Heald's Pre-Posterous

It's A Cultural Thing

Here's a real odd couple that amazingly enough both have basically the same mission in life: pin your butt in the seat and go down the road wickedly fast. In one corner, we have the Chevy Camaro SS. Over theyah, we have the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR. The Chevy has an insanely huge 6.2-liter V8 with 426 horsepower, and a six-speed manual gearbox. The EVO has 2.4-liter Inline Four with a nasty intercooled twin-scroll turbocharger and 291 horsepower. One is a rear-drive American Icon (built in Canada of course), the other sports rally car DNA, All Wheel Drive and tons of serious Japanese electronic tuning and traction technology. One pretends to have a back seat, the other has a surprisingly roomy one. They are as different as chalk and cheese, but both go, turn and stop amazingly well. It's really a great side-by-side, because they are both a barrel of minkeys (see: Inspector Jacques Clouseau) in their own way.
Funny, I love the EVO and have never had the Camaro Gene, even when I was a kid. I fully acknowledge that GM did pretty much exactly what they wanted to do with this car, and for a certain taste it nails all the right buttons. But I find it claustrophobic, a tad clumsy and full of cheap-ass plastic interior appointments. Great Brembo brakes, though.
The Mitsubishi actually approaches being a practical car, in addition to being a highly communicative RoadBeast. I hate Twin Clutch automatics generally, but the MR is getting it down. The doors sounds as tinny as, well, a tin can when you shut them. It drinks gas. It also has steering that is downright telepathic.

But whatever. Both of these things are toys, really, but very powerful, satisfying toys that can get you in all kinds of trouble if you don't respect their Hyde Side. Great fun.

Fast_times

Posted June 30, 2010

These Boots be Loaded

It's been awhile since I've landed some premium riding boots to evaluate, and the passage of time shows as these things are becoming more complex, feature-rich and meticulously engineered. I mean, these are just Triumph Alpinestar AS2 Boots yet they are practically small foot spas designed to protect, coddle and shield your trotters. These guys have armor everywhere (including toe sliders) and a waterproof lining, and really are some of the most accommodating boots I've ever put on (especially considering they aren't quite broken in yet). Comfortable on the bike, comfortable to walk around in. We shall see how waterproof they are. Oh, and check out the cool Union Jack imprint on the inside zipper flaps. Attention to detail like this is soooo sweet.

T-boo

Posted June 9, 2010

M Stands For MUH HA HA HA

Dealing with BMW's M3 (a wolverine in poodle garb if ever there was one) is a very interesting task. It's ludicrously strong, and even though 414 horsepower and a curb weight of 3,700 looks pretty screamy on paper it actually feels a bit quicker than even these figures imply. My tester was equipped with BMW's new 7- speed Dual Clutch Automatic, and while it's magnificent at getting the power to the rear wheels with amazing urgency I never felt completely comfortable with it. It's a technological Tour De Munich, with a number of modes to confuse the initial user. BMW states, "The Drivelogic control offers 11 different shift programs to suit the needs of individual drivers. Drivelogic offers 5 programs that allow for automatic operation of the transmission as well as 6 manual programs." I'd opt for the 6-speed manual transmission, just to avoid all these all-powerful silicon chips.
The Dual Clutcher is pretty heavy stuff, and the weird little control unit in the console that operates it (along with the now common paddle shifters on the wheel for manual mode) is as mildly irritating as the iDrive controller, which is still a marvel of ergonomic and functional inefficiency. The M also wasn't real wild about staying in reverse, and shifted pretty abruptly at times. God only knows what this test mule has been through, though, as it did have over 4,000 press miles on it and who knows what some of these vile journo-punks did when nobody was looking. Annoyances aside, this is a wicked-fast, wicked-handling and brilliantly-braked piece of hardware. lt's such a great size, too, and answers the question of what would happen if a Mitsubishi Evo swallowed a Viper. True, the electronics dictate an owner's manual so vast it has to live in the trunk, but such are the times we live in. 

Posted May 26, 2010

Final Thoughts on The Ultimate Aprilia

Hey, say want you want about me, but I said earlier I would give you my further thoughts on the Aprilia RSV4 R once I’d spent more quality time on the device and dammit, I’m a creature devoted to supporting my utterances. Anyway, as the insanely strong V-Four has now left my custody there is much to say (which will be dealt with in detail in all of the usual publications-consult your House Elf, or do some searches, to discover where they are). I will, however, share with you the following:
First, this bike is just another Aprilia. By saying that I wish to pass on a great compliment, as I’ve yet to ride one of these polished Italian machines and not find the build quality excellent. But solid construction is one thing; Aprilias take it a step further and really flaunt the fact that functional engineering can be beautiful. Artistic, even. The hellbeast that is the RSV is absolutely no exception in this regard, for while it is a performance masterpiece it still has that special attention to detail that makes this brand so desirable. The welds on the al-yoo-minium frame are so lovely they make people like me who have in fact welded at some point in our lives weep in appreciation. Hey, I don’t know whether it’s done by an artisan in Italy or an artisan in Italy that happens to be a robot from Japan, but it is a beautiful thing.
Performance: the Vee Fower is a serious rush. Unique power delivery in terms of feel, and it builds like a locomotive. Here’s techno-porn in the form of adjustable engine mapping, for you can select R for road (where horsepower is limited to 140) or S for Sport (where RPMs are limited slightly in lower gears a bit) or T for Track (which unleashes the entire herd of 180 horsepower to create mayhem and, basically, show you how good the chassis, suspension and brakes are). A long wheelbase for what is after all a race bike lends high-speed stability, but the bike still steers reasonably quickly if you give it some effort.
The bike went back to Aprilia in one piece, and I returned to my duties in similar shape. This is a really fine superbike, and very unique in personality. I shall watch its racing career with great interest.

Imgp1665

Posted May 23, 2010

Hybrid Fever!

It's not every day, or every week for that matter, that I have a brace of Hybrid autos to evaluate. But it just happened, and as I am (unlike a substantial number of auto journos who seem to feel threatened by them) a fan of the breed I've really enjoyed interacting with both of these eco-friendly machines. It's been especially interesting to see the evolution of both the Nissan Altima Hybrid and the Lexus RX450h, as they have been tweaked to the point that they are quite improved over their original permutations. They are reasonably quick (both getting to 60 MPH in less than 7.5 seconds) and very refined in terms of transitioning between the gas engine and electric motor. Handling is crisp on both as well, although they are very different vehicles of course and the RX's higher profile means more body lean and less steering response (although it is still quite acceptable). What we have here is a midsize sedan with almost full-size room that delivered an average of 34.6 MPG in mixed driving, and a midsized luxury SUV that got 31 MPG in a similar driving cycle. Costly, yes, but well worth the dinero if you need a vehicle in one of these categories and like the idea of consuming less fuel and spewing less crap into the air.

Posted May 13, 2010

Lock No More

According to an article on the Consumer Reports Auto Blog, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is recommending that the government mandate Antilock brakes for street motorcycles. This recommendation is based on a statistical study the Institute did that shows quite clearly that ABS clearly helps reduce fatal motorcycle accidents. Of course, as with any study like this there could be other factors such as the type of rider that will buy an ABS-equipped motorcycle, but overall I thing the conclusions reached are pretty sound. Unlike so many kneejerk reactionary types that doesn't think the government should mandate anything, I don't have a problem with this proposal. My reasoning is due to the fact that ABS on bikes has improved dramatically since BMW first started putting in on their machines many years ago (Crikey, it was last century in fact!), and it is also lighter, more sophisticated and less expensive that it has been in the past. The state-of-the-art Honda ABS system I played with on a CBR600RR a year or two ago was flat out amazing, too, and good enough even for track use. If memory serves, Japan put a regulation in place ages ago that every manufacturer that sells motorcycles in their country must have at least one model with ABS, so even though you might think some manufacturers might not have much experience with the technology (such as Harley-Davidson) they actually do.
Again, like with ABS in cars it requires a different braking technique in panic stop situations; i.e. just nail the brakes as hard as you can and steer the thing. There's no pumping or modulation required. Tires and brakes on bikes these days have become so good that a skilled rider can brake really effectively (meaning that ABS would rarely have to kick in) but in those particularly nasty, low traction situation the computers can literally save your bacon. It will be interesting to see what the manufacturers have to say when and if a mandate is established, although I'll wager it wouldn't go into effect for a few years.

Cbr600rr_abs

Posted May 8, 2010

The Big MINI

It is a welcome arrival in just about any parking lot, thanks to its somewhat whimsical demeanor. It is also a blast to drive, thanks to a stiff chassis and wheel-at-every-corner architecture. The MINI Cooper has been a popular choice for many seeking some compact wheels, so the BMW-owned concern decided to build more of a good thing by creating a larger version (sort of a wagonette, if you will) called the Clubman. And in typical MINI fashion, they decided to make it a tad unique.
Instead of a rear hatch, the Clubman has what they like to call "Split Rear Barn Doors" which pop open as if by magic when you grab the handle thanks to some very well-charged struts. But wait: there's more. On the passenger side, just behind the passenger door is one of those weird-ass suicide doors the pivots from the rear like Ford and Chevy extended cab pickups (this time its called it a Clubdoor), and makes it easier to climb into the rear seating area. There's actually decent room back there for a couple of adults, with about the same legroom as you get up front.
In typical MINI fashion this thing is no powerhouse with the standard normally-aspirated Four, but a Turbo version (or Tubbo, as they say in the South) comes in the "S" version. Handling is on a par with the standard MINI despite three more inches of wheelbase, which is to say exemplary. Also on a par with the regular sedan is a speedometer the size of a trash can lid, and some truly idiotic controls especially those that navigate the sound system. But, you get used to the latter and it just adds to the Clubman's eccentric, genuine charm.

Oma-God

I do think I have just, oh, a few hours ago, ridden one of the the most potent she-beasts in my memory. It is the first V-Four Aprilia I've ever experienced, and it is also a true race bike with lights (but still has that amazing polish that Aprilia is so famous for). It is a really bee-utiful blend of torque, horsepower and wicked-quick violence, yet it still has that amazing Aprilia polish that makes this marque so freakin' special.

But man, this thing is strong. There's something special here, and I've ridden a lot of very potent motorcycles in my day. This thing is different. It has stones the size of the erratics that sit atop Mt. Cadillac in Maine. This means nothing to most, but much who have made the ride to the top.I have this bike for a couple of weeks. We shall share, and Gain Strength from the Sharing.

Rs-weeeee

Transform This

The year was. . . actually I don't remember what year it was. But if memory serves the car was a Mercedes SLK and it was my first exposure to the whole hardtop convertible concept, and while I didn't wet myself in amazement (which I usually do for totally wild-ass technical innovations), I was really impressed. Shortly after this I landed a Lexus SC, and it was yet another expression of a really sound four-seasons idea. You see, convertibles and the Northern Climes have issues, mainly because it sucks to have to park your excellent drop-top machine when there's a lot of cold, snow, sleet, and winterage in your life. Now even VW with their clever EOS has entered the fray, and I have to say it's all good. Seriously. I've yet to roll in any of theses things that, while far from perfect, still doesn't get the top-down-inna-heat, steel-or'-head-when-it's-all-'bout-sleet thing down really well.
So, here we have a 2011 (no, really. The OEM's have a really weird-ass calendar) Volvo C70. The top splits into pieces and flies into the trunk, fortunately only when you tell it to via a switch. It's a pretty great machine overall, with a punchy, turbocharged Inline Five that scoots along nicely and has a very solid chassis (except for the windshield pillar which shakes way too much over rough substrate). It's a wild bit of engineering to watch the top rebuild itself (including the headliner) when it slides back into place in way less than a minute. It's a true all-season two-doh, a bitchin' Swede that seats foh, and moves your booty in the great out-doh. That's a poem, bitches. Deal wif it.

C70_pieces

A Hole New Yard

The rain stopped here in the Northeast late Wednesday if memory serves, yet I am still pumping out water from the basement at regular intervals. We only got about 5 inches of of the stuff, yet it was a real freakin' ordeal for a while there and even forced the cancellation of my annual trip to NYC for the International Auto Show Press Extravaganza. Weirdest of all, we have a new sinkhole in the back yard that I discovered when I was strolling over to the rain gauge and sank unexpectedly. One minute, waltzing along; the next I'm deep into the earth's crust. Despair. But, we were still much better off than our neighbors in Rhode Island. What a mess.

Holey

Posted April 4, 2010