Facts 2 Ponder

Riding on a motorcycle is fun and exciting. Nothing feels better on a warm afternoon then being on one, feeling the light breeze and the sun as you travel. However, it is vital that you take motorcycle safety very seriously as it only takes a second for you to be involved in an accident. Keep in mind that you don’t have the protection of a vehicle around you. Your motorcycle and your body are going to come into direct contact with another vehicle as well as the road.

Most accidents involving motorcycles are the result of another vehicle not being able to see the motorcycle. I can remember one of the scariest moments in my life involved my husband on a motorcycle. He was about a mile ahead of me and I was traveling in my car with our children. My husband went to pass a semi truck. As he was preparing to go around the semi truck decided to pass the car in front of him. He put on his signal light and my husband had to get to the shoulder to avoid being hit. The semi truck driver never knew he was there.

The lesson here is for both the motorcycle rider and for other vehicles. Make sure you look for motorcycles behind you and on the side of you before you make a move. This is especially true during times of warmer weather. Motorcycle riders need to drive attentively, understanding that other vehicle drivers won’t always be able to see them.

Operating a motorcycle doesn’t mean you have any special privileges on the streets or the highways. I think I speak for most of us when I say that we have all seen reckless driving involving motorcycles. I have been passed on the right shoulder more times than I can count. I few times traffic has been at a complete stop when a motorcycle operator decides to weave in and out of traffic to get ahead of the mess.

Motorcycle riders often travel together, and they like to ride side by side. This is a safety hazard for everyone. Each rider needs to remain in single file and pay attention to what is going on around them. This also needs no wheelie tricks or excessive speeds while traveling.

It is very important to always wear eye protection and a helmet when you are riding on a motorcycle. In many states, it is mandatory. It is very easy to get a bug, dust, or other debris in your eye while riding a motorcycle if you don’t have eye protection on. A helmet can save your life as a head injury will be less likely than without one.

It is a good idea to always wear a long sleeved shirt and pants while riding a motorcycle as well. They will offer you protection from road rash and debris. If you ride your motorcycle at night make sure your headlight works properly and that you have on reflective tape or clothing.

Many motorcycle accidents are the result of road conditions. Pay attention to the road and watch for areas of spills, sand, water, or foreign items. We have all seen boards, wood pieces, and even furniture on the road. Can you imagine hitting such an object with a motorcycle? Likewise, watch for such items being hit by another vehicle and becoming airborne. Never ride your motorcycle in rain, sleet, or snow. The risk is too great.

Operating a motorcycle is a great way to spend your leisure time. It is also a very cost effective way of commuting to and from work. Operating a motorcycle is also a responsibility that shouldn’t be taken lightly. You need to be more assertive and observant of your surroundings on a motorcycle than you do when operating a car. Make sure you have plenty of experience on how your motorcycle functions before you attempt to ride it in a location where there are other vehicles.

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People may be surprised to know that the idea of electric and hybrid vehicles have been present even before the gasoline engine was invented. A lot of people with their brilliant ideas revolutionized modern transportation as it is today. With the rise of health-threatening pollutants, new age electric and hybrid vehicles are truly becoming a reality.

When Electric Cars Ruled the World

Robert Anderson from Scotland created the first electric carriage during the 1830s. Professor Stratingh of Groningen from Holland designed a simple electric car. Christopher Becker was Stratingh’s assistant who built the model in 1835. In 1842, Thomas Davenport from the United States and Robert Davidson from Scotland built more advanced electric vehicles with the use of non-rechargeable electric cells. Gaston Plante from France improved the storage battery and created a better model in 1865. Sixteen years later, Camille Faure continued to improve the storage battery.

During the late 1800s, several European nations like Great Britain and France began the spread of electric vehicles while constantly innovating for better design and performance. Electric cars did not need gear changes. The United States followed with the creation of electric tricycles. At the turn of the century, electric cars were selling better compared to their gasoline engine counterparts due to less vibration, noise and pollutants. In 1916, Woods invented the first hybrid consisting of an electric motor and combustion engine.

The cost of electric vehicles was somewhat expensive so only the people belonging in the upper class were able to afford them. Prices would reach $2,000 to $3,000 depending on the interior and materials used. Production peak for electric vehicles were from 1910 to 1912. During the 1920s, road systems were significantly improved so people needed vehicles that traveled farther than electric cars.

The price of gasoline also decreased making it more affordable for everyone. Charles Kettering invented the electric starter for gasoline cars taking away the tedious hand crank. Henry Ford and his idea of mass production at lower costs continued to reduce the popularity of electric cars. Gasoline cars at this point were only about one-third the price of an electric vehicle.

Decline and Regrowth

From 1935 to 1960, electric vehicles were slowly fading from the scene. However, people began looking for alternative fueled vehicles in order to solve problems on pollution and the growing price of gasoline. More practical models of electric vehicles were proposed.

A number of actions were also imposed in the United States and across the globe to exert effort in improving electric vehicles. Some great works were the U.S. 1990 Clean Air Act Amendment as well as the U.S. 1992 Energy Policy Act. Other states required vehicles to have zero emission. Some of the largest automobile manufacturers as well as the U.S. Department of Energy collaborated to start making hybrids. Mileage, speed and performance were greatly enhanced in these newer models.

Recent electric and hybrid models are able to generate energy through special energy-converting systems. Hybrid models had special dual engines running on both gasoline and electricity which helped conserve a lot of fuel aside from being environmentally friendly. Sedans, SUVs and trucks were quickly built using the newly discovered technology. The method of running on electricity had various approaches but the main idea of being conservative and green was present in all models.

Hybrids: The Pollution Solution

Gasoline engines were proven to be reliable and powerful. However, the constant burning of gasoline released a variety of harmful gases like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide. These are also known as greenhouse gases which trap heat in the atmosphere instead of allowing it to go out into space. The result would be global warming wherein surface air temperatures and sub-surface temperatures in the ocean would rise.

Although there are also natural causes to global warming, vehicle emission significantly multiplies the rate spurring the creation of alternative fuel sources. Electric and hybrid vehicles have shown to be very promising in reducing the greenhouse effect. Pollution will be minimized greatly if more and more people will start relying on these newer models which do not emit any harmful gas at all. These vehicles are also very economical since there is no longer a need for crude oil which constantly is growing in price.

Most people take a considerable amount of time when buying motorcycles. They scrutinize and check everything from models to features, appearance to price and maintenance. The same care and inspection should also be done while choosing motorcycle accessories, particularly motorcycle boots.

In order to improve safety and ease of riding, every biker must have a pair of reliable and dependable motorcycle boots. Wearing proper motorcycle gear, especially the boots, will make long journeys comfortable and safe.

Here are some tips that will help you find a good pair of motorcycle boots:

Boot material

Unlike driving shoes, motorcycle boots are exposed to several elements, such as mud, heat and water. Thus, it is important that you chose boots that are made of durable materials, such as leather and rubber soles. You can also opt for boots that are water resistant so that you won’t be bothered by splashes of water when you are riding your bike.

Design

Motorcycle boots come in different colors and designs to fit your mood and lifestyle. However, it is wise to choose a design that’s not only based on appearance, but also durability and safety features.

It is important to select a pair of boots that provide ankle coverage to not guard your ankles but also to help your feet handle different bike maneuvers, such as sliding, tipping over, etc. It’s also advisable to look for boots with upper-part shell protection.

Aside from the upper design, you should also pay attention to the sole design. Ensure that the boots you are going to buy provide very good grip both while using the bike or for walking. Remember that your feet are exposed to oil, water and mud while on the road.

You should also pay particular attention to the foot design of your boots. Ensure that your motorcycle boots provide a good grip of you heel and ankle to prevent unnecessary accidents. Also look for a shifter pad, even if your bike has a heel shift. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Lastly, look for a design that doesn’t have trimmings or laces that could get trapped on shift levers or other parts of the motorcycle.

Ventilation

Look for motorcycle boots that let your feet breathe. Just imagine how your feet might feel when they are next to the engine? High quality leather materials provide good ventilation.

The foot is one part of the body that carries all the weight and brunt of motorcycle riding. Thus, it is imperative that we buy a good pair of motorcycle boots that will help protect our feet.

Ever since the first suburbs were built, the garage

became a measure of the financial prosperity of a

family. At first there was one, then two, but now four

garages are becoming the newest form of decadence in

home building. A real estate agent would say that

people have a log of gear and items these days so there

is a huge demand for a place to store them. These

garages, in some instances, may be larger than many apartments,

housing more cars than ever. The third and maybe

fourth family car is a necessity for families where kids

stay home longer and the restrictions on street parking

are one of the factors that point towards building larger

garages.

Moreover, every man has his love for the “toys”

such as boats, jet skis, motorcycles, bikes, power tools

and workbenches and these “toys” need storage. A

look into a three or four car garage may reveal tools,

bikes, sporting gear, a workshop and a 25-foot boat.

This visual degradation of the suburban landscape is an

aspect of materialism that won’t stop turning any time

soon.

Not everybody likes this trend. Some home builders

spend the extra time and money on architectural plans

that can split these huge expanses of square footage into

opposite sides of the house. A problem that appears

here is the problem of the house’s design after this

transformation. The most aesthetical are the back-

loading garages but they require the use of the backyard

space for turning radiuses. Side-loading garages need

wider home sites but can make the front of the house

look enormous. With the current rising costs for

land, in many areas this is not feasible in the long run.

This is a sign of a mega-materialism, that is: if one is

good five is better so more and more people understand

only one thing: that a garage is not good unless it is as

big as a basketball court.

When will it stop?

Are we going to have the house attached to a garage ten

times bigger than the house? Maybe it would be better

for everyone to think twice before making such a commitment

when buying a house attached to the garage. Maybe it

would be better if people would care about the simpler

and more basic things in life than owning a four car

garage.

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Most of us have ridden on a motorcycle at one time or another. The idea for their design came from the development of the bicycle. I guess people were looking for a faster way to move their bicycle along, or perhaps one that wasn’t as physically exerting for them. The first motorcycle every made is credited to Gottllieb Daimler in 1885. This gas powered motorcycle was basically a gas engine attached to a standard bicycle. However, Gottllieb decided not to pursue making motorcycles and choose instead to focus on manufacturing cars.

During this time period, many other individuals were also tinkering with the motorcycle concept. A couple of the men behind this experimenting were William Harley and Arthur Davidson. You guessed it, the dynamic duo behind the amazing line of Harley-Davidson motorcycles that have become popular all around the world since 1903.

People were very interested in this convenient mode of transportation because it was very economical. The public loved the idea of motorized transportation, but cars were still more expensive than most people could afford. However, some people soon realized that they would need to purchase a car instead of a motorcycle in order to transport their entire family.

A few of these motorcycle pioneers were able to successfully establish companies such as Harley-Davidson. However, many never had the money to start the venture properly and make it prosperous. Others left to go fight in the war and still others went bankrupt trying to market their motorcycle ideas during the Depression.

One downfall to motorcycles in the 1950’s is that you had to have a great understanding of mechanics to be able to operate one. The American bike manufacturers didn’t pursue making advances in that department until they started facing competition from Japan. They developed the electric start system that motorcycles offer today. This important feature allowed motorcycles to transform from small mopeds and scooters to powerful machines.

American motorcycle manufacturers did not see Japanese bikes as a threat, but this was as serious miscalculation on their part. It didn’t take long for American manufacturers to realize that they were losing consumers to the Japanese market. This lead to the introduction of many new models to prevent them from losing more of the market. Baby boomers continued to purchase Japanese bikes as they offered more power and were sold at an excellent price.

Motorcycles have certainly changes since their introduction. Today, the market is saturated with brand names that are well known in the motorcycle industry. Each one offers a variety of models to choose from as well as unique styles and designs. Regardless of the type of motorcycle you are interested in, you are sure to find one with the features and power you are looking for.

As the top motorcycle manufacturers continue to strive to come up with models that will please the consumer while out shining their competitors, you will have even more choices. As technology advances you will find faster, more durable, and less expensive motorcycle options on the market. Harley-Davidson continues to be in the top position, selling more motorcycles than any other manufacturer. In fact, the majority of their bikes are sold before they even leave the factory. While they remain one of the most expensive motorcycle producers, consumers are willing to pay for the quality and the power behind them.

When it comes to the motorcycle industry, consumers have come to learn that quality and reliability are more important than saving a few dollars along the way. A motorcycle is generally a large investment, and consumers want to be happy with the product they choose. The issue of brand name loyalty also comes into play with motorcycles. Since each manufacturer now offers a full line of different models and types of motorcycles, there is no reason why you can’t purchase both the brand and the style you are looking for.

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