Two years ago we wrote about the Yamaha MWT-9, a sport bike with two wheels up front, it looked mean and nasty, in a good way. At that time, leaning 3 wheelers had been out for years in scooter form and some companies were building conversions for big tilting touring rigs, but the obvious question […]
Category: Motorcycle Technology
Technology is accelerating and we’re finding a lot of it making its way into motorcycles. Cars have been ahead in this technology race for quite a while, but finally, aftermarket companies are addressing the needs of motorcyclists, especially the builders and DIY crowd, giving all of us a chance to add features that used to […]
It’s no secret, motorcycles, like every other kind of vehicle, are getting a lot more complex. The engine, the ABS braking system, those big touring bike sound systems and most everything else are all connected to and controlled by an onboard computer. Data constantly flows while the bike is cruising down the road or even […]
The BRAIN One Kickstarter project we highlighted a couple of weeks ago has achieved the goal they set for funding. If you were one of the backers you will be receiving whatever was designated for the level you pledged, shipments are scheduled to begin in May, but there’s still time to make a pledge and […]
Go to any racetrack and what do you see? Race teams hunched over computers analyzing data collected from every practice lap and race. They measure what happens constantly, speed, gear, lean angle, acceleration, g forces, lap time, air temperature, RPM, elevation change, heart rate and more, then after the rider returns they replay the whole […]
The overwhelming majority of motorcycles offer the rider one choice, a manual transmission. To most riders it’s simply second nature to pull in the clutch and shift, but is that really the best option? Cars made the switch to automatics decades ago, over the protests of performance enthusiasts, but as technology advanced it gradually pulled […]
It’s hard enough trying to get drivers to see motorcycles in the first place, let alone depend on them to notice when you’re decelerating in front of their car. Whether you downshift or just rely on engine braking, a motorcycle can slow rapidly, but the brake light only comes on when you actually apply the […]
Well, what can I say that hasn’t been said already, here’s your replacement. The next time you think a nice Saturday morning ride would be just the thing, put Motobot on your bike and send him off, instead. Make sure you program him to stop at all of your favorite scenic overlooks with those breath […]
If you remember our articles from past months and years when we pointed out the increasing automation in vehicles of all sorts and how we predicted transponders and communication between vehicles would soon become standard, then you won’t be surprised to read this: BMW Motorrad, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. and Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. are […]