happy new readings

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

The 'Fish

We're off to Whitefish for the New Years weekend. Its always a good time and from the sounds of it there is a shit load of snow down there. There's always lots of people from the Lethbridge area down there so whether you're on the hill or drinking at the Bulldog, the Northern or the Bierstube, you're more then likely to run into someone you know. I'm heading down with a bunch of buddies and I'm hoping no one ends up in jail like before. I gotta feeling that things might get ugly though. I'll have my camera with me at all times so I'll make sure I get it all captured....well most of it, the legal stuff that is.

Here's a funny 'How to properly rock 80's gear' guide:

1980s headbands, fluoro outfits: what 80s fashion to wear on a ski holiday?

You have decided to go on an 1980s retro ski holiday, but what to wear? The 80s has such diverse fashion, so we will narrow it down to a more stable period of the decade. Imagine it is 1987 or 1988. From this picture below, which way would you dress? Left or right?

The correct answer is...

If you selected, the blue skier on the left you would probably be spotted as a big dag in the 80s or probably fairly normal in the 90s. However, the skier on right is the ultimate 80s fashion guru. So why is this?

1. Headband

The headband, like leg warmers, is another ultimate 1980s fashion item. It lasted most of the decade from Duran Duran at the start of the decade, right through to the end. This one is special because it is a replicatant of the Japanese Kamakaze head bands.

2. Cats Eye Mirror Glasses

Not just your regular mirror glasses, but these are 'Cats Eyes'. Mirror glasses were hard to wear because they were often too dark. In addition, your eyes dilated too far and often caught too much stray radiation. To solve these problems, the tinting was reduced at the center and they looked like cat's eyes.

3. Fluoro Suit

Perfect colour combination -pastels are too 'early 80s' to wear. Instead it is best to wear this yellow, red and green-ish suit. None of the colours should be too primary or dark, but this is the right combination.

What about evening wear?

After a hard day's skiing the next problem arises: what to wear with that late 80s fashion feel? Fluoro is fine on the ski fields, but it is 'so out' to wear fluoro or your ski suit at night. You will probably need to ditch the headband and sunglasses too. Since you will be skiing, it is safe to assume that it will be cold and you will need something warm. Around the world people call these woollen tops, jumpers, pullovers or sweaters. But even with so many terms, not one of them seems to probably describe these lovely garments...

Ski Bunnies...

Thanks for all the views! On December 27 I had over 500 visitors, 300 which were new to the blog. That's a new viewing record for the blog. Not that it means anything to you guys reading it, but it gives me more reason to keep doing it.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Triumph Daytona 675

2011 Triumph Daytona 675

Daytona 675. The class leading sports bike. Stunningly agile.

The best supersports bike in the world? Winner of Supertest's "King of Supersports" four years running. Designed for the race track, the Daytona 675 is the bike to beat on the road too. It’s the combination of outstanding handling and a storming three-cylinder engine. With 125PS and more torque than the competition, the Daytona 675 offers a truly exhilarating ride. With a lightweight and narrow chassis, fully-adjustable front and rear suspension it's composed on all surfaces while monobloc radial brake calipers deliver eye popping stopping power.

Triumph Daytona 675

A winner on the road and a winner on the racetrack, Triumph's groundbreaking Daytona 675
has set a new standard in the ultra-competitive supersport class.

Debuting the 675cc three-cylinder format in a sea of otherwise conformist 600cc fours, the
Daytona 675 has garnered a cabinet full of awards and accolades since being first introduced for the
2006 model year, including two Masterbike titles and an undefeated three Supertest titles. The Triumph has also proved successful in supersport racing around the world, winning national championships around the world and finishing fourth in the 2010 Supersport World Championship in the hands of the ParkinGO BE1 Racing team�fs Chaz Davies.

The latest specification Daytona 675 delivers 125PS at 12,600rpm with a class-leading 72Nm torque,
making the Triumph one of the most flattering sportsbikes to ride on both the road and track, and
endowing it with an addictive soundtrack only a triple can provide. The engine itself is an integral part
of the overall design, with the stacked gearbox allowing for a very compact powerplant that contributes to one of the lightest and most balanced supersport bikes on the market.

As you would expect from a class-leading sportsbike, the Daytona 675 is well equipped in the chassis
department too. The fully-adjustable 41mm inverted front forks and rear monoshock unit both benefit
from sophisticated high and low speed damping control, allowing riders to set their Daytona 675s up
for maximum accuracy while retaining a plush ride. Radially-mounted Nissin monobloc calipers give
outstanding levels of feedback and stopping power, while lightweight wheels keep unsprung mass
down and contribute to an agile motorcycle that changes direction in a heartbeat. To fully exploit the
Daytona 675�fs outstanding chassis, the bike rolls out of the factory wearing Pirelli�fs race-developed.

Triumph Daytona

Triumph Daytona

2011 Triumph Daytona 675 SE

The best supersport bike in the world or a class of its own? Designed for the racetrack, to compete with the best in the supersport class, Triumph’s Daytona 675 is the bike to beat on both road and track.

Winner of the 2009 Supertest ‘King of Supersports’ award (for the fourth time, no less) and MCN’s Sportsbike of the Year, the Daytona 675 delivers a killer blow with its combination of outstanding handling and a storming three-cylinder engine.
With the lightest and narrowest chassis in the class, the Daytona 675 delivers outstandingly agile and intuitive handling. Fully adjustable suspension front and rear, with separate adjustment for high and low speed compression damping, gives the Daytona 675 superb composure on all surfaces, while top-of-the-range monobloc radial brake calipers up front deliver eye popping stopping power.
But it is the engine that makes the Daytona 675 stand apart from the competition. With 126ps and more torque than the competition, the 675cc triple offers an exhilarating ride for novice and experienced riders alike. With its unique and wicked three-cylinder howl, the Daytona 675 delivers an unadulterated experience like no other sportsbike.
Updates for 2011 include new instruments, decals and a new Dayona 675SE option.

Honda Fury VT1300CX

2011 Honda Fury VT1300CX

The Look. The Sound. The Feel. The Fury.

We understand perfectly if you think your eyeballs are lying to you. Indeed, the 2011 Honda Fury VT1300CX appears to be something from the farthest fringes of the two-wheeled world. Yet it's a Honda, through and through. Here we have the rolling incarnation of the pure, undiluted chopper essence, a machine that simply looks right, sounds right and goes straight to the heart of radical enthusiasts. Yet despite the extreme lines and head-turning looks, the 2011 Honda Fury VT1300CX is backed up with the same fit and finish, functionality, affordability, quality and reliability built into every Honda. Who would have ever thought it possible?
Witness the Fury — hands down, the most distinctive custom Honda has ever created. Long, lean and mean, stretching nearly six feet from axle to axle, this machine literally screams with chopper style. And once you’ve saddled up and fired that big 1312cc V-twin, and felt its throbbing pulse beneath you, you’ll know you’ve experienced a motorcycle like none other. Ever.
A Masterpiece of Form and Function

Make no mistake, the Fury is all about the way it looks, sounds and feels—and the way all these sensations make you feel when you’re riding it. But like all Hondas, the Fury is also a showcase of engineering, boasting innovative features like Programmed Fuel Injection, custom-cast wheels, specially designed shaft drive, and, of course, that monster 1312cc V-twin. Call it the perfect marriage of style and substance

Honda Fury

Norton Commando 961

2011 Norton Commando 961 Cafe Racer - Specifications
American MSRP: Model may not be available in the USA
Canadian MSRP: Model may not be available in Canada
United Kingdom MSRP: Price: £13,995 British Pounds (Price shown includes the 'On the Road' costs and VAT for the UK.)
Please note, the Commando 961 Cafe Racer and the Commando 961 Sport are currently only available in the U.K. and will be made available internationally to purchase from your nearest Norton dealer in the near future.

Frame
- Frame: Steel tubular with integral oil tank
- Swing arm: Twin-sided steel construction
- Wheelbase: 1420mm (55.9 in)
- Rake: 24.5 degrees
- Trail: 99mm (3.9 in)
- Front suspension: 43mm Ohlins USD - Adjustable preload, compression & rebound damping.
- Rear suspension: Ohlins reservoir-style twin shocks - Adjustable ride height, reload, compression and rebound
- Front wheel: 36 spoke 3.50 x 17” Black Rim
- Rear wheel: 40 spoke 5.0 x 17” Black Rim
- Front tyre: 120/70 x 17”
- Rear tyre: 180/55 x 17”
- Front wheel travel: 115mm (4.53 in)
- Rear wheel travel: 100mm (3.94 in)
Brakes & Hydraulics
- Front brakes: Full Brembo system, twin Brembo 320mm semi-floating hi
carbon stainless steel discs & Brembo 4 piston radial callipers
- Rear brakes: Full Brembo system, single Brembo 220mm disc, Brembo 2 piston “Gold Line” calliper
- Brembo front brake master cylinder, with integral reservoir
- Brembo hydraulic clutch master cylinder, with integral reservoir
- Brembo rear brake master cylinder
- Brembo hydraulic clutch actuation slave cylinder
- Gear box: constant mesh 5 speed
- Final drive: 525 “O” ring chain
- Clutch: Wet multi-plate hydraulic lifter
- Electric start
Transmission
- Gear box: constant mesh 5 speed
- Final drive: 525 “O” ring chain
- Clutch: Wet multi-plate
- Electric start Power Assembly
- Engine type: New engine developed by Norton and F1 engine builders, MCT of Oxfordshire, England. Parallel twin with push-rod valve actuation, dry sump, 3 bearing crank and balancer shaft.
- Displacement: 961cc
- Cooling system: Air
- Valve actuation: Push rod, 2 valves per cylinder
- Bore x stroke: 88mm x 79mm
- Compression ratio: 10.1:1
- Power: 80PS @ 6500RPM
- Torque: 90Nm @ 5200RPM
- Exhaust: Café Racer Sports Exhaust
- Ignition: Crank fired electronic
- Euro 3 compliant with electronic fuel injection and multiple 3 way catalytic converter
Electronics & Controls
- Charging system: 300 watt hi-output charging system
- Instrumentation: Norton electronic analogue speedo & tachometer