Ju Ju Ju

Wow, Victory motorcycles pulled out an “end-run” attack on us this year. First the much awaited Victory Hammer motorcycle was released. These Victory Hammers were quickly sold. That fat rear tire and dragster cool looks made the Victory Hammer irresistable to the V-Twin cruiser shopper. Ok, while we are still in the afterglow of the Victory Hammer and trying to figure how we are going to go about asking the wife to let us buy one to add to the stable, Victory motorcycle perform the end-run sneak attack on us by announcing the Victory Vegas Jackpot for 2006.

STRAIGHT FROM THE AMERICAN HEARTLAND. THE HEART OF VICTORY.

Victory’s a heart that will speak to your soul. Born and bred in Osceola, Wisconsin, Victory’s Freedom 100/6 V-Twin engine with 100 cubic inches, six-speed overdrive transmission, extraordinary quality and remarkable reliability delivers power and torque in spades - and vows to do so for years to come. This fuel-injected, four-valves-per-cylinder, overhead-cam V-Twin is built to move. Fast. And Victory is the only major V-Twin manufacturer to offer a six-speed transmission, standard on most models. So you can cruise comfortably at highway speeds at lower RPMs - all without sacrificing the torque so essential to passing.

Enhancing the freedom engine for 2006 has been a labor of love. And lust. The frame-mounted, counterbalanced, 50 degree V-Twin allows you to feel the horsepower without experiencing unwanted engine vibration. It’s air and oil cooled and features a silent chain-driven oil pump to reduce engine noise. Our engineers have also designed a helical-cut primary drive to reduce engine and gear whine. And that’s just the beginning of this engine to end all engines. Ride one and feel for yourself.

I mean seriosusly, this is too good to be true. in a time when all you see is Harley Davidson motorcycles on the road. Which is boring, everyone owns the same bike. Motorcycling is all about being unique and to be noticed. Hard to do when everyone and their mother owns a Harley. Yawn. This is where Victory comes in. Their Victory Vegas Jackpot slogan says it all.

“IF YOU DONT GET NOTICED ON IT, YOU AINT ON IT!”

The research and marketing team at Victory are showing us that they are serious contenders for the popular V-twin cruiser market. Also with the Victory Hammer and vegas motorcycles being 85% American made, that is something to be proud of. Harley Davidson is approxiamtely 65% American made.

Forget everything you’ve ever thought about factory-produced bikes. The Victory Vegas Jackpot is here - the bolder, in-your-face, devil-may-care cousin of the Vegas®. Behold its wicked-fat 250 mm rear tire - custom-designed for maximum handling specifically for Victory by Dunlop®. Its fuel-injected, counterbalanced, torque-laden 100/6 Freedom V-Twin. Its outrageous graphics, super-low 25.7″ seat height and color-matched frame shimmering under six layers of clear coat. Behold the Jackpot. Proof positive the New American Motorcycle has arrived and is here to stay. With all the features and beauty of a custom, backed by the quality, performance and unrivaled reliability of Victory - a major new force in American motorcycle manufacturing.

The photo of the 2006 Victory Vegas Jackpot shows how serious you can make this bike. With the custom-order program, you can make this bike totally unique. No more cookie-cutter motorcycles. As the saying goes, “Shared passion, individual style.” Just look at the sweet paint job on the Victory Jackpot. Very nice and unique looking. The headlight bucket design is a break from the norm of the other Victory models like the Kingpin and stock Vegas motorcycle. If you can get past the incredible look of this bike, you now get blown away by the 100 cubic inch 6-speed Freedom V-twin powerhouse.

With the Victory Hammer and Victory Vegas Jackpot models flying off the showroom floors, we are experiencing a new revolution in American-made motorcycles. In speaking with several Victory motorcycle dealers, the majority of Vicotry Vegas and Hammer buyers are current Harley Davidson riders. Harley Davidson had flooded the market and overproduced their anniversary model. This has decreased the resale value of these bikes and pretty much makes them a big snooze. since everyone owns one. Having said this, get down to your local Victory delaer, and get on the list to get the Victory Vegas Jackpot. You will not be disappointed.

Contributing author to Cycle Solutions =>http://www.cyclesolutions.net

What an innovative, practical thing a folding mountain bike is! If space is an issue and leaves your regular bike out in the cold, one of these bikes will be your solution.

There are many versions of the folding mountain bike. They vary from heavier and less portable, to lightweight and tough. Transporting them in buses, trains, or airplanes, is easy. At your destination, you have your means of transportation at your beck and call.

The Hummer is a state of the art folding mountain bike, manufactured by Montague. This is the world’s leading manufacturer of folding bikes. It is modeled on a line of full sized folding bikes originally designed for the U.S. Marines as a military bike for tactical use.

The Hummer has full size wheels and knobby tires, usable on any terrain. To fold the Hummer takes under 30 seconds, and involves no tools. This mountain bike folding system is a patented military design.

The Hummer bikes are strong, durable, light, and tough. It is rumored that they have been made to be dropped from a plane, without sustaining damage! You know that a Hummer folding mountain bike is sturdy, when it boasts extensive testing by the Marines.

Other pluses to the Hummer include Shimano precision index shifters for a quick gear change, front suspension with a front disk brake, and 24-speed Shimano drive train. The folding size is 36″ x 28″ x 12″.

Another folding mountain bike in the Montague stable, is the Paratrooper Mountain Bike. This rugged rider unfolds without the need for tools. The use of standard mountain bike wheels and components, simplifies maintenance. Jumping obstacles is fun for this soldier! It has superb braking power.

The innovative engineering behind any Montague folding mountain bike, ensures structural integrity and strength. The Paratrooper folds in less than thirty seconds.

Montague doesn’t stop at their unique folding mountain bikes. A range of accessories add to the pleasure of using a Paratrooper or Hummer bike. A soft carrying case, made of 420 Denier nylon, protects your bike while in transit. When you are in a really tight squeeze, folding pedals which reduce the width of the bike, are available.

The folding features of the Montague folding mountain bike, allows for the optional use of a steel kickstand. For extra protection, a hard case has now been added for airline travel. This case allows your folding mountain bike to travel as luggage, leaving your hands free.

In another class altogether are the Bike Fridays. These would probably be classified as collapsible, rather than folding, but has a complicated and slow mechanism for assembling and disassembling. They are nevertheless a line of excellent quality folding mountain bikes, comparable to custom bikes.

Another folding mountain bike is the Airnimal Rhino which is Airnimal’s first official off-roader. It has 20″ wheels, and front and rear suspension as efficient on city potholes and kerbs, as on rough off-road terrain.

A completely new approach to folding mountain bikes, is apparent in the Giatex Stretching Bike. Its steering column folds down, but the frame doesn’t fold in the middle. Instead, it has a large stainless steel bar, along which the back part of the bike slides. The resulting length is about 37 inches. If the front wheel is removed, this can be reduced to 30″. The Giatex has good components and rides well, with lightweight portability.

The Giatex also features a 6 speed Shimano rear derailleur, which is considerably more useful than the 3 speed gear inside the rear hub of most other 16″ bikes. The gearing isn’t aimed at speed, as much as at making the bike easy to ride.

A folding mountain bike may not be sturdy enough for serious bikers, or on very rough terrain, but it has its place and sure comes in handy at the most unexpected time.

If you’ll excuse me, I’ll now bag my bike and be off…

For more information visit Best-Mountain-Biking.com

Rika Susan of Article-Alert.com researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web.

Copyright of this article: 2006 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.

How do you make your Harley Davidson look and feel like an extension of yourself!

Do you think maybe it’s time to do a little customizing for that old girl of yours? Ask yourself this first.

Why do we customize and add accessories to our Harley?

Well, for me it’s simple!

We want to stand out above all else! The last thing we want is to look like every Tom, Dick, and Harry out there on the road!

You may have different reasons. You may want to add an Accessory to your bike because it fits with you and your taste.

There is an element of being practical as well. If you install a nice chrome luggage rack on your back fender, or a detachable windshield, it not only looks good but it also serves a purpose. How else would you carry your tent and keep bugs out of your teeth?

Not everyone has the same taste in customizing. Thank God for that, or it sure would be boring taking a walk down on main street in Sturgis South Dakota during the 1st week of August.

Some people go overboard on customizing their bike. Overboard for someone may be a masterpiece for someone else. It all depends on who you are and what you’re about.

How do you pick out a Harley Davidson Accessory or decide on customizing?

It’s a hard question to answer.

I would suggest that you decide on what you want out of your bike. Sit back and have a look at yourself. What kind of biker are you anyway?

Are you a speed demon that likes to lay rubber on the road every now and then. Do you get a kick out of doing a little showing off at bike rallies to friends and family? Do you like to participate in show and shine contests?

If you are this person you may want to look at getting your engine rebuilt for increased horsepower. You can’t go wrong with a lot of Harley chrome either. Just when you think you have had enough of chrome, you find some more in that catalog.

Don’t worry, there is a chrome Harley Davidson motorcycle built to date.

Your style may be a little more subdued. Your main motorcycling purpose in life may be ride the road and not waste time with anything else. You would have to agree, most people still want to look good riding a Harley.

If you are this person you may only want one or two Accessories. A nice luggage bag that slips over that backrest on your bike looks good when you are on a long trip and it serves a purpose.

Every Harley Davidson owner at some time or another has thought about adding an accessory to his or her motorcycle. You rarely see a stock Harley Davidson!

Keep in mind the kind of person you are when making Harley Davidson Accessory choices. A properly customized Harley is above all else, an extension of the owner who rides it.

Keith Nivon is an avid Harley Davidson Motorcycle Enthusiast! His website contains information on all things Harley Davidson. http://www.everything-harley-davidson.com/ is a great article resource for anyone who shares his passion for Harleys. Have a look here for specific info on suppliers.
http://www.everything-harley-davidson.com/jpcycles

There has been an absolutely phenomenal growth of interest in custom chopper motorcycles over the recent years along with an increased price tag that these custom choppers are being sold at!

A really nice looking motorcycle, complete with beefed up engine, 6-speed transmission and custom paint job is way out of the reach of the average Joe. If you don’t have serious wads of cash, a benevolent granny or a clean sheet on your credit file then there is probably not much chance of getting a brand new custom chopper motorcycle out of the show room. So what can you do if you are hopelessly in love with the chopper dream and without the financial resources to back you up? Well, why not consider building your own custom chopper, based on a factory standard motorcycle and get a custom chopper kit fitted.

You can convert your Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, or Yamaha Motorcycle into a Custom Chopper in one day, using tried and tested chopper kit equipment. Make sure you use a safe and reliable system to transform your motorcycle into a custom chopper using the standard factory frame.

An approved system will actually change the steering head angle on your frame without cutting or welding. Use a patented set of triple trees, bearings, fork tubes and offset components that provide the correct geometry. It has been stated that the most important aspect of a chopper motorcycle is the trail dimension because a motorcycle that simply relies on a raked or adjustable tree cannot achieve more then 5 or 6 degrees of additional rake before the trial becomes so small that the handling becomes dangerous. A chopper kit that is a bolt-on system eliminates the guesswork by providing your chopper with the same trail as the standard factory motorcycle.

What does this actually mean to the not so mechanically minded biker? Dude, it will look great & ride totally safe. This is a very important aspect to consider. Don’t go cutting, welding or hacking away at a factory built motorcycle as this will result in a dangerous wreck and not that much wanted, cool looking, head turning dream machine you are really looking for. We all need to ride safe to keep riding!

Check out our site at http://www.customchopperforsale.com and in particular have a look at our page specifically about custom chopper kit http://www.customchopperforsale.com/ame-custom-chopper-kit.htm which also provides details about the whole installation process, in a nice and easy to understand format, complete with installation guide & pictures from a guy who totally transformed his standard factory motorcycle with a custom chopper kit.

Time for an ice-cold slap in the face! Here are a few chilling safety reminders for the winter months ahead. Not everybody has the luxury of heated grips, a nice snug faring or rider training, so keep these 8 points in mind for your extended motorcycling pleasure!

Slippery Roads

The first rains of winter fall on roads that have been coated with oil during the summer months. Wet roads offer less grip than dry roads and places you previously rode could have a sheen of oil now compromising the grip of your tyres. Look out for the rainbow like streaks along the shiny surfaces of the road.

Water Filled Pot Holes

There is an illusion created by potholes. Appearing like puddles, they conceal their depth…that is until you ride over them. Never assume a puddle is just a puddle!

White Lines

The painted surface of white lines gets extremely slippery in the rain. Avoid riding to close to the centre of the road during rain, as these markings collect a lot of fuel and dirt deposits. Add directional arrows and manhole covers to this list of snags!

Pedestrians

Be aware that pedestrians in wet weather are always not very aware, especially when running across the road to avoid getting wet! They usually keep their heads down to avoid the rain, so keep yours up to avoid them.

Speed and Corners

Just like they teach at superbike school, make sure the centrifugal forces on the bike are minimised heading into bends. Just ride a little slower, keeping those forces under control. Never sharply brake or accelerate to quickly either!

Additionally, gearing down to rapidly could cause a lockup of the back tyre where it normally wouldn’t on a dry road.

Tree Gum

Trees overhanging the road get a little over sapped during summer. In the winter rains the mixture of water and tree sap can form a slippery film, the perfect trap for the unwary motorcyclist!

Corrosion and Your Motorcycle

Corrosion during winter can be avoided by washing of the salt and road dirt causing oxidisation. Wax your alloy rims with a nice hard wax to prevent the outboard motor effect. Try putting a little grease or vaseline in areas you think should stay dry.
Remember, bike covers will actually get a little moisture underneath them, so keep your bike covered in more ways than one.

Warm Yourself

Bear in mind that cold hands and feet don’t react well. Treat yourself to a warmer kit to beat the freeze this winter.

Enjoy your Superbike, school’s out!

BikeFinder provides up-to-date photos of motorcycles for sale in the Cape Town area. Read a selection of articles, see a range of accessories and find special offers.