Road Princess

 

 

So okay. Before I get on with more posts on motorcycles, I decided to do one on this girl. For behind the pretty face could be a series of unpretty controversies. As a fact, there could be a daredevil inside a beatific facade… But would you consider Lindsay Lohan as such?

Motorists has filed a lawsuit against Lindsay. Signe Dupuy has recently intimated that Lindsay caused herself to crash her car, after attempting an illegal and rather impossible U-Turn on LA's Fairfax Avenue on April 26. Dupuy, who filed her lawsuit in a small-claims court on Monday, demanded $7,500 to compensate her for “damage, injury and pain and suffering”.

Jazman Bennett, Lindsay’s long-time bodyguard, followed suit by cutting of Dupuy. Jazman was trailing Lindsay at the time. She added that she had sent a letter to Lohan’s representative in an attempt to resolve the situation, but had not heard anything back.

Lindsay’s representative admitted that she had received the letter, but insisted that it was not appropriate for her to deal with it, saying: “I assumed the letter was sent to Lindsay’s lawyers. That’s what they’re paid for.” The information was published by Showbiz Spy.

In court papers obtained by Access Hollywood, Signe is suing Lohan and her bodyguard Jaz for $7,500 in small claims court over an April 26 car accident. A court date is set for Sept. 11 in Los Angeles.

In a different lawsuit filed in June, Raymundo Ortega alleged Lindsay was under the influence of alcohol when she crashed her car into his van Oct. 4, 2005. He's suing for $200,000.

Lohan's lawyer filed a response on July 19, asking that the suit be dismissed on the grounds that police reports showed the actress had not been drinking. Five days later, Lohan was arrested in Santa Monica on suspicion of driving under the influence. She also faces charges on an earlier DUI arrest, WCBSTV revealed.

The 'Mean Girl' star, who is currently facing two charges of DUI, possession of cocaine, transporting a narcotic into a custody facility and driving on a suspended license, is due to appear in a small-claims court in September to answer to Dupuy's allegations, reported News 24.

Dupuy also claims Lohan stopped and glared at her before driving away, while Bennett gave her a fake name and number when she asked for his license and insurance information. Dupuy sent a letter to Lohan's representative in an attempt to clear up the situation, but never heard anything back. The representative, meanwhile, confirms they received the letter, but assumed the star's lawyers were dealing with it, the report added.

DUI statistics says 250,000 people have died in alcohol related accidents in the past 10 years. Additionally, 708,000 persons are injured annually in alcohol related crashes; 74, 000 of those people suffer serious injuries. And the numbers are expected to rise in time… Poor thing we have irresponsible and reckless drivers!

How do you like it - BIG or small? Would you prefer the Sturgis rally to revert to being ‘small’?

Veteran rally watchers and some key indicators say this year's Sturgis motorcycle rally could be shaping up to be a relatively "small" rally, similar to last year's event. So far, the number of vendors at Sturgis is almost the same as in 2006. Also, there are even more motel rooms still available than last year.

Year 2000 was said to be the peak year for the event, drawing roughly 630,000 bikers - a rough estimate based on the highway traffic counters going into Sturgis and other Black Hills communities, along with other observations. In any case, the estimated rally numbers dropped to a little more than 500,000 for the 2003-2005 rallies, then down to an estimated 450,000 bikers last year. Trying to predict the size of the rally beforehand is also an iffy proposition, wrote Steve Miller of Rapid City Journal.

Motel reservations for rally week, at least in the Rapid City area, are the lowest they've been in the past several years, according to Nancy Brady, the executive secretary of the Rapid City Hospitality Association.

"I've got an exceptionally large number of rooms available during the rally," Brady said. "I've even got some people with homes and cabins calling in." She said that even more rooms are available than in 2006, which was a down rally for the hotel and motel industry.

Susan Johnson, the executive director of Black Hills Central Reservations and a former secretary of the state Tourism Department, is seeing the same trend in the hotels, motels and campgrounds the system represents. “The reservation system saw steady climbs in rally business, peaking in 2005, its banner year. Last year was significantly off," Johnson said. "This year will be more like last year."

Pepper Massey, the interim director of the rally for the city of Sturgis, agrees that this year's rally will be about the same size as last year's. Massey has been attending the rally for years and for the past four years, he had been the director of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame.

"We'll probably see 350,000 to 400,000 this year," Massey said. She noted that attendance at other major motorcycle rallies around the country has been down slightly this year. "However, our visitor traffic in the Hills this summer has been phenomenal," Massey said. "I'm hopeful it will balance out." Massey said that she expects rally numbers to climb again for the 70th anniversary in 2010.

"Motorcycling now is so mainstream that what goes on in the country affects what goes on in events like this," Massey said. "There is a bit of a slowdown in the industry, and that impacts what happens here also. However, the rally office in city hall has been besieged, as always, by inquiries about the rally. The phone hasn't stopped ringing. So it's not all gloom and doom."

Rally attendance is influenced by a lot of sweeping factors. We’ll keep a close ogle…

 

I’m just dropping by to share one of my favorite bikes with you. Just got the thought of picking this one up instead of the vehicle bearing a VW windshield wiper motor because I love bikes more than cars or anything. I’ve been studying this one for the longest time now. This motorcycle is no other than the Suzuki Katana 600! This bike is the ideal fusion of sport-bike performance and sport-traveling convenience!

I can’t say enough about this bike because the Katana 600 has all the credentials to prove itself as a mean road machine! I’m just going to leave with the complete specs and features provided by www.suzuki.com! I have to bounce already, just take good care of your bike and yourself! Ciao guys!

Features:

Engine
•Reliable four-stroke, 4-cylinder, air/oil cooled, DOHC 16-valve engine
•Valve timing tuned for strong low to mid-range performance
•32mm Mikuni carburetors with throttle position sensor provide quick throttle response and enhance mid-range power
•Attractive stainless steel 4-into-1 exhaust system is tuned for strong low and mid-range power - exhaust catalyzer added to exhaust system on California model to further reduce emissions
•Silent-type cam chain and oil pan with honeycomb construction to reduce engine noise
•Twin Swirl Combustion Chambers (TSCC) for quick throttle response
•Suzuki Advanced Cooling System (air/oil) with large oil cooler and high cooling capacity
•Large intake valves (23mm) and exhaust valves (20mm) for strong engine performance
•Screw/locknut valve adjustment system for simplified maintenance
•Digital ignition system for optimum ignition timing with maintenance-free battery
•Large air cleaner box for strong engine performance

Chassis Features
•Aerodynamic fairing design with twin headlights and an attractive sporting look
•Design is compact while maintaining a comfortable, sporting ride position
•Smooth, compliant ride provided by 41mm front forks with 4-way adjustable rebound damping
•Link-type rear suspension and single shock absorber with 4-way adjustable rebound damping and 7 preload settings
•Z speed-rated radial tires (120/70 front & 150/70 rear)
•Wide, hollow 3-spoke type wheel rims, (3.50 x 17 front, 4.50 x 17 rear)
•Large 290 mm floating type front brake discs with twin piston calipers
•Single 240mm rear disc with twin piston caliper
•Large capacity fuel tank (20 liter/5.3 gal.)
•Large capacity fuel tank (20 liter/5.3 gal.)
•Standard 4-way emergency flasher and high-beam passing switch

 

 

 

The greatest in boxing is undeniably Ali, but we’re not talking about boxing. Instead I’m referring to the greatest ever motorbike. If you are a Discovery Channel buff, you are no doubt familiar with the term Greatest Ever. It is one of the feature programs of the educational channel. In a rerun of the Greatest Ever Motorbikes I’ve watched some time ago, I was surprised that not a Harley, nor a Ducati nor any Italian or American made motorbike that was adjudged as the greatest ever.

The number ten spot is occupied by a Harley. This is no small feat because there are countless models of motorbikes released and being called the tenth greatest ever is a privilege. The Harley Davidson Knucklehead from 1936 was the tenth greatest ever bike according to the program. The top speed of this bike is 145 kilometers per hour. But the Greatest Ever bike does not even reach speeds of 100 km/h.

Number 9 is the Moto Guzzi V8 from 1955. Top speed is 275 km/h - much more than the top speed of the Greatest Ever. Then, ranked eighth is the Vespa, although small, this is very famous so I was not surprised why it was ranked eighth. Its top speed is 87 kilometers per hour. But still, that is more than the top speed of the Greatest Ever motorbike.

Number 7 is the Brough Superior SS 80 made in 1923. Top speed again is much more than the number one ranked motorbike. It can reach speeds of 128.7 km/h. At this point of the show, I was thinking that a Harley would be on top of the list. Then the sixth greatest ever motorbike was announced, it was a Britten V1000 year 1993. It has the second highest top speed in the list at 303 km/h.

Then, the number five bike was announced as the Triumph Bonneville T100 Year 2001. Fairly new, I have seen one of these and I’d say that it’s one good looking bike. Although not as flashy as you’d think, the Triumph has it sown classic-ish aura. Top speed is 180 km/h. Number four is the Y2K (o.k) Year 2002. I’ve seen Jay Leno ride one of this things and it’s really noisy with its gas turbine. Top speed? Check this out, 402.3 km/h! At this point I was still counting on a Harley to be adjudged the Greatest Ever.

Number three is the Honda CB 750 Year 1969. Top speed is 200 km/h. Then the number two bike was announced. It was the Ducati 916 year 1955. Top speed is 254 km/h. By this time I was anxiously waiting for the Greatest Ever and when it was announced I was surprised, it was the Honda Cub Year 1958. But after the makers of the show dropped a Cub from the roof of a building and the motorbike still run, I knew why the Cub is the Greatest Ever. More reasons? Check out Wikipedia.

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, they have this thing about burying things and digging them up after decades. The last time they buried something, they decided that a Plymouth Belvedere would be a good car to hide for fifty long years.

The car was buried in commemoration of Oklahoma’s 50th year of statehood. What happened to the car? Well, here’s Chicago Sun Times’ answer to that:

The poor fate met by the Belvedere though did not stop the state from burying yet another vehicle. This time though, the vehicle will be stored in a vault located above the ground. And this vehicle is a 2007 Harley Davidson Street Glide. The said bike, which has been making me wish I owned one, will be donated by Harley Dealer Johnny McClanahan. The said bike will sport a custom blue denim paint job. Its price today is about $20,000.

According to Mr. McClanahan, this bike was designed based on the 1965 Electra Glide Harleys. Although it resembles its forefather, the Street Glide has modern amenities such as a six-speed tranny and a CD player. Just like McClanahan said, “It's a little bit of the old look with a lot of the new technology.”

50 years from now, Oklahoma will be celebrating its state centenary, and the Street Glide will be unearthed. Will it suffer the same fate that the Belvedere met? I sure hope not. This is one good looking bike that should be appreciated by generations to come. I wonder how the Street Glide of today would compare to the Harleys of tomorrow. I hope that this new vault that they will use in storing the Harley is a good one, it would be such a waste if the Harley will not have a chance to be taken for a ride again after 50 long years.

The said Harley will have a laptop, a cell phone, and an iPod to accompany it in the 50 year hibernation period. The time capsule will be buried at the Veterans Park on Veterans Day Weekend. It will be buried on the tenth of November this year.

One of the most satisfying things about owning a bike is hearing its engine rumble. The sound of a Harley's engine is something that can be described as music to one's ear - if that person is a fan of Harleys or any other bikes. But it seems that cities are now silencing motorcycles.

Legislations have been passed concerning the noise produced by motorbikes. This, of course, has led many riders' right advocates to fear a national legislation banning loud motorcycles or enforcing fines to those caught with unmuffled tailpipes. For some, it would be like being asked to remove a Mercedes-Benz oil filler cap from their S-Class.

Bill Wood of American Motorcyclists Association said: "From our perspective, this creates enormous problems for us because people notice the one motorcycle that makes a lot of noise. They don't notice the 50 that pass that don't. So there's a perception that motorcycles are noisy."

This really is unfair to those who do not have aftermarket parts installed on their horses. There are already many ordinances concerning the noise of motorcycles. Here are some according to this site:

• As of July 1, riders in New York City are subject to a minimum $440 fine for having a muffler or exhaust system that can be heard within 200 feet.
• In Lancaster, Pa., starting this month riders - and all motor vehicle drivers - could be ticketed for drawing attention to themselves, whether by creating too much noise by revving their engines or doing hard accelerations. Tickets start at $150
• As of July 1, motorcyclists in Denver could be ticketed $500 for putting mufflers on their bikes made by someone other than the original manufacturer, if the bike is 25 years old or less. These so-called after-market products can be louder than their manufacturer-made counterparts

What should be done is that legislation like this should not only cover motorcyclists. Other vehicles sometimes produce more noise than motorbikes. Pamela Amette, the vice president of the Motorcycle Industry Council, said: "Unless it's very precise and adopted uniformly, then it's just really not fair to the riders and to the industry."

But if you look at it in another way, these legislations would not have been passed if motorcyclists have been responsible in keeping their vehicles quiet where it is necessary to keep them quiet. Rebecca Bortner, a spokeswoman for Harley-Davidson, said that they are urging their dealers to encourage customers not to use aftermarket parts aimed at making their bikes louder.

We all know the risks behind drunk driving. Yet, not everyone tries to apply what is necessary. And, I have been thinking why they are not that cautious. Do they want to get involved in traffic accidents? Do they want to kill or be killed in such situation? Is alcohol drinking worth it to bring you to death? I guess all the people are answering “yes”. However, they don’t think about these questions every time they act stupidly - drinking then driving.

Drunk driving resulted to millions of deaths each year and may it be from driving a car or a motorcycle. Although local and state police and authorities establish laws to reduce such a big number of loses, accidents just seem to be so many. The number makes it difficult to control. Usually, a majority of the population are those who are repeat offenders. Among those who belong to this group are wealthy families (politics involved), car dealerships and NASCAR racing drivers with their high dollar lawyers.

Most people, especially the young ones, love spending their leisure time in partying all night. Alcohol drinking is known being part of any party. Unfortunately, after enjoying, they still have to go driving for home after the long night. Their control is actually affected by the alcohol in the system. It impairs the concentration and judgment, which results in accidents, killing either them or other people. Most often, alcohol still exists in the system the following day. For that, activities in the next day are either greatly or partially affected.

Nowadays, youngsters are combining alcohol with illegal drugs. It is a deadly combination which drastically results to death or may make you live in a permanent vegetative state or becoming a quadriplegic. If you know there is a strange feeling, tiredness, or on high, better get your friend to drive you home or just ride a cab instead.

The Breathalyzer has been discovered and is now in use as weapon for traffic police to detect drunk drivers. Breathe is the only factor needed. The device will be checking it for alcohol content, specifically the percentage of alcohol accumulated in the lungs. Such implementation is in goal to lessen drunk driving.

Hmmm… Personally, if I were to formulate something for this matter, it would be a drink that won’t cause you to be drowsy. That is something that won’t take you to risking being in an accident.