Friday, February 26, 2010

Daytona Bike Week - Get a Start on the Rally Season

The 69th anniversary of Daytona Bike Week is being held February 26 - March 7, 2010 in Daytona Beach, Florida. The start of Daytona Bike Week is often announced on the morning TV news shows. You know, where somebody sticks their face in front of the camera and announces: "We're at the opening of Daytona Bike Week. Good Morning America," and then you see a whole line of bikes roar off in front of the camera. Unfortunately, most of the remainder of Bike Week will not be seen by non-motorcyclists.

Check out my article, Daytona, for details.

Here in the frigid Northeast, I hear plenty of people talking about going to Daytona. Some are riding down with friends. Riding sometimes means riding in a car and towing a trailer with the bike on it. After all, the 1500 miles down with uncertain weather conditions has left many a rider stranded in a snow storm or Nor'easter. After that happens to you once, you tend to be a little more cautious the next time you go.

Maybe you want to skip Daytona and concentrate on planning to go to some smaller rallies this year. Be sure to read my article, Motorcycle Rallies, where I discuss rallies and give you information about the top rallies that I like. Of course, your views may be different -- this is Motorcycle Views after all.

I just got my registration information for the Americade Motorcycle Rally. That one is my favorite and I've gone almost every year since 1994.

It can get expensive going to lots of rallies, especially if you're taking two bikes. Double gas, double tolls. You just have to pick and choose what appeals to you most in these uncertain economic times. Motorcycle rallies are a lot of fun. If you've never attended a rally, you owe it to yourself to go. You just might find a rally or two that you'll want to go to every year, just like I go to Americade, regardless of the weather.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré launched






For those motorcycle adventure sports fans out there and I count myself as one of them, Yamaha has revived a great model name from the past with the launch of the 2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré. You can read the full details of this exciting new model on the main www.inter-bike.co.uk website here.

Ride safe

Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://bestmotorstyle2011.blogspot.com//
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

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2010 Kawasaki Versys


The 2010 restyled Kawasaki Versys is now in UK Kawasaki dealers, with changes to the headlamp, fuel tank, bodywork and frame covers.

In 2007 www.inter-bike.co.uk rode one of these great mid-range bikes, you can read our Kawasaki Versys road test here.

Ride safe

Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://bestmotorstyle2011.blogspot.com//
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Triumph motorcycles announce two brand new special edition models for 2010, the Thunderbird SE and Daytona 675 SE



Triumph has announced two special editions of their very popular Triumph Thunderbird and Daytona 675 for 2010.

The Triumph Thunderbird SE has a brand-new metallic colour, Carnival Red, the ABS-equipped SE comes factory-fitted with genuine Triumph accessories, to transform the Thunderbird into a soft bagger.

The Daytona 675 SE has a highly sophisticated suspension, plus new graphics on the flanks, white striped wheel, race-inspired brake and clutch levers and carbon parts from Triumph’s accessories catalogue.

Both these special edition Triumph motorcycles will be in Triumph dealers from March 1st.

Ride safe

Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://bestmotorstyle2011.blogspot.com//
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

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Saturday, February 20, 2010

For Sale

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For Sale
this private french collection of motorcycles and parts, every thing must disappear!
including a 500 Monark, Rickman G 80 and Gold Star, Triumph 5T, Matchless G9, Norton Commando Fastback and many others
a dozen of complete engines mosthly Matchless and Norton
Lathe machine, tools and lockers are for sale

all inquiries here: Southsiders.mc@gmail.com

















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Friday, February 19, 2010

Carhartt

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Carhartt, Inc. is a U.S.-based clothing company founded in 1889. It is still a family owned company, owned by the descendants of company founder Hamilton Carhartt, with its headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.



In the United States, Carhartt is known for its work clothes, such as jackets, coats, overalls, coveralls, vests, shirts, jeans and dungarees.
Carhartt was originally founded to make work clothing for railroad workers. Their initial growth throughout the 1890s was focused on railroad workers' need for durable and long lasting work overalls.



Over time, Carhartt clothing items evolved trademark features intended to further extend durability, including the use of heavy duty threads, reinforcing rivets at vital stress points, and a variety of durable, high technology materials resistant to flames, abrasion and water. Today Carhartt is commonly found on construction sites, farms and ranches, among other job sites.



In the 1990s, Carhartt clothing became fashionable in hip hop culture, and Tommy Boy Records used Carhartt jackets as a promotional tool. In that period, Carhartt jackets achieved popularity with crack dealers. "They needed to keep warm and they needed to carry a lot of stuff," said Steven J. Rapiel, the New York City salesman for Carhartt. "Then the kids saw these guys on the street, and it became the hip thing to wear." In 2007, the company launched a Carhartt for Women line of women's workwear for the Fall season.



In the United States, Carhartt sponsors blue-collar organizations and events such as 4-H, the National FFA Organization, rodeos and the #17 NASCAR race car driven by Matt Kenseth.
During the 9/11 World Trade Center rescue operations, the Carhartt company donated thousands of bib overalls to the rescue crew to be used on scene.




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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Win a Harley-Davidson!


All riders who take a free demo ride at an authorised Harley-Davison UK dealership between Friday 9 April and Monday 3 May will be entered into a free prize draw for a new-for-2010 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy® Special motorcycle.

Sorry to our international readers, this is a UK only prize apparently.

For further information or to book a test ride please visit www.harley-davidson.co.uk/testride


Motorcyclists booking a test ride must have held a full motorcycle licence for a minimum of 12 months.
Details of which models are available at each dealership will be available to view at www.harley-davidson.co.uk



Ride safe

Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://bestmotorstyle2011.blogspot.com//
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

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Peugeot celebrates with new big wheel LXR 125 scooter




Peugeot has been in business for 200 years and for more than 100 years has been producing motorcycles. To celebrate its double century Peugeot will be launching several new models of scooter this year.

The first of these in the UK i is the big-wheel Peugeot LXR125 scooter.
Big wheel scooters a offer superior handling over poorly maintained surfaces and are easier to manoeuvre.

With the crumblingly state of the UK's roads after the recent winter snow and ice, Peugeot seem to have released this on the UK market at just the right time!!

As always we've some pics of this new Peugeot scooter for you.

Ride safe

Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://bestmotorstyle2011.blogspot.com//
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

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1983: Kenny Roberts’ Last Stand

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By Eric Jonhson


It’s been said, since the beginning of time, that a picture is worth 1000 words.

Holding true to that adage is a photograph of “King” Kenny Roberts preparing to start the final race of his illustrious Grand Prix Roadracing career. The date was Sunday, September 4, 1983, and the race, the Gran Premio di San Marino.

All along the 1983 was an epic season of 500cc Grand Prix racing. Barry Sheene had returned to the fray after his 1982 injuries on a factory-supported privateer Suzuki. Meanwhile, Honda’s hope for glory, and a first-ever 500cc championship, was pinned on American Fast Freddie Spencer and his 500cc Triple. 1981 World Champion Marco Lucchinelli and Takazumi Katayama filled out the other main Honda rides for 1983.
Kenny Roberts was again riding the Yamaha V4. Despite bike handling problems, fought a season-long battle for the title with fellow American Spencer. Joining them was another American and legend-to-be, one Mr. Eddie Lawson who was riding for the Agostini Yamaha squad. Randy Mamola was still with Suzuki but was left standing, relatively speaking, by the titanic battle between Roberts and Spencer. Franco Uncini was also left behind on the next-best Suzuki, never matching the heights performance-wise from his 1982 title-winning campaign. We did, however, see a Frenchman have some success in 1983; Marc Fontan on a privateer Yamaha became the top European finisher in the series that season.


Freddie Spencer won the first three races of 1983, Kenny Roberts then came back with a win in West Germany, but Spencer piled on the pressure with a fourth win in five races. Roberts won in Austria but again Spencer turned up the heat by taking the next round in Yugoslavia. At the Dutch TT in Assen, the tit-for-tat battle continued, a win for Roberts and the three-time World Champion was about to reverse the pressure game and put Spencer under the spotlight as he also won in Belgium and the UK before the title saw a mammoth battle in Sweden that saw Spencer win, but only after making a move on Roberts at the penultimate corner of the penultimate round which had Roberts claiming he was harshly passed by his fellow countryman. Spencer dived for the pass, and both riders ran into the dirt, although they stayed upright. Roberts claimed it was a dangerous move and lamented he would never have made such a brash pass on a competitor with a title up for grabs.

Kenny Roberts 1983 Yamaha

Going into the final round, the San Marino Grand Prix, all Spencer had to do to beat Roberts was finish one place behind him. Roberts won the last race but Spencer did, indeed, follow him home to take second place and Freddie was crowned World Champion. Not only was it his first title, but also, it was Honda's first-ever 500cc Grand Prix World Championship, and the points margin between Roberts and the victorious Spencer was just two points. It was the final 500cc race for Roberts, who retired to take up a new career as a team owner. A brilliant end to a brilliant career.




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Monday, February 15, 2010

Malcolm Smith

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via : www.motorsport.com

AMA Hall of Famer Malcolm Smith to serve as Grand Marshal for 2010 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- One afternoon in the mid-1960s, a man walked into a Southern California motorcycle shop looking for someone to race an unproven motorcycle with a foreign-sounding name. Lucky for that man, he walked into the right shop and found the right racer. Malcolm Smith took Edison Dye's offer, and their partnership would help establish the Husqvarna motorcycle brand as a force in American off-road.

In recognition of Malcolm Smith's contributions to the success of Husqvarna, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and Husqvarna Motorcycles North America are pleased to announce that Smith will serve as Grand Marshal at the 19th annual AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days this July 9-11 in Lexington, Ohio. Husqvarna is the Marque of the Year for 2010 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days.

"Even today, decades after Malcolm Smith's racing prime, his fan base rivals some of the top names in the sport," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "To anyone who has met him, the reason for that is clear: Malcolm Smith is synonymous with everything positive about motorcycling -- fun, sportsmanship, and excitement. He will serve as an exceptional Grand Marshal at this year's AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days as we celebrate the brand on which he became famous: Husqvarna."






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Saturday, February 13, 2010

Gary Jones

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Gary Jones (born April 22, 1952 in Southern California) was an American motocross racer. He is remembered for winning the first three AMA 250cc Motocross National Championships , riding three different brands of motorcycles, a feat which has yet to be duplicated.


The son of a motorcycle dealer, he began racing professionally at the age of 15. By 1969, he earned a place on the Yamaha factory's American racing team. Although there was no American motocross championship series in 1971, he was recognized as the 250cc National Champion by virtue of being the top-placed American rider in the Inter-AMA series which featured European riders touring America after the European-based World Championship season had ended .


The following year, the AMA introduced a 250cc and a 500cc outdoor national championship. Jones won the 1972 title on a Yamaha, becoming the first 250cc U.S. Motocross National Champion. He also competed in the 500cc class, finishing second behind Brad Lackey. Also in 1972, he was a member of the first team to represent the United States at the Motocross des Nations race. The following season, he accepted a job riding for the Honda factory racing team and successfully defended his 250cc crown riding the Honda CR250M. In 1973 he would ride for the newly formed Can-Am team and went on to win his third consecutive 250cc national championship.


After his retirement from professional competition, Jones continued his involvement in the sport by working for motorcycle accessory companies and as a test rider for motorcycle magazines. Jones continues to compete in motocross and desert races, winning the World Vet Championship several times. In 2000, he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame , and in 2004, he was inducted into the Motocross Walk Of Fame .




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Thursday, February 11, 2010

Motorcycle Pictures of the Week - David

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Website. These are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery. See David on his 2004 Kawasaki VN2000. We need more pictures of men and women with their motorcycles. Get your picture in. For details, see Motorcycle Pictures of the Week.

If you'd like to see your bike as Picture of the Week, submit a picture of you and your bike along with a description of the bike.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The Black sheep squadron

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Marine Attack Squadron 214 (VMA-214) is a United States Marine Corps fighter squadron consisting of AV-8B Harrier (V/STOL) jets. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona and is under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 13 (MAG-13) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW).


The squadron is best known as the Black Sheep of World War II fame and for one of its commanding officers, Colonel Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, whose memoirs also inspired the 1970s television show Baa Baa Black Sheep, which dramatized the squadron's exploits during the war.

Marine Fighter Squadron 214 was originally commissioned on July 1, 1942, at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, on the Island of Oahu. Initially called the "Swashbucklers", they participated in the Solomon Islands campaign, flying out of Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. They were disbanded following their combat tour and the squadron designation was given to the Marine command on Espiritu Santo. In August 1943, a group of twenty-seven young men under the leadership of Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington (who was later awarded the Medal of Honor) were joined together to form the original "Blacksheep" of VMF-214. Major Boyington had just returned from a year's tour in China as a member of the American Volunteer Group, the "Flying Tigers". In China, he had downed six enemy planes and became, through actual experience, one of the originators of American fighter tactics against the Japanese. The squadron was not assigned any aircraft or ancillary personnel at first and flew to Guadalcanal and later the Russell Islands in borrowed planes that were in less than satisfactory condition.


On the evening of September 13, 1943 the men of VMF-214 gathered in their commanding officer's hootch during which time it was suggested that they needed a nickname. Originally the squadron called itself "Boyington's Bastards" after its new commander, the fact that all of the pilots had been orphans and not attached to a squadron when they got together and the fact they possessed few reliable planes and no mechanics. The following day this new label was presented to the Marine Corps public information officer on the island at the time, Captain Jack DeChant and found to be unacceptable because civilian newspapers would never print it. DeChant then suggested the call sign "Black Sheep" because the expression meant essentially the same thing. The pilots ranged from experienced combat veterans, with several air-to-air victories to their credit, to new replacement pilots from the United States. Major Boyington and Major Stan Bailey were given permission to form the unassigned pilots into a squadron, with the understanding that they would have less than four weeks to have them fully trained and ready for combat. Although they dropped the moniker "Boyington's Bastards" the squadron still retains the black bar of bastardy across its shield. They chose for their badge the black shield of illegitimacy, the bar sinister, a black sheep superimposed, surrounded by a circle of twelve stars, and crowned with the image of their aircraft, the F4U Corsair.


The Black Sheep squadron fought for eighty-four days. They met the Japanese over their own fields and territory and piled up a record of 203 planes destroyed or damaged, produced eight fighter aces with 97 confirmed air-to-air kills, sank several troop transports and supply ships, destroyed many installations, in addition to numerous other victories. For their actions, the original Black Sheep were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action. Following their first combat tour, 26 pilots from the squadron left Munda for a week of rest and relaxation in Sydney, Australia where they holed up in the Australia Hotel. The Black Sheep ended their second combat tour on January 8, 1944, five days after Major Boyington was shot down and captured by the Japanese. The original Black Sheep were disbanded and the pilots were placed in the pilot pool in Marine Aircraft Group 11. Exploits of this incarnation of the unit were loosely fictionalized in the 1970s television series Baa Baa Black Sheep (later renamed The Black Sheep Squadron), starring Robert Conrad as Boyington.


VMF-214 was reformed on January 29, 1944 at Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara near Goleta, California. They deployed aboard the USS Franklin (CV-13) on February 4, 1945 to join on-going operations on Okinawa. On March 19, a Japanese bomber hit the USS Franklin. The explosion and resulting fire caused 772 deaths aboard the Franklin including 32 Black Sheep members. Many Black Sheep aircraft were launching for a strike on mainland Japan at the time. One, First Lieutenant Ken Linder, was given half credit for shooting down the Japanese bomber that struck the Franklin. This ended VMF-214 involvement in World War II. During the course of the war the squadron suffered 23 pilots killed in action or missing and lost 48 aircraft to accidents or enemy contact. In April 1945, the Black Sheep were relocated to Marine Corps Air Station El Centro, California, and then to MCAS El Toro, CA in October 1945. In the next few years, the Black Sheep deployed for operations on board the USS Rendova (CVE-114), the USS Bairoko (CVE-115), the USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), and the USS Boxer (CV-21).


A flying ace or fighter ace is a naval aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.

The following Marines from VMA-214 have been credited with five or more victories:

* Gregory "Pappy" Boyington - 28.0
* Robert M. Hanson - 25.0
* Christopher L. Magee - 9.0
* William N. Case - 8.0
* Don H. Fisher - 8.0
* Alvin J. Jensen - 7.0
* Robert W. McClurg - 7.0
* Paul A. Mullen - 6.5
* John F. Bolt Jr. - 6.0
* H. Allen McCartney Jr. - 5.0
* Edwin L. Olander - 5.0
* Hartwell V. Scarborough - 5.0
* Stanley T. Tynar - 5.0

Papy Boyington

Today : Beginning in May 2009, a detachment from VMA-214 deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedomand Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. During the deployment they supported the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade in southern Afghanistan and counter piracy operations off of the coast of Africa.





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