Morning Reads: 10 August 2007

[Mika]

Today’s Birthdays / Calendar (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/calendar.php?do=getinfo&day=2007-8-10&c=1)

http://slw.org/Card%20Program/Birthday%20Card.jpg


BMW in the News

autosport.com ( http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/61460)
BMW won’t relax despite gap to Renault

theglobeandmail.com (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070809.wh-BMWfuture-0809/BNStory/Technology/?page=rss&id=..wh-BMWfuture-0809?fromrss=1)
The Bavarian auto maker plans to stay on top


TED (http://www.ted.com/index.php/pages/view/id/5): Ideas worth spreading
TED Blog (http://blog.ted.com/),Conferences (http://www.ted.com/index.php/pages/view/id/7), Themes (http://www.ted.com/index.php/themes), Talks (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks) and Speakers (http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers)



Page 2: (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?p=230175&posted=1#post230175)
BMW Press: News and press releases from the official BMW sources


News:

thekneeslider.com (http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/08/09/the-chopper-industry-is-dead-jesse-james/)
The Chopper Industry is dead – Jesse James

thekneeslider.com (http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/08/09/vd-classic-cafe-racers/?fromrss=1)
VD Classic Café Racers
vd-classic.com (http://www.vd-classic.com/EN/realisation.php) gallery

The Brits do a bike shows like they drink their gin, with a bit of a twist: The Triumph Bid Day Out (http://www.triumphbigdayout.co.uk/)

It is not just a NA or BMW thing -
tmcnet.com (http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2007/08/03/2837718.htm)
Two-wheeler sales continue to skid
business-standard.com (http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?autono=294036&leftnm=1&subLeft=0&chkFlg=?fromrss=1)
2-wheeler mart sputtering

Want to be a model? Head to Sturgis NOW!
cycilhuzeblog.com (http://www.cyrilhuzeblog.com/2007/08/09/harley-davidson-needs-new-faces/)
Harley-Davidson needs new faces

wyomingnews.com (http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2007/08/08/news/18local_08-08.07.txt)
Motorcycle crashes rise in Wyoming

http://www.motorcyclists-online.com/moto-essais-articles/images/illus/KTMVenom_02.jpg
motocylist-online.com ( http://www.motorcyclists-online.com/o1_676_KTM-plans-for-the-Paris-Motorcycle-show.html)
KTM plans for the Paris Motorcycle Show

theglobeandmail.com (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070809.wh-bikeHD-0809/BNStory/Technology/?page=rss&id=..wh-bikeHD-0809)
This motorcycle touring at its purest

visordown.com (http://www.visordown.com/motorcyclenews/view/diesel_motorcycle_aims_for_land_speed_record/1332.html)
Diesel motorcycle aims for land speed record

twincities.com (http://www.twincities.com/ci_6577877?source=rss_viewed&nclick_check=1)
Bridge probe fixes on beam links

mvn.com (http://mvn.com/nfl-packers/2007/08/07/my-interview-with-the-packers-next-sterling-sharpe-wr-james-jones/)
My interview with the Packers next sterling Sharpe: WR James Jones

Iron Butt Rally 2007

2007 Iron Butt Rally (http://www.ironbuttrall.com/IBR/2007.cfm)
The 2007 Iron Butt Rally will take off on Monday, August 20, 2007
from the St. Louis, Missouri area. Once again, it will be a challenge
not only to riding skills but also the riders ability to map a
successful route in order to maximize points and solve the
time/distance equation.
Iron Butt.org:
Website ( http://www.ironbutt.com/about/default.cfm)
Forum ( http://www.ironbutt.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=702&get=last)
SaddleSore Website ( http://www.saddlesore.com/)


Bike Reviews:

Rumors seem to be everywhere about a replacement for the current HONDA VFR.
topspeed.com ( http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/honda/honda-vfr-ar41250.html)
TopSpeed looks at: 1986-2007 Honda VFR Review

Fun can come in many package sizes –
superbike.co.uk (http://www.superbike.co.uk/news/SuperBike_new_125cc_bikes_news_135824.html?fromrss =1)
Derbi Terra and Mulhacen 125s tested


Feature:

SuperbikePlanet.com ( http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2007/Aug/070808-f13.htm) interviews Ducati NA CEO Michael Lock

Adventure Posts:

Sues Excellent Adventure ( http://www.beemerhill.com/48_States.htm)
2007 Rally chair Sue Rihn-Manke is riding now what she calls "Sue's Excellent Adventure," covering 48 states in two weeks on her GS.


Blog Update (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?p=225349&posted=1#post225349)

Foreign Language Blogs (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?p=225351&posted=1#post225351)


Gear:

Bikes in the Fast Lane (http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/bluebike--bluetooth-communicator-for-motorcycles.htm)
BlueBike: Bluetooth communicator for motorcyles

motoblog.it (http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A//www.motoblog.it/post/9131/nuovi-stivali-axo-lancer-e-supertouring&hl=en&langpair=it|en&tbb=1&ie=utf-8)
New Boots AXO: Lancer and Supertouring


Over Heard in New York | Voice of the City (http://www.overheardinnewyork.com/)


Riding Skills:

bikernewsonline.com (http://www.bikernewsonline.com/2007/08/how-to-pass-like-idiot.htm)
How to pass like an idiot.

Photography / Video:

dPS.com (http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-photograph-sunrises-and-sunsets/)
12 Tips for Photographing Stunning Suncsets

Speed Challenge BUGGY ROLLIN VS MOTORCYCLE
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q3WqjH9_Ezs"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q3WqjH9_Ezs" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>


Today’s RoadFood.com ( http://www.roadfood.com/)


Woot

Todays Woot ( http://www.woot.com/Default.aspx)

The Blog ( http://www.woot.com/Blog/Default.aspx)


xkcd (http://www.xkcd.com/) A webcomic of Romance, Sarcasm, Math and Language



Bike Candy:

It’s not a BMW but this was my favorite bike at the West Bend Rally.

http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/174532393-L.jpg

http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/174532649-L-1.jpg

http://m1ka.smugmug.com/gallery/3172056#174532898[img]

[img]http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/174533125-L-1.jpg

http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/174533346-L.jpg
Tickle me Amal

http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/174533583-L.jpg

THE END ( http://www.teeteringbulb.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/TheLastHope.jpg )

[Mika]

BMW Press: News and press releases from the official BMW sources


World of BMW News


Fredrik Persson completes ride to remember (http://www.worldofbmw.com/content/article.asp?article=862&artDate=09/08/2007)

BMW GroupPress Club:

PressClub USA

MINI USA RENEWS LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT DEAL WITH FIREBALLED! RACING & PERFORMANCE WITH AFTERMARKET TUNER MOTORSPORT PROGRAM

Torrance, CA - August 8, 2007... MINI USA has renewed its motorsport racing development program with Southern California's extreme tuning house, FIREBALLED! RACING, signing a 5 year deal through 2012. FIREBALLED! will continue the build-out of its MINI race programs through a number of upcoming TV, internet, mobile and multi-media platforms and event venues.
With the launch of the new 2007 MINI Cooper and Cooper S, MINI USA is exploring a variety of areas to expand and strengthen the MINI brand via the sport compact market and race venues. With this agreement FIREBALLED! is uniquely positioned to help build and grow MINI's visibility in the tuner and motorsport community through FIREBALLED!'s integrated divisions. These divisions involve racing & performance, promotional activities, design, merchandising and entertainment projects and feature Hollywood movie car designer and TV personality Fireball Tim Lawrence, along with tuner extraordinaire Hubie Fuh to assure the continued successes of the past two years.

"We are happy to continue our standing partnership with FIREBALLED! RACING," said Richard Steinberg, head of MINI USA product strategy and aftersales development. The growth of our relationship between MINI USA and FIREBALLED! allows both partners to reach further out to the enthusiast tuner and racing audience in a way that is unique, creative and very MINI."

"The new 2007 MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S represent an awesome platform for customizing and creating outrageous cars," says Fireball Tim, President and CEO of FIREBALLED!, Inc. "We look forward to developing the new platform through our signature racing programs and competing at a variety of racing venues. It's exciting because all of our cars will be featured in 'Fireball Tim's World of Cars' on CarTV.com and a variety of upcoming entertainment venues including a series of new shows currently in development. It's the kind of evolution we had hoped for to help solidify the future of our programs with MINI".

The "World's Fastest Built ™ MINIs" developed by FIREBALLED! RACING has become a phenomenon through its motorsport racing programs and developing custom street MINIs with FIREPower. Starting with NHRA Drag Racing, FIREBALLED! holds the World Record with its MINI USA M600 Flamethrower. Through this program FIREBALLED! RACING has developed other custom high performance street legal MINIs.

FIREBALLED! RACING
FIREBALLED! RACING, a division of FIREBALLED! INC., is a promotional, racing and product development company in the automotive sport compact industry. In partnership with MINI USA, it helps to promote MINI as a customizable platform in motorsport racing and lifestyle events. FIREBALLED! RACING have built and currently campaign the "World's Fastest Race MINI," setting the mark at 10.6 ET @ 132MPH in the quarter mile. They also build FIREBALLED! Custom MINIs in Limited Edition and Signature Performance Series that are sold through select Dealerships. Working with over 50 sponsors, they have developed numerous programs and products that showcase the versatility of the MINI platform and their flexibility as one of the premiere vehicle designers and tuners.

http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/182119247-M.jpg

http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/182119069-M.jpg


FIREBALLED RACING COLLABORATES WITH MINI USA TO COMPETE IN SPEED CHANNEL'S 2008 "STREET TUNER CHALLENGE"

Fireballed Racing and MINI USA Selected to Build Custom Project MINI
Torrance, CA - August 8, 2007... MINI USA and FIREBALLED! RACING & PERFORMANCE! have been selected to compete on the hit SPEED Channel series "Street Tuner Challenge" premiering its third season this October, 2007.

FIREBALLED! RACING & PERFORMANCE! representing the European vehicle manufacture entry, will customize a 2007 MINI Cooper S to go head-to-head with two other teams modifying their respective US and Asian vehicle entries. The program, with its 13 planned episodes, airs on SPEED Channel, the fastest growing sports specialty station in the US with a reach of over 75 million homes via cable and satellite across North America.

"Street Tuner Challenge" is comprised of three competitive categories for a winning total score. With 3 months available to each team, the challenge is to improve three main categories:
* Interior - Upholstery, Audio/Video
* Exterior - Graphics, Paint, Body Design
* Horsepower - Dyno - Stopping - Improved Lap - Improved High Speed

After 13 weeks, all three vehicles face-off in an intense and extremely entertaining race format called "Time Attack", the hottest new Motorsports craze from Japan. Three laps - Two heats - Base model vs. Challenge vehicle - Challenge vehicles vs. the clock. The teams have 30 minutes and as many fast and furious laps as each can take - only the fastest lap counts… as the three ultra-modified Street Tuners compete for the top billing.

FIREBALLED! RACING & PERFORMANCE! is uniquely positioned to successfully compete in the Challenge and has demonstrated via unique development programs that MINI is an excellent platform for motor sports tuning and performance. Such MINI projects include their development of the "World's Fastest MINI USA M600 Flamethrower". This MNI import dragster has earned its title on the NHRA tracks over the past two years, winning the NHRA Design Award in Englishtown, NJ. FIREBALLED! RACING & PERFORMANCE! has also developed custom high performance MINIs and Limited Editions sold through select dealerships. Fireball Tim's special "Hollywood Design Brand" will also bring an exciting and creative element to the competition.

Representing the European vehicle manufacture entry, MINI USA will provide the team with 2007 MINI Cooper S vehicles for modification and competition. With its razor-sharp handling, expressive design and overt brand personality, MINI is an ideal entry for the competition. MINI has an impressive racing heritage and more recently, with its exceptional performance, it has become a success story in competitive grassroots level motorsports. Customization is another desirable MINI brand attribute that fits perfectly with the show's concept. With factory options, there are 150 Trillion possible unique combinations of MINI that can be built. Add dealer and aftermarket accessories and the number increases.

"We are proud to be selected to compete against the other two skilled teams who will be modifying the US and Asian vehicle manufacture entries." said Howard Finelt COO of Fireballed! Enterprises, Inc. "We believe strongly in the design and performance abilities of our team featuring Tune Master Hubie Fuh and Hollywood Car Designer Fireball Tim Lawrence. Both are unsurpassed in their skill and creativity and should heighten the level of the competition."

"This is a great opportunity for MINI USA to showcase - in the extreme - the versatility and unique personalizing strengths of our MINI product." said Jeff Stracco, Product Manager for MINI USA. "Our collaboration with FIREBALLED! RACING & PERFORMANCE! and our participation in the 2008 "Street Tuner Challenge" will help us reach out to the enthusiast tuner and racing audience to show that MINI is an excellent platform to visually customize, performance tune, and/or compete in motorsports."

"Everyone at WAS Productions is eager to watch FIREBALLED! RACING & PERFORMANCE! in action as we have seen their work and know they bring elite skills and craftsmanship to our series." said Dan Woods, Executiver Producer of Street Tuner Challenge. "The design skills of "Fireball Tim" Lawrence combined with the mechanical knowledge of Hubie Fuh is a great combination that few teams can match and we feel MINI USA has chosen well with FIREBALLED! RACING & PERFORMANCE! as their building partners in this year's "Street Tuner Challenge".

FIREBALLED! RACING & PERFORMANCE!
FIREBALLED! RACING & PERFORMANCE! a division of FIREBALLED! INC., is a promotional, racing and product development company in the automotive sport compact industry. In partnership with MINI USA, it helps to promote MINI as a customizable platform in motorsport racing and lifestyle events. FIREBALLED! RACING & PERFORMANCE! have built and currently campaign the "World's Fastest Race MINI," setting the mark at 10.6 ET @ 132MPH in the quarter mile. They also build FIREBALLED! Custom MINIs in Limited Edition and Signature Performance Series that are sold through select dealerships. Working with over 50 sponsors, they have developed numerous programs and products that showcase the versatility of the MINI platform and their flexibility as one of the premiere vehicle designers and tuners.


BMW Sauber F1: Website (http://www.bmw-sauber-f1.com/en/index.html)

BMW Motorsport (http://bmw-motorsport.com/ms/en/index.html)

BMW Yachtsport (http://bmw-yachtsport.com/ys/en/index.html)

BMW Golfsport (http://bmw-golfsport.com/gs/en/index.html)

BMW Oracle Racing (http://bmworacleracing.com/en/index.html?track.refer=)

BMW Sport website ( http://bmw-sports.com/en/index.html)

[PAULBACH]

Good topic for discussion Mika. :wave

Choppers peaking?
April 13th, 2005 by Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider"

Everything runs in cycles, fads come and go, what remains is the long term base. The Kneeslider is making a prediction here, I’m going on the record to say the huge fascination with choppers has peaked. Choppers will continue to be built and sold, money will still be made but the growth period is over.

Choppers are not functional in the way most motorcycles are, choppers are an art form. There is only so much you can do with wild paint and shaping metal before choppers all begin to look the same. Every now and then a builder will do something unique or sufficiently different to stand out but if you look at a hundred choppers they all begin to blur together.

Choppers have gone the high dollar and movie star route for some time which brought a lot of attention but the rich and famous are fickle and will soon start buying the next big thing. A lot of the buyers with enough dollars to follow the trends will fade away and it will no longer be cool to have a two wheeled chrome and billet piece of street art.

The tuner cars are facing this already. The Hondas and Nissans with monster wheels, huge sound systems, playstations and gullwing doors are fading while some of the performance mods remain. The young who like cars for what they can do will stick around, the ones who try to turn them into jewelry will move on. Choppers are like that. But in the world of motorcycles, what do choppers do, remove the glitz and what remains? Their whole point and purpose is appearance.

I’ll be adding to this as the days go on, but remember, you heard it here first.

[PAULBACH]

Not quite what it might appear but a new Motorcycle land speed record will be attempted with an assist from BMW (http://www.visordown.com/motorcyclenews/view/diesel_motorcycle_aims_for_land_speed_record/1332.html). :brow

[BMWDEAN]

MY favorite bikes at the West Bend rally:

[Mika]

MY favorite bikes at the West Bend rally:

That's what my Roadster said when I returned to camp that afternoon. :lol
:bikes