Interesting Article

http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/27/autos/motorcycles-2016/index.html

 

Yep, I will l agree, very interesting.....

 

> Promising "brutal acceleration," its makers claim the P1 can reach 80 kilometers per hour (50 mph) from a standing start in approximately three seconds.

So, slightly slower than every sportsbike made since 1990. Interesting definition of brutal.

 

Ducati made some bold claims at the launch of the 1299 Superleggera, stating that it is the world's most technologically advanced production superbike. The price of all this power, beauty and technology is £72,000 ($88,430), and the company says that all 500 units to be built have already sold.

At that price you could have one of every generation of VFR!

 

"One of the most talked-about concepts of the year was BMW's Motorrad Vision Next 100, which employs self-balancing technology to prevent crashes and enable the rider to dismount without using a kickstand."

"Gee I wonder what one would do if you ever have "to lay-her down?"" Or the battery goes dead, will it fall over then?

 

I had a real problem with BMWs claims on that bike when it first came out. There's no way in hell I'm riding something like that without a helmet.

I keep thinking that one big reason I wear a helmet is for when some cage does something ridiculous and hits me, or I go over the bars when a kid on a cellphone runs the redlight in front of me and I can't stop, and boy will it make a difference between death and some scraped up leathers and getting bruised up a bit.

BMW has solved all that, though. You can ride in spandex with your hair whipping in the breeze and a google glass style visor to tell you how awesome you are doing. It's safe. Trust us and every driver on earth.

 

Those concept bikes are like fashion shows in places like Paris, NY, London and Milan. One off creations. Six months down the road ya maybe see 5% of what was on the runways in Wal*Mart.

Except for Harley's...

 

The African Twin snuck in there among all the concepts!

 

The concept bike snuck across the Paris-Dakar finish line a time or two. As far as parallel twins go, we can thank the cousins in UK for that concept.

Come Jan 20 and beyond we may be buying our Hondas at Wal*Mart if HD gets Trump's ear.

 

Interesting article for sure. One comment made on the Vanguard was the addition of a "backup camera for parking assistance". Just in case you can't turn your head far enough I guess. LOL

"Most of the parts are finished in raw aluminum to enhance its industrial appearance, while a carbon-fiber fuel tank, a flat screen displaying the instruments, and a rear-view parking camera introduce some distinctly contemporary details."

 

I'd like a raDar-activated light to pop on my left or right side dash panel to warn of cars approaching your sides. A dash light indicating whether lane changing is or is not available due to traffic you could have missed seeing. Using the mirrors for the purpose too, of course. Add a few minor neck pains from crashes, or sleeping in a bad position or on the wrong pillow and a few years, and it's become hard to swivel the old neck pain-free like it usta for that extra look-around. Cars may have this now ??

 

Wow, zero to 50 mph in approx 3 seconds is ludicrous speed approaching plaid :congratulatory:

[video=youtube;mk7VWcuVOf0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk7VWcuVOf0[/video]

 

They've had it a few years.

I was working for Volvo a couple of summers back and our test car had all of that, along with the lane following and other crazy drive by wire stuff. The drive by wire wasn't in the 2012 models, but all of the radar avoidance/warning stuff most certainly was available in 2013. BITCHEN radar controlled cruise control that would match the speed of the car in front literally from 70mph all the way to a dead stop then back up to full speed again.

I'm sure they could do the radar warning portion in a bike. Don't know how much it'd weigh, or how much stress it would put on a VFR regulator...

 

I couldn't read it so I thought Ducati red would suit.

Cheers,
Glenn

Oops, I changed my page colour from VFR Dark to VFR Light and VOILA, I could see the original text! Oh, well.

 

Sorry folks, problem occurs when I copy and paste from a web page where the color of the font is embeded in the text, so for those with dark back grounds will end up with black text on a black back ground.

Will try to avoid that in the future.

 

No problem. I thought at first it was some kind of legal disclaimer they don't want anyone to read..

 

Here's one they missed! I would definitely buy this one (currently available) for $38,800:


Watch Jay Leno talk and test ride this bike:
Lightning Motorcycles LS-218 - Jay Leno's Garage

200 HP, 218mph top speed (certified), makes your 5th gen look sick Cat2Rider!

 

All that self driving technology may catch on in a generation or two in real time. Right now a 100 peso note says some legislator on some transportation committee is drafting a bill to ban the whole thing as a danger to the overall safety of the driving and riding public.

Topping that, the medical profession will be on top of this like a duck on a junebug, citing the anxiety factor. This will come later after dozens of otherwise healthy driver/riders expire from cardiac arrest.

Some of the aftermarket items that will become available will be absorbent pads designed to soak up moisture from sweaty hands and super efficient deodorizers and cleaners for auto interiors when customers who croak whilst driving. It ain't like ya see in the movies where ya never see everything let go.