One Man's Blog

The eROCKIT Electric Bike Goes 50 MPH!

July 16, 2009 By John P. 10 Comments

There are quite a few things I want when it comes to motorized contraptions, but very few I want more than a fully electric motorcycle. And here is a contraption that’s right up that alley. A pedal powered electric bike from Germany called the eROCKIT allows a rider to go 50 MPH!

I think the general design of the bike is very interesting, although the pedal power part is kind of novel and I’m not sure at all useful. There is just one problem though it’s going to cost you… wait for it… $40,000.
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Filed Under: Vehicles, Videos Tagged With: BBC, Electric, Motorcycles, Vehicles, Videos

Crazy Motorcycle Riding in India

June 19, 2009 By John P. 13 Comments

I saw this video weeks ago, but never posted it. However, every single time I ride my motorcycle on the highway I think of this. I can’t help it! It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen on a motorcycle!

This guy is laying down on his motorcycle riding through traffic in India, where no one respects lanes, and texting on his cell phone! Unbelievable!!! I wish I was actually this good.
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Filed Under: Vehicles, Videos Tagged With: India, Motorcycle, Vehicles, Videos

A Collection of Homemade Electric Project Motorcycles

May 1, 2009 By John P. 3 Comments

People who are really wanting to go all electric in terms of their personal transportation haven’t had a lot of options. Sure, you could get a Vectrix electric scooter, or if you had a boatload of cash you could buy the Wrightspeed X1 Supercar.

But of course, there is one other option. You could always build your own electric motorcycle! That’s exactly what these people have done! And you can even find the specs and parts on some of the associated web sites. Of course, even if you don’t build one, its totally cool to take a look at what these other folks are doing. Pretty soon I’m hoping we can pick up full electrics from Honda, Yamaha, and other manufacturers.
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Filed Under: Vehicles, Videos Tagged With: Battery, battery_power, Electric, Motorcycles, Vehicles, Videos

The Porsche Panamera is So Ugly… Someone Should Be Fired!

April 25, 2009 By John P. 15 Comments

This wretched hog of a vehicle looks like an AMC pacer had it’s way with a 911, and the god-forbidden spawn grew up into the Porsche Panamera. Seriously, I wouldn’t care if this thing had 1,000 horsepower, and hovered. I will ridicule anyone who buys it. Mercilessly.

Go ahead! Just take a look at what the geniuses over there have put out to compete with Mercedes, Jaguar, Maserati, Lexus and the like. I just watched this video, and nearly threw up. Way to go boys! It’s not bad enough that the aged 911 gets its ass handed to it by a Nissan, now you’re going to make fools of yourselves in the family sedan market. Brilliant.
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Filed Under: Vehicles, Videos Tagged With: Panamera, Porsche, Supercar, Vehicles, Videos

I Executed My AMG

April 10, 2009 By John P. 19 Comments

Well folks, yesterday I committed a cardinal sin. I wrecked my new AMG that I just told you about not long ago.

Those of you who follow me on Twitter got the news about an hour and a half after the wreck… just after the tow truck took my car back to the dealership from whence it came. And a very special thanks to all of you who called or responded back to my Tweet. I very much appreciate your concern for my safety (Lisa, Giovanni, Ted, Mike, Hallie, Paul H., Mike B., Paul M., I hope I didn’t miss anyone?).

This update is for the rest of you guys like my parents who read this every day and are going to call me after this and ask me why they had to learn about my accident through my blog! Well, the answer is… it’s just easier to tell everyone all at once, and no one was hurt – just my baby. So it wasn’t an emergency or anything. You’d have gotten a call if so.
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Filed Under: Photography, Vehicles Tagged With: Accident, AMG, NSX, Photography, Vehicles

7 Top Police Motorcycle Competitions

January 17, 2009 By John P. 7 Comments

I gotta admit, that old TV show CHiPS from the 1970s helped me fall in love with motorcycles. There was something really cool about the fact that they were chasing people down on two wheels. But really, we never saw Ponch or John do anything amazing on their motorcycles. It might have left one wondering how useful of a tool one of those big bikes actually is.

Well, this post should give you all the reason you’ll ever need NOT to run from a motorcycle cop. To say that these guys are well trained is an extreme understatement. Here now is a collection of police motorcycle competitions that demonstrate what it’s really like to be “one with the machine”.
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Filed Under: 10 Best, Vehicles, Videos Tagged With: 10 Best, Motorcycles, Police, Stunts, Vehicles, Videos

Ken Block Practices Gymkhana Autocross

January 14, 2009 By John P. 4 Comments

First of all, thanks to Perry Quinn over at Lijit for turning me onto Ken Block!

Ken Block is a driver for Subaru, and apparently whenever they need someone to do something completely insane, they give him a ring. He has gained worldwide notoriety for his exploits outside of rally competition, having successfully jumped his rally car 171 feet for Discovery Channel’s popular “Stunt Junkies” show in 2006.

Then in 2007, for a segment in DC Shoes best selling Mtn. Lab DVD series, Block slid and jumped his rally car in the snow with pro-snowboarders at New Zealand’s SnowPark. The session resulted in an epic Snowboarder Magazine cover shot featuring Block jumping his rally car alongside a pro-snowboarder, plus an amazing video sequence that was included in the closing of the DVD.

In the following video, we get to watch Ken “practice” in his 530 horsepower Subaru WRX as he drives like a maniac. I only wish it was me!
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Filed Under: Vehicles, Videos Tagged With: Ken Block, Stunts, Subaru, Vehicles, Videos

John P. Gets a Mercedes AMG CLK55 Convertible… and Loves It!

January 12, 2009 By John P. 7 Comments

My long time readers are already aware that I have a veritable stable of vehicles, including my NSX and my Q45. In fact, right now in my driveway there are 1,780 horsepower worth of vehicles just sitting there begging me to take them out and blister some pavement. So last week when I drove up to work at Layered Tech in my new AMG Mercedes it wasn’t really a surprise to my co-workers. But what was a surprise was the fact that I said I made a deal to sell my NSX and my Q45 when I bought it!

I know, it sounds strange that I would actually agree to give up two of my babies for a single new one! On one hand, I have my two-seater, mid-engine, hand-made, exotic-car NSX – the pride of Japan and the only supercar worthy of direct comparison to a Ferrari or Lamborghini to come out of the orient. And on the other hand, I have my top of the line, big-daddy Infinity Q45 with it’s reclining rear seats, laser guided cruise control, and 360 horsepower all-aluminum V8. But you see, the new AMG takes some of the best characteristics from both of these vehicles and combines them into one single car that I think I can live with every day. And that’s a hard thing to find.
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