technology

A Look At Honda’s Proposed Clutch-by-Wire System

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by Graeme Jones from https://www.rideapart.com Computer-assisted clutch would open up new possibilities. Recent filings with the US Patent Office reveal that Honda is working on a clutch-by-wire system that has the potential to bring some pretty noteworthy tech advances to motorcycles. Patent filings aren’t very easy to understand nor digest, so here’s a Clutch-by-Wire For Dummies version of the basics. Think about it like a ride-by-wire throttle system, which replaced the age-old throttle cable with an electronic setup. Ride-by-wire, or throttle-by-wire, uses sensors and actuators that control the fuel injectors rather than a cable controlling carbs. Similarly, Honda’s clutch-by-wire system would eliminate the use of a clutch cable or conventional hydraulic setup entirely. Instead, the clutch lever’s position would be monitored electronically, and that data would be fed to the clutch, telling it what to do without any physical connection between the lever and the clutch itself. Sounds simple, and yet… whoa. The patent drawings show a hydraulic pressure control unit, which would serve as the heart of this system. In addition to gear lever position, this unit would be fed instantaneous data from the ride-by-wire system like rpm, throttle position, and vehicle speed. The most obvious result would be improved shifting and smoother clutch operation at slower speeds, great for newer riders and possibly something that could bring new blood into the sport. For experienced riders that still want the usual lever feel, Honda’s got a “reactive force generation device” to replicate the feel of a conventional clutch lever. According to the patent drawings, this system will employ a traditional clutch lever setup on the handlebar. Hydraulic pressure would still be used to engage the clutch, albeit via an electric motor rather than any direct physical connection from your hand. Neat, huh? What’s the point, you ask? Well, in […]

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Damon Motorcycles to enter Latin America

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by Otilia Drăgan from https://www.autoevolution.com Latin America Soon to Have Its Own Custom-Built High-Tech Damon Motorcycles https://damon.com/ Latin America is about to get a taste of one of the most tech-loaded electric motorcycles in the world, and even enjoy its own custom versions. After winning the hearts of the younger generations in Canada and North America, Damon Motors is now moving on to Latin America. Canadian-based Damon Motors has just initiated a long-term partnership with Auteco Mobility in Columbia, to develop and manufacture a new line of products for motorcycle riders in Latin America, including Damon’s famous Hypersport as the flagship model. In addition to that, Auteco will license parts of Damon’s CoPilot™ safety technology, for its own Victory motorcycles. This adaptive 360-degree safety warning system is an industry first. The main objective (and a daring one) is to create a purpose-built, Latin America-specific Damon motorcycle, based on the specific needs of riders in this region. But their long-term strategy is even more ambitious, planning a wide regional distribution for what is about to become the quintessential Latin American Damon bike. Auteco has the means to do that, as a leader on the Columbian ICE motorcycles market, as well as a pioneer in terms of electric 2-wheelers, that has created the widest network of exclusive dealers, workshops and spare parts sale points, in South America. With both companies committed to not only a greener future, but also to increased safety for motorcycle riders, the idea of creating a clean and safe bike that also features the latest technologies, specifically for this market, was a slam dunk. Damon was one of the first startups to make waves with an electric motorcycle, when the trend was just taking off. Its first iconic Hypersport model delivered 200 hp and had an impressive 200-mile

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Ducati Multistrada V4: Zero to 5,000 in just six months

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Germany Becomes Home of the 5,000th Ducati Multistrada V4 Zero to 5,000 in just six months. It is the achievement of Italian bike maker Ducati’s Multistrada V4, which in just half a year managed to convince 5,000 riders it is the right choice for them. Ducati announced the milestone this week, with the 5,000th two-wheeler ever made in the family ordered by a German rider from Ingolstadt. The bike is a fully-loaded V4 S Sport and was accompanied in the rider’s garage by a “sculptural reproduction” of the bike and a “personal letter certifying the motorcycle’s serial number.” The V4 was presented by the Italians in November last year, and it is currently available in three versions, the V4, V4S, and V4 S Sport, all described as the most advanced of their kind ever. The most potent of them all can easily go in the high $20,000s (exact pricing is available upon request at dealers). At the core of the bikes sits the so-called Granturismo engine, a 1,158cc piece of hardware rated at a massive 170 hp at 10,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 125 Nm (92 lb-ft) at 8,750 rpm. The engine is lighter than the one that preceded it and tips the scale at 66.7 kg (147 pounds). But it is not only the engine that makes the bike special. The V4 is presently the first production motorcycle equipped with both a front and a rear radar, working together with the Adaptive Cruise Control (AAC) technology. Only a limited range of colors is available for the bike, going from the Ducati Red of the entry-level to the “particularly aggressive dedicated livery“ of the S Sport. This one also gets an Akrapovic exhaust and carbon front mudguard. The exhaust system is made of

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Do You Own a Motorcycle Airbag if You Have to Pay Extra to Inflate It?

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by EditorDavid from https://tech.slashdot.org “Pardon me while I feed the meter on my critical safety device,” quips a Hackaday article: If you ride a motorcycle, you may have noticed that the cost of airbag vests has dropped. In one case, something very different is going on here. As reported by Motherboard, you can pick up a KLIM Ai-1 for $400 but the airbag built into it will not function until unlocked with an additional purchase, and a big one at that. So do you really own the vest for $400…? The Klim airbag vest has two components that make it work. The vest itself is from Klim and costs $400 and arrives along with the airbag unit. But if you want it to actually detect an accident and inflate, you need load up a smartphone app and activate a small black box made by a different company: In&Motion. That requires your choice of another $400 payment or you can subscribe at $12 a month or $120 a year. If you fail to renew, the vest is essentially worthless. Hackaday notes it raises the question of what it means to own a piece of technology. “Do you own your cable modem or cell phone if you aren’t allowed to open it up? Do you own a piece of software that wants to call home periodically and won’t let you stop it?” This Motorcycle Airbag Vest Will Stop Working If You Miss a Payment by Aaron Gordon from https://www.vice.com Airbag vests are pretty much exactly what they sound like, garments worn by people who undertake exceedingly dangerous personal hobbies in order to slightly reduce the risk of severe bodily harm or death. For example, in 2018 the motorcycle racing circuit MotoGP made airbag vests mandatory. Since then airbag vests have become steadily

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NAWARacer Hybrid Battery Electric Motorcycle Prototype

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) back in 2020, battery maker NAWA Technologies presented what it called back then the Racer. It was a motorcycle concept designed to showcase the company’s newest idea for a battery. More than a year has passed since then, and now we’re finally getting word of a fully rideable dynamic prototype being in the works. That means that yes, we will not be getting a production run of the two-wheeler, at least not for now. Yet NAWA is determined to show its technological innovation has its merits, and if it succeeds, we might get to see it integrated into other electric motorcycles. But what does the company do differently? Well, it doesn’t use a standalone lithium-ion battery but somehow integrates it with ultracapacitors. By doing so, the company promises increases in energy efficiency and battery lifetime while reducing charging times. We’re not told in numbers what exactly that means, but the French do say the NAWACap, as it calls the tech, should provide ten times more power and five times more energy than existing ultracapacitors. The size of the battery is reduced by half, while range doubles, we’re told, although we have no idea compared to what. The bike NAWA will be making together with AKKA Technologies, Pronergy, FAAR, and YSY Group will have an aluminum body that will integrate the battery into the chassis, thus removing the frame out of the equation. It will move along thanks to an in-wheel motor. NAWA says the demonstrator should be ready to roll in a few months. If successful, the tech (the world’s first hybrid battery system, as the company describes it) might be adopted by others, especially considering how it has been designed to be scalable. What’s more interesting is that

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Motogo teaching confidence, building grit through motorcycles

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by Taylor Bruck from https://www.mynews13.com CLEVELAND — Not everyone learns in the same way. Some people are visual learners, some are auditory, some learn better through reading and writing and others are kinesthetic learners, which is another way of saying “hands-on.” What You Need To Know The nonprofit Motogo teaches young people life skills through motorcycles They teach students how to take apart a motorcycle and put it back together They do that by bringing back shop class through partnerships with schools and community organizations Motogo helps students learn from their failures and build self-confidence, resilience and grit “I’ve always been a hands-on learner, and I can relate to students who have a hard time sitting still in class. I think I played sports my whole life because that’s how I learned. I learned by doing and using my hands,” said Molly Vaughn, the executive director of Motogo, a nonprofit in Cleveland. With a majority of funding tied to high test scores in schools, many districts in the U.S. eliminated their shop classes in the 70s or 80s. She and her husband Brian Schaffran are bringing it back. “He’s the head coach at Motogo. I love being his boss,” said Vaughn. Schaffran owns Skidmark Garage, and in 2017 alongside Vaughn, the two founded its nonprofit educational wing, Motogo. Motogo is a mobile shop class with a mission to teach kids to solve problems and build grit and confidence through building motorcycles. Schaffran is a former high school math and history teacher. It wasn’t until he could use his hands that he really fell in love with learning. “Once I just learned by doing, then that woke my motivation up to take as many college classes as I could and learn as much as I could about everything in the world,” said

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New top management at Norton Motorcycles announced

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from https://www.financialexpress.com TVS announces new top management at Norton Motorcycles: 2021 V4SS to launch soon. With TVS infusing multi-million-pound investments, the Solihull facility will be the most advanced and modern plant that Norton has operated out of in its 122-year-old history. TVS Motor Company (TVS), owner of The Norton Motorcycle Co Ltd (Norton), today announced that Dr Robert Hentschel has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Vittorio Urciuoli as its Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of the historic Solihull-based motorcycle brand. Hentschel and Urciuoli will take up their new positions as John Russell steps down from his role as Interim CEO. Dr Robert Hentschel joins Norton from Valmet Automotive Holding GmbH & Co KG, where he has served as Managing Director since 2017. Before that, he headed Ricardo Deutschland and Hentschel System and was also Director of Lotus Engineering. Vittorio Urciuoli’s former key roles within the global automotive industry include Director of URVI LTD, Head of Powertrain at Lotus Cars and Project Leader at Ferrari and Aprilia Racing. TVS has created a plan for Norton to transform into the future. Along with the entire TVS team, I look forward to working together with them for the revitalisation of one of the world’s most storied brands. Under John’s tenure, with investment and support from TVS, Norton has returned to a firm footing and made marked improvements to engineering and product quality, which will be seen in the updated V4SS that will be launched soon. In addition, we have established a new, state-of-the-art global design, engineering, manufacturing and sales and marketing HQ in Solihull, Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director of TVS Motors, said. In January this year, Norton announced it would get back to work in full swing by March at its new facility at Solihull, Birmingham in the UK.

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Norton Motorcycles Head Of Design Takes Aim At Ducati

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by Bryan Campbell from https://www.forbes.com Norton Motorcycles Head of Design Simon Skinner thinks the British brand has what it takes to go head-to-head with Ducati. Admittedly, Norton taking aim at Ducati is a very, very bold aspiration. Considering the Norton name is just as synonymous with bankruptcy and financial turbulence as it is with beautiful motorcycles, you’d be forgiven for taking the current brand revival with a handful of salt. I spoke with a refreshingly candid Norton Motorcycles Head of Design Simon Skinner via video call, who said this time will be different. While there is an incredible amount of bias in that claim, this time around there’s evidence elsewhere to back it up. Back in January 2020, Norton entered the UK equivalent of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The following April, the British brand was purchased by the third-largest Indian motorcycle manufacturer, TVS Motors. Now Norton has a new temporary factory in Birmingham, UK, is on a hiring spree and as Skinner puts it, ”the shackles have come off, in terms of design and innovation.” If this sounds at all familiar, there are similar plotlines going on at Jaguar Land Rover with Tata and Volvo and Lotus via Geely. Success isn’t guaranteed, but having a potent resource like TVS certainly helps. Speaking with Skinner, I wanted to hear just how Norton plans to not just take on Ducati and become its British equal. Bryan Campbell: Is Norton looking to follow Ducati’s lead on creating an accessible entry point with a Scrambler-esque model paired with top-tier sportbikes? Simon Skinner: Absolutely. We’ve already designed the 650cc parallel-twin range of motorcycles — the Atlas Nomad and the Ranger — and they are comparable to the Ducati Scrambler. Ours is probably a bit more modern, a bit more capable in terms of the geometry and

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All electric brand separate from the Harley-Davidson brand

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Harley-Davidson launches new electric-only LiveWire brand. Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire is no longer just a model, it’s a whole brand. The brand’s first dedicated model will debut on July 8. by Kyle Hyatt from https://www.cnet.com Pretend you’re Harley-Davidson for a minute. You’re the oldest continually operating American motorcycle manufacturer. You have legions of rabid fans acting as unpaid brand ambassadors. Your name is basically synonymous with motorcycling. Sounds good, right? Now, as Harley-Davidson, try and do something completely and utterly different than what you’ve done in the past. Now that history is working against you, and those loyal customers think you’ve betrayed the ideals of the brand they love. It’s a real Catch-22. You need to innovate, or you’ll die, but if you innovate, you make your core customers angry, and then you die. While things weren’t actually quite that dire for H-D, it’s definitely been tough. That’s pretty much what happened when Harley-Davidson launched the LiveWire electric motorcycle a few years ago. Now though, the folks in Milwaukee have decided to try a different route with the whole electric motorcycle thing, and that’s to spin LiveWire off into its own brand, according to an announcement Monday. New brand equals no baggage and that extra freedom to do new things could be just what Harley needs. “One of the six pillars of The Hardwire Strategy is to lead in electric – by launching LiveWire as an all-electric brand, we are seizing the opportunity to lead and define the market in EV,” Harley-Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz said in a statement. “With the mission to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world, LiveWire will pioneer the future of motorcycling, for the pursuit of urban adventure and beyond. LiveWire also plans to innovate and develop technology that will be applicable to Harley-Davidson

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