Shuff's General Chat Thread ... #73 - Talk about anything and everything...  

Harley-Davidson Unveils Its First New Engine in 15 Years

Harley-Davidson's Big Twin is the heart and soul of America's most famous touring bikes. As Cycle World put it: "If ever an engine inspired religious fervor, this is it." This fall the icon gets an upgrade.

Last week Harley unveiled the ninth iteration of the Big Twin, named the Milwaukee-Eight for Harley's hometown and the eight valves on the new engine (four in each cylinder). With 50 percent more intake and exhaust flow and a revamped cooling system that allows the engine to work harder without overheating, the Milwaukee-Eight produces 10 percent more torque than its predecessor, the Twin Cam, according to Harley.

The 107-cubic-inch (1,750cc) Milwaukee-Eight is replacing the Twin Cam on Harley's 2017 touring bikes, including the Street Glide, Road Glide, Road King, and Electra Glide models. They will start arriving at dealerships around the country this week. The CVO Limited and CVO Street Glide will get the massive 114ci (1,870cc) version of the Milwaukee-Eight, and there is speculation that the 107ci engine will eventually become the standard on other bikes such as the Heritage Softail. That would be the first rubber-mounted engine on that classic design.

"We want all riders to save the date of Sept. 23," said Dino Bernacchi, Director of U.S. Marketing at Harley-Davidson, in a press release. "That weekend, Harley-Davidson dealers across the country will host open house events so riders can throw a leg over our Model Year 2017 touring motorcycles and feel the difference of the all-new Milwaukee-Eight engine for themselves."

The primary upgrade to the Big Twin is "strategic cooling" technologies, the result of thousands of hours of predictive computer modeling. The engine will produce more power, so it's going to generate more heat, thus the need for clever cooling tricks. Coolant is pumped through a heart-shaped passage that wraps around the "exhaust bridge" that separates the valves of each cylinder head-a small metal section that is heated from both sides of the combustion chamber.

Harley-Davidson Unveils Its First New Engine in 15 Years© Harley-Davidson Harley-Davidson Unveils Its First New Engine in 15 Years
In addition, the shallow, four-valve combustion chambers of the Milwaukee-Eight absorb less heat than the deep, two-valve, modified hemi chambers used on the Twin Cam. The new shallow valve design combined with faster combustion from two spark plugs per cylinder keeps some heat from being absorbed by pistons and heads. This traps the hot gas in the combustion chamber where it translates to power and torque. A redesigned exhaust system and large-area cooling fins displace that heat away from the rider and passenger.

The new engine also cuts down on mechanical noise by replacing old gear configurations with a drive that uses a chain and automatic hydraulic tensioner. The reduced number of moving parts means less noise and lower friction, and it also means the engine will have a slightly different sound. As Harley told Cycle World, "We're killing the noise so we can keep the music."

A challenge for large-displacement two-cylinder engines has always been smoothing the short bursts of torque into a steady rate of acceleration and a smooth ride. To accomplish this, the electronic control module (ECM) of the Milwaukee-Eight was reprogrammed to interpret different throttle positions as calls for various amounts of torque output. Harley says it also used a counter-rotating internal balancer to negate 75 percent of the engine's shaking. When Harley cut down the engine shaking even more, test riders rejected the new completely-smooth idle, prompting engineers to purposefully retain some of that idle vibration that lets you know you're riding a Harley.

Thanks to those upgrades, the Milwaukee-Eight can ran at high compression ratios-as high as 10.5:1. As a result, bikes equipped with the new Big Twin are two to three bike lengths quicker in a 0-to-60 mph sprint and one to two lengths quicker when accelerating in top gear from 60 to 80 mph, according to Cycle World.

The new engine is being rolled out with a revamped suspension system that uses "dual bending valve fork technology" for a smoother ride without compromising control. When the fork is at rest, the damping fluid is partially blocked by a thin washer to keep the suspension more rigid for enhanced control. But when the suspension is compressed, damping fluid gradually moves the free edge of the washer out of the way to increase the volume of the flow path to allow more absorption of bumps in the road.

The end result of all this engine tech is Harley striving for the best of both worlds. The smoother ride quality should appeal to a wider range of riders, though the Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer intentionally retained some of the V-twin rattle that longtime Harley-riders have grown to know and love. With the entire touring line upgraded to the Milwaukee-Eight Big Twin, and an electric motorcycle on the horizon, what it means to be a Harley is something that's roaring into the future.

Navy sailor sits for anthem in solidarity with Kaepernick

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, middle, sits during the National Anthem before an NFL preseason football game against the San Diego Chargers, Thursday, September 1 in San Diego.

Washington (CNN)A US Navy sailor who posted a video of herself sitting in protest during the national anthem at a Florida military base could face punishment after her post went viral this week.

The unidentified African-American sailor said in the video that she was sitting in support of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, whose kneeling protests of the anthem have sparked a national uproar.

"I am sitting down. My butt is on the chair. I'm really scared, y'all. I'm really scared, I'm not gonna lie," the sailor says in the video.

The video was posted to the Facebook page "US Army Military Police WTF Moments" earlier this week and was first reported by The Navy Times.

The Navy has identified the sailor, who is training at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, but will not publicly identify her, a spokeswoman said Friday.

"The Navy has identified the Sailor and her chain of command has been made aware of the video. Appropriate administrative actions are pending," said Lt. Cdr. Katherine Meadows, a U.S. Navy spokeswoman. "Additionally, we routinely give training to Sailors on appropriate usage of social media and that they must abide by the Uniform Code of Justice at all times."

The Navy requires all service members, whether in or out of uniform, to stand and face the flag whenever the national anthem is played.

Officials were first alerted about the video August 31, Meadows said.

wolfie will like this stock hellcat vs e55 amg is one of the runs featured in the clip

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Officer 'threw object at motorcycle'

A police officer has been charged after allegedly throwing an object at a motorcycle at a random breath testing site in Sydney's south.
He was charged on Friday with intentionally throwing an object at a vehicle or vessel, risking safety and has been ordered to face Bankstown Local Court on September 7.

The mother of all barn finds! Car lover, 84, sells his incredible personal collection of 60 classic Holdens worth MILLIONS

Former car salesman Charlie McCarron, 84, is selling his collection of rare and classic cars
In a warehouse in Canowindra, central west of NSW, sit 60 historic Holdens, collected by the 84-year-old
Now Mr McCarron is putting the coveted collection under the hammer because he ‘can’t handle it anymore’
Charlie’s collection includes a 48/215, one of the first cars to drive off Holden’s production line

Motor enthusiasts from around the world are expected to descend on a sleepy rural town after 84-year-old Charlie McCarron announced he was selling his collection of rare and classic cars

In a warehouse in Canowindra, in the central west of NSW, sit 60 historic Holdens, collected by the 84-year-old who spent 52 years running the local car yard.

Now the former car salesman is putting the lot under the hammer, telling A Current Affair he ‘can’t handle it anymore’.

so......dickhead motorcycle rider decides that he's going to blast through an RBT - it looks like he'd already sparked a pursuit before coming across the RBT given the police vehicles following behind. Copper does the 'right' thing, in trying to prevent the rider from endangering the safety of other motorists stopped at the RBT and the police on the road etc....by throwing a stop sign at the rider, you know, just to make sure he SAW it and knew he was meant to stop. Turns out it was a f'king good shot and clobbered said rider in the head, causing him to try and stop immediately for said hero cop, by falling off his bike. Poor guy must have taken a sackful of gravel rash and made a complaint, cause now the officer who tried to remind the rider of his civic duty is on charges for endangering the riders safety. Harden the fcuk up c**t, you got what you deserved.

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http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-n...78e59755dbe1f09

He didn't crash from the officer throwing the sign,those vehicles were from the RBT site and a small pursuit was engaged after that incident. They found the motorcycle crashed a short time later with the flog close by. No matter what the police do,they'll always cop flack from every angle.

‘MAD MIKE’ WHIDDETT JOINS AGT MCLAREN SQUAD FOR PRO CIRCUIT RACING DEBUT

In a surprise move, it's been confirmed that professional drifter ‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett is going to partner Klark Quinn for the last two rounds of the Australian GT Endurance Championship.

Confirmed this afternoon on TV3's CRC Motorsport, Whiddett will pilot Quinn's STIX McLaren 650S GT3 for both the Hampton Downs 101 and the Highlands 101 — making him the third Kiwi to co-drive with Quinn during the AGT endurance season following Shane van Gisbergen and Daniel Gaunt.

Not only will the Hampton Downs event be Whiddett's debut in the series, it will also be one of his first ever circuit racing performances. It's understood that Whiddett recently tested at Hampton Downs with van Gisbergen in a road-going Lamborghini in preparation for the drive.

It will be the first time too that the former D1NZ National Drifting Championship campaigner has competed on home soil since the 2014 Red Bull Drift Shifters pop-up drift event staged in the Auckland CBD. Whiddett won the event, beating some of the best international drifters as well as some of New Zealand's biggest names.

Whiddett will be one of several Kiwis on the grid, going wheel to wheel with the likes of Eggelston Motorsport's Dominic Storey and Erebus Motorsport's Craig Baird.

The confirmation is the latest in a string of tie-ups between the drifting star and the Quinns. Whiddett staged one of his viral videos at their Highlands Motorsport Park circuit late last year, and it's rumoured that he is building a facility at Hampton Downs to teach drifting.

Quinn's STIX entry has been one of the leading entries in the series so far, claiming second in the opening Phillip Island 101 event, before finishing eighth at Sydney Motorsport Park last month.

The Hampton Downs 101 is on October 28-30, with the series ending Highlands 101 following on November 13.

pretty much, sucks being a public servant



it didn't look like that'd be something that would have caused an accident - the body language of the rider just didn't show him being off balance enough. i guess it's just how it's written, makes for a more dramatic article.

i hope you liked my spiel though.

pretty much, sucks being a public servant



it didn't look like that'd be something that would have caused an accident - the body language of the rider just didn't show him being off balance enough. i guess it's just how it's written, makes for a more dramatic article.

i hope you liked my spiel though.

Got a shitbox for next year's rally.
1988 240GL Volvo

Bargain at $580

Drag Week 2016 - Day 0 Highlights!
1320video

Published on Sep 12, 2016
Drag Week 2016 is in full swing with a WHOLE lot of cars in the lineup! With over 350 cars in competition, it’s sure to be a hell of a show! Starting off in Hebron, Ohio at National Trail Raceway, we begin this journey by tech’ing racers in and getting some tests hits in to make sure everything is good to go for the 1000 mile journey. Many competitors will break in the first day, and few will survive the trip. Drag Week is the true street car test for those high horsepower competition street cars!

Qld Police lose court case against car enthusiast, democracy prevails

In what may feel like justice for car enthusiasts nationally, a court in Queensland today dismissed a case from Queensland Police against a car enthusiast that had been charged with a Type 1 hooning offence (2297) for ‘wilfully creating undue noise’ in his Lamborghini Huracan.

The ticket was issued October last year and given the strong anti-hoon laws in Queensland, had the police officer chosen at the time, could’ve seen the green Huracan confiscated for 30 days on the spot. For unknown reasons, the original offence was modified to a lesser charge – essentially the same charge without it being ‘wilfully’ – once it become obvious the case was being contested.

Usually, this is not something I would care to bring light to – and I have chosen to do so as an opinion piece for that is what this is – but having attended the first day of the two-day court case, the manner in which Queensland Police attempted to vilify the Lamborghini owner really struck a chord. The waste of time to both the tax payer-funded court system, the driver, and the tax payer-funded police officer, for a charge that should never have been issued in the first place was staggering.

His victory this week was not only justice taking its course, but also a reminder for all of us car enthusiasts that the courts are a fair and balanced system for disputing an unfair charge, one which in this case had not been issued in the spirit of the law on which it was intended for enforcement.

The victim, entrepreneur Mark Trueno, who is the founder of StreetFX, one of the largest automotive social channels globally, successfully defended his right to drive his Lamborghini without being unfairly targeted.

Sergeant Russell Waters testified in court that Mr Trueno had turned on his Huracan, revved the engine, then driven the car in a wilful manner of operation that created undue noise. According to Sergeant Waters, the stock-standard Lamborghini was the ‘loudest car’ he had heard in his 30-plus years of policing.

Waters, who presented himself as a qualified driver training instructor and one that has seen plenty of race tracks and apparently even driven Lamborghinis in the past (though when questioned as to which model Lamborghini he had driven, he oddly couldn’t recall), testified that Mr Trueno deliberately drove his vehicle to generate undue noise.

He presented a shortened version of the audio recording between himself and Mr Trueno to court, suggesting that the remainder of the near 45-minute audio recording of the event was not available. Again, rather odd.

According to the notes on the ticket issued to Mr Trueno, Sergeant Waters estimated the Lamborghini’s speed at 90km/h (in a 60km/h zone) and on his estimate, the car had managed to reach that speed in around one second (yes, one second!)

Mr Trueno denied all charges, disputing the estimated speed and pointing out that the noise generated is part of the characteristic of the Lamborghini and not a fault of its operation.

Having personally seen plenty of court cases where it’s the officer’s word against the driver, in most cases the officer comes out on top. So, what saved Mr Trueno?

His dash-cam’s built in GPS unit. The verified data from the unit proved that Mr Trueno stopped at a red light before the officer (an event Sergeant Waters said did not happen), then never reached the speed limit (GPS data showed a maximum speed of 54km/h), nor accelerated to that speed in a manner which would suggest the car was at full throttle to generate the alleged noise.

The data also showed that the Lamborghini didn’t reach 90km/h in around one second – as had been alleged – which even if it was intended to do so, would’ve been impossible given the car’s 0-100km/h time of 3.2 seconds.

This was backed up further by Anthony Webb De Zen from Lamborghini Brisbane who testified the Huracan is by its design a vehicle that generates engine and exhaust noise beyond that of a standard car, but still within Australian Design Rule (ADR) limits. He also noted the car automatically revs on a cold startup, dismissing claims that it was a deliberate attempt at creating noise.

“Our vehicles are designed to be emotional and pure sports cars, the noise which they generate is within the means of Australian design rules, and today’s victory in court shows that our owners can enjoy their vehicles within the legal means of the law.” De Zen told CarAdvice.

Having reviewed the case, Magistrate Judith Daley found there was insufficient evidence that would suggest beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Trueno drove his vehicle to create undue noise.

Speaking to CarAdvice today, Trueno said “I felt pretty victimised at the time. They held me for 45 minutes, photographed me, threatened to search the car. Drug tested and breath tested me, all for some egregious claims that it was the ‘loudest car’ he had heard in his career.”

Trueno, who had earlier in the day been taking kids for drives in his vehicle for charity, said he believed the police had targeted him unfairly.

“If I had been in a Toyota Corolla going faster, he wouldn’t have even noticed. He saw something bright that made a noise he didn’t like and decided he could enforce the law in a manner which suited his own obvious anti-car enthusiast agenda. Thankfully the courts saw through it. I am very happy that the Judge saw the evidence for what it was and dismissed the charge.”

Mr Trueno’s legal representative, David Abrey, the principal of Harper Finch Lawyers told CarAdvice: “This was a case where the magistrate found that Mr Trueno had done nothing wrong. In the end I believe he was unfairly targeted by the police because of the car that he was driving and it’s reassuring to see that not only did justice prevail but common sense too.”

The reason this is worth covering, apart from the fact that it proves there are really some officers out there that either have a terrible memory of events, or a personal agenda against car enthusiasts, is that we – as car enthusiasts – are not left to the mercy of the men in blue when it comes to traffic law.

We live in a digital age that allows for enormous data tracking, but we also live in a democracy that keeps the law and its enforcers in check.

Defending a traffic fine is something very few of us ever do – personally I have done it twice in the last decade, with a 50 per cent success rate – there is a great deal of time involved, the legal costs can also be prohibitive to some and even if the charge seems utterly erroneous, unless there is solid indisputable proof – such as the data used in this case – it may not be worth it. But sometimes, it is worth it. Because justice is always worth defending.

So, what can you do? Get a forward- and rear-facing dashcam with a solid GPS unit that tracks everything. The few hundred-dollar up-front investment may save you a lot more down the track.

Abrey told CarAdvice that from a legal perspective, if you’re pulled over by a police officer for a traffic offence that you believe is unjust, turn your vehicle off and record the conversation on your phone – you’re legally allowed to do this and it may come in handy. Also, don’t make any admissions, say as little as possible, record everything you are saying, and in the end if, you think you’ve been unfairly charged, contact a lawyer.

Of course the great majority of tickets issued by traffic police are for legitimate traffic infringements. It’s your duty as a valid licence holder to always drive within the legal limits of the state you’re in and get to know the traffic laws. It will help you become a better driver and understand your rights if situation ever calls for it.

QLD police did not respond for requests for comment.

You can see the video footage of the TV news coverage of the court case on Facebook here.

Muscle auto buffs angered at being singled out

John Morcombe and Robbie Patterson, Manly Daily
September 14, 2016 4:19pm

MUSCLE car enthusiasts claim they were trapped by police who set up near a charity event to book more than 40 drivers with infringements or defect notices.

Organiser of the Northern Beaches Muscle Car Show Carmine Vescio said people attending his event were “targeted” by police.

Police said that Operation Dragonfly targeted all drivers and the worst offender was caught at more than 45km/h over the speed limit.

Forty defect and infringement notices were issued to drivers near the car show.
Northern Beaches Highway Patrol senior sergeant Martin Searle said the operation had been months in the planning and stemmed from complaints from residents about speeding.

The one-day operation involved police, Roads and Maritime Service inspectors and staff from the Environment Protection Authority.

“Twenty defect notices were issued by police and 16 cars were referred to the EPA for noisy exhausts or other EPA issues, while RMS inspected 24 cars, 22 of which were defective in one way or another, “ Sgt Searle said.

He said one car had to be towed away while there were three major defect notices and 18 minor ones.

But Mr Vescio argued that the majority of drivers whose cars were ruled defective were “in their 50s and 60s with young families ... not teenagers hooning”.

He said the police were invited to attend the event, at Miramare Gardens, Terrey Hills, and offered a free stall but had declined.

“I actually negotiated with and invited these guys to an event they were going to come and put a tent up with a police bike and car so the kids could come and say hi,” Mr Vescio said.

“We were told they couldn’t attend because they had some operation on.

“Instead, they set up a station at Mona Vale Rd.”

The car show raised money for the Sydney Children’s Hospital.
Another participant in a car show at Miramare Gardens said the timing of the operation was “not a good look” when the car show was raising money for the Sydney Children’s Hospital.

Cromer resident Jim Cowden said he saw one award-winning car get a defect notice.

“This will be another event that will disappear from this area,” he said.

Mr Cowden said part of the problem was changes to those standards over time.

He said he had built a reproduction of a Le Mons car.

“In 1966 they didn’t have the same rules as now,” he said.

One award winning car was also handed a defect notice.
Issues also included noise and the manner of driving by some motorists on Mona Vale Rd, as well as in backstreets at Terrey Hills.

Sgt Searle said police were aware the car show was on but that planning for Operation Dragonfly had been well established by then.

“Car enthusiasts need to ensure their cars are roadworthy,” he said.

“If they comply with the standards set for all motorists, there should be no issues and they should be able to attend the event.”

An RMS spokeswoman said all modified vehicles using NSW roads must meet compliance requirements to ensure the safety of all road users.

“A number of non-compliant and modified vehicles were detected with significant alterations to suspension and brakes,” she said.

Event participant Nathan Hart said his car was given defect notices by RMS inspectors for having a tinted side indicator, parking lights that were slightly different in colour and a ride-height a fraction under the required 100mm.

“They’re hardly the sorts of things that would cause an accident or be dangerous,” he said.

[HOONIGAN] Ken Block's GYMKHANA NINE: Raw Industrial Playground
TheHoonigans

Published on Sep 13, 2016
Hoonigan and Forza Horizon 3 proudly present Ken Block's Gymkhana NINE: Raw Industrial Playground