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Paris is testing 'noise radar' that will automatically ticket loud cars
Parisians with powerful cars might want to think carefully before showing off their rides. Parts of the city (most recently the suburb of Villeneuve-le-Roi) are testing a "noise radar" system from Bruitparif that can pinpoint loud vehicles and, eventually, ticket them. The system uses four microphones to triangulate the origins of a sound and link it with CCTV footage to pinpoint whoever's making the racket.
Six amazing all-electric motorcycles
By Cat DiStasio Zero-emissions cars are popping up left and right, but motorcycle design has been a little late to the game. Yet, all-electric motorcycles and are zooming down the streets in increasing numbers. With varying engine sizes, charging times and driving ranges, each new electric motorcycle that hits the market offers something unique. From far-out futuristic designs that look like something Batman would ride to bikes that could have driven off a Star Wars set, cutting-edge electric motorcycles have broken the early trend that suggested EVs ought to look like dorkier versions of their fossil fuel counterparts. Other electric motorcycles target ambitious performance standards -- from blistering top speeds to longer driving ranges and even some fun features like built-in LED effects.
ICYMI: Screaming down a magnetic levitation tube
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Hyperloop One is a concept design to put a high-speed transit line between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, cutting the commute time from two hours to 12 minutes. If the 760MPH speed frightens you, perhaps you'd be more interested in Zero Motorcycles' new lineup, which increased range to 200 miles in one charge. If you're interested in Simple Habit the meditation app, that's here, and a news story from Canada on its immigration website crash is here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Kawasaki motorcycles will be able to talk to you
It seems like technology is edging us closer and closer to 1980s science fiction. Hoverboards? Got that. Advanced robotics? No problem. What about talking vehicles? Turns out, Kawasaki is working on that. The company is in the early stages of creating a voice controlled artificial intelligence for its motorcycles.
Bandai taking motorcycles out for a Ride in spring 2015
Bandai Namco reminded us of a universal truth today: Motorcycles are awesome. Hence the reason the publisher announced that Ride, a "complete motorcycle racing simulator," will launch in spring 2015, a good time of year to break out super-cool motorcycles and take them for a spin. The game is in development for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. Ride will feature more than 100 bikes from real-life manufacturers usable in four different racing categories: Superbikes, Supersports, Naked and Historical bikes. The game will also allow players to customize their bikes and riders (we're hoping for some sweet leather jackets to wear in-game). Ride is being developed by Milestone Srl, an Italian studio credited with work on the MotoGP and MXGP motorcycle racing series. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Transformers Universe MOBA now has motorbikes
Jagex's Transformers Universe MOBA has added Swagger and Diabla to its roster of playable bots, the first such addition since the free-to-play title transitioned into open beta. Swagger is an Interceptor-class Autobot who uses his cloaking device to enable hit-and-run gameplay that Jagex says will decimate Decepticon players with reduced defenses. Diabla, on the other hand, is a damage-focused Decepticon who roams the map hunting for single targets and "takes them offline without a second thought." You can read Jagex's full PR spiel after the break. [Source: Jagex press release]
Harley-Davidson teases its first electric motorcycle
The sound of a Harley-Davidson roaring down the street is unmistakable, but it's looking like the Milwaukee-based motorcycle company could be going a bit quieter with its next model. The outfit posted a teaser video (embedded after the break) today with a bike briefly zooming down a section of Route 66, and while there isn't a clear look at the ride in question, the sound it makes is kind of startling considering the trademark bar-and-shield logo attached to the clip. The supposed two-wheeler doesn't sport the typical rolling thunder synonymous with the American motorcycles, but instead it sounds like a jet-engine taking off as it screams past the camera -- basically confirming suspicions the internet's had about an upcoming electric-engine hog. Whether it'll best the Lightning LS-218 on the quarter mile remains to be seen, however. Any other speculation should be cleared up relatively soon as the video is simply titled "06.19.14." with an accompanying countdown set to expire tomorrow at 8AM ET. [Image credit: Associated Press]
Azeroth Choppers: Series recap, voting closes tonight
In case you somehow missed the series run of Azeroth Choppers, Blizzard has put together a brief recap of the show in its entirety. I have to admit, I wasn't sure what to expect with this particular foray into web entertainment, but the prospect of getting a new mount is always good news -- and we've never had a mount introduced in quite this fashion before, nor have we seen Azeroth's various pieces of engineering construction built in real life. Although personally, I think the show missed the mark on highlighting all the details of the construction process, it was still a pretty fun, lighthearted series. However, voting for the winning chopper ends tonight at 12pm PDT -- and episode 8, coming later this week, will supposedly announce the winning vehicle. We know we're getting a free mount either way, so why not have a hand in the decision making process? Cast your vote for the chopper you'd like to see added to your mount collection on the official site -- and stay tuned for the announcement of the winning team. Ed. correction: Voting for the chopper has closed.
Azeroth Choppers: Horde behind the scenes footage
As expected, Blizzard has released more behind the scenes footage from Azeroth Choppers -- this time, it's the Horde's turn. While I really liked the Alliance footage we were shown yesterday, I have to confess I'm not nearly as impressed with what the Horde team has to show -- I was hoping for a look at how they created material we hadn't already seen. But it's still cool seeing how they took one image of an orc with some massive plate shoulders and re-created that in bike form. It's big, bulky, and has just the right touch of unbridled menace. I do wish we'd seen footage of all that emblem-cutting, though -- I can't imagine carving the Horde symbol into metal is a particularly easy task. There's still time left to cast your vote for either Team Alliance or Team Horde at the official site. But you better hurry -- voting ends at 12pm PDT tomorrow night. Make sure you get your vote counted, and may the best chopper win!
Azeroth Choppers: Alliance behind the scenes footage
Now this is my kind of footage. Azeroth Choppers has released a behind the scenes look at the construction of the Alliance chopper, including construction and positioning of the "swords" that make up the handlebars of the bike. I was hoping we'd see more of this in the actual show, but I'll settle for behind the scenes, too! While I like the above footage, I have to admit that after seeing the final chopper and that gorgeous leather saddle, I was hoping we'd see the designs for that, and maybe a mention of who did all that leatherworking -- there were plenty of tiny details on both choppers that were complete surprises. Hopefully we'll see some more behind the scenes glimpses over the next couple of days -- I'd like to see more on the Horde chopper construction as well. Voting is still open to pick your favorite bike to be re-created in game, so make sure you cast your vote for Team Alliance or Team Horde while you still can.
Azeroth Choppers revs up to episode three
You've met the teams. You've understood the concept. Now it's time to get to the exciting work of watching people build fantasy motorcycles for World of Warcraft characters to ride in the newest installment of Azeroth Choppers. This is the first stage of assembly, leading to the usual ramping drama that you see in any sort of reality show wherein someone runs out of something and everyone panics before more is obtained in a minute of screen time. If you've enjoyed the previous installments, you'll find more to like here, as both of the factional teams are feeling the pinch in time and one team loses a crucial member. This episode also gives the barest hints of what the bikes will look like in preparation for the first look for Blizzard at the end of the episode. Take a look past the break to watch the full show, and stay tuned for future installments.
Azeroth Choppers episode 3 now available
In the third episode of Azeroth Choppers, we get a little bit of background into the members of Team Alliance and Team Horde. It's understandably less in depth than the interview that went up on the WoW official blog last week, considering the episode's time limit, but it's nice to get some face time with a few of Blizzard's developers. We also get a glimpse of the engineering process behind the bike design--the builders touch upon some of the logistical problems they face in trying to bring the Horde and Alliance chopper visions to life. Personally, I always find that stuff to be the most interesting, so I'm glad it's there. As for the bikes themselves, Team Horde had a wrench thrown into things when one of their builders, Mel, had to bow out of the competition for a family emergency. The situation seems to have left the teams somewhat behind schedule, and to Mel: we hope everything is well with your family.
Meet the teams behind Azeroth Choppers
You're probably already familiar with the two main faces of Azeroth Choppers -- Alliance-side captain Chris Metzen and Horde-side captain Samwise Didier are both well-known faces of Blizzard Entertainment. However, you may not be so well acquainted with the other two members of each team: Terran Justice Gregory and Monte Krol of the Alliance, and Gary Platner and Jason Hutchins of the Horde. To help rectify this situation, Blizzard recently put up an official blog post about the teams, including mini-interviews with the team members about the show itself. Terran, Monte, Gary, and Jason all answer questions about their connection to the factions they're representing in the bike build-off, and their answers may surprise and delight you! They also detail the artistic process behind consolidating designs for the bikes. There's encouragement for fans of both factions, and an interesting discussion about how the winning bike will be implemented into the game. There is also, of course, some tongue-in-cheek trash talking on both sides. The whole interview is a neat behind-the-scenes glimpse into the folks behind Azeroth Choppers, and a good bit of fun.
Next episode of Azeroth Choppers now available
So the second episode of Azeroth Choppers is up now, letting us see what the process of constructing the bikes is going to be like. Honestly, for me that's the most interesting part of these kinds of shows - I don't really care about the drama or competition very much, but I'm fascinated to watch people actually sitting down to build these bikes. This week's episode features a deadline that, frankly, I didn't really understand very much (why do they suddenly need the bikes constructed in five weeks?) but whatever, I was more interested in seeing them discuss how they're going to go about meeting it. I'll probably watch next week's episode to see these things get worked on. I do wish they'd go with normal wheels, though. Tank treads don't do it for me. I really think this is what the Alliance bike should look like.
Zero Motorcycles reveals its 2013 models: Zero X dropped, FX drafted in
The failing weather reminds us we're fast approaching the end of another year, but Zero Motorcycles wants to brighten our day with the announcement of its 2013 all-electric line-up. Immediately noticeable are the harder lines and healthy dose of matt black on the frames of the Zero S, DS, XU and MX refreshes. New to the team is the FX "Stealth Fighter" (pictured above), touting the fastest acceleration of any Zero moto to date and taking design cues from the late Zero X, which has been removed from the roster. As well as aesthetic improvements to the bikes, each Z-Force motor should produce up to 125% more power than previous iterations, and an optional CHAdeMO charging accessory will juice you up in around an hour. Companion iPhone and Android apps will also be available, allowing you to customize your ride's performance and review other info. The class of 2013 will be hitting retailers throughout January and February, with MSRPs of the basic spec models running from $7,995 to $13,995, depending on your wants and needs. Head over to the source link to review your hardware options and, more importantly, choose your color scheme.
Zero Motorcycles recalls 2012 models with 'lack of weatherproofing'
If you took Zero Motorcycles up on its offer for 25,000 free miles with the purchase of a bike, you might be turning in those wheels for a fix-up soon. According to Asphalt and Rubber, the electric motorcycle maker is recalling 254 of its 2012 units due to "insufficient weatherproofing." The affected models are at risk for an electrical short inside the battery management system, which could cause the bikes to cut power during in wet weather. Zero says it will notify owners with faulty motorcycles and repair the bikes free of charge. This isn't the company's first recall -- in 2009, it pulled models that were prone to crashing more than usual, and just a few days ago Zero recalled 2011 and 2012 bikes with a faulty brake light switch.
Garmin outs motorcycle-centric zumo 350LM
Garmin's torn the wraps off its zumo 350LM for those of you who prefer to zip around on two wheels. Though its 4.3-inch glove-friendly touchscreen is encased in a waterproof exterior to withstand a beating from the elements and "fuel sprays," it'll happily sit inside your car with an included mount and built-in speaker. Those sticking to motorcycles, however, can pipe turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation through the sunlight-readable device to compatible Bluetooth headsets or helmets. Stat-happy bikers can record their chopper's maintenance work with the service history log feature and use Garmin's Basecamp utility to plan out trips beforehand. The zumo's expected to ring up at $699.99 -- as pricey as its older siblings -- and roll out in the third quarter of 2012.%Gallery-157014%
Brammo Empulse and Empulse R finally unveiled: 100-mph speeds and raised prices
Brammo has suffered some major setbacks in getting its latest Empulse electric motorcycle to market, but the company has stuck to its revised launch date: it unveiled the 2013 model last night. The key specs haven't changed during the delay -- we're still looking at a six-speed gearbox, a max speed of 100 mph and a fast-recharge time of 3.5 hours -- but the price has jumped from $14,000 to $16,995. There's also the Empluse R, a more premium model that will go on sale for $18,995 in June. The main difference between the base model and the R is the material: the Empulse has a plastic body, while the R uses carbon fiber. Check out the full presser below the break -- and if you're holding out for the 2013 Empulse, the gallery pics of the R will have to tide you over till the base model launches early next year.
XCOR Lynx propulsion tech tests well on motorcycle, suborbital trip still pricey
Before parting with $95,000 to secure a spot on the Lynx suborbital flight, you'd want to make sure the spacecraft was safe, right? XCOR doesn't blame you: it recently tested out its piston pump technology on a Triumph Street Triple motorcycle with great results. Sure, it's not the same as flying to the edge of space, but the Triumph has the same cylinder arrangement as the Lynx's liquid oxygen and kerosene fuel pumps and develops a similar amount of horsepower. It's also loads cheaper than testing in the laboratory. The bike took a 20-hour drive (the equivalent of 400 Lynx flights, according to XCOR) along Route 66 without the piston pump suffering any wear and tear. So if propulsion-related safety concerns -- and not the depth of your wallet -- were holding you back from nabbing a seat on the Lynx, you might feel a tad more inclined to whip out the plastic now. Head past the break for the full PR, plus a video of the piston-pumped Triumph in action.
EVDrive offers first batch of e-Moto-CRF250R bikes for $13,700
Motocross riders, go electric and the wildlife will love you for it. In fact, equip yourselves with second-generation e-Moto-CRF250R from EVDrive and human onlookers will love you too, because the 80 horsepower Honda electric motor is plenty sufficient for catching high altitudes and hurtling between trees at 70MPH. It should run for up to 110 minutes on a charge and perform much like its fossil-fueled equivalent, while also being less expensive to run and a heck of a lot quieter. How much quieter? Click past the break for a video of the previous e-Moto in action -- and honestly, there's no need to adjust your volume dial.
