Avon Motorcycle Tyres North America is proud to announce a new consumer rebate program on Avon VP2 tires. Beginning March 1 through April 30, simply purchase a qualifying Avon tire and receive a $25 rebate per tire on up to two tires.

The program is simple. Purchase Avon VP2 Sport, VP2 Supersport or VP2 Xtreme tires March 1 through April 30 and submit your invoice with a rebate form directly to Avon Motorcycle Tyres North America. The invoice must show that the purchase was made in a single transaction within the specified date range to be eligible. Avon  will then issue a rebate in the form of an Avon Tyres MasterCard® Gift Card for $25 for one tire, or $50 for two tires depending upon the original purchase. The MasterCard® Gift Card can be used virtually anywhere MasterCard® debit cards are accepted. Please allow four to six weeks for processing.

This rebate program is valid only in the U.S. and Canada, and certain terms and conditions apply. For more information, visit avonmoto.com.

In keeping up with tradition here is the release of David Uhl’s latest masterpiece, “Ready to Rally”.  This piece is the 7th in the Daytona Commemorative Series and features a beautiful lady biker, readying her ride for the next leg in front of Daytona Harley-Davidson on Beach Street.

In David’s words, “This being the anniversary year for the rally, I wanted to paint a subject that was very rally specific.  Looking over the last six years of my Daytona Commemorative pieces, I realized that there was not a “Bike Week ” depiction in the whole group. So I thought it appropriate this year to create  a work  that represented a sight  that would most certainly grab your attention while you were cruisin’ the streets.  This is my favorite model Elizabeth and she will be with us at Destination Daytona in Ormond Beach on the 11th and 12th to meet and greet all those who care to stop by and say hello”.

As with his previous Daytona pieces, David will make these prints available through the end of this year’s rally (March 13th).  Edition numbers will be assigned as orders are taken and shipping is included in the prices below within the lower 48 United States.

Hand-signed, numbered canvas giclee prints:

“Regular” – image size 20″ x 30″, $895 framed

“Large” – image size 28″ x 42″, $2,850 framed

David will be in his gallery at Destination Daytona in Ormond Beach (outside the front door of the dealership) from March 4-13.

To reserve your print,  Contact Greg Rhodes at greg@uhlstudios.com

Another recall, if you have one of these models, call your dealer.

Toyota’s latest recall affects six models and is intended to deal with potential defects that could entrap the gas pedal. It comes in the wake of an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The action, which incorporates three separate recalls and comes in addition to earlier recalls for similar issues, affects six models and addresses various potential defects that could entrap the gas pedal, leading to dangerous loss of control.

Since the autumn of 2009, the Japanese automaker has issued over 14 million recall notices to address a series of safety and quality issues. The majority have been for sudden-acceleration-related flaws, and Toyota has been subject to numerous federal investigations to explore the problem.

According to the NHTSA, the new recalls came about as a result of an investigation it launched last spring into the scope and breadth of Toyota’s original pedal-entrapment recall. In a statement Thursday, David Strickland, the NHTSA’s administrator, said the safety regulator had reviewed over 400,000 pages of Toyota documents.

Toyota said that nearly 1.4 million of the newly affected models were being added to its September 2009 recall for pedal entrapment. Those models are the 4Runner, Rav4 and Lexus LX.

But it also identified separate problems, related to the shape and functionality of interior panels and carpeting that could interfere with the accelerator pedal, in the Highlander, Lexus RX and Lexus GS. Those are new recalls.

Ford is recalling 144,000 of its popular F-150 pickup trucks to repair airbags that may deploy without warning, a defect that has led to dozens of injuries, government safety officials say.

The decision is a reversal for the nation’s No. 2 automaker, The Detroit News reported. Ford had steadfastly refused to recall the pickups in the face of federal government pressure. Still, the recall isn’t as broad as regulators wanted.

The recall action involves F-150s from the 2005-06 models years “for a relatively low risk of inadvertent air bag deployments,” Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said late Tuesday. Most of the vehicles — 135,000 — are registered in the U.S., with the remainder having been sold in Canada.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent a letter to the Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker about a month ago, asking it to recall some 1.3 million F-150 pickups from the 2004 to 2006 model years, after receiving reports from dozens of people about unexpectedly deploying airbags that resulted in injuries, the News reported.

The injuries included chipped and broken teeth, cuts to the arm, hand and face, lacerations and minor burns, NHTSA found in its investigation, which has been ongoing since September 2009. Two owners reported a loss of consciousness as a result of air bag deployment.

Ford resisted recalling the trucks, it said, because the number of incidents was low, the injuries were minor and “consumers received adequate warning” as a result of an illuminated air-bag warning light that alerts drivers that the vehicle needs to be serviced, the News reported.

Still, Ford on Tuesday said it would work with the government to deal with the defects. “Ford is committed to safety and will continue to work cooperatively with NHTSA in addressing any further questions,” Sherwood said.

Tamela Rich reflects on motorcycle travel as part of a personal turnaround strategy, advises how to use social media for safety and companionship on the open road.

You may remember Tamela as the winner of the VaVaVroom “are you one of those girls” contest winner, well she is now going to be speaking at the International Motorcycle Show at the CAROLINA FIRST CENTER, GREENVILLE, S.C. in the Women Ride area. She is scheduled to speak Fri., Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Feb. 26 at 4:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 27 at 12:30 p.m.

For aspiring cross-country riders or those who are new to motorcycling, Tamela says, “Don’t be afraid to stretch and grow. Training is out there, communications devices are reliable, and there’s a community of fellow enthusiasts eager to bring you into the fold.”  She has personally sent an email inviting any friends of Garage-Girls to stop by and say Hi.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today confirmed the development of 102EX, a one-off, fully electric powered Phantom, to debut at the Geneva Motor Show on March 1, 2011.  The car will tour during 2011, serving as a test bed to gather a bank of research data which will be crucial in informing future decisions on alternative drive-trains for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

“We have engineered the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment,” said CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos, speaking from the company’s headquarters in Goodwood. “With this vehicle, we begin an exploration into alternative drive-trains, seeking clarity on which alternative technologies may be suitable to drive Rolls-Royce motor cars of the future.”

Rolls-Royce produces cars that represent the pinnacle in luxurious motoring for the world’s most discerning customers.  With 102EX, also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), it is the company’s intention to carefully test the opinions and reactions to alternative drive-train options of a range of stakeholders including owners, enthusiasts, members of the public and the media.

102EX will serve as a working test bed for a global tour that takes in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America. Through test drives, owners will be given the opportunity to experience an alternative drive-train technology and to feedback their experiences, thoughts and concerns directly to Rolls-Royce.

While there are no plans to develop a production version, as one of the company’s EX models it will serve to begin a dialogue with existing owners and stakeholders, posing as well as answering questions of its audience.

These include the car’s ability to deliver an acceptable range between re-charges and to operate in extreme weather conditions. But also to benchmark reliability and quality against customer expectations of the world’s pinnacle automotive brand.

Looks like everyone is getting on the “Green” Car band Wagon