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A blurry pict of the future"Martin Buehler has created a prototype jockey-ridden hopping robot that controlled forward speed, hopping height, and pitch balance, the jockey did sideways balance and steering.". It looks like lots of fun, if slightly dangerous. It's a shame they don't seem to have made two, so we could see them race."
Once more we have a great computer illustration, this time from keblitis Media ( a team of U.S. located graphic designers with backgrounds in architecture, engineering, and artistic design.) No description of the bike is given..but it still looks like fun nonetheless.
From speedupworld:
"Imagine straddling a rocket, soaring through the skies on the ride of your life. Whether you are into speed, excitement, or simply the stunning view from above, SpeedUp™ has what you are yearning for.
The personal rocketcraft is an entirely new concept in motorsports. A one-person rocket, which will allow YOU to take the controls, while a computer autopilot continually stabilizes the rocket.
The personal rocketcraft is on the way. Will you be ready for it?
How will it work?
SpeedUp™ personal rockecraft will be based on innovative design and sound engineering. Hydrogen peroxide rockets will provide thrust to lift the vehicle into the air and fly without wings. Meanwhile, a computerized attitude control system (ACS) will use a state space controller to maintain balance and stability of the vehicle's orientation in space (its attitude in the parlance of aerospace engineering.)
The ACS will use sensors such as gyroscopes and GPS so that it constantly knows the position and attitude of the vehicle. The ACS will also filter the control inputs to the vehicle to prevent dangerous situations such as diving too fast, or the vehicle venturing outside its operating area. The ACS will even be able to fly the vehicle on autopilot to designated coordinates.
The rider of a personal rocketcraft will not merely be a passenger. He will actually control the vehicle with the ACS looking over his shoulder. When the vehicle is low on propellant, or when any dangerous condition develops the ACS will be able to automatically take over and fly the vehicle on autopilot to a safe landing.
Safety will be provided in depth with primary and backup systems designed through extensive failure mode analysis. A robust control system will monitor the vehicle's health and bring the vehicle in for a landing if any anomaly starts to develop. All safety critical parts will have redundant backups. In addition, the vehicle will have emergency safety systems such as a parachute and a roll cage. All safety systems will be designed to minimize the probability of a failure, and to minimize the severity of a failure should one occur."
From topspeed.com"Nitin Kosha is a thirty-one year old independent designer who was born in India, studied in Great Britain, and currently lives in Switzerland. Its sympathy for motorcycles inspired him to create the sketches of a futuristic concept more than five years ago, but the drawing has never reached its high expectations so the project gathered some dust until inspiration struck.
Freshly designed and featuring all the required finishing touches, the Dacoit Concept is alive only in its designer’s computer, but waiting for that great opportunity coming from a big motorcycle maker with great plans for the future."
From Bikes in the Fast Lane:"French motorcycle magazine, Moto Revue, reports on two students from the ISD (International School of Design) in Valenciennes, France that are in a very advanced stage of a prototype motorcycle based on BMW's R1200 engine. The project is named IMME 1200 (named after the now defunct German motorcycle manufacturer IMME), and is so interesting that BMW have taken an active interest.
The modular sportsbike will weigh 155 kilos, and have 150 horses in the 1200 cc flat twin of. Nicolas Dubar and Yves Dufeutrelle are currently finishing the prototype with help from the German manufacturer. It is their intention to display the motorcycle at the upcoming Intermot, world's biggest motorcycle show at Cologne, Germany. You'll be able to see this motorcycle at the BMW stand.
What's really nice of this motorcycle, apart from a very high tech and sleek design, is that with one tool (the engine contact key) you can remove all "road" parts (license plate, lights, mirrors etc) of the motorcycle for when you plan to run your bike on a circuit.
So for the price of one motorcycle, you get two...
Nicolas and Yves are still looking for further partners for this project. I'd love to see the concept motorcycle when it appears at the Intermot show."
Chris Arnold graduated from The Art Institute of Dallas in 2006 and am now currently employed at BOKA Powell. It is an architectural firm in Dallas TX that specializes in high end architectural renderings.
August 15, 2007 Outstanding 3D designer Tim Cameron (of V-Rex fame) is behind the concept dubbed “Motorcycle of the Future” that seeks to outline the ideal design criteria needed for making bikes safer, cheaper to repair and harder to steal. The concept - which includes automatic brake drying, traction control, an accidental tip-over warning device and lots of sensible, clever ideas in between – was unveiled earlier this month by MotoGP championship leader Casey Stoner at a launch in Sydney.
Aimed at motorcycle designers and engineers, the Swann Insurance Motorcycle of the Future concept has been developed by the IAG Research Centre in conjunction with Motorcycle design consultant Tim Cameron.
These features designed to reduce damage are based on Tim Cameron’s “Ablative Design” concept. This is built on the principle of protecting expensive or essential components on a motorcycle with ones that can be sacrificed in a low-speed tip-over without too much cost and inconvenience. Motorcycle tip-over crash tests conducted at the Swann Insurance Research Centre in Sydney have revealed that design features which prevent damage to expensive or essential components can reduce the total cost of repairs by as much as 40% compared to an unprotected motorcycle. Good design can also ensure that a motorcycle is still rideable after a low-speed tipover, which is not the case with many motorcycles at the moment.
Key features of the concept include -
1)Dynamic control technology and data management features:
2) low tyre pressure indicators compare the front and rear tyre rotation speeds and detect any change which could be attributed to loss of air
3) Rider-controlled speed limiter function enables the rider to temporarily preset a speed which cannot be exceeded inadvertently (controlled via engine rpms). The limiter can be overridden in any emergency by twisting the throttle grip to its maximum opening to restore normal engine control
4) Blind spot warning sensors indicate to the rider whether there is likely to be unsighted nearby traffic, by using side-looking proximity sensors linked to warning lights adjacent to each of the rider’s rear view mirrors
5)Traction control ensures that power can be applied without tyre slip, particularly on wet or greasy surfaces
6) Anti-lock braking compares wheel rotation speeds and regulates braking pressure
emergency brake assistance is able to sense the rate at which the brakes are applied and then increase the brake line pressure if emergency stopping is required
7) Electronic brake force distribution reduces stopping distances by directing brake line pressure to the tyre which has the most traction
8) Automatic brake drying picks up input from a rainfall sensor and occasionally applies gentle pressure to the brake pads to keep the discs dry and ready for an emergency
9) Self-cancelling turn signal indicators measure distance traveled and time elapsedRobert McDonald, Head of Industry Research at the Swann Insurance Research Centre, said Swann was committed to playing an integral role in reducing risk in the community.
“Motorcycles are often designed with little consideration given to the frequency of accidents, the cost of repairs and the chance of theft. This latest research shows that smarter designs and the adoption of readily available technology can make them safer to ride, cheaper to repair and easier to secure,” Mr McDonald said. “Our concepts show that you can design exciting and dynamic motorcycles which incorporate state-of-the-art safety features and are less vulnerable to damage,” he said."
Colani's amazing but non-functional motorcycle design study"Luigi Colani, (born in Berlin on 2 August 1928 as Lutz Colani), is a German industrial designer whose father came from Madulain near St. Moritz in Switzerland and mother from Poland.
The prime characteristic of his designs are the rounded, organic forms, which he terms "biodynamic" and claims are ergonomically superior to traditional designs. His "kitchen satellite" from 1969 is the most prominent example of this school of thought. Many of his designs for small appliances are being mass-produced and marketed, but his larger designs have not been built, "a whole host of futuristic concepts that will have us living in pods and driving cars so flat that leg amputation is the only option."
The earth is round, all the heavenly bodies are round; they all move on round or elliptical orbits. This same image of circular globe-shaped mini worlds orbiting around each other follows us right down to the microcosmos. We are even aroused by round forms in species propagation related eroticism. Why should I join the straying mass who want to make everything angular? I am going to pursue Galileo Galilei's philosophy: my world is also round. — Luigi Colani
His unconventional designs have made him famous, not only in design circles, but also to the general public. He has received numerous design awards.
Colani currently resides in Karlsruhe, Germany."
..and the not-so-successful Yamaha Alula study
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