Why You Should Forget About Improving Your research-portal

Breaking 1992 down into the biggest political, sports and entertainment news; here's what happened... ™

The queen had both an expensive and an embarrassing year; early on announcing that she would bow to public pressure and pay income tax (the first time a British monarch had done so for over 50 years) and, at the end of the year, having her Christmas speech leaked to and published in 'The Sun' ahead of the big day. It was also a bad year for Manchester after the research-portal IRA exploded two bombs in centre of the city; injuring 64 people and causing millions of pounds of damage.

Politically, the government, led by John Major, made themselves unpopular on two fronts, by firstly signing Britain up to the 'Treaty on European Union' (many saw this as a loss of Britain's identity); then secondly announcing it's plans to close a third of Britain's deep coal mines, with the loss of 31,000 jobs.

In terms of sport, 1992 saw Barcelona hosting the Olympic Games; it being the first time in 20 years that every country had been present (with no boycotts or bans in places). Linford Christie was the star of the event by becoming the oldest ever Olympic 100m champion (at 32 years old!). The year also saw 'The Football Association' launch the new 'Premier League', no-one at the time quite realising the revolutionary effect that it would have on the game.

Entertainment wise, the quirky, fast paced breakfast TV programme 'The Big Breakfast' made its debut. There was plenty of chaos and disorder on the show; Chris Evans being the one to lead the fun, games and competitions. The BBC were far, far less successful with their attempt at entertaining the public with 'Eldorado'. Focusing on a community of ex-pats living in a Spanish fishing village, it was slated for its wooden actors and uninspiring storylines (later to be axed after just one year).

The big movies of the year were 'Wayne's World' and 'Reservoir Dogs'. The first being about Wayne and Garth's battling it out with a hot-shot TV producer to save their own low-budget TV show (and also win the heart of the lovely Cassandra!). The second being Quentin Tarantino's story of a botched robbery and the hunting out of the 'rat' (was it Mr. White, Mr. Orange, Mr. Blonde, Mr. Pink, Mr. Brown or Mr. Blue?).

If you've been thinking about buying a crotch rocket, which is also called a sport bike, sportbike or super bike, there are a few good tips you should know.

Buy an older used crotch rocket if this is your first sport bike because a new rocket will be expensive to repair. A used sportbike will likely be able to take a few bumps and dings from minor crashes and won't cause you a lot of financial stress and especially if you have to replace it.

You want your motorcycle to be economical, handle well and feel comfortable. Make sure to try out a few sport bikes to make sure you're going to like or be able to handle the awkward position. Go to your local dealer and get a good feel for different models. There are several types and not all have the same upright position. Some are more upright than others.

Some people believe that a more powerful sport bike is safer because it gets you out of situations faster than a less powerful bike. They also cost more.

Try to get a year or two in on a less powerful motor bike before you purchase a motorcycle with more power.

Always wear body protection. Never ride without your motorcycle gear. When you're shopping for the bike make sure to shop for the gear you'll need too. Don't even think of riding without it or that will be the time you take a fall.

Check out the bikes that put you in a more upright position to see if you like that better if you haven't already.

Why not plan to spend a lot less money on a bike if this is your first and save your money for a bike that fits your needs after you've been riding one for awhile.

Make sure to get insurance quotes on the sportbike and understand what is repairable. You should do this before you buy a crotch rocket to understand what damage will be covered and which will not be covered. Make sure to find out how much the insurance deductible is.

Make sure not to buy the first motorcycle you try out. Plan on trying out at least ten for position, comfort, and ease of maneuverability, handling and cost before you buy.

Ask one to a dozen sportbike riders you know or meet and you'll find they'll always have some great tips based on their experience. They'll be glad to share more good tips for buying a crotch rocket.