1977 Yamaha Exciter Secondary Driven Clutch on 2040-parts.com

Chrysler gets improved performance and handling marks from Consumer Reports

Chrysler Group is making strides to improve handling and performance of its vehicles, but the gains vary from model to model, according to tests by Consumer Reports magazine. The magazine said Tuesday that its recent tests of eight 2011 Chrysler Group models found advances in performance, interior fit and finish and handling. But it said the level of refinement in some vehicles still lags behind rivals.

One Lap of the Web: Motorcycles in revolt

-- Danny Lyon photographed the Chicago Outlaws at the height of the counterculture: Following the gang on his Triumph, Lyon published his candid, brutal shots in 1968 with the title "The Bikeriders." Vice explains why Lyon's book mattered: He rode with them, documented their personal conversations and ultimately glorified the gang and their "existential struggle to be free." The book is due for re-release by the Aperture Foundation. -- Kim Boyle built this gorgeous custom 1978 BMW R100/7 on a shoestring budget, proving that you can't put a price on talent and taste. The as-yet-unnamed bike wears an old-school BMW roundel and some lovely details, including a headlight screen, a seat from a Ducati Monster and a custom 2-into-1 exhaust welded from 32 pieces of tubing.

Honda delays Civic redesign

Honda's redesigned Civic will not arrive until 2011, well past the typical five-year product cadence that would have landed the next-generation subcompact in dealer showrooms this fall. Changing market conditions and tougher fuel economy and emissions regulations affected the development of the upcoming Civic, John Mendel, American Honda Motor Co.'s executive vice president, said in an interview. Mendel said the next Civic would come next year, although he declined to give a specific month.