MOTOR-CAR SPORT

Like Facebook BMW  will present a new police-spec version of its C Evolution electric scooter at an upcoming police and state security trade show in Paris. Debuting at the  Milipol 2013  show Nov. 19-22, the police edition BMW  C Evolution  concept will illustrate the potential of electric scooters for police, rescue or escort activities. Like BMW’s other police-spec models, the police version C Evolution comes with police lighting and sirens and a number of optional accessories to suit different law enforcement needs. Like the civilian model revealed at the  Frankfurt Motor Show  in September, the police version’s liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous motor claims a continuous output of 15 hp peak output of 47 hp. BMW says the C Evolution can reach an electronically-limited top speed of 75 mph. The chassis is built around a die-cast aluminum casing which houses the 8 kWh battery. BMW claims the battery will provid...

Like Facebook Previous Next The new UNI-CUB β uses the same  Honda Omni Traction Drive System  previously used in the 2012 UNI-CUB and its predecessor, the  Honda U3-X . Based on technology developed for Honda’s  Asimo  robot, the HOT Drive System allows a rider to make the UNI-CUB β to move forward, backward, side-to-side or diagonally by simply shifting body weight in the intended direction. In a way, it’s similar to how a motorcyclist leans into a turn. Honda  announced a new, smaller version of its  UNI-CUB  personal mobility device which will be displayed at  Tokyo Motor Show  later this month. Like its predecessor, Honda will continue to test the  UNI-CUB β  (Beta) in real office environments while considering how to monetize it, Like the first UNI-CUB, the Beta is powered by a lithium-ion battery. Both versions claim a top speed of 3.7 mph and a range of about 3.7 mi...

Like Facebook The introduction of the  Moto2  class into the world championship in 2010 was met with mixed emotions. Moto2 spelled the end for the beloved 250cc two-strokes, but it also opened up a new world for engineering innovation. Based around a spec  Honda  CBR600RR  engine, the essence of the class was to have brilliant minds develop a chassis around it to lap a racetrack the quickest. Instead of hunting for horsepower, emphasis would be placed on engineering excellence and rider talent to win races. By most accounts, the series is a success. The racing is extremely close, Moto2 machines are faster than their 250cc two-stroke predecessors, and the past two champions, German  Stefan Bradl  and Spaniard  Marc Marquez  are acclimating well to MotoGP competition, especially Marquez. However, dig beyond the surface and a trend is already starting to emerge. Bradl won his championship in 2011 aboard a  Kalex  chassi...

      Like Facebook                              German power, Italian style Newly reorganized Bimota S.A. is already showing great promise. While the press kit distributed at the EICMA show may have contained one too many overly strong statements, the buzz around the reborn make is indeed positive. Biggest news at the  Bimota  booth was the BB3, a from-scratch project that had been hanging around for a couple of years and was finally released in concert with the arrival of new Swiss owners Marco Chiancianesi and Daniele Longoni. Arguably the ultimate  BMW /Bimota blend, the BB3 shoehorns a claimed 190-horsepower 999cc inline-four from the  S1000RR  into a classic, steel trellis frame. Side plates machined from aluminum billet clamp the rear engine mounts, solidly locating the swingarm pivot and double-link-actuated Öhlins shock. Elegantly styled, the BB3 is all...