Automotive

All-terrain vehicle accidents are up 300% in the last five years alone. Of course sales are up 500% and this means that some people who normally drive motorcycles are now getting ATVs instead. ATVs are generally safer than motorcycles and people are injured less. Nevertheless the all-terrain vehicle accident rates are somewhat startling and have increased regulation and many counties and states.

In many places now is required that you wear a helmet on all all-terrain vehicles. This somewhat upsets farmers who use them for agricultural use and do not necessarily wish to put on a helmet to drive around the ranch. Some states do have waivers for agricultural use due to this issue.

Many in the medical profession who see these accident victims come in are glad to see that folks are required to wear helmets. But the same medical professionals also suggest that if you are going to go out and race around on an ATV that you should wear full gear. Those who raise ATVs and fall off and are run over by another ATV are often injured more because the ATVs weigh more. These are all considerations to think of if you are considering buying an ATV. Please think of this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/ Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; WorldThinkTank.net www.WorldThinkTank.net/

When I am asked what kind of customized bikes people will want to ride next year, in 5 years or in the future, I usually answer that I don′t care. When I started building custom bikes professionally 15 years ago, I made a choice that I never reneged on: to never to duplicate a one-off bike built for a client, even its color, whatever the amount of money offered to me. There is just something about each individual that sets him apart. So, since two clients will never be alike, the same should be true of their custom motorcycles. It’s what true custom builders do: they innovate for each client. Because we are a close knit community, yes we launch big new trends, choppers, bobbers or whatever. But inside each trend a true custom builder can be identified by the fact that with each new project he is able somewhat to reinvent a style, to bring new ideas mechanically & aesthetically. It’s what makes him a true custom builder.

We design and build a bike for you and only you, even if you are a corporation trying to promote itself or a charity trying to raise money for a good cause. So, why would we care about what the mass wants to ride? Custom building a motorcycle is not “one style fits all”. I must admit that it doesn’t sound very smart to try to build and grow a business by refusing to take advantage of your successes. Most of our custom motorcycle industry is making a living by selling good or bad replicas of the work of the true designers & custom builders. And the public must know that these copy machines are the ones who make the most money by knocking off in the US or in China our designs & parts.

It doesn’t mean that the true custom builder doesn’t want to be an inspiration for others, motorcycle shops, garage builders, individuals who, maybe, will want to join our sport because they love what they see on TV, in magazines and in the streets. Yes, as artists, we expect recognition & acknowledgment. But everyone should realize that what we do is for the love of it and that we just try to make a living from our passion Whatever their background, physical appearance, style of bikes, the true custom builders (you know who they are) are modern day “greasers″ identifying themselves with the “Kustom Kulture.” They are an artistic subculture that celebrates everything custom. Our love for custom motorcycles is still a mystery, even for ourselves, but it is pure love and we should be respected for such integrity.

How the industry and the public can give us more respect? By acting such a way that the true custom builders receive the just rewards of their work and may be able to continue to be creative without worrying every month about paying the rent. Show organizers: pay us to drive coast to coast to show our work. Would you make money without us? To motorcycle shops: we give you inspiration and bring you clients who would like a bike from you, but”just like this one in the magazine”. Please, pay us back by buying the parts from the original custom builder who created them? To the public at large: you pay for what you get, and although I am for free trade, you should not buy a China part when you know it’s only a copy of the one just created by this custom builder that you pretend to like so much. One way or the other, I know for sure that motorcycle design and technology will continue to advance. Whatever tomorrow’s style of bikes, custom motorcycles must remain an object of desire and affection and a pretext to new friendships. So, please, whoever he is, respect and protect your favorite custom builder.

Cyril Huze is a master custom motorcycles designer & builder, inductee in 2006 in the IMBBA Hall Of Fame, whose work has been featured worldwide on TV, videos, covers of magazines, hard cover books, calendars, etc. His customs are some of the prettiest and most acclaimed in the motorcycle industry cyrilhuze.com cyrilhuze.com He also designs and markets his own line of custom motorcycle parts sold to motorcycle dealers and direct retail all ver the world store.cyrilhuze.com store.cyrilhuze.com He is a columnist and contributor for several major magazines in the US & Europe. He is also the only celebrity of the custom motorcycle industry to publish a Blog at cyrilhuzeblog.com cyrilhuzeblog.com updated daily with news, new custom bikes & parts, tidbits about the custom motorcycle scene. His Blog is the most credible and the most read by the medias, professionals and fans of custom motorcycles all over the world.

Do you ever get lost? You know, maybe you’re looking for that friend’s new place, and you take a wrong turn and end up in the middle of nowhere. This is a rather common scenario that happens to the best of us. We all lose our way every now and again. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone stops and asks for directions. Some of us hate to stop at the random gas stations or pit stops to get that much-needed heads up on how to get to our destination.

And this is why we often carry on driving around, circling aimlessly. Oh and of course, act like we know what we’re doing. Well, fortunately these days there are simpler ways to deal with this common dilemma. Ever heard of the new car navigation systems or GPS? I′m sure everyone has by now. Probably the best thing since slice bread.

Does your vehicle have one of those car navigation systems? Although this option is rather choice on some of the newer cars, it can be a little bit on the steep side. The good news is you can buy a GPS system separately and then choose to use it whenever or wherever you like. Garmin is currently one of the top sellers of portable and car navigation systems.

I bought one from Wal-Mart for a couple hundred dollars. While this may sound expensive for some, trust me it’s a purchase you’ll be glad you made. Just last summer I had to make a trip into the heartland. Okay, maybe not everyone knows what the heartland is; therefore if you’re not privy to this vital information, the heartland is Iowa. Anyway, I decided to take my nice little GPS system on this road trip and it turned out to be a life saver.

I basically programmed the start and finish point addresses into the navigation system and it told me where to go. And when I say it told me, I mean it literally told me out loud! Many of these contemporary car navigation systems talk to you, which proves wonderful on the road. This way you don’t have to worry about having to look down to read the map half the time.

Car navigation systems run off a satellite signal and works like a charm just about anywhere on the planet. If you’re in search of a modern GPS system, then it’s imperative to look online. The Internet is loaded with car navigation systems to suit anyone’s needs. Make sure you get up to speed with a new navigation system at your side.

Ernest R. Peterson contributes his

Looking for a luxury sports utility vehicle that’s not only stylish but practical as well? The Range Rover might interest you.

The Range Rover, the luxury SUV division of popular SUV maker Land Rover, is built for your opulent comfort while providing you with the brusqueness and power of off-road vehicles. First introduced in 1970, the Range Rover was built on box section ladder type chassis and an aluminum body. It came with four-wheel drive, all-coil suspension and disc brakes. The Range Rover was powered by a 3.5 L V8 aluminum engine.

The Range Rover proved to be popular, not only in its native Britain, but also in the whole world, which saw a stylish and yet, rugged vehicle. Since its birth almost four decades ago, the Range Rover had become a symbol of capable off-road vehicles that can also dish it out on the style wars.

The Range Rover gained international recognition when it was made the vehicle of choice in the British Trans-Americas Expedition in 1972. The expedition became the first vehicle-based expedition to traverse the American continent from north to south. The especially modified Range Rovers proved to be more than capable in the expedition, especially in traversing the infamous (and roadless) Darien Gap, which had caused problems for previous expeditions.

The original Range Rover is known among enthusiasts as the “Classic”. The aluminum body was fastened using steel bolts and the poor anti-corrosion protection of the chassis caused the vehicle’s rotting after a period of time. But recent technologies, such as Waxoyling it and using stainless steel bolts, can prolong the vehicle’s service lifetime. Originally built as a gasoline-powered vehicle, the Range Rover offered diesel-powered version when customers demanded better fuel economy.

Range Rover’s second generation (“P38A” to hobbyists) came out in 1995, 25 years after the first generation debuted. It featured an updated version of the ͤ engine. The P38 became more luxurious, had a smoother and more powerful engine and improved air suspension, allowing the vehicle to raise itself to gain more traction. The chassis was fortified and new welding techniques were used. Anti-lock brakes and two-wheel traction control - later applied to all four wheels – were also included.

In 2003, a third generation Range Rover became available. It carried the BMW Ṓ engine (the Range Rover was then owned by BMW; today, it is owned by Ford). The improved Range Rovers had better ground clearance, cross-linked air springs and many other improved Range parts. A unibody design was chosen, with many design elements from the Classic.

The third generation used highly durable and lightweight aluminum all over its body, and became more spacious than previous models. Bi-Xenon headlights were used to provide a natural white light over a wide swath of roadway. The headlights also has power washers and wipers, aside from having a light sensor control that puts on and off sidelights and dipped headlights automatically.

The Range Rover’s versatility, mixing style and elegance with off-road power and strength has made it one of the most desired sport utility vehicles. Own one now and experience the Range Rover.

Beatrice Fuller wanted to become an interior designer when she was still in high school. In college, a friend introduced the world of luxury cars to her, and she has been cooking up ideas for automobile interior design for 2 years now. She has a local interior accessories shop at home. You can visit thepartsbin.com/guides/range.html Range parts for more information.

Vehicle insurance is a cost which we all have to pay if we want to drive. But you might be surprised at how varied the rates for car insurance can be especially if you are in a rural or urban area. It is important to shop around for your car insurance. Don’t just go with the first agent or broker you speak with as there can very big differences in the quotes you are given.

Now, thanks to the internet, you can shop around right from the comfort of home. Go ahead and get at least three or more price quotes from different kinds of insurance companies.

If you’re in the market for a new car, call to see how much it will cost to insure in the first place. Having a car alarm and other anti-theft devices can help lower your costs.

Always ask about discounts. Don’t be shy. Companies expect this!

What’s my cost if I have a $500 deductible? (Increasing your deductible from $200 to $500 could reduce your collision and comprehensive coverage cost by as much as 30 percent.)

How about a $1,000 deductible? Going to a $1,000 deductible can save you 40 percent or more. (Now if you don’t keep at least this much in the bank, don’t choose this option!)

If your car is worth less than 10 times the annual insurance premium, purchasing extra coverage may not be cost effective. That’s one great thing about owning an old car!

My credit rating is excellent. I always pay my bills on time.

What if we insure more than 1 car with your company?

I haven’t had an accident in more than three years…

I haven’t had a traffic ticket in three years…

I’ve taken a driver’s training course.

My car has an anti-theft device.

I don’t put a lot of mileage on my car in a year’s time.

I carpool.

My car has air bags.

My car is quipped with anti-lock brakes.
I have daytime running lights.

I’m a student driver with good grades.

Since I have both auto and home coverage with you, do I qualify for a discount?

I’m a college student away from home…

I’ve been a long time customer…

My mom and dad use your company…

Do you offer any other discounts? Some companies offer reduced rates to drivers who get insurance through a group plan from their employers and other professional groups. It can’t hurt to ask and remember to ask your employer if they have any schemes in place.

Not every company will offer the same discounts. Compare the final prices the various companies offer you. It pays to shop around for your car insurance!

Lawrence Terry operates a website dedicated to all things 4×4, ilove4×4.com ilove4×4.com
Here you will find articles, car reviews, and features on ATVs, SUVs, and a section on Trips & Touring.

The North American automobile manufacturing companies will be coming out with their quarterlies soon and many in the automaker industry as well as the consultants and analysts are saying that this is not going to be pretty. Both Ford and General Motors are expected to lose money, but how much? Are we looking at more bankruptcies like the Delphi Auto parts company, which was spun off from GM in 1999? Some analysts are already saying that there is a 30% chance of a General Motors Bankruptcy filing. But North American and United States automakers have had issues with an already growing gap of 3.5% market share against Japanese Automakers due to the consumer move to smaller and more economical vehicles.

With fuel prices at $3.00 plus per gallon most agree that we will see a similar but mild repeat of the Deming Years? Both General Motors and Ford have been offering deep discounts to counteract slumping sales, you have seen the Employee Discounts given to all customers, such discounts make a profit situation tough. Now we see bulging health care costs and the looming crisis of under funded pensions. And the Unions are not cutting any slack this time around. Many analysts are saying there will be a huge round of job cuts.

General Motors is saying it will get through this come hell or high water, but industry analysts say that the American Automakers are probably in for a lot more of both. Think on this.

“Lance Winslow” - Online WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/ Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; WorldThinkTank.net www.WorldThinkTank.net/

And now, the 2007 Best Car!

There’s more to finding the 2007 best car than a list of top cars, but we might as well start with that:

BMW 3-series

Chevrolet Corvette and Silverado

Chrysler 300

Ford Focus

Honda Accord, Fit, Odyssey, Pilot and Ridgeline

Infiniti G35 Sedan

Lexus RX330 and RX400h

Mercedes GL450

Mazda Miata MX-5 and Mazdaspeed 3

Porsche Boxster and Cayman

Subaru Outback

Toyota Avalon, Camry Hybrid, Land Cruiser, Prius and RAV4

VW GTI

Now that you’ve seen our list, what are you going to do with it? For what they’re worth, here are our additional words of wisdom—

—the year’s best car is the one you’re glad to have for as long as you own it. Anyone who’s bought or leased a car has wished they could change something about the car they bought, or get a completely different one. The root-cause of this regret is generally emotional—their salesman talked them into buying a car before they were ready, they wanted the car now, and rushed into a purchase. Etc. Etc. There are as many reasons for regretting a car purchase as there are cars, unfortunately. So we encourage car buyers to make their decision a rational one instead of an emotional one. Plan on spending three or four months researching cars, financing and insurance before you roll your sleeves up and begin to negotiate. Read a couple of books on car buying (even if you plan to lease your next car or buy a used one);

—spend plenty of time doing research. Talk to people who drive the car you’re interested in. Ask them how they like it, what they don’t like about it and what they wish they could change. Ask them any questions your research has brought up. Most people are surprisingly honest, and this objectivity can be very helpful.

You can get similar information to this online, but the person who wrote the opinions is generally difficult or impossible to contact, so it’s difficult to ask them clarifying questions or ask them for information their review didn’t mention

There are a number of good car magazines that we recommend in your research stage, but most people know about them and it seems like a waste of space to spend much time on them—but definitely read everything they have to say about the cars you’re interested in;

—don’t limit yourself to buying a car in the town or city where you live. The internet is full of people selling cars (including many dealers) who are just as reputable and trustworthy as the people with brick storefronts. A whole cottage industry has sprung up to help you get cars in other towns inspected and shipped to your home. This same thing is true with financing your car and getting insurance for it—the best car of the year, in our opinion, is one you love and one you’ve spent as little money on as possible

Good luck as you look for the 2007 best car! Keep your eye on the prize—the smell of a new car.

To request your Free Report “Buy New or Used Cars … An Introduction to the Best Cars To Buy”, click here: CarBuyingForIdiots.com CarBuyingForIdiots.com Learn how you can buy the perfect car and not get scammed. Find out how to save $1000 on your next car purchase.

The Max MicroTuner plugs-in to the port beneath your steering wheel, just within reach of your driver’s seat. There’s nothing to unbolt or tinker with, and no tools required. In just 10 short minutes, this Superchips loads its power right into your computer.

More horsepower. Added pulling torque. The ability to check and clear trouble codes. Even an improvement in gas mileage. Superchips’ team of engineers cracked the codes to unlock your vehicle’s full potential, and they put the power in your hands with the Superchips Max MicroTuner.

After that, the Superchips MicroTuner is at your command. Use the easy buttons and LCD display to crank power up or down, load the gas-saving program, or check engine codes. Superchips even makes it easy to return to stock settings…if you really want.

Put power at your fingertips—and at your pedal! Your Superchips Max MicroTuner even comes with a 1-year warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee from Superchips.

Superchips max micro tuner user comments:

“We use our truck as a towing vehicle to tow our 5th wheel camper. After making a few other modifications to our truck to increase performance and gas mileage, the only thing left to do was to use the Superchips MAX Microtuner. I′ve experimented with both the Hi-Octane Performance setting and the Hi-Octane Tow setting. In both instances, the programming was done with ease. My wife and I are VERY impressed with this product and would reocmmend it to ANYONE looking to increase gas mileage and to get the MOST out of their vehicle’s engine performance. For those looing to tow, there was a noticable difference in the engine/transmission performance (for the better!).”

“Easy to use, installed in no time, adjusted for my tire size, my speedometer is right on, and I’ve seen an increase in mileage. I also put in Volant Cold Air Intake, which seems to have helped with both power and mileage.”

“I purchased a Hypertech and was disappointed. Thanks to Autoanything, I was able to return it and purchase a Superchips microtuner. The difference is day and night. Not only was the performance better but the programmer has more options, a DTC code list, and is faster at reprogramming the computer. I have a 2001 F150 Supercrew 4×4 with shorty headers, FlowMaster, Fram Boost cold air, and an Airaid throttle body spacer.”

“My truck is a 2002 Ram 1500 quad cab 4×4 with the 4.7 magnum engine. I also have 3.55 gears in it. I bought it brand new off the lot and it had 109 miles on it then. Now the Ram 4.7 comes seriously detuned from the factory. Some folks would call this motor a ‘dog’. Well with the Superchips Tuner this motor comes to life. You instantly feel better acceleration, firmer shift points and performance. This was just with the 87 tune. I moved up to the 91 octane tune and I now have a huge grin on my face when I drive my truck. Forget a cold air intake or exhaust or new cams. The Superchips tuner should be your FIRST mod to unleash the hidden performance in the 4.7 magnum engine. This is also one of the easiest and straightforward devices to use. I can’t say enough about it but you will not be sorry if you purchase the tuner.”

All in all, your tuning options with a autoanything.com/performance-chips/10�.aspx superchips programmer will improve your vehicles’ perfromance. The autoanything.com/performance-chips/60򟇆ʊʊ.aspx superchips max micro tuner is backed up by a strong brand in autoanything.com/performance-chips/20�ʋ.aspx superchips. – Andrew Bernhardt

Don’t take of your car or truck and it will not take care of you. How important is you car. Could you get along with out it for a week? Even a day or a few hours without it can be a major inconvenience. Everyone knows that changing the oil is important. Also changing the air filter and emissions filters. But did you know your new car or truck might have other filters too? Today’s cars also have cabin filters, or pre filters. These not only filter the air coming into the car from the outside. They also filter the air already in the car. They can affect how well the heater or air conditioner work. Even the smell of the inside of your car.

What about your tires. You look right at them every time you get in your car. But how often do you check the air pressure, PSI. Did you know the the wrong air pressure can affect things like your gas mileage and handling. Catching a tire that’s low on air pressure could prevent you from having a problem on the road, like a blow out. Without tires the car is useless.

Did you know your car has computers. Except for some vintage models still on the road. Every car out there has at least one computer. Most newer cars have two, three even four different computers. These computers control things like gas mileage, engine performance and handling on the highway. But it stands to reason that the more complex something is the more the possibility it will have problems. The auto makers spend millions designing and engineering new cars. They also know there are going to be problems with some of the things they build. Most times they know what problems are going to arise. But sometimes they just have to put the car or truck out there and “see what happens”. That’s when you hear about recalls. They have to make a buck and the only way to do that is to put the cars out there where people will but them. A car that’s been out for a couple of years will have most of the bugs identified. Usually by the dealer ships and other auto repair places. The manufacturers put out what they call TSB’S or Technical Service Bulletins. These bulletins will tell you what problems you might have with your car. Some of these problems can leave you stranded on a dark highway or side road. Like Murphy says, “If it can break it will and usually at the worst time”.

There are ways you can find these things. TSB’s, recalls, maintenance updates can usually be found on the website your car manufacture has. You can also go to a local repair shop and ask them if they will check for you. Most repair shops subscribe to some sort of on-line repair information service. These have basically taken the place of repair manuals. Unless you change your own oil, you’ll be going to a dealership or repair shop any way. Just ask them if they would look for any TSB’s or recalls you haven’t heard of. This will only take them a couple of minutes and is an added value they can provide to their service. Thus making you happy and more likely to come back for your next oil change.

care-for-your-car.blogspot.com/ care-for-your-car.blogspot.com/

Darrel Volkel is an ASE (National Instuite for Automotive Excellance) certified Master Automotive Mechanic.

Auto analysts are sure painting a terrible future for General Motors, indeed the recent Delphi bankruptcy is certainly bad news, but Alfred Sloan might have some things to say about all this. After all General Motors is certainly not the tight net-centric type company today that he built back then. Instead they have adopted the “core business” theories of modern MBA academia. Alfred Sloan would have never allowed the Unions to become so un-reality based in their demands and would have never allowed the under funded pension situation to get so far out of hand.

Originally General Motors was a company of many different divisions surrounded around its military manufacturing operations. They really did not start financing all their cars until after 1923. It was then that they came up with the plan to allow financing on easy terms, “make a hit with the whole family” the ads read. Back in 1923 General Motors financed most of the cars it sold. In fact installment selling became very popular with its growing dealer networks and get this the salesmen even brought cars to you home to review. Heck, why can’t we have a little Alfred Sloan style back at General Motors?

The best example today of the once General Motors corporate structure would be the Boeing Company and General Electric of which Alfred Sloan would have smiled indeed. GM needs some work and re-grouping and perhaps a little re-inventing like following the Deming Era, but GM is not down and out by any means. Think on this.

“Lance Winslow” - Online WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/ Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; WorldThinkTank.net www.WorldThinkTank.net/