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Rewire Festival 2016
Prins27, Den Haag
UK-based producer Roly Porter creates futuristic ambient music. His work fuses his background, as part of renowned dubsteb group Vex’d, with contemporary classical composition: focussing on sound design and resulting in a singular and often harrowing sound. Porter’s second full-length album, Life Cycle Of A Massive Star (2013), captures a star’s lifespan in sound. Dreamlike landscapes are alternated by robust dynamic contrasts and often symphonic, volcanic textures.
Porter’s Rewire-performance will be accompanied by visuals made by renowned visual-artist MFO (Marcel Weber). He has been creating and directing audiovisual performances, installations and video works since 2001, previously working with Tim Hecker, Kode9, Biosphere and Ben Frost. Weber contributed video design to the Opera National de Paris, the Academy of Arts Berlin and the Brut Theatre in Vienna. Expect a cosmos made out of textures and distortions, a magical experience of surreal moments: stimuli for the subconscious.
40106 is now on the rear with a pair of 20's [20189 20142] now leading as it departs Highley on 18-5-24.
The working is the 13.15 Highley to Kidderminster service.
Ref: IMG_9336 SVR 18-5-24
Yahooo.. am back to combat for 4 hours everyday :D and this is my new cafe in the RP zone, Still in the building mode..
Credits@
Furniture by Sooth.. thank you <3
GB Railfreight's Class 92, 92028 prepares to depart Crewe with GBRf's remaining original Railfreight grey 92, 92044 "Couperin".
92044 had come into the station from the ETD having dropped off 023 earlier in the afternoon. 044 was originally planned to tow 028 to Wembley, but the Grey One was being a bit cantankerous, so the driver opted to lead with 028 instead - once he'd collected it from the short neck siding.
The move back to the capital was running - thanks to the campaign for proper headcodes(!) - as 0A50 16:24 Crewe Electric Traction Maintenance Depot to Wembley Inter City Depot.
Couperin is now without its original Channel Tunnel 'rings' after these were removed during its F Exam (overhaul) at Brush Traction, Loughborough, which occurred during 2020.
I meet this guy at the foot of Empress Falls back in April and took a few impromptu flicks of him (which I sent to him later). He seemed like a nice guy enjoying the Blue Mountains experience.
Happy Waterfall Wednesday!
Adventure Travel holds the Transport for Wales contract for Service T6 (Swansea-Neath-Crynant-Ystradgynlais-Sennybridge-Brecon), which is operated from Swansea depot with six 11.5m Optare MetroCitys - OM162-7. The first four carry the red, white and grey TrawsCymru livery, whilst OM166 and OM167 are technically the spares and carry magenta and pink.
They were intended to replace Optare Tempos on Service T9 (Cardiff-Cardiff Airport), but that ended in 2020 due to world events. Instead, after a period in storage, they replaced four of the company's 65-plate MetroCitys on the T6 in 2021.
This November 2024 shot depicts OM165 as she arrives in Brecon (or Aberhonddu), passing St Mary's Church and the Duke of Wellington statue.
Heading a diverted 4S43 via the G&SW, 88002 leads 68002 onj the appriahces to Newlands Viaduct, Thornhill. Usually the 68 is attached to the front so how they ended up in this order I don't know!
Dash 8-32BWH AMTK 507 on the point of the Coast Starlight as it heads south into Eugene. I can't recall ever seeing one of those units leading a train. Shot with my Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4 lens.
In the last 2 nights of my trip to the Peruvian Amazon organized by Rainforest Expeditions, I photographed 2 rare specimens of the Roly Poly Orb Weaver - Xylethrus scrupeus Simon, 1895. This spider tends to drop from its web when approached and rolls up into a cute ball when it hits the forest floor. When I picked it up on a leaf, it would just roll off and disappear into the leaf litter again. It would remain motionless and camouflaged in the leaf litter like a ball of poop for a period of time, and return to its web after it was deemed safe enough.
Read the full post here:
sgmacro.blogspot.com/2015/08/peruvian-amazon-roly-poly-sp...
Rewire Festival 2016
Prins27, Den Haag
UK-based producer Roly Porter creates futuristic ambient music. His work fuses his background, as part of renowned dubsteb group Vex’d, with contemporary classical composition: focussing on sound design and resulting in a singular and often harrowing sound. Porter’s second full-length album, Life Cycle Of A Massive Star (2013), captures a star’s lifespan in sound. Dreamlike landscapes are alternated by robust dynamic contrasts and often symphonic, volcanic textures.
Porter’s Rewire-performance will be accompanied by visuals made by renowned visual-artist MFO (Marcel Weber). He has been creating and directing audiovisual performances, installations and video works since 2001, previously working with Tim Hecker, Kode9, Biosphere and Ben Frost. Weber contributed video design to the Opera National de Paris, the Academy of Arts Berlin and the Brut Theatre in Vienna. Expect a cosmos made out of textures and distortions, a magical experience of surreal moments: stimuli for the subconscious.
Harley-Davidson, Inc. (H-D), or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer, founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1903.
As one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression (along with Indian), the company has survived numerous ownership arrangements, subsidiary arrangements (e.g., Aermacchi 1974-1978 and Buell 1987-2009), periods of poor economic health and product quality, as well as intense global competition — to become one of the world's largest motorcycle manufacturers and an iconic brand widely known for its loyal following — with owner clubs and events worldwide as well as a company sponsored brand-focused museum.
Noted for a style of customization that gave rise to the chopper motorcycle style, Harley-Davidson traditionally marketed heavyweight, air-cooled cruiser motorcycles with engine displacements greater than 700 cm³ — and has broadened its offerings to include its more contemporary VRSC (2002) and middle-weight Street (2015) platforms.
Harley-Davidson manufactures its motorcycles at factories in York, Pennsylvania; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Kansas City, Missouri; Manaus, Brazil; and Bawal, India — and markets its products worldwide.
Besides motorcycles, the company licenses and markets merchandise under the Harley-Davidson brand, among them being apparel, home decor and ornaments, accessories, toys, and scale figures of its motorcycles, and video games based on its motorcycle line and the community.
HISTORY
BEGINNING
In 1901, 20-year-old William S. Harley drew up plans for a small engine with a displacement of 7.07 cubic inches (116 cc³) and four-inch (102 mm) flywheels. The engine was designed for use in a regular pedal-bicycle frame. Over the next two years, Harley and his childhood friend Arthur Davidson worked on their motor-bicycle using the northside Milwaukee machine shop at the home of their friend, Henry Melk. It was finished in 1903 with the help of Arthur's brother, Walter Davidson. Upon testing their power-cycle, Harley and the Davidson brothers found it unable to climb the hills around Milwaukee without pedal assistance. They quickly wrote off their first motor-bicycle as a valuable learning experiment.
Work immediately began on a new and improved second-generation machine. This first "real" Harley-Davidson motorcycle had a bigger engine of 24.74 cubic inches (405 cc³) with 9.75 inches (25 cm) flywheels weighing 28 lb (13 kg). The machine's advanced loop-frame pattern was similar to the 1903 Milwaukee Merkel motorcycle (designed by Joseph Merkel, later of Flying Merkel fame). The bigger engine and loop-frame design took it out of the motorized bicycle category and marked the path to future motorcycle designs. The boys also received help with their bigger engine from outboard motor pioneer Ole Evinrude, who was then building gas engines of his own design for automotive use on Milwaukee's Lake Street.
The prototype of the new loop-frame Harley-Davidson was assembled in a 10 ft × 15 ft (3.0 m × 4.6 m) shed in the Davidson family backyard. Most of the major parts, however, were made elsewhere, including some probably fabricated at the West Milwaukee railshops where oldest brother William A. Davidson was then toolroom foreman. This prototype machine was functional by September 8, 1904, when it competed in a Milwaukee motorcycle race held at State Fair Park. It was ridden by Edward Hildebrand and placed fourth. This is the first documented appearance of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle in the historical record.
In January 1905, small advertisements were placed in the Automobile and Cycle Trade Journal offering bare Harley-Davidson engines to the do-it-yourself trade. By April, complete motorcycles were in production on a very limited basis. That year, the first Harley-Davidson dealer, Carl H. Lang of Chicago, sold three bikes from the five built in the Davidson backyard shed. Years later the original shed was taken to the Juneau Avenue factory where it would stand for many decades as a tribute to the Motor Company's humble origins until it was accidentally destroyed by contractors cleaning the factory yard in the early 1970s.
In 1906, Harley and the Davidson brothers built their first factory on Chestnut Street (later Juneau Avenue),[12] at the current location of Harley-Davidson's corporate headquarters. The first Juneau Avenue plant was a 40 ft × 60 ft (12 m × 18 m) single-story wooden structure. The company produced about 50 motorcycles that year.
In 1907, William S. Harley graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a degree in mechanical engineering. That year additional factory expansion came with a second floor and later with facings and additions of Milwaukee pale yellow ("cream") brick. With the new facilities production increased to 150 motorcycles in 1907. The company was officially incorporated that September. They also began selling their motorcycles to police departments around this time, a market that has been important to them ever since.
In 1907 William A. Davidson, brother to Arthur and Walter Davidson, quit his job as tool foreman for the Milwaukee Road railroad and joined the Motor Company.
Production in 1905 and 1906 were all single-cylinder models with 26.84 cubic inch (440 cm³) engines. In February 1907 a prototype model with a 45-degree V-Twin engine was displayed at the Chicago Automobile Show. Although shown and advertised, very few V-Twin models were built between 1907 and 1910. These first V-Twins displaced 53.68 cubic inches (880 cm³) and produced about 7 horsepower (5.2 kW). This gave about double the power of the first singles. Top speed was about 60 mph (100 km/h). Production jumped from 450 motorcycles in 1908 to 1,149 machines in 1909.
By 1911, some 150 makes of motorcycles had already been built in the United States – although just a handful would survive the 1910s.
In 1911, an improved V-Twin model was introduced. The new engine had mechanically operated intake valves, as opposed to the "automatic" intake valves used on earlier V-Twins that opened by engine vacuum. With a displacement of 49.48 cubic inches (811 cm³), the 1911 V-Twin was smaller than earlier twins, but gave better performance. After 1913 the majority of bikes produced by Harley-Davidson would be V-Twin models.
In 1912, Harley-Davidson introduced their patented "Ful-Floteing Seat", which was suspended by a coil spring inside the seat tube. The spring tension could be adjusted to suit the rider's weight. More than 3 inches (76 mm) of travel was available. Harley-Davidson would use seats of this type until 1958.
By 1913, the yellow brick factory had been demolished and on the site a new 5-story structure had been built. Begun in 1910, the factory with its many additions would take up two blocks along Juneau Avenue and around the corner on 38th Street. Despite the competition, Harley-Davidson was already pulling ahead of Indian and would dominate motorcycle racing after 1914. Production that year swelled to 16,284 machines.
WORLD WAR I
In 1917, the United States entered World War I and the military demanded motorcycles for the war effort. Harleys had already been used by the military in the Pancho Villa Expedition but World War I was the first time the motorcycle had been adopted for military issue, first with the British Model H, produced by British Triumph Motorcycles Ltd in 1915. After the U.S. entry into the war, the U.S. military purchased over 20,000 motorcycles from Harley-Davidson.
BICYCLES
Harley-Davidson launched a line of bicycles in 1917 in hopes of recruiting customers for its motorcycles. Besides the traditional diamond frame men's bicycle, models included a step-through frame 3-18 "Ladies Standard" and a 5-17 "Boy Scout" for youth. The effort was discontinued in 1923 because of disappointing sales.
The bicycles were built for Harley-Davidson in Dayton, Ohio, by the Davis Machine Company from 1917 to 1921, when Davis stopped manufacturing bicycles.
1920s
By 1920, Harley-Davidson was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, with 28,189 machines produced, and dealers in 67 countries.
In 1921, a Harley-Davidson, ridden by Otto Walker, was the first motorcycle ever to win a race at an average speed greater than 100 mph (160 km/h).
During the 1920s, several improvements were put in place, such as a new 74 cubic inch (1,212.6 cm³) V-Twin, introduced in 1921, and the "teardrop" gas tank in 1925. A front brake was added in 1928 although notably only on the J/JD models.
In the late summer of 1929, Harley-Davidson introduced its 45 cubic inches (737 cm³) flathead V-Twin to compete with the Indian 101 Scout and the Excelsior Super X. This was the "D" model, produced from 1929 to 1931. Riders of Indian motorcycles derisively referred to this model as the "three cylinder Harley" because the generator was upright and parallel to the front cylinder. The 2.745 in (69.7 mm) bore and 3.8125 in (96.8 mm) stroke would continue in most versions of the 750 engine; exceptions include the XA and the XR-750.
GREAT DEPRESSION
The Great Depression began a few months after the introduction of their 45 cubic inch (737 cm³) model. Harley-Davidson's sales fell from 21,000 in 1929 to 3,703 in 1933. Despite this, Harley-Davidson unveiled a new lineup for 1934, which included a flathead engine and Art Deco styling.
In order to survive the remainder of the Depression, the company manufactured industrial powerplants based on their motorcycle engines. They also designed and built a three-wheeled delivery vehicle called the Servi-Car, which remained in production until 1973.
In the mid-1930s, Alfred Rich Child opened a production line in Japan with the 74-cubic-inch (1,210 cm³) VL. The Japanese license-holder, Sankyo Seiyaku Corporation, severed its business relations with Harley-Davidson in 1936 and continued manufacturing the VL under the Rikuo name.
An 80-cubic-inch (1,300 cm³) flathead engine was added to the line in 1935, by which time the single-cylinder motorcycles had been discontinued.
In 1936, the 61E and 61EL models with the "Knucklehead" OHV engines was introduced. Valvetrain problems in early Knucklehead engines required a redesign halfway through its first year of production and retrofitting of the new valvetrain on earlier engines.
By 1937, all Harley-Davidson's flathead engines were equipped with dry-sump oil recirculation systems similar to the one introduced in the "Knucklehead" OHV engine. The revised 74-cubic-inch (1,210 cm³) V and VL models were renamed U and UL, the 80-cubic-inch (1,300 cc³) VH and VLH to be renamed UH and ULH, and the 45-cubic-inch (740 cc³) R to be renamed W.
In 1941, the 74-cubic-inch (1,210 cm³) "Knucklehead" was introduced as the F and the FL. The 80-cubic-inch (1,300 cc³) flathead UH and ULH models were discontinued after 1941, while the 74 inch (1880 mm) U & UL flathead models were produced up to 1948.
WORLD WAR II
One of only two American cycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression. Harley-Davidson again produced large numbers of motorcycles for the US Army in World War II and resumed civilian production afterwards, producing a range of large V-twin motorcycles that were successful both on racetracks and for private buyers.
Harley-Davidson, on the eve of World War II, was already supplying the Army with a military-specific version of its 45 cubic inches (740 cm³) WL line, called the WLA. The A in this case stood for "Army". Upon the outbreak of war, the company, along with most other manufacturing enterprises, shifted to war work. More than 90,000 military motorcycles, mostly WLAs and WLCs (the Canadian version) were produced, many to be provided to allies. Harley-Davidson received two Army-Navy ‘E’ Awards, one in 1943 and the other in 1945, which were awarded for Excellence in Production.
Shipments to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program numbered at least 30,000. The WLAs produced during all four years of war production generally have 1942 serial numbers. Production of the WLA stopped at the end of World War II, but was resumed from 1950 to 1952 for use in the Korean War.
The U.S. Army also asked Harley-Davidson to produce a new motorcycle with many of the features of BMW's side-valve and shaft-driven R71. Harley largely copied the BMW engine and drive train and produced the shaft-driven 750 cc 1942 Harley-Davidson XA. This shared no dimensions, no parts and no design concepts (except side valves) with any prior Harley-Davidson engine. Due to the superior cooling of the flat-twin engine with the cylinders across the frame, Harley's XA cylinder heads ran 56 °C cooler than its V-twins. The XA never entered full production: the motorcycle by that time had been eclipsed by the Jeep as the Army's general purpose vehicle, and the WLA - already in production - was sufficient for its limited police, escort, and courier roles. Only 1,000 were made and the XA never went into full production. It remains the only shaft-driven Harley-Davidson ever made.
SMALL HARLEYS: HUMMERS AND AERMACCHIS
As part of war reparations, Harley-Davidson acquired the design of a small German motorcycle, the DKW RT 125, which they adapted, manufactured, and sold from 1948 to 1966. Various models were made, including the Hummer from 1955 to 1959, but they are all colloquially referred to as "Hummers" at present. BSA in the United Kingdom took the same design as the foundation of their BSA Bantam.
In 1960, Harley-Davidson consolidated the Model 165 and Hummer lines into the Super-10, introduced the Topper scooter, and bought fifty percent of Aermacchi's motorcycle division. Importation of Aermacchi's 250 cc horizontal single began the following year. The bike bore Harley-Davidson badges and was marketed as the Harley-Davidson Sprint. The engine of the Sprint was increased to 350 cc in 1969 and would remain that size until 1974, when the four-stroke Sprint was discontinued.
After the Pacer and Scat models were discontinued at the end of 1965, the Bobcat became the last of Harley-Davidson's American-made two-stroke motorcycles. The Bobcat was manufactured only in the 1966 model year.
Harley-Davidson replaced their American-made lightweight two-stroke motorcycles with the Aermacchi-built two-stroke powered M-65, M-65S, and Rapido. The M-65 had a semi-step-through frame and tank. The M-65S was a M-65 with a larger tank that eliminated the step-through feature. The Rapido was a larger bike with a 125 cc engine. The Aermacchi-built Harley-Davidsons became entirely two-stroke powered when the 250 cc two-stroke SS-250 replaced the four-stroke 350 cc Sprint in 1974.
Harley-Davidson purchased full control of Aermacchi's motorcycle production in 1974 and continued making two-stroke motorcycles there until 1978, when they sold the facility to Cagiva.
OVERSEAS
Established in 1918, the oldest continuously operating Harley-Davidson dealership outside of the United States is in Australia.[4] Sales in Japan started in 1912 then in 1929, Harley-Davidsons were produced in Japan under license to the company Rikuo (Rikuo Internal Combustion Company) under the name of Harley-Davidson and using the company's tooling, and later under the name Rikuo. Production continued until 1958.
TARNISHED REPUTATION
In 1952, following their application to the U.S. Tariff Commission for a 40 percent tax on imported motorcycles, Harley-Davidson was charged with restrictive practices.
In 1969, American Machine and Foundry (AMF) bought the company, streamlined production, and slashed the workforce. This tactic resulted in a labor strike and lower-quality bikes. The bikes were expensive and inferior in performance, handling, and quality to Japanese motorcycles. Sales and quality declined, and the company almost went bankrupt. The "Harley-Davidson" name was mocked as "Hardly Ableson", "Hardly Driveable," and "Hogly Ferguson", and the nickname "Hog" became pejorative.
In 1977, following the successful manufacture of the Liberty Edition to commemorate America's bicentennial in 1976, Harley-Davidson produced what has become one of its most controversial models, the Harley-Davidson Confederate Edition. The bike was essentially a stock Harley with Confederate-specific paint and details.
RESTRUCTING AND REVIVAL
In 1981, AMF sold the company to a group of 13 investors led by Vaughn Beals and Willie G. Davidson for $80 million. Inventory was strictly controlled using the just-in-time system.
In the early eighties, Harley-Davidson claimed that Japanese manufacturers were importing motorcycles into the US in such volume as to harm or threaten to harm domestic producers. After an investigation by the U.S. International Trade Commission, President Reagan imposed in 1983 a 45 percent tariff on imported bikes with engine capacities greater than 700 cc. Harley-Davidson subsequently rejected offers of assistance from Japanese motorcycle makers. However, the company did offer to drop the request for the tariff in exchange for loan guarantees from the Japanese.
Rather than trying to match the Japanese, the new management deliberately exploited the "retro" appeal of the machines, building motorcycles that deliberately adopted the look and feel of their earlier machines and the subsequent customizations of owners of that era. Many components such as brakes, forks, shocks, carburetors, electrics and wheels were outsourced from foreign manufacturers and quality increased, technical improvements were made, and buyers slowly returned.
Harley-Davidson bought the "Sub Shock" cantilever-swingarm rear suspension design from Missouri engineer Bill Davis and developed it into its Softail series of motorcycles, introduced in 1984 with the FXST Softail.
In response to possible motorcycle market loss due to the aging of baby-boomers, Harley-Davidson bought luxury motorhome manufacturer Holiday Rambler in 1986. In 1996, the company sold Holiday Rambler to the Monaco Coach Corporation.
The "Sturgis" model, boasting a dual belt-drive, was introduced initially in 1980 and was made for three years. This bike was then brought back as a commemorative model in 1991. By 1990, with the introduction of the "Fat Boy", Harley once again became the sales leader in the heavyweight (over 750 cm³) market. At the time of the Fat Boy model introduction, a story rapidly spread that its silver paint job and other features were inspired by the B-29; and Fat Boy was a combination of the names of the atomic bombs Fat Man and Little Boy. However, the Urban Legend Reference Pages lists this story as an urban legend.
1993 and 1994 saw the replacement of FXR models with the Dyna (FXD), which became the sole rubber mount FX Big Twin frame in 1994. The FXR was revived briefly from 1999 to 2000 for special limited editions (FXR2, FXR3 & FXR4).
Construction started on the $75 million, 130,000 square-foot (12,000 m2) Harley-Davidson Museum in the Menomonee Valley on June 1, 2006. It opened in 2008 and houses the company's vast collection of historic motorcycles and corporate archives, along with a restaurant, café and meeting space.
BUELL MOTORCYCLE COMPANY
Harley-Davidson's association with sportbike manufacturer Buell Motorcycle Company began in 1987 when they supplied Buell with fifty surplus XR1000 engines. Buell continued to buy engines from Harley-Davidson until 1993, when Harley-Davidson bought 49 percent of the Buell Motorcycle Company. Harley-Davidson increased its share in Buell to ninety-eight percent in 1998, and to complete ownership in 2003.
In an attempt to attract newcomers to motorcycling in general and to Harley-Davidson in particular, Buell developed a low-cost, low-maintenance motorcycle. The resulting single-cylinder Buell Blast was introduced in 2000, and was made through 2009, which, according to Buell, was to be the final year of production.
On October 15, 2009, Harley-Davidson Inc. issued an official statement that it would be discontinuing the Buell line and ceasing production immediately. The stated reason was to focus on the Harley-Davidson brand. The company refused to consider selling Buell. Founder Erik Buell subsequently established Erik Buell Racing and continued to manufacture and develop the company's 1125RR racing motorcycle.
FIRST OVERSEAS FACTORY IN BRAZIL
In 1998 the first Harley-Davidson factory outside the US opened in Manaus, Brazil, taking advantage of the free economic zone there. The location was positioned to sell motorcycles in the southern hemisphere market.
CLAIMS OF STOCK PRICE MANIPULATION
During its period of peak demand, during the late 1990s and early first decade of the 21st century, Harley-Davidson embarked on a program of expanding the number of dealerships throughout the country. At the same time, its current dealers typically had waiting lists that extended up to a year for some of the most popular models. Harley-Davidson, like the auto manufacturers, records a sale not when a consumer buys their product, but rather when it is delivered to a dealer. Therefore, it is possible for the manufacturer to inflate sales numbers by requiring dealers to accept more inventory than desired in a practice called channel stuffing. When demand softened following the unique 2003 model year, this news led to a dramatic decline in the stock price. In April 2004 alone, the price of HOG shares dropped from more than $60 to less than $40. Immediately prior to this decline, retiring CEO Jeffrey Bleustein profited $42 million on the exercise of employee stock options.[80] Harley-Davidson was named as a defendant in numerous class action suits filed by investors who claimed they were intentionally defrauded by Harley-Davidson's management and directors. By January 2007, the price of Harley-Davidson shares reached $70.
PROBLEMS WITH TOURING MODELS
Starting around 2000, several police departments started reporting problems with high speed instability on the Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycles. A Raleigh, North Carolina police officer, Charles Paul, was killed when his 2002 police touring motorcycle crashed after reportedly experiencing a high speed wobble. The California Highway Patrol conducted testing of the Police Touring motorcycles in 2006. The CHP test riders reported experiencing wobble or weave instability while operating the motorcycles on the test track.
2007 STRIKE
On February 2, 2007, upon the expiration of their union contract, about 2,700 employees at Harley-Davidson Inc.'s largest manufacturing plant in York, Pennsylvania went on strike after failing to agree on wages and health benefits. During the pendency of the strike, the company refused to pay for any portion of the striking employees' health care.
The day before the strike, after the union voted against the proposed contract and to authorize the strike, the company shut down all production at the plant. The York facility employs more than 3,200 workers, both union and non-union.
Harley-Davidson announced on February 16, 2007, that it had reached a labor agreement with union workers at its largest manufacturing plant, a breakthrough in the two-week-old strike. The strike disrupted Harley-Davidson's national production and was felt in Wisconsin, where 440 employees were laid off, and many Harley suppliers also laid off workers because of the strike.
MV AGUSTA GROUP
On July 11, 2008 Harley-Davidson announced they had signed a definitive agreement to acquire the MV Agusta Group for $109M USD (€70M). MV Agusta Group contains two lines of motorcycles: the high-performance MV Agusta brand and the lightweight Cagiva brand. The acquisition was completed on August 8.
On October 15, 2009, Harley-Davidson announced that it would divest its interest in MV Agusta. Harley-Davidson Inc. sold Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta to Claudio Castiglioni, ending the transaction in the first week of August 2010. Castiglioni is the company's former owner and had been MV Agusta's chairman since Harley-Davidson bought it in 2008.
OPERATIONS IN INDIA
In August 2009, Harley-Davidson announced plans to enter the market in India, and started selling motorcycles there in 2010. The company established a subsidiary, Harley-Davidson India, in Gurgaon, near Delhi, in 2011, and created an Indian dealer network.
FINANCIAL CRISIS
According to Interbrand, the value of the Harley-Davidson brand fell by 43 percent to $4.34 billion in 2009. The fall in value is believed to be connected to the 66 percent drop in the company profits in two quarters of the previous year. On April 29, 2010, Harley-Davidson stated that they must cut $54 million in manufacturing costs from its production facilities in Wisconsin, and that they would explore alternative U.S. sites to accomplish this. The announcement came in the wake of a massive company-wide restructuring, which began in early 2009 and involved the closing of two factories, one distribution center, and the planned elimination of nearly 25 percent of its total workforce (around 3,500 employees). The company announced on September 14, 2010 that it would remain in Wisconsin.
MOTORCYCLE ENGINES
The classic Harley-Davidson engines are V-twin engines, with a 45° angle between the cylinders. The crankshaft has a single pin, and both pistons are connected to this pin through their connecting rods.
This 45° angle is covered under several United States patents and is an engineering tradeoff that allows a large, high-torque engine in a relatively small space. It causes the cylinders to fire at uneven intervals and produces the choppy "potato-potato" sound so strongly linked to the Harley-Davidson brand.
To simplify the engine and reduce costs, the V-twin ignition was designed to operate with a single set of points and no distributor. This is known as a dual fire ignition system, causing both spark plugs to fire regardless of which cylinder was on its compression stroke, with the other spark plug firing on its cylinder's exhaust stroke, effectively "wasting a spark". The exhaust note is basically a throaty growling sound with some popping. The 45° design of the engine thus creates a plug firing sequencing as such: The first cylinder fires, the second (rear) cylinder fires 315° later, then there is a 405° gap until the first cylinder fires again, giving the engine its unique sound.
Harley-Davidson has used various ignition systems throughout its history – be it the early points and condenser system, (Big Twin up to 1978 and Sportsters up to 1978), magneto ignition system used on some 1958 to 1969 Sportsters, early electronic with centrifugal mechanical advance weights, (all models 1978 and a half to 1979), or the late electronic with transistorized ignition control module, more familiarly known as the black box or the brain, (all models 1980 to present).
Starting in 1995, the company introduced Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) as an option for the 30th anniversary edition Electra Glide. EFI became standard on all Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including Sportsters, upon the introduction of the 2007 product line.
In 1991, Harley-Davidson began to participate in the Sound Quality Working Group, founded by Orfield Labs, Bruel and Kjaer, TEAC, Yamaha, Sennheiser, SMS and Cortex. This was the nation's first group to share research on psychological acoustics. Later that year, Harley-Davidson participated in a series of sound quality studies at Orfield Labs, based on recordings taken at the Talladega Superspeedway, with the objective to lower the sound level for EU standards while analytically capturing the "Harley Sound". This research resulted in the bikes that were introduced in compliance with EU standards for 1998.
On February 1, 1994, the company filed a sound trademark application for the distinctive sound of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine: "The mark consists of the exhaust sound of applicant's motorcycles, produced by V-twin, common crankpin motorcycle engines when the goods are in use". Nine of Harley-Davidson's competitors filed comments opposing the application, arguing that cruiser-style motorcycles of various brands use a single-crankpin V-twin engine which produce a similar sound. These objections were followed by litigation. In June 2000, the company dropped efforts to federally register its trademark.
BIG V-TWINS
F-head, also known as JD, pocket valve and IOE (intake over exhaust), 1914–1929 (1,000 cm³), and 1922–1929 (1,200 cm³)
Flathead, 1930–1949 (1,200 cm³) and 1935–1941 (1,300 cm³).
Knucklehead, 1936–1947 61 cubic inch (1,000 cm³), and 1941–1947 74 cubic inch (1,200 cm³)
Panhead, 1948–1952 61 cubic inch (1,000 cm³), and 1948–1965, 74 cubic inch (1,200 cm³)
Shovelhead, 1966–1984, 74 cubic inch (1,200 cm³) and 80 cubic inch (1,338 cm³) since late 1978
Evolution (a.k.a. "Evo" and "Blockhead"), 1984–1999, 80 cubic inch (1,340 cm³)
Twin Cam (a.k.a. "Fathead" as named by American Iron Magazine) 1999–present, in the following versions:
Twin Cam 88, 1999–2006, 88 cubic inch (1,450 cm³)
Twin Cam 88B, counterbalanced version of the Twin Cam 88, 2000–2006, 88 cubic inch (1,450 cm³)
Twin Cam 95, since 2000, 95 cubic inch (1,550 cm³) (engines for early C.V.O. models)
Twin Cam 96, since 2007. As of 2012, only the Street Bob and Super Glide Custom Models still use the 96.96 cubic inch (1,584 cm³)
Twin Cam 103, 2003–2006, 2009, 103 cubic inch (1,690 cm³) (engines for C.V.O. models), Standard on 2011 Touring models: Ultra Limited, Road King Classic and Road Glide Ultra and optional on the Road Glide Custom and Street Glide. Standard on most 2012 models excluding Sportsters and 2 Dynas (Street Bob and Super Glide Custom). Standard on all 2014 dyna models.
Twin Cam 110, since 2007, 110 cubic inch (1,800 cm³) (engines for C.V.O. models, 2016 Soft Tail Slim S; FatBoy S, Low Rider S, and Pro-Street Breakout)
Milwaukee-Eight
Twin-cooled 107 ci (1,750 cm³): Standard on touring and trike model year 2017+.
Twin-cooled 114 ci (1,870 cm³): Optional on touring and trike model year 2017+, standard on CVO models.
REVOLUTION ENGINE
The Revolution engine is based on the VR-1000 Superbike race program, co-developed by Harley-Davidson's Powertrain Engineering team and Porsche Engineering in Stuttgart, Germany. It is a liquid cooled, dual overhead cam, internally counterbalanced 60 degree V-twin engine with a displacement of 69 cubic inch (1,130 cm³), producing 115 hp (86 kW) at 8,250 rpm at the crank, with a redline of 9,000 rpm. It was introduced for the new V-Rod line in 2001 for the 2002 model year, starting with the single VRSCA (V-Twin Racing Street Custom) model. The Revolution marks Harley's first collaboration with Porsche since the V4 Nova project, which, like the V-Rod, was a radical departure from Harley's traditional lineup until it was cancelled by AMF in 1981 in favor of the Evolution engine.
A 1,250 cc Screamin' Eagle version of the Revolution engine was made available for 2005 and 2006, and was present thereafter in a single production model from 2005 to 2007. In 2008, the 1,250 cc Revolution Engine became standard for the entire VRSC line. Harley-Davidson claims 123 hp (92 kW) at the crank for the 2008 VRSCAW model. The VRXSE Destroyer is equipped with a stroker (75 mm crank) Screamin' Eagle 1,300 cm³ Revolution Engine, producing more than 165 hp (123 kW).
750 cc and 500 cc versions of the Revolution engine are used in Harley-Davidson's Street line of light cruisers. These motors, named the Revolution X, use a single overhead cam, screw and locknut valve adjustment, a single internal counterbalancer, and vertically split crankcases; all of these changes making it different from the original Revolution design.
DÜSSELDORF-TEST
An extreme endurance test of the Revolution engine was performed in a dynometer installation, simulating the German Autobahn (highways without general speed limit) between the Porsche research and development center in Weissach, near Stuttgart to Düsseldorf. Uncounted samples of engines crashed, until an engine successfully passed the 500 hour nonstop run. This was the benchmark for the engineers to approve the start of production for the Revolution engine, which was documented in the Discovery channel special Harley-Davidson: Birth of the V-Rod, October 14, 2001.
SINGLE-CYLINER ENGINES
IOE singlesThe first Harley-Davidson motorcycles were powered by single-cylinder IOE engines with the inlet valve operated by engine vacuum. Singles of this type continued to be made until 1913, when a pushrod and rocker system was used to operate the overhead inlet valve on the single, a similar system having been used on their V-twins since 1911. Single-cylinder motorcycle engines were discontinued in 1918.Flathead and OHV singlesSingle-cylinder engines were reintroduced in 1925 as 1926 models. These singles were available either as flathead engines or as overhead valve engines until 1930, after which they were only available as flatheads. The flathead single-cylinder motorcycles were designated Model A for engines with magneto systems only and Model B for engines with battery and coil systems, while overhead valve versions were designated Model AA and Model BA respectively, and a magneto-only racing version was designated Model S. This line of single-cylinder motorcycles ended production in 1934.
MODEL FAMILIES
Modern Harley-branded motorcycles fall into one of six model families: Touring, Softail, Dyna, Sportster, Vrod and Street. These model families are distinguished by the frame, engine, suspension, and other characteristics.
TOURING
Touring models use Big-Twin engines and large-diameter telescopic forks. All Touring designations begin with the letters FL, e.g., FLHR (Road King) and FLTR (Road Glide).
The touring family, also known as "dressers" or "baggers", includes Road King, Road Glide, Street Glide and Electra Glide models offered in various trims. The Road Kings have a "retro cruiser" appearance and are equipped with a large clear windshield. Road Kings are reminiscent of big-twin models from the 1940s and 1950s. Electra Glides can be identified by their full front fairings. Most Electra Glides sport a fork-mounted fairing referred to as the "Batwing" due to its unmistakable shape. The Road Glide and Road Glide Ultra Classic have a frame-mounted fairing, referred to as the "Sharknose". The Sharknose includes a unique, dual front headlight.
Touring models are distinguishable by their large saddlebags, rear coil-over air suspension and are the only models to offer full fairings with radios and CBs. All touring models use the same frame, first introduced with a Shovelhead motor in 1980, and carried forward with only modest upgrades until 2009, when it was extensively redesigned. The frame is distinguished by the location of the steering head in front of the forks and was the first H-D frame to rubber mount the drivetrain to isolate the rider from the vibration of the big V-twin.
The frame was modified for the 1994 model year when the oil tank went under the transmission and the battery was moved inboard from under the right saddlebag to under the seat. In 1997, the frame was again modified to allow for a larger battery under the seat and to lower seat height. In 2007, Harley-Davidson introduced the 96 cubic inches (1,570 cubic centimetres) Twin Cam 96 engine, as well the six-speed transmission to give the rider better speeds on the highway.
In 2006, Harley introduced the FLHX Street Glide, a bike designed by Willie G. Davidson to be his personal ride, to its touring line.
In 2008, Harley added anti-lock braking systems and cruise control as a factory installed option on all touring models (standard on CVO and Anniversary models). Also new for 2008 is the 6-US-gallon (23 l; 5.0 imp gal) fuel tank for all touring models. 2008 also brought throttle-by-wire to all touring models.
For the 2009 model year, Harley-Davidson redesigned the entire touring range with several changes, including a new frame, new swingarm, a completely revised engine-mounting system, 17-inch (430 mm) front wheels for all but the FLHRC Road King Classic, and a 2–1–2 exhaust. The changes result in greater load carrying capacity, better handling, a smoother engine, longer range and less exhaust heat transmitted to the rider and passenger. Also released for the 2009 model year is the FLHTCUTG Tri-Glide Ultra Classic, the first three-wheeled Harley since the Servi-Car was discontinued in 1973. The model features a unique frame and a 1,690 cm³ engine exclusive to the trike.
In 2014, Harley-Davidson released a redesign for specific touring bikes and called it "Project Rushmore".[125] Changes include a new 103CI High Output engine, one handed easy open saddlebags and compartments, a new Boom! Box Infotainment system with either 10 cm or 16.5 cm screens featuring touchscreen functionality 16.5 cm models only], Bluetooth (media and phone with approved compatible devices), available GPS and SiriusXM, Text-to-Speech functionality (with approved compatible devices) and USB connectivity with charging. Other features include ABS with Reflex linked brakes, improved styling, Halogen or LED lighting and upgraded passenger comfort.
WIKIPEDIA
www.blurb.com/user/store/ARMNstalker
This photo is part of the SPF Archive and was either taken by me or acquired in a trade...
Unknown person (possibly Winifred) and Olive Turney, role playing as a married, pregnant couple, in a greenhouse, possibly in England.
The initial five creatures in this collection all hail from the planet Joltendio, located in the Alpha Octant and being the first planet from said octant's sun, Shinnes.
• Mexotrill: A large, brutish carnivore that falls under the same general classification as the Sardoompa, Grobehom and Dredurcoz of other planets (Xekawiy, Alfriiden and Ergnoplis, respectively) in regards to its role in the ecosystem of its own planet. The Mexotrill is cyclopic and semi–cephalothoracic, lacking a neck of any description and with its "head" containing some of the internal organs that would, in almost any other creature, instead be found in a more clearly–defined torso than this one has. Its most prominent feature is its massive, gaping mouth, which has ten teeth, five of which are small and standard and the other five of which are multi–layered and almost Treymoz–esque, and three separate tongues, the middle specimen of which is larger, stronger and more essential than the peripheral two. Mexotrills have several bluish or yellowing tufts of hair similar to those of the Silahsomes, which is a manifestation of Joltendio's small gene pool in which some genetically–determined physical traits are shared between different creatures (similar phenomena are also present in the ecosystems of Logdlind, Poulbrim and Hulptos). Note that the limbs and extremities of both the humanoids and the beasts share some similarities as well and for the same reason. The Mexotrill's main natural enemy/rival, which it will attempt to eat but which will also attempt to kill and devour it, is the Tinkorement, and while individual Tinkorements are generally unlikely to be able to overpower their larger, stronger and more durable rivals, they often make up for this through teamwork whereas Mexotrills are loners that are rarely found in close proximity to others of their kind. As Tinkorements are concerned, Mexotrills generally wait for their enemies to come to them rather than seeking their rivals out and are thus rarely the first to attack, which is convenient for the Tinkorements considering that they are passive and defenseless approximately half of the time.
Full–grown Mexotrills stand between seven and ten feet tall; at birth, they are roughly a third of their final size, and grow at a steady rate over the first ten–to–fifteen years of their fifty–plus–year lives. Mexotrill durability values range from 1,600 to 2,500. Like all beings from Joltendio, they have a very high threshold for heat and thirst, and they are most often found in the particularly "dust bowl"–like areas of the planet, rarely crossing paths with the Silahsomes and usually leaving the humanoids alone when they do encounter one another.
• Kiselount: A small (basically Flufewog–sized), mammalian beast that has the reputation of being "Silahsome's Best Friend", and with good reason; the Kiselounts and Silahsomes share one of the best relationships between man and beast that can be observed in any part of the Prime Galaxy. Originally herbivores that made their natural homes amid the more forest–or–jungle–like regions of Joltendio, most Kiselounts are presently found living among the settlements of the humanoids that have domesticated their race over the years and to whom they now serve as guardian pets. Some, though, can still be found in the wild, and the Silahsomes leave this portion of the Kiselount population alone, having no intention of removing the creatures from the natural element of the Joltendion environment entirely. Kiselounts are both highly intelligent and highly empathetic for non–humanoid animals. In the wild, they are/were very resourceful and adept at survival, being able to cobble together simple structures to serve as dens or "houses" as well as basic handheld tools and frequently using reasoning and cunning to evade predators such as Tinkorements and other potential dangers. They mate for life, are very caring and protective of their young, which they devote several years to raising, and have even displayed long–term recognition of specific individuals of their kind (and eventually of the Silahsome race) outside of their immediate family units. The characteristic vocal noise produced by Kiselounts is a sort of low purring, and they have durability values between 300 and 500.
Since as far back as can be recorded, Kiselounts and Silahsomes had gotten along well when initially encountering one another in the wild, and the development of the relationship between the humanoids and the animals, including the latter's domestication, was a gradual process, and neither its beginning nor its completion can be assigned to any singular date. While the creatures initially served as simple "cute" pets to their masters after starting to be domesticated, the Silahsomes, in time, began to further explore the potential of the Kiselounts and what they could be taught to do, eventually training the diminutive animals in basic martial arts and the ability to stand and walk upright. Today, most of the Kiselounts living with Silahsomes are more than capable of aggressively protecting their masters in the event that they are attacked, and thankfully, the humanoids are not exploitative of their pets' willingness to fight and die for them.
• Silahsome: Joltendio's humanoids. Silahsomes are blessed, honorable warriors with strictly average body shape and size for a humanoid race but multiple, just as noticeable distinctions that make them more physically unique than most of their peer species in the mortal realm, to say nothing of their personalities and culture. They are solar–powered beings that actively thrive in and gain power from exposure to sunlight, whose negative effects they are largely exempt from. As a result of this, Silahsomes are significantly stronger and healthier, both physically and mentally, during the day than during the night. The primary color of their skin is, rather appropriately, a golden yellow hue, which becomes brighter or, in some cases, even glows when they are particularly "saturated" with solar energy. Although it is, for obvious reasons, almost never a life–or–death issue for them, Silahsomes do indeed need sunlight to live; as a biological necessity, it is secondary only to oxygen, water and food for them, and if one is deprived of it for several consecutive days, it will die. Although they are at their very strongest when their entire bodies are exposed to the sun, they wear at least some clothing or armor at almost all times, for the sake of modesty and decency. Silahsomes have third eyes that provide, in addition to more acute vision, enhanced general willpower and concentration, and even more notably, two mouths, one strictly for eating and the other strictly for speaking (while it is possible for them to at least try to form words with the "eating" mouth, the "speaking" mouth can do so much, much, much more clearly and easily). Three separate tufts of bluish hair atop the head of a Silahsome constitute the only hair on its body. The default durability value of a Silahsome is 750; when an individual is fully "charged" with solar energy, it may raise to more than 1,000.
Silahsomes are presently fairly technologically advanced, having efficiently evolved their civilization over the years from one of basic, isolated villages to one consisting of small but respectable cities with working trade and communication lines between them. They consider it their most important duty as a people to be willing and able to serve the greater good should a major crisis arise, and to this end they have always produced strong warriors, most notably thwarting two separate Skellen invasion attempts on their planet without any outside help during the Fourth Century Relative. The Silahsomes as a whole are very devout and equally as level–headed; most notably, they have never fallen for the tricks of the wandering sun–possessing Primal Deity Alth'Solda, despite their kind being by far the most obvious candidate for turning to such a deity. As explained above in the creature's "biography", the small mammals known as the Kiselounts have long served as the loyal pets of the noble humanoids.
• Tinkorement: A cold–blooded creature of dubious classification, effectively being halfway between a reptile and an insectoid. Tinkorements are tall, slender creatures with four tentacle–like legs and hands consisting of a large, scooping claw and a single articulate tendril. In addition to various plants and small, generic insects and rodents, their dietary options include Poxiwolps, Kiselounts (although they are now scarce in the wild) and Mexotrills (with which they are mutual predators). Despite being known to prey on most other local forms of animate life, it would be inaccurate to call the Tinkorements the most hostile creatures on Joltendio, seeing as they are not always so vicious. The Tinkorement possesses what essentially amounts to a split personality, with its default disposition being harmless and passive and its alternate "form", which gradually emerges and takes over as the beast grows hungry, being just about as vicious as any non–demonic predator anywhere. And while most predatory creatures attack and kill only when they are hungry and feel the need to, none have as evident a duality as the Tinkorement, whose passive state, as it reemerges after eating, appears to be oblivious to the very existence of its counterpart; the "transformation" from either state to the other is clearly involuntary. In their peaceful state, Tinkorements will never attack even if threatened, though this is largely a non–issue, as the only creatures that will ever naturally attack them are the Mexotrills, who rarely, if ever, leave their own territory to seek their rivals out; when the two creatures fight, the Tinkorement(s) is/are almost always the initial aggressor.
Tinkorements live mainly in the deeper parts of Joltendio's pseudo–forests/jungles, with their legs possessing great speed and stamina and allowing them to easily travel well beyond the immediate regions where they make their homes. They each operate alone most of the time, being apathetic towards one another, but sometimes form temporary groups, mainly for the purpose of taking down Mexotrills, which they are seldom able to outmatch when attacking alone. Tinkorements notably have two pairs of eyes, with the outer, very "buggy" eyes on the sides of their heads providing a completely standard range of vision and the inner, bright red eyes providing infrared and X–ray vision when active, during which times they glow dimly but visibly. Whether it be by coincidence or intelligent design, this trait heavily compliments the creature's dual nature. The durability value of the average adult Tinkorement is 800.
• Poxiwolp: An amphibious crustacean that is generally seen as being useful for little more than food. Poxiwolps are the most water–dependent animals on Joltendio (which is to say that their hydration needs are average by general standards), and they make their homes in and near the large, shaded oases sprinkled across the planet's otherwise drier–than–most landscape. They are omnivores, mainly eating the leafy greens and small marine life forms found in said areas, are not a predatory threat to any of the other Joltendion species showcased in this very entry, and are, indeed, the only animals listed here that the Silahsomes hunt and eat. Physically, Poxiwolps are short and stout, having rather large craniums and lower bodies with five point–ended legs that resemble hands/feet and their digits. Their actual hands consist of claws similar to those of the Tinkorements; another example of the often–overlapping genes present in Joltendio's creatures. Poxiwolps are of very little intelligence, with their activities largely being limited to eating, excreting, breeding and aimlessly waddling or swimming around. The durability value range of the Poxiwolp is 400–500.
The next three creatures, seen to the right of the former five, are inhabitants of the Demioid homeworld of Zornemim.
• Kingletort: A large, lumbering and lumberingly large quadruped that has long been used by Demioid aggressor forces, both of the original military and of the Dynamo Legion, as a weaponized war beast, and the only significant creature to be prominently and successfully exploited by the Demioids in this way, as opposed to being one of many varieties as is the case with Gorlunian war beasts. Kingletorts possess elevated bodies held up by very long legs, necks that are (proportionally) even longer than said legs and support rather small heads, and lengthy, segmented tails with large, blunt and heavy end–pieces. They may stand up to or even more than twenty feet tall, though their overall body mass is lesser than that of the comparable Ergnoplian Treymozes, and have durability values ranging from 3,000 to 4,000. Other physical features of the Kingletort that are worth mentioning are the four arced, pillar–like structures on its back and the thick beard on the chin of most males. Despite being herbivores, Kingletorts are highly aggressive and territorial, attacking at the slightest provocation, or even for no apparent reason. In nature, they live among traveling herds of their own kind, which are each led by what Demioids have insistently termed an "Omega–male". The role of omega–male is frequently fought over, often leading to fights but rarely to deaths – after all, a Kingletort can take a lot of abuse, and is intelligent enough to know when it is outmatched without needing to be fatally wounded to realize this.
Roughly one–third of all Kingletorts are presently kept in captivity by the Demioid population. Initially taming them was highly difficult on the part of the wicked humanoids, with the process of securing the animals as a loyal asset taking a matter of years and resulting in much loss of life for both concerned species. After the initial "batch" was successfully tamed, however, obtaining more of the creatures became much easier, since the offspring and subsequent descendants of those captured from nature could be trained starting at birth. Demioid–controlled Kingletorts are generally used in tank–like roles, being ridden by anywhere from one to several soldiers at a time and providing elevated positions to fire down at enemies on the ground from. They also can, and have been, further trained to demolish small or medium–sized buildings.
• Sisealiun: A hostile arthropod of moderate size and having an uncommon body shape in which the "upper" part of the body is positioned upright but the "lower" half is elapsed horizontally so that the creature can walk on all six of its slender legs. It possesses a long, muscly tail ending in a potent stinger that injects venom which is more often than not fatal to most humanoids and consistently carries the nearly immediate effects of severe swelling and paralysis. Death, when it does occur, strikes following a deceptive delay of several hours, after which the more immediate symptoms have usually started to subside, thus potentially giving victims a false sense of recovery, assuming they escaped the attacking creature in the first place after being stung. While this is obviously the Sisealiun's primary method of attack, it may also attempt to inflict harm using its clawed hands, which are basic as far as appendages of that description go. Sisealiuns exhibit significant amounts of the wrinkled, squishy flesh that is found in some form in all Zornemian creatures and which may or may not be an effect of the long–standing demonic influences on the planet, it being present mainly on their particularly wide craniums. They are immune to being harmed by most poisons (predictably including their own), acids and other volatile substances and are known for recovering from injuries the equivalents of which would be fatal to almost any other creature; this is to say that even when a Sisealiun appears to be dead or dying, it may very well not be. Despite this, they have ironically short natural lifespans, seldom living for more than twenty years. The durability value of any Sisealiun specimen can be expected to be no less than 500 and no more than 900.
Sisealiuns live in groups of six–to–twelve in hives/nests that are variably located either underground or in craters. These nests provide not only shelter for both living specimens and eggs (which are produced through standard intercourse–induced fertilization, are laid in batches of three–to–five, and hatch very quickly but have a high stillbirth rate), but also for storing food supplies in the form of victims whose decomposition is slowed by the very same venom that killed them. These creatures are considered vile even by the vile–in–their–own–right Demioids, whose various attempts to tame Sisealiuns for usage as attack/guard animals have consistently failed.
• Naimosper: Considered the least repugnant of Zornemim's native creatures, which is not saying much, the Naimosper is a passive beast–hominid that eats only plants and small insects and attacks only when threatened. It is similar to a Trylepibe in both size and durability value (~500), and can be distinguished by its large, webbed hands and, even more strikingly, its secondary pair of eyes, the spheres comprising which sit atop thick, ropey tentacles that protrude from the sides of the creature's head. The Naimosper's large, heavy, semi–metallic feat which produce louder–than–average footsteps when hitting the ground are also worthy of note. The creature's "face" consists of two vertically–stacked eyes, between which is a small, simple slit of a mouth, surrounded by several bumps/splotches of varying color. It has no visible nose nor ears, and its sensory organs for both smell and hearing are instead collectively contained within the thousands of tiny pores that cover the surface of its body, with the greatest concentration being in/on the hands. When threatened or otherwise provoked, a Naimosper will attack with slaps and punches, and if it manages to incapacitate its attacker or attackers, it will usually flee as soon as they are incapacitated, rather than deliberately finishing them off. Naimospers are the most common prey of Sisealiuns, and Trylepibes have also been known to eat them on occasion. Due to longtime Demioid domination and exploitation of Zornemim and its resources, their numbers plummeted in the decades leading up to the evil humanoids' height of power under the Dynamo Legion, with the Naimosper species eventually becoming severely endangered shortly before the defeat of the Dynamo Legion by the Eggmen Super Team and their allies, after which its population returned to normal levels and became stable again due to the resultant collapse of Demioid society.
At the bottom–left is the sole demon variety that will be catalogued in this particular grouping of beings:
• Veksinpora: A small humanoid demon, being marginally larger than a Shindoke, with an armored physique and some mechanical qualities. Veksinporas are agents of toxicity, pollution and, more specifically, chemical warfare, with their main ability being the production and spreading of poisonous gases, mainly of the sulfuric and arsenic varieties. These gases are primarily emitted in streams through the pair of chimney–like structures jutting out diagonally from the top of the Veksinpora's head, but can also be manifested in small, functionally grenade–like spheres of energy conjured in the demon's hands. In either case, these poisonous attacks rely on Infernal Energy, of which a Veksinpora possesses a moderately deep, regenerating personal supply, to be activated. This demon is asexual in every way, although its voice, while still somewhat androgynous, resembles that of a male more–so than a female voice. On its lower face is a perpetually present gas mask–like mouthpiece that prevents it from eating, not that it requires any physical sustenance, which most demons do not. On a Veksinpora's back is an almost reptilian shell (pictured here to the left of the creature's frontal–view main image) which displays a hazard symbol positioned parallel to but distinct from another, different hazard symbol on its chest. If this shell is removed, which is extremely difficult to do by force, the Veksinpora will die, but not before releasing a massive payload of particularly deadly toxins that basically constitute an explosion. As a suicide attack, this can be trigger this voluntarily, but unlike other beings capable of offensive self–destruction, Veksinporas have an above–average sense of self–preservation, and because of this self–worth they will do this only as a true last resort; only in situations where death seems guaranteed either way.
The Veksinpora is usually said to have been one of the final extant species of demon to come into existence, with the first "batch" supposedly spawning in and around the City of Drenn near the time of the Relative Calendar's invention (i.e. shortly either before or after Age 0) and the first recorded sighting of one in the mortal realm taking place in Age 12. The Veksinpora's overall level of power is on par with that of the "Greater Beings" of each of the Seven Deadly Sins, and it is sometimes referred to by the colloquially–assigned title of "Being of Pestilence". Its durability value is a precise 800, and there seems to be little variation, in terms of both abilities and physical form, between individual specimens. Veksinporas are more intelligent and articulate than most demons, their personalities being much like the Hoilidants' would be were those demons not so inherently predisposed to subservience; this is to say that they are sophisticated and pragmatic, but usually disgruntled. Though Veksinporas can speak fluently in terms of wording, their speech, as it is heard by those around them, always ends up coming out in muffled form due to their "masks"; this contributes to their aforementioned general disgruntlement.
A great number of Veksinporas have worked for the Arcane Order, sometimes as "sleeper agents" and generally taking orders from Princess Tzsicsz (who has some powers similar to theirs). Most notably, the demons almost certainly provided the inspiration for and definitely provided much of the bodily material for the creation of Lord Reson's artificial bioweapon known as Toxie #6, for which potentially hundreds of them were cannibalized. The "terms" of their being sacrificed to create the pseudo–Abomination are uncertain, but given the relatively high value they tend to place on their own individual lives, it seems unlikely that all of these Veksinporas gave themselves up voluntarily.
The final three creatures in this meta–set are all mortal animals, each coming from a different planet.
• Pegushike: A hostile large insectoid found on Finngaed, the Omega Octant planet ruled by the vampiric but mostly peaceful Wabacawlers. It is the most prominent local hazard that said humanoids have to deal with when traveling, and furthermore, due to its lack of warm blood, they cannot use it for feeding (or any other constructive purpose, for that matter). The Pegushike is known for its obscene number of limbs, having exactly a dozen – six arms and the same number of legs – in total. While its six legs are identical in form to one another, having standard shafts and clawed, lightly armored feet, each of the creature's three pairs of hands, as well as their respective arms, are distinct from one another. All of the Pegushike's hands, however, are simple, and having only one pair of them would be inadequate for allowing the creature to survive and thrive in nature; as it stands, the three pairs it does have need to be frequently used in conjunction with one another for maximum efficiency. These beasts have torsos that are wide and rounded but not particularly tough, and structures atop their heads that may appear to be horns but are actually soft nervous muscles which constitute the most vulnerable points on the creatures' exteriors. They are rarely, if ever, found alone; the presence of one Pegushike usually signifies that more are nearby, even if their positions are not readily visible; note that they commonly use hide–and–ambush tactics. While attacking, the primary instruments used by Pegushikes for inflicting harm are their mouths and teeth; here, their hands are used mainly for getting a hold of prey, rather than for directly dealing fatal blows. Pegushikes vary considerably in size, stand anywhere from two to four feet tall during adulthood. Their durability values, which generally correspond with the relative sizes of various individuals, range from 300 to 600.
• Mingoradra: An obscure and strange beast that inhabits the equally obscure and strange planet of Brinanzy, best known as the homeworld of the unintelligible Manciatents. Mingoradras are slug–like creatures of limited proportional girth but large body scale, the lengths of their partially–upright forms reaching upwards of twenty feet in some specimens and them being the largest native creatures on their planet. They are very chaotic and unpredictable beings with inconsistent behavior in terms of their dispositions toward Manciatents, being known to sometimes be so aggressive as to venture into Manciatent settlements and attack the inhabitants without provocation, while at other times remaining passive even when the humanoids venture into their territories within Brinanzy's swamps, forests and moist caves. Being a simple sort of folk and lacking much physical brawn with which to fight the creatures, the Manciatents usually play things safe by trying to avoid Mingoradras whenever possible, not just due to the possibility that they will attack but also, in part, because they are just plain creepy. The Mingoradra is one of the only creatures to possess multiple heads… of sorts. While the creature does have three separate articles resembling heads, only one of these, the central one which sits atop the torso in a fairly standard manner, contains a brain. This disproportionately small main head resembles raw flesh in texture and features a small mouth with very thick and prominent lips, three minuscule, pupilless eyes in a horizontal row, and no other features. The other, peripheral two "heads" are attached to long, flexible articles that largely resemble arms but are officially classified as necks, and consist mainly of large, singular eyes and sharp–toothed mouths that can flip open so widely as to make the head itself resembles a toilet bowl. Both the visual organs and the mouth organs on the Mingoradra's peripheral quasi–heads are far more powerful and useful than their weak counterparts on the creature's primary head, and thus it is them on which the beast primarily relies for seeing and eating, with its actual head mainly serving only as a control center. Behind each of the three heads is a cartilaginous half–cylinder–like structure that seems to be present to prevent decapitation. Each of the Mingoradra's actual arms, located further down the torso, branches into two "sub–arms" at the midway point equivalent to an elbow joint, resulting in the creature having four hands, the "extras" of which possess more claw–like fingers compared to the "normal" hands. The durability value of an average Mingoradra is 1,200–1,500.
• Critsauda: A mammal of average size found on Ithpinbo, the pseudo–jewel–laden home of the blissfully ignorant Wevaracti. It is currently listed as a "threatened" species and monitored as such, with dozens of specimens being kept in multiple off–world MetaQuariums just in case. Critsaudas are about four feet tall, and walk on four sturdy, closely packed legs and feet while having upright torsos, a body shape shared with relatively few other creatures. They have very long, gangly arms that are significantly hairier than any other parts of their bodies and each boast two upward–curving "spikes" projecting from their rear–sides. Similar protrusions are also present near the creature's waist level. The Critsauda has poor overall eyesight, constantly experiencing a visual filter that essentially amounts to moderate diplopia (double–vision), but this is compensated for by very acute hearing. Critsaudas are omnivorous but tend to lean towards primarily plant–based diets, and while normally living alone following the roughly three–year period for which they are raised by their mothers (fathers move on almost immediately after mating), they are known to sometimes form temporary cooperative groups, which individuals may join and leave as they please. The true defining trait of the Critsauda, however, is not any of these attributes, and relates neither to body shape nor behavior, but rather to body composition. This creature's body naturally contains and grows, particularly in the chest cavity and atop the head, a variation of sapphire crystal. This crystal, which naturally occurs only within the bodies of Critsaudas, is considered the rarest and most sought–after substance on Ithpinbo, where all the other jewel–like materials whose presence is a defining feature of the planet are too abundant for obtaining them to be a real issue, and the only Ithpinbon jewel that is worth significant coin off–world. This has caused Critsaudas to be hunted, or rather poached, by both Wevaracti and traveling seekers of profit for their crystals, the removal of which is fatal, which in turn is the reason for the creature's semi–endangered status and increasing rarity.
The Critsauda's maximum lifespan is about forty years, though crippling symptoms of old age begin to set in shortly after the age of thirty, and it is rare for one of the animals to survive long enough to be able to die of old age, especially given that it is frequently hunted by humanoids. Its mean durability value is 750; slightly higher than it would be were it not for the creature's crystalline features.
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