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Posts Tagged ‘History’

Saddlebags are most commonly used to carry luggage on a motorcycle. There are 2 major kinds of motorcycle saddlebags. Throw over saddlebags and hard mount saddlebags. The concept of hard mount saddlebags originated from throw over saddlebags which were used in early 1950 for the first time.

As the motorcycle industry experienced a big boom in 1960 especially after the Vietnam War the motorcycle luggage also evolved. As major motorcycle companies launched bigger and better motorcycle people started traveling farther on there motorcycles. Many riders formed groups and rode cross country and from city to city. The throw over style of saddlebags was soon replaced by a better and more reliable way of carrying luggage.

A group of riders drilled several holes in the back fender of their motorcycles in order to permanently bolt the saddlebags to the motorcycle. This permanent installation resulted in the saddlebags being more reliable and sturdy. This step also contributed towards the aesthetic appeal of the motorcycle. The trend soon gained popularity amongst the riders.

Motorcycle companies like Indian Motorcycle Company and Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company noticed this trend and soon started producing motorcycles with struts. The struts enabled motorcycle riders to bolt the motorcycle saddlebags without making any permanent changes to the motorcycle such as drilling holes in the back fender. Later the same strut enables other accessories to be securely mounted on a motorcycle such as motorcycle carrier and sissy bars.

As the Asian motorcycle manufacturers such as Kawasaki, Honda and Yamaha made their way into North American market they also made sure that the riders get enough room for the luggage. Yamaha motorcycles are a classic example of this as they manufacture most of their bikes with most room for the saddlebags. They also make sure that the turn signal does not interfere with the saddlebags, a common problem with smaller motorcycles.

In 1980 the motorcycle companies realized that most 1000 cc and above motorcycles are used for long rides. To further add value to their motorcycles they started selling motorcycles with fiber glass saddlebags. These motorcycles did well as most of these came with the motorcycle specific luggage. This also saved the motorcycle rider a lot of time and headache.

Despite the popularity of factory installed saddlebags motorcycle riders still prefer leather saddlebags in most cases. This is due to the fact that motorcycles leather saddlebags can be customized to a greater degree as opposed to motorcycle specific fiber glass bags.

Most early motorcycle saddlebag companies used studs, spots and conchs to decorate the saddlebags. Recently the more advanced motorcycle saddlebag companies have started manufacturing and offering saddlebags that are not only motorcycle specific but also match the color of the motorcycle. Another approach is to design the leather motorcycle saddle bags in such a way that it blends in with the overall design of the motorcycle. These advancements have resulted in more and more people willing to install saddlebags on their motorcycles.

When it comes to the motorcycle, the Harley Davidson is the gold standard. It is the royalty of this two-cycled motor vehicle industry. But its prominence and position at the top was not achieved overnight. It took a lot of hard work and patience to reach the position in the industry that they have now. And it took decades to earn the respect of both consumers and friends in the industry.

The Harley-Davidson Motor Company is based in Wisconsin. Along with Victory Motors, it is one of the two remaining mass producers of motorcycles in the United States. But what sets apart the Harley from other motorcycles that are being manufactured is its design and its sound, which made it an overnight sensation way back. Although neighborhood watchmen and people who love a nice and quiet night will not agree to this, the sheer loudness of the sound of a Harley Motorcycle is what consumers love about it.

The company began in 1903 when a 21 year old enterprising young man dreamed of a small engine that will eventually replace the 7.07 cubic and four-inch flywheels. Its small size is actually meant to be put in a regular bicycle to make it faster.

For two years, William Harley and his friend Arthur Davidson worked on the idea. With the help of Arthur’s brother Walter, they finished their first prototype but when they tested it, they found that it was not strong enough to be used in climbing hills without the aid of pedals. So they worked on again and made some adjustments and improvements.

Their next prototype has a bigger engine. This time, 24.74 with about 10 inch flywheels. The loop frame was actually quite similar to the very first real Harley motorcycle. Creating the model was a joint effort of the three along with outboard motor pioneer Ole Evinrude.

By 1904, they completed the prototype and entered in a motorcycle race and by 1905, they introduced the engine to the market through a do it yourself trade. That year, more than a dozen harley-davidson motorcycles were made.

With big dreams, Harley and the Davidsons built their first factory in Chestnut Street, which will later be Juneeau Avenue, where a special tribute to Harley-Davidson now stands. The first factory was not so big and it was made of wood. Yet, it managed to produce about 50 motorcycles that year alone.

When William graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in mechanical engineering, he used his knowledge to build the business. In 1907, they expanded their factory and began producing about 150 units. They even began selling wholesale to police departments and other government units. In September of that same year, the company became an ‘incorporated.

It was also in 1907 when another prototype was built. This time, the engine had dual cylinders called the V-Twin model. This model produces 7 horsepower, doubling the strength especially in climbing mountains. Speed was also increased to about 60 mph. The model was an instant hit, putting their production to about 450 motorcycles in 1908 and to a whopping 1200 in 1909. In 1911, a mechanically operated intake valves was introduced in the engine. Although the engine is actually smaller, the motor gave better performance.

By 1913, the business grew, prompting the owners to build a new 5 story factory over the already built structure. By 1914, the company is leading the competition in the manufacturing of motorcycles all over the world.

The Chevrolet Camaro was a compact car introduced in North America by the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors at the start of the 1967 model year as competition for the Ford Mustang.

Although it was technically a compact (by the standards of the time), the Camaro, like the entire class of Mustang competitiors, was soon known as a pony car.

Though the car’s name was contrived with no meaning, General Motors researchers found the word in a French dictionary as a slang term for “friend” or “companion.” Ford Motor Company researchers discovered other definitions, including “a shrimp-like creature” and an arcane term for “loose bowels”! In some automotive periodicals before official release, it was code-named “Panther”.

Four distinct generations of the car were produced.

Generation 1

1967
Sharing mechanicals with the upcoming 1968 Chevrolet Nova, the Camaro featured unibody structure. Chevrolet offered the car in only two body styles, a coupe and convertible. Almost 80 factory and 40 dealer options including three main packages were avaible.

* RS Package included many cosmetic changes such as RS badging, hidden headlights, blacked out grill, revised taillights and interior trims.

* SS Package included modified 5.7 L (350 in³) V8 engine (first 350 in³ engine ever offered by Chevrolet), also L35 396 in³ “big block” was avaible. SS featured non-functional air inlets on the hood, special striping and blacked out grill. It was possible to order both – RS and SS packages to receive RS/SS Camaro. In 1967 Camaro RS/SS Convertible Camaro with 396 in³ engine paced the Indianapolis 500 race.

* Z28 option code was introduced in 1966. This option package wasn’t mentioned in any sales literature so was unknown by most of the buyers. The only way to order Z28 package was to order base Camaro with Z28 option, front disc brakes, power steering and Muncie 4-speed transmission.

Z28 package featured unique 302 in³ “small block” engine, designed specifically to compete in the Club of America Trans Am racing series (which required engines smaller than 305 in³ and public availablity of the car).

Advertised power of this engine was listed at 290 hp (216 kW) while actual dyno readings rated it at 360 to 400 hp (269 to 298 kW). Z28 also came with upgraded suspension and racing stripes on the hood. It was possible to combine Z28 package with RS package. Only 602 Z28′s were sold.

Generation 2

The larger second-generation Camaro featured an all-new sleek body and improved suspension. The 1970-1/2 Camaro debuted as a 2+2 coupe; no convertible was offered and would not appear again until well into the third generation.

Most of the engine and drivetrain components were carried over from 1969 with the exception of the 230 in³ (3.8 L) six cylinder — the base engine was now the 250 in³ (4.1 L) six rated at 155 hp (116 kW).

The top performing motor was a L-78 396 in³ (6.5 L) V8 rated at 375 hp (280 kW). (Starting in 1970, the 396 in³ big block V8′s actually displaced 402 in³ (6.6 L), yet Chevrolet chose to retain the 396 badging.) Two 454 in³ (7.4 L) engines – the LS-6 and LS-7 – were listed on early specification sheets but never made it into production.

Besides the base model, buyers could select the “Rally Sport” option with a distinctive front nose and bumper, a “Super Sport” package, and the “Z-28 Special Performance Package” featuring a new high-performance 360 hp (268 kW) 350 in³ (5.7 L) cid V8.
1972

The 1972 Camaro suffered two major setbacks. A UAW strike at a GM assembly plant in Ohio disrupted production for 174 days, and 1100 Camaros had to be scrapped because they did not meet 1973 Federal bumper safety standards.

Some at GM seriously considered dropping the Camaro and Firebird altogether, while others were convinced the models remained marketable. The latter group eventually convinced those in favor of dropping the F Cars to reconsider, and Chevrolet would go on to produce 68,656 Camaros in 1972, the lowest production numbers for any model year.

Generation 3
1982

The 1982 model introduced the first Camaros with factory fuel injection, four-speed automatic transmissions (three-speed on the earlier models), five-speed manual transmissions (four-speed manual transmissions in 1982, and some 83-84 models), 15 or 16-inch rims, hatchback body style, and even a four-cylinder engine for a brief period (due to concerns over fuel economy).

The Camaro Z28 was Motor Trend magazine’s Car of the Year for 1982.

1985

In 1985 Chevrolet introduced a new Camaro model – the famous IROC-Z, called after popular racing series. IROC-Z Camaro featured upgraded suspension, special decal package and Tuned Port Injection system taken from the Chevrolet_Corvette Third generation Camaros also had a suspension system that was more capable in corners than the previous generation.

The Camaro IROC-Z was on Car and Driver magazine’s Ten Best list for 1985.

Engines

* 1978-1981 5.7 L (350 in³) Small-Block V8
* 1982-1985 2.5 L (151 in³) Iron Duke L4
* 1982-1984 2.8 L (173 in³) LC1 V6
* 1985-1989 2.8 L (173 in³) LB8 V6
* 1990-1992 3.1 L (191 in³) 60 Gen II V6
* 1982-1992 5.0 L (305 in³) Small-Block V8
* 1985-1992 5.7 L (350 in³) Small-Block V8

Generation 4
1993

1993 began the fourth and last generation of Camaros, lasting through the 2002 model year. Production of the fourth and final generation was moved from GM’s Van Nuys, California assembly plant to one in Ste. Therese, Quebec in 1993.

Though the car would no longer be produced in the US, the new design which incorporated lightweight plastic body panels over a steel space frame, and a better suspension, further improved upon the Camaro line.

From 1993 to 1997 the Camaro was available with the LT-1 engine, the same Generation II small block V8 used in the Corvette, although in slightly de-tuned form.

In 1996, the long-discontinued “SS” option was resurrected and in 1998, the all-new LS-1 engine Generation III small block was offered on the SS and Z28 Camaros, marking the end of the Generation I small block V8 that had its roots in Chevrolet’s 265 in³ engine of 1955. Unfortunately, sales were below expectations, and production of the Camaro ceased in 2002.
1998

1998 saw a new head light design for the Camaro. The new design removed the previous recessed-light design present in the 1982-1997 Camaros. The faux air intakes on the hood were also eliminated. In addition the LT1 engine was removed and instead an LS1 in its place.
Engines

* 1993-1995 3.4 L (208 in³) 60 Gen III V6
* 1995-2002 3.8 L (231 in³) 3800 Series II V6
* 1993-1997 5.7 L (350 in³) LT1 V8
* 1998-2002 5.7 L (350 in³) LS1 V8

2002
2002 marked the last year of the Chevrolet Camaro and was also the 35th anniversary for the Camaro. This milestone was celebrated with a special anniversary car modified from the factory by SLP. The anniversary package was only available on the SS (Super Sport).

Engine modifications were available in addition to the 325 hp (242 kW) engine which all Super Sports produce. Silver racing stripes down the hood and trunk lid made the car more noticeable than ever—especially against the Bright Rally Red paint (the only color available with the anniversary package).

The car also had the slogan attached to it “Leave a Lasting ImpreSSion” and had the logo embroidered in the seats. The car was only available as a convertible or with T-Tops. 3,000 Camaros with the anniversary package were produced for the United States and 152 for Canada.

Though production Camaros were never as fast as the flagship Corvette, the car cost less than half as much and was easily modified. If its frequent inclusion in automotive enthusiast magazines is any indication, the Chevy Camaro is one of the most popular cars for modification in the automotive history.

Throughout its history, the Camaro shared its internal body and major components with a sister car – the Pontiac Firebird.

Those of us of a certain age have certain vans imprinted on our unconscious, thanks to the medium of television; think of the Mystery Machine, driven by Fred and The Scooby Doo Gang or the distinctive black van used by Hannibal Smith’s A-Team. Younger viewers are being introduced to the less dynamic, but equally lovable van driven by Postman Pat. And possibly the least stylish hybrid van that we all remember has to be the ‘Trotters Independent Trading Co’ van driven by Del Boy from ‘Only Fools and Horses’. In fact, this last van is so popular and so instantly recognisable that one of the three-wheelers actually used in the show has recently sold for £44,227.50. Let’s hope the new owner has got cheap van insurance!

A recent poll by Toys R Us found that the Mystery Machine was the most popular fictional vehicle of all time. Although it has no official model or make, it is generally assumed to be a ‘groovy’ camper-van. The ‘flower-power’ designs and the Machine’s slightly psychedelic paint-scheme help to capture an age of television that was seemingly innocent, yet hinted at ‘extra-curricular’ activities; just why was Shaggy so spaced out and hungry all the time and what was in those Scooby Snacks? Such is the Mystery Machine’s popularity that a large number of camper vans, Chevy’s, GMs, Fords and Dodges have been converted in tribute to the Scooby Doo Gang’s wheels.

The A-Team’s ride, by comparison, was less quirky and certainly had the edge on machismo. Their sleek, black van was as much a part of the team as BA Baracus, providing them with a home on the road and a seemingly endless supply of tools with which to convert old combine harvesters into flame-throwing tanks. With its instantly recognisable red stripe, this GMC van was more than just a getaway car; it became an icon of automotive popular culture that simply oozed class.

The Ecto-Mobile, used by the Ghostbusters in the films of the same name, may not have had the class of the A-Team van, but it promoted the idea of the heroes who were fighting odds that were stacked a mile high against them. A converted hearse, it obviously tapped into an alternative power source, enabling Dan Ackroyd and his gang to bust ghosts right, left and centre. Although used for less other-worldly purposes, Postman Pat’s van is equally recognisable, having taken children’s drawings as its inspiration. Originally, the bright red van used a generic crown symbol to represent the Royal Mail but, when the Royal Mail gave their consent for the logo to be used it was changed accordingly.

The celebrity van of the future, is likely to be somewhat different to these icons of the past – however, you may not notice from the outside. Conventional vans run from fossil fuels, such as diesel, whereas hybrid vans work from a combination of fuel and electrical technology. As well as all the benefits that are offered to the driver and his passengers, this also has a positive effect on the environment. Because they can run on a minimal amount of fossil fuel, the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by a hybrid van is much less than that of a standard vehicle. There is also less potential to run out of fuel at an inconvenient moment; because the hybrid van can charge its batteries as it runs, there should always be a reserve source to draw on when fuel gets low.

While celebrity vans from our past have been indelibly printed in our memories, it is hybrid vans that are likely to grace our screens in the future.

Triumph motorcycles has always provided that special experience by engineering motorcycles that combine a immense riding experience blended by a well-balanced, straightforward perfect handling chassis mounted with a strong muscular, supple get behind me engines.

Motorcycle enthusiast must be knows about Triumph motorcycle, but not every motorcycle lovers know about the history of Triumph motorcycle. Triumph motorcycles are rich in history. The bikes were made famous during the war times. Remember all the war movies that had a soldier riding a motorcycle? Chances are, it was probably a Triumph. History sometimes throws up some strange truths, no more so than that which tells us, that the most British of motorcycles owes its existence to a German.

In 1883, men with name Siefried Bettmann created the motorcycle company which would later be known as the maker of Triumph motorcycles. Siefried Bettman known as an ambitious young man, he bought and sold bicycles and imported sewing machines from Germany. Then in 1886, he changed the name of the company to the Triumph Cycle Company, a name synonymous with British bikes was born. The company are significant development, especially when the fellow countryman Moritz Schulte arrival to the company. The Triumph has been in the business for quite some time, but its journey isn’t without seemingly insurmountable challenges.

In 1889, the Triumph began distributing bicycles and went on to develop motorcycles.  They began to produce motorcycles by 1902, which were fitted with a Belgian-made engine. Then in 1903, as production rose to more than 500 units, Triumph then went on to produce motorcycles in Germany factory. The company had a break during the First World War.

After the war, Bettmann and Schulte could not agree about the issue of car manufacture, and Schulte decided to leave the company. In 1920, the company bought the former Hillman car factory in Coventry, and by 1923 had produced the first car bearing the name of The Triumph Motor Company. The journey of the triumph of Triumph motorcycle is long tail story, then nowadays we can see that Triumph are one of the best motorcycles in the world. Today they have not lost the touch and if you desire they are still producing a rocket between your legs.

As with many items that have gained strong popularity with the public, the All Terrain Vehicle(ATV) has a very interesting history. What started out as essentially a farming resource has become the machine around which a highly competitive sporting and racing industry has been built.

Long before Honda introduced a vehicle in 1970 which would kick off the “modern era” of the ATV, numerous American companies offered small off-road vehicles which were amphibious in nature and were designed to traverse swamps, streams and ponds as well as dry land. These vehicles were constructed of fiberglass or hard plastic and usually had six wheels, all driven, providing for a strong traction component. They were intended for multiple riders and had steering wheels or control sticks instead of the standard motorcycle type mechanism used with the modern ATV.

In Japan, a similar vehicle was being used in farms that were located in mountainous terrain. In 1970, Honda introduced the US90 and was aided in its marketing effort by the James Bond movie “Diamonds Are Forever”; a motion picture in which the ATV played a significant part. The unique vehicle featured large balloon type tires instead of a mechanical suspension. The ability to go anywhere on country or terrain that most other vehicles could not cross soon made them popular with US and Canadian hunters, as well those just looking for a good trail ride.

In the early 1980′s, ATV’s were introduced that had a much lower tire profile and suspension. It was at this time that the first three-wheeled ATV was developed for public use. During this decade, numerous manufacturers entered the “sporting” ATV market, among them such high profile names such as Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Polaris.

Safety issues arose with the three wheel ATV and it is a little known fact that the fledgling industry was nearly banned from the public by Congress because of these safety issues. Three wheeled production ended in 1987 due to consent decrees between the major manufacturers and the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the four wheeled ATV became the norm. Although these consent decrees ended in 1997, allowing companies to once again make and market 3-wheel models, very few were actually marketed and sold.

Today’s ATV models generally fall into either the sporting or utility camps. The sporty models, for the most part, are small, light two wheel drive vehicles with a manual suspension and rapid acceleration. The utility ATV’s, on the other hand, are much bigger four wheel drive vehicles and have a much slower maximum speed than their sporting counterparts. They also have a much needed feature; the ability to haul small loads on attached racks and/or small dump beds. Sporting ATV’s are designed for performance rather than utility and can reach speeds of 100 miles per hour or more.

The ATV market has captured the interest of Generation Y consumers(18-24) and the All Terrain Vehicle has exploded in popularity in recent years, even having its own racing circuit. With more and more companies entering the ATV market, it is virtually certain that this unique off road vehicle is here to stay.

Vauxhall cars (the company is known as Vauxhall Motors) was born in UK and it became a very well known car company. Vauxhall Motors is a company subsidiary of General Motors- the world’s largest automaker.

The company was founded by Wilson Alexander in 1856 in a beautiful London city that gives the company name- Vauxhall. Initially, the company name was Alex Wilson and Company, then Vauxhall Iron Works and it was specialize in building pumps and marine engines.

First Vauxhall car was built in 1903. It was a 5 hp model, using a tiller, 2 forward gears and no reverse gear. Interesting, don’t you think? Beginning with this model, the car was designed in many other versions and then were available for sale.

When things start working, the company decided to increase its production and moved almost entire production to Luton in 1905. The company was selling cars under Vauxhall Iron Works brand. This stopped in 1907, when they’ve decided to call the company “Vauxhall Motors”, a name kept over the years, till our days. The company was characterized by its sport models until the 1st World War and then designed only austere models.

Vauxhall Motors was bought by General Motors in 1925 for 2.5 million $ . And from that year Vauxhall was influenced by American cars and with Ford (that was Vauxhall’s main competitor) influenced the style of European car manufacturers.

During the 2nd World War car production was suspended because Vauxhall was needed to work on the Churchill tanks which was designed and assembled at Luton in almost 1 year. There were built over 5,600 Churchill tanks.

After the war, car production resumed but models were designed as a more mass-market product leading to expansion of the company. In the 60’s Vauxhall acquired a reputation for making rust-prone models and that was very bad for it. Although the corrosion protection built into models the reputation dogged the company until the 80’s.

From the 70’s, many of company models were designed and built in partnership with Opel in Germany (Adam Opel GmbH- known as Opel is an automobile manufacturer based in Germany). Models like Chevette, Cavalier and Carlton were basically restyled versions of the Kadett, Ascona and Rekord. The Viceroy was a simply new version of Opel Commodore imported from Germany.

And that was the beginning for the “Opelisation” of Vauxhall. General Motors policy was that Vauxhall to be rebadged Opels, designed and developed in Russelsheim with much less help from Luton.

In 70’s and 80’s General Motors sold duplicate cars: Opel and Vauxhall alongside each other. General Motors Europe then began to standardize model names across both brands in early 90’s. Almost all Vaxhall’s models now have the same names as those of Opel (the exception is VX220 sold by Opel as Speedstar).

The Luton plant closed in 2000, but production still continues at the plant in Ellesmere Port. Despite already meeting efficiency targets, Vauxhall has been told to further improve its productivity.

Nowadays Vauxhall and Opel still reside together making the same cars but selling them to different markets.

So remember if you buy an Opel it’s a Vauxhall and vice versa.

Saddlebags are most commonly used to carry luggage on a motorcycle. There are 2 major kinds of motorcycle saddlebags. Throw over saddlebags and hard mount saddlebags. The concept of hard mount saddlebags originated from throw over saddlebags which were used in early 1950 for the first time.

As the motorcycle industry experienced a big boom in 1960 especially after the Vietnam War the motorcycle luggage also evolved. As major motorcycle companies launched bigger and better motorcycle people started traveling farther on there motorcycles. Many riders formed groups and rode cross country and from city to city. The throw over style of saddlebags was soon replaced by a better and more reliable way of carrying luggage.

A group of riders drilled several holes in the back fender of their motorcycles in order to permanently bolt the saddlebags to the motorcycle. This permanent installation resulted in the saddlebags being more reliable and sturdy. This step also contributed towards the aesthetic appeal of the motorcycle. The trend soon gained popularity amongst the riders.

Motorcycle companies like Indian Motorcycle Company and Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company noticed this trend and soon started producing motorcycles with struts. The struts enabled motorcycle riders to bolt the motorcycle saddlebags without making any permanent changes to the motorcycle such as drilling holes in the back fender. Later the same strut enables other accessories to be securely mounted on a motorcycle such as motorcycle carrier and sissy bars.

As the Asian motorcycle manufacturers such as Kawasaki, Honda and Yamaha made their way into North American market they also made sure that the riders get enough room for the luggage. Yamaha motorcycles are a classic example of this as they manufacture most of their bikes with most room for the saddlebags. They also make sure that the turn signal does not interfere with the saddlebags, a common problem with smaller motorcycles.

In 1980 the motorcycle companies realized that most 1000 cc and above motorcycles are used for long rides. To further add value to their motorcycles they started selling motorcycles with fiber glass saddlebags. These motorcycles did well as most of these came with the motorcycle specific luggage. This also saved the motorcycle rider a lot of time and headache.

Despite the popularity of factory installed saddlebags motorcycle riders still prefer leather saddlebags in most cases. This is due to the fact that motorcycles leather saddlebags can be customized to a greater degree as opposed to motorcycle specific fiber glass bags.

Most early motorcycle saddlebag companies used studs, spots and conchs to decorate the saddlebags. Recently the more advanced motorcycle saddlebag companies have started manufacturing and offering saddlebags that are not only motorcycle specific but also match the color of the motorcycle. Another approach is to design the leather motorcycle saddle bags in such a way that it blends in with the overall design of the motorcycle. These advancements have resulted in more and more people willing to install saddlebags on their motorcycles.