Mortal Skulls Motorcycle Club Launches Skull Gear Apparel, Inc.

MORTAL SKULLS MOTORCYCLE CLUB LAUNCHES SKULL GEAR APPAREL, Inc.

The Mortal Skulls Motorcycle Club out of Long Island NY have started their own Motorcycle Gear and Apparel Business aptly named Skull Gear Apparel, Inc.

Not only will they be selling the Mortal Skulls Motorcycle Club’s line of MC Support Gear, it will also include a full line of Skull Gear Apparel, Inc. Mens and Womens Clothing.

The most anticipated item at this year’s opening for Skull Gear Apparel is the Infamous “Back the F#%K Off” sweat shirt that every biker just seems to love to wear when Riding!!!

Skull Gear is working on some new products for 2009 including, Biker Jewelry, Sunglasses, Skull Figurines and more!

The idea behind Skull Gear Apparel was really a no brainier. There are so many Motorcycle Apparel Businesses being run by those who don’t know the first thing about Motorcycle Clubs, The Members of the Mortal Skulls Motorcycle Club asked a great question “Who knows more about what Bikers want and love, Stuffy Corporate types or Real Bikers?”

You will find Skull Gear Apparel, Inc. at Large Motorcycle events near you this year! Or Online at http://www.MortalSkulls.com and http://www.SkullGearApparel.net for new merchandise and to order on-line!!!

When the Riding Season is Here! You need Skull Gear! Your Bro L.J. James

Renting a Car in Sydney: A Practical Ready Reckoner

Plan to holiday in Sydney, Australia? Well, indeed a good choice, but how do you get about once you land there? Hire a car of course! There are many ways in which a car can be hired out here. The easiest (but not necessarily cheapest) way is to ask your travel agent to do the needful. This would save you a lot of trouble but is perhaps not the best bargain. Your travel agent may have ‘tie ups’ with some Sydney car rental company which pays him a commission which means he makes money both ways, while you lose out on the better deals.

So what’s the solution? Well a smart approach would be to scour the Internet for good car rental offers and book your car online. Carefully peruse the terms and conditions of every car rental company. The rental services have user friendly online forms that need minimal details - your planned date of arrival, date of completion, as well as the delivery details and of course your basic personal information. And most car companies conveniently accept credit card payments. Some are more tech savvy and even take paypal payments or wire transfers.

So what are the fees to look out for when renting a car in Sydney? The base rate of rentals is in the range of $70 to $100 per day. Other standard fees charged by car rental companies in Sydney include toll pass fees $2.00 per day and Insurance Excess Reduction of $15.00 per day. Other fees may be applicable depending on your choices - additional driver fees at $3.00 per day, baby seat fee at $9.00 per day, Sat Nav GPS $35.00 flat fee as well as a fee of $10.00 per day for under age driver (under 25). As you can see, hiring a car in Sydney is not cheap but hunt for the better bargains by browsing through online ads to check out the discounts on offer. Discounts are invariably available only through direct online bookings and not through an agent.

While car companies may claim that the prices offered on the net are fully inclusive, it is in your best interests to examine the terms and conditions as most hidden costs are not immediately discernible. Fees such as Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) are a case in point. An international driving license is a must. The validity for using your international driving license in Sydney is three months. Always check that your personal travel insurance covers you for motor vehicle accidents and rental car insurance excess as it is more economical than paying the car rental company in the event of an accident.

If you wish to land a real bargain, try taking ‘off the beaten track’. Hound the Sydney centered blogs, Yahoo chat sessions and you will find plenty of folks who will rent out a car at rock bottom prices. Ensure, however, that you don’t fall prey to unscrupulous scammers; the possibility of being swindled or even falling for a stolen car is quite high. You may land up in deep trouble with the law enforcement agencies - you don’t want to be on the wrong side of the law! So take the tried and true path; research and pick the best car rental deal, the safe and effective way.

The Fine Points of Hiring A Car - Car Rental Fees Must Know’s

Renting a car is never easy. The Internet is full of advertisements promising the best deal and they usually give a ‘base price’ in the range of $70 to $100 per day depending upon the size of the car. However, at most times the companies do not explain the hidden costs or even what constitutes the base price offered. Depending on which country the customer rents a car, the quantum of various fees varies. However, it is best to make informed choices when it comes to renting a car - keeping abreast of all the fees that make up your rental bill is the first step when you head out to your travel destination.

Most car rental companies demand a safety deposit the first time you rent a vehicle. This portion of the rental fee is fully refundable and may come to a couple of hundred dollars depending upon the size of the car. The car rental fee is next; this is the actual charge for renting the car. Most car rental companies also charge a ‘contract fee’ to cover the administrative costs of renting the car to the customer. If the customer requests for a delivery of the car and a place for collection of the returned car, the company may charge two separate fees, once for delivery and the other being the collection fee. Beware though! A collection point designated in a different state by the customer may attract anything up to a couple of thousand dollars as collection fees depending upon the distance of the collection point from the car company’s home office. If the delivery is requested at the airport, a separate ‘airport surcharge’ will also be applicable. In addition, if the delivery or the collection is requested after normal working hours, an ‘after hours fee’ may also be charged. Traditionally, car companies charge a state taxes fee should the client need to drive across states. Driving across international borders may even attract a cross border fee - this is a mandatory fee that may be substantial and not easily waived. Also if you have an additional driver, an additional driver fee can also be charged.

Some countries also charge a tourism fee for tourists who wish to rent a car. Most US cities charge a flat rate as toll tax, and this can range from $2 to $5 per day. Some car companies also charge fuel charge fee or extra mileage fee. This may depend on what scheme of car rental the customer has opted for. Some companies go by a set number of kilometers driven per day or set number of hours per day. Any excess kilometers or time is then charged as extra fee. In case the customer requires a baby seat or a ski rack then additional fees are required to be paid. In some countries being young, usually under the age of 25, attracts extra fees in the form of younger driver fees. Again look out for the hidden fees. With fancy names such as collision damage waiver (CDW) fees, you may pay hefty sums as much as $15 a day. This fee is not actually collision insurance but more as a guarantee that the rental company will pay for any damage to the rental car, along with a caveat of some ‘deductibles’.

Finally if you intend to return the car earlier than planned, don’t hope for a sizeable refund. Many companies actually penalize you for cutting the rental duration; an early return fee becomes admissible! It is therefore extremely important that you - a prospective customer - are attentive to the ads and the terms and conditions of hire before signing up for a car rental. If you take renting seriously, consulting your car insurance company or your credit card company before hiring a car would be a great idea. In the end, don’t fall for tall claims and false promises; choose your rental company prudently and have a worry-free vacation!

Debt Consolidation - Advantages And Disadvantages

It is very common for people to be in debt these days. It is probably because it is too easy to get a loan. You can withdraw money easily from the ATM machines with your credit cards and they are in fact a kind of loan! If you are really in debt currently, you may want to seek for the option of loan consolidation.

In fact, there is a case that debt consolidation may not be your choice. If you only have a single debt, you will only need to deal with one creditor. In this case debt consolidation may not be really suitable for you. It should be consider when you are in debts from different lenders or creditors.

You may be now dealing with the lenders for your auto loan and personal loans. You may also be in some credit card debts. If this is the case, you will need to consider debt consolidation.

In fact, a lot of people will go for the option of debt consolidation if they are dealing with various lenders currently. This is because there are a lot of advantages associated with debt consolidation.

As discussed, you will go for the option of debt consolidation if you need to deal with various creditors currently. This is the first advantage for you to consolidate your debts. Only one lender will be left after the process of debt consolidation. With any surprise, it will be a lot easier for you to deal with your debt problem in this case.

In most cases you will get a lower interest rate after debt consolidation. This is why you are seeking for it! There is not point for you to consolidate your debt if you are not going to pay less interest. This is also one of the reasons for people to seek for this solution.

However, debt consolidation is not without problem. It will be very easy for you to get further debts if you do not manage your finance well. Because the debt burden is relieved a little bit, you may tend to borrow money and this will lead to new debts. You will need to keep reminding yourself you should never get new debts after your debts are consolidated.

Last but not the least, debt consolidation is only one of your options. This can be an ultimate debt solution for some people. However, this may not work for some other people. You will need to consider carefully before you make your decision.

Mens Car Insurance Rates Higher Than Womens

The reason why women do not pay as much for their auto insurance is overall they are involved in less insurance claims than men. The reasons for this are not conclusive but point towards a few known facts such as the speed at which women are more likely to drive at plus they are less likely to drive sports vehicles.

So, car insurance providers prefer to insure women drivers to men as the risk of an accident and claim is lower than those for men. The problem is that although both sexes actually face similar driving conditions, when a man has an accident, the damage to the vehicle is normally far greater than if a woman had been driving. In light of these facts it is not surprising to find that the insurance premium a woman will pay is usually around thirty percent less than that paid by a man.

Women usually drive slower than men so accidents caused by lady drivers are not as serious so in most instances the claims are lower ensuring insurers pay out less; lowering premiums. Since men generally drive at higher speeds, when they have an accident, the loss is high and when the accident involves two vehicles with high amounts of damage, it becomes an insurance company’s nightmare. Women are even considered to be a better risk even when they have only just passed their driving exam.

There are now a number of car insurance providers that have set up purely to aim their auto insurance policies at women and even married women cannot have their husband as a named driver. The reason for this is the greater risk the man poses with regard to an accident, thereby increasing the chance of a claim on the policy.

Some of these insurers find the only way they can increase their overall profits is by having a large number of members because the cost of premiums are lower, their profit margin is correspondingly less. Women drivers should seriously consider getting a car insurance quote from a company that will only insures women drivers. Further discounts can be made when a car is parked in a garage and if the person takes advanced driving lessons in addition to a clean license.

Even though insurance companies have always known that female drivers cost them less in payouts, that doesn’t necessarily translate to the lowest premiums from companies that only insure women as they can be more expensive than a standard auto insurance premium from a well know company. As the costs surrounding insurance generally continue to spiral upwards, it would be a good idea to go online and apply for quotes from a number of insurers, even if they are not women drivers only.

BMW: The Silver Seraph

BMW, though not the oldest car manufacturer, has been doing business since 1916. With its long history, BMW cars, both new and used, are still highly sought-after because of their quality and durability. The company has not been without its struggles, as both World War I and II almost saw the company lost to Diamler Benz. The creators of BMW were Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto, though Max Friz and Camillo Castiglioni also had a huge input regarding the company’s formation.

There are many prized BMW vehicles for sale through its history, but perhaps the most notable vehicle was the Silver Seraph. The Silver Seraph was foreseen as a joint venture between Rolls Royce and BMW. The prized vehicle had the body of Rolls Royce, but the engine of a BMW. The Silver Seraph first hit the market in 1998 and production lasted until 2002. The Silver Seraph was shown in the Geneva Motor Show as a replacement for the 1997 Silver Spur.

The Rolls Royce factory, formerly in Crewe, England, finished its historic manufacturing run with the Silver Seraph in 2002, though it is currently producing the Bentley line of vehicle. When Rolls Royce was on the brink of financial insolvency, BMW and Volkswagen vied for the rights to the company. After a fierce bidding war, Volkswagen won the company, buying the rights to the Spirit of Ecstasy line and the grill shape, but they offered the Rolls Royce name and trademark to BMW. Hence, the BMW and Rolls Royce venture started with the Silver Seraph.

Volkswagen was allowed to use the Rolls Royce “RR” logo on their cars until 2003. After, 2003, BMW moved to secure this trademark and brand their line of Seraph and Arnage cars. Volkswagen was then forced to emphasize their line of Bentleys over the Rolls Royce. For collectors and aficionados, this return of the logo to the Seraph especially was well received.

The Silver Seraph has a 5.4 litre, V12 engine, with a 5 speed automatic transmission. It was the first Rolls Royce since 1939 to feature a 12 cylinder block. The 1939 12 cylinder model was the Phantom III. The Silver Seraph and Bentley’s Arnage enjoy similarly appointed interiors and amenities. In fact, they both used Connolly Leather for the seats and dashboard. The Silver Seraph production created only 1,570 cars during the 4 year period, making it one of the most sought after BMW cars for sale on the collector’s market today.

The Porsche Elefant

The reputation of the Porsche has come a long way since 1931. During the Second World War, Porsche lost the bid on the contract to build the massive Elefant tank. Though he lost the bid, his consortium was contacted to help design the super tank. The Elefant was perhaps the best designed and most massive tank of the war. The chasses were taken from the Porsche 90 Tiger 1 tanks that were already in production.

The tanks suspension used double bogies and longitudinal torsion bars. Porsche designed the engines to be placed in the middle of the body instead of in the rear in order to make room for the new armament that was then placed in the rear of the tank. These engines used electric generators that powered other electric motors which where fused to the sprockets. The Elefant tanks were designed with a longer barrel that gave it a much higher muzzle velocity, and used a longer cartridge, but now had some limits, as it couldn’t elevate the barrel.

Porsche AG chasses were later created for the Ferdinand series tanks that used 300 horse powered engines, and 100 mm of extra armor plate, which added five more tons of weight to each tank. The Ferdinand/Elefant may have been the most powerful tank during the war due to its greater protection ratio, and its superior firepower. These facets gave the tank noted advantages over other tanks, though its weight and the general lack of replacement parts would not allow the Germans to field a substantial force of them.

And after the war Porsche continued to use the technology used in the development of the Elefant tanks to begin building a line of reliable automobiles. These standards are still used today in the production of all their vehicles. Porsche is now the world’s leading luxury automaker. Since Ferdinand Porsche designed the Volkswagen Beetle first the two companies always retained a very close relationship with each other but eventually merged into one company in 1969.

The quality of the Porsche auto line series is so esteemed that many people all over the world want one. Many race car drivers will only drive a Porsche during a racing event. And the Porsche line just keeps getting better and better. Their resale value only goes higher instead of lower, as with many autos on the road today. It is no wonder so many Chicago used car dealers try to go all out to keep them in stock on the car lots.

Summer Road Trip Songs

There’s nothing like a great soundtrack for your road trip to really make the miles fly by. Rather than just bringing a collection of your favorite CDs, why not look into making your own mixed disc with all the favorite songs of everyone who will be going along on the trip.

With the right tunes, you can really enjoy even the longest of road trips. Just think back to all the movies you’ve seen where they play upbeat music as the characters speed across the countryside. We all want to be like that, so, while you can’t montage your trip into a two minute scene, you can certainly spice it up with some good music.

Choosing Summer Road Trip Songs

Your songs don’t have to actually involve road trips, but it sure lends a fun air if they talk about traveling and cars, which is why most of the tunes on the majority of song lists are all about being on the move. This just seems appropriate for a car full of people whizzing down the highway and they are also usually songs that you already know and can sing along to.

Look for songs that are upbeat and will keep you bobbing your head and tapping the steering wheel . . . the last thing you want is to fall asleep to some slow ballad that doesn’t inspire anyone in the car to sing. Songs that are easy to sing along to are an excellent way to draw fellow passengers out of their stupor and get them bouncing around and air-strumming to the music.

When you do find those songs for a road trip, it’s a good idea to put a lot onto your disk or MP3 player. This is because a long trip will quickly exhaust your options. You don’t want to be listening to the same ten songs over and over again every hour! So consider putting at least 50-100 songs together for your road trip compilation. This will give you a good 4-8 hours of music and you won’t have to get bored of any particular song, unless, of course, you want to and hit repeat over and over.

If you are having troubles finding enough songs for the compilation, recruit your passengers. Get them to each chip in 10 or 20 songs that they enjoy and you can all be introduced to some new tunes while also enjoying your own favorites. Mix the song order up a bit so you won’t have each person’s favorites all in a row . . . this way it will be more interesting for everyone and if there is something you don’t really like, it’s only one song long.

While you will most certainly have your own favorite music, there are a few timeless pieces that simply must be included on every summer road trip song list. Here they are:

Top Road Trip Songs

- Hotel California, The Eagles - Ramblin’ Man, The Allman Brothers - Highway Star, Deep Purple - California Dreaming, Beach Boys - Life is a Highway, Tom Cochrane - Truckin’, Grateful Dead - Light My Fire, The Doors - Roadhouse Blues, The Doors - American Woman, Guess Who - One Headlight, The Wallflowers

This list could go on for days, as you can well imagine, but these are some of the best songs out there for listening on the road. They are great to sing along to, they boost morale and get everyone bopping in the car, all ingredients for a great summer road trip song list.

Used Mercedes Vehicles: Simplex

From the Mercedes Simplex to the E Series, Mercedes vehicles are, and have always been, sought-after vehicles. Mercedes has been known for their cars since 1871, when the company was founded in Stuttgart, Germany. The company crafted its first car in 1886, and in 1901 the original Mercedes was released for public consumption.

The Mercedes Simplex, technically the third vehicle they ever created, was first produced in 1902 and again in 1909 by Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft. Wilhelm Maybach was the designer of the Mercedes Simplex, which offered more engine performance and more stability than previous vehicles. The Mercedes 35hp, that was created the year before the Mercedes Simplex, broke with several standards of automobiles of their time. To keep up with the tradition Maybach and Daimler knew they needed the Simplex to be even more of what consumers were considering a “standard” car. They decided to added comfort by means of simplicity, hence the name “Simplex.”

As you can imagine, cars like the Simplex are highly sought after because of rarity. With the 1902 model improving the horse power of the engine, the Mercedes Simplex had to prove its worth on the race track. The first race track to see the Simplex in action was at Nice, France. That same year, in the United States, the Simplex raced in Detroit offering another win. William Vanderbilt Jr. was a high-profile fan of the Simplex, boosting the profile of Mercedes in the United States.

In 1903, the Mercedes Simplex gained another aficionado in Kaiser Wilhelm II. He expressed such admiration for the car in stating that it was a truly magnificent engine, but not as simple as its name implies. Currently, antique vehicles like the Mercedes Simplex can only be seen at the Mercedes Benz Museum in Stuttgart. They still have 13 original Simplex units on display. These vehicles still take part in competitions each year as some of the best cars ever made.

Whether you are interested in new, antique, or used Mercedes cars performance and dedication to luxury are noted factors. The modern line of Mercedes vehicles includes SUV’s, trucks, and compacts. They recently began offering Smart cars for city driving. The reputation of Mercedes Benz will continue to be on the top of the quality car list for performance, endurance, and comfort for luxury vehicles.

The Secret Of Motorcycle Pinstriping

If you want to create something unique when creating a custom bike then pinstriping is worth considering. Although no specialist skills are needed for pinstriping as the task is made simpler through using templates and stencil tape. But if you do find the whole process difficult or you aren’t able to get the look you want then the motorcycle pinstriping can be completed at an auto body shop and they will make sure that each pinstripe on it is perfect. With pinstriping you are aiming to create a new and unique look to your motorcycle that will make it stand out from the rest.

Motorcycle pinstriping has been around for many years and has continued to gain popularity among motorcycle owners. Beginning in the 1950s, vehicle pinstriping became a way of decorating vehicles and has come a long way since. For those who enjoy showcasing, motorcycle pinstriping is an important asset in the appearance of the motorcycle.

When choosing a pinstripe design for your motorcycle, it is important to think of what interests you. You may either purchase a template or stencil that has a design pre made, or you may choose to design the pinstripe freehand.

When it comes to applying motorcycle pinstriping it can be done using a kit or at an auto body shop. The kits contain stencils which ensure that the outline for the design is consistent, and are applied on to the motorcycle using a pinstriping brush and paint. However, most often motorcycle pinstriping is done in auto body shops and the pinstripers will apply a particular design freehand. But whatever method is used the motorcycle pinstriping needs to be applied carefully to ensure that it does add the custom look to the motorcycle you are after.

Along with applying the design carefully, you also need specialist tools when it comes to motorcycle pinstriping. The primary tool used to apply a design onto a vehicle is the pinstriping brush which helps to ensure that even if the design is created at home when applied it is of a professional standard. The brushes have been made to be comfortable for a person to use and allow them sufficient control over it as they apply their design.

Another utensil is a pinstriping tool. By using this, motorcycle pinstriping can be applied more thoroughly as it paints the edges of the motorcycle. Also, you can easily paint a single straight line or a set of parallel lines. Both tools will provide neatness and quality to your motorcycle’s design.

Motorcycle pinstriping comes with many great benefits. The most important thing about motorcycle pinstriping is making sure the design is applied neatly to give a professional look. Creating the perfect pinstripes will take time and practice, but if you can master the skill by using different methods of application, you can create a look for your bike that is completely original. By gaining an interest and understanding of motorcycle pinstriping, you will begin to have an appreciation for unique designs.

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