concept bikes

Discussion in 'Australian Motorcycles' started by Zebee Johnstone, May 24, 2008.

  1. Zebee Johnstone, May 24, 2008
    #1
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  2. Zebee Johnstone

    will_s Guest


    actually saw a couple that looked very similar to the bottom pics on the
    road near Padstow ie. two weeks on front
     
    will_s, May 24, 2008
    #2
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  3. Zebee Johnstone

    James C Guest

    James C, May 24, 2008
    #3
  4. Zebee Johnstone

    Nev.. Guest

    Nev.., May 24, 2008
    #4
  5. Zebee Johnstone

    G-S Guest

    The Ducati Hypermotard is probably the best known concept bike to reach
    manufacture and one of the most popular.

    The Honda Rune is a niche item but is (was?) manufactured.

    The Honda oval cylinder/oval piston 8 valves per cylinder NR750 was also
    manufactured in limited numbers.


    G-S
     
    G-S, May 24, 2008
    #5
  6. Zebee Johnstone

    Knobdoodle Guest

    "Bumsuk Lim"?!!? (At least it's not as bad a Bumsuk Mucous).
    Ducati's "concept bikes" tend to get made. Mind you they're generally
    modernised versions of classic Ducati models so they're far more mainstream.
    Speaking of bizzaro devices; I saw a two-front trike the other day. It was
    just on dusk and heading the other way so I only caught a glimpse but it
    looked a brand-new factory model. It looked to be quite large too; not a
    scooter (and quite wide at the front).
     
    Knobdoodle, May 24, 2008
    #6
  7. Not a Gilera Fuoco, then?
     
    IK Laboratories, May 24, 2008
    #7
  8. Zebee Johnstone

    Boxer Guest


    http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23433707-5010760,00.html

    IS IT a car, a motorbike or a trike? The three-wheeler Can-Am Spyder
    roadster has elements of each, yet it's a whole new class of vehicle.

    It has just gone on sale in Australia costing $26,990 and already there are
    150 orders for the Canadian vehicle, with a third of those in Queensland.

    You will need an open motorcycle licence to ride one, but Rohan Slater,
    product manager for importers Bombardier Recreational Products Australia
    (BRP), hopes they can persuade state governments to comply with European and
    American standards which allow riders to operate the vehicle on a car
    licence.

    Unlike a motorcycle, the rider doesn't counter-steer the handlebars and the
    Spyder doesn't lean in corners.

    Unlike a trike, it doesn't have a single motorcycle front wheel and tyre.

    Instead, the Spyder has two wheels up front and all three wheels are fitted
    with a special tyre like those on most cars.

    Other car-like features include a foot brake that operates all wheels, a
    parking brake, reverse gear, progressive power steering, traction control,
    stability control with yaw and rollover sensors, anti-skid brakes and
    electronic brakeforce distribution.

    There is even a six-speed sequential transmission coming in October.

    BRP Australia marketing manager Duncan Knight said their market was over 45s
    looking for a recreational vehicle.

    "Or bike riders who might have had an accident on a bike and want something
    safer," he said.

    BRP Australia, which also imports jet skis, all-terrain vehicles,
    snowmobiles and Johnson outboard motors, has 60 nationwide dealers, but only
    eight of these have been appointed to sell the Can-Am Spyder, one in each
    state.

    "The next lot of dealers we appoint will be more mainstream motorcycle
    dealers within the next 12 months," Knight said.

    "We want to restrict dealer numbers to about Harley-Davidson levels to keep
    it fairly premium."

    The Spyder is powered by a liquid-cooled 79kW 998cc Austrian-built Rotax
    V-twin engine which is used in the Aprilia 1000R sportsbike where it
    produces 110kW.

    Rotax also makes engines for BMW bikes and even the new Buell 1152R made by
    Harley-Davidson.

    Knight said the next generation of Spyder could be "more sporty, with more
    horsepower".

    "But that hasn't been confirmed yet. This isn't a sporty bike; it's a sports
    tourer."

    Fuel economy from the fuel-injected, dual-cam engine is about 7.5 litres per
    100km, which Knight said would give about a 350km touring range from the
    27-litre tank.

    The Spyder was shown last year at motorcycle expos around the country and
    passed Australian Design Rules in November, classified in a special new
    category for tricycles with two front wheels.

    "It didn't fit any existing category," Knight said.

    Slater said they were still working on having the vehicle re-classified as a
    car-trike, rather than a motorcycle trike.

    ADR compliance required a reduction of 3dB on the exhaust, the adjustment of
    the headlight angle for driving on the left side of the road and a reversing
    light.

    Reverse gear operates off a button on the handlebar that reverses first gear
    and limits speed to 10km/h.

    There is a large "boot" in the 44-litre nose section of the Spyder which
    will hold two full-face helmets and jackets.

    Accessories include a top box, travel bags, cargo liner, passenger backrest,
    rear seat cowl, sports exhaust and low and high windshields. After market
    panniers have also been planned.

    There is also a range of rider gear coming including protective clothing
    such as leather jackets and special helmets with a pump-up liner that
    guarantees a comfortable and firm fit.

    The Spyder sits on specially made Chinese Kenda tyres with low recommended
    pressures of 13-17psi for better ride. Knight said tyre wear was
    20-30,000km.

    There are sensors in the rear seat to detect a pillion and change the spring
    settings.

    The non-switchable, Bosch vehicle stability system uses a range of sensors
    including yaw and rollover to keep all wheels on the ground and prevent
    sliding.

    Slater said that while trikes suffered from understeer and tipping, the
    Spyder tended more toward oversteer.

    "With two wheels at the front you get good front grip and oversteer - but
    with the stability system it means it won't go into oversteer - and it
    doesn't want to tip," he said.

    Up front, riders will notice little different from a normal motorcycle,
    except for the absence of a right lever for the front brakes as all brakes
    are operated from the right foot pedal.

    The instrument panel includes two large analogue dials for tacho and speedo
    with a digital screen in the middle with an array of readouts and
    diagnostics.

    The Spyder was launched in the US in January by talk show host and motoring
    fan Jay Leno who has bought one. They had 1500 orders at launch.

    It will be launched in Europe in May, but Knight said there would be no
    problem with supply.

    "We have about 300-plus coming this year and they will all be sold," he
    said.

    Leisure is BRP's business.

    The company began when Canadian J. Armand Bombardier launched the Ski-Doo
    snowmobile in 1959.

    The company now produces powersports products including the Ski-Doo and Lynx
    snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft and sport boats, Can-Am all-terrain vehicles
    and roadsters, Rotax engines, and Evinrude and Johnson outboard engines.

    It also jointly develops engines with Austrian manufacturer Rotax.

    In the 1970s and '80s, it also produced motocross motorcycles, with
    production ending in 1987.

    Now BRP, based in Valcourt, Quebec, has turnover of more than $3 billion,
    with manufacturing plants in Austria, Canada, China, Finland, Mexico and the
    US, and selling in 80 countries.

    The US and Canada represent 71 per cent of BRP's business, while the
    Asia-Pacific region, including Austyralia, is only seven per cent.

    BRP Australia was established in 2002 when it took over as distributor for
    Sea-Doo, ATVs and snowmobiles.

    Can-Am Spyder

    PRICE: $26,990

    ENGINE: BRP-Rotax, 8-valve, dual-cam, fuel-injected, 998cc V-twin

    POWER: 79kW @ 8500rpm

    TORQUE: 104.3Nm @ 6250rpm

    COMPRESSION: 10.8:1

    BORE X STROKE: 97x68mm

    TRANSMISSION: 5-speed (plus reverse), belt-drive (80,000km belt life)

    SUSPENSION: double A-arm with anti-roll bar (front), swingarm with
    adjustable cam (rear)

    STEERING: dynamic power steering

    TYRES: 165/65R14 (front), 225/50R125 (rear)

    BRAKES: foot-actuated, integrated hydraulic 3-wheel system, 260x6mm discs
    and 4-piston calipers (front), 260x6mm disc with single-piston caliper
    (rear), ABS, EBD, mechanical foot-operated parking brake

    SAFETY: vehicle stability, tractional control, roll-over mitigation

    DRY WEIGHT: 316kg

    FUEL: 27-litre tank, ULP, 7.5L/100km

    DIMENSIONS (MM): 2667 (l), 1506 (w), 1145 (h), 115 (clearance), 737 (seat),
    1727 (wheelbase)

    WARRANTY: 2-year, unlimited kilometres

    SERVICE: first 1000km, every 5000km

    WEB: http://www.brp.com/en-AU/
     
    Boxer, May 24, 2008
    #8

  9. Very interesting, but confusing about the rear tyre size
    while the front tyre is a 14", the specs on teh rear tyrre shows it to be a
    125"

    TYRES: 165/65R14 (front), 225/50R125 (rear)

    or is it a 12.5"?

    Photos look as though it may even be a 15"

     
    George W. Frost, May 24, 2008
    #9
  10. Zebee Johnstone

    Knobdoodle Guest

    Knobdoodle, May 24, 2008
    #10
  11. Zebee Johnstone

    JL Guest

    I saw it at the Sydney motor show - didn't take a lot of notice but I'm
    fairly sure it wasn't a 12" rear, def. 15" or greater

    JL
    (if I had to guess from that vague memory I would have said 17 or 18")
     
    JL, May 24, 2008
    #11
  12. In aus.motorcycles on Sat, 24 May 2008 12:05:04 GMT
    Someone's re-invented the Morgan, but without the comfortable seats.


    Zebee
     
    Zebee Johnstone, May 24, 2008
    #12
  13. Zebee Johnstone

    CrazyCam Guest

    I'm not too sure about the "comfort" of the Moggie's seating, but at
    least one sat in the thing instead of being perched on top of it like
    the Spyder.

    My guess is that the Spyder is aimed at blokes who are having a mid-life
    (or later) crisis and want to buy a motorbike, but their wives won't let
    them.

    regards,
    CrazyCam
     
    CrazyCam, May 24, 2008
    #13
  14. I would have one although I am not so sure about a mid-life crisis, but I
    could be having a mid-wife crisis
     
    George W. Frost, May 25, 2008
    #14
  15. Zebee Johnstone

    JL Guest

    If they stuck a turbo'd hayabusa engine it I would be interested in
    it. But with a pissy 80Kw and what 350Kg or so wet; I'd buy a Lotus
    Elise or Caterham 7 in preference. Who wants to ride something that
    looks like it goes but can't back up the claim.

    JL
     
    JL, May 25, 2008
    #15
  16. Zebee Johnstone

    Knobdoodle Guest

    You're having trouble delivering babies?!!?
     
    Knobdoodle, May 25, 2008
    #16
  17. Zebee Johnstone

    Knobdoodle Guest

    If they stuck a turbo'd hayabusa engine it I would be interested in
    it. But with a pissy 80Kw and what 350Kg or so wet; I'd buy a Lotus
    Elise or Caterham 7 in preference. Who wants to ride something that
    looks like it goes but can't back up the claim.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    It just looks awkward to me.
    It'd be great for disabled bikers though. (once you changed the footbrake
    over to the handlebar).
    Ready-made, with a warranty and parts-backup beats having to make your own
    from scratch.
     
    Knobdoodle, May 25, 2008
    #17

  18. Yes, and it's a **** of a job
     
    George W. Frost, May 25, 2008
    #18
  19. Zebee Johnstone

    CrazyCam Guest

    ...and, to make it safe, has electronics to stop it doing all the things
    that might make it interesting.

    regards,
    CrazyCam
     
    CrazyCam, May 25, 2008
    #19
  20. Zebee Johnstone

    JL Guest

    Oh Kee-rist ! What *were* they thinking ?

    JL
    (seriously wants a Scarver though - if I had the money and garage
    space to have every motorised contraption I could have)
     
    JL, May 26, 2008
    #20
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