The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Honda CB550 Cafe Racer

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If you need another example of what you can do with a classic, but less than pristine, motorcycle, take a look at this. Starting with an obviously rough 1977 Honda CB550F, the owner stripped it down to the frame, removed all of the brackets that weren't necessary, bead blasted and repainted it then began the rebuild. The tank and tail section is a Benjis Fiberglass Cafe set. … [Read more...]

Iron Butt Rally – 11000 Miles in 11 Days – A Test of Strategic Thinking Plus Endurance

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Most of us will never road race at the top levels of competition, it just isn't in the cards, the young guns seem to have almost supernatural skills on the track, but all of us can ride and sometimes we cover a lot of ground in the course of a day and if we hear about a rally where long distance is involved, we might think, "Hey, maybe I could do that." Well, ... maybe. Dean … [Read more...]

Helical Camshafts – Variable Valve Actuation with a Mechanical Twist

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Unless you're directly involved with engine design, it's hard to keep up with all of the creative methods engineers have used to integrate variable valve actuation into a standard internal combustion engine. In this day of computer controls, you would think mechanical methods would be losing ground, but I received a note from Danny Williams about the Williams Helical Camshaft … [Read more...]

Motorized Mountain Bike – Traveling Light

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Every time someone builds a motorcycle, the question of weight pops up. No matter how light you go, it's always too heavy for someone else. Well, how about 62 pounds? This home built mountain bike sports a 35cc engine plus: an 8 speed Shimano hub (Planetary Gearbox) in the back wheel that shifts the gears for pedaling and for the motor, has freewheeling for both engine … [Read more...]

Harley Davidson Considering Assembly Plant in India

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Harley Davidson is beginning the next logical step in the international motorcycle market place, announcing they're considering an assembly plant in India. Ever since they first began talking about sales in India, this was, to my mind, a foregone conclusion since tariffs in India double the price of imported bikes. Selling in India means making them there. The company would … [Read more...]

Harley Davidson Second Quarter Results Reveal Company is U.S. Market Share Leader of On-Road Motorcycles Among Young Adults

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Harley Davidson released their 2nd quarter 2010 results, their profits were $139.3 million, somewhat higher than expected. Before the usual sales and earnings info Harley inserted a few introductory comments, and something jumped out at me: Despite the decline in second-quarter retail motorcycle sales, we believe interest in the Harley-Davidson brand remains strong among … [Read more...]