motorcycles – Page 3 – Maduko World Headquarters

What Happened to the Switchgrass?

Or: Why is All Our Ethanol Made from Corn?
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was signed into law by George W. Bush and created the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Among other things, the RFS set goals for the amount of renewable biofuels to be blended into the nation’s petroleum fuel supply. That meant gasoline would contain ethanol and biodiesel would be blended into diesel fuel. At the time the domestic source for almost all that ethanol was corn. But corn was not supposed to be the sole source. Over time, corn was supposed to be supplanted with other sources of ethanol.

Powerlet USB Conversion

Ever since the Germans introduced the Powerlet plug (or DIN or Hella or ISO4165 or Telefunken, or whatever you prefer to call it) the motoring public has been trying to adapt them to something useful.

*This dual USB plug is designed to replace the Powerlet plug on BMW motorcycles. But with the right connectors it can be adapted for use on other motorcycles.*

But now it’s easy to change your motorcycle’s DIN power outlet to USB. No adapters needed!

Zen and the Art of OBDII

My first Ducati was quite a learning experience. Out of the gate my head was swirling with new and strange stuff: keyless ignition, timing belts, desmodromic valves, and… the dreaded onboard diagnostics.

TL:DR
Freeware software is available for DIY diagnostics and resets. Use these cables to connect to the Ducati onboard diagnostics. This applies to 2010 thru 2014 motorcycles – and possibly others?

A roadside stop on the Ducati Multistrada in Tulsa.

Iron Stomach Man

Indian man gets run over by motorcycles 121 times for a Guinness World Record.

Now that is one category that would have never crossed my mind!

Desmo Demystified

Ducati is considered by many to be the Ferrari of motorcycles. The comparison is well deserved. In addition to a long racing history, Ducatis are a joy to ride, expensive, beautiful and a pain in the ass to work on.

*A simple desmodromic valvetrain in action.*

Let’s focus on that last one.

Synonymous with the name Ducati is the term “Desmo,” short for desmodromic. A desmo valvetrain does not rely on springs to close the intake and exhaust valves. A cam lobe opens the valve, and another cam lobe closes the valve. This design has been used on almost all Ducati motorcycles since 1968.

TL:DR
Make your desmo service easier with these recommended tools and helpful video.

Category: motorcycles