Global specialist in energy management Schneider Electric has contracted Orange County Choppers to build their first hybrid motorcycle about which Paul Teutul , Sr. says it will be "capable of traveling farther, without refueling or recharging, than any other OCC bike in history." The parallel hybrid powertrain will be supplied by Schneider Electric while the guys at OCC bring in their design ideas as well as top quality build.
Obviously, you’re gonna see the whole story and the actual bike during a future American Chopper episode scheduled for next year, unless you’re a selected Schneider Electric contractor partner, meaning that you’ll see the hybrid chopper later this year and even get the change to win one of the eight such bikes that OCC and Schneider Electric give away.
After the jump, we’ve attached the video and the press release that resulted from this partnership. We’re eagerly waiting for the actual bike.
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If concept bikes are supposed to be windows of the future, this thing here is a veritable glass wall. Created by British designer Matt Williams, the “KTM Motorbike” not only offers a great view over design brilliancy, but also has the innovation factor to back it up. Featuring a hub-center steering system which eliminates dive under braking, this KTM concept should handle like a superbike, while the steering angle is much more generous than on classic motorcycles.
Although it is supposed to be built around a small frame and powered by a KTM V-Twin engine, we simply cannot get over the aggressive looks of this concept and the cruiser-like riding position that it offers. If we’re right, if made, this motorcycle will offer the best of both worlds: superbike performance and cruiser comfort. Ouch, that will surely change some things in the motorcycle industry.
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The 4MC is the creation of engineer and company director Nick Shotter, who got busy working on a traffic safe and efficient motorcycle after suffering a crash during his London currier days. Being practically an average-sized motorcycle rolling on four wheels instead of two, this four-wheeled vehicle retains the thrill and benefits of riding a machine that is fast, agile and very comfortable without presenting the same level of accident risk as on a classic motorcycle.
What you can see in the videos attached after the jump is a prototype performing both on a dry track and on a skid pan. Also, they show how this innovative motorcycle is much more stable when ridden through traffic and they do a quick Car vs 4MC test in tricky situations.
See the demo videos after the break.
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Honda designers and engineers are busy working on the all-new VFR1200 sport-touring motorcycle, as the bike will be unveiled next month, and they’re no cheapskates when it comes to revealing technical information along the way. Last week, we found about the development of a dual clutch transmission that they’re preparing for this all-new model and now the Japanese company has released a video in which Honda senior engine manager Tsutomu Ishii takes us through the details of the 1200cc V4 engine.
The mastermind behind this motorcycle engine explains how they managed to achieve the width of a v-twin and the length of an inline-four, while the freshly created unit has a unicam head design, phase-pin crankshaft, 28° firing order and no balancer. Watch Honda’s official video after the jump.
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The City is a concept vehicle designed by Jameson Klug to be affordable, lightweight, and simple. The idea came by joining a motorcycle with a car shell and, obviously, this brings benefits characteristic to both these types of vehicles: the versatility, low fuel consumption and thrill of riding a motorcycle when this is separated from the shell and the ability to carry two persons and cargo when attached to it.
Jameson Klug says: “My concept is based around the motorcycle architecture, and allows the car shell to attach when needed, to provide for extra cargo capacity, protection from the weather, or to carry two additional passengers. The driver still sits on the motorcycle even as he attaches it to the car, and utilizes its controls to save complexity.”
The entire bodywork is made of roto-molded high strength plastics, with a biodegradable honeycomb soy core, while the star rotor engine powering this entire assembly is capable of recycling heat that would normally be wasted.
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The fact that Honda is planning to launch an all-new VFR model powered by a 1200cc V4 engine in 2010 is no news for any of our readers, but the fact that the all-new bike will feature a dual-clutch semi-automatic transmission does sound fairly interesting even for those who aren’t that much into motorcycles.
Derived from a similar system used in the car industry for several years, Honda’s much more compact three-mode system is supposed to offer faster and yet smoother shifts. Riders of next year’s VFR will be able to select one of three different modes: two fully automatic ones and a manual (although not classic) shifting mode.
Having two clutches, it means that each one will be responsible for an equal number of gears among the six available.
We’ve attached Honda’s dual-clutch demonstration video as well as the press release after the break.
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This Custom Ferrari Chopper, although it doesn’t reflect the Italian supercar performances due to the poor racetrack abilities that choppers have, recently sold for US $39,495 on eBay.
The bike is a very beautiful tribute paid to Ferrari by its innovative motorcycle builder. Only two such bikes have been built and they are apparently powered by different engines, an inline-triple from Triumph for the first and a Yamaha R1 inline-four engine for the second.
Given the fact that the eBAY auction recently ended, we can even imagine the new owner polishing the thing in a Ferrari-filled garage.
Tom Miceli is a dedicated and hard working young man, who recently presented his own electric motorcycle at the Southern Energy and Environment Expo 2009. Tom has a BS degree in Industrial Design from the Appalachian State University in the US and the electric sportbike, that he designed and constructed in a single semester, features an 84-volt lithium-ion battery, which powers a three-phase AC motor that produces 105 lb feet of torque and 46 hp. The batteries offer the ION a 60-mile range, while the top speed is an estimated 80 mph.
After showing his creation to an impressed audience, Tom took the ION for a test ride, so here’s the video from the event.
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The words in the title probably describe the world’s smallest, lightest electric folding bike in the best possible way. Designed and constructed in Christchurch, New Zealand, the YikeBike is a fairly awkward mean of urban transportation, even one that could pass as a bicycle if it wasn’t for the 1.2kW electric motor powering it. It is made of carbon fiber, unfolds in 15 seconds and only weighs 22 pounds (10 kilograms). Also, given the fact that it only takes 6 x 23.6 x 23.6 inches (150 x 600 x 600 millimeters), you can start carrying it once it finishes carrying you.
But wait to hear the interesting part: the thing is equipped with electronic brakes with built-in anti-skid system. The manufacturer claims the thing is very easy to maneuver and has just released a video in order to prove that. Given the $4900 price, we have strong reasons to believe that the YikeBike will not gain much popularity. Click pass the break to watch the fairly interesting video for a not that interesting product.
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It looks more like a scooter to me, but it’s true. The word in Europe is that Yamaha and Toyota will team up to build the first hybrid motorcycle. We’ve even heard that it’s gonna be dubbed the ‘Prius’ (no, not the buzz car) and that it will be powered by both a 20bhp internal combustion engine and an electric motor, but that’s more than we can take. How’s that for you?
The internal combustion engine will be a 250cc horizontal single with two jobs to do: send power to the rear wheel and to a generator in order to supply the batteries with electricity. Everything is supposedly done through a high-tech ECU.
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