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This Site Has A New Commenting System

We have had to switch to yet another commenting system, since Google has withdrawn its Google Friend Connect system. All previous comments are lost (thanks Google for not enabling us to export old comments).

The new commenting system, DISQUS, is powerful, and you can use it anonymous, or using your Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo, OpenId log on.

However, thanks to the millions of spammers out there, all comments are moderated, so will not show up immediately. Sorry...

Let me know what you think about the new system... please..

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Top Internet Stories - 10 February 2012

Despite the intense cold, or maybe because of it, here are several interesting motorcycle related articles I've been reading over the last week that you may want to read.

- 5 Reasons Not To Ride A Motorcycle Or Scooter In The Winter (Scooter In The Sticks)
- Riding Motorcycle In The Winter Part 3 (Motorcycle Blog From Jafrum)
- Nolan N104 Helmet Review (Revzilla Blog)
- Motorcycle-only Checkpoints Rev Up Controversy In Congress (LA Times)

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Video: KTM - Fun On Ice X 3

My friends at the Dutch motorcycle site Oliepeil decided not to be down because of the winter and the absolute freezing weather The Netherlands is having, so they decided to have some fun.

Using three KTM vehicles, and a frozen lake, they had their fun. A 500 EXC motorcycle, a 525 XC ATV and as bonus, a KTM X-BOW sports car did the trick.

Here's the video on how to have fun in the winter....

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First All Spanish Electric Scooter - LEMev Stream

Three companies got together back in 2007 to develop better motorcycles, and here is their first brainchild. The three companies, Inmotec (Moto2 and Moto3 racing technology), Luma (Europe's biggest anti-theft devices) and Dhemen (industrial design group).

The joint venture company is called LEM, and their first product is named LEMev Stream, and it is an electric scooter. The scooter is 100% Spanish, designed and built there, and funded by national and local authorities.

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Who Cares About The Snow and Ice On A Motorcycle?

Just because there's snow and ice, doesn't mean you can't go and have fun on your motorcycle. And it doesn't even have to be an off-road bike with big studded tires, just some spikes in your tires will do the trick (just look at the spikes on the tires...).

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Switzerland: Motorcycle Riding To Be Put In The Constitution

There is a movement going on in Switzerland to have motorcycle riding put officially in the constitution. It sounds pretty strange, but what the motorcycle groups are trying to do is make motorcycle riding a "normalized" form of transportation, guaranteed by the constitution.

The movement comes from a group of illuminated politicians, assisted by the motorcycle lobby groups.

The proposed constitution change will allow people to make the free choice of transportation vehicles, allow lane splitting, riding in the bus lanes, and for cities to have sufficient parking spots.

It should also mention that using motorcycles is an efficient way of transportation.

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France: Top Motorcycle Sales For 2011

For a fourth consecutive year, sales of motorcycles and scooters in France has declined. While 2007 was a record year, 2011 is turning out to be one of the worst of this millennium.

But interestingly enough, the European motorcycle manufacturers saw incredible sales increases, while the Japanese (except Honda) saw the reverse.

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Europe: It Is So Cold Out Here That ...

It's so cold out here in Europe, that even the motorcycles freeze over.

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Italy: Milan Congestion Charge Paying Off?

We've already reported on Milan's congestion charge, something motorcycles do NOT have to pay, since they are allowed to go into the city without paying the tax.

After the first week of the congestion charge, authorities stated that traffic inside the inner city was reduced by 37%! Cars dropped from 122,000 to 77,000 during the operating hours of the congestion charge. Carbon emissions dropped 30%.

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Michelin Introduces Its New Motorcycle Tires With Changes To Race Cup

French tire giant, Michelin, introduced a couple of new tires last year meant for discerning motorcycle riders, and to mark the occasion, they are adding new categories to their Michelin Power Cup motorcycle races.

Newbies, women only and endurance categories have been added, plus the ability to sign up for individual races, and not have to commit to a whole season.

Plus, they have instructors available to help you on the circuit.

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A New Nikon Camera, A Motorcycle, And A Great Video

If you are into photo (and video) cameras, it will probably not have escaped you that Nikon launched its latest pro or semi-pro camera, the Nikon D800. This latest DSLR gives you what can be considered the latest technological goodies that cameras can offer, from a 36 megapixel photo cameras, to full HD video making capabilities.

For the launch, Nikon commission Sandro Miller to make a short video (5 minutes) with the D800 camera, and Sandro in his artistic vision, used his talent to create this beautiful video of a Joy Ride on a motorcycle.

You'll need to see the video itself, it's below, but for those of you who are interested in how it was done using this latest camera, there's a "The Making Of..." below it.

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Liquid Image: Ultimate HD Camera Goggles For Motorcycles

Liquid Image, a company that makes extreme sports video cameras, have recently released the Torque HD camera goggles for motorcycle helmets.

The Torque HD video camera google not only record in full HD (1080p), or at 720 but at 60 fps, but it also streams to a smartphone app via onboard WiFi.

The motorcycle goggles will be available mid this year for US$399.

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Video: Learn Motorcycle Drag Racing

Not exactly something you'd think they have schools for, nor would you expect to see TV commercials for them, but there you go, learn something new everyday.

This is an advertisement for the Rickey Gadson Drag Racing School, where you can learn to drag race your motorcycle.

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Potty Motorcycle - Go On The Go

You've probably all seen the Japanese motorcycle using our natural excrement (read shit) as fuel.

Now it looks like the Chinese are trying to replicate it, but in their own unique fashion.

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Taddy Blazusiak Takes Third World SuperEnduro Title

Barcelona SuperEnduro2012 Taddy Blazusiak

KTM factory rider Taddy Blazusiak continued his golden run on Sunday night to win the third and last SuperEnduro event of the FIM World Championship season 2011-2012 in Barcelona, Spain, to again clean sweep both the event and the series.

Engloshman Johnny Walker took second spot, also on a KTM motorcycle.

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Le Touquet Enduropale - Photos and Video

For those of you who saw the Enduropale beach race in Le Touquet (either on the spot, on TV or the Web), you'll agree that it was incredible... incredibly crazy that is. 1080 motorcycles leaving the start at the same time in snow & ice, not to mention the deep sand was a sight to see.

But this year, to slow down the holeshot winner, they made several curves in the circuit. Which is fine when you arrive as one of the first, but when the 1000+ Sunday riders arrive, they get stuck. On its own, not a problem, but it becomes an enormous problem when the front of the pack has done a complete lap (about 10-15 minutes), and reaches the backmarkers who are still stuck in their first curve or hill.

That is a sight to see. Check the video below (for as long as it plays since it might be removed). You'll see the front leader loose his position since he got stuck in a still-standing pack of Sunday riders, while the number 2 manages to pass on the outside. Fun. That's life on the Enduropale, it's not the circuit, nor the obstacles, nor the professional competitors who are a threat, but the Sunday riders, all 1000+ of them.

Here are some photos of the event, and below that videos. ...

France: Toll Roads Price Hike, Even For Motorcycles

The French government, in their "wisdom" has agreed that motorway operators in France are allowed to increase their tolls by an average of 2.5%.

That makes way to an incredible fraud by the operators, who already charge an arm & leg for their motorways, particularly for motorcycles. The last thing they need is an increase in tolls, since they are making filthy profits on roads that were paid for by tax payers.

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Top Internet Stories - 3 February 2012

Here are some interesting motorcycle related articles found on the internet during the last week that you may have missed.

- Dvd Review: EDR - A Mexican Motorcycle Adventure (Helmet Hair Blog)
- A Good Riding Position = Life Insurance (Auto123)
- The Lubrication Of Combustion Engines (Motorcycle Thailand)

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Enduropale 2012: Live On The Web

Even if you are not coming to that wacky and incredible beach motorcycle enduro, the Le Touquet Enduropale, you can still see it.

The France3 national TV stations will be broadcasting it live on TV, but will also be streaming it on their web, all 3 hours worth.

This year might just be a notable one, since they are predicting snow for the weekend....

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