Man Builds Hoverbike Capable of 173 MPH

A man from Australian has pushed the limits of personal transportation and technology after he built an operational hoverbike.  The entire vehicle is built of a foam core frame covered with Kevlar reinforced carbon fiber and is powered by two horizontal propellers; one in front and one in rear. Inventor, Chris Malloy, claims the hoverbike is capable of traveling more than 10,000 feet in the air and can possibly reach speeds of 150 knots (173 mph); although the hoverbike has only been operated while tied to the ground.

 “Because we do not know 100% what might happen during testing the straps are there to cover the unknown,” Malloy said on his website.  “The hoverbike is quite stable and does not want to tip over, however if something unplanned happens during testing we don't want to break our prototype.”

Malloy, who builds hyperspectral sensors for an engineering company in Australia, got the idea to build this craft when his helicopter instructor compared a Robinson R22 helicopter to a flying motorcycle.  While he was not completely convinced, Malloy decided to build his own version of a flying motorcycle; the result is the hoverbike.

Another impressive fact is that all of this is accomplished by an 1170cc flat twin motor fueled by regular unleaded gasoline.   The propellers themselves are made out of Tasmanian Oak with a strip of carbon fiber on the leading edge to increase durability.    To help keep the weight of the hoverbike down to 231 lb, it features a custom made carbon fiber drive-shaft.   The propellers rotate in opposite directions (just like the rotors on a Chinook helicopter) in order to cancel out the torque, this gives more stability to the machine without the addition of a tail rotor to counteract the torque.     

Control of the hoverbike is a easier than it may seem; it is all accomplishsed at the handlebars.  Motorcycle-like controls on the grips direct the forward and reverse movement; the right grip controls the thrust, while the left grip is responsible for the forward and reverse movement.  This is done by control vanes under the propellers that adjust the pitch of the nose, down for forward movement, up for reverse.  Turning the hoverbike left or right is only a matter of steering the handlebars in that direction; although they do have the ability to be rotated up or down slightly, which in turn adjusts the angle of the control vanes under the propellers.    

If he can produce at least 100 units a year, Malloy anticipates the price to be around $40,000; although the hoverbike is still currently in the start-up phase.  The price could possibly come down if he can produce 1,000 units a year, then Malloy believes he can then lower the price to compete with most performance motorcycles. 

Get a Grip on This....The Gripper Vest

Now here is an innovative new product to give your passengers something to grab hold of, the Gripper Vest.  Created by inventor Stephan Pease, the vest features four removable handles that passengers can use to get a secure grip on the operator. 

“My wife and I were out riding on our motorcycle, and I noticed she was having a tough time finding a comfortable riding position,” said creator Stephan Pease.  “When we returned home I began to search for a solution to this problem. I discovered that there were no suitable products which would be safe and comfortable for both the rider and the pillion passenger, the idea for the Gripper Vest was born.”

While it was originally designed for motorcycles, the Gripper Vest can be used on scooters, snowmobiles, jet skis, ATVs, and even horses.  The vest is currently in the start-up phase, but production will take place as soon as enough funds are raised.  You can click here to help pledge money by pre-ordering your vest, and help to reach the $20,000 needed to put this into production.  Even though production costs would be higher, Pease also plans on having the vest manufactured in the United States anyway. 

“I am firmly committed to keeping jobs in the US, as well as making sure that the vest is manufactured to the highest possible standard,” Pease said.  “ I believe that employing a local workforce is the best way to deliver total quality to the customer.”

Built to “extremely high standards”, the Gripper Vest features 1000 denier Cordura and fastens with YKK zippers and Nexus buckles on the outside, and a nylon-webbed harness on the inside of the vest.  The vest is created to Department of Defense standards and can be used as an approved reflective vest on all military bases.  All together these features help create a solid vest that can help keep both the passenger and operator a little more safe.      

You can pre-order the vest as well as find more information and pictures here on the manufacturer’s website. 

Museum Honors NYPD Motorcycle Squad and 100 Years of Service

The New York City Police Museum created a new exhibit recently to celebrate the NYPD motorcycle squad and their 100 years of service.  The exhibit, called “The NYPD Motorcycle Squad: A Century of Service to New York City,” covers the origins of the squad and continues through the “heyday” of the 1950’s and 60’s up to the modern day division. 

  

“We wanted to show that [the squad] is not just something that comes out at parade time,” curator Joshua Ruff told DNAinfo.  “They’re an important part of New York City life.” 

From photos to uniforms depicting the past hundred years, the exhibit also displays four vintage motorcycles including a 1948 Indian with the P.D.N.Y.C. decals.  The division later switched to Harley-Davison motorcycles in 1957 and a bike on display closely represents the machine in service today.   

A large portion of the exhibit focuses on the 1950’s and 60’s, which was a significant time for the squad (they were the favored choice of traffic enforcement on NYC’s highways).  The squad has also been responsible for escorting presidents and foreign leaders who come to visit the famous city. 

Original film footage from the 1960’s and 70’s, along with oral interviews of people who experienced it first hand, can also been seen at the exhibit.  It is only going to be on display until January 9 2012, so make sure to stop by if you are in the vicinity, or planning a trip to NYC. 

It’s probably going to be a while until all that history is on display again, so check it out while you can.  Just think of all the stories the squad has gathered over the century they have been around, enough to fill a book I’m sure….

(Photos courtesy of Policemotorunits.com....click here for more, there are too many to post here)

Victory and KTM to Recall Motorcycles

The Wall Street Journal reported that Victory motorcycles is recalling a number of bikes manufactured in 2011 due to "flawed handlebar assemblies" that could cause the rider to loose control.  Polaris Industries filed an announcement with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently, recalling 840 bikes that were built this year between Jan. 1 and April 11.  The recall, which is for the Victory Cross Country model, focuses on the handlebar risers which were "machined improperly" and could come loose.

 KTM motorcycles is also recalling bikes made in 2010 and 2011 due to similar problems.  This recall also focuses on the handlebar clamps that can crack as a result of an "improper heat treatment" when they were made.  Just like the Victory recall, this can cause the handlebars to come loose and slip.  Which is probably the last thing you want to happen, especailly if you are two stories in the air.  The KTM recall includes models 450 EXC, 530 EXC, 690 Enduro R, and the Husaberg FE 570.  

Dealerships will replace the risers and clamps for free.  For more information,  KTM can be reached at 888-895-6090 and Victory at 888-704-5290.

AMA Confronts Virginia Lawmakers over Motorcycle-Only Checkpoint

In an interesting story I found on Whowon.com, the American Motorcyclist Association recently contacted Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia over a motorcycle-only checkpoint that the AMA called “discriminatory”. 

Apparently the Arlington County Police Department set up a motorcycle-only checkpoint during the Rolling Thunder rally last weekend in Washington, D.C.  The event typically draws tens of thousands of enthusiasts between May 27-29 who gather to recognize POW’s and MIA’s.    

"The safety of motorcyclists is better served by efforts that minimize injuries and fatalities by preventing crashes in the first place," AMA rep Rick Podliska wrote in the letter. "The most efficient way of doing so is not through sporadic, discriminatory roadside checkpoints, but by mitigating crash causation."
 

The letter goes on to ask for a suspension of the checkpoints until certain “questions” can be answered.  Questions like: How do motorcycle-only checkpoints increase the safety of motorcyclists? Where do states draw their authority to conduct motorcycle-only checkpoints? Will "probable cause" be required to stop a motorcycle? If so, what constitutes probable cause?

Along with the governor, the AMA also sent copies of the letter to Police Chief of Arlington M. Douglas Scott, Virginia Senate Transportation Committee Chairwoman Yvonne Miller, and Virginia House of Delegates Transportation Committee Chairman Joe May. 

I’m happy to see the AMA standing up for motorcyclists and challenging lawmakers when they create blatantly biased situations like this.  You can click here to read a PDF of the letter.