Tuesday, January 6, 2009

3 Steps to Choosing the Perfect Motor Scooter

So you're ready to get started in the world of motor scooters? I can guarantee that the trip will both save you money and expand your travel experiences in some fun ways. But buying a motor scooter can be a big investment, and you want to make the right choice.

So how do you find the scooter that's ideal for you? How do you choose the right model and type? The scooter market can seem intimidating at first glance, but have no fear! By answering three simple questions, you'll be well on your way to discovering the perfect scooter.

First, who will drive the scooter? Will it be you (the homeowner, vacationer, urban professional, retiree, student, etc.)-or will it be your children? Or maybe a variety of people? Motorized scooters designed for kids are intended to bear a lot less weight and travel shorter distances. As a result, they cost considerably less. When you start shopping for motor scooters, make sure you're in the appropriate market, kids or adults. If you're in the adult market, make sure you choose a model with an appropriate weight rating. If you weight 180 lbs. or less, you don't need to worry about this--any adult scooter you buy will be able to carry you.

Second, how far do you want to ride? This pertains to the distances you'll typically travel in a day or week. Consider: Will you use the scooter mostly on off-road trails? On a campus? For an urban commute? In a residential neighborhood? If you need to drive further than 12-15 miles at one go, you may well need to look at gas powered scooters, because electric scooters beyond the 12-15 mile range become very costly and somewhat difficult to find. A number of factors influence range ratings for motor scooters (rider's weight, hilly terrain, tire pressure)--but usually the manufacturer will list a "range rating" that reflects the scooter's ability under optimal conditions.

Third, how fast do you want to drive? I'm serious! The ability to put the pedal to the metal may seem like an afterthought for scooter use--until you're sitting on your scooter, watching joggers pass you. Electric scooters aren't known for their speed, and usually fall in the 8 mph to 25 mph range. If you want to go much faster than that, or ride on highways, you'll probably want to consider a gas powered or hybrid model. Otherwise, prepare yourself to shell out some cash for a speedy electric scooter. Again, a number of factors come into play when companies hand out speed ratings. But as you would guess, a manufacturer's rating will reflect the scooter's speed under ideal conditions.

Starting to make sense of your options? If so, you're getting closer to choosing the right scooter--just make sure you also take things like carrying capacity and terrain into account. That's right, there's more stuff to consider! But don't worry. By thinking through these questions, you're moving toward a scooter buy you won't regret.

About the Author

AJ Vanderhorst writes about motorized scooters for today's travelers. A world of cutting edge design and money-saving fuel economy awaits your discovery. Accelerate into the fast lane at http://www.motorizedscooters.arieljvan.com.

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Posted by prolink at 7:00 AM 0 comments

Dry Flow Cold Air Intakes

There are several types of cold air intakes on the market today. Most of which people call K&N no matter who makes the kit. Today we aren't going to talk about the standard oiled K&N type air filter. We are going to talk about dry flow filters and their differences from the standard oiled filters on the market today. We are going to talk about the AEM brand dryflow filters, and the AFE brand Pro Dry S filters.

There are many people out there that have complained about messing up their mass air flow or MAF sensor due to an oiled filter. They never have any troubles when they first start using the kit. It always seems like it is later on that they begin to have trouble. The reason for this is one of a couple of things. All of the reasons come back to not properly cleaning and re-oiling their filters. When cleaning an oiled filter you have to let it fully dry after washing it. This takes time. Most people are impatient and don't want to wait for it to dry before re-oiling the filter and as a result end up messing up their MAF sensor. The other main reason is over oiling. Many kits today come with measuring tools to measure the correct amount of oil. If you over oil, the filter doesn't work as it is designed to do.

The Dry flow filters bypass getting oil on the MAF, because they don't use oil. To clean a dry flow filter, usually you'll bang out the big debris on the ground and then you wash it. You have to wait for it to dry fully before using it. But you don't have to worry about oiling it. You just let it sit out and dry and then drop it back into the intake system. The dry flow filters filter almost as well as the oiled filters and bypass the worries of over oiling or not oiling properly. The AEM brand and AFE Brand intakes are the only ones that have dry flow filters, but I'm sure many will follow. AEM does dry flow filters exclusively. AFE offers a 5 layer oiled filter, a 7 layer oiled filter and a Pro Dry S dryflow filter.

In conclusion we have found in our experience in the industry that a majority of people these days are starting to use dry flow filters so that they don't have to worry about improperly regenerating the filter element of their cold air intake kits. Those who have had experience with the oiled filters in the past typically like to stay with what they know.

Out of all the air intakes that are out there on the market we prefer to use the dry flow filters. Partially because they are easier to clean and reuse since there is no messy oiling and you still get excellen filtration out of the filter as well as good performance and fuel economy gains.

About the Author

http://www.parleysdieselperformance.com/site/988369/page/925617 http://www.parleysdieselperformance.com/site/988369/page/699661 Nathan Young is a diesel performance enthusiast

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Posted by prolink at 7:00 AM 0 comments

Airaid Diesel Intakes Vs Volant Diesel Intakes

In an effort to get a little bit more knowledge out there about the diesel aftermarket we are going to do a quick comparison on the Airaid diesel intake kits and the Volant diesel intake kits that are on the market. There are so many different types of what seems to be the same thing out in the market that it's easy to get confused and not be able to tell the difference between two items or if there are any differences at all.

Both the Volant intakes and the Airaid intakes are oiled filters. Most people refer to oiled filters as a K&N style filter. Talk about branding. Even if someone is looking for a different brand, they still call it by the name of the industry leader. Airaid and Volant intakes both have purple filters that look very similar to the K&N filters. Airaid filters are tuned to provide maximum power and fuel efficiency gains, and are made with a computer aided design. They also use airaid's patented Synthaflow filter that is made of a synthetic nano fiber material that captures debris that other standard cotton gauze filters can't stop. It is also constructed of a urethane body that you won't ever have to worry about cracking, curling or shrinking due to heat, or weather.

The Volant intakes take a different approach to generating gains in power and fuel economy. Volant seals their intakes in a box that has more air volume than the factory units have. By doing this they eliminate the chance of any hot engine air from getting into the intake charge. The competing intake kits in the industry use heat shields that block the hot engine air but they do just that....block the heat. They don't lock it out.

Cold air intakes for the diesel trucks in general are increasing the airflow into the engine which increases both power on horse power and torque as well as increase fuel economy and are able to do even more if used in conjunction with a chip, programmer, or module of some sort. Cold air intakes are a basic mod for pretty much any vehicle, but are especially popular on the diesel trucks as well as any other diesel in the industry that they are available for.

Increasing air to the engine is an important part of increasing power and fuel economy numbers. It is important to get colder air as well as colder air is denser and takes up less space, so more of it is able to get into the engine. There are many options out on the market that will achieve this, we have just talked about a select few number of the air intake options. Air intakes also work more efficiently if you change the fueling parameters with either a chip, module, or tuner of some sort. That way, the two items are able to work in conjunction together.

About the Author

http://www.parleysdieselperformance.com/site/988369/page/925785 http://www.parleysdieselperformance.com/site/988369/page/1295835 Nathan Young is a diesel performance enthusiast.

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Posted by prolink at 7:00 AM 0 comments

Choosing an Automotive GPS Navigation System

Tired of getting lost while your family is on vacation? No idea where to make your deliveries? Wish you had known there wouldn't be another gas station for 200 miles?

All of these hazards, and more, can be avoided with a dedicated gps for your car. Once used only by the military, civilian GPS has been adapted to the consumer's needs for the better part of the last decade. Precise location fixes and powerful trip computers are now standard with just about any GPS device. Manufacturers such as Garmin, Magellan, Lowrance, and TomTom have expanded the capabilities of GPS from a simple readout to specific street-level directions for any address in North America. Automotive GPS models range from $150 on the low end to over $1000 for top-of-the-line, fully functional complete navigation systems. So how do you choose the one that's right for you?

When picking a GPS system, the most important question to ask is "What am I going to do with it?" Nearly any automotive GPS unit available on the market will tell you where you are and where to go and make sure you are able to get to where you need to be in the shortest possible time. The first factor to consider, price-wise, is how much map you need. Most value-level models include maps for the continental United States; you'll have to upgrade to a higher model for maps of Canada and Alaska. In addition, some manufacturers have European maps available. Models such as the Garmin nuvi 770 and TomTom GO 920 include maps of both North America and Europe built-in, so there's nothing more to add!

Another important feature to look for is "text-to-speech." Most voice-prompting GPS devices will give an audible command such as "Turn right in 200 feet" or "Take next exit." A unit with a text-to-speech function will not only give directions but the street name as well: "Turn left on Main Street in 500 feet" or "Take Exit 38B." This is a huge help for many people, as they can avoid missing important turns and exits or navigating those confusing intersections. You won't even have to take your eye off of the road to know where to go.

A new feature to consider is live traffic service. Available in larger cities, a subscription to a traffic service gives you real-time, up-to-the-minute updates on traffic and road conditions. Your GPS will notify you of potential problems and offer an alternative route. Often there is a free trial period, then monthly fees which typically cost about $5/month. Some Garmin units also offer MSN Direct, which provides not only traffic but weather, movie times, Starbucks locations and more. With some of the newest models such as the Garmin nuvi 780 and nuvi 880 adds the above features plus news, stock tickers and event listings.

One of the newest additions available on a new automotive GPS navigation system is the integration of a Bluetooth chip. If your cell phone and GPS unit are equipped with Bluetooth technology, you can pair them up for hands-free calling, dial-a-POI features and more, making your take-it-to-the-streets-for-work-and-play-combo completely integrated.

So which is the "best?" That depends entirely on your needs and how much you want to spend. There are enough models to choose from that will suit just about anyone's taste for features as well as your budget.

About the Author

http://www.TrackItGPS.com. Helping you choose the right GPS system.

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Posted by prolink at 7:00 AM 0 comments

CarZen Calls on Women to Become More Auto Savvy During Women's Self-Empowerment Week

Women have new & powerful tools when they search to buy a new car using online vertical car search and buying sites like CarZen.com. It's a new year and a new dawning for women who finally want to achieve "auto enlightenment." With a waning economy, auto manufacturers and dealers are offering incentives and deep discounts that have not been seen for half a century, CarZen is a powerful way to help women make the best decisions about a major car purchase.

New York, New York (PRWEB) January 6, 2009 -- It's a new year and a new dawning for women who want to buy a new car and achieve "auto enlightenment." With a waning economy, auto manufacturers and dealers are offering incentives and deep discounts that have not been seen for half a century, making online car search engines such as CarZen, a powerful way to help women make the best decisions about a major car purchase.

News Image

What better way to start the year than achieving auto empowerment during Women's Self-Empowerment Week - a week long observance from January 5 -11. This is a time for women to reflect on and feel good about their accomplishments, role in society, as well as establish new goals for the future. Why not make one of the goals to learn the tools needed to research the best car based on your wants and needs, or to negotiate with dealers when making your purchases? For consumers who qualify for loans or have the cash to buy outright, the time is ripe to pick some of the best car deals in a decade. In fact, to clear last year's inventory, the industry is now offering great deals on new cars, in the form of both incentives and rebates.

CarZen - the most efficient and powerful car search tool on the web - is well poised to help you make the decision to buy a new car. CarZen provides the simplest and most personalized experience that is "pain free" - unlike competitors that inundate women with useless jargon, pages of content, stats and figures, CarZen streamlines the process through its CarConsult consultative auto personalization tool. Within minutes, CarZen provides consumers with their perfect "car match," which enables the laser focus they need in this challenging environment.

Consider these facts as they relate to women and car buying:

  • Women spend $83 billion annually on new cars.
  • As of 2004, more than 68% of all women use the Internet to research product information and resources online.
  • Women are directly responsible for nearly 45% of all new vehicle sales in the United States, including sales of trucks, and influence 80% of those sales.
  • When it comes to a couple or family purchasing a new car, women influence the decision by 85% and display 95% of the vetoing power against a car (Woman Motorist, 2000; Road and Travel, 2004).
"Once visitors use CarZen to select the right kind of cars based on their individual wants and needs, they are equipped with the tools to help negotiate when speaking to car dealers, ultimately leaving them empowered and with a feeling of "Auto Enlightenment" -- CarZen's mantra," said Lauren Fix, CarZen's female mascot and Automotive Editor in Chief. "For women, this is particularly important, as it is widely known that women pay more at car dealerships than men and need to be more educated when searching for cars. Women tend to be more practical, and have very pragmatic needs that CarZen can help them navigate. Men, on the other hand, tend to base decisions on automotive pictures and performance specs."

Regardless of gender, using CarZen is simply the best way to search for a new vehicle. And in these difficult economic times, it is even more important to use a robust and appealing car search site with that will give consumers the tools they need to give car dealers a run for their money.

About Us: CarZen is the most efficient and powerful car search tool on the web that provides the simplest and most personalized experience. CarZen is focused on delivering content better and faster and providing pain-free experiences that empower consumers to make better car-related decisions. CarZen is auto enlightenment. For up to date auto-related postings, visit the CarZen blog. Media Contact: Andrea Martone, 917.929.0527

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[Via Automotive]

Posted by prolink at 6:45 AM 0 comments

Husband and Wife Team Finish Overall Seventh in Scally Rally 2008

Banger rallies aren't just for the lads, they're for anyone mad enough to drive across Europe in an old banger bought for £100. That's what David and Sam Cherrill decided to do when they were sitting around on a dull day in February 2008 thinking about their summer plans. And now they've just got back from their 3,500 mile hair-raising round Europe drive, taking in the Scally Rally 2008, "Road 2 Rimini."

(Vocus/PRWEB ) January 6, 2009 -- Banger rallies aren't just for the lads, they're for anyone mad enough to drive across Europe in an old banger bought for £100. That's what David and Sam Cherrill decided to do when they were sitting around on a dull day in February 2008 thinking about their summer plans. And now they've just got back from their 3,500 mile hair-raising round Europe drive, taking in the Scally Rally 2008, "Road 2 Rimini."

David and Sam Cherrill's car, named Fred, on the Scally Rally
David and Sam Cherrill's car, named Fred, on the Scally Rally

We thought it'd be more fun to take on a challenge for our holiday rather than lounging around in the sun
"We thought it'd be more fun to take on a challenge for our holiday rather than lounging around in the sun," said Sam who works at her family's refrigeration business. "I knew David loves these types of rallies and it seemed like a good idea to join him and ride shotgun."

Preparations for the rally began almost as soon as the decision to go was made. As you'd expect from a 1985 C Registered Volvo 340 GL bought for £100 there was plenty of repair work to do to make it safe - a new set of tyres for starters. Fred, as David and Sam's car became known, was then subjected to an eye-catching respray of bright orange and green, fitted with a new shiny exhaust and a funky hand crafted beer-can roll cage.

Masses of other cosmetic modifications followed and ongoing repairs kept David (and his friends) out of mischief throughout the spring and summer. In the spirit of the Scally Rally car parts are begged and borrowed and bought on the cheap - every effort is made to keep costs down. One evening David retired to his bedroom and came down with a spoiler covered in crazy 'Smarties' sticky back plastic! At that point Sam thought he might be "losing it" but had to admit the spoiler looked rather smart once it was bolted onto Fred.

"What's nice about the Scally Rally is that at the same time as we're all having fun we're actually raising money for charity," says David. "We chose to drive in memory of Darren Roger Clarke who died in 2004 at the age of 19 from a rare form of bone cancer and the money we raised went to The Teenage Cancer Trust."

David works for HIC (Herts Insurance Consultants) in Bishop's Stortford and was contacted by the local radio station to join their Black Thunder traffic reports before the rally. "That was really good fun," said David. "It gave me a chance to show off the car and tell everyone about the charity aspect. Darren's father heard the broadcast and rang to see if we would do the rally in memory of his son who was a huge motor rally fan. You can see pictures of Darren on my blog Seat of Your Pants Mechanics."

HIC has a special interest in the Scally Rally. It insured 50 out of the 80 teams competing and has developed a special insurance package for these types of rallies making it easy and affordable for entrants to get short term cover on their 'wacky' racers.

At last on Thursday 11th September David and Sam were off on the ferry to Calais ready for the official start on Friday morning for the first leg through France to Basel, Switzerland.

"The rally has a real family atmosphere," says David. "We had lots of challenges to do along the way, things to collect, pictures to take and quizzes to complete. At the end of each day everyone gathers together to see how they've done, swap horror stories and have a few bevvies to celebrate getting through the day."

Highlights of David and Sam's Scally Rally:

  • Weather: Horrendous. It rained a lot and there was snow on the mountain passes which made driving conditions very difficult.

  • Worst moment: Stuck on a mountain, half way up the Stelvio Pass in Italy. "We parked for a bit of a breather and the engine wouldn't start again for 15 minutes," explains David. "It was a bit of an anxious time as Sam panics easily - she doesn't like heights - so she had visions of us rolling down the 48 hairpins to the bottom. But Fred didn't let us down, with a bit of gentle coaxing the engine coughed back into life."

  • Best moment: Crossing the finishing line and meeting up at the hotel for a big celebration party." It was nice to be able to have a proper drink without having to stop early because of driving the next day," says David.

  • Silliest moment: Helping a team who had broken down on the way back in an Italian service station and watching them trying to ask for a spark plug wrench in Italian!

  • Proudest moment: Coming 7th place overall out of 80.

  • Most breath-taking view: "There weren't any views this year," says David. "The weather was so bad that it was a white-out in the mountains. You could only see about 30 feet in front of you."

  • Most relaxing time: The ten days meandering back across Europe stopping in San Marino, Germany and Belgium, winding up in Amsterdam for two nights.

  • What went wrong: The speedo broke after 71.6 miles so they had to rely on the sat nav for their speed and mileage for the rest of the journey. At least they were luckier than one team that broke down in France on Day One and had to return home.

For more information on the Scally Rally visit www.scallyrally.co.uk and for David's Seat of Your Pants Mechanics Blog visit www.seatofyourpantsmechanics.com .

HIC is the enthusiast's car insurer with a passion for motoring that translates into great deals on car insurance. For more information visit www.hertsinsurance.com or call 08451 290290.

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[Via Automotive]

Posted by prolink at 3:45 AM 0 comments

The NCC to Demo New Goodyear-Branded GPS Navigation Systems at CES 2009

The NCC, a leading manufacturer of consumer electrical devices, plans to demonstrate their new line of officially-licensed Goodyear-branded GPS navigation units at the upcoming CES convention in Las Vegas, Jan 8-12. Focus will be on the soon to be released GY500X that will make its debut at the convention.

Brooklyn, NY (PRWEB) January 6, 2009 -- The NCC, a leading manufacturer of consumer electrical devices, plans to demonstrate their new line of officially-licensed Goodyear-branded GPS navigation units at the upcoming CES convention in Las Vegas, Jan 8-12. Focus will be on the soon to be released GY500X that will make its debut at the convention.

The new and exclusive unit for those with a Commercial Driver's License, the GY500X, will be targeted specifically at the trucking industry and drivers of other commercial vehicles, such as commercial vans, trailers, and large RVs & motor homes. More than just a GPS with commercial routes, the unit, which is the first of its kind in the industry, has been designed from the ground up to appeal to the specific needs of the trucker.

The new GY500X unit will deliver the portable navigation solution that many CDL drivers are looking for
British navigation software developer Navevo, which recently won the Frost and Sullivan 2008 UK Telematics Product Innovation Award, developed the software to be used in the new GY500X system. The software, "ProNav" featuring NAVTEQ Transport, was designed specifically with the trucking industry in mind. It provides dynamic routing and navigation capabilities, using driver-set parameters such as:

  • Vehicle dimensions (e.g. height, weight, length, width)
  • Legal restrictions (e.g. no commercial vehicles allowed, multiple HazMat restriction levels)
  • Other warning data (e.g. cross winds, steep incline, etc.)

Given these parameters, the unit can access a comprehensive database of legal/physical restrictions and pertinent points of interest to provide a dynamic, targeted route that highlights weigh stations, avoids restricted roads, and even directs the driver to the nearest diesel gas location. The GY500X also features multiple vehicle profiles, to allow a single unit to be shared easily among multiple trucks or vans in a fleet. It offers a heavy duty windshield mount, a large 4.3" widescreen LCD and booming 3-watt speaker, to allow voice directions to be heard even in a noisy cabin. The unit also includes built-in USA and Canada NAVTEQ maps, and a 25ft external antenna to allow for alternative mounting options.

"The new GY500X unit will deliver the portable navigation solution that many CDL drivers are looking for," says Barry Rosenstock, VP of Operations for the NCC. "Current GPS systems do not address the needs of this niche market. The GY500X is the complete portable package for drivers of commercial vehicles, and we're proud to have developed this product with Navevo, the leader in this space."

The consumer models to be demoed at CES, including the affordably priced GY130 & GY135 and mid-range GY145, utilize many industry-leading features, including INSTANT Rerouting, which utilizes a constant, proactive analysis of all possible routes within a one mile radius to instantly calculate new directions when a user changes their route. This feature, which is exclusive to Goodyear GPS products, prevents the system from having to "recalculate" when a turn is missed.

"Today's GPS systems realize when you miss a turn, but then make you wait while a progress bar shows 'rerouting' or 'recalculating,'" said Rosenstock "In the meantime, you could miss your next turn and not even know it. Our system doesn't do recalculations. When you miss a turn, it's already prepared with an alternate route, without missing a beat - or an exit."

The NCC's consumer GPS units were recently released to the market and will have demonstration units available at CES.

The NCC will also be demonstrating prototypes of their high-end consumer models, the GY340 and GY440. In addition to all features on the entry-level models, both high-end units feature:

  • Digital Terrain Modeling - displays on the map changes of elevation, such as road dips and hills
  • Multiple Route Selection - allows you to choose from multiple available routes to your destination
  • Lane Guidance - displays which lanes are valid lanes for your upcoming turn
  • Curve Speed Warning - warns you if your speed is excessively high for an upcoming curve in the road
  • An included remote control to access hands-free Bluetooth and MP3 Playback functions

In addition, the Goodyear GY440 flagship GPS will utilize voice recognition to allow for a complete hands-free experience. Drivers can enter a destination or choose a point of interest by merely speaking aloud to the GPS. The GY440 also features MSN Direct service from Microsoft, for live traffic information, local weather, nearby gas prices, and even movie times and local news. The GY440 comes with the MSN receiver and 12 months of free MSN Direct service.

About The NCC

Founded in 1998 in Brooklyn, NY, The NCC has quickly become a market leader in holiday electrical accessories, and in 2005 expanded into everyday electrical. The company prides itself on product innovation, and has been praised by retailers nationwide for taking an innovative approach to product development and merchandising. In 2008, The NCC launched a line of global positioning devices (GPS), officially licensed by Goodyear.

GOODYEAR (and wing foot design) is a trademark of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio USA used under license by The NCC NY, LLC.

About Navevo

Navevo offers a full range of navigation solutions and location based plug-ins designed to operate on Windows Mobile hardware platforms including PNDs, PDAs and Smartphones.

Navevo owns and develops all of its navigation software, providing the flexibility to meet market demands, create unique propositions and get them to market quickly.

Our strategy is simple, providing unique software and services that make navigation more useful for everyday life. www.navevo.com

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[Via Automotive]

Posted by prolink at 3:45 AM 0 comments

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