Category: bargains

Mana in the Springtime

File this one under: Cool Motorcycles Americans Won’t Buy

A couple of years ago I took a spin on a motorcycle called an Aprilia Mana. It’s an 850cc V-twin that looks like a spiffy sort of bike- no fairings or leather tassels. Just a sit-upright standard with tons of storage and a comfortable seat.

I enjoyed the heck out of it. Brad even wrote a very favorable ride review of the Aprilia Mana. But– there’s a very big but…

It doesn’t have a shifter.

Omigod! That’s right. The Mana uses a constantly variable transmission (CVT) which in layman’s terms means “automatic.” And there’s no quicker way to emasculate the average motorcycle riding dude than to suggest he ride a motorcycle with an automatic. So this perfectly capable bike, dare I say versatile, sits in dealer showrooms across this country unwanted.

So the Mana will join the ranks of fine motorcycles, like the Honda Transalp and the Yamaha TDM 850, that have landed on our shores and promptly flopped.

But the good news is if you’re looking for a deal on a brand new motorcycle with a full warranty, you’re in luck.  Aprilia is offering 2009 Manas for damn near half the original sticker. For details visit our local Aprilia dealer: Brookside Motorcycle Company.

 

Buy a brand new motorcycle for nearly half price.

Find: Space Needle Hand Towel

I had the Space Needle on my mind last night after perusing the souvenir edition of the Seattle Times from April 1962. I dropped in on eBay to see what sort of Seattle memorabilia might be available.  Turns out ephemera from the worldly fairs actually has a category on eBay. Who knew!

Cool Stuff on eBay

Check it out- a 50 year old towel.

But not just any towel- it’s a souvenir from the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle! Very cool graphic featuring the space needle and the monorail.

This year happens to be the 50th anniversary of the “Century 21 Exposition.” Check out this classic space-age towel here…

Seattle World’s Fair Hand Towel

Have you spotted cool stuff on eBay?
Let us know about it!
cool.stuff-at-maduko.com

Free Wi-Fi Booster

Well, almost free.

It takes a sheet of heavy paper, some aluminum foil and a few minutes of your time. So let’s just say insanely cheap.

Our wi-fi router is centrally located within our office. But the conference room, where the wi-fi is most often required, is separated from the router by multiple walls and lots of fluorescent light fixtures. A signal is obtainable- but the strength is meager at best.

Repositioning the router wasn’t really feasible so I started investigating wi-fi signal boosters and such. There are several options available ranging from add-on antennas to signal relays that attempt to extend the signal- supposedly up to 1 mile.

Then I came across this idea from Free Antennas.com. Using a simple cardboard parabola covered with foil it promised a 9 dBi gain. For free!

It took about 10 minutes to cut out a copy and place it on one of the antennas of our D-Link router. Just adding the one increased my signal in the conference room from Poor to Fair and 11 meg to 36 meg of bandwidth. I haven’t even got around to making one for the second antenna!

Of course I had to tweak their design just a smidge- see what you think…

Click the image to view the full-size version. Print it in heavy stock or acetate. You can even scale it up to increase the gain!

All you do is cut it out, cover the rectangle with foil then do the insert tab A into slots B. A little tape on the back side helps keep it all together. Poke holes through the X and slide it over your wi-fi antenna. For more details and specs check the page on Free Antennas.com.

 

eBay’s Top Shopped Crazes in 2011

Okay, apologies in advance for all the End Of Year lists and crap. But this one also fascinated me, partly because of the content and partly from the who-really-cares aspect.

Last week we considered the world as related to us by searches on Google. They even produced a video called Zeitgeist 2011. Well this week I want to share an excerpt from another press release looking back on 2011. This time from eBay:

SAN JOSE, Calif.— eBay, the world’s largest online marketplace and a leader in mobile commerce, today announced its third annual “Top Shopped” report1, ranking the pop culture moments and trends that captured shopper’s attention – and cash – in 2011. eBay analyzed sales data based on what people bought across categories on the marketplace to identify what piqued the public’s interest this year–from must-have tech and toys, to pop star divas and celebrity standouts.

The list is, as one might expect, a roll call of pop stars, gadgets and sports figures.  The one possible exception being Sade. But here’s the best part, and I quote:

“eBay sales are a direct indicator of what Americans are most fascinated by and uniquely reflects the cultural zeitgeist.”

So it appears that Google and eBay have settled it. The one conclusion that stands out above all others.

The 2012 word of the year is zeitgeist.

 

PS:

Top Three Most Expensive Cross-Category
Purchases on eBay Mobile:

  1. Motors | Mercedes-Benz : S-Class: $212,685
  2. Fashion | Hermes Blue Sapphire Ostrich Birkin Bag: $19,975
  3. Collectibles | 1933 Goudey – Babe Ruth #53 PSA Baseball Card: $19,500