Motor(cycle) and Music Monday

Hey look! I'm not dead! Also, a slight theme.

https://10alex01.tumblr.com/post/162205550737/fan-art-to-congratulate-the-end-of-samurai-jack-inn

Mecha Monday: Player Three has entered the battle

http://newatlas.com/giant-fighting-robot-china-greatmetal-monkey-king/49286/

A company called Greatmetal has created its own giant robot to join the fray, adding a third nation to a robo-punchup.

I for one welcome our new G-Gundam Future, where nations compete via giant stupid robots for some reason. Fuck it, I don't care if it's inefficient or unusual, I want it to be a thing.

Motor(?) Monday: Space Vehicle Design

Nothing new happening with car shopping, drove a ford escape with a bunch of nice stuff about it that I'd probably have put money down on already if it had limited slip and a button to lock it into 4wd if desired.

ONWARDS to my actual topic: SPAAACEships.

Specifically, trying to design approximately dieselpunk spaceships for the alt history game setting I'm working on with the Moon Marines. Trying to make them mostly realistic with the caveat of the setting featuring a couple elements of superscience to allow for spacefaring shenanigans without recordkeeping to manage keeping tabs on reaction mass and such. TL;DR of the setting is it's way later in time, humanity has been pulled into the future during the Manhattan Project and given some alien tech to reverse engineer. They fix/break it, and start exploring. I'm considering giving the ships a modernized WWII kind of vibe, and having a lot of spaceships able to land on the water due to alien not-rockets permitting heavily armed and armored spaceboats. Humanity's great wealth of knowledge related to loading, crewing, and fighting aboard ships was taken advantage of, along with moderate aircraft experience and marginal space knowledge.

One of my first inspirations is the Surcouf Submarine Cruiser. It's usable as a ship, with deck space up top, and nicely sized gun turrets (enormous for a submarine). It's streamlined and has the style I want. Not the most airworthy, but that's what lifting body style tweaks and unreasonably powerful space engines, and maybe a set of stub wings that fold flat for some extra lift and to help with climbing out of atmosphere when you can't be bothered to boost into orbit on engine power alone.

Obviously it's meant to fly, at least during the transition between spaceship and regular ship. Getting around like a very well-sealed seaplane is probably faster and more effective in a vehicle powered by reactor fueled not-rockets than forcing it through/over the water. A broader body would probably be more likely, to increase space and maintain a nice airworthy wedge design.

A flying boat lifting body spaceship, you say....

There's always the old standby of sphere ships, which to maintain the style of the setting would probably be vaguely cube shaped and rounded in something of the nature of the M4 sherman. Not great for in atmosphere use, beyond takeoffs and landings.


But now, I come to my real problem
Gravity. I'm not using artificial gravity generation, but would like at least a small amount of gravity to allow some semblance of normal life (ability to cook in a pan, sit at a table for cards that don't need magnetism or somesuch, and so on). All gravity has to come from spin gravity, either for the whole ship or more likely having a section of the ship feature a separate centrifuge portion containing the habitation modules, or from using slight superscience to maintain felt acceleration gravity. Given that the ship is meant to be usable as a ship on the surface, there are some issues with both of these methods.

Gravity, on a normal aircraft or oceangoing ship, points downwards. produced via spingrav, portions of the ship will be upside down while in atmosphere if using an included centrifuge (which may be split into a habitation block and a region not used while in gravity or otherwise still usable while upside down, or trading some space for mechanisms to allow rooms to rotate). Simply spinning the ship about an axis is difficult due a probable lack of a nice round axis had by most ships able to land planetside. Still, if a ship has a center of gravity close enough to what would be the top deck while planetside, it can rotate such that the lower deck has spin gravity. It'll look weird as heck, but if it's weird but it works it's not weird. A tumbling pigeon design does not work with the requirements of interstellar travel within the setting.

Produced via acceleration, effective gravity will point towards the back of the ship. It's possible to arrange the whole ship for acceleration gravity, and have it point upwards while it's landed like a tail-landing craft, but that comes with its own set of challenges. Suddenly the entire ship is a spacefaring skyscraper that must be navigated by steps, ladders, manlifts, elevators, and fireman's poles. It's also weird during actual flight if you use aerodynamics rather than pure engine power. Alternatively, the engines could force the ship sideways through space, such that down is always down. This results in a rather large frontal area to heavily armor, but plays quite nicely with keeping an otherwise standard deckplan, allowing systems to be navigated via hallway and corridors with a few levels.

The other options are that the ship is just in 0G or microgravity all places except where it's absolutely necessary for something resembling normal function, or that I opt to include a crude gravity generator to the setting. Micrograv is weird but manageable, and through tech and proper design pretty easily handled. Artificial gravity requires just a little bit more handwaving than allowing small amounts of constant speed acceleration gravity thanks to warp drive effects and is easily compatible with a ship designed to also function in and out of gravity.

EDIT TO ADD:
After sleeping on it, bouncing ideas, and doing some math, it seems that flying the ship in a helical flight path can generate gravity pretty darn readily. If it's stupid but it works, it isn't stupid. It requires constant thrust, but given that the ships are reactor powered and reactionlessly driven, it's the simplest solution to the 0G problem.

Motor Monday: Automotive Militia Purposes

Not militia purposes of the sort that call for combat, more the ones such as those the Organized Militia are called for, and ones that the unorganized militia are eminently capable of. Disaster recovery, aid delivery, and other such similar things. Pretty much breaks down into 3 main categories, all of which I'm looking at in my search for a new car.

Bootleggers

Vehicle archtype: Rally Car
Examples: Focus RS, Subaru WRX, most AWD or 4wd cars with decent engine power
Function: Deliver people or supplies in a hurry over bad roads or very gentle offroading at good speeds, (mostly) regardless of conditions. Get someone to the hospital, deliver something important. Also probably able to get other cars unstuck from minor issues like snow/ice thanks to AWD, and maybe tow the smallest of trailers. Better than most cars, but mostly just fun to drive.

Jeeps

Vehicle archtype: SUV
Examples: Jeep Wrangler/unlimited, Suzuki Samurai/Jimny, Hummer H1
Function: Go places, move stuff. Able to climb rough stuff, it's unlikely to get stuck and good at doing such things as dragging trees out of the road, hauling vehicles from ditches or clear of where they're stuck, and moving people and things through sometimes awful terrain. Usually able to haul at least medium trailers. Some larger models overlap with trucks in places, and certain exceptionally c-capable vans may be considered in this region

Trucks

Vehicle Archtype: Pickup Truck
Examples: Ford F series, Ram trucks, toyota... seriously, fullsize and larger trucks
Function: As SUV, but with less people space (usually) and a lot more hauling capacity, both internally and externally. Larger footprint is harder to manage off road, but the power is retained for such things as hauling debris out of the way and freeing trapped vehicles. Occasionally more capable examples will show up in the news following disasters doing such things as fording floodwaters and such with a load of supplies from nearby towns. Larger examples can excel in towing enormous loads, which are often used as an advertising factor. Curiously, often get better fuel economy than




Compounding the problem are not always classified vehicles;

Questionable Utility

Vehicle examples: Light Trucks, Crossovers
Problems: Both are lesser versions of above classes, smaller, sometimes cheaper, and lacking most of the actual capabilities. Crossovers tend to be functionally minivans with a facelift, while light trucks are analogous to things like the el camino and el ranchero of old, with sport versions attempting to gain the capabilities of a full truck but usually failing fairly miserably (ex, sport versions of light trucks have no fuel savings over there larger counterparts, precious little cost savings, and far less room). OTOH, there's basically no light trucks left in the states new production, if you're looking at that.

Motor Monday: Car Shoppin'

Got hired on full where I'm working, with a tidy little raise now that the contract agency isn't taking a cut out of my check. My car is, however, in the process of dissolving out from under me. It's late 80s/early 90s steel, and I'm up in Wisconsin. The two do not get along well.

This means it's time to go shopping! Car shopping. Thankfully, I can drive stick, unlike most of my generation, so I've got some fun options available that other people don't. I've got some basic criteria to narrow the field; Approximately 30 mpg highway, AWD or 4WD preferable, and above-standard performance; This can take the form of hot hatches or similar, cars with some extra zip, or smaller trucks or SUVs that offer actually capabilities such as towing and/or offroading. Max price is $30k, but less is preferable if I can get it. Unfortunately, there's an added complicating factor; I'm a pretty big guy. Tall and broad shouldered, I often either can't fit my legs into a car, or I'm wedged into the door when it's shut. I'd love to get something like the Elio, which is cheap and performs decently by virtue of light weight, except it's basically vaporware at the moment.

Below are a few I've tested out that I actually fit in.

The Subaru WRX is one of my top contenders. Good ratings for reliability, performance, and user happiness. It's got AWD, and they actually work pretty decent when taken lightly off pavement being rally cars. They're a little spendy, but it's just because they include a lot of features that are upgrade packages on other cars in the class (and that AWD adds a bit). They've got a nice roomy trunk, although the newer models that get fuel economies where I want them aren't available with a hatchback for some reason. Test driven them, and they feel mighty nice, and I FIT very comfortably. I wouldn't be going for the STI package, because more power and expense than I have a use for, but it sure looks pretty.

Next up, and the car I actually learned to drive stick for, is the Ford Focus ST. 2wd and fwd only, but darn near $10k cheaper and a lot more subtle with its extra power. Rowdy handful and great fun to drive, with decent space inside and enough room for me to fit. Unfortunately I can't go for any of the higher packages that come with more sporty seats, because I have big muscley manlegs that are wider than the seats allow for when they have the racing wings to help hold you in place.  Still, very solid contender.

Ah, ol' reliable. A truck. Big ol' truck. Probably a Ford truck. There's a formerly beat to hell Ford Ranger at the family business, if we can get a functional engine in it again, it'll be a new truck (everything ELSE has been replaced). But, it's still 15 years old, and offers... less performance in every conceivable way than the modern generation of trucks. I'd lean towards a light truck, but they've gone the way of the buffalo as fullsize trucks shrink slightly, yet retain their capability in ways light trucks never hoped to achieve. Toss on all the options I want and a shiny new one goes just a bit above my price range (and below my favored MPG), but it'll have the specs I yearn for across the board. Thankfully, decent trucks have been a thing for a while, and even going back several model years they've still got pretty fair fuel economy. A couple aftermarket extras to improve the aerodynamics and load distribution and I'll be set with a pre-owned, and still have money to spare for a nice truck gun safe. Gotta have the slightly extended cab, though, to make sure I FIT in the thing. Going to be way harder to find a place to park than my current compact car though.


In testing, I've determined beyond any shadow of a doubt that... I do not fit in Hondas. There is no car made by Honda that I can comfortably fit into, driver's side or passenger, front or back.

Motor Monday: Slick Steam

Nice, hands off recirculating steam engine. Quick start-up, creature comforts, and nice and zippy! Seemed particularly relevant since I'm preparing for a Deadlands game.

I'm waiting for the Cyclone steam engine to FINALLY drop for consumer use, which I suspect is going to take off in a big way because power-to-weight ratio, fuel flexibility, ease of use, and price. Direct drive, no coolant system, no oil (water lubricated), no exhaust stuff (still has exhaust, but needs no muffler or emissions things) means it's basically going to be a perfect drop in engine for people looking to create stuff without much knowledge of things like gear ratios. But that will get its own post when they finally DO SOMETHING with the damned thing worth reporting, aside from occasional reports that someone else has partnered with them.

Motor Monday: Model A modernization project

Basically everybody I've ever met digs the old classics. 20s, 30s, maybe even up through the 50s or so, they've just got a bit of style about them. Performance of course is another thing entirely. That they don't have. But what if you could get a bit of both?

I'm not the first to think of this. There's the PT Cruiser, which made a fairly decent attempt at it, but there's just something subtly off about it. The lines aren't quite right, the style's not there, and most I know just view it as a pale imitation. The brush of bland, samey streamlining was hefted in its direction just a bit too enthusiastically. Gave it a little too much 'minivan', particularly the whole-body slope. Still, I appreciate the effort, and it's far from the worst attempt I've seen at such things. It's like a C+ or maybe a B-. Above whatever nebulous average, but still not the slam dunk, but quite nice for something you could justify as a daily driver. It's also about 5 years out of production now, although reviews say it was decent enough and kicked off some other new versions of classics that have turned out rather nice. 

Another crack at it from the other direction, pure performance with a bit of classic class, is the Factory Five '33 Hot Rod. It's a kit car, a custom race frame with a slick reproduction 30s style body. Performance-wise it holds up its end of the bargain, and the pricing's even not terrible considering it's meant to be a track car at just under $20k. Problem is, it's a kit car; you have to assemble it, and source a bunch of parts yourself off a donor car. This means you have to have have time and space to assemble it, no stylish rides for the mechanically impaired. And it gets worse: nothing in the way of amenities, such as things like, oh, I dunno, windows. Stock, you get a stripped out shell like many of the most determinedly focused sports cars, although if you've talent, time, and resources there's nothing to say you couldn't add stuff yourself. Still, worth a look if you want to turn some heads at the track http://www.factoryfive.com/kits/33-hot-rod/ In the looks department it's got it all down pat, but it's too heavy on the hot rod side of things to be anything but a toy without substantial extra work.

The Cheverolet SSR (Super Sport Roadster) is yet another attempt at classic styling, this time in approximately a truck. And still, there's something just a bit off. Even more than the PT Cruiser, perhaps, it's just TOO heavily rounded. It's based a bit more on a 50s custom truck, but it fits mostly with the theme. 

But there IS hope. From a major, mainstream company, no less (there are still things like Morgan that make things with classic style and immense price points to match). What could it be? Why, it's something that's even better than the original, in my eyes. The New Beetle, from Volkswagon. They took the classic styling, and streamlined it, made it sleeker and more capable. I've seen a few, they look good enough to turn heads. Gone is the cutesy look, in favor of a touch more aggressive styling. A sports car it is not, but it retains the rounded styling of years passed.

But this is not a project, you may be thinking. You'd be right, if for some reason you find me interesting enough to read this far. What IS a project is my thoughts to get some prototyping foam, or spend some time in any of the multitude of modeling softwares with which I am so accustomed. While I technically have the skills required to use modern engineering practices to design a car from scratch, there's little need for all that. Adjusting the frames and suspension and such is a task better left to those with far stronger software than I, simulation packages and the like to determine crash performance and whathaveyou. Thus far all attempts succeed handily in being functional on a modern level, but many fail in the style department, if ever so slightly. If I succeed, mayhap we'll all benefit from a modern take on the classics. If I fail? Well, I've tried and created something, and kept carefully tailored skills from decaying further

Motor Monday addendum: A Scenic Drive through Hell

Found actual car related things, kind of. Driving, at least, so it's marginally more post-worthy. A video of the escape from that valley fire after it seems to have snuck past some folks.

Motor Monday: Opportunity Missed and Motorcycle Musings

On a business trip with my company to see applications of our products (volumetric fillers). We had some time to kill today, so we stopped at a classic car dealership with a side of museum to it right on the way to the hotel. As we were heading out the door I realized I should have taken pictures, but taking pictures isn't usually a thing I do. Oh well. 30s era cars continue to be gorgeous and we all agreed that something with modernized hardware and that kind of styling would be pretty great and we'd all want one if it was reasonable. We all lamented the PT Cruiser as an attempt that did it wrong but at least got a little credit for trying.


So, I've had my bike a few months now, barely put 200 miles on it because I won't ride unless I'm physically sound and mentally present, and I'm often very tired and have a moderate length commute. Went with a new bike because dodging issues and surprises associated with buying used... only to get a recall notice in the mail. Bah. Nothing major, mine didn't have the issue and it didn't cost me anything, so whatever.


Still having trouble figuring out leg armor that plays nice with a gun on the hip. Beginning to suspect I might either have to find a shoulder holster I like (vertical gun position instead of horizontal), belly band, or anything else that moves said gun off my hip, or just suck it up and strap motorcycle pants or chaps or whatever on over the top of it. I guess I can IWB my OWB by wearing a pair of armorpants.

Motor Monday: Tactical Hotrod

Been a while since I had stuff for one of these. Been meaning to do this one a while.

A thing that rolled across my dash on the Book of Faces.

Motor Music Monday

Found this because it was the theme for a promo for Wasteland Weekend, which is basically live action Fallout/Mad Max/Metro 2033/etc, and is a big post-apocalyptic immersion party in the deserts of Vegas. Apocalypsed cars and costume are mandatory for the weekend. One of these years I may swing on by representing the Nuclear Winter covered Northlands, with our preserved fine brewing techniques despite the fall of civilization. I think I'll go more Metro 2033 apocalyptic pseudo-military style rather than Warboy/Raider/etc.

Motor Monday: Planes have motors too

Hey look, I'm not dead! I've just been busy and a bit under the weather.

This seems a much more cost effective way for most people to get the view from inside a P-51D, even if it's not quite the same experience. Imagine what it'd be like with an Oculus/etc, though.

Motor Monday: Finally Gave In

Bought a bike.

Honda NC700X, in red, the exact one I said I'd buy if I bought one.

Here's a picture of the bike but not mine, I got a few from right after I bought it but I was missing gloves and it's really glaring and annoying (I rode back across the street to the shop and bought some really sweet gloves that are almost armored enough to potentially be brass knuckles), so I'll have some of those after I've finished collecting the last of my heavy duty armor suit that I'll use when I actually do more than tool around in the apartment complex to remember how to use one of these things.

Things to do/get yet:
Knee Braces, which are traditionally motocross armor, but I like the look and the improved protection (I like my knees to only bend in the one direction they're supposed to).
Hip/butt armor that works with concealed carry. So far all i've found that doesn't have issues with that is motorcycle pants or various types of armored underwear that's way pricy if I want to ride on anything resembling a regular basis.
New boots. My boots are heavy duty leather enough to ride with anyway, but they're old and worn and starting to fall apart and due for replacement regardless of bike-havingness. I'll see if I can't find some nice steel toe combat boot style ones.

Yes, yes, this thread is worthless without pics, I know, I'll remedy it when I have some decent ones. It's like shooting pics without proper safety stuff or weapons handling, just cringeworthy, which is why you don't get to see.

Motor Monday; Want

I do believe that if I decide to purchase a bike, I've selected the one.

Pictured is the 2013, I'll go for the 2015 NC700x DCT ABS. A bit of alphabet soup, but it's an adventure bike (looks like a sport bike, rides like a standard), known for having superb fuel economy despite a moderately large engine, integral storage space (enough for a full size, full head helmet, or groceries on the way home while said helmet is worn. Bet I can fit a pistol safe in there too). The ones I've seen with add on storage gear, be it tank bags, trunks, or saddlebags, all look pretty nice. The model I want costs a touch more, but has antilock brakes and a dual clutch transmission, so I can set it in auto if I feel lazy (Probably use the Sport setting of auto, then just shift manually unless something goes wrong and I must focus on getting the hell out of dodge). Add on accessories for it include extra fairings and reinforcing for them, and more lights because lights=visibility, even during the day. It's even got a hint of that streetfighter look I dig so much. Technically classed as an adventure bike, it's got a bit more ground clearance and can pull offroad duty.

It's missing the airbag off the goldwing. Good news? that whole thing is one easy assembly, with all the electronics and sensors all in a nice neat little package that will be mighty easy to add. Might add on some sport style freeway/crash bars, because as light and easy to heft around as the thing is (local bike shop has one), I'd still rather it didn't fall on me.

2015 model

Otherwise, the new NM4, which shares all the features I'd want off the NC700x, pushes all kinds of the right style buttons, but costs several thousand more and apparently has less useful storage space than the adventure bike, despite coming with saddle bags AND front fairing storage. I also can't find one to sit on, and at 6'3" before any riding boots, making sure I fit is kind of a big deal, especially for a bike at the absolute top end of what I'd consider spending.

Motor Monday: Steambike and musings

http://laughingsquid.com/black-pearl-a-custom-motorcycle-powered-by-a-steam-engine/

Old fashionedy steam engine, rather than one of the higher end ones (like those in the Stanley Steamer cars, or modern recirculating steam engines). Only 5mph, but it looks fantastic. Still, could probably build one with a bit more performance for the form factor, even if you still ran it on steam.

In other news, a local powersports shop was doing an open house/sale night thing, and I picked up a rather nice motorcycle jacket for relatively cheap. Good reviews and ~$50 off the best price I could find online or so.

This will be my "Scary Motorcycle Jacket" for if I do race days or just go places. If/when I actually buy a bike, I'm picking up one of those inflatable motorcycle vests in day-glow orange and green or something to toss on over it for actual visibility and extra safety, although the armor on this thing and reviews are all pretty fantastic.

Motor Monday: Japanese Custom

Turns out, Japan has a thriving custom car/bike culture. Hints of it show through in various media, such as the famous Akira, and several other animes (Initial D comes to mind as well, although those aren't so much flash as they are just street racers).

Motor Monday: Repair and Restore edition

Everyone's always claiming to find a collection of fancy abandoned cars in a barn, and here's another one.

http://www.boredpanda.com/treasure-vintage-old-classic-cars-france-roger-baillon/

Otherwise I don't have anything interesting that I've found for this Monday.

Motor Monday: Motorcycle Wants

Between my own engineering capabilities and safety innovations by others that are not yet mainstream, I've decided that I will be purchasing a motorcycle at some point in the future. I've managed to work myself out of a job (again) so it'll be a bit, but I've got a while ahead of me yet.

Still, lists of wants and needs are always handy when selecting from a broad, pre-existing market.

MUST HAVES:
Airbag (add on or integral)
skid bars/freeway bars (possibly custom for added protection).
Anti-lock brakes (skidding is bad. skidding with only two wheels is worse)
Engine no larger than 700cc, 400-600cc preferable (I'm not small and I'm not light, but I'm not insane either. Well, that last one is arguable, but it doesn't apply to crazy horsepower at least)
Minimum top speed of 90 (when horsepower is all you have to get out of a bind, you'd better have enough. I'm good at keeping power from getting me into trouble, preferring to use it to keep me out)

Extensive armor, preferably including an airbag jacket/vest, and a full face helmet (already owned, but maybe a nicer one eventually...)

WANTS
Dual headlights
Driveshaft preferable to chain/belt drive
Integral Storage
Automatic transmission/dual clutch transmission
Heated seat
headed handlebars
Fairing questionable? Can't decide if I like them or not
External storage compatible

A lot of these are fairly standard, some are near impossible to find and I'll need to add. A large combination of them point towards something at least fairly new, although given my habit of driving vehicles older than I am "new" is a rather relative term.

And one of the prettiest bikes to probably blame for my fondness for motorcycles, even if it looked nowhere near as good in game

The Hardy-Daytona, a clearly Harley Davidson imitation from Final Fantasy 7, which I played/watched when I was but a wee lad. That's a mean looking cruiser, and I dig it.

Motor Monday: Two Wheel Safety, the future is now

Something brought to my attention that motorcycle airbags are starting to become a thing nearly. So I did some looking into it. Boy howdy is it neat, I do believe it may be the final straw that helps me decide whether I want a traditional bike or not.

First, an overview of the tech
http://bigbikemad.com/motorcycle-airbags.html
They take a look at the various versions available, and a glance at statistics from safety tests. Who knew, motorcycle parts that make safety testing worthwhile!

http://www.ridelust.com/inflatable-airbag-jacket-for-motorcyclists-saved-a-life-already/
Another overview, with a bit of video to boot.

http://world.honda.com/motorcycle-picturebook/Airbag/
Further details on the Honda Goldwing's airbag. Pretty much all motorcycle crashes fall into one of two categories, head on because you either failed to turn enough, lost control in the turn, or someone pulled in front of you. If you were going to slide forward and slam into something, hooray extra jumbo airbag!

I want one. I'm not sure if I want a goldwing, but I want that airbag. I want one that can be mounted just like a tank-bag. The sensors wouldn't be hard to wire in yourself. If nobody will make one (seriously Honda, you're like 90% of the way there. The airbag is the hard part, making one that will go on anything is easy as hell because you can literally just mount it in a tank bag. If you don't or aren't already working on it, I'll do it myself).

http://www.dainese.com/us_en/d-air/street/
http://www.bikebone.com/Air-Vest-Motorcycle-Airbag-Hit-Air.htm
And some more details on the wearable airbags from a few makers. Alpinestar also makes some, but I'm a grump and don't like any of the styles they have aesthetically, which is bad because if I buy a motorcycle jacket I'm wearing it all the freaking time.


One final note: Automatic bikes, or those with dual clutch systems. Again, a thing Honda's got a few of. I like it. There should be more of it. I'm sure there's no end of people to claim that it's not REALLY a motorcycle without a manual transmission, because having an old school system that can stall your bike when your life depends on having that power is a sign of MANLINESS. In my humble opinion, these people are welcome to take that glorious manual transmission and cram it up their ass. I've no problem with manual transmissions, and indeed am pondering several cars with them, but I do so fully admitting that they present an additional challenge to the safe operation of the vehicle, and add a potential failure point due to human error under extreme stress that may be the difference between life and death.

You can skip all the safety crap you want, but if your actions lead to someone else choosing not to use it where they otherwise might have? You deserve to pay any bills they wind up with that said safety equipment would have lessened or negated.

Motor Monday: RPG edition

Most RPG characters start with a theme. I was invited to take part in a Shadowrun campaign not long after completing my motorcycle course, and the capability and low price for performance of a motorcycle just seemed right. Top that off with a real identity that needed hiding (something few shadowrunners have!), and a tendency to be in trouble, and the idea of a motorcycle riding gunslinger wearing heavy biker armor and a helmet was a natural one.

Meet Biker, better known as Norman Schultz, retired Combat Biker, motorcycle racer, and now mechanic, specializing in vehicle modifications for metahumans who have difficulty fitting normal vehicles (He's a dwarf, because they're my preferred standard fantasy race). With color changing and morphing armor to allow him to live his double life, his signature style and blinding speed both on and off his bike have earned him a reputation in his short time taking jobs. But what would a man known as "biker" be without his bike?

The Yamaha Rapier, an affordable street bike, built for performance and handling without breaking the bank. Norman's is a nice bright orange normally, and switches to a blood red when he's out on business as Biker. Let's do some digging, shall we? Just about everything in Shadowrun is extrapolated from current products, such as the Beretta 201T he's wielding, which is simply a Beretta 93R, futurized. No doubt we can find at least some inspiration from one of the various maker's, most likely back in the 80s when Shadowrun was kicked off.

Ding ding ding, I believe we have a winner. Long, angled seat, minimalist sides, and fixed front fairing? Our first contender for "what did they base this on?" is the Yamaha Seca Turbo. To be fair, the body shape wasn't too unusual for 80s bikes in my brief research.

I'll have more details on the character and a picture of his custom bike when I have time to draw it all up.