Motorcycle Lamps by Lamponi's Lamps

Lamponi's Lamps features a line of desklamps that use real motorcycle parts. Stuck behind your desk doing paperwork? You can still have a part of the open road with you when you can't ride.

The lamps are designed by Maurizio Lamponi Leopardi, a Milan born designer who studied Mechanical Engineering and worked in the fields of artistic foundry, graphic arts, and photography.

Source: Bikes in the Fast Lane


RESOURCES

• Lamponi's Lamps - Motorcycle Lamps
• Lamponi's Lamps - Main Site
• Lamponi's Lamps - Artist Bio

Getting ready for a motorcycle camping trip

While some travelers prefer to go camping in luxury RVs, some use only their motorcycle to take a trip to the great outdoors.

How do you pack up a motorcycle for a camping trip? You can outfit your Motorcycles with a variety of accessories to carry cargo and gear, but you have to choose what you pack carefully.

The Motorcycle Blog by Silverwinger offers one biker's experience with packing his bike for a camping trip. Silverwinger uses a tank bag and saddlebags to carry his stuff, along with carefully placed bungee cords.

The Christini all-wheel-drive motorcycle

Advertisements for Saab luxury cars say they are inspired by jets. Christini motorcycles can claim they were inspired by helecopters.

Christini motorcycle's was inspired by a system used by helicopters to drive the main and back rotors. The result is a motorcycle with all-wheel drive.

Professional motocross racers praise Christini's bikes and their ability to ride through tough roads and surfaces.

CNET News reports that a version of the Christini drive train has been released for some Honda dirt bikes, and will soon have a version for KLM. The two-wheel system could also be sold as an aftermarket device and eventually for street bikes.

Source: CNET News.com

RESOURCES

• Christini.com

Harley celebrates 105th anniversary in 2008 with big events

The Harley Davidson 105th Anniversary Celebration is still a year away, but the website for the event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is up now and tickets are available.

According to the official site, part of the celebration is The Ride Home from 105 starting points around the country and following 25 routes to Harley's home city on August 17 to 27, 2008.

August 28 to 31 is the 105th celebration in Milwaukee. Events include activities on the grounds of the brand new Harley-Davidson Museum, a 105th anniversary parade, concerts, and lots of motorcycles.

Cruise Mate offers alternative Harley throttle control

Cruise Mate has designed a new throttle/cruise control for use on Harley bikes.

Why would anyone want to use a different cruise control? Some Harley owners were not satisfied with their current controls.

According to the Cruise Mate site...

If you've used the original Harley-Davidson thumbwheel throttle lock you know it's very difficult to adjust so it holds the throttle in place where you want it and if you have to release it in a hurry, forget it.

CRUISE-MATE is an easy to use (takes about as much effort as operating your directional) lever operated throttle lock, originally designed to replace the original Harley-Davidson thumbscrew throttle lock.

Cruise-Mate is also available for Victory and Metric Cruisers.

Source: Whybike.com and TheBeachCruiser.com

Cereal City Motorcycle Rally

The Enquirer in Battle Creek, Michigan reports on the Cereal City Motorcycle Rally.

The rally brought together bikers ranging from vintage Harley Davidson riders to motorcycle jumper team Sick Air FMX.

Watch out for heatstroke while riding

Fall is nearly here, but the heat of the summer is still with us. Bikers need to stay hydrated while riding in hot weather to keep safe.

Your bike might be doing all the work while your ride, but you can still suffer heatstroke from too much sun while riding.

The Biker Law Blog features tips on how to watch out for heatstroke while riding and how to protect yourself.

Will motorcycle noise laws affect sales?

New laws cracking down on motorcycle noise are giving bikers headaches. Laws limiting motorcycle noise are being passed from New York City to Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The problem is the laws are not the same all over. Some laws limit the range a motorcycle can be heard, others punish bikers who rev their engines in certain areas.

SunHerald.com reports that motorcycle industry insiders worried that inconsistent laws are confusing bikers and could hurt bike sales.

Classic motorcycles on display at Vintage Motorcycle Day

Thekneeslider.com features photos from the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Day, held last July at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio.

A Moto Guzzi 500cc Falcone and a 1950 DynaCycle were among the classic bikes on display.

Writer for the Kneeslider, Paul Crowe, offers opinion on bikes styles favored in the United States versus styles popular in Europe and Australia.

44% more baby boomers are riding motorcycles

Motorcycle riders have had an image of rebellion since Marlon Brando starred in The Wild One.

According to The Financial Post on Canada.com, the average motorcycle rider is a baby boomer, and their numbers are increasing.

Motorcycle ownership among the baby boomer generation, born between 1946 and 1964 and who grew up with Easy Rider, has increased over 44%.

Cycle racers set new speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats

Looking to race your motorcycle into the record books? The Bonneville Salt Flats is the place to be.

BikerEvents.com links to a story in The Tooele Transcript Bulletin reporting on Speed Week on the salt flats, where car and motorcycle racers aim to break speed records in over 100 cateogories.

You name the type of bike, there is a record for it. A recent record was set when a driver broke the motorcycle with a side-car speed record with a 157 mph run.

The Zero X electric bike from Zero Motorcycles

Electric-powered motorcycles range from the powerful Killacycle to the more modest Entertia. Zero Motorcycles has developed a new electric cycle named the Zero X.

Engadget reports that the Zero X is designed to run 40 miles off of one charge and would be priced under $7000.

Can electric-motorcycles catch on the same way the Toyota Prius hybrid car did? We shall see.

There are more photos and specs on Zero X on the Zero Motorcycles official site.

Western New York Harley Davidson dealership celebrates 60 years

The Observer in Dunkirk, New York reports on a Harley Davidson Dealership celebrating 60 years in business.

Gowanda Harley-Davidson, located in Western New York, started out in 1947 as a motorcycle shop in a small barn.

The barn is still there: as a hallway that connects two large showrooms of Harley Davidson Motorcycles.

The story explores how a humble motorcycle shop has grown and endured as a respected Harley dealer.

2007 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally begins in South Dakota

The Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, reports on the start of this year's Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

High gas prices are putting a slight damper on enthusiasm on this year's rally, but Sturgis veterans say that rally is unpredictable.

Other merchants and motorcycle fans say Sturgis has expanded so much in the last decade that the crowd is sure to be a big one.

How the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally began

Are you going to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally this week? While the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is a huge event today attended by bikers from all over the country, it started as a modest gathering of bike racers in 1938.

The Guilty Truth blog features a story on the beginning of Sturgis and a link to a story that featuring pictures and stories from the first bikers to participate.

National Bikers Roundup celebrates 30 years in Kansas City

While the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota is a famous bike gathering, the Kansas City Star reports on another bike rally.

The National Bikers Roundup in Kansas City was started in 1977 and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

What started as a gathering of 30 bikers is expected to attract 50,000 this year, open to all bikes and models.

A preview of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

MotorcycleUSA.com features a preview of the upcoming Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota.

According to the story, over $50,000 in prizes will be awarded by The American Motorcycle Dealer (AMD) World Championship of Custom Bike Building. Custom bike builders from all over the country will be showing off their rides.

Manufacturers will be at Sturgis to show off their 2008 models and offering attendees a chance to ride their new models.

2008 Suzuki Hayabusa set to be fastest production motorcycle

HT Lounge features details and photos of the 2008 Suzuki Hayabusa, described as the fastest production motorcycle.

The 2008 Hayabusa is expected to offer 180hp of power, a 12% increase from the previous motor.

Cycle World also has a story about 2008 Hayabusa.

Here is the Hayabusa on Suzuki's official homepage.