MOTOR-CAR SPORT

        WORTHERSEE E-BIKE Audi unveils pedal-electric hybrid concept bike Ducatis aren’t the only two-wheelers under the Audi corporate umbrella these days. The German company recently unveiled its concept Worthersee e-bike, to which Audi applied its vast experience with high-tech composites, electronics and lithium-ion batteries. This innovative machine can operate solely on muscle power through a nine-speed bicycle transmission, rely only on its 2.3-kilowatt electric motor (with a 0.53 kW-h battery pack) or act as a human/electric hybrid. Weighing a scant 57 pounds, the Worthersee can reach a maximum speed of 50 mph when the motor is aided by people propulsion.

BMW C-CONCEPT – FIRST LOOK At BMW, “C” stands for “commuter” and “commuter” translates into “scooter.” The Bavarian company tried its hand at the scooter game back in the 1990s with the C1 125/200, a fully enclosed two-wheeler designed to be super-protective; it even featured safety belts. But the idea didn’t work out so well; in terms of sales, the C1 was a flop. So, it came as a big surprise to EICMA attendees when BMW showed a very sophisticated concept “maxi-scooter” called the C-Concept. It’s powered by a version of the F800 parallel-Twin that has been optimized specifically for this application and teamed to a CVT transmission. The chassis is very motorcycle-like in its construction and incorporates a massive, single-sided swingarm actuating an electronically adjustable Marzocchi shock; up front is a 43mm, titanium-nitride-coated Marzocchi fork. What’s interesting is that the fork is a full-size motorcycle unit with upper and lower triple-clamps, not the “lower-clamp...

PACKING YOUR ADVENTURE BIKE  How one man prepared his bike for a 15,000 mile adventure trip World traveler Helge Pedersen shares what he loaded onto his 2012  BMW  R1200GS before embarking on his adventure trip from Seattle to Tierra del Fuego. 1)  The Think Tank Retrospective 30 camera shoulder bag carries all my paperwork, electronics and camera gear. Fits in the panniers perfectly. 2)  Video camera and more electronics. The curse of today’s electronics is all the chargers you need for the GPS, cameras, video, cell phone and computer. 3)  Even with the best GPS, I always carry paper maps. I also bring prints of people I’ve photographed on previous trips to hand out if I see them again. 4)  CO2 cartridges (45g) will set the tire’s bead, while a stripped-down electric air pump bring tires up to correct pressure. Why electric? With my old hand-held pump, it took me 470 strokes to get proper pressure in my rear tire! 5)  BMW ...