View allAll Photos Tagged SPACING
Done with weeding, watering constantly & heavily, & gaining very little produce from it, I went against many of the rules in my garden this year. Those spacing suggestions on seed packages ? Fuggetabout'em ! I have beans planted 2" apart, and they produce like crazy. I made a hill & put inside it loofah, crookneck squash, & birdhouse gourd seeds. Crowded as can be, but again, they are doing great. I have six tomato plants - Mr Stripey, Amish Paste, 2 Mama Leones ( because I accidentally broke the top off the original when it was newly planted; in irritation, I stuck it in a hill of compost hoping it would grow - both parts did ! ), and 2 mystery volunteers that are likely mini yellow pears crammed into this space. There are also four kinds of green beans, and the pole types are refusing to climb the trellises or poles. Somewhere in there is some late-starting lettuce. There's Job's Tears - a grass-family ornamental whose seeds are used in beadwork - and the loofah and the gourds, marigolds, and an out-of-control purple sage. Watermelons, too. Oh, and potatoes ! More potatoes than I thought I could ever grow. To walk in the garden, I have to push aside leaves & stems to clear safe footing
How big is my garden ? About six feet @ its widest point, and maybe twenty feet long. No weeds because the soil doesn't see the light of day, so neither do weed seeds. And all that shade, along with the added compost keeps the soil moist so I don't have to water nearly so much! No pesticides, even organic ones, thanks to a bumper crop of ladybugs & mantises this Spring. I'll have to see if I can keep this production up in the winter garden.
What you don't see - the horseradish & carrots growing in separate pots just outside the garden; six fruit trees beyond the cherry ( Asian pear, peach, apricot, plum, star guava & Meyer lemon ); blueberries that will hopefully produce a lot next year; a Thompson grape vine; and a Dr Hurd manzanita, which I've always wanted & recently discovered the fruit makes a great jelly.
As a bonus shot from the walk up street, I chanced across 901, of which had also been recently repainted into the new livery before the lockdown occured. Unfortunately, that repaint seemingly meant the issuing of a new number plate for some reason, and as you can see, the spacing between the letters and numbers is all off. I don't understand that. Why was it necessary? Ruins an otherwise fairly-average bus if you know what the number plate originally was laid out like.
Having recently been repainted a few months back, East Yorkshire's 901, a 2011 ADL Enviro 400H originally registered YX11 DVH, now since converted to a diesel engine, is seen here on Holderness Road working a very empty 57 service towards Longhill & ASDA.
DISCLAIMER: Photo was taken in my allotted daily exercise at a responsible distance from others and without straying too far from home - in this case, I was taking part in my daily social distancing walk within the confines of my local area. My policy is now ‘whatever comes, if you haven’t got it, get it’. I am doing my best to maintain social distancing guidelines during my time outside and so should you - stay safe, stay home; protect the NHS. Please do not travel on buses unless it is for essential purposes.
Technical Manual: Chromolithographic Production of a Decorative Trunk-Lid Print (c. 1880s)
This decorative trunk-lid image was created by chromolithography, the leading high-quality color printing process of the late 19th century. It combined freehand artistry for pictorial elements with precise mechanical drawing for borders and geometric motifs. The process was entirely manual in this period—no photographic separations were used—and required exacting craftsmanship to produce a richly layered, perfectly registered color image.
I. Detailed Process Description
1. The Key Stone
The process began with the “key” or outline stone.
The lithographer drew the full design, in reverse, on a smooth, polished slab of Bavarian limestone using greasy lithographic crayon or tusche (greasy ink).
This stone carried all outlines, contour lines, and key shading cues.
Registration marks—crosses or pinholes in the margins—were incorporated so that every later color impression could be matched precisely to it.
For geometric elements such as borders, frames, corner ornaments, or medallion arcs, the lithographer employed rulers, straightedges, compasses, and French curves. This ensured perfect parallelism, uniform line width, and symmetry. Repeating motifs in borders were often laid out with dividers or spacing marks before being finished by hand.
The key drawing integrated these mechanically precise elements seamlessly with freehand rendering of organic forms such as the woman’s portrait, foliage, and landscape details.
After completion, the stone surface was chemically treated with gum arabic and dilute nitric acid so that greasy image areas would accept oil-based ink while the blank areas repelled it.
2. Creating the Faint Guide Transfers
The key stone was inked in a neutral tone—commonly light grey, sepia, or pale ochre.
Impressions were pulled onto specially prepared transfer paper coated with a thin layer of adhesive such as gelatin.
These impressions, called “transfers” or “pulls”, were strong enough to be visible but pale enough not to interfere with later color drawing.
Each transfer sheet was placed face down on a blank polished stone and run through the press under pressure. The greasy ink transferred into the pores of the new stone’s surface, producing a pale, precise replica of the entire design.
One transfer was made for each color stone planned—often 8–15 for a richly shaded piece like this.
3. Drawing Each Color Stone by Hand
On each transferred stone, the lithographer worked only on the areas to be printed in that stone’s specific color.
Pictorial areas (faces, floral elements, landscape features) were rendered freehand using stipple dots, hatching, and textured crayon marks to create tonal gradations.
Geometric areas (borders, lines, decorative panels) in that color were drawn using rulers, compasses, and templates to maintain straightness, curvature, and even spacing.
The lithographer had to anticipate how transparent inks would overlap with others to form new colors. This required leaving certain areas open, or creating deliberate overlaps to produce secondary hues (e.g., printing blue over yellow to make green).
No photographic separation was used—color interpretation was entirely a matter of artistic judgment.
4. Judgement and Artistry
Transparent inks meant the lithographer had to visualize the cumulative result of multiple layers before printing began.
Overlaps were planned to achieve desired hues without muddying.
In complex areas like the sitter’s complexion, effects were built up by combining a base tone (e.g., pale yellow) with flesh pink and then adding subtle shading through stippling or fine hatching in a darker tint.
5. Proofing and Adjustments
After each stone was drawn, a proof print was pulled.
Registration was checked against the key, and tonal balance was evaluated.
Corrections could be made by grinding down areas of the stone with pumice or adding new greasy drawing where needed.
Proofing and correction cycles continued until every stone printed cleanly and registered perfectly with the others.
6. Sequential Printing
Printing typically began with the lightest colors and progressed to the darkest.
Each sheet of paper was dampened, aligned to the registration marks, and printed one color at a time.
After each pass, the sheet was dried (or re-dampened if needed) before receiving the next color.
Transparent inks allowed optical blending—yellow printed first, blue later, producing green in overlapping areas.
Borders and other critical alignment points were checked with each pass to maintain precision.
II. Probable Color Sequence for This Print
Based on late-19th-century practice and the observed palette of your trunk-lid image:
Light Yellow – Base tone for foliage highlights, ribbon accents, and underpainting for skin tones.
Light Pink / Flesh Tint – Applied over yellow in portrait areas; also in floral details.
Sky Blue – Ribbon background, water, and cool shadows; provides base for greens when overprinted with yellow.
Light Green – Foliage tints achieved by printing over yellow and/or blue.
Warm Ochre / Buff – Mid-tone background fills and ornamental elements.
Mid-Red / Rose – Floral accents, ribbon details, lips and cheeks.
Dark Green – Deep foliage shadows and ornamental border accents.
Dark Blue – Shading in ribbon folds, water, and certain border areas.
Brown – Hair, tree trunks, warm shadow areas.
Black (Key Plate) – Final pass, reinforcing outlines, details, and definition.
Note: Some printers reversed steps 9 and 10, but decorative trunk-lid work typically saved the black for last to achieve maximum crispness in outlines.
III. Size
\Commercial chromolithography in the 19th century had a surprisingly wide size range, and by the 1880s there were presses and stones capable of printing very large sheets—but “routine” sizes were smaller than the record-breakers.
Here’s what the sources indicate:
Typical Commercial Sizes
Most advertising chromos and decorative prints (trade cards, cigar labels, trunk-lid liners, calendars) were under 18 × 24 inches (45 × 60 cm).
This size range kept stone weight manageable (under ~40–50 lbs) and allowed fast presswork without excessive paper costs.
Large-Format Work in Regular Use
By the 1870s–1890s, firms in the U.S., Britain, France, and Germany routinely printed posters, maps, and wall charts up to about 24 × 36 inches (61 × 91 cm) in a single sheet.
Large railroad and theater posters were sometimes printed as multiple sheets to be joined after printing—each sheet a separate lithographic run.
Stones for these larger single sheets could weigh 200–300 lbs, which was about the upper limit for regular commercial handling.
Extra-Large (Occasional, Not Routine)
A few specialized presses and workshops produced single-sheet chromolithographs up to 30 × 40 inches (76 × 102 cm) or even 40 × 60 inches (102 × 152 cm).
These were not everyday jobs—they required special heavy presses and crews to handle the stones. Examples include:
French art publishers like Lemercier producing oversize posters for exhibitions in the 1870s–1880s.
American billboard chromos in the 1890s printed for product advertising; often pasted in sections, but sometimes one monumental sheet if the client paid the premium.
Why “Routine” Stopped Around 24 × 36 inches
Larger stones became exponentially heavier and harder to keep in register.
The risk of breaking a costly Bavarian limestone during handling increased with size.
Press speeds dropped as sheet size increased, making large runs slower and more expensive.
Bottom line:
Routine large commercial chromolithographs: up to about 24 × 36 inches (61 × 91 cm) in a single sheet.
Specialized/occasional work: up to about 40 × 60 inches (102 × 152 cm), but rare and costly.
Anything bigger was usually produced as multiple sheets to be assembled on site.
IV. Estimated Production Time for Initial Creation
Based on period trade manuals and documented work rates in late-19th-century lithographic shops:
Drawing the Key Stone: 2–4 days (18–30 hours)
Printing Key Transfers to Color Stones: 0.5–1 day
Drawing All Color Stones:
Simple stones (flat color fills): ~1 day each
Complex stones (shaded or detailed): 1.5–2 days each
For a 10-color job: ~14–18 days total
Proofing and Corrections: 3–5 days
Total Working Time: ≈ 20–28 working days
Elapsed Time: ≈ 4–6 weeks for one lithographer/artist, supported by press operators.
Large firms with multiple artists could reduce elapsed time, but decorative trunk-lid work was often done at an artisanal pace rather than mass-production speed.
Total direct chromolithographic employment in U.S. ca. 1890–1900: ~10,000–12,000 workers.
(This excludes related trades like engravers, photographers, and bindery workers who might work with litho output.)
V. Estimated 1880s Production Cost
Using data from American and British lithographic trade catalogs, printers’ journals, and jobbing price lists from the 1870s–1890s:
Artist’s Fee (design and stone drawing): $25–$40
Stone Preparation & Etching: $5–$8
Presswork per Color: $1.50–$3 per 1,000 impressions, per color stone
Materials:
Bavarian limestones (reusable): $3–$5 each (capital cost)
Inks and gum/acid solutions: $2–$4 per job
Transfer paper: ~$1 per job
Overhead (shop labor, utilities, depreciation): $5–$10 per job
For a 10-color image at a run of 500–1,000 prints:
Total Cost to Client (1880s): ≈ $50–$75
Higher runs reduced per-unit cost sharply, but initial image creation (especially artist’s labor) was a fixed, front-loaded expense.
VI Occupational Hazards in 19th-Century Chromolithography
While the 1880s chromolithographic process produced vivid, durable images, it also exposed workers to toxic pigments, solvents, and dusts. These materials posed significant health risks, and historical evidence from trade journals, factory inspection reports, and medical literature of the period confirms that occupational disease was common in the printing trades, including lithography.
1. Pigments
Many of the brilliant, permanent colors relied on heavy-metal compounds. Examples include:
Chrome Yellow – Lead chromate (PbCrO₄). Bright, opaque yellow used for ornaments and underlayers. Risks: lead poisoning (anemia, colic, neurological damage) and chromium-induced skin and respiratory irritation.
Emerald Green / Paris Green – Copper acetoarsenite. Vivid green for foliage and decorative borders. Risks: arsenic poisoning (skin lesions, respiratory illness, systemic toxicity).
Vermilion – Mercuric sulfide (HgS). Rich red for accents. Risks: mercury poisoning (tremors, mood disorders, cognitive decline).
White highlights – Lead carbonate (PbCO₃). Risks: lead poisoning.
Red lead (Pb₃O₄) – Used for some warm red tones. Risks: lead poisoning.
Cobalt pigments – Blues; less toxic than lead or arsenic but hazardous in dust form.
Prussian Blue – Ferric ferrocyanide; relatively low toxicity, but dust inhalation was still discouraged.
Exposure pathways: Pigment dust during grinding/mixing; skin contact; ingestion via contaminated hands or food.
2. Inks and Solvents
Oil-based inks were ground with linseed oil and diluted with turpentine or benzene-type solvents.
Benzene, not yet recognized as a carcinogen, was associated with dizziness, headaches, and chronic neurological symptoms in exposed workers.
Turpentine caused skin irritation and, in high vapor concentrations, respiratory distress.
3. Etching and Stone Preparation
Etching solution: Gum arabic mixed with dilute nitric acid. Nitric acid vapors could irritate eyes, throat, and lungs.
Stone graining/polishing: Pumice and sand were used to prepare stones, generating silica dust, a cause of silicosis with chronic inhalation.
4. Documented Health Effects
Contemporary medical and trade sources document:
Lead poisoning (“painter’s colic,” tremors, muscle weakness, abdominal pain, memory loss).
Arsenic toxicity (skin eruptions, sore throat, chronic cough, systemic symptoms).
Mercury poisoning (tremor, mood instability, cognitive changes).
Chronic bronchitis and eye irritation from acid fumes.
Silicosis in long-serving stone preparers and press workers exposed to fine dust.
5. Workplace Practices
Little or no protective equipment was used.
Workers frequently ate, drank, or smoked at their benches.
Ventilation was often inadequate, especially in winter when windows stayed closed.
Mechanical pigment mixers and enclosed presses, which reduced dust and vapor exposure, only began to appear in larger firms in the late 19th century.
Conclusion:
The production of chromolithographs in the 1880s was not only an artistic and technical achievement but also a process with significant hidden costs to the health of the workers who produced them. The durability and brilliance of these prints often came at the expense of prolonged exposure to lead, arsenic, mercury, acid vapors, and fine dust—a reality rarely acknowledged in decorative trade literature of the period.
VII. Summary
This 1880s trunk-lid chromolithograph was the product of 20–28 working days of skilled labor by a lithographer, supported by a press crew, and costing the client the equivalent of several thousand dollars in today’s money.
It required:
Freehand artistry for portraits, landscapes, and organic elements.
Ruler-and-compass precision for ornamental borders and geometric motifs.
Stone-by-stone planning of transparent color overlaps.
Exact registration across 10 separate printings.
The result was a brilliantly colored, durable image, perfectly suited to enliven the interior of a travel trunk—and to survive for well over a century.
Supplement
i. The development of chromolithography in the Europe and the US.
Europe: Development
Early 19th century – Foundations in Bavaria and France
Senefelder himself experimented with multi-color printing almost from the start (he wrote about “polyautography” in his 1818 treatise), but the technical and economic obstacles kept most lithography single-color for decades.
1830s – Practical multi-color experiments in France
The first systematic attempts to produce full-color lithographs by using separate stones for each color occurred in France. The printer Godefroy Engelmann of Mulhouse and Paris is widely credited with perfecting the process and securing a patent for “chromolithographie” in 1837.
Engelmann’s innovation was to work out methods for precise registration of multiple stones, using transparent inks to blend colors and produce painterly effects.
1840s – Refinement in Paris and Munich
French and Bavarian firms refined techniques for preparing multiple stones, planning color separations, and printing in sequence. Early chromolithographs were often high-art reproductions—costly, with limited runs.
Europe: Commercialization
1850s – Popularization in France, Germany, and Britain
Advances in presses, inks, and stone preparation allowed larger runs at lower cost. In Paris, firms like Lemercier mass-produced decorative prints, maps, and reproductions. In Munich, firms like Strixner & Cie became known for rich color art plates. In Britain, the process was adopted for book illustration and advertising.
1850s–1860s – Introduction to the United States
Chromolithography reached the U.S. in the early 1840s, but true commercial-scale production took off after the Boston lithographer Louis Prang began producing high-quality, multi-color prints in the 1860s.
Prang’s work—especially his Christmas cards and art reproductions—made chromolithography a household term in America.
1870s–1890s – Peak commercial use
By this period, chromolithography had become the dominant method for high-quality color printing in advertising (trade cards, posters, packaging), decorative art prints, maps, and ephemera such as the trunk-lid prints you’re studying. The combination of improved stone-handling, faster presses, and cheaper inks made it possible to produce vivid, durable color images for a mass market.
Timeline: Chromolithography in the United States
1820s – First lithographic presses appear in major U.S. cities; work is monochrome, with color added by hand.
1840s – Small-scale multi-color experiments begin in American shops. Imported European chromolithographs are sold to wealthy buyers but domestic production is limited.
1850s – Chromolithography begins to be practiced in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, often by immigrant printers trained in Europe. Still mainly used for maps, sheet music covers, and decorative prints.
1860s – Louis Prang of Boston pioneers high-quality American chromolithography. His “Prang’s Chromos” (art reproductions and greeting cards) become nationally known. Multi-stone, transparent-ink printing becomes more common in U.S. advertising and fine-art work.
1870s – Rapid expansion of chromolithography in commercial advertising. Used for trade cards, cigar box labels, and posters. Printing technology improves, allowing finer registration and larger press runs.
1880s–1890s – Chromolithography reaches industrial scale in the U.S. Bright, durable color images appear on everything from product packaging to educational charts and decorative items such as trunk-lid liners. Multi-stone printing (8–12 colors) is standard for high-quality work, with both freehand and ruler-based drafting techniques used in the same design.
ii The End of Commercial Chromolithography
How Rapidly Chromolithography Was Abandoned
1890s: Chromolithography still dominant for posters, packaging, and decorative prints, but halftone work begins to capture advertising and magazine illustration.
1900–1910: Offset lithography and letterpress with color halftones begin to outcompete chromolithography for most commercial uses.
1910s–1920s: The shift accelerates — offset can print faster, at lower cost, with acceptable color fidelity.
Chromolithography survives mainly in high-art reproductions and specialty decorative work.
1930s: In the U.S. and Europe, chromolithography is effectively obsolete for mass-market commercial jobs. The skill of hand-drawing multi-stone separations becomes rare.
Post-1930s: Only a few fine-art printers and specialty houses continue using chromolithography, often as a deliberate artisanal choice rather than a commercial necessity.
This text is a collaboration with Chat GPT.
This is the best of a bad bunch ...it was one of those days, I just wasn't focussed (pun intended); of about 40 shots there were only two that were even worth trying to salvage - thank heavens for Photoshop!
Handheld, 18 mm, ISO200, f/8, 1/160 sec, polarising filter. The port side of the wreck was in the shade, so I converted the raw file to three tiffs at 2EV spacings and tonemapped in Photomatix to create a 'false HDR'.
___________________________________________________________________________________
This picture is #14 in my View 52 project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at View 52: A Year in Pictures
Map of Alaska with old paper style background using "Multiply" blending mode to combine map and background. Map labels use different spacings between characters.
Find the instructions to recreate this map at anitagraser.com/2013/07/29/vintage-map-design-using-qgis/.
Paper background from lostandtaken.com/gallery/antique7.html
Data from QGIS sample dataset and Natural Earth project.
In the DUNE universe interplanetary travel is facililitated by the secretive Spacing Guild, whose Navigators (humans mutated by Spice and confined to tanks filed with the melange gas) can "Fold Space" to move thier enourmous ships instantaneously from one place in the galaxy to another.
This MOC is my vision of one of the mighty Heighliner's filled with many smaller ships from various Houses across the Imperium, perhaps even House Atreides on their wat to Arrakis.
Although the design is my own it takes inspiration from the visuals in both the David Lynch movie from 1984 and the 2000 Sci-Fi miniseries.
The Spice Must Flow!
In the DUNE universe interplanetary travel is facililitated by the secretive Spacing Guild, whose Navigators (humans mutated by Spice and confined to tanks filed with the melange gas) can "Fold Space" to move thier enourmous ships instantaneously from one place in the galaxy to another.
This MOC is my vision of one of the mighty Heighliner's filled with many smaller ships from various Houses across the Imperium, perhaps even House Atreides on their wat to Arrakis.
Although the design is my own it takes inspiration from the visuals in both the David Lynch movie from 1984 and the 2000 Sci-Fi miniseries.
The Spice Must Flow!
Letter spacing is far too loose and the use of the long s is wrong. According to the spelling reform of 2006 Imbiß should be spelled Imbiss. Imbiss with two long s has never been right. The spelling of the lettering in the back is correct.
Four of my images are on the inside front cover of the latest issue of Toronto's award winning Spacing Magazine. My thanks to editor Matt Blackett for putting them in there!
it was an interesting feeling when I saw spacing magazine (and my photo on the cover) in the middle of all the big name magazines. taken in toronto's "pages" bookstore.
My goal with spacing these farewell shots out so far from each other was to make the time away from my dolls seem shorter for me. It worked, lol! I'm going to be back home for a few days during the middle of the month, and I'll see my girls then. So excited: cats, dolls, and home sweet home! (Oh, and it'll be nice to see my parents too, I suppose, XD)
Tinny, I miss you darling, and I can't wait to dress you in some fall clothes and take your picture properly (I had to really edit this one to bits) 8D.
140/365
A digital painting portraying a nearby house decorated for the Christmas holiday. A seven shot series, at 1 ev. spacing, was merged to HDR, tonemapped and then loaded into Pixel Bender to produce the painterly effect.
It is most important that the spacer does his job perfectly and give the welder an even 1/16" all around.
This is the first of 5 welding passes called running beads.
Always have your best welder on beads. Too much penetration, and you have grapes inside the pipe, not enough and you have a porosity issue. Either way, it will show up on X-ray and it will have to be cut out.
This is Trevor, he was our top dog !
This photo shows the spacing cabinet opened and the cover removed from the stone. It is actually an 18" x 24" machinist's plate made by Challenge machinery (the same folks who made the stones we are all familiar with, as well as cutters and other printer's tools) it is only lacking the rabbetted edge. It is one of the most important tools in the shop.
.... Since 2004, Spacing Magazine has been creating unique Toronto-centric merchandise. The store opened in 2014 and has become the go-to location for authentic merchandise that captures the spirit of Toronto and its neighborhoods. Spacing Magazine works directly with designers, artists, and makers who are producing unique objects that celebrate Toronto.
This is even noisier than the block circumferences, probably because it is harder to say whether a point counts as being on a street than it is to say whether it is within a block, and because offset intersections can cause street segments that are smaller than real blocks. Spikes for particular block sizes are also especially evident, notably the 260-foot intersection spacing on north-south New York streets and the 900-foot spacing on South of Market San Francisco streets, a block length that is long enough to work poorly just about anywhere else. The green line is the 999th permillile of all blocks of a given length.
Even with the noise and the spikes, though, there is enough of a curve to suggest that maximum popularity is found on blocks with intersection spacing of perhaps 300 feet. (This is a centerline to centerline distance, not curb to curb or building to building.)
Geotags from Flickr, Twitter, and Picasa. Street segments from Census 2010 TIGER "edges" shapefiles.
At nearly any given time during the day one can witness numerous ac on the approach into London's Heathrow airport. This is an Autumn evening.
People have asked how I built the shield generator. Here's the full technique. The outer uses 2x8 plates, with a 2x3 separating one end, and a 1x2-1x2 bracket attaching the curves (I tried using 1x2-1x4s, but the inner ring wouldn't fit on one side with them). Every fifth 2x8 plate has clips inserted to attach flex hose. The inner ring uses 1x4 plateswith a dot and bracked on one end, and a clip on the other. the clips are only half pressed in to their neighbours, so the spacing is 2½ plates at the inside end, and 3 plates at the outer end. Four inner segments are needed for every 5 outer segments. I did find the spacing of the inner segments slightly wider, so when building the full disc, it was necessary to sneak a few extra plates into the outer ring to compensate.
Hope this gives people enough to get started.
Sorry about the multi-coloured 2x8 plates - I used up all the grey ones!
See full shield generator here: www.flickr.com/photos/lostcarpark/34626045361/in/datepost...
...Look at the guy in the RV passing. That is a blind hill pass in an RV. Please calm the fuck down and don't pass. If you're on your way to Burning Man you're not in a rush by definition. I don't care how late your project is, reckless driving isn't worth it. Sorry had to rant there a little. My bad.
All rights reserved © 2010 Bernhard Egger :: rumoto images
Usage of our photographs is defined by the laws of copyright
NO RELEASE ! NO Creative Commons license | NO flickr API
Todos los derechos reservados • Tous droits réservés • Todos os direitos reservados • Все права защищены • Tutti i diritti riservati
- - - - -
BMW R 1200 CL - Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, August 2002 ... Some people consider a six-day cruise as the perfect vacation. Other's might agree, as long as the days are marked by blurred fence posts and dotted lines instead of palm trees and ocean waves. For them, BMW introduces the perfect alternative to a deck chair - the R 1200 CL.
Motorcyclists were taken aback when BMW introduced its first cruiser in 1997, but the R 1200 C quickly rose to become that year's best-selling BMW. The original has since spawned several derivatives including the Phoenix, Euro, Montana and Stiletto. This year, BMW's cruiser forms the basis for the most radical departure yet, the R 1200 CL. With its standard integral hard saddlebags, top box and distinctive handlebar-mounted fairing, the CL represents twin-cylinder luxury-touring at its finest, a completely modern luxury touring-cruiser with a touch of classic BMW.
Although based on the R 1200 C, the new CL includes numerous key changes in chassis, drivetrain, equipment and appearance, specifically designed to enhance the R 1200's abilities as a long-distance mount. While it uses the same torquey, 1170cc 61-hp version of BMW's highly successful R259 twin, the CL backs it with a six-speed overdrive transmission. A reworked Telelever increases the bike's rake for more-relaxed high-speed steering, while the fork's wider spacing provides room for the sculpted double-spoke, 16-inch wheel and 150/80 front tire. Similarly, a reinforced Monolever rear suspension controls a matching 15-inch alloy wheel and 170/80 rear tire. As you'd expect, triple disc brakes featuring BMW's latest EVO front brake system and fully integrated ABS bring the bike to a halt at day's end-and set the CL apart from any other luxury cruiser on the market.
Yet despite all the chassis changes, it's the new CL's visual statement that represents the bike's biggest break with its cruiser-mates. With its grip-to-grip sweep, the handlebar-mounted fairing evokes classic touring bikes, while the CL's distinctive quad-headlamps give the bike a decidedly avant-garde look - in addition to providing standard-setting illumination. A pair of frame-mounted lowers extends the fairing's wind coverage and provides space for some of the CL's electrics and the optional stereo. The instrument panel is exceptionally clean, surrounded by a matte gray background that matches the kneepads inset in the fairing extensions. The speedometer and tachometer flank a panel of warning lights, capped by the standard analog clock. Integrated mirror/turnsignal pods extend from the fairing to provide further wind protection. Finally, fully integrated, color-matched saddlebags combine with a standard top box to provide a steamer trunk's luggage capacity.
shown in the functional details. In addition to the beautifully finished bodywork, the luxury cruiser boasts an assortment of chrome highlights, including valve covers, exhaust system, saddlebag latches and frame panels, with an optional kit to add even more brightwork. Available colors include Pearl Silver Metallic, Capri Blue Metallic and Mojave Brown Metallic, this last with a choice of black or brown saddle (other colors feature black).
The R 1200 CL Engine: Gearing For The Long Haul
BMW's newest tourer begins with a solid foundation-the 61-hp R 1200 C engine. The original, 1170cc cruiser powerplant blends a broad powerband and instantaneous response with a healthy, 72 lb.-ft. of torque. Like its forebear, the new CL provides its peak torque at 3000 rpm-exactly the kind of power delivery for a touring twin. Motronic MA 2.4 engine management ensures that this Boxer blends this accessible power with long-term reliability and minimal emissions, while at the same time eliminating the choke lever for complete push-button simplicity. Of course, the MoDiTec diagnostic feature makes maintaining the CL every bit as simple as the other members of BMW's stable.
While tourers and cruisers place similar demands on their engines, a touring bike typically operates through a wider speed range. Consequently, the R 1200 CL mates this familiar engine to a new, six-speed transmission. The first five gear ratios are similar to the original R 1200's, but the sixth gear provides a significant overdrive, which drops engine speed well under 3000 rpm at 60 mph. This range of gearing means the CL can manage either responsive in-town running or relaxed freeway cruising with equal finesse, and places the luxury cruiser right in the heart of its powerband at touring speeds for simple roll-on passes.
In addition, the new transmission has been thoroughly massaged internally, with re-angled gear teeth that provide additional overlap for quieter running. Shifting is likewise improved via a revised internal shift mechanism that produces smoother, more precise gearchanges. Finally, the new transmission design is lighter (approximately 1 kg.), which helps keep the CL's weight down to a respectable 679 lbs. (wet). The improved design of this transmission will be adopted by other Boxer-twins throughout the coming year.
The CL Chassis: Wheeled Luggage Never Worked This Well
Every bit as unique as the CL's Boxer-twin drivetrain is the bike's chassis, leading off-literally and figuratively-with BMW's standard-setting Telelever front suspension. The CL's setup is identical in concept and function to the R 1200 C's fork, but shares virtually no parts with the previous cruiser's. The tourer's wider, 16-inch front wheel called for wider-set fork tubes, so the top triple clamp, fork bridge, fork tubes and axle have all been revised, and the axle has switched to a full-floating design. The aluminum Telelever itself has been further reworked to provide a slightly more raked appearance, which also creates a more relaxed steering response for improved straight-line stability. The front shock has been re-angled and its spring and damping rates changed to accommodate the new bike's suspension geometry, but is otherwise similar to the original R 1200 C's damper.
Similarly, the R 1200 CL's Monolever rear suspension differs in detail, rather than concept, from previous BMW cruisers. Increased reinforcing provides additional strength at the shock mount, while a revised final-drive housing provides mounts for the new rear brake. But the primary rear suspension change is a switch to a shock with travel-related damping, similar to that introduced on the R 1150 GS Adventure. This new shock not only provides for a smoother, more controlled ride but also produces an additional 20mm travel compared to the other cruisers, bringing the rear suspension travel to 4.72 inches.
The Telelever and Monolever bolt to a standard R 1200 C front frame that differs only in detail from the original. The rear subframe, however, is completely new, designed to accommodate the extensive luggage system and passenger seating on the R 1200 CL. In addition to the permanently affixed saddlebags, the larger seats, floor boards, top box and new side stand all require new mounting points.
All this new hardware rolls on completely restyled double-spoke wheels (16 x 3.5 front/15 x 4.0 rear) that carry wider, higher-profile (80-series) touring tires for an extremely smooth ride. Bolted to these wheels are larger disc brakes (12.0-inch front, 11.2-inch rear), with the latest edition of BMW's standard-setting EVO brakes. A pair of four-piston calipers stop the front wheel, paired with a two-piston unit-adapted from the K 1200 LT-at the rear. In keeping with the bike's touring orientation, the new CL includes BMW's latest, fully integrated ABS, which actuates both front and rear brakes through either the front hand lever or the rear brake pedal.
The CL Bodywork: Dressed To The Nines
Although all these mechanical changes ensure that the new R 1200 CL works like no other luxury cruiser, it's the bike's styling and bodywork that really set it apart. Beginning with the bike's handlebar-mounted fairing, the CL looks like nothing else on the road, but it's the functional attributes that prove its worth. The broad sweep of the fairing emphasizes its aerodynamic shape, which provides maximum wind protection with a minimum of buffeting. Four headlamps, with their horizontal/vertical orientation, give the CL its unique face and also create the best illumination outside of a baseball stadium (the high-beams are borrowed from the GS).
The M-shaped windshield, with its dipped center section, produces exceptional wind protection yet still allows the rider to look over the clear-plastic shield when rain or road dirt obscure the view. Similarly, clear extensions at the fairing's lower edges improve wind protection even further but still allow an unobstructed view forward for maneuvering in extremely close quarters. The turnsignal pods provide further wind coverage, and at the same time the integral mirrors give a clear view to the rear.
Complementing the fairing, both visually and functionally, the frame-mounted lowers divert the wind blast around the rider to provide further weather protection. Openings vent warm air from the frame-mounted twin oil-coolers and direct the heat away from the rider. As noted earlier, the lowers also house the electronics for the bike's optional alarm system and cruise control. A pair of 12-volt accessory outlets are standard.
Like the K 1200 LT, the new R 1200 CL includes a capacious luggage system as standard, all of it color-matched and designed to accommodate rider and passenger for the long haul. The permanently attached saddlebags include clamshell lids that allow for easy loading and unloading. Chrome bumper strips protect the saddlebags from minor tipover damage. The top box provides additional secure luggage space, or it can be simply unbolted to uncover an attractive aluminum luggage rack. An optional backrest can be bolted on in place of the top box. Of course, saddlebags and top box are lockable and keyed to the ignition switch.
Options & Accessories: More Personal Than A Monogram
Given BMW's traditional emphasis on touring options and the cruiser owner's typical demands for customization, it's only logical to expect a range of accessories and options for the company's first luxury cruiser. The CL fulfills those expectations with a myriad of options and accessories, beginning with heated or velour-like Soft Touch seats and a low windshield. Electronic and communications options such as an AM/FM/CD stereo, cruise control and onboard communication can make time on the road much more pleasant, whether you're out for an afternoon ride or a cross-country trek - because after all, nobody says you have to be back in six days. Other available electronic features include an anti-theft alarm, which also disables the engine.
Accessories designed to personalize the CL even further range from cosmetic to practical, but all adhere to BMW's traditional standards for quality and fit. Chrome accessories include engine-protection and saddlebag - protection hoops. On a practical level, saddlebag and top box liners simplify packing and unpacking. In addition to the backrest, a pair of rear floorboards enhance passenger comfort even more.
The CL's riding position blends elements of both tourer and cruiser, beginning with a reassuringly low, 29.3-inch seat height. The seat itself comprises two parts, a rider portion with an integral lower-back rest, and a taller passenger perch that includes a standard backrest built into the top box. Heated seats, first seen on the K 1200 LT, are also available for the CL to complement the standard heated grips. A broad, flat handlebar places those grips a comfortable reach away, and the CL's floorboards allow the rider to shift position easily without compromising control. Standard cruise control helps melt the miles on long highway stints. A convenient heel/toe shifter makes for effortless gearchanges while adding exactly the right classic touch.
The R 1200 CL backs up its cruiser origins with the same superb attention to cosmetics as is
- - - - -
Der Luxus-Cruiser zum genußvollen Touren.
Die Motorradwelt war überrascht, als BMW Motorrad 1997 die R 1200 C, den ersten Cruiser in der Geschichte des Hauses, vorstellte. Mit dem einzigartigen Zweizylinder-Boxermotor und einem unverwechselbar eigenständigen Design gelang es auf Anhieb, sich in diesem bis dato von BMW nicht besetzten Marktsegment erfolgreich zu positionieren. Bisher wurden neben dem Basismodell R 1200 C Classic die technisch nahezu identischen Modellvarianten Avantgarde und Independent angeboten, die sich in Farbgebung, Designelementen und Ausstattungsdetails unterscheiden.
Zur Angebotserweiterung und zur Erschließung zusätzlicher Potenziale, präsentiert BMW Motorrad für das Modelljahr 2003 ein neues Mitglied der Cruiserfamilie, den Luxus-Cruiser R 1200 CL. Er wird seine Weltpremiere im September in München auf der INTERMOT haben und voraussichtlich im Herbst 2002 auf den Markt kommen. Der Grundgedanke war, Elemente von Tourenmotorrädern auf einen Cruiser zu übertragen und ein Motorrad zu entwickeln, das Eigenschaften aus beiden Fahrzeuggattungen aufweist.
So entstand ein eigenständiges Modell, ein Cruiser zum genussvollen Touren, bei dem in Komfort und Ausstattung keine Wünsche offen bleiben.
Als technische Basis diente die R 1200 C, von der aber im wesentlichen nur der Motor, der Hinterradantrieb, der Vorderrahmen, der Tank und einige Ausstattungsumfänge übernommen wurden. Ansonsten ist das Motorrad ein völlig eigenständiger Entwurf und in weiten Teilen eine Neuentwicklung.
Fahrgestell und Design:
Einzigartiges Gesicht, optische Präsenz und Koffer integriert.
Präsenz, kraftvoller Auftritt und luxuriöser Charakter, mit diesen Worten lässt sich die Wirkung der BMW R 1200 CL kurz und treffend beschreiben. Geprägt wird dieses Motorrad von der lenkerfesten Tourenverkleidung, deren Linienführung sich in den separaten seitlichen Verkleidungsteilen am Tank fortsetzt, so dass in der Seitenansicht fast der Eindruck einer integrierten Verkleidung entsteht. Sie bietet dem Fahrer ein hohes Maß an Komfort durch guten Wind- und Wetterschutz.
Insgesamt vier in die Verkleidung integrierte Scheinwerfer, zwei für das Abblendlicht und zwei für das Fernlicht, geben dem Motorrad ein unverwechselbares, einzigartiges Gesicht und eine beeindruckende optische Wirkung, die es so bisher noch bei keinem Motorrad gab. Natürlich sorgen die vier Scheinwerfer auch für eine hervorragende Fahrbahnausleuchtung.
Besonders einfallsreich ist die aerodynamische Gestaltung der Verkleidungsscheibe mit ihrem wellenartig ausgeschnittenen oberen Rand. Sie leitet die Strömung so, dass der Fahrer wirkungsvoll geschützt wird. Gleichzeitig kann man aber wegen des Einzugs in der Mitte ungehindert über die Scheibe hinwegschauen und hat somit unabhängig von Nässe und Verschmutzung der Scheibe ein ungestörtes Sichtfeld auf die Straße.
Zur kraftvollen Erscheinung des Motorrades passt der Vorderradkotflügel, der seitlich bis tief zur Felge heruntergezogen ist. Er bietet guten Spritzschutz und unterstreicht zusammen mit dem voluminösen Vorderreifen die Dominanz der Frontpartie, die aber dennoch Gelassenheit und Eleganz ausstrahlt.
Der gegenüber den anderen Modellen flacher gestellte Telelever hebt den Cruisercharakter noch mehr hervor. Der Heckbereich wird bestimmt durch die integrierten, fest mit dem Fahrzeug verbundenen Hartschalenkoffer und das abnehmbare Topcase auf der geschwungenen Gepäckbrücke, die zugleich als Soziushaltegriff dient. Koffer und Topcase sind jeweils in Fahrzeugfarbe lackiert und bilden somit ein harmonisches Ganzes mit dem Fahrzeug.
Akzente setzen auch die stufenförmig angeordneten breiten Komfortsitze für Fahrer und Beifahrer mit der charakteristischen hinteren Abstützung. Luxus durch exklusive Farben, edle Oberflächen und Materialien.
Die R 1200 CL wird zunächst in drei exklusiven Farben angeboten: perlsilber-metallic und capriblau-metallic mit jeweils schwarzen Sitzen und mojavebraun-metallic mit braunem Sitzbezug (wahlweise auch in schwarz). Die Eleganz der Farben wird unterstützt durch sorgfältige Materialauswahl und perfektes Finish von Oberflächen und Fugen. So ist zum Beispiel die Gepäckbrücke aus Aluminium-Druckguß gefertigt und in weissaluminium lackiert, der Lenker verchromt und die obere Instrumentenabdeckung ebenfalls weissaluminiumfarben lackiert. Die Frontverkleidung ist vollständig mit einer Innenabdeckung versehen, und die Kniepads der seitlichen Verkleidungsteile sind mit dem gleichen Material wie die Sitze überzogen.
All dies unterstreicht den Anspruch auf Luxus und Perfektion.
Antrieb jetzt mit neuem, leiserem Sechsganggetriebe - Boxermotor unverändert.
Während der Boxermotor mit 1170 cm³ unverändert von der bisherigen R 1200 C übernommen wurde - auch die Leistungsdaten sind mit 45 kW (61 PS) und 98 Nm Drehmoment bei 3 000 min-1 gleich geblieben -, ist das Getriebe der R 1200 CL neu. Abgeleitet von dem bekannten Getriebe der anderen Boxermodelle hat es jetzt auch sechs Gänge und wurde grundlegend überarbeitet. Als wesentliche Neuerung kommt eine sogenannte Hochverzahnung zum Einsatz. Diese sorgt für einen "weicheren" Zahneingriff und reduziert erheblich die Laufgeräusche der Verzahnung.
Der lang übersetzte, als "overdrive" ausgelegte, sechste Gang erlaubt drehzahlschonendes Fahren auf langen Etappen in der Ebene und senkt dort Verbrauch und Geräusch. Statt eines Schalthebels gibt es eine Schaltwippe für Gangwechsel mit einem lässigen Kick. Schaltkomfort, Geräuscharmut, niedrige Drehzahlen und dennoch genügend Kraft - Eigenschaften, die zum Genusscharakter des Fahrzeugs hervorragend passen.
Dass auch die R 1200 CL, wie jedes seit 1997 neu eingeführte BMW Motorrad weltweit, serienmäßig über die jeweils modernste Abgasreinigungstechnologie mit geregeltem Drei-Wege-Katalysator verfügt, muss fast nicht mehr erwähnt werden. Es ist bei BMW zur Selbstverständlichkeit geworden.
Fahrwerkselemente für noch mehr Komfort - Telelever neu und hinteres Federbein mit wegabhängiger Dämpfung.
Ein cruisertypisches Merkmal ist die nach vorn gestreckte Vorderradführung mit flachem Winkel zur Fahrbahn und großem Nachlauf. Dazu wurde für die R 1200 CL der nach wie vor einzigartige BMW Telelever neu ausgelegt.
Die Gabelholme stehen weiter auseinander, um dem bulligen, 150 mm breiten Vorderradreifen Platz zu bieten.
Für die Hinterradfederung kommt ein Federbein mit wegabhängiger Dämpfung zum Einsatz, das sich durch hervorragende Komforteigenschaften auszeichnet. Der Gesamtfederweg wuchs um 20 mm gegenüber den anderen Cruisermodellen auf jetzt 120 mm. Die Federbasisverstellung zur Anpassung an den Beladungszustand erfolgt hydraulisch über ein bequem zugängliches Handrad.
Hinterradschwinge optimiert und Heckrahmen neu.
Die Hinterradschwinge mit Hinterachsgehäuse, der BMW Monolever, wurde verstärkt und zur Aufnahme einer größeren Hinterradbremse angepasst.
Der verstärkte Heckrahmen ist vollständig neu, um Trittbretter, Kofferhalter, Gepäckbrücke und die neuen Sitze sowie die modifizierte Seitenstütze aufnehmen zu können. Der Vorderrahmen aus Aluminiumguss wurde mit geringfügigen Modifikationen von der bisherigen R 1200 C übernommen.
Räder aus Aluminiumguss, Sitze, Trittbretter und Lenker - alles neu.
Der optische Eindruck eines Motorrades wird ganz wesentlich auch von den Rädern bestimmt. Die R 1200 CL hat avantgardistisch gestaltete neue Gussräder aus Aluminium mit 16 Zoll (vorne) beziehungsweise 15 Zoll (hinten) Felgendurchmesser, die voluminöse Reifen im Format 150/80 vorne und 170/80 hinten aufnehmen.
Die Sitze sind für Fahrer und Beifahrer getrennt ausgeführt, um den unterschiedlichen Bedürfnissen gerecht zu werden. So ist der breite Komfortsattel für den Fahrer mit einer integrierten Beckenabstützung versehen und bietet einen hervorragenden Halt. Die Sitzhöhe beträgt 745 mm. Der Sitz für den Passagier ist ebenfalls ganz auf Bequemlichkeit ausgelegt und etwas höher als der Fahrersitz angeordnet. Dadurch hat der Beifahrer einen besseren Blick am Fahrer vorbei und kann beim Cruisen die Landschaft ungestört genießen.
Großzügige cruisertypische Trittbretter für den Fahrer tragen zum entspannten Sitzen bei. Die Soziusfußrasten, die von der K 1200 LT abgeleitet sind, bieten ebenfalls sehr guten Halt und ermöglichen zusammen mit dem günstigen Kniebeugewinkel auch dem Beifahrer ein ermüdungsfreies Touren.
Der breite, verchromte Lenker vermittelt nicht nur Cruiser-Feeling; Höhe und Kröpfungswinkel sind so ausgelegt, dass auch auf langen Fahrten keine Verspannungen auftreten. Handhebel und Schalter mit der bewährten und eigenständigen BMW Bedienlogik wurden unverändert von den anderen Modellen übernommen.
HighTech bei den Bremsen - BMW EVO-Bremse und als Sonderausstattung Integral ABS.
Sicherheit hat bei BMW traditionell höchste Priorität. Deshalb kommt bei der
R 1200 CL die schon in anderen BMW Motorrädern bewährte EVO-Bremse am Vorderrad zum Einsatz, die sich durch eine verbesserte Bremsleistung auszeichnet. Auf Wunsch gibt es das einzigartige BMW Integral ABS, dem Charakter des Motorrades entsprechend in der Vollintegralversion. Das heißt, unabhängig ob der Hand- oder Fußbremshebel betätigt wird, immer wirkt die Bremskraft optimal auf beide Räder. Im Vorderrad verzögert eine Doppel-Scheibenbremse mit 305 mm Scheibendurchmesser und im Hinterrad die von der K 1200 LT übernommene Einscheiben-Bremsanlage mit einem Scheibendurchmesser von 285 mm.
Fortschrittliche Elektrik: Vierfach-Scheinwerfer, wartungsarme Batterie und elektronischer Tachometer.
Vier Scheinwerfer, je zwei für das Abblend- und Fernlicht, geben dem Motorrad von vorne ein einzigartiges prägnantes Gesicht. Durch die kreuzweise Anordnung - die Abblendscheinwerfer sitzen nebeneinander und die Fernscheinwerfer dazwischen und übereinander - wird eine hohe Signalwirkung bei Tag und eine hervorragende Fahrbahnausleuchtung bei Dunkelheit erzielt.
Neu ist die wartungsarme, komplett gekapselte Gel-Batterie, bei der kein Wasser mehr nachgefüllt werden muss. Eine zweite Steckdose ist serienmäßig. Die Instrumente sind ebenfalls neu. Drehzahlmesser und Tachometer sind elektronisch und die Zifferblätter neu gestaltetet, ebenso die Analoguhr.
Umfangreiche Sonderausstattung für Sicherheit, Komfort und individuellen Luxus.
Die Sonderausstattung der R 1200 CL ist sehr umfangreich und reicht vom BMW Integral ABS für sicheres Bremsen über Komfortausstattungen wie Temporegelung, heizbare Lenkergriffe und Sitzheizung bis hin zu luxuriöser Individualisierung mit Softtouchsitzen, Chrompaket und fernbedientem Radio mit CD-Laufwerk.
TO SEE ONLY IN 30/60 OPTED OUT GROUPS !
Dieses Bild gibt es nur in Gruppen OHNE 30/60-LIMIT zu sehen
If you may want to see out more of my images, or you ever have questions for buying and usages of the photographs - I'd love to hear from you.
☆ Берни Эггерян :: rumoto images
differs from all the turkeys out there
This image was created with FractalWorks, a free, high performance fractal renderer for Macintosh computers. You can download fractalworks and try it yourself at the FractalWorks download site.