In article ,
says...

In article ,
says...

On 1/7/11 4:22 PM, I am Tosk wrote:


You are right, I am choppy and scarey to race around... That's why I
didn't race the final races this season after the injury. I was out of
form and my friends didn't need a "weekend warrior" on the track while
they battled out a three way virtual tie for first place.

Now Jessi is another story.. One day A.J. Catanzaro (DAGS) was training
riders at our home track. He kept pointing at Jessi as she came by the
group during the day and later I asked him what they were watching. He
said, "I was showing them what smooth looked like". Jessi was thrilled
when she asked him the same question later.. A.J. is known for smooth,
nobody does it better... Well, maybe Tony A.J. currently races for GPF
and has been flying back and fourth to Germany for Supercross where he
is on the podium every week, and at age 16 is the reigning (US) National
Arenacross Champion... Yeah, I will let him judge Jessi, not some
vulgar old fart who wouldn't know a spoke from a sparkplug...


If you are a serious racer, the only judge that counts is the checkered
flag. How many does your team have? Is your racer competing against the
16-year-old wunderkind? How is she faring? Are they about the same age?

So, now you care about serious racing? Pfffftttt....

He must have just read an article about competition.

On 1/7/11 5:30 PM, I am Tosk wrote:
In ,
says...

On 1/7/11 4:22 PM, I am Tosk wrote:


You are right, I am choppy and scarey to race around... That's why I
didn't race the final races this season after the injury. I was out of
form and my friends didn't need a "weekend warrior" on the track while
they battled out a three way virtual tie for first place.

Now Jessi is another story.. One day A.J. Catanzaro (DAGS) was training
riders at our home track. He kept pointing at Jessi as she came by the
group during the day and later I asked him what they were watching. He
said, "I was showing them what smooth looked like". Jessi was thrilled
when she asked him the same question later.. A.J. is known for smooth,
nobody does it better... Well, maybe Tony A.J. currently races for GPF
and has been flying back and fourth to Germany for Supercross where he
is on the podium every week, and at age 16 is the reigning (US) National
Arenacross Champion... Yeah, I will let him judge Jessi, not some
vulgar old fart who wouldn't know a spoke from a sparkplug...


If you are a serious racer, the only judge that counts is the checkered
flag. How many does your team have? Is your racer competing against the
16-year-old wunderkind? How is she faring? Are they about the same age?

So, now you care about serious racing? Pfffftttt....


\

What makes you think *I* care about kiddie motorbike racing? You were
touting your racing team, then you mentioned a hot kid racer and then
you mentioned judging. That's why i mentioned the checkered flag. So how
many checkered flags has your team won when competing with the hot kid
racers?

wrote in message ...

On Fri, 07 Jan 2011 09:27:24 -0500, "A.True.Boater"
wrote:

On 1/7/11 9:14 AM, I am Tosk wrote:
And anybody who has raced knows if you are going off the road, hit the
gas and get that back end between you and the guardrail. I did this
without even thinking about it a few years back when I hit the ice in my
Wrangler... I slid long enough to know I wasn't catching it, so as I
came around I stayed in the throttle t

There are advantages of front wheel drive which include

Lower cost - you have reduced the cost of the driveshaft and additional
hardware. The has an advantage of providing better fuel economy due to
weight reduction.

Cabin Space You have increased the space inside of the car, by removing
the drivetrain

Traction - with the weight of the engine over the drive wheels you can
have better traction in slippery conditions

That being said, there are many automotive enthusiasts and engineers
who agree with you that front wheel drive sucks. Auto design like boat
design is a series of compromises.

Auto manufacturers like it because the whole drive train comes in on a
pallet and they slam it in in one piece. With standardized mounting
points it becomes a commodity item. That is why you see so few engines
these days.


Reply:
They also like it as you have a flat floorpan. Ease of interior design and
more legroom in a smaller car. More wear on the front wheels as they are
both steering and powering. Means more traction required in the same
conditions for the front tires. More complicated transmission to wheel
coupling. But is quicker to assemble as a complete car. No drive shafts to
connect, no extra transmission to install. But I do not mind driving a
front wheel drive car, but would be much harder to drift in a turn. Plus
all of the front wheel drive cars I have owned, including the newest a 2009
Venza all torque steer.

Harryk wrote:
On 1/6/11 1:39 PM, MMC wrote:


"Harryk" wrote in message ...

On 1/6/11 11:00 AM, YukonBound wrote:


"Harryk" wrote in message
...
On 1/3/11 11:49 PM, Tim wrote:
I haven't seen where smaller trucks are really that great of a
savings
compared to their bigger counter parts, Especially if you plan on
really using them.

It depends on how you plan to use a truck. I no longer have a trailer
boat so I don't need a full-sized truck to tow a heavy boat. The
smaller trucks are...smaller...and therefore easier to park, easier to
maneuver, a little easier on the gas. Most of the time the "stuff" my
wife buys at the garden shops and other stores will easily fit into a
smaller truck. The other times, the "stuff" is too large for even a
full-size pickup truck.

I happened to park next to a new Toyota Tundra the other day, and
thought that truck was just humongous. I owned a Tundra some years
ago; it was significantly smaller than the current models.

The new trucks do seem way too big for a city dwelling weekend warrior.
I did have the Ranger for three years , but I have mixed feelings about
them.
I could never claim to be tall in a newsgroup where every second poster
claims to be 6' 4" and weighing 230 or so .................... but on
the other hand, if you stood me next to Scotty..................
anyway, they jack the Rangers up.. even the 2WD versions and seem to
compress the cab height so you have to sit in a lower seat that say, a
mini-van or even a RAV4.
I found the seat of firm foam uncomfortable for a couple of months and
even called the salesman to see if I could unload the Ranger and
move up
to a F150.
He told me to wait and the foam would conform to my shape.. and he was
mostly right.
If I was in the market today, I'd take advantage of the great sales
Ford
has been offering and try to find a short wheelbase regular cab F150.
(6.5 foot box).
That's all I would need the vast majority of the time and I could
always
put a cap over the box to accommodate the dog.


I had a Ranger and an F150. Both were good trucks, as was my Tundra.
I've eliminated the Chrysler and GM small trucks; they don't do much for
me. That leaves Toyota and Ford, I guess. I need to take a test drive in
the Toyota Tacoma 4x4 small truck.

======

The vehicle of choice for international projects in the crapholes of the
world with the worst terrain and minimal support is the Toyota Hylux
(called the Tacoma here) and the Hardtop Land Cruiser. Difference is
diesel engines, winches, roo guards and roll bars, HF radios, no fluff
and lots of spare tires.
The Land Rover 110 used to be the hot ticket but the Toyotas are a lot
more dependable and handle a lot better.
We had Nissan PUs on a project in Southern Africa and Rangers in Kosovo
and neither held up.
Back after Desert Storm, we had F250s and Nissan Patrols (not offered
here) and both held up great in that environment.



Unfortunately, the Tacoma/HiLux is not available here with a diesel,
nor in Canada, apparently.
The new diesels are the future for trucks and SUV's.

YukonBound wrote:


"Harryk" wrote in message
...
On 1/6/11 11:00 AM, YukonBound wrote:


"Harryk" wrote in message
...
On 1/3/11 11:49 PM, Tim wrote:
I haven't seen where smaller trucks are really that great of a
savings
compared to their bigger counter parts, Especially if you plan on
really using them.

It depends on how you plan to use a truck. I no longer have a trailer
boat so I don't need a full-sized truck to tow a heavy boat. The
smaller trucks are...smaller...and therefore easier to park, easier to
maneuver, a little easier on the gas. Most of the time the "stuff" my
wife buys at the garden shops and other stores will easily fit into a
smaller truck. The other times, the "stuff" is too large for even a
full-size pickup truck.

I happened to park next to a new Toyota Tundra the other day, and
thought that truck was just humongous. I owned a Tundra some years
ago; it was significantly smaller than the current models.

The new trucks do seem way too big for a city dwelling weekend warrior.
I did have the Ranger for three years , but I have mixed feelings about
them.
I could never claim to be tall in a newsgroup where every second poster
claims to be 6' 4" and weighing 230 or so .................... but on
the other hand, if you stood me next to Scotty..................
anyway, they jack the Rangers up.. even the 2WD versions and seem to
compress the cab height so you have to sit in a lower seat that say, a
mini-van or even a RAV4.
I found the seat of firm foam uncomfortable for a couple of months and
even called the salesman to see if I could unload the Ranger and
move up
to a F150.
He told me to wait and the foam would conform to my shape.. and he was
mostly right.
If I was in the market today, I'd take advantage of the great sales
Ford
has been offering and try to find a short wheelbase regular cab F150.
(6.5 foot box).
That's all I would need the vast majority of the time and I could
always
put a cap over the box to accommodate the dog.


I had a Ranger and an F150. Both were good trucks, as was my Tundra.
I've eliminated the Chrysler and GM small trucks; they don't do much
for me. That leaves Toyota and Ford, I guess. I need to take a test
drive in the Toyota Tacoma 4x4 small truck.

I sat in the Tacoma cab while having my RAV4 serviced and found that
the windshield cut off too low. I felt like the roof was caving in on
me..... and the seating is low, similar to the Ranger. Too bad that
Honda Ridgeline is so expensive. It might be a good choice for a
light, mid-sized pickup.
Too expensive? Think of what you would save in time getting the recalls
fixed.

wrote:
On Thu, 6 Jan 2011 19:37:29 -0400, "YukonBound"
wrote:


Hmmm. I haven't looked at a Honda or its pricing... :)

Consumer Reports seems to like it...
here's some of their online report...

"Honda RidgelinePhotosVideo

Base MSRP price range:$28,900 - $36,830 HighsRide, handling, powertrain,
rear seat, access, in-bed trunk, dual-action tailgate, crash-test results,
composite bed, reliability. LowsRoad noise, towing capacity, turning circle.
See our user reviewsAlready own it? Write a reviewCar Type: Compact pickup
trucksCR overall score
Honda's pickup truck has agile handling and a ride that's supple and
steady. The tailgate opens vertically or horizontally, and beneath the bed
is an all-weather, lockable trunk. The 3.5-liter V6 is quiet, smooth, and
responsive. Road noise is pronounced. The roomy crew cab is nicely detailed
and easy to access. The five-foot-long cargo bed has no wheel-arch intrusion
and is made of composite material. While not designed for serious
off-roading, the Ridgeline is capable in mild off-road conditions and it can
tow 5,000 pounds

Realibility, ride, owner satisfaction and acceleration are all better than
average but fuel economy is worse.

We looked at a Ridgeline a while ago. It is basically the Odyssey with
a pickup looking body. The road noise thing is typical of all Hondas.
We have had 3 (Accord, CRV and my Prelude) and they all sound like you
are running cheap snow tires.
This is still a car with a truck like body. You can't confuse it with
a real truck.
It is similar to the GM Aztec

I had a 2001 Acura MDX and loved it. I only upgraded to get more towing
capacity. It's worth a look if it will do the job.

Tim wrote:
On Jan 6, 12:39 pm, wrote:


The Land Rover 110 used to be the hot ticket but the Toyotas are a lot more
dependable and handle a lot better.


The old one liner:

"Did you hear about the guy that bought a new Land Rover and it didn't
leak any oil so he kept taking it back and hounding the dealer till
they got it right?"

They have come a long way and the price tag will prove that!

Harryk wrote:
On 1/7/11 7:53 AM, I am Tosk wrote:
In , payer3389
@mypacks.net says...

On 1/6/11 10:25 PM, I am Tosk wrote:


I still hate front wheel drive.. Just doesn't make sense to have the
steering and drive on the same axle,

Please explain.

Pffftttt...


Yeah, I kinda figured *that* was the lack of thought underpinning your
absurd statement, "Just doesn't make sense to have the steering and
drive on the same axle." Fortunately, Alec Issigonis wouldn't have
paid any attention to you back then, and no automotive engineer would
pay any attention to you today. But, hey, go ahead...go through life
wallowing in your ignorance.




It's all about handling and performance. If you are happy with FWD then
enjoy it.

Harryk wrote:
On 1/7/11 5:30 PM, I am Tosk wrote:
In ,
says...

On 1/7/11 4:22 PM, I am Tosk wrote:


You are right, I am choppy and scarey to race around... That's why I
didn't race the final races this season after the injury. I was out of
form and my friends didn't need a "weekend warrior" on the track while
they battled out a three way virtual tie for first place.

Now Jessi is another story.. One day A.J. Catanzaro (DAGS) was
training
riders at our home track. He kept pointing at Jessi as she came by the
group during the day and later I asked him what they were watching. He
said, "I was showing them what smooth looked like". Jessi was thrilled
when she asked him the same question later.. A.J. is known for smooth,
nobody does it better... Well, maybe Tony A.J. currently races
for GPF
and has been flying back and fourth to Germany for Supercross where he
is on the podium every week, and at age 16 is the reigning (US)
National
Arenacross Champion... Yeah, I will let him judge Jessi, not some
vulgar old fart who wouldn't know a spoke from a sparkplug...


If you are a serious racer, the only judge that counts is the checkered
flag. How many does your team have? Is your racer competing against the
16-year-old wunderkind? How is she faring? Are they about the same age?

So, now you care about serious racing? Pfffftttt....


\

What makes you think *I* care about kiddie motorbike racing? You were
touting your racing team, then you mentioned a hot kid racer and then
you mentioned judging. That's why i mentioned the checkered flag. So
how many checkered flags has your team won when competing with the hot
kid racers?


If you don't care, why do you ask, asshole?

In article ,
says...

Harryk wrote:
On 1/7/11 5:30 PM, I am Tosk wrote:
In ,
says...

On 1/7/11 4:22 PM, I am Tosk wrote:


You are right, I am choppy and scarey to race around... That's why I
didn't race the final races this season after the injury. I was out of
form and my friends didn't need a "weekend warrior" on the track while
they battled out a three way virtual tie for first place.

Now Jessi is another story.. One day A.J. Catanzaro (DAGS) was
training
riders at our home track. He kept pointing at Jessi as she came by the
group during the day and later I asked him what they were watching. He
said, "I was showing them what smooth looked like". Jessi was thrilled
when she asked him the same question later.. A.J. is known for smooth,
nobody does it better... Well, maybe Tony A.J. currently races
for GPF
and has been flying back and fourth to Germany for Supercross where he
is on the podium every week, and at age 16 is the reigning (US)
National
Arenacross Champion... Yeah, I will let him judge Jessi, not some
vulgar old fart who wouldn't know a spoke from a sparkplug...


If you are a serious racer, the only judge that counts is the checkered
flag. How many does your team have? Is your racer competing against the
16-year-old wunderkind? How is she faring? Are they about the same age?

So, now you care about serious racing? Pfffftttt....


\

What makes you think *I* care about kiddie motorbike racing? You were
touting your racing team, then you mentioned a hot kid racer and then
you mentioned judging. That's why i mentioned the checkered flag. So
how many checkered flags has your team won when competing with the hot
kid racers?


If you don't care, why do you ask, asshole?

Why, to be an asshole, of course.