If you ask the average person on the street about run flat tires, they'll probably talk about the wonders of this "new technology." Did you know that run flat tires (RFTs) have been on the market since the mid-1980s? Recent improvements to the technology have made them more popular in recent years. The basic premise behind RFTs is their ability for the driver to continue operating the vehicle safely for a short period of time after a puncture. This allows the driver to get the vehicle to a safe area to either change their tire or have the tire repaired by a mechanic. Most run-flat tires can operate after a loss in pressure for up to 50 miles. There are two main systems at work in most RFTs. These are the support ring system and the self-supporting system. Both work to keep the tire's...

With colder weather quickly approaching for many in the United States, it's the right time of year to begin preparing your vehicle for the icy conditions ahead. Winterizing your car involves several steps to ensure you can safely traverse the roads between December and April. Here are a few tips on what to look for, what to replace, and what to keep an eye on. The first thing you should do is install winter wipers. These have specialized rubber, which helps keep ice from collecting on the blades. This heavier-duty style will do you well during a snowstorm, just be sure to remove them come spring. Depending on where you live, you may want to install winter tires or add chains to your tires. With special compounds added to the rubber, winter tires stand up to colder temperature and...

As the world looks for new sources of energy, biodiesel has become an interesting topic. In a nutshell, biofuels are made from biological ingredients instead of fossil fuels. These can range from vegetable oils like corn or soybean oil or can come from animal fat. The main key to biodiesel is how a diesel engine works. You see, diesel engines run only on compression, not combustion. This means that there is no need for an explosion, just the right viscosity of fuel used in the engine. Traditional diesel fuel is made from petroleum and runs many of the large trucks and busses on the road today. Biodiesel is designed to mimic traditional diesel fuel so it can work in most diesel engines while being non-toxic and renewable. In most cases, biodiesel is safe to use in standard diesel...

For many of us, we know enough about our cars to keep them clean, fill them up, get the oil changed, and maybe check tire pressure. Yet if you own any type of car it's important to know what is happening under the hood. All gasoline engines on the market are known as "internal combustion engines." As the name implies, combustion (or explosions) are taking place internally. These are also known as reciprocating engines because the repeat a pattern of movement and turn a crank. A simple explosion in a standard cylinder is powerful enough to launch a potato about 500 feet, to put it in perspective. Internal combustion engines put this power to more useful purposes by creating a cycle which sets off hundreds of explosions per minute, transferring that power to your tires and propelling...

What is being described as "The Olympics of Motocross," a huge international race of Europe's top bikers is slated to take place in Poland next year. Youthstream, in Monaco, was proud to announce this week that the Women's Motocross of European Nations and the Motocross of European Nations will appear on the calendar once again in 2017. The event will be held in Poland and take place on September 3rd of next year at the circuit of Gdansk, the same course which was used in 2005 for the same event. FIM Europe Motocross Commission Chairman Mr. Eddie Herd said, “I am very happy to see this event on the calendar again for next year. It is a very important event for FIM Europe and for the development of the young riders to ride as a team for their Nation and also have a National team...

The duel between Silicon Valley and Detroit has been going strong for much of the past decade. As technology has advanced, California companies have told automakers that they're the ones to pave the path to the future. Tech's view of automotive was that they were slow, behind-the-times, and could not keep up with the massive think-tanks out west. However, events of the past few years have shifted the conversation in a direction favorable to auto-makers. The change was slow to develop but culminated in the realization of one simple truth, that making a car is much more difficult than tech had imagined. Companies such as Google, Apple, and the like have invested billions of dollars into self-driving car efforts and other similar technologies. These programs have developed at a snail's...

San Francisco based technology firm Navdy has recently released a heads-up-display aftermarket product to the automotive industry which has simply blown away all of their competitors. The product had its first chance to shine during a recent demo with CNET. Right away the high-contrast, very bright display stood out against what is currently on the market. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Navdy seamlessly integrates with the driver's smartphone, using it for calls, contacts, music, and communication. The device has its own built-in GPS system which includes an automotive-grade GPS chip and antenna, giving it a more accurate location than a smartphone GPS. The unit also includes an accelerometer which plugs into the car's OBDII port, allowing it to read vehicle speed along...

Fans of powersports racing exploded with excitement as Walker Fowler brought home his second-straight Grand National Cross Country Pro ATV Championship on October 5th. Part of the Yamaha Racing team, Fowler has quickly become a fan favorite in recent years. The title race, held in Clairsville, Ohio, was definitely one for the history books. “Fowler dominated the cross-country ATV circuit this season and consistently demonstrated why the YFZ450R is the racers’ top sport ATV of choice, with the power, durability and performance to consistently top the podium,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV / SxS group marketing manager. “A big congratulations from everyone at Yamaha to Walker and his team for another amazing season.” Fowler holds a commanding lead...

A lot was happening in the Summer of '66. The Troggs topped the music charts with "Wild Thing", Star Trek made its premier on television, super model Twiggy became an international sensation and drag racing was governed by a team's imagination and quest for speed. Now, some fifty years later, racing fans from around the world are headed to Byron Dragway outside Rockford, Illinois for the 7th Annual Meltdown Drags. Originally founded to help support a waning dragstrip, the Meltdown Association is expecting full parking lots with some 550-plus dragsters pre-entered into the classic event. Since its inception, the Meltdown Drags have remained dedicated to taking racers and fans back to the summer of 1966. A time when nitro-fueled dragsters and funny cars were in full swing and the...

Shortly after the October 30th NASCAR race at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia, tragedy struck as fans were making their way through the speedway's parking lot. A fan's vehicle lost control and crashed into a crowd injuring 22 people. Shortly before 6pm Sunday in the parking area just outside of Turn 2 of the Speedway a driver lost control of his 2005 Chevy SSR convertible truck. The driver, 65 year old Gary Edem of Fairfax, Virginia was attempting to pass a Jeep in the parking lot. After hitting the Jeep, Edem veered into the crowd of pedestrians, sending several of them to the hospital with injuries. Edem has been placed on a $7,500 bond and is being held in custody after the event. Nine people were taken to nearby hospitals and treated for non-life threatening injuries while...