Better Gas Mileage

Every February I attend the Annual AMA Biker’s Blood Drive and Party at Harley Davidson of NYC in Long Island City. The Biker’s Blood Drive grows a little bigger every year.

I have gone just about every year and always give a pint of the good stuff, The event always brings in many Bikers from all over the Long IslandNew York City area and many pints of Blood are always collected!

The Blood Donated will be used locally to help save those in our area. For just one Pint of Blood Guests are treated to Live Music by The always incredible “The Transplant Band” They are also given all the Bagels, Donuts, Muffins, Cookies and candy they Can eat along with many varieties of Juice. I think what really gets many of the Bikers to donate is the Free Harley Davidson of NYC T-Shirt.

Blood Donations get slow during the Winter Months and the goal of this event is to make sure there is plenty of Blood in the NYC area. All Blood donated stays in the area and goes to help someone local. The Bikers all know the life they help save could be one of there own.

This is another great event that helps everyone to see the great things that Bikers can do when they stand together and united! A big thanks goes out to Lauren of the Chai Riders MC, She has been a huge part of what has kept this event going over the years!

For more info check out nycharleydavidson.com I hope to see all of you there Next year !!!

Your Bro L.J. James AmericanBikerX.com Radio Show at BikerLowdown.com

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When you’ve already spent a good chunk of change on a motorcycle, you may not have saved enough money to pay for all the gear you need. So you need to find some that is inexpensive, but still high quality.

You can definitely find a cheap motorcycle helmet that is still stylish and safe, but it will take a little searching. You will also need to be more vigilant than normal about making sure your helmet meets safety standards.

One of the best places to find a cheap motorcycle helmet is at a sale. Watch the sales at your local bike shop to see when they’re doing an inventory clearance. This will give you a safe helmet at a reduced cost.

If you’re not opposed to big box stores, try searching there for a cheap motorcycle helmet. Because they are able to buy in bulk, they can be a good place to look for a less expensive helmet.

For those who are okay with a plain looking helmet, you will easily be able to find a cheap motorcycle helmet. There are many helmets with good safety features, but little in the way of add-ons, which cost less.

Different styles and designs also come with different prices. A full face helmet is always more expensive than an open face helmet. It is true, however, that a full face helmet offers more and different types of protection.

Many bargain hunters looking for a cheap motorcycle helmet look for a used helmet. This is a terrible idea. A used helmet has a high likelihood of being damaged, and therefore will not protect you.

If you are looking for a cheap motorcycle helmet, there are many different ways to find one. Do keep in mind when you’re searching for a helmet that you need one which is safe, even if it’s a bit more money.

Everyone has heard the claims that the hybrid car will save the environment and help put an end to global warming. Are hybrid cars your best option? Lets face it, the average car consumer today has a lot of choice in a vehicle and a hybrid car is only one of those options.

You have heard that you will save thousands of dollars a year on gasoline with their excellent gas mileage. But just how much of this is true and which may be a slight exaggeration?

One of the biggest advantages of hybrid cars is its use of two power sources for its movement. This is the most unique design to ever be successful in the automotive industry. The most popular hybrid cars on the market are manufactured to include both a modern combustion engine and an electric engine.

This allows the car to stop using gasoline while idling and run on electric power only, and run on a combination of the two during normal city driving. Many would have you believe this is a perfect system and unnoticeably different from a standard car, this is an exaggeration.

Hybrid cars have advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that you will reduce your gasoline consumption considerably and it will have an impact on the fuel emissions released into the atmosphere.

The disadvantage is that hybrid cars can be a bit slow to accelerate and often have an annoying noise associated with the electric motor.

rabate programs and incentives make buying a hybrid a cant miss proposition. Currently most of the major car manufacturers are offering a cash incentive for buying a hybrid car. Add that to the tax breaks you can get for owning a hybrid car, and that is a pretty nice savings you have for yourself.

Not only that but you will save money on gasoline purchases with the significant increase in mileage between fill-ups. Also, hybrids cars tend to be more reliable than standard model cars.

By no means can it be claimed that you will never have a breakdown or problem with it, but problems will occur much less often. This will save you even more of your hard earned dollars on costly repairs.

Overall it seems that the hybrid car is a great investment to make. It will prove to be a reliable and environmentally friendly machine. These days there are no limitations on hybrid cars.

If you want an SUV or a luxury sedan, there is a more than decent hybrid alternatives. Enjoy the benefits that you can get and consider a hybrid car as one of your better options.

I want to talk a little about the Brotherhood mentality versus the gang mentality in the Motorcycle Club world . Now for those of you who may be asking what is the difference? I will set up a scene to help give you an idea! At a small Bar a member of a Motorcycle Club walks in he sees four Bikers playing pool, He can tell they are a bit nervous, They see his patches and they know who he is with. Now how does he act? Does he walk over to the pool table knock the 8 ball in the pocket say games over and tell one of them to buy him a beer? Or does he walk over introduce himself and let them know when they are done shooting pool they are welcome to stop over at the bar have a beer and talk with him! One is the gang way of thinking the other is the Brotherhood way of thinking! I really don’t think I need to tell you which is which!

Now one thing everyone needs to remember is all of the original Motorcycle Clubs Started out with the idea of being a tight nit group of Brothers and just about all of these Motorcycle Clubs got along. Don’t forget many of the men who started the first MCs where returning home after serving their country during times of war. They were looking for that feeling of Brotherhood here at home that they had been left behind. These were good men seeking adventure, looking to ride their Motorcycles and have a good time with others like themselves. Today most Motorcycle Clubs have gone back to that way of Club thinking, There are very few Clubs left that still have the Gang Mentality that was seen mostly during the 70’s threw 90’s. During the late 90’s things had just gotten too far out of hand and most Motorcycle Clubs began to realize the Gang Mentality was not the way it was meant to be and it was not the way they wanted it to be anymore, This was not what the Clubs were started for ! Many Clubs who had been friends were now fighting with each other. No one wanted to wear club support gear and things were just not fun anymore. These MC’s had all started their Clubs with the same ideals and ways of thinking, How and why had they grown so far apart that they now hated each other!

Well the answer to how is during the 50’s and 60’s the golden age of the Brotherhood years of Motorcycling, The Motorcycle Clubs were really huge. During this great time many of the Biker Movies that came out showed Motorcycle Club Members as Bullies and Thugs. The Bikers in these movies would pick on those weaker then them, take over small towns and the Clubs in these Movies all fought each other just like the street gangs of the time! So of course over time many new Bikers came to believe that this was the way it was. So when New Clubs started this was how they would act and the Original Motorcycle Clubs now had members who where young kids looking to prove how tough they were by starting fights with each other. The Original Motorcycle Club Members had been threw real wars together and they were as hard as nails and had nothing to prove to no one! But many younger members felt that they had something to prove and would imitate the Biker Clubs from the Movies they had scene and soon it was Biker against Biker, Brother against Brother, MC against MC. Thus began the Dark age of the Motorcycle Gang Mentality years.

Now for the question Why did this Happen? Well When something Changes the way of thinking and being of Groups like the Motorcycle Clubs so far from their original ideals, You have to ask was it just an accident these movies did this? Or was there more to it? Was there a plan behind it? Is there someone or some group out there that would benefit from having these large groups of Motorcycle Clubs who are run in a very military fashion and are made up of many ex-Military Members fighting against each other? If these Clubs all got along and worked together the world could be a very Different place! The Motorcycle world certainly would be! Are there people out there who are afraid of this happening?

Today there are very few Clubs left that have the Gang Mentality. Most have gone back to the Brotherhood way and the word Gang in the Motorcycle Club world has become almost the equivalent of a racial slur. Now as Motorcycle Clubs are beginning to go back to the way it was at the start and trying to put the past behind them, I am noticing that there are more and more Biker movies and TV shows Coming out. Will these shows show MC’s in a good way? Will they go out of their way to stir up the quarrels of the past? Will they show us as mindless Bullies much as the Movie Wild Hogs did? Most Important will we let them influence how we really are? Or have we learned from our past? If all continues to go well we could soon be making our way into the Second Golden age of Motorcycle Club Brotherhood back to where it all Started !!!

All Bikers need to ask themselves, Are you part of the Problem or part of the Solution?

I am Your Bro LJ James with AmericanBikerX.com Radio Show at BikerLowdown.com

Every year In a Little Town in New York called Ridge, On a Big Sandbar known as Long Island, Hundreds of Bikers who have only Antique Motorcycles on their minds. Gather to attend The Big Sandbar Chapter of The Antique Motorcycle Club of America,Inc’s annual “Winter Blues Swap meet” at the Ridge Firehouse. As I entered I was greeted by two lovely Lady’s. I told them who I was and they where happy to tell me about the Big Sandbar Chapter of the AMCA. I was told how the AMCA considers any Motorcycle 35 years or older an Antique.

Being I am a few years older then 35 and not feeling anything like an Antique, I’m thinking maybe it should be moved up to like 55 years an older! After all they say 50 is the new 30!

I also found out The Big Sandbar Chapter prides itself on being very Family Friendly, many of the Members are made up of Husbands and Wives and even some of their Kids. Many of the Big Sandbar Chapters events are Designed so the whole family can enjoy them together!

Of Course you Don’t need to be Married with Children to be a member of the Big Sandbar Chapter of the AMCA! All you need is a love for Antique Motorcycles and live anywhere in their coverage area which is from Montauk to Manhattan. The Chapter meets six times a year and is Well known for it’s Annual May Swap Meet at the Fireman’s Park in Ridge!

To learn more about the AMCA go to www.thebigsandbar.com

Your Bro L.J. James AmericanBikerX.com and Radio Show at BikerLowdown.com

Say you are enthusiastic experience train collector ,so no question you have the results to most of the common inquiries. Your enquiries would be more than geared towards an individual dealer who is dealing vintage.

The founder getting in the ho model train hobby will have some queries. Still that can be tricky, because you require to know something about the field you are asking.

Your line of questioning will have to deal with the intention you want the ho model train for. If you are designing on becoming a collector, or are you merely construct a standard layout for some thing to do, but are not going to get excessively involved, or is a gift for a youngster?

Say you are planning on becoming a collector, and then your basic query would be where can you collect numerous detailed selective information as to the history of the Lionel trains. It would be high-risk to pay top dollar for a train piece that was not responsible. Several vintage pieces can be very pricey.

To start with simply a basic set and go from there, it might be better to go a prestigious hobby storehouse ,rather one that just handles with train sets. Most of the people that have these types of stores have a love of trains and they have spent yr acquiring about them. The 1 bit of wisdom that you do have is you recognize that Lionel train sets have been on the market for many ages, and are recognise to be worth the money you are about to invest. So in all probability your introductory question should be, which models should you start off with. You will in all likelihood want to start with a accomplished elementary set and add to it. Dont make the decision that it doesnt matter if there are add ons or not. It has been said that the train hobby is extremely addictive. Which means theres a easy chance you may get more than involved then you predetermined.

Plan for the future. Enquire the experienced hobbyist selling to you if any of the ho model train sets get DCC ready. This is new to model railroading, and what it signifies it that it exercises digital computer technology. Say the reply is no, and then inquire are there sets that can be upgraded and if so how much would it price. You also require to recognize what is a moderate budget to have to start with the train series. They may have numerous package deals already outlined.

Say you are buying a set for a child. Your demands will depend on the childs age. If they are rather young and then you will require a Lionel train set that is going to fit in with his capabilities to run it. Once More ask the sales rep what they would recommend for that age group. He will be capable to show you train sets that would be perfect for what you are searching for. And Then you can pick the theme that your kid would like better.

Old convertibles often elicit the greatest response out of classic car show viewers when they walk by and peer into the open top at the convertibles interior. I have even seen rough looking convertibles get great response.

I think it goes back to our youth, the feeling of freedom of riding a bicycle with the wind blowing through our hair. The idea of doing the same thing in a slick looking classic convertible elicits the same feelings. People just love to ride and drive a nice classic convertible.

Also without the coupe or sedan, a convertible car seems to just look better almost every time. Also think of it as a chick magnet, if you are single that is. The sexy imagery and feeling of coolness when you consider driving a convertible makes it even seem to make you more attractive to the opposite sex.

Get Noticed!

Face it, a convertible in tiptop shape driving will provoke head turning. People notice you when you drive a convertible.

What are Rag Tops?

The wonderful thing about convertibles is that you can always roll up the top and the windows and get in out of the rain. In the old classic convertibles, these tops were called “ragtops.”

Rag tops of old had a harder time keeping out the rain but as the years went by, they got better and better at it. Still it is worth being able to ride with the wind in your hair to endure a few drops here and there, but I would check out a convertible cartop restorer if this were the case.

Buying Classic Convertibles

One of the best places to find vintage convertibles is BuyOldCars.com. Buy Old Cars has all kinds of convertibles from custom convertibles to the factory convertible and everything in between. You will love it.

Have A Great Time!

What can be more appealing than owning a convertible? Convertible classic automobiles, with their awesome looks, are much in demand all over the country. For someone who is hoping to snag his own top-down, get you a classic convertible. You will love it!