Archive for the ‘Vehicles’ Category
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008 |
Todays motorcycles are everywhere and there are lots of different classes or kinds of motorcycles as well. But the motorcycle, like the automobile, is a relative newcomer to the world stage.
The first motorcycle ever assembled was built by the German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in 1885 in Bad Cannstatt in Germany. They were actually focusing more on the motor that was installed to power the two-wheeled contraption and not so much on creating a new kind of vehicle, but the resulting impact on motorized travel would be tremendous. There were earlier versions of steam powered bicycles, but this was the first petroleum powered motorcycle.
Not long afterward in 1894 the very first production motorcycle went on sale as the Hildebrand & Wolfmüller motorcycle. It wasnt long after that before several of the bicycle companies of that time got into the act and started selling versions of what was essentially motorized bicycles. However, as horsepower increased, the engines started to outgrow the bicycle frames that were used as their carriage.
The most popular motorcycle company before World War 1 was Indian motorcycle. After the war, Harley Davidson took over the number one spot until 1928 when DKW became the leading motorcycle manufacturer in the world. For a few years after World War 2 BSA took over as the largest motorcycle producer until 1955 when NSU Motorworks who had started out as a knitting machine company in 1884 became the dominant manufacturer for the next couple of decades.
Then in the 1970s the Japanese companies Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Suzuki made their entrance into this field, changed the face of the industry, and quickly became the dominant motorcycle suppliers to the world from then on. Since the 70s Honda has held the title of the worlds largest motorcycle maker. Today, the big four motorcycle makers have penetrated practically every motorcycle market in the world, and they are highly regarded as makers of high quality motorcycle products.
In recent years some of the older motorcycle brands like the Indian have regained popularity with Harley Davidson being the most successful by far.
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Monday, December 10th, 2007 |
An innovative building services company is using Toyota Huski skid-steer loaders in a process that recycles 95 percent of building waste.
Force 5 was the first company in Australia to develop on-site recycling of all construction waste. The company recently won the Housing Industry Association (HIA) Greensmart Partnership Award for its work.
It provides site clean-up services for some of the biggest names in residential construction in New South Wales and Queensland.
The company’s New South Wales fleet includes three Toyota Huski 4SDK5 machines and a 4SDK8.
NSW operations manager Paul Armstrong says the company plans to add another 4SDK8 machine to the fleet in the near future.
“The Toyotas are fantastic machines - reliable, durable and easy to operate,” he says.
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Monday, December 10th, 2007 |
Dongfeng Tianlong, its latest heavy-duty truck model, is a new milestone for Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Company. The firm developed the model independently this year, combining advanced international technology and local expertise.
In China, more commercial vehicle manufacturers like Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Company are now stepping up efforts to develop their own models independently and launch them in overseas markets.
Dongfeng Tianlong has made repeated tests to guarantee product quality and received a positive response from the market.
Guided by a market-oriented strategy, Dongfeng Tianlong is completing its models.
Five months after its launch, Dongfeng Tianlong won eight prizes at the First China International Truck Fuel-Saving Competition, beating all heavy-duty truck manufacturers that participated in the contest.
Zhejiang Juhua Group, a major client of Dongfeng, commented that Dongfeng Tianlong is the best substitute for imported trucks due to its low oil consumption, high quality, competitive performance and perfect after sales service.
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Monday, December 10th, 2007 |
China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Corp or Sinotruck announced that the company has signed a heavy truck export deal with Russia heavy truck maker Likhachev-AMO ZIL, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce.
Under the export deal, Sinotruck will supply at least 5,000 heavy trucks to the Russia partner in the coming 12 months.
Founded in 1916, Likhachev-AMO ZIL is Russia’s second largest heavy truck maker. It produces 3-8 tons trucks, pickups, minibuses and tourism buses.
The Shandong-based Sinotruck, is China’s largest heavy truck maker that holds 20.8 percent of China’s heavy truck market. By the end of October, Sinotruck has achieved this year’s sale target of 80,000 units; in the first nine months, the company has achieved this year’s export target of 10,000 units, a company official said.
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Monday, December 10th, 2007 |
Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc. announced today that it has acquired certain assets from Short Bark Industries, LLC (”SBI”), a supplier of seat covers and various cut-and-sew trim products.
In exchange for the commercial vehicle cut-and-sew assets and operations acquired from SBI, CVG paid approximately $3.6 million in cash and has assumed approximately $1.9 million of net liabilities due to third parties and $1.3 million of net liabilities due to CVG.
Included in the transaction are two leased facilities in Tellico Plains and Pikeville, Tennessee, which CVG management will assume responsibility for, effective immediately. The two leased facilities employ approximately 200 associates and are located near CVG’s seating operation in Vonore, Tennessee. CVG also has a ninety-day option to assume the shares, assets or operations of SBI’s leased facility in Capilla de Guadalupe, Jalisco, Mexico, at no additional purchase price consideration. There are approximately 14 associates employed at the Mexico facility.
Lisa Held Janke, owner and Chief Executive Officer of SBI, will retain Short Bark’s military division and continue to focus on the military apparel business.
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Monday, December 10th, 2007 |
Westport Innovations Inc. (TSX:WPT), a global leader in gaseous-fuelled power technologies, has received California Air Resources Board (CARB) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certification for its High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI) technology adapted to the 2007 Cummins ISX heavy-duty engine. The EPA certification and the Executive Order from CARB certifies the HPDI LNG (liquefied natural gas) fuel system to 0.8g/bhp-hr oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and 0.01g/bhp-hr Particulate Matter (PM).
“This certification is testimony to Westport’s continued leadership in exceeding North America’s toughest emissions standards while providing our customers with the power, efficiency and reliability they demand in a heavy-duty truck engine. The new engine has one-third lower NOx emissions than required by current standards and also demonstrates a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions,” said Westport President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Gallagher.
CARB and EPA certification will provide further impetus to the plans of the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach to replace many of the 16,800 heavy-duty trucks currently operating daily at the Ports with the Westport LNG engine and fuel system. Gallagher stated, “We are now in position with this new engine to support the deployment of these LNG trucks over the next few years to meet Port and other customer interest.” Funding was approved 8 weeks ago for the first 158 of the new LNG vehicles.
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Tuesday, December 4th, 2007 |
Unionized railway workers and truckers Friday decided to withhold their plan to stage a strike early in the morning over wage hike and job security, dispelling concerns over a possible paralysis of the logistics system.
Following the decision to put the strike on hold, thousands of unionized rail workers and truck drivers, who had gathered at a Korea Railroad warehouse in central Seoul, returned to work Friday morning.
The unionists had planned to launch a general strike at 4 a.m.,
but withdrew the threat despite unsuccessful negotiations with Korea Railroad and the government.
Posted in Drivers, Trucks, Vehicles | No Comments »
Thursday, November 29th, 2007 |
A four-vehicle accident tied up traffic for hours early Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of Mesquite Boulevard and State Route 95.
Two of the four drivers involved were taken to Havasu Regional Medical Center for what is believed non life-threatening injuries, according to the Lake Havasu City Police Department.
The accident occurred at 10:45 a.m. when a 64-year-old man was speeding southbound on SR95 in an empty dump truck and attempted to stop at the Mesquite intersection and went into a spin, according to police. The truck crossed into the oncoming lane striking a 1994 Oldsmobile van driven by a 70-year-old woman, who had to be extricated from the vehicle and transported to the hospital. The driver of the dump truck also was injured.
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Thursday, November 29th, 2007 |
Life is good in The Villages, with a lifestyle that offers plenty of recreation, social interaction and entertainment, and is proving to be a mecca for retail and restaurant options.
The community thrives on its motto: “It’s a beautiful day in The Villages,” for those who enjoy playing golf, dining, shopping, having fun or simply spending time at home. But like anyplace else, life without problems isn’t a realistic scenario.
Accidents happen and mistakes can be made. Mother Nature can unleash her fury. The human body can’t always stay in tip-top shape or ward off the latest bug. Fortunately for Villages residents, there’s a group of professionals who are committed to being there when cars collide; a storm wreaks havoc; someone suffers from illness or injury; or smoke, or even a flicker of flame, appears. They are here, 24 hours a day, while the community works, plays and sleeps.
They are the men and women of the District Public Safety Department, providing first-response emergency medical service to The Villages and fire protection to a vast portion of the community and points beyond. They protect and serve from five existing stations, and capitalize on their ability to provide quick responses from the occasional roaming vehicle.
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Thursday, November 29th, 2007 |
The professional firefighters did not roll up to Corral Canyon . So Matt Haines finally had his chance to rev up the private fire truck that he bought at a public surplus auction.
pumper truck and tanker truck of similar vintage helped a do-it-yourself fire brigade save a dozen homes as flames encircled their El Nido neighborhood.
As Haines sprayed water on homes on both sides of Sequit Drive, his neighbors used their own hoses to extinguish burning embers that rained from the sky and to douse shrubs and fencing as they caught fire. As it fought the blaze, the crew could see four homes fully engulfed on Sea Breeze Drive above them.
The fire here on Saturday burned west of the portions of Malibu hit by wildfire last month. As of Sunday morning, it had destroyed 49 homes, damaged 27, and caused at least 10,000 people to be evacuated, the Associated Press reported.
But in the El Nido neighborhood, the residents seemed prepared to help themselves. Bill Raffin pulled out his portable pump and started drawing water from a swimming pool. Ken Wherry unrolled a canvas fire hose and connected it to a hydrant up the street. Kai Chan stretched out smaller garden hoses and laid them in strategic places around houses.
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