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Matra shows off its human / electric-powered MS1 bike
Sure, we've seen all flavors of electric motorcycles over the years, but Matra's iteration takes a slightly different approach. The MS1 looks more like a bicycle and less like a Harley, and it provides commuters with a backup source of energy that should never fail so long as you're properly fed, hydrated and rested. That source, of course, would be your legs / feet, which can pedal this bad boy away long after the electric motor runs out of steam. Reportedly, the bike has a range of around 62 miles without any pedal assistance, captures usable energy when you apply the brakes, and sports a speed limiter that kills the juice just before you exceed 28mph. No word on when this thing will hit shops, but it'll supposedly run you around €3,500 ($4,951) whenever it does. Click out a couple more shots after the break.
All-electric KillaCycle tries to kill its maker
You may have heard about the all-electric "KillaCycle" -- a 158MPH drag racing bike powered by a bank of 990 lithium-ion batteries that does 0-60 in .97 seconds. Well, the bike isn't shy about living up to its name -- in a demo for reporters at Wired's NextFest, creator Bill Dube was doing some innocent burnouts when the rear tire hooked and fired him off like a shot...into a parked minivan. Dube appears to be okay -- he was conscious and had feeling in all his fingers and toes -- but paramedics took him in for X-rays just to be sure. Here's hoping he recovers quickly -- and lets us take that thing for a spin. Hit the read link to see it all go down on video.
Benchmark Helmets intros Bluetooth headsets for bikers
We've certainly seen our fair share of nicely-equipped motorcycle helmets, but Benchmark Helmets is looking to spruce up your everyday noggin protector rather than forcing you to buy a whole new one. Marketed towards "scooter and motorcycle enthusiasts," the Camos lineup includes two new headsets that utilize Bluetooth 2.0 and support A2DP / handsfree profiles. Additionally, both tout waterproof housings and connectors, directional microphones with noise canceling technology, stereo speakers, and 10-hours of talk time (150-hours in standby). The BHS-500 is set to land for $149, while the $199 BHS-600 ups the ante by allowing users to pair up another BHS-600 for a "complete wireless intercom system."[Thanks, Spencer]
Votronic's BlueBike setup brings Bluetooth to the helmet
Votronic's BlueBike system won't be noted as the first to bring Bluetooth into the motorcycle helmet, but the expandable nature and respectable feature set are certainly commendable. Dubbed a "modular communication system," this technology can be integrated into essentially any helmet, and the trio of options enable you to stick with basic handset communication, tune into music via Bluetooth or a hardwired adapter, or even chat sans wires with your passenger. Of course, the fanicier you get, the more you'll be shelling out, but it looks like you can get started (and upgrade later) right now for €350 ($481).[Via MotorBiker]
SanDisk offers up 4GB Ducati USB flash drive
If you're the type who prefers your vehicles to come with only two wheels, and you also don't mind paying entirely too much for a USB flash drive so long as its branded right, SanDisk's latest could be right up your alley. Amongst a number of Ducati-badged flash memory (shown after the jump), SanDisk has also unveiled the Extreme Ducati Edition USB Flash Drive, which doesn't do much to avoid looking like your average Liquid Paper Dryline Grip. Aside from the awkward resemblance, this glossy red device sports the same color effects as those found on the Ducati Corse team motorcycles, includes 4GB of internal storage, and touts write speeds of up to 20 megabytes-per-second. 'Course, that staggering $124.99 you'll lay down for this piece also includes a "custom lanyard" and SanDisk's RescuePRO Deluxe software, but we imagine the pricetag won't matter much for true aficionados.[Via PCLaunches]
Joystiq hands-on: PGR4 (Xbox 360)
Project Gotham Racing 4 follows the track of previous PGR titles by recreating cities on a building-by-building basis and then letting the fast cars loose. The September Xbox 360 game will include 10 total locations: New York City, Tokyo, London, Las Vegas, Quebec City, Shanghai, Macau, St. Petersburg, Nuerburgring, and the Michelin Test Track.I got some hands-on time with a recent version of the in-progress game, with the touted weather and rain specifically being shown off. PGR4 looks and feels like it'll be a fun racer, and this time, motorcycles get to play alongside the cars.%Gallery-3052%
evDaytona: electric motocycle with turgid windscreen
Feel like cruising upwards of 93 miles-per-hour on a motorcycle without using a single drop of fuel? How about being absolutely certain that a great egret could hit your windshield without even fazing you? If you're in agreement with those two tidbits, Triumph's evDaytona looks to be the bike for you, as it can go zero to 60 in a mere 2.9 seconds, roll 143 miles on a full charge, and sports a five-year battery life to boot. This aluminum alloy-framed machine sports all the amenities you'd expect to find on your average motorbike, but throws in a ginormous windscreen and removes the need for fossil fuels along the way. Of course, the bike currently still needs DOT approval, and while we've yet to see anything definite on price, word on the street is that this here ride will run you about $77,000 whenever it actually launches.[Via MotorBiker]
Dojo update: Wario's special moves
We are so happy when the new Brawl info is new for real! Today's update is about Wario's special attacks, which are unexpectedly awesome.We've all seen the amusing flatulence attack from the original trailer. That's the Down special attack, and it gets more powerful the longer the interval between uses. It turns out we saw another Wario special move too.Wario's other special attack, the Side attack, is the business, and is probably going to make Wario quite a popular character. He summons a motorcycle! You can do 180's with the Control Stick (or D-pad?) and jump off with an attack button. You can apparently also be knocked off. The bike seems to be persistent, so can other players hop on and steal it?
BMW Motorrad's neck brace system gets a price
While BMW is no stranger to the motorcycle helmet arena, the Motorrad division has went and gone official with its neck bracing system in the UK. Introduced in November of last year, this safety-minded technology utilizes Kevlar, carbon fiber, and padded foam to create a plate that sits between a rider's shoulders and any helmet in order to "provide optimum protection for the spine during an accident." Due to the materials used in construction, the contraption is both lightweight and rigid, and two side clasps enable rides to easily strap it on similar to a collar. The idea is of course to stop the head from moving too far in any direction whilst in a collision, but the team does state that "the rider is also able to retain freedom of movement needed when driving." The neck brace system is available now at Motorrad dealers for £325 ($648), and while there's no word of a US release just yet, we can't imagine it being too far behind. Another shot after the jump.[Via Autoblog]
SoundofMotion keeps cyclists safe, morphs phone into motorcycle
It may not be legal in most civilized nations to ride a Segway on the sidewalk, but for those still risking their lives on a two-wheeled machine, things are about to get a lot safer. SoundofMotion has developed a clever new warning system that turns your phone into what sounds like a roaring motorcycle, and not content with just playing a pre-recorded loop over and over, it's actually designed to rev up and down based on the speed and acceleration of your bicycle. The application will run on "any Bluetooth- and Java-capable phone," and it interacts with a "wireless BT sensor" that gets mounted on one of your wheels. Unsurprisingly, the device responds to the motion sensor and lets the carefree motorists around know you mean business when crossing an intersection. The app is currently sitting in beta, but the creators hope to have a final rendition ready to go before you make too many summer treks, but you better be willing to face total embarrassment (and have one loud speakerphone) to save your skin before picking this up. Click on through for a demonstration.[Via Slashphone]
TomTom's latest RIDER GPS unit gets official
TomTom's launch of its latest RIDER GPS unit for motorcycles hasn't exactly gone as planned, with some pictures but not a lot of details leaking out last week. It looks like the company's now gotten things in order, however, making the new and improved device official and providing some details about it. Among the additions this time around is a new Cardo scala-rider Bluetooth headset that'll relay directions straight to your helmet, as well as a new RAM mount that should let you use the unit with just about any motorcycle. You'll also now be able to bring the RIDER's GPS guidance along with you in your car, although you'll have to drop more than $100 extra for that convenience. Look for this one to hit Europe by the end of May in both Western Europe-wide and U.K/Irelend-specific models for between £300 and £400 (approx. $590- $790).[Via NaviGadget]
Orange County Choppers builds Intel a Xeon-powered bike
Frankly we're a little surprised that anyone at Intel even watches a show about motorcycle building (don't they spend all their time in clean rooms trying to one up AMD?), but apparently the world's largest chipmaker has so much love for Discovery Channel's (and now TLC's) American Chopper that it commissioned Team OCC to assemble perhaps the highest tech bike in the world. This 250-horsepower workstation on wheels -- unveiled simultaneously in meatspace and Second Life in honor of the Xeon 5300 series release -- probably sports more digital kit than Sturgis or Laconia have ever seen, including either a quad or octo core chipset (sources don't make it clear), removable UMPC that doubles as a virtual dashboard, rear-facing cameras to replace the mirrors, full audio and video capabilities, GPS of course, and what sounds like a 3G data connection. The two-part build will air on July 12th and 19th, when you can probably expect to see Pauls Jr. and Sr. get into a shouting match over which OS to install on the chopper, as well as Mikey trying to play The Sims while barreling down the Taconic at 90 MPH.[Via The Raw Feed and CIOL]
VentureOne three-wheeled hybrid does flex-fuel
We most certainly dig where this uber-green three-wheeled vehicle category is going, as just one week after seeing the Silence PT2, we've now learned that Venture Vehicles will be tossing the two-wheeled axle in the rear and calling its rendition the VentureOne. Based around Carver Engineering's tilting technology, this trike is officially classified as a motorcycle, but sports a fully enclosed body, roll-cage construction, airbags and bumpers similar to a standard car. The vehicle will hold three folks, and the company has plans for two plug-in hybrid variations that utilize a flex-fuel approach to barely sip gasoline from the four gallon tank, all while touting 100 miles per gallon and the ability to hit speeds upwards of 100 miles per hour; eventually, Venture is also hoping to release an all-electric breed that can scoot 200 miles before needing a recharge. Although production isn't slated to begin until "late 2008," that should give you enough time to save up a good chunk of the $18,000 (E50 hybrid) to $23,000 (all-electric model) that'll be required to snap one up -- and to acquire a motorcycle license, too.[Via Gizmag]
Big Brother could slow British motorcycles down, track routes
Most would argue that the UK certainly doesn't need one more piece of surveillance equipment watching its citizens, but regardless of the naysayers, it just might be getting another anyway. The latest implementation of Big Brother in our everyday lives comes courtesy of the Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA), which are devices (presumably GPS-based) that will purportedly track motorcyclists' speeds and throttle things down if they attempt to break the posted speed limit(s). Moreover, the ISA could even be used to track bikers' journeys, and if things "prove successful," could eventually find its way into cars and other vehicles (like Segways beefed-up wheelchairs) in a reported attempt to "drastically cut the death toll on the country's roads." As expected, bikers and bike sellers are less than enthused about the new device, as they expect customers will be the ones footing the bill for the homing beacons and that sales could drop when folks realize they can't get a little footloose every now and then. While there's no hard dates on when (or if) these trackers / speed-controllers would hit motorcycles in the UK, the ISA has already undergone testing at the Motorcycle Industry Research Association (MIRA), so those looking to kick up a little two-wheeled dust best get a move on before the eyes in the sky put the clamps on your fun.[Via Fark]
Derbi debuts concept motorcycle with built-in cameras and LCD
We've seen motorcycles with GPS receivers, heads-up displays and airbags, but Spanish manufacturer Derbi looks to be taking motorcycle gadgetry into more dangerous territory, recently unveiling a concept bike tricked out with four cameras and an an LCD monitor. The Mulhacen 659 X-Vision looks to be an impressive enough motorcycle in its own right, but the real excitement comes when you flip on the recording unit and start capturing your ride from every direction, including, it seems, a shot of your own mug -- which should nicely catch the look on your face the moment you fly off into the woods because you've been staring at the screen instead of the road. This being a concept, however, you likely won't be able to get one anytime soon. Of course, it would be a fairly simply task to rig up your own setup on any old motorcycle -- not that we'd ever encourage such a thing.
MotoGP downloadable demo
Surprise! Another demo came out today, from PSP-loving Namco. It's for MotoGP, where you go vroom vroom on motorcycles! Whee!1. Download the demo ZIP file.2. Extract the contents of the ZIP file.3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable.4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.5. Copy UCES00373 folder into the GAME directory. Check out our new demos site:demos.pspfanboy.com
Garmin's Zumo GPS receiver for motorcycles
It looks like Garmin's set to release another GPS receiver intended to sit on the handlebars of your motorcycle, and like the TomTom Rider, this unit features built-in Bluetooth for streaming spoken directions directly to a compatible helmet. Though not quite as stylish as the Rider, the upcoming Zumo does offer a few innovative features not found on other models, including the ability to calculate how much fuel you have left for automatically re-routing you to the nearest gas station when you start running on fumes. You can also listen to MP3s stored on a memory card and set the unit to act as a datalogger, letting you download route history information to a PC for perusing at your leisure with Google Earth. Sources say that the Zumo will be available for purchase sometime in October, but prepare to spend around $1,000 if you want to take one of these out on the open road.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Garmin's BMW Motorrad III Navigator motorcycle GPS receiver
European bikers will soon be tearing up the continent with a little more direction thanks to Garmin's upcoming BMW Motorrad III Navigator GPS receiver designed specifically for the helmets and leather crowd. Probably also functional on non-BMW motorcycles, the Motorrad III features a 454 x 240 TFT display, birds-eye view mapping, and 500MB of free storage after MapSource City Navigator Europe NT Version 8 is installed. Also on board is a Bluetooth radio, although the poor translation of French site Mobinaute that our intern managed to patch together doesn't make its functionality exactly clear -- we think you can pair it with a Bluetooth headset for hearing the spoken guidance cues inside your helmet, and perhaps like some other Bluetooth-equipped units, it may be possible to have it dial points of interest on your phone as well. Sources indicate that this model should be available sometime this month, but pricing, as is often the case, remains shrouded in mystery.[Via ployer]
