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Motorcycles
Yamaha set to launch hybrid production motorcycle for 2010
By Ben Purvis
02:35 June 22, 2009 PDT
Back in 2005, Yamaha showed the wacky 2005 Gen-Ryu hybrid concept bike at the Tokyo Motor Show amidst a raft of other very non-conventional two wheelers such as the aptly named FC-Me fuel cell bike, the ingenious Deinonychus elec tric reconfigurable motorcycle, the Chivicker, Passol and the Maxam two-wheeled limousine. Now it appears certain the bike will become a showroom model in 2010. A series of patent applications detail the new motorcycle which uses the YZF-R6 600cc engine to turn a generator which in turn powers the rear wheel. History shows that every Yamaha styling patent published over the last 20 years has resulted in a full production machine, so there's little doubt this one is also heading for a showroom near you in the very near future. You can expect to see it in the flesh for the first time at the Tokyo Motor Show later this year. Read More
TTXGP - electric motor company Agni blitzes in first clean emissions Grand Prix
By Mike Hanlon
19:05 June 12, 2009 PDT
Joint Indian-English company Agni Motors’s claim of making quality, high efficiency and high performance electric motors gained massive credence today when it clearly bested the world’s fastest electric motorcycles to win the first clean emissions (AKA electric) motorcycle Grand Prix at an average speed of 87.434 mph. It’s place in history is assured by the landmark win, but it was the team’s dominance that was most surprising. It averaged 10 mph faster around the 37 mile course than its closest rival and established itself as the first superstar company to emerge in a fledgling giant industry. Read More
4MC: The 20 year making of the tilting 4-wheeler
By Ben Purvis
20:38 June 11, 2009 PDT
This odd-looking creation could be the start of something massive – it's the first prototype of an entirely new design of leaning four-wheeled bike which not only offers a massive increase in safety but, should it reach production, will be legal for anyone holding a car driving licence to use without taking an extra test – all while keeping the cheap road tax, good fuel economy and exemption from congestion charging that goes hand in hand with bike ownership. Following on from our first glimpse of the 4MC, Ben Purvis takes a closer look at the development of this remarkable machine and talks to inventor Nick Shotter about the 20-year obsession that led to its creation. Read More
Mission One's Jeremy Cleland talks to Gizmag from the Isle of Man TTX electric motorcycle race
By Loz Blain
20:59 June 10, 2009 PDT
Entrants in the TTX Electric Superbike GP have laid some of their cards on the table at the Isle of Man - but according to Mission One's Jeremy Cleland, the first TTX practice session was all about safely making it around the track and recording battery capacity data - race pace, he says, will be significantly faster. We spoke to Cleland just before the second TTX practice session at the historic Isle of Man TT circuit - hear his thoughts on the Mission One bike, the TTX races, the future of electric racebikes and the challenges of racing in this new category in our exclusive audio interview after the jump. Read More
Electric power proves its worth in first TTXGP practice session
By Mike Hanlon
15:25 June 9, 2009 PDT
The era of electric motorcycling began today when entrants in the first clean emissions Grand Prix proved their viability by lapping the famous IOM TT circuit in excess of 80 mph during the first practice session for Friday's race. The honours in the first ever session went to the Indian Agni Motors entry based around a 2007 model Suzuki GSX-R600 road bike frame and fitted with two Agni 95 motors and 63 70AH Kokam lithium-polymer batteries. Rated by the team at around 40-50 bhp, the bike was the first electric motorcycle to complete a lap of the 37 mile course, with Team Agni rider Rob Barber averaging 84.81 mph to the time sheets. Read More
Kawasaki set to debut night vision, helmet-mounted heads-up displays and collision avoidance technology
By Ben Purvis
20:10 June 7, 2009 PDT
KAWASAKI'S 1400 GTR is already one of the most technologically-advanced bikes on the planet – with variable valve timing, keyless ignition and tyre pressure sensors as standard – but the firm is preparing a whole new generation of ground breaking technology for the next-generation GTR. Heading up the technological onslaught comes a system that until now has been in the preserve of only the world's most expensive cars; night vision. Read More
Electric Dreams – first ride impressions of the TTX01 electric superbike
By Mike Hanlon
03:16 June 1, 2009 PDT
In less than a fortnight (June 12), the world will witness the FIRST clean emissions Grand Prix. Known as the TTX GP, the race represents history in the making - the modern day equivalent of the landmark Paris-Rouen Horseless Carriage Competition (Concours des Voitures sans Chevaux) of 1894. The winning bike and its rider, will claim an eternal place in the history books. In the build up to the race, TTX GP founder Azhar Hussein built a demonstrator electric superbike based around a Suzuki GSX 750 and dubbed it the TTX01. It's the first prototype of what he hopes will become a production motorcycle within a year or three. Long-time motorcycle writer Stuart Barker journeyed to the Isle of Man to become one of the first people in the world to sample the battery-powered TTX01 and his impressions are our first glimpse into the future of motorcycling. Stuart discovered that riding a silent motorcycle is an eerie experience, but not completely devoid of fun. Welcome to the future! Read More
British Mac Motorcycles unveils range of Buell-engined bikes
By Mike Hanlon
01:47 May 29, 2009 PDT
The once dominant British Motorcycle Industry does not have a lot of champion brands left these days with only Triumph competitive on a global scale. Now a new marque will fly the Union Jack with the news that a British motorcycle company named 'Mac Motorcycles' is set to produce a range of four lightweight, air-cooled singles using the 500cc Buell ‘Blast’ motor in a tubular backbone frame. Expected pricing is in the UKP 8,000 -10,000 (USD$12,750 to USD$16,000) bracket. Read More
Honda's 2011 Gold Wing to be technology showcase
By Mike Hanlon
19:26 May 13, 2009 PDT
Details of Honda's all-new 2011 model Gold Wing are emerging, along with the news that it's likely to be released a lot earlier than planned. Australian MotorCycle News is reporting the new Wing will jump from 1800cc to 2000cc, and retain its horizontally-opposed six cylinder format but will have both twin overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, similar to the EVO6 concept (pictured with 2009 Gold Wing) it showed at the Tokyo MotorShow 2007. Beyond that, the bike is shaping as a technology showcase with Honda's variable cylinder management, a beefed-up Human Friendly transmission, airbag system, ABS braking, GPS, electronic traction control, Bluetooth phone integration and an iPod compatible sound system. Read More
World MotoGP Championship-winning Suzuki for sale
By Mike Hanlon
16:26 May 12, 2009 PDT
May 13, 2009 The opportunity to own a world championship winning motorcycle is extremely rare. Usually, the only chance to obtain such a beastie is reserved for the people who have ridden them, and hence very few championship winning bikes exist outside the private collections of former world champions, or in factory museums. Now former Grand Prix motorcycle road racing world champion Franco Uncini has decided to auction the Suzuki 500 XR40 on which he won the his 1982 World MotoGP Championship via international Auction House COYS in Monaco on May 18. Read More
BMW's 2010 S1000RR superbike - full details released
By Loz Blain
00:05 May 11, 2009 PDT
BMW's S1000RR 1000cc superbike might not be making big waves in World Superbike competition just yet, but today's release of photos, specifications and a hugely detailed press pack leaves us in no doubt that the new Beemer flagship will be an absolute monster on the road. A massive 193 horsepower is just the beginning - the S1000RR packs a combined ABS that's lighter and smarter than Honda's, variable intake tracts and exhaust butterflies that outdo the Yamaha and MV Agusta systems, a 4-mode variable engine mapping system that seems a lot better thought-out than Suzuki's, and a very clever traction control system that's integrated into the mind-boggling fly-by-wire engine management system in a way that seems much more logical than Ducati's. Brand new in every way, this purpose-built German superbike is set to hit showroom floors well before the end of the year. Read More
Sideways on a tilting 4-wheeler: the next generation of fun machines
By Loz Blain
05:13 May 7, 2009 PDT
If the fun we had aboard Piaggio's MP3 is any indication, motorcycles with more than two wheels have a big future ahead of them. The additional stability and traction you get from a tilting three-wheeler is quite an eye-opener, and they're still exceptionally fun to ride. If you want to take the concept one step further, though, an extra wheel at the back as well can actually make the entire bike narrower while delivering the sort of stability that can let you safely powerslide and drift all four wheels on an oily skidpan. Remember Yamaha's wild and wonderful Tesseract concept from 2007? The company is keen to get one into production, but as it turns out, Yamaha has run into trouble with patents held by an ex-courier and motorcycle safety advocate from the UK who has been working on a road-ready tilting 4-wheeler for more than 20 years. Read More
Ducati Desmosedici GP9 carbon fibre frame
By Mike Hanlon
17:24 April 13, 2009 PDT
Ever since designer John Barnard built the 1981 F1 McLaren MP4-1 chassis from carbon fibre, the world has become increasingly aware of this novel composite material that is very stiff, three times stronger and more than four times lighter than steel! Within a year or two, carbon fibre became the construction material of choice for F1 designers. Strangely, it has taken nearly three decades for a carbon fibre-framed motorcycle to take a race win at the highest level. The World MotoGP Championship kicked off this evening in Qatar, with Casey Stoner taking the first win on the carbon fibre-framed Ducati Desmosedici GP9. His emphatic win indicates yet another competitive-edge Ducati technology to back up its landmark desmodromic valve-train and traction control technologies. Read More
Video: Standbike, the 140kmh, 250cc scooter you ride like a wakeboard
By Loz Blain
05:32 April 8, 2009 PDT
In today's peaceful, safe and buttoned-down Western world, people go to all sorts of lengths to get themselves the charge of adrenaline they crave so much - whether it's BASE jumping with a wingsuit instead of a parachute or strapping high-powered motors to things not normally associated with motors at all. We need to dice with death and danger, we say, in order to feel alive - and our creativity in coming up with new ways to scare and test ourselves is quite amazing. Take this odd contraption from Hungary - the Standbike SuperBikeBoard is a 250cc scooter with a custom-built rear section. It comes with a seat mounted on a pole, but that's entirely removable so you can take it to a tight track and ride it something like a motorized wakeboard, moving your body around the bike to balance, steer and stabilize it. You'd need thighs of steel to enjoy it for any length of time, because it looks like a very physical riding experience - and with a top speed over 140kmh, you'll want to keep your wits about you. Read More
Zero S - affordable, street-legal electric supermoto hits the freeways
By Loz Blain
02:19 April 8, 2009 PDT
Zero Motorcycles was a surprise hit in 2008, selling out its stock of 'X' battery-electric motocross bikes much faster than expected and proving in the process that customers are well and truly ready to slap down the dollars for a quality electric off-roader. Now the company has announced the Zero S - a street-legal electric supermotard capable of 60mph and with a 60-mile range off a full 4-hour battery charge. At under USD$10,000 - before you get your 10% Federal plug-in vehicle credit - the Zero S joins the Vectrix electric maxi-scooter in the list of truly practical electric bikes capable of freeway speeds. And with a power-to-weight ratio almost identical to Suzuki's DR-Z400SM, it should be a bag of laughs to ride. If consumers liked the X, we reckon they'll go crazy to be the first on the block to ride this street-legal, lean, green giggle machine. Read More
World's first all-electric 24-hour endurance motocross race to be held in California
By Loz Blain
20:36 March 18, 2009 PDT
When the flag drops, the bullsh*t stops, as they say in racing, and few sectors in the auto market have as much to prove as electric motorcycles. The performance potential of electric bikes is almost unbounded, with massive advantages over petrol bikes in so many areas - and battery technology is starting to catch up with the market's needs - but until recently, there's been no international competitive showcase for the top level of electric motorcycles. Just this week, the FIM announced a zero-emissions TT Grand Prix on the Isle of Man in June - and paved the way for electric bikes to compete in the future against top-level petrol bikes. Now, off-road specialists Zero Motorcycles are gearing up for the world's first all-electric 24-hour endurance motocross race in California on April 4. The flag has dropped on electric racing. Time to see who's got the goods, and who's been telling porkies. Read More
FIM endorses TTXGP - the world's first clean emissions motorcycle race
By Mike Hanlon
21:48 March 15, 2009 PDT
In a landmark move, the world governing body for motorcycle sport, the FIM, is endorsing the upcoming TTXGP, the world’s first clean emissions motorcycle race which will be held on the Isle of Man on 12th June 2009. In making the announcement, FIM President, Vito Ippolito, said, “ FIM recognizes the importance of this area that is evolving very quickly. The future of the sport depends on our capacity as well as that of the manufacturers to innovate quickly. We are convinced that very shortly the motorcycle World Championships will be accessible to non-polluting engines.” For motorcycle manufacturers wishing for a place in history, this is now IT! Read More
The Honda TITAN MIX – the world's first flex fuel motorcycle
By Mike Hanlon
23:27 March 10, 2009 PDT
Brazilian Honda subsidiary Moto Honda da Amazonia Ltda.(HDA) has begun sales of the , the first motorcycle in the world to be equipped with flexible-fuel technology. The 150cc motorcycle is equipped with a Mix Fuel Injection System, a newly developed fuel supply and fuel injection control system that enables consumers to use a flexible mixture of environmentally-responsible bio-ethanol and gasoline fuels, hence reducing CO2 emissions and fuel costs. Read More
World Superbikes - round one wrap up
16:25 March 1, 2009 PST
Japan’s Nitro Noriyuki Haga and American newcomer Ben Spies were victorious in round one of the WSKB held today at Australia's Phillip Island Circuit in front of a record crowd of 63,250. Haga took the podium in race one after an enthralling battle with German Max Neukirchner which saw Haga's Ducati 1098R cross the line just 32/1000ths of a second ahead of the Suzuki. Read More
Yamaha's Ben Spies stuns with pole position on World Superbike debut
By Loz Blain
23:46 February 27, 2009 PST
The 2009 World Superbikes season is off to a cracking start, with an action-packed qualifying stage and Superpole now decided. Boasting a huge grid of superstar riders, some ominous new faces, a raft of new bikes and brand new teams from BMW and Aprilia, we've tipped WSBK 2009 as the one to watch over MotoGP in our detailed season preview a few weeks ago. And what a start! Texan Ben Spies has taken an astonishing Superpole victory on his international debut for Yamaha, ahead of veteran Max Biaggi on the brand new Aprilia RSV4 and newcomer Jonny Rea on his Hannspree Honda CBR1000RR. The new Superpole format has proven itself to be pure cut-throat desperation and a great spectacle - and the races tomorrow should be absolutely stunning. Check TheBikerGene for full coverage of Round 1 of the 2009 World Superbike Championship. Read More
KTM reveals production plans for electric enduro motorcycle
By Paul Evans
00:14 February 6, 2009 PST
In more big news on the electric motorcycle front this week, KTM has started development for series production of a sports enduro with electric drive. The company has been testing a fully functional electric, zero local emissions enduro prototype motorcycle since mid 2008 and has now announced that mass production is set to begin in 2010. Read More
Winter wheelies: bolt-on kit turns your dirtbike into a powder-carving snowbike
By Loz Blain
01:04 February 5, 2009 PST
This looks like serious winter fun. What if you could ride your high-performance, lightweight dirtbike in the snow? Imagine throwing huge snowy rooster tails, wheelieing across snow-covered fields, carving corners through the powder and cranking your bike down to elbow-dragging lean angles - all the while knowing that if you overcook it, you'll fall into a nice soft pile of the white fluffy stuff. The US$4250 2moto snowbike kit is a bolt-on mod that takes about 2 hours to fit to a range of common dirtbikes. In place of the front wheel, you get a tough, flexible ski on the end of your forks. At the rear end, you swap your swingarm, wheel and suspension out for a thin paddle track drive unit - and voila! You've got half a snowmobile, except it leans over in the turns and looks like a helluva lot more fun. Read More
Mission One unveils 150mph Electric Sportbike
By Mike Hanlon
15:39 February 4, 2009 PST
February 4, 2009 Mission Motors emerged from stealth start-up mode at TED2009 today, unveiling a truly landmark motorcycle and one which will no doubt be creating rumblings through every motorcycle manufacturer in the world as you read this. The Mission One is almost certainly the world's fastest production all-electric motorcycle, but at the same time catapults electric motorcycles into contention as genuine sports motorcycles. With a top speed of 150 MPH and a range of 150 miles, the Mission One rivals existing sportbikes, but it's the torque of the electric motor which will make ALL the difference - 100 lb-ft from 0 rpm all the way to 6500 rpm – by comparison, a 2009 Yamaha YZF-R1 produces 85 lb-ft at 10,000 rpm and the torquiest motorcycle on the market, the 2.3 litre Triumph Rocket III, produces 147 lb-ft. Read More
AutoMoto tilting three-wheeler: cheap, practical commuting fun
By Loz Blain
02:00 February 3, 2009 PST
There was lots of interest last year when we wrote about Sidam's Xnovo, which essentially looked like a 500cc micro-minivan on three wheels. But the Xnovo hasn't materialized on the market yet, and its USD$10,000 projected price robs it of any practical claim to economy. The California-built AutoMoto, however, achieves many of the Xnovo's aims for less than half the price. It's got a roof, a windshield, wipers, an MP3 stereo, CVT, two seats and a large, lockable storage trunk - and it has three wheels, with two at the rear, which attach to a platform that allows the body to tilt when cornering. Its 150cc engine gets 83mpg in daily use - 30mpg better than the Toyota Prius - and it's much easier to park. It can squeeze through traffic like any other scoot, but it doesn't require a motorcycle license or helmet in many US states. The AutoMoto should prove itself to be a practical and fun way to get around and it looks like a bargain too, at only USD$3800. Read More
2009 World Superbike Championship: season preview and predictions
By Loz Blain
23:52 February 2, 2009 PST
The global financial crisis has clearly hammered the highest echelons of prototype racing, with established teams like Honda and Kawasaki pulling out of F1 and MotoGP respectively in the last couple of months. But for the production-based (and much cheaper) World Superbike series, things have never looked better than they do at the start of 2009. Despite the retirement of beloved champion Troy Bayliss, the 2009 WSBK grid will field a record 32 bikes from a record 7 manufacturers as BMW and Aprilia join the fray with exotic new machinery. There's also an influx of phenomenally talented riders - including AMA champ Ben Spies, BSB champ and ex-GP god Shakey Byrne, and precocious youngsters Tom Sykes and Leon Haslam to do battle with battle-hardened veterans like Nitro Nori Haga, Biaggi, Corser and Kagayama. The first pre-season test has been run, giving us a glimpse at who's fast and who's faster, so it's time for a WSBK season preview, looking at the class, the teams, the bikes and the personalities that make SBK the race series to watch in 2009. Read More
Barry J
- November 10, 2009 @ 00:59 UTC
