Tag: motorcycle

Folding motorcycle helmet nominated for Dyson Award

Filed under: Etc., Motorcycle, Design/Style

Proteus folding motorcycle helmet

Jessica Dunn’s Proteus folding helmet – Click above for high-res image gallery

Twenty-five-year-old Australian Jessica Dunn spent five months riding a motorcycle in Indonesia as a foreign exchange student, and that meant hauling a helmet around all that time. Weary of that grind after just 150 days, Dunn developed the Proteus folding helmet and it is now shortlisted for the James Dyson Award.

An outer layer of polycarbonate covers polystyrene foam, and the innermost layer is a material that’s pliable during normal use but instantly hardens when it registers an impact. The helmet itself collapses in a manner reminiscent of a hardtop convertibles, the visor slides back on top while the sides and back fold into the helmet’s interior cavity. The Proteus helmet has been engineered to meet Australian safety standards, and when folded fits into a standard backpack. Have a look at the gallery of high-res images for a better view, and if you think that’s funky, you should check out Julien Bergignat’s Tatou helmet.

Folding motorcycle helmet nominated for Dyson Award originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 May 2011 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Stay a Hero, Stay Safe campaign for motorcycle safety hits a familiar note

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos, Motorcycle

sussex safer roads motorcycle safety

Stay A Hero, Stay Safe ad – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Remember the Embrace Life seatbelt advocacy ad? The spot, which was created by The Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, featured a man driving an imaginary vehicle, and when he braced for impact (in his living room), his wife and daughter rushed to form a seatbelt. The safety ad went viral almost immediately, with over 13.7 million YouTube views to date, while at the same time really driving home the fact that safety belts saves lives. A truly beautiful effort.

The Sussex team is looking to strike gold once again with a new spot, this time taking aim at motorcyclists in a new commercial about motorcycle safety. The ad, titled “Stay a Hero, Stay Safe,” doesn’t have quite the same impact as the Embrace Live commercial, but it’s still worth watching. Hit the jump to see for yourself.

Continue reading Stay a Hero, Stay Safe campaign for motorcycle safety hits a familiar note

Stay a Hero, Stay Safe campaign for motorcycle safety hits a familiar note originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 May 2011 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: NHTSA updating motorcycle helmet laws

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Motorcycle

novelty helmet

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has updated the motorcycle helmet law in an attempt to stop people from wearing improperly certified helmets and novelty helmets. The law doesn’t change the construction of helmets directly, but changes the way they’re labeled, to make it more difficult to mimic DOT compliance certifications.

Now, helmets that conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218 will carry a sticker with the manufacturer’s name, the helmet model and the words “DOT FMVSS No. 218 Certified.” The move to make helmets safer comes after the number of riders sporting unsafe and novelty brain buckets increased dramatically in 2010 over 2009.

According to NHTSA statistics, in 2010, only 54 percent of motorcyclists wore a DOT-approved lid. Around 14 percent wore a novelty helmet, and 32 percent went without a helmet altogether. In 2009, those numbers were 67 percent, 9 percent and 24 percent. In 2010, 75 percent of riders who did elect to wear a helmet wore a DOT-compliant one. In 2009, that number was 86 percent.

NHTSA updating motorcycle helmet laws originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 May 2011 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Baptist minister creates world’s fastest motorcycle hearse

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Motorcycle

Reverend Biddiss on the world's fastest motorcycle hearse

Reverend Biddiss on the world’s fastest motorcycle hearse – Click above to watch video after the jump

The Guinness folks are responsible for sorting out all sorts of life questions. You know, like; which domestic cat has the loudest purr on the planet? Or maybe; what’s the heaviest weight ever lifted by the human tongue? Of course, they’re also responsible for keeping track of all sorts of automotive records, including the one depicted in the video after the jump: the world’s fastest motorcycle hearse. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a chariot of the dead on three wheels, but it is the first model owned and operated by a legitimate man of the cloth.

Reverend Ray Biddiss is the man behind a customized Triumph Rocket III that’s good for a top speed of 114.1 mph. While still technically awaiting confirmation, Biddiss is confident that his £20,000 machine will take the title of world’s fastest motorcycle hearse with ease. Hit the jump to check out a video of his top-speed run.

Continue reading Baptist minister creates world’s fastest motorcycle hearse

Baptist minister creates world’s fastest motorcycle hearse originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 May 2011 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Belated April Fools? Audi A5 leans into corners like a motorcycle [w/video]

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Audi

audi a5 prototype

This Audi A5 thinks it’s a motorcycle – Click above to watch video after the jump

We recently tried to find all the April Fools-related automotive items that the Internet served up for 2011. We thought we had ’em all… but we may have just found one more to add to the list, courtesy of Spanish-language site Cochesafondo.com.

It reports that Audi is working on a suspension system that allows a car to lean into a turn. It’s installed the setup into an A5, prompting a pair of engineers to bring a very stable cup of coffee along for a test ride. Of course, one bump and your lap would be pain soup regardless of the suspension being tested.

Click past the jump to watch the clip. Then sound off in the Comments and let us know if you think this is real or not.

[Source: Youtube via Cocheafondo.com]

Continue reading Belated April Fools? Audi A5 leans into corners like a motorcycle [w/video]

Belated April Fools? Audi A5 leans into corners like a motorcycle [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda CEO Takanobu Ito used CB1000 motorcycle to tour quake area

Filed under: Japan, Honda, Motorcycle

Honda CEO Takanobu Ito on Honda CB1000

The March 11th earthquake and tsunami in Japan hit Honda hard, as production was down for weeks and the automaker’s research and development center was badly damaged. In fact, the quake damaged the Tochigi facility so badly that one employee died and 17 others were injured after a cafeteria wall collapsed.

Due to the fact that many roads were closed or badly damaged, getting to the facility was a challenge. But that didn’t stop Honda CEO Takanobu Ito from visiting the site in person to assess the damage. The Wall Street Journal reports that Ito hopped on his stripped-down, 1,100cc Honda CB1100 and headed to the site only two days after the incident. The 57-year-old CEO and his trusty bike were able travel where few autos could go, and he made it all the way to the Tochigi facility to witness the damage for himself.

The Tochigi facilities are very important to Honda as they are the company’s main research and development centers. The automaker was forced to relocate 1,000 of its engineers to other facilities, but the damaged buildings still house another 500 workers. Ito adds that the automaker will rebuild at the site because it “is a place where all Honda’s brains are gathered.”

The fact that Ito risked his own safety to check on the welfare of his engineers has no doubt boosted his credibility among Honda employees. And it likely doesn’t hurt that he got there on the back of a Honda sport bike. Nicely done, sir.

[Source: Wall Street Journal | Image: Kazuhiro Nogi/Getty]

Honda CEO Takanobu Ito used CB1000 motorcycle to tour quake area originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Runaway ghost-riding motorcycle wants to keep racing *Update

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Motorcycle

Ghost riding motorcycle at Daytona SuperSport race

Ghost-riding Daytona SuperSport motorcycle – Click above to watch the video after the break

Here’s something you don’t see everyday. We’re a little short on details – there’s no description provided and we didn’t watch the race live – but the video after the break appears to have been taken at the start of the second SuperSport race in Daytona, Florida, earlier in 2011.

Two riders collided in the middle of a turn, sending both to the ground, while a third bike was left riderless but with both wheels still on the ground. That happens often enough that there’s a term for it – ghost riding – but generally the machine only goes a few hundred feet before falling over or hitting something solid. Not so in this case.

Somehow, the ghost-ridden bike managed to stay upright long enough that it veered back onto the track, barely missing the race leader. Fortunately, nobody was seriously hurt in the incident… and it was all caught on tape.

Click past the break to watch the video… clearly, at least one bike was not ready to score a lowly DNF without putting up a proper fight. Thanks for the tip, Milan!

*UPDATE: Turns out this clip is from the 2011 World Superbike race at Donington Park in the UK.

[Source: Streetfire.net]

Continue reading Video: Runaway ghost-riding motorcycle wants to keep racing *Update

Video: Runaway ghost-riding motorcycle wants to keep racing *Update originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda shutters motorcycle production in wake of earthquake, commits to recovery

Filed under: Etc., Japan, Motorcycle

Honda Motorcycles Honda has announced that it will temporarily suspend operations at both its Hamamatsu and Kumamato facilities this week. Both plants are responsible for producing the company’s stable of motorcycles. The Hamamatsu plant, which builds the CBR600RR and CBR1000RR, has closed its doors today, March 14, while the Kumamato factory will be shuttered tomorrow. The latter facility is responsible for the Goldwing.

Both plants were far from the worst areas of earthquake and tsunami damage, but with massive power and parts shortages and a huge human toll, there’s little sense in operating the plants at this time. The Kumamato facility is set to reopen on March 20th, but so far there’s no word on when operations at Hamamatsu will resume.

Honda has committed to helping with the Japanese recovery effort by donating $3.9 million, 1,000 generators and 5,000 fuel canisters. Hit the jump for a look at the company’s release on the disaster.

[Sources: Hell For Leather – sub. req, Visordown, Honda]

Continue reading Honda shutters motorcycle production in wake of earthquake, commits to recovery

Honda shutters motorcycle production in wake of earthquake, commits to recovery originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spartan V track car is a motorcycle on four wheels

Filed under: Aftermarket, Convertible, Performance, Australia, Racing

Spartan V

Spartan V track car – Click above for image gallery

Just when you thought the communal fascination with Frank Miller’s 300 had all but washed away, a track machine dedicated to the ancient fighting Spartans hit the scene. Meet the Spartan V – a lightweight all-star with a heart borrowed from Ducati. That’s right, this machine hits the scales at less than 661 pounds and packs 170 horsepower from a 1200 cc Italian mill.

In other words, it should absolutely go like stink.

The company behind the project says that the Spartan V should be able to click off the 0-60 mph dash in less than three seconds on its way to a top speed of 173 mph thanks to a sequential six-speed gearbox. If you’re looking for a motorcycle on four wheels, this is it.

The vehicle uses a tubular space-frame chassis clad in plenty of carbon fiber to keep the pounds off, and those sexy double-hoop roll bars can be swapped out for an FIA-compatible single-hoop should you decide to enter the heat of competition. It all sounds good, sure, but if you want one you’ll have to shell out $84,321 at current conversion rates. Madness? This is the Spartan V.

Gallery: Spartan V

[Source: Spartan V]

Spartan V track car is a motorcycle on four wheels originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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