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The cheapest way to motor

January 29, 2012 By

If driving, for you, is simply a matter of getting from A to B in a reasonable amount of comfort and safety – and doing so as cost effectively as you possibly can, then logic says you should buy the best cheap used Honda you can.

There are two basic truths behind this reasoning:

The first is that used cars are cheaper than new ones. This isn’t rocket science, but with all the tempting new car offers you see around in these cash-strapped times, it’s useful to remind yourself that they still don’t make basic financial sense.

So buy a brand new car if that’s what you really want – but never fall for the salesman’s trap of convincing yourself that it’s more or less the same as buying a used car and is all very affordable etc. The simple truth is that it isn’t.

A new car loses around 20% of its value the moment you’ve bought by virtue of the fact that it is, by definition, ‘second-hand’ immediately – and because you’ve paid the VAT on it. So if you do buy a used car, keep it going for as many years as you possibly can and get the cheapest car to run that you possibly can. And these days – that seems to indicate hybrids.

But why Honda? Well Honda has been found to be the most reliable carmaker for an unprecedented six years in a row by the What Car? and Warranty Direct study of reliability. And you can’t ask for much more than that!

Filed Under: Tires Tagged With: , , ,

Alonso – Hamilton superior to Vettel

January 27, 2012 By

Lewis Hamilton will have to overcome plenty of challenges if he is going to challenge for this year’s world championship, perhaps the biggest of all being himself. While Sebastian Vettel made it back-to-back world titles, many still view Hamilton as being Formula One’s most naturally gifted driver.

2012 will be a year in which the Englishman will be looking to prove that opinion is right and put an end to both Red Bull and Vettel’s dominance. The fact Red Bull have been so good has taken some shine off the German’s achievements, in some eyes – although, Vettel will be more focused on winning races than he is about opinions. Those looking at the in-play betting should bear this in mind.

One of those who believes Hamilton is the better driver, is his former McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso. They may not have been much love lost between the two during their time in the same team, however, the Spaniard has revealed he views Hamilton as the more talented of the two.

“I consider Hamilton to be a very quick driver, aggressive and totally focused. All he’s interested in is winning. Nothing else. A really talented driver,” he said.

“In my opinion Sebastian hasn’t quite got to that level year. I know that he is a double world champion, but that is the way it is. For me, he’s just slightly below Lewis’s standard.”

The McLaren driver had a year to forget last season; finishing fifth in the drivers’ championship amid a series of on and off track issues. Hamilton did end the year off in a positive fashion, claiming the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi to send him into the close-season with something positive to use as motivation. Fans of mobile betting should bear this in mind.

While many will see Vettel as the front-runner, again, to be the dominant force when the new season gets under way, however, that could well work in Hamilton’s favour, allowing him to go about his business in relative peace.

Filed Under: Racing

Don’t train for cycling

January 16, 2012 By

If you really want to get for cycling, my advice is not to train. This is true of so many sports, but is perhaps more true of cycling than any other single sport.

Let me explain…

Any sport or pastime which you do for the exercise’s sake, for fitness in other words, becomes a drudge for most people, most of the time. But when the exercise is incidental to the activity being performed, then the exercise and the fitness it brings is a beneficial and wholly welcome by-product.

If you think back to when you were a child, did you play football, tennis, rounders, or go cycling for that matter because you thought you’d get fitter? Or did you do it because you enjoyed it – or, in the case of cycling, because you wanted to get around under your own steam and visit places / get to where you needed to be etc.?

So if you set off on your bike with a determination to become leaner, meaner and fitter, you’re setting yourself up to fail just as many people do with New Year’s resolutions; they’re there to be broken.

On the other hand, if you use your bike to get to where you need to be, or to enjoy the countryside with friends and see new areas etc. as the primary motive, then your physical fitness will happen anyway. After all, physical fitness in its true sense comes as result of mental fitness. The only time this isn’t true is for the control freaks amongst us; and that’s not healthy.

So my advice is to enjoy the exercise for what it enables you to enjoy – and the fitness will just happen incidentally. In this way, it’s sustainable fitness. And if you’re doing it for the environment but need to get further than you can on two self-powered wheels, then Honda has introduced some pretty amazing eco cars over the years – none more so than the latest concept car, the micro commuter, unveiled at the Tokyo Motor show – which even has a mini electric bike in  the boot. You’ll have to put your real one on the roof rack!

Filed Under: Cycling Tagged With: , , , , ,

Maldonado confident of 2012 turnaround

January 9, 2012 By

Out of all the drivers in Formula One, there can’t be many who will be as desperate to get the new season underway as Williams’ Pastor Maldonado. The Venezuelan finished the end of the 2011 campaign with the worst record of any Williams driver in their debut season – picking up just a solitary point after his 10th place finish in Belgium – and those looking to bet on F1 2012  need more convincing about his prospects.

With Rubans Barrichello collecting just four of his own points throughout 2011, the Williams team ended their worst-ever season way down in ninth in the constructors championship.

The disappointing season saw the team make a number of behind the scenes changes to their technical department, and Maldonado could have counted himself pretty lucky to have secured his seat for the new season – although that could have something to do with all that delicious Venezuelan money Williams reportedly earn from having the South American behind the wheel.

That said, the question as to how good Maldonado actually is will be better judged when he is given a car capable of challenging – something that was rarely afforded both Williams drivers throughout the year. The latest F1 bets suggest he may struggle yet again to turn things around, but the 26-year old has made it clear he is confident that Williams can turn things around when the new season gets underway.

“I trust the team because it is impossible to be worse than this year.”

“I’m sure we will improve, we have worked hard to grow as a team. I hope we have a better car, one that is more competitive so that we can always fight for points and higher positions.”

Filed Under: Racing

New Year, new car?

January 9, 2012 By

The start of a New Year is often the time people think about replacing their car.  And in today’s difficult economic times, there are plenty of different new car offers to take advantage of.  Some manufacturers offer flexible finance deals, insurance or servicing deals and roadside assistance packages while others offer straight cash back deals. If you’re in the market for a new car, it’s worth shopping around to find out what the best buyer incentives are at the moment.

With finance at the forefront of most people’s minds, hybrids have enjoyed an increase in popularity in the last couple of years as a way to combat ever spiralling petrol prices.  They’re also great for the environment as they are only part-fuelled by fossil fuel. Alongside the internal combustion engine there’s an electric motor which is powered by its own battery. The battery is recharged by a process called regenerative braking – where excess kinetic energy is captured and stored in the motor’s battery for use when required.

The electric motor can propel the car by itself at low speeds – usually around town – and kicks in to assist the engine during acceleration and for hill climbing.

There are different types of hybrid vehicles available, with an increasing number of plug-in hybrids coming onto the market.  These can be charged overnight at home, and have an increased electric-only range.  Honda plans to launch a plug-in hybrid in 2012, following the move made by Toyota a few years ago. Of course, the benefit of driving a hybrid is that you can fill up the tank whenever you need to at any fuel station, so you’re not restricted to a range limit as you are with all-electric vehicles.

If you’re not yet convinced about adopting hybrid technology, many of the new conventional cars available today are extremely good for fuel economy and have low emissions. Bear in mind that the emissions a car produces can affect the amount of road tax you pay quite significantly, so that can represent another running cost saving.

Filed Under: Racing Tagged With: , , ,

Torro Rosso intent on youth

December 28, 2011 By

Torro Rosso have maintained their focus on bringing through youth after announcing Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne as their two drivers for the 2012 season. The duo replace the unfortunate Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari, who left the team at the end of last season, despite decent campaigns. The changes mean Torro Rosso now going into the new season with an all-new line-up for the first time since their debut year in 2006.

22-year old Ricciardo has been impressive since breaking through into Formula One, acting as a test and reserve driver for Red Bull before finishing the season racing with HRT. The young Aussie had been linked with a number of teams since the end of the season, but has now ended all speculation by committing himself to Torro Rosso. Anyone wanting to bet on F1 2012 should remember this.

Ricciardo will be the more experienced of the two new drivers, with 21-year old Vergne starting the season as a genuine rookie while his Aussie team-mate has 11 races under his belt. The Frenchman has acted as a test driver for both Red Bull and Torro Rosso, impressing enough to convince the team to give him a chance at the big time.  People placing F1 bets should bear this in mind.

Team principal Franz Tost admitted the team’s focus on giving young drivers the chance to race in Formula One had been a major factor behind the new look line-up for the new season.

“One has to remember that when Toro Rosso was established in 2005, it was done so with the intention of providing a first step into Formula 1 for the youngsters in the Red Bull junior driver programme.”

“It is therefore part of the team’s culture to change its driver line-up from time to time in order to achieve this goal.”

Filed Under: Racing

Biofuel bikes in Brazil

December 14, 2011 By

The developments in the motor industry in general are often reflected in the bike world.  So it’s not surprising that we are seeing increasing numbers of biofuel motorbikes.

Since 2009, biofuel bikes have been taking over in Brazil with the introduction of a modified Honda bike – the Mix.

It’s a small motorcycle that you’ll often see ridden by couriers in the big cities. Following on from the success of the petrol only version, Honda worked on the necessary technology to produce a more fuel-efficient bike.  It’s called the Mix because it runs on blend of petrol and ethanol.

Following the trend of cars in Brazil – where there are a majority of biofuel cars on the road – the Mix has proved popular.  Since 1970, in fact, it’s been illegal in Brazil to drive a car that doesn’t use a blend of ethanol and petrol, and since 2003, flex fuel vehicles have also been sold in Brazil.  Flex fuel vehicles have special electronics systems to detect what mix of fuel is being used.

Using biofuel is a good solution for Brazil, as it’s the world’s second largest producer of ethanol.  It produces almost a third of the global supply. More land has been turned over to sugar cane production to keep up with supply.  The United States is the world’s biggest producer of ethanol, and since 1980, more than two trillion miles have been travelled using ethanol fuel.

It’s possible to run the Mix on pure ethanol, petrol or a blend of the two.  With a sensor located in the exhaust to detect the blend being used, the Mix can alter the fuel injection to suit.

There is an ever increasing range in the different types of bikes available, including hybrids, biofuel bikes and electric bikes.  It shows how there’s as strong a market demand for eco-friendly fuels in the biking world as in the auto world today.

Filed Under: Motorbikes Tagged With: , , , ,

A history of a motorcycle pioneer

November 24, 2011 By

Honda is one of the biggest names in motorbike manufacturing in the world today. Like many of the major entrepreneurial success stories of the twentieth century, the company had very humble beginnings.

Soichiro Honda was born in Hamamatsu, Japan. As a youth, Honda was an apprentice in an automotive garage in Tokyo. In 1928, he opened his own repair garage and built his own racing car.  In 1937 he set up a piston ring manufacturing company and became one of Toyota’s key suppliers.

He sold his business in 1946 and saw a market opportunity for affordable transportation in war-devastated Japan.  He adapted bicycles by adding two-stroke motors to them.  The motors were war surplus supplies – originally intended to be military radio generators.

In 1949, Honda established the Honda Motor Co. Ltd and the company manufactured its first motorcycle in 1949. The bike was powered by a 98cc two-stroke motor.  Legend has it that an employee looked at it and said “It’s like a dream.” Dream was incorporated into the bike’s name, with it being known as the Model D.

The first motorcycles were very noisy and the fume smells crowding the streets of Japanese cities inspired Honda to create a four stroke motorbike in 1951. This was known as the Dream E.

Honda went onto manufacture accessory, clip-on motors for bicycles, producing the Cub F motor in 1951. This was a two-stroke, 50cc motor that was sold by thousands of bicycle shops in Japan.

In 1953, Honda released its Benly J motorbike. They had Benly tank badges and the Honda name only appeared on the engine case. These proved very popular with Japanese racing amateurs.

In 1958, Honda manufactured what was to become the most popular motorbike of all time – the Super Cub – otherwise known as the CA100, the C100 and the Honda 50.  It had a pressed-steel frame and 50cc four-stroke motor. It would also go on to have a 70cc and 90cc engine in later generations.

In 1959, Honda opened the American Honda Motor Co. in Los Angeles and has been the biggest motorcycle manufacturer in the world ever since.

Filed Under: Motorbikes Tagged With: , , , ,

Electric and hybrid bikes gain in popularity

November 14, 2011 By

Gradually, electric motorbikes are gaining a foothold in the motorbike industry just as hybrids have become a standard part of the car industry.  They tend to be popular with people who care about air quality and enjoy the silent ride over other factors such as speed and performance.

Electric motorbikes are very lightweight compared to traditional ones.  They don’t usually have a clutch and the transmission is single-speed.  Batteries will last for an average of 300 charges – which gets you about 9,000 miles per battery.

One place that electric bikes have proved really popular is in India, with Bangalore company Eko Vehicles manufacturing the ET-120.  It’s a hybrid bike that has 280mpg and reaches a top speed of 40mph.  While this may not be great for the open road, it’s extremely practical for the amount of short trips typically made in Indian cities.  It’s available for about £500, but thrown in to that is also a five year warranty. Given that the average price for most electric bikes is around $7,000, the ET-120 is a bargain.

One of the best regarded electric bikes on the market is the Zero DS, used for on and off road riding.  Produced by Zero Motorcycles, it’s lightweight because its frame is made from aluminium.  It has an air induction system that gives more power to the motor.

While you do still have to wait for it to charge up, there’s a quick charge option on so the waiting time is less than on earlier models.  It costs just under $10,000 and has a top speed of 67mph, with a range of 50 miles.

It’s likely that as air quality restrictions get ever more stringent, we’ll see an increase in numbers of electric or hybrid motorbikes, just as the interest shown in eco cars in UK showrooms has risen in the last five years.

Filed Under: Motorbikes Tagged With: , , ,

Try a triathlon

October 24, 2011 By

If you’re really into cycling but want to give yourself a new challenge, you could try doing a triathlon.  Most people who do one triathlon find that they get hooked.
Triathlon is a relatively young sport – it only started in the 1970s when a groups of friends who were swimmers, cyclists and runners started training together.  It wasn’t long before they combined the disciplines. Standard triathlons these days consist of the three sports of swimming, cycling and running.  The race is against the clock, which starts as you enter the water and stops as you cross the finish line at the end of the run.  The time between each stage is also seen as part of the race – and is known as the transition.
What kit you need
Until you’ve decided if triathlon is for you, you don’t need to spend out on specialist clothing.  It’s best to wear something that’s closefitting – like a singlet and shorts.  If your swim is on open water, you’ll want to wear clothes that fit under a wetsuit.  Wetsuits are compulsory if the water is below 14 degrees. A swimming hat is definitely worth buying as it lowers resistance. Goggles are also a must, so you can see where you’re going.
Of course you’ll need a bike, but any bike will do.  Make sure you give your bike a good service – you don’t want to get caught out by a puncture on the day of the triathlon. Wearing a helmet is obligatory, at all levels of triathlon.
Although specialist cycling shoes are not essential, you’ll need a decent pair of running shoes, and make sure you can change in and out of your footwear easily during the race.
By definition, triathletes are people who like to get around under their own steam. So when they have to use a vehicle they tend to opt for something that’s environmentally friendly – for example Honda cars such as the fuel-efficient Honda Insight. You’ll usually need a car to get you and your equipment to the race and you can ask a friend or relative to act as your support team.
Joining a club is a great way to get started in triathlon – and there’s a sense of teamwork and belonging when you race with fellow club members.  There are over 350 triathlon clubs in the UK, so you should easily find one close to you.

Filed Under: Cycling Tagged With: ,
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