This Maserati-powered, 470 HP, 4-wheel motorcycle would make even Batman jealous

This Maserati-powered, 470 HP, 4-wheel motorcycle would make even Batman jealous

           

The most powerful production motorcycle you can buy today is the Kawasaki H2, with 210 horsepower and a top speed of 200 mph (or 310 horsepower in track-only H2R spec). With the average motorcycle churning up less than half those amounts of grunt, you’d be nothing short of a mentally unstable individual to call such a bike “tame.”

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And yet here we are, looking at what Worthly calls, “the craziest motorcycle out there.” I’d have to agree, and here’s why. The Ludovic Lazareth LM847 forgoes the one-, two-, three-, or four-cylinder motors commonly found in motor bikes and jumps straight to a Maserati-sourced 4.7-liter V8.

Now if that setup and indeed its four-wheeled look strikes you as familiar, you’re most likely recalling Dodge’s Tomahawk, a V10-powered creation of similarly ludicrous origins.

In the case of the LM847, there’s 470 horsepower at the operator’s disposal, and a completely carbon-fiber, aluminum, and glass body to wield that output. Thanks to the quad-wheel design, the LM847 can lean into turns up to 30 degrees, completely changing a standard motorcycle’s handling characteristics.

You might imagine the Fresh bespoke motorcycle manufacturer created such a thing for its performance potential, but in fact, Lazareth says it chose the Maserati engine simply because it looks cool. I suppose if you owned your own coach-building enterprise, your inspiration could come from anywhere, with no one to stop you.

Beyond the ludicrous motor, the LM847 forgoes a standard transmission in lieu of a single-speed chain gearbox, which means all you really have to do is hold on. Top speed hasn’t been announced but if the Tomahawk’s 200-plus-mph figure is any indicator, the LM847 should be in the same ballpark.

Lazareth will build you a tailor-made LM847 for $217,000, which, unless you’re Bruce Wayne, might be a financial stretch. If speed is your goal, the $25,000 Kawasaki H2 might be a better bet.

Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/lazereth-maserati-powered-motorcycle/#ixzz4234PUtmr
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Smart Turn System is a self-cancelling signal device for your motorcycle

Smart Turn System is a self-cancelling signal device for your motorcycle

              

       

Motorcyclists are constantly exposed to more danger than operators of other vehicles. On a bike you are more exposed and don’t have the safety net provided by doors, a roof, reinforced steel beams, and roll cages. A major factor in motorcycle safety is visibility — a bike is smaller and harder to see, and even the horn can’t compare to the ones found on cars. As a result, it is even more important for riders to signal their intent on the road, especially with the use of turn signals.

Unlike cars, motorcycles do not always come with self-cancelling signals, especially when it comes to older models. The danger is compounded when even veteran motorcyclists occasionally forget to switch off their signals or are not aware they are even on. It does happen. For bikes that do come with self-cancelling signals, they are usually set to switch off after a certain distance or time has passed, which may not always be ideal. The Smart Turn System from Slovenia-based company ABCS Sistem is designed to mitigate these risks.

The Smart Turn System uses motion sensor technology to determine when a rider has changed a lane, exited a freeway, or simply taken a turn. A patented system collects movement data (300 elements per second), including acceleration, inclination, heading, and vibration. It then uses an algorithm to determine what the rider is doing and, at the completion of the maneuver, switches off the motorcycle’s turn signal. It is integrated into the bike’s electronics to use its stock lights.

The idea came to CEO Miha Kovac from a personal experience, as stated in a press release. “I was riding around with turn signals left on after a completion of a maneuver and a very attentive car driver cut me off from the side road — his assumption of me intending to make a right turn at the crossroad was soundly based on what he was able to see: a blinking turn signal,” says Kovac.

Kovak used this experience as motivation to create a company in 2014 devoted to improving rider safety. Along with COO Roc Upelj, he gathered a team of experts in mechanics and electronics to create a prototype. ABCS Sistem is also developing various mounting systems to adapt its device to any motorcycle. The startup is working with major motorcycle manufacturers to test the system, which has already gone through extensive in-house trials. It is also working towards certification for distribution.


              

“There is always a risk of something going wrong on the road. One false indication and it is all over” says Kovac. “Nothing is more valuable than life itself — this is why we have to reduce this risk as much as possible.”

Beta testing for the Smart Turn System will begin in March, with a planned commercial release in spring 2016. Visit the company website for more information.

Read more: Soft Tech
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This smart bike runs on Android, and can shoot frickin’ laser beams

This smart bike runs on Android, and can shoot frickin’ laser beams

In the near future, you could be riding a smart bike that shoots lasers out of each side. Except the beams aren’t there to carve through pedestrians like lightsabers as you zoom past, or vaporize cars, but for safety. In fact, they may end up keeping you from reaching your own gory end under the wheels of a massive truck. It’s just one of the cool features on the Le Super Bike, a carbon fibre or titanium framed bike that essentially has a smartphone built into the handle bars, giving it the same kind of connected capabilities we usually associate with a car. We got the chance to sit on the bike, try out the smart features, and yes, the laser beams.

The lasers are most useful at night, and activated automatically when the front and rear lights are turned on.

The lasers are most useful at night, and activated automatically when the front and rear lights are turned on. This is automatic too, thanks to an ambient light sensor on the handle bars. The laser beams paint a parallel line on the road running down either side of the bike, about two feet out from the pedals. The idea is this is the minimum amount of space the rider needs, and the beams help drivers judge passing maneuvers. Or, depending on how annoying a rider you are, a decent target at which someone will aim.

Le Super Bike is made by LeEco, formerly known as Letv, the giant Chinese company that impressed us earlier in the year with the Snapdragon 820 Le Max Pro smartphone. That’s not the device fitted into Le Super Bike’s handle bars, though; It’s much smaller and nowhere near as powerful. The screen measures 4-inches and while it runs Android, it’s covered in a custom UI, which disappointingly is called BikeOS and not Le BikeOS. We would have Le liked that better. It’s powered by a 1.3GHz processor and 4GB of RAM.

The phone shows a variety of details regarding road speed, navigation, and fitness statistics provided by sensors mounted underneath the hand grips. It also works as a music player — complete with a loud speaker to annoy the general public — and as a phone, thanks to a 4G connection. The screen is secured using a fingerprint sensor, which also locks the bike itself, and the whole thing is powered by a battery that can be charged using a battery pack, or when you’re cycling along thanks to the wheel-mounted power system. Next to each hand grip are thumb controls for the music volume, mode, and for little indicator lights fixed to the tips. Down by the rear wheel is a sensor for tracking pedal rotations.

On the top tube of the bike (that bar that runs from the handle bars to under your seat) are three buttons: one for the front and rear lights; one for the power; and the other for a camera. This is an optional accessory that fits on the handlebars, and can be used to film your sweet jumps, or final moments. The camera can be removed for security, but the bike’s control screen is part of the frame, so you can’t take it out. The Super Bike’s wheels are automatically locked to prevent anyone riding away on it, but you’ll still have to use a lock and chain to stop it being carried away. There’s no chance of the wheels locking if the smart system runs out of power, or does so before you go to ride home from work, because the system ensures the wheels are unlocked a few minutes before the battery runs out.

LeEco already sells the Super Bike in China, where the standard model costs around $800, and Will Park, the company’s head of social and marketing, told Digital Trends the intention is to have a Super Bike on sale in the U.S. later this year, although there are no release details or prices yet. We can’t wait to give it a try on the road.

Read more: Tech Crunch

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The 2017 Victory Octane is a ‘musclebike’ for the masses

The 2017 Victory Octane is a ‘muscle bike’ for the masses

The muscle car formula is simple — stick a big motor in a lightweight chassis and delete creature comforts and unnecessary accessories. What started as a homemade craze in America eventually made its way into factory production.

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In the motorcycle world, the parallel rise of bobber motorcycles had riders “bobbing” or removing excess weight from their bikes. Further customization, particularly to the frame and performance, led to choppers. The 2017 Victory Octane is now being hailed by its designers as a modern “musclebike” and it seems to have what it takes to live up to its moniker.

A 1,200cc liquid-cooled V-twin (Victory Motorcycles’ first liquid cooled engine) uses dual overhead cams and four-valve heads to rev beyond 8,000 rpm and deliver 104 horsepower and 76 pound-feet of torque. This makes it Victory’s most powerful production motorcycle. At 524 pounds, it’s also the company’s lightest. No surprise that this is the quickest Victory bike down the quarter mile at 12 seconds and the fastest from 0-60 mph at less than 4 seconds.

The 60-degree V-twin was developed from the Project 156 prototype, which was tested at the grueling Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The short-stroke engine geometry was carried over from the 156 racer to allow higher rpm and horsepower. Its quick-revving nature responds more like a sport bike than a traditional American V-twin.

The stiff cast-aluminum frame allows more power to be put down on the pavement. The Octane’s solid-mounted powertrain is itself a stressed member that connects the front and read frame sections, with reinforcements coming by way of twin tubular-steel backbones. The front 41mm fork is equipped with dual-rate springs for improved front-end feedback. Out back, laydown shocks are equipped with preload-adjustable dual-rate springs. A 62-inch wheelbase and 32 degrees of available lean means this bike is designed to out-handle other bikes in its class. The muscular styling and bullet cowl improve airflow over the rider at the triple-digit speeds the Octane was built to achieve.

Oversized disc brakes with stainless-steel lines at both ends give this ride the stopping power it needs. Cast-aluminum wheels measure 18 inches up front and 17 inches at the rear. A low-slung solo saddle sits just 25.9 inches above the ground. A low pullback handlebar and semi-forward set foot controls create an aggressive, forward-riding position that reflects the bike’s intentions.

The aggression carries over to the looks department to be seen in the Octane’s hard lines, sharp creases, and a pronounced center spine. You’d have to look hard to find shiny bits, as the bulk of the Octane’s chassis, running gear, and powertrain are blacked out. The body is painted Matte Super Steel Gray, and even the tank badge has been cast in gray rather than the traditional Victory red.

The Octane starts at $10,500 and can be customized with performance factory parts. For more information, visit the official site.

Read more: Tech Crunch

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