All About Motorcycles

The 2008 Ducati 1098S is a thing of beauty. From Italy, the land of Ferrari and Lamborghini, comes the fastest v-twin superbike in production today, the Ducati 1098S. The 1098S is the result of when form and function blend together in a truly artistic and powerful way. The 1098S was developed after years of superbike racing and thousands of miles of on-road testing. Right out of the box it’s hard to find a better all-around motorcycle for the streets and highways wherever you might ride.

The Ducati 1098S features the Testastretta Evolucione engine, a fuel injected, two cylinder, 4-stroke motor that produces a whopping 160 horsepower @ 9750 rpm, and 90.4 foot pounds of torque @ 8000 rpm, it’s a smooth sounding wicked motor with power to burn. This motorcycle is put together so well and my hat is off to Ducati. Producing such a masterpiece is no small feat of engineering, and wrapping that slick body around such a monster of a motor just plain worked so well. In my humble opinion i can’t find a more elegant and handsome motorcycle in production today. Ducati is a legend in superbike racing, and taking from the Ducati racing ventures, this model is ready for the track the first second you put your hands on it!

The Ducati 1098S feature a six-speed transmission linked by chain to the tire and an aluminum Ohlins rear suspension holding a 6 inch rear tire to the pavement. The front brakes are a 4-piston, 13 inch disc design while the rear has two calipers and a 9.7 inch disc. The rear rebound damping is adjustable along with the shock as well as the front suspension. If you get a chance to ride one go after it, this ride will blow you away!

Visit the Ducati 1098S page on http://www.verticalriders.com for this awesome motorcycle. Also http://www.verticalriders.com features the fastest motorcycles in production for 2008, and awesome motorcycle videos. The Suzuki Hayabusa, Kawasaki ZX-14, Harley-Davidson VRSCDX, and Buell 1125R are some of the great bikes on this website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Geu

The 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10, also called the Ninja ZX-10R, is all about performance, on the streets, or tearing up the track. The 2008 Ninja ZX-10R was born on the track, and the results were painstakingly transferred to the street-legal version, in this all-around fantastic version of a 1000CC sportbike! Not a lot of motorcycles can be taken on day one of ownership and deliver this amount of pure excitement, but the ZX-10R truly does!

Kawasaki, and their engineers, have employed a liquid cooled, 998CC, Dual Overhead Camshaft engine, with four valves per cylinder, that pushes out 83.2 foot-pounds of torque at 8,700 rpm. Weight was dropped from the engine by cutting channels in the crankcase, eliminating oil lines, and also adding a lighter crankshaft. Kawasaki added new secondary fuel injectors that helped to add top-end performance, along with reshaping the intake and exhaust ports. Kawasaki has always been a leader in ram-air induction, and this model has an even better system now due to re-shaping the velocity stacks and intake duct, which improves the flow of the air to the engine.

The dual front brakes have semi-floating 310mm discs, with dual four-piston radial mounted calipers. The rear brakes have a single 220mm disc with a single-piston aluminum caliper. The chassis is a twin-spar frame that has been re-designed to make it stronger around the swingarm pivot, and the swingarm has been re-designed with a top-mounted stabilizer to improve stability at high speeds.

The 2008 ZX-10R Ninja is a world-class motorcycle with a legendary history of racing success. Kawasaki did not forget their history with Kawasaki’s legendary green color, a must for the Kawasaki rider! Either on the street or track, this bike will blow you away!

Visit http://www.verticalriders.com for more 2008 motorcycle models and awesome motorcycle videos!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Geu

When most people think of a Harley-Davidson the first image that comes to their mind is a loud, grumbling, large motorcycle, traveling with 1500 of their drinking buddies dressed in black with large beards following along. The 2008 Harley-Davidson VRSCDX Night Rod is the Harley that shatters the image. Dressed in black, and the motorcycle Dracula would most likely ride, the VRSCDX Night Rod is one bad-ass ride. Made in the U.S., the Night Rod is being produced for riders who want a little more excitement from their ride. Not lacking the grumbling of the Harley-Davidson, it’s actually a really wild sounding bike, and like it’s riders, it will announce it’s prescence with authority.

Harley-Davidson jumped into the performance market in 2002 with the VROD and drools came from the motorcycle community. The VROD is a forward thinking, newly designed model born from a blank slate, with nothing borrowed from past years styles.

You have to give Harley-Davidson a lot of credit for not sticking with the same old styles that have worked well for them through the years. For this company to grow with the market, they needed to produce a model that went against the grain, and the VROD was a slam-dunk for them. Harley offered a model that was as sporty as they came and took away some of the market from the imports, and still left their American market happy that they could buy a domestic motorcycle with serious performance!

The 2008 Harley-Davidson VRSCDX, Night Rod, has a 1250CC motor that produces 125 horsepower at 62 RPM and 85 foot pounds of torque at 7000 RPM. The engine is liquid cooled and the brakes are 4-piston front and back. The VROD is already a legend in the Harley lineup and will be for years to come.

Visit http://www.verticalriders.com for 2008 Motorcycle Models and awesome Motorcycle Videos!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Geu

The 2008 Yamaha YZF-R1 is here! Born from MotoGP technology Yamaha claims the YZF-R1 is ” the most advanced open-class motorcycle ever built.” I must admit the R1 is one awesome looking motorcycle. The R1 has a liquid cooled 998cc in-line four cylinder powerplant, making more power than the previous versions. Yamaha also claims the 2008 R1 “is the most powerful, tractable R1 powerplant ever, thanks partially due to the worlds first electronic variable-length intake funnel system”. The throttle system is also cutting-edge due to Yamaha’s Chip Control Throttle, featuring a 32-bit ECU fuel injection system that adjusts the funnel length between 65 and 140mm for a smoother powerband.

As soon as you pick this motorcycle up you can rest assured you have an awesome streetbike that is ready for the track whenever you decide to run it. Technology runs rampant is this bike, and help from MotoGp technology will blast adrenaline through your soul! This bike has a 4.75 gallon, two-piece fuel tank, fuel in the back, and an airbox for the ram-air system in the front. The motor features fuel-injection, 12.7 to 1 compression, with dual overhead camshafts, and four valves per cylinder including titanium intakes. The transmission has a 6 speed gearbox with a #530 chain turning the rear tire. The front suspension is a fully adjustable, 43mm, KYB inverted telescopic front fork design, while the rear is an adjustable twist-style spring preload, with low and high-speed compression adjustability.

The front fairing is striking as well as functional. The large ram-air scoops bring power-producing air into the engine, and the design is aerodynamic for high-speed riding. Overall the 2008 YZF-R1 is a stylish cutting-edge motorcycle.

Visit http://www.verticalriders.com for more 2008 motorcycle models and awesome motorcycle videos!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Geu

The 2008 Honda CBR1000RR, known as the Fireblade, is a legend in Honda’s lineup of sportbikes, and the flagship of the company. The Fireblade was introduced in 2004 to replace the Honda CBR954RR and has carved it’s niche in the sportbike industry since. The 2008 CBR1000RR has had a major update from the 2007 model.

Honda shaved weight from every imaginable part and is now moving forward to contend with other models in the sportbike industry. The liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder has 999CC’s with lightweight titanium intake valves, dual overhead camshafts, 16 valves per cylinder, with 12.3 to 1 compression. The ram-air induction opens and closes for performance when the rpm’s and throttle are at optimal levels. Borrowing from MotoGP technology, the hollow twin-spar aluminum frame is die-casted and lightweight, while still remaining strong and durable.

Honda offers a nice range of colors for the CBR1000RR, including a Black/Mettalic Gray that is offered on only 500 bikes. The suspension is every nice featuring a 43mm inverted HMAS cartridge fork with spring preload that is fully adjustable in the front, and a Pro-Link HMAS single shock with spring pre-load design, with rebound and compression damping in the rear. The front brakes have a 320mm floating disc and 4 calipers, and the rear have a large 220mm disc with a single piston, stopping this beast on a dime. The gas tank is fit lower in the frame and is central in the bike to help to lower the center of gravity for better overall handling.

The 2008 model is designed for the rider, allowing the rider to sit a little bit forward and the controls now are at a higher level, providing a more comfortable experience during the ride. Overall the 2008 Honda CBR1000RR is much improved from previous versions.

Visit http://www.verticalriders.com for more 2008 motorcycle models and awesome motorcycle videos!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Geu

The 2008 Yamaha YZF-R1 is here! Born from MotoGP technology Yamaha claims the YZF-R1 is ” the most advanced open-class motorcycle ever built.” I must admit the R1 is one awesome looking motorcycle. The R1 has a liquid cooled 998cc in-line four cylinder powerplant, making more power than the previous versions. Yamaha also claims the 2008 R1 “is the most powerful, tractable R1 powerplant ever, thanks partially due to the worlds first electronic variable-length intake funnel system”. The throttle system is also cutting-edge due to Yamaha’s Chip Control Throttle, featuring a 32-bit ECU fuel injection system that adjusts the funnel length between 65 and 140mm for a smoother powerband.

As soon as you pick this motorcycle up you can rest assured you have an awesome streetbike that is ready for the track whenever you decide to run it. Technology runs rampant is this bike, and help from MotoGp technology will blast adrenaline through your soul! This bike has a 4.75 gallon, two-piece fuel tank, fuel in the back, and an airbox for the ram-air system in the front. The motor features fuel-injection, 12.7 to 1 compression, with dual overhead camshafts, and four valves per cylinder including titanium intakes. The transmission has a 6 speed gearbox with a #530 chain turning the rear tire. The front suspension is a fully adjustable, 43mm, KYB inverted telescopic front fork design, while the rear is an adjustable twist-style spring preload, with low and high-speed compression adjustability.

The front fairing is striking as well as functional. The large ram-air scoops bring power-producing air into the engine, and the design is aerodynamic for high-speed riding. Overall the 2008 YZF-R1 is a stylish cutting-edge motorcycle.

Visit http://www.verticalriders.com for more 2008 motorcycle models and awesome motorcycle videos!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Geu

When most people think of a Harley-Davidson the first image that comes to their mind is a loud, grumbling, large motorcycle, traveling with 1500 of their drinking buddies dressed in black with large beards following along. The 2008 Harley-Davidson VRSCDX Night Rod is the Harley that shatters the image. Dressed in black, and the motorcycle Dracula would most likely ride, the VRSCDX Night Rod is one bad-ass ride. Made in the U.S., the Night Rod is being produced for riders who want a little more excitement from their ride. Not lacking the grumbling of the Harley-Davidson, it’s actually a really wild sounding bike, and like it’s riders, it will announce it’s prescence with authority.

Harley-Davidson jumped into the performance market in 2002 with the VROD and drools came from the motorcycle community. The VROD is a forward thinking, newly designed model born from a blank slate, with nothing borrowed from past years styles.

You have to give Harley-Davidson a lot of credit for not sticking with the same old styles that have worked well for them through the years. For this company to grow with the market, they needed to produce a model that went against the grain, and the VROD was a slam-dunk for them. Harley offered a model that was as sporty as they came and took away some of the market from the imports, and still left their American market happy that they could buy a domestic motorcycle with serious performance!

The 2008 Harley-Davidson VRSCDX, Night Rod, has a 1250CC motor that produces 125 horsepower at 62 RPM and 85 foot pounds of torque at 7000 RPM. The engine is liquid cooled and the brakes are 4-piston front and back. The VROD is already a legend in the Harley lineup and will be for years to come.

Visit http://www.verticalriders.com for 2008 Motorcycle Models and awesome Motorcycle Videos!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Geu

The infamous James Dean in the long-gone wildcard of a movie – Rebel without a Cause – could well be attributed with making the riding of a motorcycle a statement instead of a mere form of efficient transportation for the masses. Nothing comes closer to these two-wheelers when questions of fuel efficiency are coupled with the need to cover distances at speed comes into play. An automobile would be a more comfortable mode of traveling, and you are cocooned from the rigors of the ever changing weather patterns, but nothing says carefree cruising at maybe half the cost than a motorcycle.

For Americans, Harley Davidson motorcycles are the one and only brand for any serious two-wheel enthusiasts who’s thinking of getting one for, say a cross state sojourn. No other brands comes close to the image of a grand cruising machine that the motorcycles from the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, manufacturer. Japanese motorcycles might just be cheaper, and sips gas instead of drinking them by the glasses, but they are looked at as mere imitation when compared to the real item; Harley Davidson.

Designed with the specific need for cruising the highways and covering great distances, the century old motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson Motor Company focuses mainly on the heavyweight class with engine capacities of 750 cc and above. When you talk about Harleys – as these motorcycles are fondly called – there is evidence a fierce and somewhat fanatical brand loyalty for the brand. Nothing else comes close for its millions of fans.

The main draw for Harleys are not just for its superb cruising abilities, but also the high level of personalization which its manufacturer adopt in making the two wheel machines. There is almost a well accepted tradition among Harley Davidson fans that you are supposed to customize the machine so that it becomes uniquely yours and no one else’s. Their designs are mostly retrogressive in outlook, but at the same time, these will stand the test of time and do not aged as easily as the more modern, futuristic designs, especially from Japanese manufacturers.

Even if you were to purchase your Harley after scouring the used motorcycles for sale column in either the local newspapers or through the internet, you would still be able to customize it to the point that it would be able to hide its age from your motorcycle gang. What’s important however is the exhaust note emitted from the single, dual or even quadruple pipes from it huge engine. Without a doubt, the deep burble of a Harley is a clear signal to its rip roaring capabilities available for their riders to tap into.

It’s all American bruiser-cruiser, retro-styling, but Harley Davidson has managed to keep its mechanical facet of the motorcycle up to date when compared to its competitors. There is nothing retro of the engine, exhaust, brakes, suspension and electronics as they are continually updated and improved. What its manufacturer makes sure of, however, is that it retain the highly lovable image of the yesterday with every model upgrade that it comes out with. Unlike, say BMW motorcycles – one of Harley Davidson’s many competitors – Harleys exists not to further its technological advantage but to spur its all-American image instead.

There are many models to choose from when it comes to buying a Harley Davidson motorcycle. A firm favorite is the “Fat Boy” which Harley Davidson introduced way back in the 1990s; there is the Sportster range which comes with engines of 1,000 cc and above, the Dyna models, which comes with big-twin engine but small-diameter telescopic forks, which differentiates it from its older brother as well as the Revolution models, which are mostly street-going versions of Harleys.

Speak the name Harley Davidson, and invariably the image of mean machines with leather pouches, long telescopic forks, huge exhausts and whole gangs of motorcyclists on a continent-crossing journey would probably come to mind for many, and true enough, they would not be far from the truth. For a manufacturer which has seen two devastating world war and stiff competition from competitors that produces far modern-looking machines every second quarter or so, Harley Davidson is a firm favorite among the enthusiasts and not looking at throwing away its title anytime soon.

Hamm Morgan is not only an auto enthusiast but also enjoys motorsports including ATV riding, motorcycles and snowmobiles.

Get more information regarding used motorcycles for sale.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hamm_K_Morgan

Beginners guide to painting hotrod flames.

Material and Supplies

3/4 inch masking tape

Fine line 1/8 tape

600 and 1500 grit waterproof sandpaper

x-acto knife

orange and red paint for the flames

pre-cleaner

paint spray gun

airbrush

clearcoat

multi speed polisher

buffing compound

Flames or any other graphics should be painted on top of a clear coated base. Along with giving the overall paint job more depth, applying the artwork on top of the clear coat makes it possible to remove artwork with a rag and some thinner if you make a mistake.

Step 1:

With your 600 grit paper, thoroughly wet sand the clear coat on the surface you’re about to paint.

Step 2:

With your fine line tape, lay out the shape of your flames, working from left to right. Push and pull the fine line tape into position with both hands working in unison. Pay close attention to the balance of the area to be painted, and the background (that will be masked). If it seems tricky, don’t sweat it…you’ll get the hang of it with a little practice.

Step 3:

After you’ve got the flames laid out with the fine line tape, burnish it down nice and tight to prevent the paint from creeping under the edge during painting. This is especially critical on the overlapping ends.

Once the fineline tape burnished down nice and snug, mask off the negative (background) areas with your 3/4 masking tape, carefully butting it against the edge of the fineline tape. Be careful not to leave any gaps between the masking tape and the fineline.

Step 4:

With the flames carefully laid out and masked, it’s now time to spray some color.

Mix up some orange or yellow paint, and load it in your touch up gun. Apply a couple of thin even coats, just enough to cover. After the base color for your flames have dried, load up your airbrush and add some red highlights to the tips and outer edges of the flames.

Step 5:

After the paint has dried, gently remove the masking tape by pulling it at a low angle away from the fine line tape. Now remove the fineline tape using the same procedure. Take care not to peel up the edges of the fresh paint.

Step 6:

Clean off any residue left by the masking tape with a clean soft rag and some pre-cleaner product.

Step 7:

Time now to bury your flames under some clear. Apply as many coats of clear needed so that the edges of the flames can’t be felt when you rub your hand over it (when it’s dry of course). If you can feel the edges of the flames through the clear, you’ll need to spray another round or two.

Step 8:

Once the clear has dried, wet sand it flat with 600 grit. Soon after you start sanding you’ll notice ripples starting to appear in the clear. You’ll know you’re finished when the ripples disappear and the surface is nice and flat. After your finished with the 600 grit, wet sand it once more with 1500 or 2000 grit. At this point the clear will look hazy from wet sanding. Don’t worry, that will all change after the next and final step.

Step 8:

The final step is to buff the clear coat to a mirror shine, using a multi speed polisher. Attach a foam buffing pad to the polisher, then load it up with some polishing compound. There are many different brands of polishing compounds on the market, your local auto body supply store will be able to recommend a good one. Keep the buffer moving back and forth letting the weight of the buffer do the work. Do not stay in one spot to long or you’ll burn through the clear. Keep buffing until you’ve got a mirror-like finish.

For a complete guide to custom paint and graphics got to http://www.torkypig.com/paint

Visit Torkypig.com for more motorcycle and custom chopper tutorials http://www.torkypig.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Gibson

There are many types of motorcycles, with each class having distinct differences. Here are the basics of the different types of motorcycle classes.

Cruisers and Choppers

A cruiser is a type of motorcycle where the rider has a straighter position while sitting and the feet are always in a forward position on the bike, meaning they are resting up or in front of the rider. Where for example on a bicycle, for instance, your feet are below where you are sitting.

Cruisers are said to be more comfortable for riding long distances. Cruisers tend to be the most widely customized motorcycles and as such are sometimes referred to as “custom motorcycles”. These custom cruisers, also called “choppers”, which comes from a reference to the frame being chopped by having the front fork extended. The chopper was the type of motorcycle that Henry Fonda and Dennis Hopper rode in the 1960’s movie Easy Rider. A cruiser or chopper is also the most popular class of motorcycle for the serious biker and you’ll find a majority of bikers riding them at motorcycle conventions, expos, rallies and other events, as they give off the classic “cool” biker look. The leading maker of this type of bike is Harley Davidson.

Touring Bikes

Touring bikes are another major type of motorcycle. Touring bikes differ from cruisers and choppers in that they are geared towards riders who wish to travel frequently or have commutes. Typically, a touring bike has a large wind screen above the handlebar area. A touring bike will also typically have a larger fuel tank to allow for less frequent stops during travel. The seats and seating position are also optimized for long rides, with more overall comfort and better positioning. Some types of touring bikes may also have luggage and storage options including hard case saddlebags and storage on the rear end of the bike.

Other types of touring bikes offer amenities that you’d find on cars, including heated seats, stereo systems, GPS and even air conditioning. Safety devices such as air bags have also been included in some touring bike models. Other types of touring bikes are optimized for off road travel, and include higher ground clearance and extra shielding for protection from off road hazards. A good example of this type of bike is the police bikes that were used on the TV show “Chips”. Honda, BMW and Yamaha are some of the leading makers of touring bikes.

Sport Bikes

Sport bikes are much less geared towards comfort than to optimizing the overall performance of the bike. The speed and acceleration are foremost a priority for sport bike enthusiasts. To accommodate this, sport bikes typically offer features like wider tires, lightweight frames and technologically advanced braking, which all sit on a high performance engine. Sport bikes are also much more aerodynamically designed to lessen wind drag and maximize speed, so you’ll see very sleek, smooth and often colorful designs. There are also different types of sport bikes, with small sport bikes offering engines from 100 cc to 150 cc, all the way up to what’s known as hyper sport bikes, with engines ranging from 1000 cc all the way up to an astounding 1400 cc. Japanese makers lead the pack when it comes to sport bikes, with makers like Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha being at the forefront.

Lydia Quinn writes for PhatSportShades, a leading performance eyewear provider, offering motorcycle goggles and motorcycle sunglasses. Visit us at: http://www.phatsportshades.com/

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