Honda has planned nine cars and three motorcycles for the 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon scheduled to kick off on January 11. While the four-wheeled machineries aren’t of our interest, the bikes are.
Surprisingly, Honda won’t bring the best of each lineup, but an economical cruiser – the Shadow Classic 400 – as well as a scooter – the Forza X. Still, they show off with the Black and White 2009 CBR 1000RR so that evens up the scale pretty nicely.
As the pictures show, the Slidescooter isn’t what you might call a technology marvel, but a simple and innovative mean to have fun and even commute if necessary. Based on the idea that no road should be
unpracticable during winter and no beach left unexplored during summer, the Slidescooter features a bolt on front ski and 300 screws in the rear tire, but apart from that it is a regular 50cc scooter.
In fact, RiminiMoto’s product can be fitted on all regular scooters and the fact that you can simply spend $650 on a kit and revive the old two-stroke beastie is what makes it so great.
The ski that makes it suitable for winter riding is called a front track and there are six different ones available so that you can choose the one that suits your riding style best. Furthermore, the professionals are in for an all-carbon version.
Already caught up by the idea? That means you’re definitely a scooter guy so I shouldn’t mention that we recommend fitting an aftermarket silencer as well in order to squeeze a precious horse, maximum two, out of the small engine because you’ve most likely already done that, but I’ve said it anyway.
The Italians behind this project have also made a video in order to promote their Slidescooters, but I reckon these things have no problems in promoting themselves.
Searching the web, we’ve come across this beautifully styled Suzuki Burgman 400 which is a scooter replica of Suzuki’s road racing lineup. At a first glance there really isn’t anything not to like about the recently unveiled concept at a Las Vegas Suzuki conference.
Like the GSX-R series, it features an aerodynamic front end characterized by perfectly integrated headlights, signal lights as well as air scoops, everything being adapted to the fairly bigger scooter front end. The seat is extremely spacious and the passenger’s handles unite into what replicas a racing rear end on top of the scooter one.
There are also performance additions to the quiet, fairly small machine that often finds its purpose of life underneath modern European couples. These are the powerful brakes featuring waved discs and the exhaust which, like on the GSX-R models, have that nice triangle shape and follow up the machine’s design lines.
God knows what they’ve done to the engine, but as far as we can see, the road behavior has been improved by lowering the concept scooter while the color scheme is exactly like the one of the bike that inspired its creation in the first place.
Now, I love super sport bikes and everything that has to do with them, but if you can come up with a plausibly reason to why would anybody wish such a transformation, I am ready to accept it. Until then, I find no reason for it to go into production as it isn’t practical at all…though I would love to swing a leg over it during a day at the track.
Advise: If you’re heard saying “I’m not scared of bikers. If they crash into my car, they crumple and I go home” or, also referring to bikers “One day I will silence them by stretching a piece of cheese wire across the road”, it isn’t quite recommended to be spotted riding a two-wheeled vehicle, isn’t it? The mastermind behind these actions is Jeremy Clarkson’s, presenter of Top Gear car BBC show and declared hater of motorcycles.
The thing is that this picture not only shows him agreeing with the simplest, cheapest and most convenient form of transportation, but also makes him a total woos. A speed addict finds his way to motorcycling…on a Vespa scooter equipped with red gloves and protective glasses?
He even uses a communication kit that allows him to talk at its mobile phone while riding, something that tells us that he’s been doing this for a while. At least it won’t get caught speeding and talking at the cell phone in the same time.
Freshly unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show is the entirely new HYmotion3 Compressor concept by Peugeot. A three-wheel tilting trike which features combined characteristics of a car and a scooter, the concept benefits of late Peugeot ‘HYmotion’ technology involving simultaneous powering of a petrol engine and two electric ones.
Featuring two seats and three wheels, the all-new vehicle powers the rear wheel with a 125cc, supercharged petrol engine developing 20 bhp. That only could have decently powered the Peugeot (and it actually can when selecting petrol only engine mode), but in that case it wouldn’t have been called a hybrid. So it gets two equally powerful (3kW) electric motors for each front wheel, quality that makes electric-only mode possible.
As you already suppose, the Peugeot is a highly efficient fuel economic trike, and you haven’t even heard the best of it yet. It actually features start/stop system which offers significant reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in urban and stop-and-go traffic. Still, performance isn’t that bad as it needs 11.2 seconds to hit 60 mph while a quarter of a mile will require 17.6 seconds.
Because the HYmotion3 features roll-over protection, designers made sure that wind protection and that of the elements won’t become things to worry about so a screen/roof was added, making the trike worthy of being ridden by people wearing expensive suits rather than leather jackets.
Peugeot’s master plan also includes parallelogram type front suspension, which allows the front wheels to tilt, anti-lock brakes and a regenerative braking system which charges the batteries of the front electric engines. Life on board will also be made easier by the rearview camera and ride-by-wire controls.
The way I see it, Peugeot is most likely to stay keen on this project as there is a continuous increase of commuter vehicles and I wouldn’t be surprised if it will head to the production line in a couple of years.
According to this video, a broke-down scooter can be revived in what appears to be a remote controlled two-wheeled machine that doesn’t give any clue of its original destination. So if you don’t know what to do with the scooter you’ve outgrown, this can be a very fun alternative for a quick sell. As long as you understand what this guy does and if you have as much time on your hands as he does I say go for it.
People shifting in metal cans never saw the best solution for them to get home fast so Vespa decided to crayon them a possibility. But, still, they waited to be strongly affected on the financial side until opening their eyes (gas price subject and the famous translation to motorcycles that we’re witnessing in this period).
Still, I don’t understand how that is because, as we all know, time is money and those in the ad look like loosing a lot of time. The solution was there all the time, but the eyes were either closed or affixed on the watch.
Japan rules the roost when it comes to the future of motorcycles and it seems that one particular manufacturer was hit by the idea of a lifetime. A new, electric motorbike prototype from Genesis was unveiled featuring a hybrid magnetic motor. Apparently, the unit can power the motorcycle almost noiselessly up to speeds of 112 mph.
Interesting as well is the riding position. The biker is extremely comfortable accommodated in an armchair-like riding position and even best is that the ingenious design doesn’t ruin the aerodynamic.
Even though you don’t understand anything if you don’t speak Japanese, the idea is clear and simple, don’t you thing?
Although it hasn’t designed any bike yet, Nissan has plans to introduce a scooter in the future. Named the Nissan Mori, this is, as you can see, a simple-designed concept that can adjust to suit every rider while the on-board computer takes care of all maintenance and mechanical problems.
Part of the ecological scooter revolution, the Mori is designed by Shane Crozier who wishes that his creation would be the next best solution for those who live in the suburbs and daily commute to the city, but can’t afford a car and feel like protecting the environment.
Taking a look at it, you’ll notice that it combines retro and modern features although it is simplicity itself. Still, I wonder how comfy it is as I can not see anything that looks like a seat, just the luggage carrier’s cover.
No comment to this one guys! There are many changes this scooter girl hasn’t been riding for long, but it sure read all those articles about motorcycle safety and how important it is to wear your helmet. But what she apparently missed is the “helmet positioning lesson” as it fits the helmet completely wrong. See for yourself.
