From the category archives:

New Technology

Ilmor Engineering, the firm made famous for its work with Indy Cars and Formula One, as well as Triumph Motorcycles and Harley Davidson plus GM, Honda and Mercedes have built an engine that will make you think for a bit, it’s a 700cc, 3 cylinder, 130 horsepower turbocharged 5 stroke. Did they say 5 stroke?
The [...]

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Finished titanium parts can be manufactured for $25 per pound compared to $213 per pound, using a technique based on titanium hydride (TiH2) powder. The technology was developed under a Department of Energy Global Initiative for Proliferation Prevention (DOE/GIPP) project performed in the Ukraine.
By reducing the cost of titanium and the associated processing the performance [...]

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If you needed any more reasons to attend the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days at Mid Ohio, here’s a good one, you’ll get a chance to see the electric race bikes running at speed on exhibition laps of the track. This is their first appearance in the US.
The AMA eGrandPrix Introduction will showcase a number of [...]

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Free Piston Engine as Efficient as Fuel Cells

by Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" on 9/30/2008

in Engines, New Technology, Science frontiers

There’s a lot of heavy duty R&D going on these days to reinvent the engine or replace the engines we’re using altogether. The free piston engine, though invented in the 1920s, is getting more attention because it is less expensive than fuel cells for generating electricity while potentially just as efficient.
The free piston engine has [...]

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Titanium and Carbon Fiber Costs Coming Down

by Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" on 8/12/2008

in New Technology, Science frontiers

Look at your average MotoGP bike and you’ll see lots of titanium and carbon fiber pieces, same goes for high end bikes like the Ducati Desmosedici or any motorcycle needing the strongest and lightest materials. Unfortunately, all of those exotic bits mean high prices, but, we could see more of those materials used in the [...]

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Electronic Shift By Wire on Bicycles

by Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" on 8/1/2008

in Alternative thinking, New Technology

Every time I mention brake by wire, throttle by wire or anything by wire, there’s a contingent of voices that just can’t get their heads around the change. Here is another sign of control by wire in a place I wouldn’t have thought about, bicycles. Shimano has introduced their full electronic shift by wire system [...]

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Natural Gas Vehicle Refueling at Home with Phill

by Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" on 7/30/2008

in Alternative Fuels, New Technology

After the story about adsorbed natural gas conversions for motorcycles, one commenter said, “If one could fill up at home that would be really cool.” Well, with Phill, you can. Made by FuelMaker, Phill is what is termed a Vehicle Refueling Appliance (VRA) and is one of several products made by the company. It hangs [...]

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Adsorbed Natural Gas (ANG) is a technology that’s been around for a while but has been getting more attention for the obvious reason that gasoline prices are forcing us to look at alternatives and I wondered recently which technology would eventually win. ANG conversions for motorcycles are interesting because they can be used to convert [...]

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