Saturday, January 14, 2012

Bikes in the Fast Lane: Dakar2012: Day 12

Bikes in the Fast Lane: Dakar2012: Day 12

Link to Bikes in the Fast Lane - Daily Motorcycle News

Dakar2012: Day 12

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 09:45 PM PST

Dakar2012 12 Bivouac
Dakar logo
Almost there, and all the cards have been played. The top 2 motorcycle riders, Marc Coma and Cyril Despres are still very close, with Coma re-taking the lead, but this time, Despres will not start immediately behind Coma, so the chances that he will overtake are slim.

The terrible dunes were reasonably easy, compared to the picture drawn by the organizers. More media attention is currently given to the fight between Gobby Gordon vs The Rest of the World.

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Friday, January 13, 2012

Bikes in the Fast Lane: Video: Harley-Davidson Cologne - Bad Ass Smell plus 3 more

Bikes in the Fast Lane: Video: Harley-Davidson Cologne - Bad Ass Smell plus 3 more

Link to Bikes in the Fast Lane - Daily Motorcycle News

Video: Harley-Davidson Cologne - Bad Ass Smell

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 08:00 AM PST

Video clip
Harley-Davidson logo
I'm sorry, but this just doesn't do it for me. It's kind of funny, but the tag line works against the product. The product is Harley-Davidson Cologne, and saying "Bad Ass Smell" is like saying your perfume smells of a public toilet.... not nice.

I realize that Harley is playing on the tough as nail biker image they portray in all their advertisements, and it probably works for motorcycle sales, but for perfumes? It's almost an oxymoron, "bad ass" biker perfume.

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France: Le Touquet Enduropale 2012 - No Biker Camping

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 04:00 AM PST

EnduroPale 2012 Poster
The famous motorcycle beach race, world's biggest, the Le Touquet Enduropale, is held on Sunday 5 February. For the first time, one lonely American is taking part... he probably got lost and ended up in Le Touquet...

This year, the city has decided not to allow camping at the horse track, since bikers get drunk, and they wreck the place. The city, celebrating 100 years, is also the overflow for the London Olympics this year, so they want to keep the city intact.

So if you want to camp, you'll need to go to a real camping...

BTW, the oldest competitor is 91 Years old..

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Dakar2012: Day 11

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 10:30 PM PST

Dakar2012 11 Felipe Zanol
Dakar logo
Apart from the two main motorcycle racers getting closer and closer, Day 11's only real excitement was the river crossing, with many riders flooding their motorcycle engines.

The real race starts tomorrow, day 12. Uncharted dunes, deep sand and stress (because we're in a marathon phase, with no mechanical assistance), so my guess is whoever wins Friday the 13th, will win the race.

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India: Getting Ready For Army Motorcycle Stunts 2012

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 10:00 PM PST

India Army Motorcycle Stunt Prep 2012
Every year the Army of India do these impressive stunts on their motorcycles. Maybe one day I'll actually go there and make some photos.

It sure is a way of economizing motorcycles, but sharing one motorcycle with many soldiers....

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Thursday, January 12, 2012

Bikes in the Fast Lane: Video: 70s Esso Gas Station Commercial plus 3 more

Bikes in the Fast Lane: Video: 70s Esso Gas Station Commercial plus 3 more

Link to Bikes in the Fast Lane - Daily Motorcycle News

Video: 70s Esso Gas Station Commercial

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 08:00 AM PST

Video clip
Esso logo
There used to be a time, many decades ago, that you could actually get service in a gas station:- service and a smile. This 70's TV commercial reminds me of those good old days...

It's an advertisement from Esso, and it's short, but sweet. It'll make you smile...

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Get Your Own Scale Model Vintage Motorcycle

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 04:00 AM PST

Montesa Impala 175 Sport Scale Model
Video clip
There's a company in Spain that make exact replicas of classic vintage motorcycles, scaled down to 1:5 and 1:9. These incredibly detailed models use the same materials found on the original motorcycles, and not only do all parts move, but actually work (except the engine).

So when you press the brakes, the wheels stop spinning. Have a look at the video, the scale models are truly impressive .... but... very expensive. Most are one-off, and even the "mass" produced one runs into 4 digits.

But if you're a fan... what's money?

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USA: Utah-Massive Motorcycle Police Funeral Escort

Posted: 11 Jan 2012 10:00 PM PST

Utah Police Funeral
Impressive showing by the motorcycle police in Utah, under sad circumstances.

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Dakar2012: Day 10

Posted: 11 Jan 2012 09:30 PM PST

Dakar2012 10 Felipe Zanol
Dakar logo
Last full day in Chile, and tomorrow on to Peru, a first for the Dakar rally. The motorcycles had another tough day, but that's the Dakar, a tough day follows a tough day.

Despres lost tme against his arch-rival Coma, and now only 21 seconds seperate them. 21 seconds is nothing, and anything can happen in the next few days, it's that close.

Spanish rider Joan Barreda took his first ever victory in the Dakar on his Husqvarna, and looks promosing as a future winner.

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Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Bikes in the Fast Lane: Signs That Winter Is Upon Us plus 3 more

Bikes in the Fast Lane: Signs That Winter Is Upon Us plus 3 more

Link to Bikes in the Fast Lane - Daily Motorcycle News

Signs That Winter Is Upon Us

Posted: 11 Jan 2012 08:00 AM PST

Iced up motorcycle
When you look out your window and see your motorcycle like this, you know you're in the middle of winter.

Lucky for me, all I see is sun, birds and double digits on the thermometer.

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Ad: Utah Safety - Eye Chart - Watch For Motorcycles

Posted: 11 Jan 2012 04:00 AM PST

Utah Highway Safety Eye Chart
Nice safety advertisement from the Utah Highway Safety Office.

The PSA is targetted at cars and trucks, to remind them to keep a watch-out for motorcycles. The nice idea is to use an eye chart, reminding them that a motorcycle is small, and at a distance iit even looks smaller.

I wonder if it'll work??

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Nepal: Filling Up Your Motorcycle, Not Easy

Posted: 10 Jan 2012 10:00 PM PST

Motorcycles Filling Up Un Nepal.JPG
At times when I need to fill up my motorcycle at a gas station and I see another motorcycle in front of me, I just go to the next station. Why wait? But it looks like these poor bikers do not have a choice. Guess you can wait a day to fill up.

Maybe electric motorcycles are a better choice...

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Dakar2012: Day 9

Posted: 10 Jan 2012 09:30 PM PST

Dakar2012 9 Felipe Zanol
Dakar logo
ay 9 saw the incredible and scary sand dune of Iquique, a monster of a dune that would make any downhill skier green of envy, but now the Dakar racers needed to ride it down on their motorcycle after the longest stage of the whole race. Not an easy accomplishment.

Day 9 saw the motorcycles racing in sand and fesh-fesh for some 500 kms, and Despres regained the lead from Coma, but you can see that both racers are tired.

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