An American Chopper using a Honda Engine? Surely not.

The Honda Corporation produces a variety of different types of Honda motorcycles, including mopeds, custom bikes and commuter bikes however it tends to focus on sports bikes, and given the global success of Honda in all classes of bike racing this is understandable. If it wasn’t for Honda and Team HRC’s dedication to Moto GP (formerly Grand Prix), World Superbikes and various domestic Superbike championships across the world the general public would never have got to enjoy the awesome CBR600RR, RC30, RC45 or Fireblade. By using races as the way of testing and developing the bikes the overall cost has reduced making them more affordable. Combine the reduced cost with the Honda financial services and it is possible for bike enthusiasts to finance or lease a brand new Honda motorcycle for little money.

The majority of Honda motorcycles have race engines that are highly tuned and produce peak power at very high revs. This means the engines have to be worked hard and revved to produce the power, making them feeble at low revs. Honda are not known for making engines that produce a lot of power and torque at lows revs, which means a Honda engine isn’t suitable for building a custom chopper. Think about it, how many times have you watched American Chopper and heard Paul Teutul say “let’s put a Honda engine in this” during a chopper build off? Thinking about it, how many times have you heard any custom chopper builder say “I’m going to use a Honda engine” in a chopper build off? The answer is going to be none, and the engine of choice is generally one made by Harley Davidson.

Honda's answer to the chopper - A Honda Fury

Honda has dipped its toe in the world of custom and chopper bikes, after all the Honda Rebel and Honda Fury are based around chopper bikes, but they are not really the real deal are they. The Rebel is too small to be classified as a chopper and whilst the Honda Fury boasts a large 1321cc engine that produces peak power at low revs, the bike is just not extreme enough to be classed as a real chopper. The rear tire isn’t big enough, the bars aren’t high enough and the Honda Fury doesn’t have enough of an attitude to be a proper chopper bike. That said, there is some scope to turn it in to a custom bike depending on your technical ability and the size of your wallet.

For people who are mechanically apt, the Honda Fury engine and frame has a lot of potential to be turned in to a totally unique custom bike, but would you shell out your hard earned cash on a complete Honda motorcycle only to then rip it apart and turn it in to a chopper? The whole idea is ludicrous and you would be better off spending your money on parts and creating the chopper from scratch.

For those riders who are not as technical as Paul Teutul and his team there are a number of replacement parts you can buy for your Honda Fury to customise it. These parts simply replace standard parts and are bolted in place. These parts are pretty simple to fix on and anyone who knows their way around a tool box should have no problems. If you want a Honda chopper this would be the way to go.

A "proper" American chopper without a Honda engine. Give it a few years and who knows?

Most chopper fans would scoff at the idea of using a Japanese engine for their chopper and would prefer to use a more traditional engine, like a Harley Davidson. However, Japanese engines are excellent. Japanese engines are bullet proof, reliable, easy to work on and the parts are cheap and in plentiful supply. A Japanese engine may not sound as authentic or loud as a Harley Davidson engine, but sometimes it is nice to blend in to the background. Whilst Honda engines may not be the first choice in a chopper build off at present, give it a few years and attitudes will change.

Should I buy a Toyota from Ebaymotors?

Toyota, are one of the best Japanese motor manufacturers. Sure, they have had some recalls over the last couple of years but they got the problem sorted and treated their customers well, so they can’t be penalised for that. After all, most manufacturers have had to recall some of their cars at some point, it is just unfortunate for Toyota that it had to make the press on such a large scale. Despite the recalls Toyota are still one of the best car manufacturers and a Toyota is a sound buy.

If you are buying a brand new Toyota there is only one place you can buy them from, and that is the local dealer. However, what if you are buying a used Toyota?  When buying a used Toyota the options are increased. You can go to a Toyota dealer, a general car dealer, a private individual or Ebaymotors.

Ebaymotors is a great place to get a Toyota Yaris

Ebaymotors is a part of the Ebay empire and has become a popular place to buy and sell used Toyotas, as well as all other makes of car. If you decide to buy a used Toyota, such as a Toyota Yaris you need to ensure you get over to the sellers to physically see the car, give it the once over and take it down the road for a test drive. If you are not mechanically minded, and let’s face it not many of us are, take a trained car mechanic with you. You should never buy a used Toyota Yaris, or any other used Toyota off Ebaymotors based solely on the photograph and the advertisement description.

Contrary to popular belief, buying a used Toyota Yaris from Ebaymotors is perfectly safe providing you use your head, exercise some caution and use commonsense. Who knows, you may even end up getting a real bargain, just like I did with my Toyota Yaris.

Cheap spares from Ebaymotors parts

There is a subsection of Ebaymotors, which is called Ebaymotors parts. As you’ve already guessed Ebaymotors parts specialises in spares and accessories for all different makes and models of cars, and this is the place where you can make some great savings. In my local area there are only a handful of places where I can get spares for my Toyota Yaris, and since all the places have the same products at the same prices I cannot get a good deal. I do not have the option of buying cheaper pattern parts and am therefore forced to use the more expensive genuine parts, and boy are the parts directly from Mr Toyota expensive. Fortunately, I now have access to Ebaymotors parts which means I have access to both genuine and pattern parts from a variety of different sellers which means I am saving loads of money when I buy parts for my Toyota Yaris.

The cost of spares, parts and accessories is obviously much cheaper than a car and because of this many people are more willing to take a punt on sellers that you may perceive to be risky. There are many genuine and honest sellers on Ebaymotors parts and you are advised to check them out for spare parts for your Toyota Yaris, or whatever car you drive, as there are plenty of savings to be made.

What Honda vehicle to get the best mpg?

Honda, the Japanese motor giants, is well known for producing top quality and affordable vehicles for the general public. Whilst the overall build quality is not a strong and robust as German produced vehicles, such as BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Volkswagon, the Honda engines are pretty much bullet proof and providing you keep them well serviced and maintained they will provide years of care free motoring.

When choosing a Honda vehicle you could opt for a standard seized car, like the Honda Civic or you could opt for a rugged 4x4 vehicle, such as the Honda CRV. In days gone by a 4x4 was the vehicle of choice for those people who needed to go off road, such as farmers and land workers, however the 4x4 has become a fashion and status icon for many people who drive solely on tarmac. As such, there is many a Honda CRV that has only ever been on the public highway.

So, how do you choose between a Honda Civic and a Honda CRV? The final decision will vary from person to person and depend on their individual circumstances. Things that are taken in to consideration will include what the vehicle will be used for, the running costs of the vehicle, the maintenance costs of the vehicle and how much money the buyer has to spend. The largest factor at the end of the day will be what the buyer prefers, naturally. Some people want the status of a 4x4 and will opt for the Honda CRV over the Honda Civic however some people will want a standard car and will opt for the Honda Civic.

The Honda Civic - A great Toyota car

Nowadays one of the most expensive parts of owning a vehicle is the running costs, and by running costs I mean gas. Gas prices have gone through the roof and, depending on what part of the world you live in, can be extremely high. For example, in the UK gas prices are running at around £1.40 per litre (approx £7.00 per gallon) which are astronomical and are forcing many drivers off the road. So, when considering what vehicle to buy many people will base a lot of their choice on fuel economy, i.e. what will give the best mpg.

The best mpg and the price of gas plays a large part.

Many manufacturers claim their vehicles are the greenest and most fuel efficient and offer the best mpg, however they all can’t be right can they? The Smart car is considered to be the best car for city dwellers because of many reasons. It is very small, doesn’t take up too much space and is easy to park. Many people are under the impression that because a Smart car is small, it must be fuel efficient and offer the best mpg, however this is not the case. In reality, the Smart car is not that economical at all. Don’t get me wrong, it is not a heavy on the gas as large vehicles but it definitely does not give the best mpg. In fact, if you compare the Smart car to the Honda Civic you will find the Honda Civic will give around 20 miles more per gallon. It may not sound like much but if you work it out over a few years the Honda Civic is going to save you a lot of money.

So, if you are looking for an affordable, reliable and all round great car you can’t go wrong with the Honda Civic and since it provides the best mpg in its class you are going to end up saving quite a bit of cash that you can use for other things, such as a vacation, meals out or simply to treat the family.

Can a cologne adversely affect the skin on your face?

Using cologne for men after a shave leaves your skin feeling revitalised and fresh, however is this really good for your face or can it adversely affect your skin and lead to problems?

No matter what brand of cologne you buy be it Tommy Hilfiger cologne, Lacoste cologne, Burberry cologne or any other designer or non designer brand, cologne for men contains a number of different ingredients many of which are chemicals. Most of the ingredients have been tested by consumer agencies and certified as safe, however there will be some that will not have been tested as safe, and these are the ones we need to be careful of. Before using any cologne for men there are certain things you should do.

When trying a particular brand of cologne, such as Lacoste cologne, for the first time never spray it all over your face. Instead, spray a little of the cologne on to your wrist and then wait to see if you have an allergic reaction. You need to remember that it can take several hours of a reaction therefore you need to leave the cologne on for a day or more. If you feel any pain, discomfort or have any type of reaction the brand of cologne is not for you and you should not use it. If you don’t have any problems with the brand of cologne you can carry on using it.

Shaving opens up the pores on your face and you need to close these before splashing on the cologne. Cologne in the pores creates a burning sensation that can be intense and very painful therefore it is important to close the pores. In order to close the pores simply splash some cold water on your face, leave for a few minutes and then dry off with a towel.

Shaving dries out your face and you need to replenish the moisture using a specific face cream or honey face mask. It is worth noting that cologne for men contains alcohol, which will also dry out your face therefore it is even more important to use a face cream or honey face mask prior to using the cologne.

Lacoste cologne for men - Arguably one of the best brands of cologne for men available

Providing you test each type of cologne before you use it properly and then make sure you close the pores on your face and moisturise prior to splashing on the cologne you should find that using cologne will have no adverse effects on your face. Despite this, you should give your face a break every now and again and have cologne free days to let your skin get back to normal. During the cologne free days it is definitely worth using a honey face mask to replenish your skin and get it looking young and fresh again.

Is the dragon tattoo the best tattoo?

So you want to get a tattoo. If you consider the numerous number of different tattoo designs available choosing the perfect one can be a real challenge. After all, your tattoo is going to be a part of you until the day you die, unless you get it surgically removed in the future, which are both a costly and a painful procedure.  Because of this it is far better to take time out and seriously think about the different tattoo designs before going to your tattoo artist and getting inked up. So with the Celtic tattoos, tribal tattoos, tattoos for girls, cartoon tattoos, symbol tattoos, Maori tattoos, Polynesian tattoos and Chinese style tattoos to name but a few you are advised to do some research.

The dragon tattoo - One of the most popular tattoo designs

Of all tattoo designs available the dragon tattoo is among the most popular, and it is easy to see why. Dragons are dangerous, powerful and mythical creatures that feature in many cultures all over the world and they make excellent tattoos. There are many different types of dragon tattoos, such as Chinese dragons and cartoon style dragons, although you can draw your own dragon tattoo that is totally unique and individual to you. Another advantage of dragon tattoos is they can be drawn in any size and any location on your body. You can choose whether to have a small dragon tattoo along the length of your index finger or a huge mythical monster that covers your entire back. As well as the size and the location of the dragon tattoo you also get to choose whether it is black and white or in colour, and since dragon tattoos look fantastic either way it really doesn’t matter what you choose.

Out of all the dragon tattoos I would say my personal favourite is the dragon sleeve tattoo. Like all tattoo sleeves the dragon sleeve tattoo is drawn on the arm. A dragon sleeve tattoo is a very versatile tattoo that can cover the upper arm, the lower arm or the whole arm. Most dragon sleeve tattoos consist of the dragon’s body wrapping around the circumference of the arm although I have seen one where there are four different dragons, effectively one on each side of the arm, that make up the sleeve.

Dragon tattoos and dragon sleeve tattoos are not only for the boys either, oh no, they are also tattoos for girls. A dragon doesn’t have to be butch and masculine and it is easy to design a dragon tattoo that is more delicate and feminine, if that is what the lady desires of course.

Hair care – How to get red hair without causing damage

Red is a fiery and passionate colour and people with red hair ooze style, strength and sensuality. It is strange that many people who have natural red hair want to dye their hair a different colour, whereas many people with other hair colours want dark red hair.

Hair dye and colours contain harsh chemicals that can damage and weaken natural hair however it is still possible to have dark red hair without doing too much damage to your own hair, and the way to achieve this is to have red hair highlights. One of the best things about red hair highlights is that you can have as many or as few highlights as you want, which means you can personalise the exact colour and hair style to suit your mood.

Hair dyes are permanent and will remain in your hair until they are grown out, which could take several weeks. Many people are apprehensive about dying their hair and have reservations, and this is perfectly reasonable. After all, what do you do if the dark red hair colour doesn’t suit you? It’s a tough one. Fortunately, there is a way around this and hair extensions allows you to experiment with your hair colour without actually affecting the colour of your natural hair.

Hair extensions are very versatile and can be used to create a whole variety of different hair styles. With hair extensions you get to choose the hair length, the hair colour and whether you want your hair curly or straight, none of which is possible with natural hair. What’s more, you can change your hair style to suit your mood. With hair extensions the world is your oyster, so to speak, and you can have whatever style you want and most importantly, when you want it. Washing, crimping, ironing and styling natural hair will damage it, hence making it weak and fragile. Hair extensions are made of sturdier stuff and can withstand harsh hair products and styling on a daily basis.

So, if you want a classic 1960s beehive on Monday, cute pigtails on Tuesday, a French plait on Wednesday, sleek straight hair on Thursday, a bun on Friday and curly locks full of body and bounce to go out partying on Saturday night you seriously need to consider getting some hair extensions.

So, if you want dark red hair without causing too much damage consider red hair highlights, hair extensions or a combination of both to achieve red hair in a variety of hair styles that are totally unique to you.

Red hair extensions - How to get dark red hair the safe way without having to use potentially harmful dyes and colours. Hair extensions also have the advantages of being versatile and allow you to have the type of hair style you want and when you want it.