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Different Kinds of Fuels and their History







Car manufacturers these days are in a race with each other to manufacture the most environment-friendly cars. Companies have been researching on many different fuels to see which one of them is the most-effective, cheap and reliable fuel.

The focus these days is to extract as much energy as you can from a fuel and also keep the pollutants in the exhaust to a minimum. This is why companies are continuously looking for alternatives to improve efficiency and environment-friendliness.



History of Automobile Fuels

The history of car fuels goes way back to the 19th century. For different kinds of motors and boats, different types of materials were adopted to use as fuels to fun different types of motors. The first experimentation of its kind was done by Nicephore Niepce in 1806 when he tried to use coal dust to power a boat engine.

This experiment didn’t run as successfully as he would’ve liked, so the coal dust usage as a fuel was halted for some time. But it made a comeback once more in 1892 when Rudolf Diesel, who later went on to manufacture a compression-based engine tried to use coal dust as a fuel. This was definitely not the best approach, so Diesel shifted to a compression-based ignition engine instead.

Going back to 1886 when the first ever commercial automobile was made, gasoline made its debut as a commercial engine fuel. Karl Benz in Mannheim developed the first ever gasoline engine-based wagon in 1886. But, even at that time, a lot of people preferred to use batteries instead of gasoline. The batteries in those days were not really powerful and efficient enough to last long, so the idea of them being a permanent automobile runner eventually failed, despite the fact that Lohner-Porsche had strongly adopted battery usage.

The batteries at that time were expensive, and due to the cheapness and availability of petroleum fuels, the idea of having batteries to power cars died for the next century. So, gasoline was adopted as the main fuel king at that time, and it still is today. When cars were evolving, fuels evolved as well.

When drivers go to a gas station to fill their car with gas, they cannot find a 100% pure gasoline. Putting the right fuel in your car is vital, if you fill up gasoline in diesel or diesel in gas it can be a costly mistake. Trust me it does happen, a lot! What we know is that gasoline is a mixture of many different organic compounds. Earlier versions of gasoline had some disadvantages such as increased knocking and self-ignition problems, so other materials were added alongside the gas in order to prevent such issues. For instance, tetraethyl lead was included in the gasoline mix to remove the self-ignition issue.

With the passage of time, more environmental issues with gasoline arrived such as dangerous lead pollutants which were a danger to the environment. So, catalytic converters were introduced which really helped greatly to reduce the amount of lead in the exhaust gases. These days, ten percent ethanol is added to gas as a knock preventer so that the car runs smoothly without making too much noise.

Diesel has incurred a similar history as well which originated after the experiments made by Rudolf Diesel. He experimented with several fuels from coal dust to peanut oil. From there, the use of diesel grew bigger and bigger. Diesel is a more efficient fuel as compared to gasoline and has more than 30% fuel efficiency. This is due to the fact that diesel has a much higher compression ratio, which results in more efficiency.



Types of Different Car Fuels

Due to research initiated by different companies, many more fuels were discovered after gasoline. These sometimes offered a solution to some of the restrictions of the preceding fuel. Here are the different types of fuel.



Gasoline

Gasoline/Petrol has a huge history of being a reliable car fuel. It has been the fuel of choice for cars for more than a century now. Gasoline has an advantage of producing immense acceleration which comes from its property of a quickly igniting fuel. So, to prevent the fuel from igniting too quickly, it is mixed with other substances to create a blend, which brings some equilibrium into the fuel efficiency as well as car acceleration.



Diesel

Diesel has long been in usage after Rudolph Diesel first used it in his compression ignition engine more than a century ago. Diesel fuel is used in diesel engines, which are famous for their longevity and long, grueling drives. That is why most of the vans and trucks you see on the road are running on Diesel.

Diesel engines are much more fuel efficient and can constantly run for long periods without any interruption, which is perfect for the heavy-duty tasks which trucks must perform. But, these days, a number of sedans and luxury cars utilize a diesel engine as well, which gives the customers an option of choosing either the gasoline variant or the Diesel variant of the same model. (This option is becoming less however due to the various diesel engine scandals created by a number of German automakers.)



Liquefied Petroleum (Propane)

Propane used in Canada and the US isn’t of pure quality. It is mixed with Butane or Propylene and used for lighting small fires. However, it is one of the most cost-effective oils and is used as a fuel in the UK hybrid cars.

Propane-engined cars do not produce as much smog and pollution such as diesel and gasoline. That is why it is expected to take more share in the fuel usage in the world in the next few years as it is cheaper and more environmentally-friendly.



Compressed Natural Gas

Compressed Natural Gas is an acronym for CNG, which also acts as fuel in a number of vehicles. It can be used as a fuel in the gasoline engine as well, which means both gasoline and CNG can be run on the same engine. CNG is more than 75% less environmentally harmful as compared to both gasoline and diesel.

CNG is also much cheaper than the usual fuels and its usage seems to be on the rise in countries such as Pakistan and India. Many drivers have the CNG kit attached to their car.



Ethanol

Ethanol is also termed as a bio-fuel because it is extracted from sugarcane and corn. It is one of the fuels which can be used as a viable alternative to run a gasoline engine. Ethanol can be a good and affordable potential alternative to fossil fuels but in order to do that, you need a lot of sugarcane and corn. Ethanol production, even if done on a large scale, will not be able to meet even half the demands of a big country like the US or the UK. But, it is cheap, affordable and very environment-friendly.



Which Fuel is the best for your Car?

Simply put, there is no best fuel for a car. Each fuel has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some cheap fuels do not have a high mileage rate, while other more expensive fuels with a higher mileage can be more hazardous for the environment. Accessibility is also an issue for other fuels than gasoline and diesel.

Each fuel has its own pros and cons and a fuel engine should be chosen depending on the requirements of individuals and what they want from the vehicle.

Anthony Arnold has been in automotive industry for years. He specializes in car engines and loves to share his experiences online in different blogs and articles.



Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. But I always needed high-test in my chopper to get to her side quick!

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DON’T MISS: E-EDITION PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OIL & GAS NEWS: IN THE PIPELINE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS ARCHIVES HomeNewsBusiness Indian Motorcycle’s New FTR Rally Combines Scrambler Styling With Modern Performance

MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, today announced the North American retail availability of the 2020 FTR Rally, a scrambler-inspired FTR 1200 that combines retro styling with modern performance capabilities. Launched internationally in Milan at EICMA in November 2019, the FTR Rally will begin shipping to Indian Motorcycle dealers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

“We’re excited to offer North American riders a new take on the FTR 1200 that combines the unmistakeable look and stance of the FTR with the more classic, rugged elements that have made scramblers so beloved to city riders.”

With an urban scrambler aesthetic that’s certain to turn heads, the FTR Rally takes a step in a new direction while still maintaining some of the original styling DNA of the FTR 1200. The FTR Rally features Titanium Smoke paint with the Indian Motorcycle headdress graphic, aluminium wire wheels with stainless steel spokes and a red pinstripe, brown aviator seat, a new rally windscreen and Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires.

“We’re excited to offer North American riders a new take on the FTR 1200 that combines the unmistakeable look and stance of the FTR with the more classic, rugged elements that have made scramblers so beloved to city riders,” said Reid Wilson, Vice President of Indian Motorcycle. “The FTR 1200 is as much about style and self-expression as it is about street-oriented performance, and the FTR Rally delivers that combination in a totally unique way.”

The FTR Rally combines responsive handling with upright ergonomics to create a commanding riding experience suitable for urban environments or backroad adventures. It’s equipped with cruise control, a USB fast charge port, and new ProTaper handlebars that are two inches higher for better comfort and handling. The FTR Rally also features an LED headlight and LED turn signals offering better visibility with minimal maintenance.

The 1203cc V-twin engine features a smooth power delivery with loads of low-end punch. The engine produces 123 horsepower, 87 ft-lbs of torque, and features a flat torque curve to deliver a fun riding experience in all conditions. The engine is housed in a black trellis frame and the FTR Rally will continue to feature an inverted front suspension with radially mounted dual Brembo brakes for exceptional control and stopping power.

The 2020 FTR Rally is compatible with the entire range of 40+ accessories specifically developed for the FTR platform, giving riders the ability to customise combinations and maintain the independence they seek when purchasing an Indian Motorcycle.

Pricing for the FTR Rally will start at $13,499 MSRP. Riders can learn more by visiting their local Indian Motorcycle dealer. For more information on the 2020 FTR Rally, or to find the nearest dealer, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

 

–Bradley Hartman
The Brand Amp
bradley@thebrandamp.com
831-566-7970

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Motorcycle Boot Market 2020 : Market Size, Top Countries Data, Growth Opportunities, Defination, Emerging Technologies, Trends,Growth, Segments, Landscape and Demand by Forecast to 2024

By Market Watch

Feb 08, 2020 (The Expresswire) — [116 Pages Report] Motorcycle Boot Market is projected to grow at magnificent CAGR over the forecast period 2020-2024

GlobalMotorcycle BootMarket 2020 Research Report provides key analysis on the market status of the Motorcycle Boot manufacturers with best facts and figures, meaning, definition, SWOT analysis, expert opinions and the latest developments across the globe. The Report also calculate the market size, Motorcycle Boot Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share, cost structure and growth rate. The report considers the revenue generated from the sales of This Report and technologies by various application segments.

Short Description About Motorcycle Boot Market :

Motorcycle boots are associated with motorcycle riders and range from above ankle to below knee boots. They have an outside of a typical boot but a low heel to control the motorcycle. To improve motorcycle safety, motorcycle boots are generally made from a thick, heavy leather and may include energy absorbing and load spreading padding, metal, plastic and/or composite materials to protect the motorcycle rider’s feet, ankles and legs in an accident. For use in wet weather, some boots have a waterproof membrane lining such as Gore-Tex or SympaTex.

The objective of the study is to define market sizes of different segments and countries in previous years and to forecast the values to the next Five years. The report is designed to incorporate both qualify qualitative and quantitative aspects of the industry with respect to each of the regions and countries involved in the study. Furthermore, the report also caters the detailed information about the crucial aspects such as drivers and restraining factors which will define the future growth of the market.

The research covers the current Motorcycle Boot market size of the market and its growth rates based on 5-year records with company outline ofKey players/manufacturers:

  • Harley-Davidson
  • CorTech
  • O’Neal
  • Bates Footwear
  • Gaerne
  • Skechers
  • Durango Boot
  • Forma Boots
  • FRYE
  • Dr Martens
  • UGG

Scope of the Motorcycle Boot Market Report:

Men is a major application of Motorcycle Boot. While the sales Market Share (%) in Men was 88.97% in 2016 and will be 89.08% in 2022.

The technical barriers of Motorcycle Boot are low, and the Motorcycle Boot market concentration degree is relatively lower. Europe and North America is the main consumption places, with a consumption market share nearly 43.51% and 32.15% in 2016.

In the future, the Motorcycle Boot will have a good future; the price fluctuation has relationship with the raw material. The technology will more mature and the monopoly phenomenon will be weaken.

The worldwide market for Motorcycle Boot is expected to grow at a CAGR of roughly 3.7% over the next five years, will reach 270 million US$ in 2024, from 210 million US$ in 2019, according to a new Research study.

This report focuses on the Motorcycle Boot in global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.

Get a Sample PDF of report-https://www.360researchreports.com/enquiry/request-sample/14112992

Report further studies the market development status and future Motorcycle Boot Market trend across the world. Also, it splits Motorcycle Boot market Segmentation by Type and by Applications to fully and deeply research and reveal market profile and prospects.

Major Classifications are as follows:

  • Under 100 USD
  • 100-200 USD
  • 200-300 USD
  • Over 300 USD

Major Applications are as follows:

  • Men
  • Women

Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Motorcycle Boot in these regions, from 2014 to 2024, covering

  • North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)
  • Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.)
  • Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam)
  • South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)
  • Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)

Inquire more and share questions if any before the purchase on this report at –https://www.360researchreports.com/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/14112992

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Indian Motorcycle Unveils 2020 FTR Rally – Now Available In North America

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE’S NEW FTR RALLY COMBINES SCRAMBLER STYLING WITH MODERN PERFORMANCE

2020 FTR Rally Now Available in North America

MINNEAPOLIS (February 7, 2020) – Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, today announced the North American retail availability of the 2020 FTR Rally, a scrambler-inspired FTR 1200 that combines retro styling with modern performance capabilities. Launched internationally in Milan at EICMA in November 2019, the FTR Rally will begin shipping to Indian Motorcycle dealers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

With an urban scrambler aesthetic that’s certain to turn heads, the FTR Rally takes a step in a new direction while still maintaining some of the original styling DNA of the FTR 1200.  The FTR Rally features Titanium Smoke paint with the Indian Motorcycle headdress graphic, aluminium wire wheels with stainless steel spokes and a red pinstripe, brown aviator seat, a new rally windscreen and Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires.

“We’re excited to offer North American riders a new take on the FTR 1200 that combines the unmistakeable look and stance of the FTR with the more classic, rugged elements that have made scramblers so beloved to city riders,” said Reid Wilson, Vice President of Indian Motorcycle. “The FTR 1200 is as much about style and self-expression as it is about street-oriented performance, and the FTR Rally delivers that combination in a totally unique way.”

The FTR Rally combines responsive handling with upright ergonomics to create a commanding riding experience suitable for urban environments or backroad adventures. It’s equipped with cruise control, a USB fast charge port, and new ProTaper handlebars that are two inches higher for better comfort and handling. The FTR Rally also features an LED headlight and LED turn signals offering better visibility with minimal maintenance.

The 1203cc V-twin engine features a smooth power delivery with loads of low-end punch.  The engine produces 123 horsepower, 87 ft-lbs of torque, and features a flat torque curve to deliver a fun riding experience in all conditions. The engine is housed in a black trellis frame and the FTR Rally will continue to feature an inverted front suspension with radially mounted dual Brembo brakes for exceptional control and stopping power.

The 2020 FTR Rally is compatible with the entire range of 40+ accessories specifically developed for the FTR platform, giving riders the ability to customise combinations and maintain the independence they seek when purchasing an Indian Motorcycle.

Pricing for the FTR Rally will start at $13,499 MSRP. Riders can learn more by visiting their local Indian Motorcycle dealer. For more information on the 2020 FTR Rally, or to find the nearest dealer, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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How data is driving new approaches to transportation

from New York Times

Analysing digital streams of information from electric scooters and motor-assisted bicycles are helping solve travel congestion issues.

Five seconds after a Los Angeles rider unlocks a dockless electric scooter with a smartphone app and sets off to a destination, a cityoperated databank is informed.

Five seconds after the trip ends, typically no more than a mile away, another alert updates the record, noting the location. In 24 hours, the exact route is uploaded and logged for analysis.

That ride to the bus stop or the convenience store, emissions-free and nearly silent, would seem to be a zero-disruption event in a sprawling city with millions of people and vehicles. Yet extrapolated over years, it foreshadows a shift of potentially enormous consequences.

While the identity of that rider is unknown to the city, a stream of data from the scooter’s GPS module and cellphone link — speed, time of day, battery state of charge — flows to cloud servers an average of a million times a month during Los Angeles’s pilot program. Each trip is but a trickle of bytes, yet it is a rich resource for the planners and the policymakers who hope to tame the persistent tangle of traffic in this vehicle-dependent metropolis.

That vehicular chokehold can weigh as heavily on a neighborhood dweller as it does on a road user. “Cities have to assure that their resources are used efficiently, and that includes the shared spaces,” said Stephen Zoepf, chief of policy development at Ellis & Associates, a Silicon Valley consultancy that helps cities develop transportation technology plans.

“The effects of crowding, in noise and emissions, are a tragedy of the commons,” he continued, using an economist’s term for situations in which resources are depleted by those acting in self-interest rather than the general good.

The arrival of electric scooters and motor-assisted bicycles, backbones of a transportation mode known as micromobility, has been greeted as part of the solution to clogged roadways and unbearable travel delays. There’s a business opportunity as well, with a projection of a micromobility market valued at up to $15 billion annually in the United States and Europe by 2025, according to a study by the Boston Consulting Group.

The urgency to sort out the conflict between vehicles and road space is growing. About 55 percent of the world’s population lives in urban areas, according to the United Nations; by 2050, that share is projected at 68 percent. Cities, already teeming, are increasingly frustrating to get around.

Yet the route to clearing the congestion has been a highway paved with obstacles. Linking transportation hubs to housing in the affordable last mile, where the need is greatest, proves a hurdle too high. Getting people out of their cars is a vexing problem; delivering goods without bulky trucks is nearly impossible.

Seleta Reynolds, general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation since 2014, is an eyewitness to monumental shifts in transportation, her job expanding from oversight of city functions like parking and public transit to coping with the onset of digital platforms for hailing rides.

“What became clear to me was that the digital version was going away from public management of the right of way,” she said in a telephone interview, referring to innovations like Uber and Lyft, which arrived in Los Angeles without regulations in place for driver pay, working hours or background checks.

Zoepf said cities were caught by surprise. “Now we had companies supported by venture capital saying, ‘We’re not providing transportation, we’re platforms,’ and doing business on the public right of way without a permit arrangement,” he said. But a greater upheaval lay ahead.

“Then scooters showed up,”Reynolds said, noting that Los Angeles was unprepared for the 2017 arrival of easy-toride, motorized upgrades to what were once deemed children’s toys. “We got caught flat-footed in the transformation.”

In part, the solution to this cat-herding problem lay in making use of the data generated by the dockless scooters for fleet owners, who need to know where the scooters are in order to gather them each night for battery charging and reposition them the next morning where demand will be greatest.

That data set is also a key to solving congestion: Knowing what route they have used historically makes it possible for policymakers to plan infrastructure. The ability to monitor their every movement is no longer alarming to users — privacy is a serious concern, but not a showstopper, given that our smartphones already feed generous helpings to any number of data-digesting apps.

To collect the digital stream in a form useful to all, the Mobility Data Specification, or MDS, was created by the Los Angeles transportation department.

As an open-source software platform built on a set of application programming interfaces — the communication protocols between parts of a computer program — MDS is now used by more than 50 American cities and dozens more around the globe. It is governed by the Open Mobility Foundation, chaired by Reynolds.

MDS IN USE
Hoboken, New Jersey, could serve as the ideal petri dish for testing micromobility. A mile square, with 55,000 residents and little elevation change, it is home to thousands of commuters who connect to buses, trains and ferries that will carry them to workplaces in Manhattan, across the Hudson River. Hoboken’s escooter pilot also fit perfectly with sustainability goals.

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Colorado Motorcycle Expo 2020

A Winter Meet and Get Together with Pals
by David “Dangerous Dave” Campbell

The main idea around the Colorado Motorcycle Expo has been a swap meet and friends getting together in the middle of the winter. This year Colorado and the weather had not been keeping their part of the agreement. The weather in Colorado this 2020 has been wonderful. I have friends that have ridden everyday and not missed a beat because of winter weather. Now I hear it is to change right after the bike show but we will wait and see what happens.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE EVENT COVERAGE ON BIKERNET

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Will 2020 mark a turnaround for motorcycle powerhouse Harley-Davidson?

Matt Levatich is CEO of Harley-Davidson.

by Margaret Naczek from https://www.bizjournals.com

For 117 years Harley-Davidson Inc. has led the market in motorcycles and continues to hold a dominant market share in the U.S. heavyweight motorcycle market.

Despite its dominance in motorcycles, fewer people are buying bikes, and the number of U.S. riders are growing at a slow pace. For several consecutive quarters, the company faced declining sales, lower revenue and flat stock prices.

With falling sales numbers, 2020 is becoming a pivotal year for the company founded in 1903. Harley has plans to grow riders to 4 million by 2027, from 3.1 million now, and invest in new markets with its More Roads to Harley-Davidson initiative, which launched in 2018. Some analysts, however, are uncertain of Harley’s ability to achieve such goals.

“We are becoming a company that excels and exists to not only build great bikes, but to build riders,” Harley-Davidson CEO Matt Levatich said in the company’s fourth-quarter conference call.

During the call, Levatich listed four target areas that the Harley plans to hit in 2020 to retain early riders, a category segment that the manufacturer has struggled with. The company plans using riders to recruit and coach new riders, allow early riders to experience riding opportunities on their own turn and on their own terms and solidifying rider commitment through experimental opportunities like overnight rides.

New motorcycles such as Harley’s first electric motorcycle LiveWire, released in September 2019, or the new Pan America adventure touring bike and Bronx Streetfighter bike, which are expected to release late in 2020, are also part of the company’s efforts to turn U.S. motorcycle sales around and build a strong ridership base.

At least one dealer is hopeful about the strategy.

“It’s brave if you think about it,” said Goran Zadrima, regional manager at Milwaukee and West Bend Harley-Davidson. “A lot of companies in the past have attempted to go after the Harley touring market, and everybody fell on their face trying to take Harley in the touring market. The fact that Harley is getting into the adventure and the streetfighter market, that’s a huge market. There’s a lot of good brands out there, but the one thing that Harley has that nobody has anywhere is the dealer network.”

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Quebec wants to tighten rules for access to motorcycle licences

by Amy Luft from https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/

MONTREAL — Quebec wants to tighten regulations for motorcycle drivers in the province following an expect report on motorcycle safety.

Under the proposed regulations, Transport Minister François Bonnardel wants zero tolerance for alcohol for apprentice motorcycle driver, as is the case for drivers of other vehicles.

Bonnardel also said he would amend licensing regulations to prohibit anyone with four or more demerit points on their driving records from getting a motorcycle licence.

Bonnardel made the announcement Thursday after receiving a report from the Expert Committee on Motorcycle Safety.

The report is based on the causes and circumstances surrounding the deaths of 189 motorcyclists in 182 crashes between Jan. 1, 2013 and Dec. 31, 2016. The main causes of those crashes were speed, reckless driving, inexperience, distraction, inattention and alcohol impairment.

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Vagos Motorcycle Club trial to resume later in this month

Defendants Bradley Campos, left, Diego Garcia and Cesar Morales depart the Lloyd George U.S. Courthouse following opening statements in a federal racketeering trial for eight Vagos Motorcycle Club members on Aug. 12, 2019, in Las Vegas.

by Rio Lacanlale from https://www.reviewjournal.com

A lengthy federal racketeering trial against eight Vagos Motorcycle Club members will take a weeklong break after four days of closing arguments, which initially were expected to wrap up this week.

Arguments will continue Feb. 18 due to a conflict in U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro’s schedule. The Las Vegas trial began in July.

Between Monday and Thursday, jurors heard from federal prosecutor Daniel Schiess and five of the eight men’s defense attorneys.

On trial are Vagos members Pastor Fausto Palafox, Albert Lopez, Albert Benjamin Perez, James Patrick Gillespie, Ernesto Manuel Gonzalez, Bradley Michael Campos, Cesar Vaquera Morales and Diego Chavez Garcia.

The men previously pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, murder, and using a firearm to commit murder during and in retaliation to a crime. Each faces up to life in prison if convicted.

The charges stem from a 2017 indictment accusing Vagos members of a slew of crimes dating to 2005 and spanning more than a decade, including the 2011 fatal shooting of a Jeffrey Pettigrew, a rival Hells Angels gang member in Sparks.

Under the racketeering charge, in addition to the 2011 killing, the defendants are accused of robbery, extortion, kidnapping and possession of narcotics with the intent to sell.

Arguments this week from both sides reiterated two different versions of the 2011 shooting previously told to the jury.

Schiess spent nearly three days carefully laying out the most significant evidence presented during the trial, arguing that the killing was both an authorized hit by Palafox, the international president of Vagos at the time, and part of a broader criminal conspiracy.

But according to the defense, Gonzalez, accused of being the shooter, was “acting in the defense of others” when he fired the fatal shots. Michael Kennedy, his attorney, said Pettigrew and another Hells Angels member were “actively shooting” inside a casino after picking a fight with Vagos members.

The defense also has argued that the government’s case was largely built on lies from Gary “Jabbers” Rudnick, an ousted member who received immunity for his testimony against his former allies. In September, the government’s star witness admitted to repeatedly lying on the witness stand after testifying for three days that Vagos members had plotted the killing.

“They have asked you to convict Ernesto Gonzalez and these other men on first-degree murder and racketeering conspiracy on the word of a man whose reliability they questioned,” Kennedy said.

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HOT NEW ISSUE LAUNCH

Hey Guys!

As my executive Team of FastDates.com Calendar Bike Builders & Compadres, I’m forwarding this, my 50th Anniversary Easyruders party invitation to you.
Chris Breed is the new publisher of Easyriders magazine which has relaunched as an all new coffee table style feature magazine encompassing all aspects of the sport.

Let’s hope it succeeds, so our sport of motorcycling will continue to flourish again.

And at the very least, I look forward to catching up with you and taking advantage of the free food and drinks! RSVP at the bottom.

See you there,
Jim Gianatsis, Producer
Gianatsis Design Associates
FastDates.com Calendars, Books & Website

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