Racing News:
Flattrack from Callastoga.
MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 results from Aragon.
Picks for World Superbike Magny-Cours.
Warren’s News:
Another Top 10 Roads…North America
HD is recalling 2014 Street and Touring bikes
Want to see a hoverbike get off the ground?
Ken’s News
Biker gang wars …in Canada???
Ducati goes off-road?
Before this past weekend I have, to the best of my knowledge, never been in the same room or on the same road as an electric motorcycle. That changed when Harley Davidson picked me to ride one of their prototype electric motorcycles known as PROJECT LIVEWIRE.
Harley Davidson stated that these bikes are hand built proto-types to gauge the response of the public for EV motorcycles. Well, if these are hand built proto-types they are exceptionally well conceived and assembled proto-types. I looked closely at the fit and finish of the bikes before my time to ride and was very surprised at the quality of the work, these bikes are as well done as any production motorcycle.
Ticket to ride!
My test ride was held at the Project LIVEWIRE event at Rommel Harley Davidson, Annapolis, MD. While anyone could show up and check out the event only pre-selected folks got to take the bikes out on the road. Why me? I have no idea except maybe they read this blog (LOL) and my post on what it would take for me to buy an electric motorcycle.
The event itself was well laid out by HD. They had a display tent that had a strapped down LiveWire which allowed folks who did not get the invite to “test ride” to at least get an idea of the feel of these bikes. The tent also had a display of HD gear, a video “safety briefing” for the test riders, and a Twitter vending machine. The Twitter vending machine was cool, if you twitted #projectlivewire along with a code it would drop you a LiveWire key chain!
Seeing motorcycles in person is, as always, more important than seeing them in pictures or on video. While I am a cruiser and touring bike kind of guy I do appreciate the styling and good looks of many sport bikes. The LiveWire leans way closer to the sport bike side of design then it does to a cruiser. Overall I would give look of the bike a thumbs up. I liked the color scheme as it merged with the frame and how they used polished aluminum to “display” the engine.
Speaking of the engine this is another thing that the videos just don’t do the bike justice. The sound of the motor is that of a jet turbine spinning up and down, very impressive. While it is not the normal Harley sound it is unique and is very noticeable. Another thumbs up.
When the time for my ride came we were given another short safety brief on the fact that the acceleration was strong, there is no clutch and that the bike decelerates quickly when you roll off the throttle. The deceleration is quick enough that the briefer recommended that we tap the break to let the following bikes know we are slowing. That was sound advice as it did slow more quickly than you would expect with normal engine breaking.
Rolling out with a police escort it was very evident that the briefings were correct, the bike takes off with a purpose, I bet there have been a few close calls in the first few seconds during this LiveWire tour, but not in my group of four. I did reach for the non-existent clutch once as we pulled out of the lot; luckily it was only that one time! J
On the street the bike was more nimble and solid then I expected for a proto-type. It handled very well, not as well as a performance sport bike, but I was very aware that it would move in any way that I wanted, including a short weave through pothole. As the ride was in urban Annapolis area the roads were rough to ok at best. The front, inverted shocks and the rear mono-shock smoothed out the ride so that I really noticed the lack of a rough ride. Stopping was firm and quick, between the disc brakes and the engine deceleration I am sure that, if one was brave enough, this bike could do a stoppie.
The most interesting and entertaining aspect of the bike is its acceleration! There was only one spot on the ride where I could really get on it so I hung back from the group to make sure I could really hit it and when I did WOW. I rolled on the throttle hard but not to max as I was not sure what would happen based on all the safety briefings. This thing just took off the claim of 0-60 in 4 seconds has to be true. I went from about 20 MPH on the ramp to well over the speed limit (the first number might have been an 8) as fast as I could smile and exclaim WOW!
The ride itself was only about 5 miles and thus way too short to really tease out the pluses and minuses of a proto-type motorcycle. But I was interviewed, in person, and via a survey after the ride. Many of the questions asked were around many of the things I stated were part of considerations for buying an electric motorcycle. In particular HD asked about range, charging times, customization and price. I added short statements about battery life and that while I liked the look of the LiveWire, I would need to own a cruiser style bike v. a sport bike version.
My biggest disappointment was that my Go Pro camera did not work as expected. For what ever reason I only got the last minute of the ride, as we were pulling back into the dealership. I have no idea why it was not on, nor how it came on just as we returned…. oh well.
All in all I have to give HD a big thumbs up for this effort. It was very well done for a “proto-type” and its performance, in this limited exposure, exceeded my expectations. Thank you HD for allowing me to participate in Project LiveWire.
The newest Motorcycle radio show is ready for your listening pleasure HERE!
BUT, Phil forgot to turn on the recording so the first 15 minutes are lost for the ages, bad Phil.
And you know that it was the best 15 minutes of motorcycle radio the world has ever missed, so send hate main to Phil@ntnradio.com!
Ken’s News:
Terry Hershner makes history as winning the Vetter Fuel Economy Challenge.
Mercedes to make move to counter Audi’s purchase of Ducati.
The cops in India want your motorcycle.
Warren’s News:
Honda gets it ‘Wings clipped
40th Anniversary of the Honda Gold Wing
Is the future of motorcycling getting dimmer?
Racing News:
Special Guest AMA Daytona Sportbike Champion Jake Gagne calls in, and the rumormill starts.
MotoGP/Moto2 Misano results.
Final AMA Pro Road Racing event from New Jersey Motorsports Park.
DawgHouse MotoGP – World Superbike pool standings.
No bikes in this future?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, part of the Department of Transportation, recently issued an “advanced notice of proposed rulemaking” on “vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications.” Which means they are considering requiring a transponder be added to transmit your vehicles data. In this age of American bureaucracy that means it is all but a done deal.
This document initiates rulemaking that would propose to create a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, No. 150, to require V2V communications for light vehicles. In this effort light vehicles are cars and small trucks (pickups).
V2V communications would contain the “relevant elements and describe them accurately (e.g., vehicle speed; GPS position; vehicle heading”.
These future rules would create a uniform V2V system built into all vehicles that will give automobile manufacturers the opportunity to equip their products with standard warning systems that alert drivers to potential accidents — such as one that might be caused by cross traffic at a blind intersection or a light changing color.
Now that all sounds good but tie that with the following….
The agency has published a “Preliminary Statement of Policy Concerning Automated Vehicles.” This statement describes V2V as part of a “continuum” leading to fully automated vehicles. “Accordingly, three distinct but related streams of technological change and development are occurring simultaneously:
(1) in-vehicle crash avoidance systems that provide warnings and/or limited automated control of safety functions
Let go of the bars and take a nap!
(2) V2V communications that support various crash avoidance applications
(3) self-driving vehicles,” NHTSA finds that it is helpful to think of these emerging technologies as part of a continuum of vehicle control automation”.
Soooo how does this make the future of motorcycling dim? I am not sure where bikes fit in this brave new, safer, reduce health care cost, world.
Suppose that separate lanes may be established early in this effort to allow these V2V vehicles to operate. If you don’t have a transponder then you are not allowed on these roads.
Then as the technology matures it may be required to merge onto major highways to “ensure your safety”. If your bike does not have the tech to merge you into the traffic you are not allowed on the road.
After a little more time all interstates and major urban areas would be “wired” to supported automated vehicles, no transponder no access.
I maybe a cynic but I can see a future where bikes would not be allowed on major interstates because they cannot be made part of the herd. That “for the safety of everyone” only smart vehicles will be allowed on major roads and in cities.
Would you want to ride a robo-bike when you could stretch out and nap in a robo-car?
….. and why would anyone want/desire to ride a motorcycle that would be limited to riding with the herd anyway.
Well I had a very cool email waiting for me when I got home today. I get to test ride the Harley Davidson electric motorcycle Project LiveWire when it arrives at Rommel HD in Annapolis, MD.
You can be sure I will do a review with pictures and video of that event!
Debbie and I rode our “Army” motorcycle in the 2014 Rattle the Runway ride to support the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial Fund. This commemorative ride is an attempt to honor the memory of the people killed in the attack on the Pentagon. The ride loosely follows the path of Flight #77 from Dulles International Airport to the Pentagon
The weather for the event was great; I rode in a t-shirt and leather vest (yea I know ATGATT…) while Debbie started in a light jacket and switched to her vest at the staging area. We left the house a little late this year and missed the opening ceremonies but arrived in plenty of time to make the start.
As always the ride starts behind the National Air and Space Museum – Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. In the past the museum had opened its doors for the riders to stroll through and view the exhibits before the ride starts, not sure if it happened this year as we arrived a bit late. The staging for the event has riders park their bikes six abreast in an area about three to four hundred years long. Almost every major and minor brand of motorcycle is represented in this ride, this year I saw:
| Harley Davidson | Honda | Iron Horse |
| Yamaha | Star (I know) | Suzuki |
| BMW | Motor Guzzi | Cam-Am |
| Victory | Triumph | Ducati |
| Stallion | MVAgusta |
But I must say the turn out this year was about half of what it was last year. More often than not the bikes fill the staging area, this year my guess would be that the bikes numbered at about 1000. Maybe that this was the first day of the NFL season reduced the number in attendance.
To reduce the traffic congestion that a ride of 1000+ motorcycles would bring around Dulles airport the ride is broken in serials of about 100-150 bikes. We were in one of the last serials to pull out and the ride to and past the main terminal of Dulles were smooth and quick. The ride to the Pentagon was also uneventful with only 2 cars merging through the line of bikes to enter or exit the highway.
When we reached the Pentagon the mood of the group became more somber as we visited the Memorial site. If you have never been to the Memorial site you should consider adding it to your list of places to visit, at a minimum look at it on line, it is quite well done. After paying our respects we mounted up and headed for home.
PS…. On the way home we saw the BING version of a Google Street View car. It was pulling onto Route 267 near Reston, VA. I will be keeping a look out on Bing for the updated street view as it should show me flipping the driver the bird because he nearly ran us off the road!!!!
As a lot of Goldwing owners have known of the problem with the rear breaks sticking, dragging, overheating and some even catching fire! Honda has initiated a recall on the bikes to fix the issue. The bikes that are affected are GL1800 Models from 2001- 2010, 2012, and GL1800A models from 2001-05.
“The recall notification letter Honda sent to the NHTSA states a “preliminary letter” will be sent to owners with instructions on how to conduct pre-ride and post-ride inspections so they can identify the condition. If the condition exists the bike should be taken to the dealer to be inspected, at no cost to the owner. A second letter will be sent to owners to let them know a repair exists or that replacement parts are available.”
So this is NOT a do not ride recall!
This will be a good chance for Gold Wing owner to try out the new government Safercar.gov website. This is the website where you can enter your VIN number and find out if you are affected. I wrote about it in an earlier post.
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Ken’s News:
Charity motorcycle stolen in Brooklyn, New York.
Rocket powered motorcycle from the 1920s.
Massachusetts woman decides backing over cop is a good idea.
Speeding on crack – why didn’t I think of that?
Warren’s News:
Sold your bike… better cancel the insurance!!!!
Supercharged Ninja imminent
HD CVO owners hot over coolant
New Indian off the reservation Scout
3 Terrific Charity Rides and 3 Rallies in the DC Metro Area.
Racing News:
MotoGP & Moto2 from Silverstone.
Well looks like the go green team is stepping up the game. Kawasaki has confirmed that a supercharged Ninja will be on the showroom floors sometime in the near future. Their press release states:
“With cutting-edge performance recognized as a core element of the Kawasaki worldwide DNA, the company will showcase yet another ground-breaking motorcycle at the Intermot Motorcycle Show in Cologne starting on Sept 30th. A motorcycle “Built Beyond Belief”.
Drawing on skills and experience from experts within not just the company’s motorcycle division but across its aerospace, gas turbine and other high-technology contemporary manufacturing disciplines as well, Kawasaki is anticipating huge international interest in the project that has evocatively been christened Ninja H2. Harnessing the power of the Kawasaki manufacturing group “collective strength”, the H2 will represent a unified engineering and state of the art technology approach.
Capturing the spirit of the 750cc Mach IV H2 that, along with the 500cc three cylinder H1 and all-conquering 903cc Z1 Super Four, epitomized Kawasaki’s market defining performance image, the Ninja H2 project is set to add yet another name to the roll call of machines that embody Kawasaki’s performance and engineering expertise while changing the motorcycle landscape forever.”
The press release pretty much matches other recent statements from Kawasaki. What we really know beyond this press release is that there will be more teaser statements/videos until the cover is pulled off on the 30th of September.
I JUST WANT 2 RIDE!! 