When the BMW R NineT Is Turned Into an Airplane-Inspired Work of Art

 First released in 2014, the BMW R NineT is a standard retro motorcycle that's easy to customize. Because it adopts a boxer engine, separate wiring harness, detachable subframe chassis and light fixture that can be removed with just a few bolts. Due to its modular nature, hundreds of professional and amateur builders have made it very easy to customize the R9T.

Of the many custom R9T models in the world, one stands out the most. Namely art from Wayne Buys. This man from South Africa has arguably given a new perspective in the world of custom towards a 1.170cc boxer engine motorcycle.

Wayne Buys took his inspiration from the aerodynamic shape of the WW2 era fighter jet. The result of his work he dubbed 'Strom'. Almost all the components he made himself in his garage. His magic garage is called FabMan Creations and it's where he builds all the custom parts. Ranging from stainless steel exhaust systems, fenders, and custom aluminum motorcycle parts. He also offers repairs as well as welding.

The Storm project he worked on featured a series of aluminum bodywork. It is made by hand, using a homemade English wheel. Here he works in free form, without a single sketch, render, or template. His metal forming skills were self-taught.

The body kit made to cover the R9T is actually made of aluminum sheet. Even more impressive was Wayne shaping them by hammering each panel into a tree stump. Overall, he made the entire body panel for 8 months.

The constructions he makes are like pieces of a puzzle. The panels lock onto each other via tiny Allen head fasteners that look like rivets on a plane. Wayne's bodywork consists of a custom tail section, round tank cover, headlight cover, wheel and fender cover, swing arm cover and full-length cover. Aluminum panels are also visible on the sides of the tank to channel cool air to the cylinder head.

There are two small intakes on either side of the fully closed front fender directing air to the brakes. While the intake at the rear is equipped with a fan, helping to cool the repositioned oil cooler. There is another fan up front to cool the electronics, all of which are under the tank cover. And there's a mesh panel at the top to help the hot air escape.

The exhaust is very hidden. The header is hidden from view, exiting through three ports on either side of the belly. The vent box under the header helps stop hot air from gathering inside.

The same considerations go into the control area. Wayne made a pair of aluminum handlebars that clamp the fork, effectively acting as a clip-on. The turn signal is at the end of the handlebars, and the rearview mirror is only attached to the right of the handlebars. Wayne also built a custom reverse lever, as well as the internal throttle.

All cables run inside the handlebars, with the brake and clutch master cylinders tucked under the bodywork. At the top there is a dedicated dashboard built with the Acewell speedo, as well as a few push buttons to perform basic functions. Storm does not use the ignition but with the remote to turn it on.

The Storm was actually ordered by one of the customers who brought the BMW R nineT straight to his garage. Consumers want something that is inspired by aircraft and has a very aerodynamic design. And the result looks like it's just a button press to take off.

This BMW R NineT-based “Storm” motorcycle from FabMan Creation retails for €25,000 EUR. Those interested in purchasing or ordering their own custom motorcycle can contact FabMan Creations via its website. (Bgx/Tom)

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Toyota continues to prepare for the birth of the Innova Hybrid, HR is considered the most important thing

 After the Ministry of Industry first mentioned the plan for the birth of the Hybrid Innova product last year, Toyota continues to prepare for the presence of this new product. Based on the latest information, the Innova Hybrid will be ready to be present at the end of 2022.

"Hopefully we will keep planning. We will prepare the product at the end of the year so that it can be enjoyed by the people of Indonesia in the not too distant future,” said Indra Chandra, Project General Manager of Toyota Daihatsu Engineering & Manufacturing (TDEM) in a virtual seminar entitled 'University Research Activities as Part of Efforts in Developing the Vehicle Population. Electrification', last Friday (20/5/2022).

Although it does not mention the name of the product in question, this info clearly points to the latest Innova product. Actually echo the presence of Toyota's new hybrid product which was already present several years ago. The latest, in fact, a lot of leaked news about the shape and testing came from India, which was found to be conducting road tests. Then about the name, several sources revealed that the name Innova Hycross will be used for the newest electrification product.

Furthermore, Indra said that preparations for the presence of the electrification product were continuing. One of them is human resources (HR) who are ready to produce these modern vehicles as well as several completely different things related to the production of electric vehicles.

“Such as handling batteries that pay attention to shock, humidity and other factors. Unlike send machine (conventional). Machines are more durable. Not to mention factory handling. It is a process that must be prepared carefully,” said Indra.

“Besides, we have never before handled such high voltage in a vehicle. So far 12 volts. Suddenly told to work above 300 volts and above. At the beginning, everyone was afraid to see the orange cable,” said Indra.

This HR issue was also mentioned by Bob Azam, Corporate Affairs Director of PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN). According to him, National Human Resources consisting of academics, students, the younger generation, and all Indonesian people have a strategic role and become an important element in the era of electrification.

"Seminar activities and research development from various universities in Indonesia can be a medium for public advocacy to develop and improve the quality of human resources gradually so that they are ready to contribute to making Indonesia a global player towards a future of carbon neutrality," said Bob.

Toyota also gave three universities the opportunity to develop electric vehicles. Using Toyota Calya as its base, the three universities involved are the Ten November Institute of Technology (ITS), the University of Indonesia (UI) and the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).

In addition, Toyota also invited several other universities such as Gajah Mada University (UG), Udayana University (UNUD), and Sebelas Maret University (UNS) to present research results related to electric vehicles. Some of the discussions included the projection of the electric vehicle market in Indonesia, research on the development of the electrification ecosystem and the perceived challenges, BEV conversion activities with roadworthy capabilities, and the development of battery research to support the potential for domestic battery development.

Specifically, research on the potential for EV market development, based on the UI Institute for Economic and Community Research (LPEM FEB), revealed that of 1,000 respondents throughout Indonesia, most of them wish to own an electric car. It's just looking at the time, aka wait and see, developments in the next one to four years. The projection is that in 2035 there will be 1.3 million motorized vehicles with electrified BEV vehicles of around 6 percent, HEV 19 percent. However, with a note there is a massive incentive that must be given by the government.

According to Bob, research results from universities both on ecosystems, BEV conversion, and battery development can also be input or consideration for roadmaps in realizing the electrification era in the country. This includes Toyota's steps to show Innova EV research some time ago.

Regarding the selection of Calya to be converted into an electric car, Bob said this was a proposal from the university. One of them is because this car is close to the people and affordable.

“Is the Calya going to be an electric car? We (Toyota Indonesia) aspire that all of these models have electrification options, whether hybrid, EV, etc., all of which have electrification options. So consumers have a choice and we consider the availability of energy in Indonesia," said Bob.

Bob hopes that all Toyota consumers, from the lowest to the highest segments, will experience electrification of vehicles. This makes it not only the upper class people who get EV incentives who are able to buy electrified vehicles.

Toyota currently offers electrification features in hybrid form. There are four models offered, namely the New Camry Hybrid, New C-HR Hybrid, New Corolla Cross Hybrid and Corolla Altis Hybrid. The price tag starts from IDR 519 million to IDR 813 million.

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Why is the New Honda HR-V No Longer Using an Electric Sunroof?

 Launched last March, the Honda HR-V came as a new person that was very different from before. Not only can it be seen from the design which is much more revolutionary, but also the features and turbo engine that are the mainstay.

It's not wrong if only two months have passed, the order has already exceeded 8,700 units. Even because of that, buyers have to queue for months to get the unit.

Although welcomed positively, the Honda HR-V is not without its shortcomings. Most striking, the new panoramic roof which now uses a cover or sun shade that must be removed and installed manually. Even though the panoramic roof curtains can be operated electrically in the previous generation.

More than that, even now the Honda HR-V uses a fully fixed panoramic roof model. This means that the glass roof cannot be opened. While the previous generation has an electric sunroof that can be opened.

"The reason is because we want to provide a different driving experience, namely with a larger panoramic roof. This unique roof allows the driver and front passenger to enjoy an even more pleasant view up," said Yoshitomo Ihashi, Large Project Leader of All-new Honda. HR-V Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Automobile Operations, Monozukuri Center virtually to the media crew during the Media Test Drive of the Honda HR-V at the Mandalika Circuit (23/5).

Furthermore, he said if using the sunroof model as before, then there must be a frame and components of the sunroof opening and closing mechanism. So that the panoramic roof cannot possibly be sized like that of the latest Honda HR-V.

He gave a similar reason to answer questions about the sun shade which is also no longer electric. "If you use an electric model, you need space to place all the mechanical and electrical components," continued Yoshitomo Ihashi.

The Honda HRV Media Test Drive activity lasted for three days from May 23 to May 25, 2022. The first day we were invited to taste the asphalt of the MotoGP race track at the Mandalika circuit using a Honda HR-V RS turbo engine.

After that, we also had the opportunity to tour the island of Bali with the Honda HR-V SE with a 1.5 liter non-turbo engine the next day. Curious how the story goes? Wait for the review in the next article, okay!

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Guide To Donating Your Car

You Don't Have to Write a Check to Help

 

The biggest winner in the car donation process is usually the donor and not the charity recipient. But if you take your time, ignore the quick and easy television appeals, and find a reputable, high-performing charity that will make the most of your donation, then you can maximize the amount that actually gets to charity and minimizes your risk of an IRS audit. 

• Find a Charity that Directly Accepts Car Donations
  If at all possible, avoid the for-profit intermediary organizations that advertise so pervasively to handle your car donations. By finding a charity that handles the transaction themselves, you can ensure that 100% of the profits remain at the charity. It's possible that the charities you already support have a car-donation program that you don't know about. Check with them first. If not, do a little research, and find a high-performing charity that does the kind of work you like, in the region you wish to target, and does that work well.

• Make Sure Your Intended Organization is a 501 (c) (3)
  While many organizations can claim non-profit status, donations to 501 (c) (4) organizations are generally not tax-deductible. These are political organizations with permission to lobby our government; like Disabled American Veterans or the National Rifle Association. Make sure your intended recipient has 501 (c) (3) public charity status.

• Transfer the Car Correctly to the Charity
  Some charities will ask you to leave the assignment of ownership space on the charity donation papers blank, so they don't have to re-title the auto. If your charity asks this of you, find another charity. If you don't formally sign your car over to the designated nonprofit, you will be held responsible for any parking tickets that are subsequently incurred, or liable if it's used in a crime. Remember, the charity you give the car to will probably not use your car to deliver meals to the needy, but will simply sell it as quickly as possible. When someone buys it from them at auction and doesn't bother to register that car, it's still yours in the eyes of the law.

• Use Fair Market Value (FMV) for the Car
  There are several exceptions which allow you to use the Kelley Blue Book or a NADA guide, but you must use the FMV, not simply the highest value listed for the year and make of your car. Use the FMV when:

• instead of selling the vehicle, the charity keeps and uses it,

• the charity makes improvements to the car before selling it,

• your car is sold at a discounted price to a person with a low income,

• or if the car is worth less than $500.

Otherwise, you can only deduct the amount that the charity sells the car for at auction as indicated on the written receipt the charity sends you.

• Complete Your Paperwork
  Non-cash donations are the most common triggers of IRS audits, so it is important to keep thorough documentation of a car donation. Specifically, if your car is valued over $250, then you need to obtain and retain a written acknowledgment from the charity. Additionally, if your car is worth more than $500, you must complete section A of the IRS Form 8283 and attach it to your yearly taxes. Furthermore, if your car is worth over $5,000, then you must have an independent appraisal and fill out Section B of IRS Form 8283.
   

For more information, please see IRS Publication 4303, A Donor's Guide to Vehicle Donations.

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Reputable car donation charities

You have a used vehicle that you’d like to donate to a worthy cause. You’ve done your homework and discovered that not all vehicle donation programs are created equal. In fact, many charitable organizations don’t even operate their own vehicle donation programs. Instead, they use a broker or middleman.

In many cases, the majority of the proceeds from the sale of your vehicle goes to the so-called middleman, leaving just crumbs for the charity. And in others, outright scams exist that have nothing to do with charity other than the word “charity” appearing in their name.

At this point, you may be wondering if trading in your old car for peanuts to a dealer is better than the crumbs many charities are willing to accept for your vehicle donation. Before you throw your hands skyward and declare that it’s all one big scam, let’s dig a little deeper into the charitable vehicle donation industry and take a look under the hood.

Who runs legitimate car donation charities?

The answer to this question begins with a larger question: Is the charity behind the vehicle program a legitimate charity? The minimum requirement for a charity to be considered legitimate is being classified as a nonprofit. This classification is issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

There are 27 different kinds of nonprofit classifications maintained by the IRS, but the most common is 501(c)(3). Most of the nonprofits, including the Humane Society of the United States, operating vehicle donation programs fall under the 501(c)(3) classification. If the charity behind the program isn’t classified as a nonprofit by the IRS, then keep looking. After all, you want your donated vehicle to benefit a worthy cause.

Direct charitable car donation programs

It would be great if there were no costs associated with the vehicle donation process and 100% of the proceeds derived from selling donated vehicles went to fund the charitable work of nonprofits. Practical matters come into play and the vast majority of nonprofits use a fulfillment company to process vehicle donations. Dedicated staff assist donors with paperwork, schedule pickup and coordinate the sale.

The cost and logistics of running a charitable vehicle donation program is prohibitive for most nonprofits—even the largest. It just makes good financial sense to enlist the services of a reputable fulfillment partner to handle these functions.

Charities can then focus on what they do best. In the case of the HSUS, it’s working hard to end cruelty and neglect for all animals. Sometimes a middleman is a valuable partner. The HSUS carefully vetted its vehicle fulfillment partner and an impressive 80% of a donated vehicle’s value is returned to the organization to fund our lifesaving work.

Car donation reviews

It’s always a good idea to read online reviews for products and services in which you have an interest in doing business. The same goes for evaluating charities and their vehicle donation programs.

But as any savvy consumer of online info knows by now, it’s essential to vet the sites doing the reviewing. Not all online review sites provide reliable information and more than a few are biased, or worse, exist solely to attack reputable organizations due to conflicting interests.

As with finding a legitimate vehicle donation program, there are two steps involved in evaluating review sites:

1. Evaluate the charity: Its work and mission, financial statements and leadership.
2. Evaluate the organization’s vehicle donation program. It’s OK to inquire about the amount going to the charity and ease of the donation process (scheduling, pickup, receipts for tax reporting and support).

For the Humane Society of the United States, start by learning about our mission to help animals of all kinds around the world. Then have a look at the HSUS’s IRS Form-990 to evaluate our expenses and income. This is a key document for evaluating any nonprofit and is what the major online charity evaluators utilize in their reviews.

Best place to donate your car to charity

You should be commended for doing your homework prior to selecting a charity to which you’ll donate your used vehicle. It may seem like a lot of extra work, but it only requires asking the right questions and then looking in the right places.

We hope the resources on HumaneCars.org will provide you with the information required to make the call that’s right for you, so you can rest assured that the benefits from your donation will get the most mileage and will go where it can do the most good!

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Top 7 Best Car Donation Programs

 Donating your car to charity is a great way to get rid of your old car while helping fund the programs offered by your favorite nonprofit organization. Most charities don’t handle the vehicle donation process themselves, which costs money and requires a lot of manpower. Instead, they typically contract with a commercial or nonprofit fundraising organization, which handles all of the details, takes a cut of the proceeds, and sends the rest along to the charity.

Unfortunately, the car donation industry is crawling with vermin who will be happy to take the vehicle off your hands under the guise of donating a percentage of the proceeds from its sale, but too often, that percentage is often as low as 13 percent.

To ensure the charity of your choice gets a fair percentage of the proceeds, it’s essential to donate through a highly reputable intermediary that will forward 75 percent or more of the net proceeds to the charity you choose. An intermediary that passes along 60 to 74 percent of the net proceeds is considered more or less satisfactory, but anything less than 60 percent is unacceptable.

Additionally, it’s a good idea to donate only to charities that are considered “highly efficient,” which means that at least 75 percent of their expenses go directly toward their programs to further their stated mission.

With these factors in mind, here are my top seven choices for the best car donation programs, listed in no particular order.

1. One Car, One Difference

One Car, One Difference is a public awareness campaign run by the Insurance Auto Auctions Donation Division, which handles all aspects of the donation process through the One Car, One Difference website or their online tool, Auto-Donation.com.

Charities who contract with IAA’s Donation Division, including the Boy Scouts of America and the American Red Cross, typically see around 72 percent of the gross proceeds from the sale of a vehicle, which is about as good as it gets.

2. Charity Motors

Charity Motors is a highly efficient charity that accepts vehicle donations, which they turn around and sell to individuals in need for 50 percent of the fair market value, and they donate a high percentage of the proceeds to the charity of your choice.

If you’re looking for the highest tax deduction, donate your vehicle to Charity Motors to take a deduction that’s worth the fair market value of the car, regardless of the sale price, since they sell the cars at a discount to people in need. If the vehicle is sold at auction with a portion of the proceeds going to charity, you can only take a deduction equal to the actual sale price of the car.

3. Car Donation Wizard

Car Donation Wizard is the car donation tool provided by commercial fundraising organization Advanced Remarketing Services, which consistently passes on over 80 percent of the proceeds to the charities that contract with them, including Habitat for Humanity.

Advanced Remarketing Services is a nationally licensed and highly reputable vehicle dealer, which enables them to save on the costs associated with processing a donation

4. The Arc Vehicle Donation

The Arc is a nonprofit organization that advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. To handle the car donation process, this highly efficient charity contracts with another highly efficient charity, Melwood, whose Charity Car Donation Center employs people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. You can support two causes with one car by donating to The Arc through Melwood!

5. AllState Car Donations

Allstate Car Donations isn’t affiliated with the insurance company by the same name. Rather, this organization is the fundraising arm of the Center for Living & Learning, based in Van Nuys, California, which provides paid vocational apprenticeships to recover addicts, ex-offenders, and at-risk populations. The apprentices process the car donations, which pay their salaries and fund other Center programs that teach work ethics, appropriate workplace behaviors, and effective communication skills.

6. Riteway Charity Services

Another highly reputable commercial fundraising organization, Riteway Charity Services typically passes on between 75 and 100 percent of the net proceeds from car donations to the charities that contract with them, which includes Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, a highly efficient nonprofit and world-renowned hospital.

However, some charities get considerably less, depending on the value of the vehicles, although in the majority of cases, it’s above 60 percent. Still, it’s a good idea to double-check with the charity of your choice to ensure they get a high return before settling on donating through Riteway Charity Services.

7. V-DAC (Vehicle Donations to Any Charity)

V-DAC is a commercial fundraising organization that always passes on between 70 and 75 percent of the net proceeds from donated vehicles to the charities that contract with them. Unlike most commercial and charitable intermediaries, V-DAC provides consumers and charities with their fee schedule to help take the guesswork out of determining how much a charity will get, based on the sale price of the car.

V-DAC, with the help of Advanced Remarketing Services, is the driving force behind the Car Talk Vehicle Donation Program, which earned five stars in my recent review of them.

Working with Legitimate Car Donation Programs

The list provided above is just our recommendations. If you’ve done a little research, you’ll find that there are more than 965,000 car donation programs in the US today. 

With these numbers, federal and local government agencies will find it difficult to verify the legitimacy of all these organizations. So if you’d like to consider other options, make sure that you don’t get caught up in a scam.

To make sure that you’re working with a legitimate organization when donating a vehicle, it’s always best to visit the IRS website. They have a list of all charities with 501 (c) (3) status that have registered with the IRS.

However, if in case your charity is not on the list, you can also check with your state attorney general’s office if the charity is legitimate.

As much as possible, try to avoid working with a middleman, especially those that do not have a direct affiliation to the charity that you support. This is because most middlemen take much more than the actual funds that can go to your charity after your vehicle is sold, so your chosen charity may end up not benefiting from your donation at all.

If it’s inevitable, try to look for one that donates more than what they get. It’s a good idea to ask for the opinion of your chosen charity as they can recommend those that they have already worked with previously

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Top 5 Charities to Donate a Car in NY and NYC

 The following is a list of the best organizations to donate a car in NY. We focused on providing a list of charities that no only accept vehicle donations, but also support programs that benefit NY and NYC.

Did you know? non-profits that sell your vehicle to support their programs might provide you with a lesser tax deduction than those that use the vehicle to fulfill their mission.

The IRS law states that, $500 or the price at which was sold your vehicle, whichever amount is greater, may be deducted from your tax statements.

In this article:

5. American Red Cross in Greater New York
4. Goodwill NY
3. Wheels for Wishes
2. Long Island Cares
1. Charity Cars

5

American Red Cross in Greater New York

Make a meaningful impact in NY by donating your vehicle to the car donation program of the American Red Cross. Your support will contribute with the prevention and human treatment during emergencies and may help save lives.

Visit the following link to donate a car in NY to the Red Cross

4

Goodwill NY

To contribute to humanitarian causes, through an organization that already has a very recognizable name and reputation in the industry, one may donate cars in NY through Goodwill. They offer towing at no cost and accept vehicles in any condition.

Consider the fact that the management and selling process of the donated cars is not done by Goodwill, this organization partnered with National Charity Services to make this program possible.

Therefore, for more information, please call National Charity Services at 866-492-2770 to arrange your car donation in NY and contribute to the Goodwill programs.

You may also visit the website of Goodwill to fill their online donation form to initiate the pick-up process. Have your clear title of your car ready with you. After the sale of your vehicle, you will receive your information regarding your claimable tax deduction.

3

Wheels for Wishes

Through Wheels for Wishes, car donations in NYC can have a positive impact on kids from areas such as the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan.

Call them at 1-855-831-9474

Visit the website Wheelsforwishes.org for more information.

2

Long Island Cares

You may not know, but your vehicle might also contribute with one of the most important human needs: food. Help New York citizens that are having a hard time going through hunger with one of the most reputable charities in NY: Long Island Cares, providers of emergency food. They claim to feed 283,000 citizens of Long Island, NY every year. Cars, trucks and RVs, running or not; are all accepted vehicles in their car donation program which is managed by Donation Processors of America (DPA), not by the charity itself. Despite this, the program will provide you with everything you need to claim your tax deduction.

Donate a car in NY to this charity by calling: 877-872-2127

Remember to visit the website of Long Island Cares for more information on their organization and other ways you can contribute.

1

Charity Cars

Remember that most of the car donation programs will sell your vehicle at auction to obtain money to make a positive impact; but how much money will go to the cause you want to contribute to? The truth is most charities pay middlemen to manage the selling of the vehicles they collect. But obviously, you as a donor want to benefit the most, the cause you are most concerned with – and maybe at the same time obtain a worthy tax deduction.

Charity Cars, is a registered 501(C)(3) non-profit that has received the recognition from reputable figures such as Oprah and is one of the best places for car donations in NY, to make a positive impact in its fullest extent and to obtain the best tax deduction possible.

They connect donors such as you, with families across the United States that are currently struggling, such as victims of natural disasters, and need a vehicle for their transportation and to overcome their actual problems.

So this organization removes the middlemen to provide the most benefits for the families in need, what about the benefits regarding tax deductions for the donor?

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