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AHOY! WHALEFART!

So despite the fact that I do not currently have a motorcycle, I am always peeking around, pining for another ride. Well, BMW Motorrad has actually produced something that I think I might actually find attractive. In fact, it’s dead sexy. I never thought I’d say that about a BMW, with their typical gawky utilitarianism, and their penchant for odd cylinder arrangements, and funky looking suspension designs. They have been, to me, as geeky as a motorcycle could be.

But now they have decided to take on the Japanese manufacturers, and give World Superbike a go, and this is the platform they are basing that attempt on. They threw away their opposed cylinders and crazy styling, and produced a very “normal” race bike, on par in design choices with their competition. Inline-four, inverted forks, banana-style swingarm, and… wait… a chain drive. (BMW loves to shaft drive their stuff. “Eet eez more precise”.)

It should be interesting to see where this goes. Might another BMW be in my future?

For more info see this article on Motorcycle.com.

How about a video?:

I remember how cool I thought the BMW M1 was the few times I saw it when I was young. It always reminded me of that yellow car they drove on Danger Mouse. (man I loved Danger Mouse. Penfold was so funny… “Oh Crumbs…”) Of course, now that I googled Danger Mouse looking for pics of the car, it doesn’t really look like it at all. But in my mind, it did. In matters of nostalgia, it always does.

Anyway, the M1 is actually also the father of the powerplant in my ‘88 M6. They developed that motor for the M1, and then moved it into their 5 and 6 series M-class cars. I always thought it was cool that there was only one “1″ series car, and only like 500 of ‘em at that.

So, it peaked my interest when I was in the BMW dealership the other day and saw ads for their new 1 series. I poked around, and am a bit confused because it looks like the Corolla of German cars. (pic from this blog. thanks) I mean how lame can this economy looking thing get? Now I understand that they have it available with a twin-turbo 300 HP bugger under the hood, so that makes up for something. Especially when it probably weights in very svelte. But still. Come on, gimmie a bit more style.

Even more confusing was the fact that this car is rumored to spawn an M1 that supposedly looks just like the picture above? But what, then, do I make of this M1 concept car that I found, and will post numerous pictures of cuz it is just dead sexy?

Here it is pictured with two versions of the original M1. Nothing like the Corolla economobile, though I am not a big fan of the wheels they chose (throwback to the original Space:1999 looking things).

If anyone has any insight to share as to what BMW is doing here, drop a comment… I’d appreciate it. Just like to be up on these things, thats all.

Anyway, here’s more pictures of that sexy M1 concept to finish out this post. I nabbed these pictures from the Motor Authority’s post about it. (you can browse them in the lightbox gallery)

Spring is here! And I hope it’s going to stay!

The past weekend’s weather finally brought some exceptional 68 and Sunny weather our way, and I took full advantage. I spent the whole weekend doing outside type labor, and loved every minute of it.

I got all of the yard/landscaping type stuff done on Saturday so I could spend Sunday scrubbing my car. I did the full detail treatment, and it took me the better part of five hours to complete. Behold the results: (Marshall is actually in the drivers seat, but hiding)

I fully washed every corner, and chamois dried. (that cheezey target-bought synthetic chamois is the best car care product I have ever bought!) Then I went over some winter blemishes with some polishing compound. Washed all that off, and finished up with a complete hand waxing. That’s a PITA, but worth it. Even on this old girl.

Having it this clean made me realize just how scarred my paint is. This poor girl is in real need of a full paint job… old touch ups and nicks/dents pepper it up close. I don’t even think a clay bar would help this, as the surface is just not smooth enough for that to work out, I fear.

But It still passes the 10 foot inspection reasonably well, with just some dents being visible. Not *too* bad for a 20 year old body.

Well, I own an old one, and was unaware that they had re-introduced the M6 to the illustrious BMW Mpower line! Well they did, and it’s actually pretty pimpin’. I’m not much on the new bodystyle they are rocking at BMW - even the new 6 series is a little lame to my taste.

But, the car pictured to the left, sporting a CLR 600 body kit by Lumma actually tempts me! It is working some serious drool factor. And sharing the same powerplant as the M5 (V10, 500Hp, 8500+ rpm redline), this puppy must be fun to drive.

I wonder if I can fit a V10 in my ‘88?