Daily motorbike news, views & reviews
Kawasaki has applied for a patent for a hybrid motorcycle which is like a two-wheeled version of the hybrid Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt. The Kawasaki patent application was originally filed with Japan’s patent office in December 2017 and again a year later in the US Patent Office. Details have only now come to light …
Some bright spark at Yamaha has filed patent designs that seem to indicate they are planning an electric sports bike that looks a lot like the R1. So far Yamaha has only released the PES1 (Passion Electric Street) road bike and PED1 (Passion Electric Dirt) off-roader for limited sale, mainly in Europe. However, the new design …
The 2019 Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE adds a vast array of electronic aids and wizardry plus ergonomic comforts that make it a truly versatile motorcycle. While the base Versys 1000 costs $16,100 (ride away based on Brisbane delivery), the SE adds almost $8000. That puts it closer to some European bikes with comparable features. The …
(Sponsored post from Peter Stevens) For avid outdoor explorers, off-road bikes are a serious consideration or temptation. If you have never purchased an off-road bike, you may have a lot of questions as which bike is best for your adventurous lifestyle. Today we’ll highlight five of the top off-road bike models of 2019. Honda CRF450L …
Yamaha might be going down the blown track like Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Ducati with a patent filing for a turbocharged parallel twin. It follows Kawasaki’s H2 supercharged bike and patent filings by Suzuki and Honda for turbocharged engines, while Ducati applied for a patent for an exhaust system turbine. So it seems the future …
Kawasaki is the latest manufacturer to indicate they will add radar systems to their bikes to detect imminent collisions and either warn riders or intervene with automatic braking. The Japanese manufacturer has filed patents for their system which uses front and rear radars and controls the brakes and throttle. Kawasaki’s patent drawings of what looks …
Kawasaki appears to be joining Kymco in proposing a battery that can the owner can swap quickly to recharge their electric motorcycle. The company filed a patent for an electric version of its baby Ninja in 2013, but the patent has only now been published. In the main photo above, the battery and motor are shown …
Kawasaki Motors Australia has listed the neo-classic W800 Cafe online at almost $3000 more than the currently discounted W800 SE. The Kawasaki website lists the 2018 W800 SE at about $12,400 ride away in Brisbane which is a discounted price to clear stock and the 2019 Cafe model is listed at $15,246. Prices may vary depending on your …
The big four Japanese manufacturers are believed to be working to standardise electric motorcycle batteries and charging infrastructure. Noted electric vehicle website Electrek says Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki hope to standardise the technology to prevent any obstacles to its adoption. No doubt it’s also hoped to avoid the Beta/VHS situation where new video recording …
Kawasaki and Triumph are the latest motorcycle companies rumoured to be working on electric motorcycles, based on recent patent and trademark filings. Kawasaki patent The Kawasaki lecture motorcycle rumour looks interesting because the patent filings show the big has a substantial cooling element with a radiator. Heat is one of the biggest impediments to performance …