Archive References

Honda Shadow Aero 750 (VT750CA) Review

2009-12-13T15:10:00.001+08:00

Make: Honda
Model: Shadow Aero VT750C8
Body type: Cruiser / Easy rider
Color: Candy Dark Red / Dunhill Red
Engine: 750cc, Liquid cool V-twin SOHC
Transmission: Wide-ratio, 5 speed
Fuel capacity: 3.7 gallons (inclusive 0.9 gallons reserved tank)

Honda Shadow Aero 750cc. So far, it is a great bike. Physical wise, she's a beauty. The long, low and wide fender with retro styling design really makes her stunning. Some might see her as the little sister of Harley Davidson's Fat Boy, which physically there's some resemblance (at least, from my point of view). The Dark Candy Red color with chromes really blends well together.

In terms of performance, I'm really happy with it for now. The muscular 750cc V-twin SOHC engines gives you the performance as expected. The mid-sized engine enough to drag the 550 lb bike to swoosh like a high performance cruisers on the street. I rode this bike on average speed between 40 to 55 mph. I know it can go faster than that, but I choose not to. She's a cruiser, not a superbike. You're supposedly to enjoy cruising on this bike, not race on it.

Handling the bike for a first timer is not that bad. You can adapt to its handling style after sometimes riding it. For those who are used to handling cruisers, handling Shadow is not a problem. The weight, handlebars and mid-sized engine are all in appropriate ratio.

Being a Japanese bike, the fuel consumption is really economical. In average, it can go up to 55 MPG on a normal street and up to 60 MPG for highways. That means, with a full tank, Shadow can clock an average of 200 MPG. What more can you asked? With the global increase of the price of petroleum, Shadow can really helps to streamlined your budget.

Shadow produces a reasonably loud sound from its tailpipe. It's not as loud as a Harley, but the sound that comes from the engine is really sweet for motorcycle enthusiasts. You can always upgrade to a Cobra exhaust system with K&N air filter to "sweeten" the sound. But, I choose to keep the stock exhaust system, for now.

Overall, the VT750C8 is really a great bike for rookies or experience riders. As Honda quoted, "The Honda Shadow Aero - Full-sized looks and 750cc performance without the full-sized price tag." However, I wished some other features that are lacking such as tachometer, fuel indicator and top speed / gear indicator should come together with it. Nothing major, but if these features are made available, it would be a plus point. Again, it is really a great bike!

Born to ride...

Going Bananas

2009-12-08T10:03:00.001+08:00

(From the inbox)

Bananas... This is very interesting.
After Reading THIS, you'll NEVER look at a banana in the same
way again -

Bananas. Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and
glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and
substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy
for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number
one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It
can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and
conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people
suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana.
This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein
that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve
your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains
regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia :
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of
haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet
low in salt, making it the perfect to beat blood pressure.

So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed
the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to
reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:
200 students at aTwickenham (Middlesex) school were helped
through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and
lunch in a bid to boost their brain power.

Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist
learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore
normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting
to laxatives.

Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a
banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach
and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels,
while the milk soothes and
re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you
suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar
levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the
affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it
amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous
system.

Overweight and at work?
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure
at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps.
Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese
were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that,
to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar
levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep
levels steady.

Ulcers:
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal
disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw
fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It
also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the
lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:
Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can
lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers.
In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their
baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder
(SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the
natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking:
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6,
B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them,
help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the
heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water
balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby
reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of
a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes:
According to research in 'The New England Journal of Medicine
'eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by
strokes by as much as 40%!'

Warts:
Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to
kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart,
with the
yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster
or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you
compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the
carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and
iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in
potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we
say,
'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'

Laugh out Loud

2009-11-30T15:23:00.000+08:00

This one had most of the state of Michigan laughing for 2 days and a very embarrassed female news anchor who will, in the future, likely think before she speaks.

What happens when you predict snow, but don't get any?
We had a female news anchor who, the day after it was supposed to have snowed and didn't, turned to the weatherman and asked: 'So Bob, where's that 8 inches you promised me last night?'

Not only did HE have to leave the set, but half the crew did too, they were laughing so hard!

Now, didn't that feel good?
Pass it on to someone you know who needs a laugh, and remember we all say things we don't really mean, so think before you speak ;)

Best-selling books

2009-11-24T10:00:00.003+08:00

(11-Nov-2009)
– extracted from TheSun

Fiction
1 Paths of Glory – Jeffrey Archer
2 The Lost Smbol – Dan Brown
3 Have a Little Faith – Mitch Albom
4 The Gift – Cecelia Ahern
5 Ford County – John Grisham
6 The Associate – John Grisham
7 The Book of Tomorrow Cecelia Ahern
8 Handle with Care – Jodi Picoult
9 Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
10 Twenties Girl – Sophie Kinsella

Non-Fiction
1 Superfreakonomics – Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
2 Happiness in Hard Times – Andrew Matthews
3 What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures – Malcolm Gladwell
4 A Colossal Failure of Common Sense – Larry McDonald
5 The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century – George Friedman
6 Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2010
7 What on Earth Happened? ... in Brief – Christopher Lloyd
8 Moonwalk: Michael Jackson's One and Only Autobiography – Michael Jackson
9 Dream Big: O’s Guide to Discovering Your Best Life – The Editors of O, the Oprah Magazine
10 The Trump Card: Laying to Win in Work and Life – Ivanka Trump