By Susan Carpenter
This week's magnitude 7.9 earthquake in Chengdu, China, reminded me of a question I've always wanted answered: How should a motorcyclist react when the earth starts rolling beneath the bike? I know the chances are slim that I'd actually be on a motorcycle when The Big One hits, but being a resident of fault-laced Southern California (which, according to a recent U.S. Geological Survey Report, is pretty much guaranteed a 6.7 quake by 2028) and a motorcyclist who logs about 20,000 miles a year, it doesn't hurt to be prepared.
So I reached out to Ray Ochs, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's director of training systems, to see what advice he had for riding through a quake. Personally, he said, he'd never ridden through one -- nor had he ever been asked this question! -- but he'd talked to people who'd experienced a quake in a car, and they said it feels like the earth is rolling.
"If the terrain starts to shake," Ochs said, "your normal balance would probably take of you. For a rider with good perceptual skills, it's probably going to be a situation similar to how he'd respond when a car pulls out in front of him."
Ochs emphasized the importance of a two-second following distance, which typically gives a rider enough time to respond to whatever is happening in front of him. Beyond that Ochs had the following advice:
- Watch for cracks in the roadway so you have enough time and space to stop.
- Pull off to a safe location away from any potential falling objects.
- Stay away from underpasses because of the danger of collapse.
I have no idea if anybody else out there has thought about this or if it's only my brain that's filled with nuts and bolts and worst case scenarios, but if you're at all like me, now you know!
Read more Strategies for motorcycling through an earthquake »
 To the general public, Easy Rider may be the definitive motorcycle movie, but to many riders of a certain age, the 1971 documentary On Any Sunday is at least equal if not more significant -- not only because it was real but because it showed the sport's great breadth, from hill climbs to enduro races and everything in between.
Those of us who aren't of a certain age have only been able to see the film on DVD, but on May 21 the legendary doc gets the big-screen treatment at the second On Any Sunday Reunion. As the name implies, it isn't just a screening but an assemblage of many of the legendary racers who starred in the movie, including Malcolm Smith and Mert Lawwill. Director Bruce Brown will also be at the event, which features 40 bikes, some of which were used in the movie. The screening of On Any Sunday, the reunion of its racing legends and the Moto Expo of bikes will take place on May 21 at the Regal Big Six Theater on Fashion Island in Newport Beach. For tickets, visit www.onanysundayreunion.com.
-- Susan Carpenter
Photo credit: Orange County Dualies / IRS Media
 Regular readers of the esteemed Mr. Neil’s automotive reviews -- and car nuts in general -- will have heard of the Nürburgring Nordschliefe, the daunting 14-mile race circuit in Germany that is by turns (and there are over 100 of them) exhilarating and scary. Although there is no single repository of official lap times, it’s generally recognized that anyone who completes the course in under eight minutes is going some.
While this fleet clique normally involves dedicated racing machines and the usual Euro supercar suspects (plus the new Nissan GT-R), there’s one surprising name that has infiltrated the ranks: Cadillac. Yes, Friday May 9, 2008 was a star-spangled banner of a day for the American marque. Its CTS-V sedan stopped the Nürburgring clock at 7:59.32. Which could well be the fastest-ever publicly documented time for a production sedan. And that’s with no go-faster bits outside of those planned for the street model, which should go on sale in the fall.
The 2009 Cadillac CTS-V has a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine that is said to produce around 550 horsepower. The plan is to make this car the fastest production sedan in the world -- not such a far-fetched notion. Video footage of this blistering run will soon be uploaded to http://cadillac.gmblogs.com.
-- Colin Ryan
Photo: General Motors
 Voice-activated phone, audio and navigation systems — they’re wonderful things. Trouble is, such equipment is usually available on brand-new cars only — with most of those being in the luxury bracket (although Ford has its Sync system for the Focus). What about the drivers with older cars who don’t see themselves changing anytime soon but would like to upgrade their in-car entertainment, or ICE? Especially in light of the hands-free law coming into force July 1?
Perhaps something from Pioneer’s AVIC-F range might do the trick. The AVIC-F500BT is a portable on-dash unit that will handle iPods and Bluetooth-equipped phones (including uploading the phone’s contacts list), take spoken commands and provide directions. Its 5.8-inch touch screen may also act as a monitor for a reversing camera (which must be purchased separately). It will cost $600.
 The next step up is the AVIC-F700BT ($850), which is an in-dash design (these units require professional installation or at least a high level of proficiency), It’s ready for satellite radio, has a CD player and USB slot, and uses a power amplifier that kicks out four channels of 50 watts each. The AVIC-F900BT adds a DVD player and MSN Direct -- a service that provides real-time traffic reports, plus things like movie theater information, weather forecast and gas prices – into the mix for $1,100.
The thing about all these units is that they recognize conversational phrases, like: “Let’s hear the artist, um, U2” or “I want to listen to, er, artist Justin Timberlake” (it might be fun trying to confuse it with: “Let’s hear the artist formerly known as the The Artist Formerly Known As Prince” -- or maybe not). They use a new generation of voice recognition technology. The graphics are pretty nice too.
— Colin Ryan
Photos: Pioneer
 Automakers are desperate to sell product. Within the last few days, Chrysler has promised to lock gasoline prices to $2.99 a gallon and Volkswagen has announced that it will put $1,500 toward a college fund.
Considering that Californians are paying about $4 a gallon, the Chrysler scheme might seem tempting at first. The deal applies to various Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models (though not the gas-guzzling ones). Buy one of them new and the company will supply a credit card to use at the pump. The customer pays $2.99 a gallon, with Chrysler settling up the remainder. However, this has a cap of 12,000 miles a year for three years, and a customer cannot take advantage of other incentives.
If a driver did 12,000 miles a year and got an average of 20 miles per gallon, he or she would use 600 gallons. Let’s call the Chrysler deal $3 a pop against the current $4 at the pumps. So that’s a saving of $600 a year, $1,800 over three years (no doubt more as the price of crude oil rises, but by how much is an unknown quantity). Hold that figure for a while.
 Someone with youngsters might well fancy an all-new, seven-seater VW Routan. It seems like a nice, practical family vehicle. That someone might also be looking to the future and wondering how to fund a college education for his or her pride and joy. Right now, Volkswagen will leap in with a check for $1,500 toward tuition fees.
So then, that's $1,800 from Chrysler, $1,500 from VW. The way things are at the moment, anyone who walks into a showroom could probably get more off the price of a new car just by gentle negotiation. And regarding the first deal, it might be a smarter course of action to purchase a more fuel-efficient car. This would provide financial benefit throughout its whole operational life, not just the first three years. Just remember: It’s a buyer’s market.
— Colin Ryan
Photos: Chrysler, Volkswagen
By Tony Pierce, Los Angeles Times Blog Editor
 As Los Angeles Times blog editor I don't always sit in my big fancy chair and bark out orders to people. Sometimes I get sent on assignment too. Last week I was invited to blog for both L.A. Now and Soundboard as we covered Coachella as well as we possibly could. Simultaneously I had a friend who was flying in from Canada to see the three-day festival in the desert. I asked our senior producer for autos, Joni Gray, what car I should rent to wow my visitor, because I have a '94 Nissan Sentra that would impress nobody.
"Rent?" Joni said. "How about reviewing a car for Up to Speed!"
I gladly accepted her generous offer and she went through a list of possible cars. "How about this great BMW?" she asked. I cut her off. Beemer? When I pumped gas at an all-full-serve station in Beverly Hills we had a joke about BMW drivers, comparing them to porcupines. The punch line was that porcupines had pricks on the outside.
"Jaguar?" Joni suggested. Do I look like an old lady on the way to Nordstrom? I asked.
I reminded her: desert, rock music, Prince was gonna play, twentysomething Canadian single female....
"Nissan 350Z convertible," Joni gasped. And we were in agreement.
Read more Cars in Real Life: 2008 Nissan 350Z at Coachella »
 If you happen to have $109,000 burning a hole in your pocket and are eager to buy a zero-emission, all-electric sports car, then you should go to the intersection of Santa Monica and Sepulveda boulevards (just near the 405) and walk into Tesla’s new dealership. Although calling it a dealership makes it sound like a run-of-the-mill car showroom. This is more like a retail outlet.
The store — owned and run by Tesla and covering 10,000 square feet — has gabled wooden ceilings and salaried (not commission-earning) staff. Owners can drink coffee and enjoy free Wi-Fi while enjoying a full view of the service bay. The decor looks as if it was designed by someone who usually does upscale restaurants. On one wall is a selection of colors the car comes in.
The Tesla Roadster runs on a pack of lithium-ion batteries that takes four hours for a full recharge. There was some trouble regarding transmissions, but the company has settled on a one-speed version. After the order is placed, it’s about a 16-month wait until the keys are handed over. And George Clooney will be one of the first to take delivery. Not because he’s famous, but because he put in his order quite awhile back. So far, Tesla has about 1,000 orders.
The showroom is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
— Colin Ryan
Photos: Tesla Motors
 It's been in the works for years, but the Harley-Davidson Museum is finally set to throw its doors open to the public with a grand opening celebration July 12. Planned festivities include a custom bike build, a tattoo artist, live music and dining at the museum's restaurant and cafe.
More than 450 motorcycles will be on display at the new 130,000-square-foot museum, which sits on 20 acres in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley. While the motorcycles Harley-Davidson has manufactured in its 105 years are the main draw, the culture of Harley-Davidson will also be brought to life with photos, videos, clothing and never-before-seen archival documents. The Harley-Davidson Museum is located at 400 W. Canal St., Milwaukee. Tickets for the grand opening go on sale May 20 at www.h-dmuseum.com/tickets. You can also watch the museum being built on Harley's live webcam, complete with time lapse photography.
-- Susan Carpenter
 When most people buy a convertible, they expect to get a tan and some fresh air but not necessarily a deeper understanding of herring. But then again, most people don’t buy the 15 millionth Volvo.
That’s what happened to a San Diego couple who saw the Uddevalla-made 2008 Volvo C70 coupe-cabriolet (with the folding metal roof), became smitten and decided to get out their checkbook.
This situation is a bit like that of the lucky kid who downloaded the billionth song off iTunes. They just happened to buy the 15 millionth Volvo car ever made. And this one had a special treat in its glove box: two tickets to Sweden — airfare, hotels, a visit to Gothenburg (Volvo’s hometown) and a tour of the factory, which no doubt includes some kind of smorgasbord for lunch.
Coincidentally enough, the very first Volvo, produced in April 1927, was also an open-top model: the ÖV4 (ÖV is Swedish for "open car" and the digit denotes the number of cylinders the engine has). As they fly over England, our lucky San Diegans will probably be giving thanks for not buying a Jaguar and winning a trip to that industrial blight known as the Midlands.
— Colin Ryan
Photo: Volvo
 Forty years ago, the Shelby GT500KR — a more powerful and capable version of Ford’s Mustang — came out. In celebration of this anniversary, Shelby will make a limited run of a new model, the 2008 Shelby Ford GT500KR. Incorporated in its look are several design nods to the original, such as Le Mans-style stripes and a sculpted hood.
Under that hood is a 5.4-liter V-8 engine sending 540 horsepower to the rear wheels via a six-speed, short-throw manual transmission. Which sounds like a lot of fun.
Less amusing will be the price. Ford is "suggesting" a sticker price of $79,995. But limited-run cars typically see dealers charging a premium over the sticker amount. One has been seen on EBay going for $169,000, and the first car off the line was presold at a Barrett-Jackson auction in January for $550,000.
To commemorate the big four-oh, 1,000 examples constitute the 2008 run, while a further 746 (571 of which are destined for the U.S.) will be made for the 2009 model year. Incidentally, KR stands for "King of the Road" — which might have sounded cool in a naive way back in 1968 but seems to have attained a certain cheesiness with the passage of time. The car should be available this month.
— Colin Ryan
Photo: Ford
 The guys can’t help it. That’s the finding from a study into the tendency of young male drivers to take risks. This academic review is called: ‘Sex Differences in Driving and Insurance Risk' and it was carried out by a Professor Geoff Beattie, the Dean of Psychological Studies at the University of Manchester, in the U.K. Yes, these figures come from across the pond, but young men are more or less the same the world over.
Professor Beattie says: “Much of the circuitry of the human brain evolved to meet the requirements of societies and cultures very different from our own, those of the hunter gatherer that existed for over 99% of our evolution as a species. Our 21st century skulls contain essentially ‘stone-age’ brains, and this can help to explain the differences between the sexes in terms of their risk-proneness while driving.”
This ‘cavemen in cars’ study was prepared for Esure, the insurance company. An Esure spokesman adds: “There has been very little broad thinking about why young men suffer so much worse accident and conviction rates. This report makes a clear point -- it is not just about skills or enforcement, it’s about teaching young men in particular to overcome natural instincts that have evolved to enjoy speed, danger, risk taking and showing off. It was fine for cavemen but not for the modern car driver. This is a serious point that hasn’t received nearly enough study or attention by policymakers.”
So that’s where they’ve been going wrong. They drive sophisticated vehicles around with misplaced confidence when, in their heads, they’ve only just invented the wheel. Curse that testosterone.
-- Colin Ryan
Image: Hanna-Barbera
 Oh dear. The Toyota Camry/Honda Accord stranglehold on the mid-size sedan segment might soon be broken. Those cars are going to get some serious competition in the form of the 2009 Mazda6. This is an all-new model, bigger and with more interior space than the car it replaces, plus more powerful engines. The smallest, a new 2.5-liter four-potter, joins the tried-and-trusted 3.7-liter V6 found in the company’s award-winning CX-9 SUV.
On sale later this summer, the new Mazda6 (which is the third consecutive Mazda be to be designed and engineered specifically for North America) will be available as a four-door sedan exclusively, with three trim levels: Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. No prices have been set yet, but a 2008 Mazda6 starts at $18,990. Since the market is ultra-competitive right now, don’t expect much of a deviation from there. The last model was pretty good to drive, so this one should be even better.
-- Colin Ryan
Photos: Mazda USA
 The most powerful engine General Motors has ever made is the 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 that will be under the hood of the 2009 Corvette ZR1. Its output is officially rated at 638 horsepower. After three, everyone... one, two, three -- woohoo!
That’s a heck of a lot of muscle, but then the Corvette is a heck of a lot of muscle car, said to be equally at home on the street or the track, refined yet tough. It goes on sale this summer, so look for the models with the polycarbonate window in the hood that shows off the supercharger. And should a prospective ZR1 buyer suffer a pang of conscience, GM states that its engineers are confident that this will be the most fuel-efficient 600-plus horsepower car on the market (although the competition probably won’t be that stiff).
Just to give an idea of what that kind of power is capable of, GM took the ZR1 to a high-speed track in Germany where it reached 208 mph, averaging 205 mph after taking into account runs in the opposite direction. Here’s the video. Enjoy. -- Colin Ryan
Photo: General Motors
« Previous Posts
|
|
