Morning Reads: Monday, 11 February 2008

[Mika]

Today’s Birthdays / Calendar ( http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/calendar.php?do=getday&day=2008-02-11&sb=1)


http://mizutamago.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/card1.jpg

http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/237640163_kYTbR-XL.jpg


Okay you forum Hooligans, here is the competition.
hinklytriumph.com ( http://www.hinckleytriumph.com/?p=201)
Triumph Street Triple roadtest.


caradisiac.com ( http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=en&langpair=fr%7Cen&u=http://moto.caradisiac.com/Superbike-KTM-montre-sa-base-de-travail-656&tbb=1)
Superbike: KTM shows its basic work


I know it is not the dual sport model but…
motoinsight.it ( http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=en&langpair=it%7Cen&u=http://www.motoinsight.it/blog/ktm_690_duke_la_mononaked.html&tbb=1)
KTM 690 Duke: “mono-naked”

motoblog.it (http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=en&langpair=it%7Cen&u=http://www.motoblog.it/post/11812/desmo-harleye-possibile&tbb=1)
Desmo Harley..Is this possible?


I thought of JK when I first tried to get this post. I was working in public library in a suburb of Lilydale. Their filter wouldn’t let me go to Motoblog.it because it came up as a porn site. That’s all, now continue reading.
motoblog.it (http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=en&langpair=it%7Cen&u=http://www.motoblog.it/post/12032/bmw-k1200r-sport-vs-yamaha-fz1-fazer&tbb=1)
BMW K1200R Sports vs Yamaha FZ1 Fazer

http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/239852428_sM5hT-XL.jpg



http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/237905512-XL.jpg
BMW Sauber F1 (http://www.bmw-sauber-f1.com/en/index.html)
BMW Motorsport (http://bmw-motorsport.com/ms/en/index.html)



http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/240145168_Usbh5-XL.jpg


autoweek.com ( http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080210/FREE/741735727/1579/rss01&rssfeed=rss01) – NHRA Features
Snake and Mongoose - Still going at 40 years later

bimmerfile.com ( http://www.bimmerfile.com/2008/02/10/bmw-going-electric/)
BMW going electric?


http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/238372610_zdkLA-XL.jpg


BMW Website Review:


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)


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)



http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/237925770-XL.jpg

The Rider: Skills, gear, accessories and more


boingboing.net ( http://www.boingboing.net/2008/02/09/tripodwielding-photo.html)
Tripod-wielding photographer mistaken for gunman

It is almost spring training time so naturally I look to Most-Expensive.net ( http://most-expensive.net/baseball-glove) to tell me what mit to buy to catch those foul balls. (Baseballs, not the ones on the forum.)


The ‘Rad: Care, repair, parts, accessories and more


webbikeworld.com ( http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-wheel-chock/steady-stand/)
REVIEW: Acebikes Steady Stand


M.R. Traveler


Places 2 Ride Blog (http://feeds.feedburner.com/places2ride)


www.biker-events.com (http://www.biker-events.com/feed/)
Finding the Good Time on 2 Wheels


Horizonsunlimited.com – Newsletter (http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/newsletter/index.xml)


http://www.bmwmoa.org/rally/rally08/assets/hat2.gif

2008 International Rally (http://www.bmwmoa.org/rally/rally08/)
Gillette, Wyoming, July 17-20 2008


Mining The Website


A message from home, the Home Page (http://www.bmwmoa.org/) that is.

NEW FEATURE: Picture This!
As inspired by the Forum, each month we'll provide a topic for photo contributions. Members are invited to submit one photo that best depicts the topic. Photos will be judged by MOA staff. Those selected will be featured in the BMW Owners News. Each photo must include a 50 word (or less) description, your name, member number, city, state. Topic: Where I keep my Owners News. Send your photo to picturethis@bmwmoa.org. The winners will appear in the APRIL issue of the BMW Owners News.


BMW MOA 2008 Election Information (http://www.bmwmoa.org/features/election08.htm)


Threads worth following:


I am a big fan of the potential for long form posts on the forum. Canadian Odyssey – James Bay Road (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=23123) is a great example of this. If you haven’t checked it out yet I am not certain your really a Morning Reader.


Photo Assignment:
Here is a link to the PHOTO ASSIGNMENT INDEX (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?p=277618#post277618), with links to the various excellent Photo Assignment threads

Latest project: “Old Cro” the R-evolution (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=22383)

Diary of a Barn Queen (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=22579)



Today’sRoadFood.com (http://www.roadfood.com/)


Woot

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


http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/182526939-M.gif
Packer News: Packers.com (http://www.packers.com/), jsonline.com - Packers Plus Online (http://www.jsonline.com/index/index.aspx?id=44)


Humor

Over Heard in New York | Voice of the City (http://www.overheardinnewyork.com/)
Sluggy Freelance (http://www.sluggy.com/)
The Onion (http://feeds.theonion.com/theonion/daily)
xkcd (http://www.xkcd.com/)


Bike Candy:


http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/Bike%20Directories/Ariel%20Bikes/images/Ariel-SQ4-Combination-1958.jpg
1958 Ariel Square 4 and Bushman combination
From: VintageBikes.co.uk


THE END ( http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/jkn0194l.jpg)

[EXR911]

The sidecar on the Ariel Square 4 is a Busmar "Astral" - made by the Busmar firm in Blackpool, Lancs., England. Introduced in 1959. It held 2 adults and was - at the time of its introduction - nicknamed "the Biggest Aspidistra" after the music hall song made popular by the immortal Gracie Fields who sang of "the Biggest Aspidistra in the World".

PT9766

[Digger]

How come sidecars don't (usually, ever?) have headlights and taillights?
Dave

[EXR911]

How come sidecars don't (usually, ever?) have headlights and taillights?
Dave

Depending on the jurisdiction in which they are registered, modern sidecar outfits will have two tail-lights, forward running lights, turn signals and a headlight or driving light on the sidecar as well as the motorcycle headlight.

The Ariel/ Busmar outfit pictured was first registered in Staffordshire, England and would have originally had a red tail-light on the left side of the sidecar in addition to the one on the back of the bike. Also there would have been a white light pointing forward on the left fender of the sidecar outfit. A lot of sidecar outfits in that day and age in England would have had a driving light on the left side (outside) of the sidecar to illuminate the left hand edge of the road, since the sidecar is mounted on the left side of the bike - as the rule of the road there is to keep to the left.

Until after WWII automobiles and trucks in most North American jurisdictions were usually required to only have a single tail light, usually mounted on the left side of the rear of the vehicle. Stop lamps were not required in many places until well into the 1930s. When twin tail lights and front side-lights came in for cars after WWII, I think most places considered that they should be required for wider vehicles like sidecar outfits, trailers, etc., etc.

PT9766

[Mika]

My apologies to everyone. It appears neither vintagebik.co.uk (http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/Bike%20Directories/Ariel%20Bikes/pages/Ariel-SQ4-Combination-58.htm) or I know how to spell Busmar. Here is a link (http://michaelsmotorcycles.com/1958ArielSquareFour/index.htm) to another example of an Ariel Square Four and a BUSMAR side car for you enjoyment.

[EXR911]

My apologies to everyone. It appears neither vintagebik.co.uk (http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/Bike%20Directories/Ariel%20Bikes/pages/Ariel-SQ4-Combination-58.htm) or I know how to spell Busmar. Here is a link (http://michaelsmotorcycles.com/1958ArielSquareFour/index.htm) to another example of an Ariel Square Four and a BUSMAR side car for you enjoyment.

No need to apologize - they got it wrong. And Busmar has been out of business for 43 years - so who would remember?
Busmar specialized in the "family" type of sidecar rather than the sports single seater normally seen on BMWs. The Astral, as first marketed, carried 2 adults but by 1961 it could be had in a version to take one adult and 2 children. In the same shape was a smaller "Astralette"available as a single seater or a one adult plus one child set-up. The Austin Mini and other small cars killed off most of the British sidecar makers in the 1960s.

PT9766

[Mika]

Thanks for the information, love to learn. :thumb

[rkasal]

Thanks for your effort! Isn't the picture of BMW corporate and the delivery center stunning? And that side car could almost be an Isetta. You do some good stuff.