People in the market for a new motorcycle tend to find themselves in this position because they value power and performance that is balanced with affordability. There are amazing entry-level bikes that certainly live up to these standards. Feeling the open road directly beneath your feet is an experience that ignites a passion like no other. With only two wheels beneath you, both speed and exploration will begin to take on new meaning.

Engineering Potential

Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD

Finding a bike that is designed to bring your best forward does not need to devastate your wallet. There are plenty of respectable bikes out there that are under $5,000. When it comes to street cruisers, the Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD is a bike that has the presence of a veteran piece of machinery. At 498 cc, this bike is a twin-cylinder that keeps things competitive. All riders find it easy to handle, and it is renowned for growing along with the skills of the rider. Designers certainly have not let it slip in the power department. Modeling its design after the Ninja 500R, the Vulcan is a 6-speed, four stroke that is expertly engineered. It has a custom feel without the custom price tag. Chrome-plated wire spokes are the mere glimmer on its surface. The speedometer is tank-mounted, the rear fender is bobbed, and the driver’s seat is step mounted. The 62-inch wheel base is stable without limiting the agility of the rider. New and seasoned riders would be happy to get their hands on this bike.

A Solid Buy

Honda is known for making reliable bikes that are at the top of their class in performance. Another competitor that comes in under $5,000, the Honda VLX excels in quality manufactured parts. The V Twin engine is primarily responsible for this bike’s popularity. A nine 9:1 compression ratio powers up the 4-stroke capability of this machine. The safety and power that the bike brings to the table is outstanding. Disc and drum brakes give riders the confidence they need on the road, and the 63-inch wheel base just barely outstretches the competition. The Honda VLX is often fully customizable when purchased from most Honda dealerships. New, it comes with a 12 month warranty to solidify such a sound investment.

Feeling the Road

The Suzuki GZ250 is the ideal balance between body and bulk. It feels great under your grip while never seeming overwhelming. The carbureted, 249cc engine is air-cooled. It works with a manual 5-speed transmission that primarily relies on a chain drive. This four-stroke engine uses a single cylinder but leaves nothing to be desired. The bike receives the most notoriety as a motorcycle built to get around town or take long country drives. It also serves a great first step for riders set on making their way up the motorcycle chain. For a smaller bike, the ride is comfortable as well. It gets a good grip on the road and presents a wide comfort zone for riders at all skill levels.

The First Taste of Freedom

A slightly tighter budget is simply no excuse for not breaking out into the landscape when quality machines such as these are available at such affordable prices. Value and ability are perfectly melded in these trusted motorcycle lines. Putting yourself in the seat of one soon is sure to be the start of a great journey.

This post was provided by T. Beasley on the behalf of RueZiffra.com. If an individual falls subject to a motorcycle crash, he always adivses them to seek legal help from an experienced motorcycle accident attorney.

BlackriverRock

Everyone loves a bank holiday – the long weekends, barbecues in the sunshine and, best of all, the chance to relax without having to worry about work for a couple of days. But don’t just waste the break by doing nothing, there are plenty of action-packed ways of spending the weekends in the UK. Music-lovers especially can make the most of an array of festivals which now fill the summer months, with many of them taking place over bank holiday weekends. Here are five of the best for 2013: 

Reading/Leeds, August 23 to 25

A firm favourite on the festival circuit, the twin festivals see the same acts gracing the stages of festival sites in Reading and Leeds on alternate nights. Annually attracts some of rock’s biggest names, which this year include Green Day, Biffy Clyro and Nine Inch Nails, while rap icon Eminem also makes an much-anticipated return to the stage.

Glastonbudget, Leicestershire, May 24 to 26

If the high priced beers and big money tickets put the real Glastonbury Festival out of your price range, or perhaps you were just among the many of thousands of people who struggled to get their hands on tickets, then never fear, you can enjoy some no frills festival fun at a fraction of the cost. The music at Glastonbudget is provided only by tribute bands, with the likes of Antarctic Monkeys, Oasish and The Sex Pistols Experience on this year’s bill. With 10,000 people flocking to the site, it has become the world’s biggest tribute festival and has a great feel-good atmosphere to boot.

Noisily Festival, Leicestershire, May 24 to 27

Only in it’s second year but already with a great reputation, this boutique festival nestled in the Leicestershire countryside brings together some of the planet’s finest electronic music artists. This year includes house heavyweights Plump DJs in The Tipi, while the intimate Tree House stage boasts plenty of bass-heavy beats making it a bank holiday to remember.

Field Day, Victoria Park, London, May 25

Not a full bank holiday weekender, but it still brings together a full day of forward-thinking music and is the perfect excuse for a weekend trip to London. The likes of Bat for Lashes, Django Django, Wild Nothing and Julio Bashmore make for an eclectic line-up.

Creamfields, Cheshire, August 23 to 25

One of the best-loved dance festivals in the country descends on Daresbury Estate once more with this year set to be one of the biggest and best yet as the festival celebrates its 15th anniversary. The Prodigy, Tiesto and David Guetta are among the stellar names lined up to celebrate in style.

Produced by Followuk.co.uk. The resource for finding important dates including bank holidays, special occasions and important events.

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Once you have familiarized yourself with the basics of playing guitar including strumming patterns and counts, you are ready to start learning to play chords. The best online guitar tutorials will be your best bet for learning guitar chords from home because you are being instructed on finger placement from a professional.

Once you have learned finger placement through online guitar lessons, you may want to download and print a chord placement chart that will show you finger placement through dots for future reference.

Online Guitar Tutorials

Learning To Play The Four Basic Chords

Most beginners learn to play guitar using the basic four chords that are used in a multitude of songs. These chords are the G chord, Am Chord, C chord, and the D chord. These four chords are great for beginners because it gives them a feel of finger stretching and different sounds. Once these four chords are learned and practice, guitar beginners will be able to start practicing chords that feature these chords.

Before taking on too many chords, it is important to practice them in groups. This not only allows you to learn the chords thoroughly, but it also gets your fingers used to switching position from chord to chord, and allows you to practice all you have learned in the beginning with different strums and beat counts.

Finding Songs To Practice The Four Basic Chords

Once you have learned the four basic chords and have practiced, it is time to apply them to some real music. It is not hard to find songs to practice these four chords. Many websites offer a list of the most popular songs. These are considered the four basic chords because of their popularity in various songs. Some online guitar tutorials will even provide a list of songs that can be played using these four basic chords.

Exploring Other Open Chords

Once you have mastered the basic four chords, your fingers have gotten a feel for different stretching and have gotten comfortable switching from chord to chord. Next you can move on to other open chords. Guitar tutorials will break the rest of these chords down for you showing you the proper finger placement for you to follow up with your chart.

Once you have learned the rest of the chords, you can officially begin playing music on your guitar. Most guitar tutorials will provide you with a list of songs to practice using these chords and you should take some time to get comfortable before moving on to the next tutorial.

At this point, you are more than on your way to playing guitar like a professional and you have not even left the house. Learning the guitar through online tutorials, by professionals, gives you the opportunity to learn at your own pace.

The more you practice chords, the more comfortable your hands will become with stretching and switching chords. You are also allowing your fingers to become more limber and build muscle, which you are going to need in the next step to learning guitar: bar chords.

Robert has been playing guitar for the past 5 years and has learned through various guitar tutorials. He dedicates his writing to showing other music lovers the benefits of learning guitar from home through online guitar tutorials.

BlackriverRock

What makes 135,000 people want to camp in a field together?

Glastonbury Festival is like no other anywhere in the world.

The four day event has weathered everything thrown at it since its debut in 1970, attracting the world’s biggest acts whilst also maintaining a firm green commitment and contributions to charity. The festival is the high-point of musical and social calendars, with the Somerset fields akin to a religious shrine for those who return year after year.

Music and magic

There is something intriguingly intangible about Glastonbury. Crucially its proximity to Stonehenge has bequeathed it with a spirituality that is often lacking at its other, more corporate rivals.

Glastonbury has always operated as more than just a festival. Founder Michael Eavis was inspired to start the event after seeing Led Zepplin in Bath and has been able to maintain a welcoming, non-profit driven ethos throughout. The festival also offers the most extensive non-musical entertainment of any summer event, with the legendary Glastonbury campsite promoting arts well beyond the mainstream.

The diversity of the music on offer has also fuelled Glastonbury’s meteoric rise, with audience members as likely to hear reggae as rock over the weekend.

Hippies to hipsters

And this openness in its line-up has also influenced the make-up of Glastonbury’s audience.

Never more an eclectic group of people are you likely to meet. Eavis was initially influenced by the 1970s hippie movement, with his alternative outlook turning Glastonbury into a beacon for the artistic and social counter culture. For years the festival also had strong traveller routes, with hundreds of caravans and mobile homes typically descending on the site in June.

Nowadays the festival still attracts members from all sectors of society and encourages openness through its lack of delineation between campsite and arena. Its friendly atmosphere encourages a higher proportion of families to attend than other festivals, with its diverse attractions continuing to attract young artists and art lovers from around the globe.

Earth shattering performances

But Glastonbury wouldn’t be the world’s best if it didn’t have the music to back up its other entertainment.

A headline set on its iconic Pyramid Stage is the badge of honour most sought by any band, and the site has been graced by the likes of David Bowie, Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen over the years. Pulp’s 1995 set is still considered to be one of the finest the festival’s audience have ever been treated to – not bad for last minute replacements for the Stone Roses. Johnny Cash’s 1994 appearance is also revered by fans, and helped instigate a seminal Sunday afternoon ‘legends’ slot on the mains stage.

What makes Glastonbury so special for you?

Mikael Johansen is a Danish freelance writer working in a digital marketing agency. Mikael wrote this article for redspottedhanky.com, train tickets retailer offering trains to Glastonbury.

BlackriverRock

Road trips are a great way to travel. Cruising down the freeway as the sun shines, listening to one’s favourite music can be incredibly enjoyable and relaxing. Undoubtedly, when thinking of road trips, the famous route 66 comes to mind. This historic route is the perfect choice for those wanting to take the quintessential American road trip.
Although the original “route 66” highway which ran from Chicago to Los Angeles no longer exists, one can still enjoy many of the sites offered by travelling along the myriad of interstates that run across America.

All you need for the perfect road trip on route 66 USA

There is much to see along the way and there are many sites to help in planning a trip. A few of the most useful sites are , historic66.com which offers turn by turn directions along the route, wikitravel.org/en/Route_66 which offers a historical overview of the route, places to go and things to see, and , http://www.drivingroute66.com/ which has information on things to do and places to stay, all conveniently categorized by state. Additionally this site offers a forum where users can share their route 66 experiences, memories and mishaps.
Of the many things to see along the way, there are some sites that simply cannot be missed. For example, one cannot travel route 66 without staying in the Wigwam Hotel. Here, each individual unit is made to look like a teepee, though slightly gimmicky, these accommodations are a must for anyone wanting the complete route 66 experience.
Moreover, travelers along route 66 should pay a visit to the Petrified Forest in Arizona. This unique site offers visitors an unusual and interesting day as they travel along on their American road trip.
Additionally, there are an abundance of large monuments or statues that need to be visited along the way. Among these are the “Leaning Tower of Britten” in Texas which is a water tower made the look like it is falling over, the giant whale in Oklahoma and the giant Muffler-Man statue in Wilmington Illinois.
If travellers along route 66 are visiting from overseas and need to hire a car, it is important to consider collision damage waiver insurance or CDW insurance. Though it’s not pleasant to think about, accidents do happen especially if drivers are operating unfamiliar vehicles and driving on the opposite side of the road. Should an accident occur, a driver without CDW insurance could be liable for huge sums of money if their rental car is damaged or wrecked.
As with any trip, it is of course important to plan ahead. Since this route spans multiple states, it is important to prepare for all kinds of weather. Knowing where one is going to stay along the way can add peace of mind and make a trip more enjoyable. However, route 66 is a symbol of freedom and it is therefore equally important to be spontaneous and enjoy the freedom of the open road.
Travelling along route 66 is the ideal way to experience the quintessential American road trip. With some careful planning, a thirst for adventure and an open mind, a trip along route 66 could be the trip of a lifetime.

James Rowland works in SEO for a prestigious marketing company in the UK. With years of experience in copywriting he enjoys writing about travel, insurance, finance and sport.

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There is an old English saying that goes a man’s home is his castle. Well with this infographic your home will be an impenetrable fortress!

Surrounded by a 10ft chain link fence, a mine field and security camera’s you will quickly get the message out there that your home is not to be messed with.

Having a collection of weapons to fight back against the Zombie invasion is a must, that is why this house has a shed filled with weapons such as a plunger gun, boxing glove bazooka and even a bag of marbles.

Zombie Proof Your House

zombie proof your house

Infographic courtesy of MoneySupermarket.com

BlackriverRock

You’re never going to run out of people with a fascination for the guitar. Anyone who’s someone wants to take up guitar lessons. It is understandable. The instrument is beautiful; sublime, even. And when you look at artistes like Slash, Jimmy Page, and Jimi Hendrix, who are nothing less than legends, it’s too easy to be inspired. You often hear interesting stories of how great rock stars have been using the same guitar for years and years at end without a single falter in the quality. There’s no rocket science behind the longevity of their guitars. The trick simply lies in some dexterous and regular care-taking. But before we move on to the physical aspects of guitar maintenance, there’s something every beginner should know.  A guitar is not just a wooden instrument with some strings attached to it. It’s an extension of the guitarist himself. Thus, it is important that you love and respect your guitar the same way you would respect your own body.

Guitar Maintenance For Beginners

Guitar Maintenance For Beginners

Through four very simple yet important steps we’ll discuss how to maintain the visual and sonic beauty of your guitar for years to come.

1)   Idolize

I know this sounds absurd. How does having a guitar idol help in maintaining a guitar, you ask? Well, it does make sense. If guitar is a religion, Slash, BB King, Carlos Santana, Kurt Cobain, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards and so many more are the Gods. It is important to have someone that great to idolize. Just when you start getting lax in terms of not only playing but also taking care of your guitar, think to yourself, “Is this what my idol would do?” you’ll be surprised at how motivated and driven you feel towards the whole thing.

2)   Cleanliness

Your house can be a colossal mess, but in no way should this be the case with your guitar. It is highly important to keep your guitar free from dust and debris, as these might accumulate and mar the sound quality. Keep the guitar away from the window or from any dust-prone area. First wipe off the guitar with a damp cloth and immediately wipe off the wetness with a completely dry cloth. Use a polish to maintain the shine. Also, always wash your hands and dry them clean before handling the guitar. The oil and grime from your fingers have the potential to corrode the strings and cause further damage. In addition, use a clean tissue to swipe along the length of the strings after you’ve played the instrument; loosen them to aid better cleaning below the strings. Remember: Cleanliness is next to guitar Godliness.

3)   Storage and protection

I mentioned the whole deal about idolizing the guitar Gods. Well, you should know that some of them loved smashing their guitars onstage. And as tempted as you might feel to do the same, you might want to keep your guitar as protected as possible. Every now and then, check for scratches, bruises or dents. Polish it whenever necessary. Always keep your guitar in a clean, dry and low-lit place. When it comes to longevity, humidity and temperature are crucial factors. You have to ensure that the guitar isn’t exposed to extreme variations of the same. Keep the guitar in a guitar-box when not in use; this is the best and the safest place for it. Remember the three ‘Never’s you should stick to right to the last letter-

-         NEVER ever leave the guitar standing without a proper stand. If it can stand, it can fall just as well.

-         NEVER lay the guitar down. Especially on the ground or rough surfaces.

-         NEVER leave the guitar open to extreme weather conditions. And never leave it out in your vehicle either.

Remember, your favourite rock star can afford a truck full of guitars, you can’t. Not yet.

4)   Changing the strings

This may seem like a brain surgery, but trust me; it is way, way simpler. First off, you should remember that if one string is broken, you just need to replace that one string instead of replacing the whole set. In case, you have to replace all strings, go one string at a time, starting with either the first or the last. Usually, the frequency of string change depends on the frequency of use. However, on an average, changing strings once a month is fair enough. Before you put the new strings to use, wipe them with a thin coat wax. This offers protection and ease.

Mitchell Clarke is a music blogger and works with MusiciansUniverse, an Australian Online musical store renowned for its world class instruments, one can buy guitars online along with other instruments.

BlackriverRock

The Best Ever Motorcycle Music: The Ultimate Riding Playlist

There is something different about setting out on your motorcycle on a beautiful summer evening; something that sets it apart from simply another mode of transportation. Those of us who are passionate about riding understand this intrinsically, and it is this romanticism that makes combining it with music so perfect.

So what is the ultimate riding playlist? Read on as we detail twelve songs that we think are the ideal accompaniment to a life on the open road.

Ultimate Riding Playlist

1. Steppenwolf – Born to be Wild

Arguably the most famous of all riding tracks, this seminal Steppenwolf record was most notably included on the Easy Rider soundtrack. With its gradually escalating beat and opening lyrics of ‘Get your motor runnin’, Head out on the highway’, there could not be a more suitable opening song to our Ultimate Riding Playlist.

2. The Troggs – Wild Thing

We’re slowing it down a bit for the second track in our playlist, but The Troggs’ Wild Thing is no less suited to it. The punchy central guitar riff evokes similar thoughts as ‘Born to be Wild’, and no riding playlist would be complete without this classic hit.

3. Motorhead – Ace of Spades

Continuing the rock and roll theme, this Motorhead classic reached No. 27 in Q Magazine’s 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks listing, and it is easy to hear why. Like with many of the tracks in this playlist the pacing of the record makes it an ideal riding anthem, and is particularly apt if you just happen to be on your way to a card game!

4. Rage Against the Machine – Bulls on Parade

The lyrics to this 1996 track actually refer to the US military-industrial complex, however the scratchy guitar solo and the powerful delivery from Zack de la Rocha makes this a great record to ride to. Rev’ your engine and turn it up to 11.

5. Twisted Sister – I Wanna Rock

The 80s is known for a lot of things: big hair; loud outfits and soft rock. The fifth entry in our Ultimate Riding Playlist just happens to fall into all three of these categories, and ‘I Wanna Rock’ from the US band’s second album Stay Hungry offers a pumping mantra that we think the majority of bikers would relate to.

6. Meatloaf – Bat out of Hell

This seminal anthem from Meatloaf’s album of the same name is actually about a motorcycle crash that kills the rider, but that doesn’t stop this 1979 hit being an absolute must on any riding playlist.

7. Kasabian – Club Foot

Not wanting to stay in the past for too long, the seventh track on our playlist brings us to 2004, and the most recognisable song on English band Kasabian’s first album – Club Foot.

Dedicated to Czech political protester Jan Palach, this track packs a serious punch, with a dramatic urgency that makes it perfect for taking to the open road.

8. The Animals – The House of the Rising Sun

We’re mellowing out a bit after a fairly frenetic last few tracks, and this 1964 track from English group The Animals is an absolute treat for any biker cruising down a quiet country road.

9. Johnny Cash – The Man Comes Around

If the previous track was mellowing out the penultimate song in our Ultimate Riding Playlist is going even further, as this classic Folk number from legend Johnny Cash dials it right down. Listening to the sombre tones of Cash won’t fail to get you nodding your head, and it makes a great warm up to our final dramatic anthem…

10. Muse – Knights of Cydonia

For the final track in our Ultimate Riding Playlist we come right up to date with one of the most successful British rock bands of all time, Muse.

This, the third single released from their Black Holes & Revelations album, offers up a scintillating thrill ride which is laced with the sort of grandeur that is befitting of the excitement of cruising down the open road, while the dramatic crescendo makes this a fitting finale.

This guest blog was written by John Rooney on behalf of J&S Accessories, leading provider of the very best motorcycle accessories.

BlackriverRock

Getting away with murder

Every aficionado of detective novels and mystery dramas thinks about how to commit the perfect crime. It doesn’t mean, of course, that we’re seriously thinking of turning to a life of bank robbery and going on the lam. For one thing, that would make it an awful lot more difficult to keep up with our favorite crime books and television shows!

But those of us who read about people trying to get away with murder can’t help but think about how just such a thing could be pulled off. We’ve seen so many crime scene investigations and watched so many would-be criminal masterminds take the fall that we start to imagine we might just be able to pull together all the elements, hypothetically speaking, to commit the perfect crime. Getting away with murder!But what would it take? What kind of evidence would we most need to conceal? How would we get good alibis? What would be the foolproof approach to the perfect murder?

From: Top-Criminal-Justice-Schools.net

BlackriverRock

If you have a drum set, it’s very likely that you keep it in your garage. Most people choose to keep their drums in the garage for two reasons: keeping the noise levels down inside the home and having a place to store something so large.

But if you have a drum set, you may want to move it back into the house. The following are three reasons why having a drum set in the garage is not a good idea.

Drum Set In Your Garage?

1. It can become damaged.

Storing a drum set in the garage leaves it open to damage. If you live in an area that experiences hot summers and cold winters, you could damage your set by putting through extreme weather conditions. Garages are also at risk to water damage or the leaking of other fluids or chemicals that can completely damage your drum set. And let’s not forget the possibility that a car pulling into the garage may hit (or completely run over) your drum set. If you want to keep it safe and away from damage, it’s best to keep it out of the garage.

2. It can be stolen.

Many criminals are breaking into garages because they know that most people don’t properly lock their garage and that it may give them easier access to the home. If a criminal were to break into your garage, they will easily steal the drum set because they know that it’s valuable. Plus, when you store it in the garage, you make it easier for the criminals to carry it out, as all they have to do is pull a car or truck in the driveway and walk it out. If the set was in your home, it would deter the criminals from taking it because they would have to walk it through the home and out the door, making it more difficult.

3. You’ll annoy your neighbors.

You may have moved the drums into the garage in order to keep the sanity of your own family, but playing the drums in your garage means that your neighbors can hear the noise, especially if the door is open and you don’t have any sound barriers inside. To some neighbors, the noise may not be a big deal, but to others, it could be a big nuisance.

Most neighbors will give you the courtesy of asking you to keep it down, but some will go to the extreme right away and call the cops. If the cops are involved, you will most likely have a fine, and for every time the cops are called after the initial visit, the fine may be increased.

If you continue to play the drums in your garage, you neighbor may decide that it’s time to sue you. While it seems like an extreme, people are always suing other people for miniscule things, and many people have sued their neighbors for noise complaints. Being sued over your drums will not only be a nuisance, but it will be stressful and expensive. If you want to keep the peace (and keep money in your bank account), you may want to think twice before putting your drum set in the garage.

Joey Quinn is a freelance writer and expert at household maintenance who give advice to others on how to be a good homekeeper and a good neighbor.

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