Michelin launches #FirstCarMoment campaign

Michelin North America Inc. is launching a driver safety initiative that ties in with the nostalgia of getting keys to a car for the first time. The #FirstCarMoment was inspired by a survey commissioned by Michelin  that found four out of five Americans can detail information about the make or model of their first car, but only one in five (21 percent) can remember details about the types of tires.

The #FirstCarMoment campaign encourages consumers to share stories about their #FirstCarMoment and learn more about the importance of tire safety. The campaign is an extension of the company's larger effort increase awareness of road safety.

Michelin’s survey additional findings included:

• More than half of Americans (58 percent) got their first car before age 18.
• While half (57 percent) purchased their first car themselves, more than one-third (39 percent) received it from someone else (either as a gift specifically purchased for them or as a hand-me-down).
• When thinking about their first car, one-third of Americans (33 percent) were not familiar with how to maintain tire tread, and only half (53 percent) kept a tire pressure gauge in the glove box.

read more at: http://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20150619/NEWS/150619914/michelin-launches-firstcarmoment-campaign

The New Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R

Bridgestone has maintained a strong foothold in the Extreme Performance Summer category for the past few years with the Potenza RE-11 and RE-11A. Both options provide very good dry and wet grip and maintain one of the quieter and more comfortable rides in the category, making it the perfect choice for spirited street driving.  

While very good all-around performers, the RE-11 and RE-11A found themselves at a disadvantage to other brand's entries on the track. Enter the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R. With a wide center rib and directional tread design, there's little mistaking that the RE-71R is about business. The RE-71R is a fantastic driver's tire. It's responsive, extremely grippy in the dry and impressive in the wet. Like a lot of younger offerings however, the RE-71R is unapologetic about a little extra noise.

- See more at: http://the-new-bridgestone-potenza-re-71r#sthash.r6bWzfnJ.dpuf

Michelin Introduces New Line Of Off-Road/Motocross Tires With StarCross 5

Following an extensive three-year development and testing program, Michelin has launched the new StarCross 5 range of Off-Road/Motocross tires that deliver high performance in a wide array of conditions. The new StarCross 5 line introduces Michelin’s latest technologies for one of the most exciting and competitive two-wheel segments.
The StarCross 5 was designed based on feedback from riders of all levels, from amateurs to world champions, often riding in extreme conditions, who shared their experiences in the field with Michelin Motorsports and Michelin’s world-class research and development team.

Integrating Michelin innovations shared across tires for Agriculture and Off-Road truck racing, the MICHELIN StarCross 5 line sports a self-cleaning tread design to help release soil from the tire. The design includesrevolutionary fine horizontal tread lines to release soil and enhance traction in a range of different soil conditions.

Additionally, the MICHELIN StarCross 5 Soft rear tire features “Mud-Phobic Bars,” which also enhance tire cleaning to prevent soil from building up and reducing traction. The MICHELIN StarCross 5 Sand rear tire features a specially designed tread with monster scoops, which work to evacuate sand more efficiently.

The MICHELIN StarCross 5 range is available in a large number of sizes, including some key new sizes to cater to all Off-Road/Motocross riders

http://michelinmedia.com/pages/blog/detail/article/c0/a359/

15 Words That Car Lovers Use Better

The English language is filled with words that have multiple meanings. Car enthusiasts have taken homonyms to a whole new level with their usages of some fairly common words.

Slicks
When non-car enthusiasts refer to slicks, they usually mean oil buildup on a road or a body of water. Raincoats are also called slicks by some people.

Spinning
Spinning is a type of cycling exercise class that many people talk about. If a car lover mentions spinning, it refers to drifting around corners and going into a power slide.

Bra
To most people, a bra is a type of women's undergarment used to provide support. To car lovers however, a bra can mean something entirely different. Special leather or vinyl covers that protect a car's hood and front end are usually referred to as bras.

Rod
A rod is often a type of shaft or connecting arm in machinery or mechanical equipment. When a car lover mentions it, there's a good chance that he or she is referring to a specific car.

Mint
The word mint refers to either the fresh herb, the flavor, or a small candy. To a car lover, the word mint refers to an automobile that is in excellent condition.

Sleeper
The word sleeper generally refers to a creature that is sleeping, an RV with beds, or a tractor-trailer truck cab outfitted with sleeping quarters. When a car lover is using the word, it is in reference to a car that looks like it has very little power, but in actuality is quite powerful and fast.

Horses
Horses may be large, gentle animals that are often bred on farms and sometimes seen racing, but when car lovers are talking about horses, they're probably talking about the amount of horsepower that an engine produces.

Specs
Eyeglasses are sometimes called specs. To a car lover, the word often refers to a car's specifications in comparison to other vehicles.

Boost
When the word boost is used , it is usually referring to helping someone reach a high place or object. When a car lover mentions boost, it's in regard to a turbocharger creating a powerful boost of speed.

Visor
A visor is the front part of a cap and helps to protect the eyes from the sun. A car lover however, might be thinking of the sun visor that hangs above the windshield on most cars.

Cruise
For many people, the word cruise means embarking on an ocean voyage while on board a giant cruise ship. For a car lover, the word cruise means taking a leisurely drive when you are not in a hurry.

Lifted
The word lifted usually means that something was picked up or raised. To other people, lifted can mean stolen or shoplifted. But when a car lover uses the word, it means a car that has been raised by a body or suspension lift.

Spoiler
A spoiler is often a person, thing, or circumstance that can prevent desired action from taking place. A spoiler can also mean leaked information before its time. When a car lover thinks of a spoiler, chances are good that he or she is thinking about an aerodynamic apparatus mounted to the rear of a car.

Pickup
To most people, a pickup is a small truck. To others, a pickup is a person who they meet and quickly become romantically involved with. To a car lover, the word pickup represents how fast a car accelerates.

Flush
Most people are talking about toilets when they mention the word flush, or potentially a game of poker. A car lover however, would be referring to the process of modifying a car's wheels to line-up "flush" with the car's fenders.

see more at: http://www.odometer.com/lifestyle/4362/15-words-that-car-lovers-use-better#slide/4

Happy Independence Day

Pirelli Promoting Men's Health through Twitter Campaign

Working with the non-profit Men’s Health Network, Pirelli Tire North America is launching a #HealthierMan Twitter campaign to promote healthy living.

“The #HealthierMan initiative, which coincides with Men’s Health Month in June, aims to encourage men to share their commitment to a healthier lifestyle with their family and friends – through simple tips on healthy diet, exercise, sports activities and more,” said Pierluigi Dinelli, chairman and CEO Pirelli Tire North America.

Pirelli is encouraging the public to participate in the campaign by sharing what they or the man in their life are doing to become healthier on Twitter via a short tweet, photo or video, the tiremaker said.

Between now and July 16, everytime the hashtag #HealthierMan is used on Twitter with @PirelliUSAtagged, Pirelli will donate $1 to the Men’s Health Network organization.

When is Road Force Balance Overkill?

Can road force balancing really make a difference?

To answer the question of whether road force balancing is overkill, we should probably start by reviewing some basics. We balance tire/wheel assemblies primarily to eliminate, as much as possible, vibration. Vibration produces ride disturbances that are uncomfortable for the driver and passengers and may cause uneven tire wear.

Some vehicle vibrations are the result of normal operation; even the best engines, transmissions and drivelines naturally produce some vibration. Others are due to some type of abnormal condition such as engine or transmission problems, driveshaft and axle failures, suspension wear or failure, improper wheel alignment, brake wear or failure, wheel bearing wear, tire/wheel assembly imbalance, out-of-round tire or wheel, or the force variation of a tire.

That’s quite a list, but everything beyond the last three items is beyond the scope of our discussion, so let’s assume that we have eliminated all of the non-tire and wheel related issues.

All tires have some amount of static and dynamic imbalance. Whether it causes any problems is a function of the amount of imbalance, the wheel and tire combinations, and how the tire/wheel assemblies interact with the vehicle.

Static imbalance makes a tire/wheel assembly vibrate up and down. Dynamic imbalance causes the assembly to shimmy from side to side.

Since the introduction of the modern spin balancer, most tire/wheel assembly balancing equipment has been able to accurately diagnose and correct both dynamic and static imbalance. However, balancers can only fix balance problems. Even the most sophisticated balancers cannot eliminate vibrations from a bent wheel or an out-of-round or irregularly worn tire.

What’s Acceptable?

All tire manufacturers test tires at their manufacturing facilities for uniformity, including road force variation, conicity (the tendency to roll like a cone), ply-steer (the tendency to crab sidewise) and balance. Acceptable levels of uniformity vary among manufacturers, tire lines and the planned distribution channel for the tire.

Not surprisingly, the most uniform tires typically go to the automakers for OE fitment. How much variation is acceptable for independent tire dealers versus the discount clubs is probably something that is not discussed in public.

Road Force Balancers

So what does a road force balancer actually do? Road force balancers, in addition to performing a traditional spin balance, measure both the wheel and tire by pressing a large roller against the tread of the spinning tire. The roller applies 1,200 to 1,400 pounds of pressure to simulate the weight of the vehicle on the tire as it rolls down the road.

A computer in the machine, along with various sensors, determines variations of tire stiffness, radial runout and anything in the tire’s construction (such as inconsistencies in the belt package) that would prevent the tire from rolling smoothly when it is weighted by the car. By measuring both the wheel and tire, the road force balancer tells the technician where to move the tire around on the wheel until the effective high spot of the tire (when it is rolling on the car) matches the low spot of the wheel – a more sophisticated method of match mounting.

To read complete article go to: http://www.tirereview.com/when-is-it-overkill/