A round-up of other motorcycle news
Paris designer's three-wheeler
PARIS-BASED motorcycle designer Julien Rondinaud has designed a striking new bike with three inline wheels.
The notion behind the design is to challenge the conventional two-wheel set-up and make it safer and harder to crash.
“The basic layout of a bike has hardly changed since it was invented. Riding a bike remains very dangerous: there’s lots of power and only a small contact patch with the road. On a traditional bike, a loss of grip on either wheel usually produces a crash,” says Rondinaud.
The three-wheeler uses a reversed KTM Super Duke motor and three 14” wheels to create a 50 per cent bigger tyre footprint.
All three wheels use independent swingarms, suspension units and single disc brakes. The first two wheels are very close together for agility and the third wheel adds stability.
“Obviously, at different speeds, the rear wheel needs to steer a different amount. The castor effect of the steering angle in the rear hub means this happens naturally, with a hydraulic damper smoothing out the action,” according to Rondinaud.
For more information and to watch a video of this bike in action, log on to julienrondino.com.
Yamaha T-MAX scooter revealed
PICTURES AND technical drawings have been released of Yamaha’s new 750cc three-cylinder scooter.
The T-MAX 750, which is set for release in 2010, will feature clutch-less transmission and a CVT gearbox.