Det blev en riktigt skön tur igår trots att solen lös med sin frånvaro. Jag, Mats, Nicke, Stefan och Klaus möttes upp vid elvatiden på Shelltappen vid Hallundamotet. Därifrån åkte vi på underbara småvägar till Rosenhill. Händerna var ganska kalla när vi kom fram så det smakade gott med en varm kopp kaffe och en räksmörgås till. Stefan berättade bland annat lite om hojturen i USA och Nicke berättade hur han gärna plaskar i sitt badkar (!). Många skratt blev det. För övrigt var vi inte ensamma hojåkare där även om det nu på höstkanten är fler bilar än hojar på parkeringen.

Vi tog ännu en runda efter fikat och körde då självklart Bulten för att sen ta höger innan Tungelsta och sen slingra oss tillbaka till Rosenhill där Mats hoppade upp på min Bonnie och drog iväg för att stilla den värsta abstinensen av att inte ha kört sin egna Bonnie på ett tag. Mats körde för övrigt sin KTM idag. 

Summa summarum fungerar det utmärkt att fortfarande åka hoj. Vägarna är torra och de färgsprakande lövverken är fantastiska, särskilt under vägen från Igelstaverket fram till Grödinge. Slutligen kan jag bara konstatera att jag för länge sedan fattat hur skönt det är att köra hoj och leva i den här kulturen, men köpet av en “riktig hoj” har tagit nivån ännu ett snäpp högre.

Filmen är ett klipp utanför Rosenhill innan vi skiljs åt. Klaus Boss Hoss, Stefans Wildstar, min America, Mats KTM och Nickes FJR i bakgrunden. Min America har de snygga sadelväskorna…

Klockan nio igår morse lämnade vi (Mats och jag) Gullmarsplan för avfärd mot Rosenhill i Grödinge, strax sydost om Tumba. Vi tog såklart vägen via Tungelsta för att få köra slingerbulten. I Rosenhill mötte vi upp med de andra.

Vi fikade och åt frukost i solens sken innan vi for iväg mot Dalarö via slingerbulten (igen ) och sen vidare via Årsta havsbad. Nära Gålö stannade vi för inköp av varma färska kanelbullar i handelsboden. De har erkänt goda bullar där enligt många. Sen var det raka rör mot Dalarö och hamncaféet.

Där äntrade vi uteplatserna ovanför caféet samtidigt som våra kameror togs fram. Ja, vi gillar att föreviga våra turer. Klaus hade parkerat sin Boss Hoss, strategiskt i blickfånget på kajen och vi log åt alla som var framme och storögt tittade på denna gigant till hoj.

Vi satt säkert en timme eller två och bara njöt av havsutsikten och varandras sällskap innan vi rullade tillbaka till Rosenhill. Självklart körde vi slingerbulten ännu en gång. Framme i Rosenhill hoppade Mats upp på min hoj för att ta en testrepa.

När han kom tillbaka såg han riktigt road ut och var glatt positiv över vägegenskaperna. “Det är ju som att köra vilken tvåhjulig mc som helst”. Leffa blev nu nyfiken, men tvekade inför att testköra den. Men efter lite övertalning klev han upp i sadeln och åkte försiktigt iväg och försvann bakom en kurva. När han kom tillbaka efter tio minuter sken han i ett brett leende och var riktigt, riktigt nöjd med upplevelsen. “Det här är nog framtiden”. 

Vi rundade av och och styrde hemåt åt olika riktningar. Jag valde Tumbahållet och gamla Huddingevägen och sju timmar efter att jag åkt hemifrån parkerade jag hojen i garaget. Det var ännu en lyckad tur med vänner från hojen.nu.

Vi som körde Dalarörundan. Leffa står bakom kameran.

Fler bilder från Dalarörundan hittar du och du klickar här.

Jag trodde jag hade en ganska klar uppfattning om hur Mälaren Runt skulle te sig. Många hojar skulle starta i Sthlm, medan vi, några tappra från hojen.nu, skulle mötas i Botkyrka för att glida in i kortegen när tillfälle gavs. När jag svängde av från motorvägen mot McDonalds trodde jag, i min enfald, att jag ganska snart skulle se mina kamrater och deras hojar. Men synen som mötte mig var knappast den som jag förväntat mig. Här stod inte bara Klaus, Mats, Leffa, Tomas, Emil, Maud, Stefan, Nicklas och Leffas kompis. Här stod även hundratals, ja kanske tusen, andra åksugna. Min kanske något naiva inställning blåstes bort likt ett löv bakom Klaus Boss Hoss. Det tog en stund för mig att inse att jag var en liten del av något enormt häftigt och maffigt. Vilken manifestation för hojåkarkulturen!

Och vädret. Helt perfekt med klarblå himmel, solsken och svag bris, men inte för varmt. Kan bara beskrivas som perfekt för en trettiomilatur runt Mälaren. Efter lite snack och presentation av oss som inte setts tidigare mötts, så äntrade vi våra cyklar. När Klaus startade upp sin hoj var det som när Moses höjde sin stav och delade havet. Kanske en dålig jämförelse, men ni förstår vad jag menar.

Vi gled in i ledet som kom i en lång ringlande ström ifrån Sthlm och hittade ganska snabbt vår formation i ledet. Ganska snart såg jag människor som stod utmed vägen och som vinkade. Jag vinkade tillbaka. Människorna utmed vägen blev allt fler och många hade dukat upp med kaffetermosar och lunch på sina medhavda campingbord. När vi rullade in i Södertälje började jag ana vad som komma skulle. Nu hade åskådarleden tätnat och de stod bitvis packade överallt där de kunde få en bra blick över kortegen som nu var enorm. Jag såg hojar så långt jag kunde se både framåt och bakåt. Det var nästan så att jag blev lite avundsjuk på publiken som hade bästa parkett.

Jag låg bakom Klaus och på håll såg jag att folk först pekade och fotade min trehjuling, som ju sticker ut en del bland alla tvåhjulingar, men direkt när de såg Boss Hossen var det bara den som publiken såg. Vem som var kung på vägen rådde det ingen tvekan om. Jag hörde åskådare som stönade: ”åh, jädrar”, ”kolla in monstret”, ”herrejävlar” och liknande. Om min hörde jag mest: ”ha,ha”, ”vad söt”, ”vilken rolig sak” osv. Om jag varit yngre och mer osäker i min mansroll hade jag nog svängt av vid närmsta mack, hällt bensin över den och tänt på. Men jag log bara och vinkade till föräldrarnas barn. Barnen och äldre tanter tyckte i alla fall om min hoj inbillade jag mig.

I Strängnäs satt vi av och lade oss i gräset. Här var det en stor ansamling av hojar och mullret av tunga customs låg som en matta över området. Klaus hoj var som vanligt en magnet och han fick så snällt svara på samma frågor om och om igen. Och det gjorde han, vänlig som han är. Åter ute på vägen rullade vi mot Eskilstuna där vi gjorde ett nytt stopp i arrangörens officiella område med marknad och allt. Här pausade ett tusental hojar medan många säkert inte kommit längre än till Södertälje ännu. Jag filmade ett kort klipp här.

En hamburgare gled ner samtidigt som vi tittade på hojar och försäljning av diverse mc-tillbehör. Här fanns också generalagenten för Boss Hoss och runt honom och hans standardhoj, som han hade för visning, samlades vi och många andra. Mats var inte sen att äntra den nätta lilla hojen. Jag gick fram till Maud och sa åt henne att hoppa upp bakom Mats, så jag kunde ta en bild. När hon satt sig tillrätta startade Mats upp maskinen och den min som Maud då sken upp i är obetalbar. Det var för övrigt inte bara Maud som skrattade i det ögonblicket. Alla i församlingen drog på mungiporna när V8:an drog igång.

Efter någon timma på marknaden splittrades vi tyvärr på grund av att flera hade andra åtaganden som de var tvungna att rätta sig efter. Jag och Tomas bestämde oss dock för att genomföra hela Mälaren Runt då vi ju nästan var halvvägs och inte hade fullt så bråttom hem. Vi passerade Västerås under det vanliga ståhejet med publik i drivor, men nu började jag bli van. Dessvärre låg jag inte längre bakom Klaus, så nu hamnade jag plötsligt än mer i blickfånget. Jag försökte lägga mig till vänster i det dubbla ledet för att få lite ”skugga”, men såg ändå hur publiken reste sig och pekade mot mig. Hm, hallå, det är fult att peka!

Så hamnade vi i Enköping där Strul Mc anordnade fest för hugade. Vi valde dock att avstå och tog därför den vänstra filen för oss som skulle fortsätta mot Stockholm. Men vägen genom Enköping var mäktig. Här var hela vägen kantad av parkerade motorcyklar och av en entusiastisk publik. I en liten by ett par mil längre fram stannade vi för tankning, vila och korvintag. Nio mil kvar hem och några mörka moln började synas på himlen. Jag började ana oråd och vi hoppade upp i sadeln igen. Vinden friskade i, men oron för regn visade sig vara obefogad. Vi var hemma på ett kick och jag kunde glatt vinka av mitt sällskap när Tomas svängde av mot Sollentuna medan jag fortsatte ytterligare två mil hem mot Södermalm.

Summa summarum så var det en helt underbar tur och upplevelse. Inga missöden alls, ingen träsmak, ingen ryggont, bra flyt i trafiken och en himla massa trevliga bekantskaper med medlemmar från hojen.nu. Särskilt kul är att ni inte skäms över att åka med ”den fula ankungen”. Men förhoppningsvis så förvandlas ankungen till en vacker svan till nästa vår/sommar. Och då åker vi igen!

Klaus gigantiska Boss Hoss

Tomas on the road

Strängnäs

Strängnäs

Strängnäs

Mats och Maud provar en Boss Hoss i Eskilstuna

Klipp från parkeringen i Eskilstuna

arrived at Wal-Mart today. I am hoping to get some while Dad and I are out, because we have to get a battery cord for Mom’s camera(she lost it). These new cars include:
-Dairy Delivery, 2009 Modified Rides series
-Deora II Recolor(The third recolor of the Deora II this year)
-Ferrari 250 GTO recolor(yellow)
-Gearonimo(2009 Premier)

and that’s about it. I hope I get some of these, because they are REALLY COOL!!!
Hollowback and Bassline were my two favorite cars from the 05-06 Hot Wheels 3D cartoon Acceleracers. Bassline belonged to Shirako of the Teku, and Hollowback belonged to Taro of the Metal Maniacs. The Bassline is an El Camino modified beyond all recognition, and Hollowback is a modern-day muscle car.

Bassline. 2007 Track Stars series.

- Was zum Teufel machen The Boss Hoss nachts um 2 auf Sat 1?!
- Warum kann ich mich für so seltsame Sendungen wie “Ich kann Kanzler” begeistern?!
- Warum fliegen South African Airways auf einmal nicht mehr direkt von Frankfurt nach Kapstadt, sondern alle über Johannesburg?! Da will ich doch überhaupt nicht hin…
- Ich möchte einfach mal wieder ein gutes Buch lesen – warum finde ich bei Amazon nichts?
- Wann bin ich zu einem so nachtaktiven Menschen geworden, dass ich vor um 3 nicht mehr schlafen kann?

A quick stop at the Harley Davidson dealer landed me a pink Harley mug.  Too funny – pink in a Harley store.  This is now my favourite mug ever and everyone here at home had been warned that no one and I mean no one but me uses the pink Harley mug.  That way if I break it I only have myself to kill…

You know that old adage when in Rome…

Well, when in an area with outlet shopping…

And I did.  I had promised myself that the only thing I was going to buy on this trip was an outfit for the wedding reception I am going to in Minneapolis next week.  Well, I hate breaking promises and go far out of my way not to but this time, I failed miserably.  Not only did I buy an outfit, I bought 2.  Yep, that is correct I now have 2 outfits to pack  and  subsequently iron upon arrival in Minneapolis.  They will require ironing as summer fabric tends to be of the cotton or linen persuasion and wrinkles horribly when packed into a suitcase.  Oh woe is me – I hate ironing!!!!  Got shoes to wear too, but after wearing them home I decided that they weren’t quite what I wanted so a quick trip around here was required.  Got the shoes! I still need a purse but that will come this week or I might even wait till the Mall of America.  I mean, hey if you can’t find a purse at the largest mall ever, what is the world coming to?

Last year on our trip I was introduced to a store called “Big Dogs”.  It was an awesome store and we were told at the time that it was closing.  They had a lot of good deals (clothes) so we loaded up pretty good.  Well, they are still open but the quality of the stuff they sell has gone downhill.  Yes, it was cheap, but not only in price

I didn’t get anything at Big Dogs – and it was quite a disappointment.  But I made up for it at other stores LOL.  I think I single handedly help to boost the US economy. 

Found a new store called Harry and Davids – a gourmet place with lots of “fun” food stuff.  Picked up some Pumpkin butter and my favourite Orange Marmalade.  They were sampling Iced Coffee the day we were there – Sorry, McD’s still wins that one by a longshot.

There was also a store that sold accessories…my father wears braces on his pants.  He likes the ones that button not clip on.  Before I went away I had been in Sears to pick some up (The only store around here that sells them).  They were $35 a pair.  I picked up 3 pair but ended up leaving them in the store when Sears refused to take my mother’s Sears card which I had used very extensively at Christmas.  Since I was Nancy not Carol no sale.  As a matter of principle I refused to pay cash or use my Visa card. Hell, its not like I was trying to buy a ride on lawn mower or something and it sure is nice to know that Sears is doing so well during this recession that they don’t need my $100.00.  Anyhow I digress…

I am so glad that I didn’t buy the braces at Sears because lo ahd behold I get to the accessory store and they have then there – same brand Van Heusen but instead of $35.00 they are $11.25.  Hmmm.  So I picked up a couple of pair for dad and a belt to match.  

Lunch was a non event – the food was ok, the service passable.  However, when we were presented with the bill we were told that there had been an 18% gratuity already added.  This did not sit well with me and as a person who has been a waitress I will tell you why. The problem with added gratuities is that  the waitstaff already know they are getting a damn good tip so there is no incentive to do a good job,  or go out of your way for a customer.  A request for anything can go unheard and unfilled because, why bother – you are going to get a tip anyway.  Leaving a tip for any waitstaff should be left up to the customer not mandated by the management of  any establishment. Reward them for doing an excellent job, not just for showing up at work on their given shift.  Additionally,  the menu clearly states that any party of 6 or more will automatically be charged the 18%.  We were a party of five, not six.  When I mentioned this to our server I was met with a blank stare.  However, since I was being treated to lunch I let the issue drop.  If I had been picking up the tab there would have been some major discussion before it was paid.  And no, I am not cheap.  My standard tip is about 20% of the bill if the service warrants it.  Now, I can hear you saying that I tip more than the 18% but and this is a biggie – if the service warrants it.  If it doesn’t then I tip accordingly.  I know that alot of wait staff depend on tips but hey, earn them like the rest of the world!!!

The outlet mall parking lot was also the resting place of the Boss Hoss trikes.  In addition to the one I fell in love with, there were a couple more.  The red one had a trunk with more capacity than my Lincoln. 

A trunk big enough to carry just about anything

For the bargin basement price of only $53,000 this beauty can be yours...

But I am still sticking with my favourite…

sigh...the new love of my life. (well except for Officer Awesome thatyou will meet on Day 6!!)

And it was, the roadtrip of a lifetime. 

Back in January Sue and Rick asked me if I would like to go to Lake George, NY in June for Americade.  Americade is the largest touring rally for motorcycles in the US.  I had never been to a Motorcycle Rally so I said YES!  I had been to Lake George in the fall and it was beautiful.  The fall colours were out, the weather was cool enough for a sweatshirt but not too cold for walking around.  Sue and Rick have been going to Lake George for over 20 years and the last 5 or 6 have been staying at the Lake Haven Motel.  We left Brighton on June 1, 2009 on our way.

Day 1!

Crossing the border was a non event really.  We had thought it might be as June 1 was the first day of the new law that ANYONE entering  the US had to have a valid passport.  Additionally, the next bridge down from Ivy Lea (Ontario) was closed so we figured it would take some time to cross.  Nope, it took mere minutes…however, it could have been a lot more ‘comical’.   We were asked the standard questions – where are you from, where are you going etc.  And of course, anything to declare, liquor, tobacco and then he asked if we had any fresh fruit.  Sue immediately said NO.  YIKES, sitting on top of a pile of stuff directly beside me and in plain view of the Border Guard was a bag of cherries – yep, honest to goodness real live cherries.  I just sat there with my mouth shut all the while wondering what I was going to look like in prison stripes.  So, either he didn’t see them or he wasn’t for tossing some Canadians into  interegation hell that Monday and let us in.  As soon as we were far enough away from the crossing I asked Sue if she wanted some cherries. LOL  I wish I had a picture of the look on her face when she turned around and looked at me.  It was priceless.  Needless to say the cherry story was repeated over and over again during the course of the week.  We did eat some of them, but in the end I think a dozen or so went in the garbage the day we were leaving to come home.  I get the feeling that Sue will never take cherries into the US again. LOL.

Trenton, Ontario to Ivy Lea border crossing – 1.10 hours.

Sue and Rick’s friends MaryJane and Adam also joined us.  So, 2 cars and we are on our way.

We didn’t stay on I-81 too long.  Just north of Watertown we headed to a secondary road.  It would take a little longer but it is much more scenic.  The road winds through Tupper Lake, Cranberry Lake, Lake Placid – each very scenic places on their own.  We made one stop for lunch and then continued on our way to Lake George.  NOTE:  McDonalds in the US has the best Iced Coffee.  It is much better than the slop they serve here in Canada.  Additionally the McD’s staff stateside was much more pleasant to deal with and were focused on the job at hand.  Unlike the kids at the McD’s that we go to in Trenton.  But this isn’t about my beef with McD’s, so I will move on.

We pulled into the Lake Haven Motel in Lake George, NY around 5:00 pm. It was a total of 7 hours travel time and 553 kilometers (343 miles) but it really didn’t seem like it at all.  I think I might have taken a nap for an hour or three LOL, so time really did fly for me.

By the time we unpacked and settled in it was time for dinner.  A short 5 minute walk away from Lake Haven is a restaurant called Mario’s.  Mario’s has been in Lake George for over 25 years, owned by the same family.  It is an Italian place and they certainly live up to their reputation of good home made food.

As a sidebar let me just state for the record.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to eat.  In fact, before I was diagnosed with cancer I lived to eat and it showed.  I was morbidly obese by all medical standards.  However, since having half my insides removed eating now is more of a chore than anything else.  Don’t get me wrong, I still love my food, however, now I eat to live not live to eat.  My adjusted insides do not allow for over eating.  What I used to eat as an appetizer is now usually my main meal.  I do eat breakfast for the most part but it is not bacon and eggs, toast, hash browns etc everyday.  That may be once in a while, but not the norm.  I don’t usually have “lunch”.  I graze for the middle of the day and then try and eat a meal at dinner time.   That being said…

The meals that we had in Lake George and the surrounding area were very good.  I tried not to order what would seem to be a lot of food, but even the appetizers on most menus were more than a meal to me. ( It’s not that I mind paying for the meals, it just seems too wasteful to order an entire meal and then send most of it back.  I spend alot of time reassuring wait staff that there was nothing wrong with the food.  They kind of look at me funny as if to say “Uhuh – right”.)  Buffets have become more of a favourite of mine now.  Not that I can pile my plate high 2 or 3 times but rather I can put together a plate – a little of this, a little of that – and if I find that I can’t get something down, I can get something else.  Readjusted insides have a mind of their own sometimes and what I could eat yesterday no problem could cause major problems today.  And with a buffet I can scope out the dessert table and decide if I am going to eat dinner or dessert first LOL.

The food at Mario’s was excellent and the plates piled high.  Sue ordered the spaghetti and it could have fed 3 of us.  It did take a little long to get our food, but when it came it was well worth the wait. ( And as someone who has worked in a restuarant I can say that great food takes time.  If your meal takes a little longer than you are used to and you are at a well established eatery with a good reputation you can be pretty sure that what you are getting on your plate is indeed home made to order and not something frozen tossed into the microwave. )

The bread on the table came warm and my Ceasar Salad was very good.  Homemade dressing and croutons, just the right amount of real bacon.  It was very yummy.  Everyone agreed that the food was fab and reasonably priced.  Mario’s gets a 9/10.  They also serve a great breakfast buffet which we visited the morning we were leaving – but more about that later.

After dinner it was time for a walk.  Lake George is a great walking town.  It is kept very clean and there are a lot of neat little shops that line both sides of the main street downtown.  It is a bout a 15 minute walk from the motel into town, but it is a nice walk .  There are a lot of little cafe’s with patios that were not open in October when we had been there but now that it was summer and Bike Week, everything was open for business.  There is a Christmas Shop in town with every Christmas Decoration imaginable.  There is an Irish Linen Shop, a micro Winery, the list goes on and on.  There are also scads of t-shirt and souvenir shops – almost every second place sells something to remind you of your trip.  The other big difference from October – the streets were lined with Motorcycles.  Lots and lots of Motorcycles and it was only the first day. Harley’s, Honda’s, Kawi’s, Victory’s – you name a bike company and it was represented.  I loved the Harley’s of course, but my favourite bike is a trike.  A Boss Hoss trike at that.  It is hard to imagine that a bike can cost more than a luxuary car but they can and do.  The trike that I like so much was a mere $55,000 US.  Not a small drop in the bucket that is for sure.  The roar of the bikes was amazing and a sound I will not soon forget.  Sue had warned me about the noise, but not about how noisy it was going to be but rather how when it stopped and got quiet you noticed it.  And she was right.  As soon as it went quiet my ears perked up LOL.  I had also been told that the display of bikes on Monday was nothing compared to what it would be later in the week. Not everyone has the luxuary of having the entire week of.  Additionally many people travel from farther away than we did so they had to add in travel days as well. 

We decided that we would pick up some things at the time, the stores would become more and more crowded as the week went on.  The deals were incredible – heavy duty sweatshirts 3/$20.  T-Shirts 3/$10 – definately not like Disneyworld LOL.  I think the most expensive shirt I bought was a Lake George Fire Dept tee and that was $20 but it was for a good cause.

Remember how I said it was a nice walk into town.  It was, but walking back to Lake Haven was another story.  It’s all uphill LOL.  It takes a little longer but it is still a nice walk.  I would guess that over the course of the week I logged  between 10 and 15 miles.  Not bad for a person who is not used to walking more than a block or two with the dog.

After a Bailey’s nightcap on the deck  it was time to sleep.  The roar of the bikes was actually quite soothing.  The view from the deck was great.  We saw anything and everything that came into or left town. 

Tomorrow is Day 2…

Nancy

There were bikes everywhere. So many bikes, so little time!

Boss Hoss motorcycles are the most powerful production bikes in the world…at least three times more powerful than any other production bike on the road. But that means nothing unless you can harness the power. Boss Hoss has done just that. Once you’re up and running, you’d think you were riding a bike half its size and weight.

The low center of gravity, the two speed Semi-automatic transmission (with a real reverse) combined with incredible balance and even weight distribution make Boss Hoss bikes easy to handle. And that goes for the 350 cubic inch model or the 502 cubic inch model. That’s right, a full 502 cubic inches are available right from the factory with 502 horsepower…No other production bike in the world brings as much to the road as Boss Hoss:

• All the nostalgia and mystique of a classic cruiser
• Balance, comfort and reliability on par with the finest touring bikes
• The dependability and serviceability of a Chevy V8
• 3-4 times the power of any other production bike in the world

And then there are the Boss Hoss trikes. Featuring a 3 speed automatic transmission with reverse, the trikes are available in three body styles…the ‘32 Low-Boy Coupe…the 2000 Sierra Truck…or the ‘57 Chevy.

• A narrowed Ford rear-end utilizing Moser axles for bulletproof performance
• A smooth-shifting Turbo 350 hydromatic transmission with reverse and park for comfort, convenience and safety
• Unmatched storage capacity and easy access to storage compartment
• Three classic body styles, providing unmatched selection in trike design

Gone In Sixty Seconds

Söndag kväll och inget att göra, med andra ord perfekt för en liten hederlig “gammal” klassiker kanske? Gammal är självklart att överdriva eg, men millenieskiftet är snart 10år sedan och filmen har väl kanske inte hållt sig allt för väl. Självklart är orginalet att föredra, men nu var det så att just denna versionen av filmen har jag inte sett fastän jag har haft den i hyllan bra länge. Idag blev det äntligen dags för lite hederlig popcorn action ala Bruckheimer. Fast i vårt fall blev det ostbågar och chips istället.

V8 = Extra nice med subwoofer

Den här filmen såg jag dock inte hemma, utan jag var hos en kompis och passade på att provlyssna lite på hans nya surroundpaket som han nyligen köpt sig, för visst är det så att film skall ses med bra ljud och bra bild. 40″ Plasma & 5.1 Dolby Digital ljud funkar fint för mig även om det numera inte är något märkvärdigt eg. Har själv 40″ LCD & 7.1 (dock enbart 5.1 för tillfället) system med DTS bla. Men som sagt, nu var vi inte hemma hos mig och såg på filmen. Hurpass viktigt är detta eg med bild och ljud för er? För mig personligen så är det kul om det finns bra saker självklart, men det kostar ju därefter med. Den dagen vi flyttar kommer jag försöka få tag på en ny projektor igen, har en idag men att byta lampa på den kostar 4500kr och det är det inte värt. Dessutom har vi inte plats för det heller. Men som sagt, den dagen det blir flytt så är detta prio 1 för mig.

Det är något speciellt med bilfilmer

Hela den här genren tilltalar mig, kanske är det för att man är uppväxt i en famlij där fordon har varit en stor del av vardagen? Min far har haft allt från Mustang Mach-1, Pontiac Trans-Am till nyare saker som tex hans motorcykel med v8 motor (BossHoss) och är väl detta som ligger bakom mitt intresse för snabba bilar och stora motorer. Ni kan ju gissa om det var en som blev glad när han fick orginalfilmen av mig för något år sedan efter ha gått och pratat om hur gärna han velat se den pga av “Ellinor”, mustangen Halicki rullar runt med. Har även gett han klassikern “Bullitt” med Steve McQueen och skall försöka få tag på “Vanishing Point” till han också. Oavsett, alla dessa gamla filmer är de man skall se, visserligen håller de lite ojämn kvalité jämfört med många av dagens filmer, men det är helt klart något speciellt med en film med RIKTIGA biljakter och inget data-animerat tjafs.

Bruckheimers Gone in Sixty

Filmen är producerad som sagt av popcorn-action-film legenden Jerry Bruckheimer och även om nu inte Michael Bay står för regin i denna filmen så gör Dominic Sena (Kalifornia & Swordfish bla.) ändå ett fullvärdigt jobb. Visst, den har ingen som helst känsla för autentism mer än bilarna de åker runt i. Ja, de kan göra otroliga hopp, och ja de går förvånandsvärdt snabbt ibland, men det är helt ok. Man ser inte en film gjord av Bruckheimer och förväntar sig detta, man förväntar sig action från ruta 1 och töntiga repliker och det är precis vad denna filmen är.  Filmen var en riktig Blockbuster när den kom 2000 och är späckad med stora Hollywood namn, stora som små. Nicholas Cage & Bruckheimer har gjort en del filmer ihop som alla håller liknande klass, Con Air, The Rock (Bästa filmen av dessa), National Treasure serien. Bruckheimer vet vad han gör och som sagt filmen håller en relativt bra klass. Självklart är som sagt orginalet aningen vassare av någon anledning, men det har nog med att göra att man har växt upp med att sett den filmen några ggr.

Gone In Sixty Seconds: 5/10

Man ser inte denna filmen för den är “bra” utan mest för att se alla snygga bilar göra sig extra sexiga i ett smakfullt foto. En annan anledning är för att “lyssna” på filmen, ljudpålägget är helt ok om man nu vill höra lite skönt muller från uppvarvade v8 motorer. En klassisk “grabb-film” med andra ord. Nästa gång vi skall ha retro-kväll blir det ytterligare en Cage film, nämligen John Woo´s mästerverk “Face/Off”. (Morsans favoritfilm, för att hålla kvar på familjetemat dvs)

I have very little personal experience with these three-wheeled animals, unless you consider the Big Wheel I loved as a kid growing up in the desert of New Mexico.  Boy, I rode the wheels off that thing.  Anyway, I have had an eye on the adult variety of these machines for a few years now and have my own favorites.

I think it can be stated without too much dissent that the major trike manufacturers are Lehman, Motor Trike, DFT Trikes, and Boss Hoss.  Each has been in business for quite a while and turn out some beautiful products.  Motor Trike has its manufacturing plant and HQ just outside a little town called Troup in East Texas.  They have a few different models available, but I am partial to the “Trog” line.  The Trog is specifically set up for Harley Davidson models and works with the Electra Glide, Road King, Heritage, Fat Boy, and even the Deuce and V-Rod.  Motor Trike also makes kits for a variety of metric bikes and even has one for the Triumph for those interested in an English trike.  Drop them a note for more info on their various kits, conversions, and installation. http://motortrike.com/

DFT is located in Addison, Illinois and has been turning out wonderful kits for a long time now.  They have been adding new dealers all year and those include Genes H-D Repair of Smithfield, RI, Arnolds Motor Sales of Zanesville, OH, Texas Trike Werx of Belton, TX and Longbow Motorcycles in Rome, GA.  Truth is they have dealers all over the country as well as located internationally.  I suppose this lets you know their popularity.  DFT makes kits for both Harley and Honda and both sets are really good looking.  For more info on them, please be sure to check out their site at http://www.dfttrikes.com

Lehman makes the other, and perhaps most well known, trike on the market today.  They have a couple manufacturing plants with the original still residing in Alberta, Canada and the newest plant in Spearfish, South Dakota.  Mr. Lehman created the first trike for his wife because she could not take her kids on a standard bike… and the rest is history.  The brand took off and is now publicly traded on the market.  Lehman is also the only manufacturer to have a factory sponsored trike owner’s group.  But, perhaps the most impressive program that Lehman offers is the “Good Turn Trike” program.  This began in the 90’s when Lehman built a trike with special controls and components for a man who had lost his leg and could no longer ride.  This has become a regular program of the company and Lehman installs kits free of charge for customers on a case-by-case basis.  Now that is good PR.   Harleys, Victorys, and metrics accept the Lehman kits and conversions.  For more detailed info visit Lehman Trikes directly at http://www.lehmantrikes.com/

Lest we forget the Boss Hoss… this company has been making trikes for at least ten years and introduced the first V-8 powered bike in 1990.  In fact, in 2006 Boss Hoss received full vehicle approval from the European Commission making them the only globally approved V-8 motorcycle!  That is a pretty beefy achievement.  And speaking of beefy, you have not been on a muscle bike until you have been on a Chevy V-8 powered two (or three) wheeler.  Boss Hoss is famous for their crazy car like trike bodies.  They look like the back ends of a ’57 Chevy with a nice trunk and tons of space for two to ride comfortably and very, very quickly.  Check them out at http://www.bosshoss.com

Yup, it is a three-wheeled world all right and there is a lot more power out there than was available to my Big Wheel and me thirty some-odd years ago.  Check back for the next installment when we look at a few custom trikes and eventually get to sidecar hacks.

Love, Respect, and Ride Safe,

ArtBiker

Am 08. März war es soweit. Das zweite Konzert für dieses Jahr stand an. Und es sollte so ganz anders werden als erwartet. Die Location des Abends war die Philipshalle, die Band des Abends waren Boss Hoss. Hätte selbst nie gedacht, dass ich dort mal hingehen würde. Da aber meine Schwiegereltern genau an diesem Wochenende in Wien waren, war nun eine Karte für mich über. Und ich muß ehrlich sagen, dass ich verdammt froh bin, dort gewesen zu sein.

An das Konzert selber hatte ich gar keine Erwartungen, und kannte im Vorfeld auch nicht wirklich ein Lied. Als wir an der Philipshalle ankamen, säumten leere Whiskyflaschen bereits den Weg zum Eingang. Nachdem wir in der Halle waren, war ich erstaunt zu sehen, wieviele Großstadtcowboys es anscheinend gibt. Zunächst dachte ich es wäre massig voll, aber wie sich herausstellte war die Philipshalle gerade mal halbvoll, wenn überhaupt.

Als Vorgruppe spielte irgendeine skandinavische Band mit Sängerin, die aber nicht weiter aufregend waren, und ihr Set bereits nach 30 Minuten beendet hatten. Ich dachte, es würde wieder ein kurzer Abend wie beim Bullet for my Valentine Konzert werden.

Punkt 9 begannen dann die Cowboys aus Berlin ihr Set. Ich muß ehrlich sagen, sie haben mich von Anfang an mitgerissen. Hatte ich im Vorfeld gedacht, ich kriege reinen Country zu hören, wurde hier feinster Schweinerock mit einem Hauch von Country dargeboten. Langsamer als die Waltons, vielleicht eher so wie die Supersuckers, oder wie
Monster Magnet auf Country.

Coverversionen gab es nicht viele, wovon die eine, “Hey Joe”, in einer gefühlten 15 minütigen Orgie endete. Boss Hoss gaben alles, getreu dem alten Hardcore Motto “Blood, Sweat and no Tears”. So machen Konzerte Spaß.

Ich könnte noch so viel schreiben, bin aber genau jetzt viel zu müde. Zusammenfassend kann ich die Band absolut empfehlen und jedem ans Herz legen. Das Konzert ging insgesamt 3 Std., wir mussten aber bereits nach 2,5 Std. die Örtlichkeit verlassen. Irgendwann wird es dann doch anstrengend für Ohren und Rücken. Sobald die Schweinerocker wieder in der Nähe sind, bin ich am Start. Es war eins der besten Konzerte auf denen ich war, und ich war auf vielen…verdammt vielen.

Ray.

the best German take on country and western since Stewart Granger starred in German horse operas as a gunslinger. Screw Big and Rich – these guys got it goin’ onnnnnn (thanks to the guys at Ration Reality for bringing this to my dwindling middle-age attention span)

Not bad, except it would have been cooler if Levar Burton wore those Geordie LaForge goggles cut out of a cross section of air filter and tried to phaser Larry Blackmon’s codpiece.

Boss Hoss VS Kawasaki Ninja ZX12
Boss Hoss is a typical american bizarre thing. It�s unable to do a decent curve, it�s extremely heavy and expensive, at least is good in a straight line… but lost to ZX-12 in this situation. Boss Hoss sux!!!

This vid below shows you the type of people who boss hoss targets, a bunch of tough biker types who dont mind having their legs spread like they’re getting a gyno exam .

All and all why would someone want to ride a bike with the speed of a sportbike but not the agility? if the cops are chasing you your not always going to have a straight away, and straight lines are the only place the boss hoss seems to perform well.

Let’s put the Boss Hoss in perspective. The standard Harley-Davidson Electra Glide has an 88-cubic-inch engine. The Boss Hoss motorcycle engine is a 350-cubic-inch, 355-horsepower General Motors V8 with a four-barrel Edelbrock carburetor. The engine block is cast iron; the heads are aluminum. It’s the ZZ4 crate engine, popular with stock car racers, hot rod builders and, evidently, motorcyclists.

If you think this is over the top, consider that Boss Hoss also offers a 502-cubic-inch, 502-hp crate engine. So the “practical” power plant is the 350, then? Well, we’re dedicated environmentalists here, so we chose the little engine for a test ride. This bad boy weighs in at a little over 1,100 pounds, a svelte 200 pounds less than a Boss Hoss with the big motor.

What happens if it falls over? “Same thing that happens with any other motorcycle,” says Randy Epling, owner of Highlander Boss Hoss, the local Daytona dealer. “You just pick it up!” OK, then. The good news is that the engine is so wide that if it does fall over, it’ll just sort of lean over to one side. Even so, a forklift would help.

So we’re off. Even with the surprisingly effective little mufflers, you can’t completely silence eight cylinders. The patrons at a biker bar knew we were coming long before they saw us. But to see a vehicle with two wheels roar by, sounding like a Corvette, is the equivalent of a poorly dubbed Japanese movie: The faces and the voices and the dialogue don’t quite match. The leather-clad, beer-drinking bikers outside the bar cheered and waved. That doesn’t happen with, say, a Vespa, unless Jessica Simpson is riding it, and forgot her bikini.

The Boss Hoss story began in 1990 when Monte Warne, a West Tennessee crop duster, found a V8 engine and some pipe in his shop, and decided to weld it all together. Ridiculous? Yes. No one denies that.

Early Boss Hoss models were as crude as they sound, made more to look at than to actually ride. But a few years ago, something interesting happened: Warne and his crew in Dyersburg, Tennessee, made some major modifications, and suddenly, the Boss Hoss — still ridiculous — was far less so.

In fact, it became an actual, rideable motorcycle.

Well, sort of. It weighs more than 1,100 pounds, which is 350 pounds more than the Harley Electra Glide. The Electra Glide can get 46 miles per gallon on the highway; the Boss Hoss can get maybe 25. Of course, with an enormous 8.5-gallon gas tank, there’s still some range between fill-ups.

It is, as you would suspect, a challenge to squeeze this engine in between two wheels. The Boss Hoss wheelbase — the distance from the center of the front wheel to the center of the rear wheel — is a chopperlike 80 inches. The standard Harley Electra Glide wheelbase is 63.5 inches. And then there’s the price: Suggested retail for a base-model Electra Glide is $14,995.

Base price for the Boss Hoss: $34,500. And few people get the “base” bike. You can upgrade to the bigger engine for an extra $6,000. You can, in fact, climb higher than $50,000 pretty quickly if you check enough option boxes.

And plenty of people do. Epling says that virtually no one wants a “base” Boss Hoss. At the very least, a new owner wants custom paint: My bike had a $5,000 custom job with pneumatic naked women. Customers also want the optional camshaft with roller rockers that add some power but, more important, give the engine a loping, means-business sound at idle.

And maybe they want different handlebars and wheels and a custom taillight and a sissy bar. Consequently, the Boss Hoss bikes that come to Highlander Boss Hoss from the factory are the basic one-color bikes with few features. It isn’t a high-volume opportunity — Boss Hoss has sold maybe 4,000 bikes total — but there’s always a reliable market for wretched excess.

There are a few other companies building V8-powered motorcycles, but none with the mass-market experience and credibility Boss Hoss has. If you want outrageous — and who doesn’t? — the Boss Hoss motorcycle is your illogical choice.

And surprisingly, it works a lot better than you’d think. The transmission is a very compact two-speed automatic. There is no clutch. You start the Boss Hoss in neutral, snick it into gear with your left foot, let off the handbrake and give it some gas.

You would expect it to leap like a stuck pig — or hog, in deference to Harley riders — but it’s pretty docile. You can shift into second gear pretty much when you feel like it. I was shifting at about 40 mph. The top speed, Epling says, is not governed. “I’ve heard stories of 180 mph,” he says, “but I haven’t tested that theory myself.”

Things seem to happen very quickly, and very slowly, with a Boss Hoss. Quickly, because at this weight, and this power, if you get in trouble it’s likely to be newsworthy. And slowly because when you are turning at low speeds, you can’t really lean over and muscle the bike through a corner.

On the road, the engine has a very pleasant, unobtrusive exhaust note. The ride is exceptionally smooth. There is not a lot of front suspension damping due to the mass, meaning that on little bumps and dips, the suspension just can’t react that quickly, leaving it to the front tire to help absorb impact. With the long wheelbase, straight-line cruising is effortless, and I can see why some of Epling’s customers insist that the Boss Hoss is legitimate over-the-road transportation. Brakes are exceptionally good: My only real complaint was that the footpegs were too far forward, but Epling says they are adjustable.

I bet you could plough the fields with this monster!

Yes folks it is true. This motorbike has a 6l Chevrolet V8 engine. It uses 14l/100km and can reach 200km/hour after 200m. And what’s the best thing about it? Without question the John Deere tractor headlights!