sales are down 13.2 percent to 18,017 vehicles from 20,764 in 2007.

MINI Brand Sales
MINI USA reported a 39.4 percent increase in April sales, to 4,713 cars compared to 3,382 cars sold in the same period a year ago. MINI USA also reported sales of 14,877 for the first four months of 2008, an increase of 29.9 percent over the 11,455 sold in the same period a year ago.


Table: Sales BMW of North America, LLC, April 2008


April
2008
April
2007
%
YTD
2008
YTD 2007
%
BMW brand

26,735
25,310
5.6

85,100
92,670
-8.2

BMW passenger cars

20,930
20,290
3.2
67,083
71,906
-6.7
BMW light trucks
(SAVs)
5,805
5,020
15.6
18,017
20,764
-13.2
MINI brand

4,713
3,382
39.4

14,877
11,455
29.9
TOTAL Group

31,448
28,692
9.6
99,977
104,125
-4.0


BMW Certified Pre-Owned
CPO sales were up 25.4 percent in April, to 9,237 over the 7,368 reported in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, the division reported sales of 34,461 automobiles, an increase of 30.7 percent, compared to the 26,376 vehicles reported in the first four months of 2007.



BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all Z4 models, X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sport Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 82 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
 
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Conversion tools:

Periodically articles in the Morning Reads list things such as prices in units you may not be familiar with. Here are links to some conversion tools for your use.

Universal Currency Converter by xe.com

Online Conversion tools by onlinecoversion.com

Morning Reads standard measure of bike value is the Rdstr. The Rdstr is pegged to the U.S. Dollar and is currently trading at 1 Rdstr = $12,620 U.S. dollars


BlogRoll: some of the blogs I have collected while purposefully wondering around the internet.


Stuff: A place for everything and everything in its place, including stuff.


strangemaps.com
What a Great War: Art from the trenches


dnj.com
Beer Man: Homebrews get their due


mcclatchydc.com
As economy worsens, coping becomes a way of life.


Spiegel.de
Allied museum wants to move into Tempelhof Airport


wsj.com
ÔÇÿIron ManÔÇÖ big opening boosts Marvel and Viacom


loc.gov
Library receives original Spider-Man story


loc.gov
Library of Congress Veterans History Project ÔÇô Staff Favorites:
Otto Ferdinand Leven


loc.gov
How does a stone skip across water?


Will BMW enter this market segment?
boingboing.com
Toy car powered by hamster wheel.


dps.com
15 fun fabulous fisheye photos


stuff.co.nz
Man wins right to use wifeÔÇÖs last name


M.R. Traveler


Places 2 Ride Blog


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


Horizonsunlimited.com ÔÇô Newsletter


Gillette_447.png


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


Mining The Website


Threads worth following:


Road Side Attrations

The elections threads; then vote early and often.


TodayÔÇÖsRoadFood.com


Woot

Todays Woot
The Blog


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


Humor

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


Wonderings:


The Morning Reads is back.

I will be putting the Reads together from the new secret lair of the Mustard Revolutionaries. I plan on going back to a daily post during the week and putting out a weekend Saturday - Sunday edition on Friday evenings or Saturday mornings.

I am heading out to get parts for the Roadster to put it back in wondering shape. I have new roads to wonder about where they lead and what I will find as I ride them. This is going to take up more of my time on weekends.


Bike Candy:


Extreme ÔÇÿMonkeyÔÇÖ knee sliding

auerbacher1969spahi8sv3.jpg]

Reaching for the gold

normal10oh2.jpg


Via: 8negro.blogspot.com


THE END
 
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