Last however definitely not least is Haul-Master’s Two Bike Hitch Mount bike rack, which is definitely essentially the most budget-friendly possibility on our record, boasting a price ticket of simply $45. If you’re unfamiliar with the Haul-Master title, it is a Harbor Freight Tools model that makes all the things from cargo carriers and off-road vehicle ramps to folding trailers and truck bed accessories. Yes, in addition they make a trailer hitch bike rack you should purchase on-line or at your native Harbor Freight retailer.
For $45, you’re, in fact, getting much less flash within the design division. But you aren’t sacrificing high quality, with Bicycling just lately together with Haul-Master’s hitch rack on their latest Best Of record and on a regular basis customers giving it 4.5 out of 5 stars on Harbor Freight’s web site. The barebones construct apart, the design workforce did equip the rack with a tilt-back characteristic that makes it straightforward to entry a trunk, tailgate, or hatchback. So, in the event you’re in search of an inexpensive, purely useful solution to take a mountain bike or two alongside in your subsequent tenting enterprise, this rack could be very a lot in your wheelhouse.
The Two Bike Hitch Mount rack does have a few drawbacks, one in every of which is that it maxes out at carrying 100 kilos. So, you may should be cautious when loading up a pair of full-size mountain bikes. Some customers additionally complained in regards to the rack’s toughness and a too-loose match of their trailer hitch. Even nonetheless, at $45, this rack could also be well worth the danger.
If you spend quite a lot of time driving your Kawasaki Ninja, it definitely helps to have a cushty seat to associate with it. There are many choices, and you may spend as little as $50 or you will get a dearer seat that’ll take you nicely into the triple-digit threshold. Seat consolation largely comes down to private choice, so you may have to search out out what works finest for you. There are all types of colour schemes you possibly can go for, so it’s best to have the ability to discover one thing that matches your bike’s aesthetic if that is what you are swapping for.
This seat from C.C. Rider, out there on Amazon for $99.99, is available in one in every of 9 completely different colours. This is much out of your solely choice out there, and also you would possibly discover a higher match based mostly on materials, value, or colour. The level is there are various seats to select from, and it is an affordable buy within the grand scheme of issues.
What are you able to be taught from the incorrect aspect of the automobile in quarter-hour on sluggish suburban roads?
Well, we actually cannot confirm or refute Ford‘s lofty claims that the Ford Explorer can be extra dynamically adept than its Volkswagen Group platform-mates, though our chauffeur appeared to relish the chance to place it in Sport mode and throw it into among the tighter bends on our route, if that is any indication…
What struck me, watching from the passenger seat, was the extra overtly sporting posture facilitated by the ‘squircle’ (that is Ford parlance, categorically not mine) steering wheel, in contrast with a traditional spherical merchandise.
It appears to encourage a extra purposeful grip and exacerbates the responsiveness of the steering that, even from the opposite aspect of the centre console, appeared to be without delay extra direct and communicative than something I’ve tried on the MEB platform to date.
We have been within the single-motor rear-driven Explorer so had a ‘mere’ 282bhp at our disposal on the straightaways, which after all is greater than ample in such a practicality-focused proposition.
In Sport mode, there was a perceptible urgency to its acceleration, albeit delivered in a easy, fluid method that mitigated the uncomfortable head-lolling that you just is likely to be prone to as a passenger in different SUVs with this a lot energy.
I can inform you that the Explorer rode compliantly and quietly over the worst bits of our lap of Nice, with no particularly overt tyre roar or wind noise to talk of – though we solely breached the heady heights of 30mph on just a few events.
It’s most likely greatest to attend till we drive it to make any categoric conclusions on these dynamic attributes, however the parts I can speak about with a point of conviction at this stage occur to be those who Ford is keenest to point out off.
The inside design, for instance, is a reasonably radical departure from the Ford cabins to which we have turn out to be accustomed.
At as soon as extra daring in its putting, multi-layered surfacing and extra thoughtfully organized, it compares effectively with the likes of the Skoda Enyaq and Hyundai Ioniq 5 for outright aptitude and ergonomics, whereas giving promising indicators of how Ford could make its interiors as interesting as its exteriors – lastly.
Unfortunately, the Volkswagen Group’s affect extends to the much-derided haptic steering-wheel controls. Ford makes a lot of the development alternatives afforded by a six-month delay in launching the Explorer however confoundingly hasn’t rectified this. Here’s hoping for the facelift…
Forget what you realize in regards to the former Kia Forte, as a result of this definitely is not it. Its substitute is a vastly totally different automotive—at the very least visually. Specifics on efficiency have not been launched. Kia has shared full photos of its new compact sedan earlier than it debuts publicly on March 27 on the New York Auto Show.
While magnificence could also be within the eye of the beholder, there isn’t any denying that the brand new K4 seems attention-grabbing. We can (most likely) additionally agree it makes the outdated Forte (aka Cerato) appear outdated. That rear pillar from the teasers nonetheless seems quite awkward, however Kia is understood for doing issues in a different way when it comes to styling.
The exterior styling resembles the smaller K3, which supersedes the Rio, however not within the United States the place Kia is phasing out its entry-level sedan. The new K4 seems to be bigger than the Forte it replaces, and whereas it has a rakish roofline, it is nonetheless a sedan with a standard trunk lid. The handles for the rear doorways have been included into the pillar the place the quarter glass is considerably bigger than what the Forte had. The rear doorways additionally appear longer, suggesting the K4 is a much bigger automotive.
This teal inside additionally represents a radical change because the 2025 K4 is the most recent Kia to obtain a dual-screen setup. You nonetheless have loads of old-school controls to regulate the local weather settings and the quantity, together with shortcuts for navigation, media, and different often-used capabilities. Above the door deal with on the motive force’s facet are buttons for the heated and ventilated entrance seat in addition to the heated steering wheel. The entrance passenger additionally has a three-stage heated and ventilated seat.
The 2025 Kia K4 seems to have a head-up show, loads of USB ports, a 12V 180W socket, and a drive mode button on the steering wheel. This teal upholstery is known as Slate Green, however the compact sedan can also be going to be supplied with Canyon Brown, Onyx Black, and Medium Gray interiors. If you wish to rely much less on the touchscreen, there is a rotary controller under the show.
The K4 ought to go on sale later this yr within the United States after it debuts subsequent week on the 2024 New York Auto Show.
If there’s one factor you possibly can say for Yamaha, it is that the corporate actually has vary. While latest information about the R1 becoming a track-only machine in Europe starting in 2025 has been stirring the feelings of worldwide superbike followers, solely some of Yamaha’s bikes had been developed to be monitor weapons.
Like any mass manufacturing bike producer value its salt, Yamaha has lengthy labored to attraction to all kinds of riders. Some of its strikes make a number of sense, however some are a bit unusual. Are you, by probability, conversant in the Yamaha U5E “Lady” from the Sixties, for instance?
Now, talking as a girl who’s ridden for almost 20 years, it is easy to criticize from my trendy vantage level in 2024. Historical context is at all times necessary, although, so perhaps somebody in 1965 thought that type of flesh-colored pink and cream colorway was fairly turning into.
While I could not say so for certain, I’ll observe that most popular coloration palettes on every part from cars to home equipment have radically shifted over time. So, once more, perhaps there was some sort of historic design case to be made. That half is comprehensible, even when these colours do not personally converse to me.
But about 15 years after the Lady, Yamaha launched the Towny. It’s a scooter, and it was additionally particularly marketed as being for males.
So I’m most likely not allowed to inform you about it, since I’m a girl. But I’ll anyway.
Frame Size Matters
As anybody who’s ridden a bicycle (not to mention a powered two-wheeler) can inform you, body measurement and ergonomics matter. People of various heights and weights is likely to be extra snug on differently-sized machines. That’s completely true, and has been true for so long as there have been individuals dwelling on the earth. A six-year-old can most likely use a lift to see over the fence, whereas maybe the adults are tall sufficient to see over it simply by standing up. You get the thought.
Fast-forwarding a few a long time and smashing headlong into the Nineteen Eighties, we discover the Yamaha Towny. It’s certainly one of a number of bikes that Yamaha refers to in its historic literature as “soft bikes,” that means they’re little twist-and-go runabouts meant for on a regular basis use. Not hopped-up fanatic machines. This one has a gauge that tops out at a blistering 60 kilometers per hour (about 37.2 miles per hour), and a two-speed computerized.
More particularly, although, Yamaha refers back to the Towny as a “soft bike for men.” And whereas I get that the body was, and I quote Yamaha right here, “large enough for people of larger physiques” to extra comfortably trip, it is nonetheless a little bit of an odd advertising alternative. Were there no tall ladies in 1980? I discover that tough to imagine, so why tie it to gender in any respect? It’s a motorcycle with a extra sturdy and bigger body, made for bigger riders. Cool, we will work with that.
Even If I’m Not Supposed To Talk About It, There’s Some Interesting Stuff To Note About The Towny
Yamaha Towny sprint, with Japanese textual content. The textual content is obvious and easy if you happen to can learn it, with each oil and beginning lights famous right here.
In the video, the superb YouTube channel Small Bike Stuff offers a pleasant little abstract of this bike, and there is a trip on the finish as effectively. We additionally get to listen to what the tiny little two-stroke seems like, in addition to notice its high pace in 2024 (which appears to be round 51-ish kph, or about 31.6-ish mph).
Along the best way, SBS factors out among the bike’s controls and different options, together with the lights and change positions on the sprint. While he will get the Japanese textual content indicating change place right, he is not fairly proper concerning the two lights on the sprint.
I’ve labeled what every gentle does within the photograph above. The pink gentle on the left is an Oil gentle, and the inexperienced gentle on the fitting is definitely a beginning gentle that most likely signifies whether or not the bike is on or not. It isn’t a flip sign gentle, as SBS guesses.
The Towny Was A Shaft-Driven Moped
This makes a number of sense, contemplating its meant use as an city runabout. Who’s meant to trip this bike? Commuters. Who would not need a bunch of chain gunk flung up onto their work garments? Also commuters.
While it would not have the tidy leg shields of the later Town Mate or the competing Cub models from Honda, no less than a rider right here would not have to fret about both chain gunk spray or chain upkeep.
Since it is a two-stroke, the rider must fear about conserving each the oil and the gasoline topped up. The oil pours into the suitable receptacle mounted within the body, whereas the gasoline goes within the under-seat tank. There’s no gas gauge, however there’s a sight window beneath the seat so you possibly can have a look and see if you happen to’re getting low on gas.
Front and rear mudguards on the wheels are there to guard towards street grime and small rocks that might be flung up on the rider throughout operation. All in all, it is a easy little machine, however that is most likely what endeared it to riders of the time.
What do you assume? Have you ridden a Yamaha Towny, or would you attempt one if you happen to had the prospect? Let us know within the feedback.
The XE’s line-up of four-cylinder Ingenium engines actually don’t give it the lusty, engaging mechanical appeal that Jaguar’s conventional huge saloons of so many many years in the past had, however they do ship moderately refined, versatile and economical motoring within the case of the diesels, and a that bit extra urgency in case you go for the range-topping petrol.
Our P300 AWD Sport check automotive got here with a claimed 0-62mph of 5.9sec and, in dry check circumstances, fell narrowly however notably wanting reproducing that on the monitor (0-60mph: 6.3sec). Using a extra conventional torque-converter automated gearbox than not less than a few of its transverse-engined rivals, it doesn’t have a launch management mode and so – four-wheel drive or not – it doesn’t get off the road fairly as well as it would.
It’s inconvenient for Jaguar that the identical excuse can’t be used for roll-on acceleration. From 30mph to 70mph by means of the gears, the XE wanted 5.7sec (4.2sec for the Audi S3 Sportback in 2020). Kerb weight could also be a part of the issue right here, the XE being a deal heavier than so many compact premium choices regardless of its aluminium development. But the opposite unmissable truth is that the automotive’s range-topping petrol engine by no means actually fairly feels prefer it’s making all of its marketed 296bhp.
There’s a barely gravelly character to the two.0-litre turbocharged unit that makes for much less of an audible distinction with the once-saloon-default four-pot diesel than you would possibly count on. Jaguar’s explicit combustion management expertise makes this much less easy than some petrol engines, whereas it’s additionally rather less free-revving than some harder-working turbo petrol options – though turbo response is usually fairly good, and mid-range torque ample additionally.
The eight-speed ZF automated gearbox shifts easily in regular use, however just like the engine, it doesn’t appear to understand being hurried into service or labored onerous. It’s slightly sluggish to have interaction drive at occasions, is likewise a bit sluggish to alter ratios in paddle-shift handbook mode, and someway combines with the engine to present the XE’s efficiency a barely treacly really feel, as if there have been merely extra driveline friction than the norm for the automotive to beat.
However, most of this could solely be any impediment or disappointment for individuals who is likely to be drawn to the XE as some junior govt sport saloon. During regular day-to-day driving, the P300 powertrain works agreeably effectively, albeit maybe with the odd vaguely irritating second of gelatinous latency (though, as effectively come on to later, it isn’t probably the most gasoline environment friendly petrol engine of its type).The automotive’s controls are rigorously and progressively tuned, making the brake pedal progressive in its really feel, whereas the XE’s brakes themselves (in uprated kind, as examined) are pretty highly effective and resist fade effectively.
The XE’s diesel engines, in the meantime, have confirmed impressively refined and real-world economical on current acquaintance. While they could not make financially viable choices for many fleet automotive drivers in 2024, they need to nonetheless be effectively value contemplating for personal consumers with increased mileage in thoughts.
Is ‘restomod fatigue’ a factor? I’m unsure, however whether it is, then I’ve definitely been affected by one thing prefer it over the previous yr or so.
The early exponents of this updating artwork have been pretty easy of their strategy, serving up a sharper driving expertise whereas retaining the donor automobile’s retro appears to be like and character.
Yet just lately the scene seems to have modified, the emphasis shifting to outlandish money-no-object initiatives that seemingly obliterate the unique machine’s character in pursuit of the coffee-run (ugh!) bragging rights of a well-heeled few.
However, the Tolman 205 GTi proved that it doesn’t must be this fashion.
For starters, it truly appears to be like just like the automobile it’s primarily based on, to the purpose that even eager lion lovers will most likely dismiss it as a inventory instance, albeit a fantastically saved one.
And whereas the period-perfect exterior and inside disguise some closely modded mechanicals, not one of the many modifications dilutes the quick French hatch’s core enchantment.
If you’ve pushed a 205 beforehand, then a blast within the Tolman will convey joyful reminiscences, and in case you haven’t, then you definately’ll quickly perceive what the fuss was about.
Yes, it’s sooner than the outdated automobile (a bespoke 200bhp twin-cam 16-valve 1.9-litre motor sees to that) however the razor-sharp throttle response and traditional hot hatch big-engine-in-a-small-car vibe stay intact.
And whereas there’s a welcome injection of precision, management and braking energy, the Tolman handles with the identical old-school Gallic aptitude as the unique, its acrobatic agility, fluid journey and limitless throttle adjustability serving up engagement and leisure no matter pace or circumstance.
“Pretty” is maybe not the appropriate time period for the MC20. It does, actually, what most of us require from our supercars: flip heads, steal consideration, and customarily slice by extra mundane site visitors like a shark amid minnows. With its vast, low maw and the fixed sparkle of gravel towards the carbon fiber tub, there is a sense of one thing predatory prowling deep waters.
Chris Davies/SlashGear
As predators go, thoughts, it is a poorly camouflaged one. Everything in regards to the MC20’s proportions screams look-at-me and the brilliant crimson Rosso Vincente paintwork right here does nothing to dial that again. Add within the butterfly doorways, and that is the epitome of a quick automotive on the highway that makes you gradual once you park: merely everybody has a query, a remark, or the urgent want for a selfie.
Chris Davies/SlashGear
Allow them to slide inside, although, and the MC20’s surprising practicality rears its head. The hinge of the doorways makes sliding into the bucket seats rather less awkward than you would possibly count on; the sills aren’t fairly as broad as you’d worry.
Sportbike aficionados will surely have a keenness for the 600cc class of supersports. These middleweight sportbikes show to be a number of the most versatile on the subject of sportbikes, with the likes of the CBR600RR, ZX-6R, and YZF-R6 all assured a seat within the two-wheeled corridor of fame. Use them on the monitor, on the road, and even for some mild touring, and these aggressive pocket rockets are positive to please.
That being mentioned, the 600cc class is a dying breed – or so it was till EICMA 2023, when Honda launched a new and improved CBR600RR. To the delight of sporty lovers, the CBR600RR is making a comeback to Europe after a protracted six-year hiatus. So, what precisely does this refreshed supersport convey to the desk? Let’s take a more in-depth look.
Right off the bat, the CBR600RR stays true to its roots, delivering a race-bred efficiency bundle. It will get numerous upgrades, chief of which come within the type of MotoGP-inspired technology. The bike contains a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) which provides it lean-sensitive ABS and traction management, in addition to helpful wheelie and rear wheel raise management options. A throttle-by-wire system places using modes on faucet, of which there are 5, in addition to 9 ranges of HSTC (often known as traction management). An digital steering damper stabilizes the entrance finish beneath heavy acceleration, whereas a slipper clutch and quickshifter combo guarantee easy gear adjustments.
On the efficiency aspect of the equation, the 2024 CBR600RR is powered by an upgraded model of the 599cc inline-four screamer we’ve come to know and love. It delivers 89 kW, about 119 horsepower, at a sky-high 14,250 rpm and 63 Nm, round 47 pound-feet, of torque at 11,500 rpm. Suspension duties are dealt with by compact race-spec Showa Big Piston inverted forks mated to a Unit Pro-Link Showa rear shock. Interestingly, the brand new CBR600RR additionally will get winglets derived from MotoGP race bikes.
As of this writing, Honda Motor Europe has but to announce the pricing of the 2024 CBR600RR. Neither has the corporate confirmed if the brand new sportbike will likely be offered within the US market. That being mentioned, launching the CBR600RR as a world mannequin will certainly add to the scarce choice of bikes within the 600cc supersport phase, so it goes with out saying that we actually hope that the CBR600RR will likely be offered all around the world.
The image of the Cybertruck outperforming a Porsche 911 in a drag race while towing a second 911 is undeniably impactful. However, this, along with other elements of the presentation, leans more toward marketing propaganda than a genuine showcase of the Cybertruck’s capabilities.
Comparing the Cybertruck against the 911, a sports car with a 60-year history, may not be the most suitable demonstration. The 911 is not designed for drag racing. If Tesla intended to showcase the Cybertruck’s power against a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) car built for straight-line speed, it would have been more appropriate to use a Dodge Demon. Additionally, Porsche’s electric vehicle, the Taycan Turbo, would surpass the best Cybertruck model in a drag race. Even the base 911, with a 0-60 time of 4.0 seconds, is not slow, but there are numerous electric vehicles that would outperform it. For instance, the GMC Hummer EV, a vehicle comparable to the Cybertruck but actually available for purchase and not visually unappealing.
To add to this, the Cybertruck’s claimed 0-60 time of 2.9 seconds only applies to the nearly $100,000 tri-motor version. Both the standard and dual-motor trucks would have been defeated by the Porsche in the race, with 0-60 times of 4.5 and 6.5 seconds respectively. On the other hand, if the comparison is between the top-tier models, the 2023 911 Turbo would once again outperform the Tesla.
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