Today, I’m going to be talking about an invaluable technique for safe motorcycle riding called Limit Point Analysis.
I say this technique is invaluable because application of it really can give us a “free” window into the future: What is happening with the road ahead.
It is often telling us things such as how fast we can safely take that corner, or what safe speed should we be doing right now.
It is often telling us how sharp that curve is up ahead, and whether the curve we are on is beginning to get tighter, or straighten out.
All this is available to us – if only we know where to look. Doesn’t that sound interesting? It sure was to me when I first came across it!
I’m sure many of you have seen the T-Rex by Campagna Motors. For those recently coming out from under the rock, the T-Rex is a futuristic-looking three-wheeler with some impressive performance specifications.
They have now announced that Campagna Motors have teamed up with Zero motorcycles to produce an all-electric version which I would guess, inevitably, will become known as the “E-Rex”.
The prototype is to be unveiled next week at the Montreal EV Show. They are already working on a more advanced prototype, which could be ready by the end of the summer.
André Morissette, president of Campagna Motors said: “Thanks to the hard work of our dedicated team and partners, the T-REX has become the benchmark for three-wheeled performance. Our collaboration with Zero Motorcycles brings a whole new level of innovation and originality to this already exhilarating platform.”
Zero Motorcycles, already a tour-de-force in the electric motorcycle field have been working with other companies recently to help adopt their powertrain technologies.
Zero Motorcycle’s Director of Business Development Jim Callahan commented on the partnership with Campagna Motors: “We’re excited that Campagna selected our industry-leading powertrain technology to develop their electric T-REX. Zero’s electric powertrain is an ideal solution for the ultimate three-wheeled experience. This vehicle is an absolute thrill to drive.”
The current T-Rex, with its 160 BHP BMW engine, and weighing in at 1.157 lbs, boasts some impressive performance specifications, such as a 0-60 MPH time of 3.9 seconds. Inevitably, the battery pack is going to add significant weight, but it will be interesting to see the performance and driving (riding?) characteristics given by the prodigious torque of an electric drivetrain.
I, for one, am excited about the future of electric motorcycles, and this seems an ideal venture to explore the possibilities of an electric motor in an already exciting vehicle. Watch this space…
There’s an interesting project live on KickStarter right now. It is designed to be your guardian angel in the unfortunate event that your get-off leaves you unable to call for help.
I think my favourite aspect of this video is the implacable bravado of the guy. He went in with swaggering machismo, and came out with everything bruised but his ego. Hoowah!
When I first started this blog, one of the things that I always thought I would shy away from was being a “Monday morning quarterback”, as my American friends would say.
It’s all too easy to sit in the comfort of your home, and pass judgement on others’ riding, and what they could have done better. I don’t want to be “that guy”, and I know that we all make mistakes, and suffer lapses of judgement.
However, this has to be weighed against the learning opportunities that can be gained from the analysis of the many videos which abound thanks to the prevalence of dash cams and helmet cams.
Well, I just came across this video, which, in its mere twelve seconds, contains a wealth of learning opportunities. It also demonstrates my premise that crashes don’t often come about due to one single circumstance, but are almost always the result of a “perfect storm” of circumstances combining to set the field for the resultant crash. I feel this is too good an opportunity to miss those those learning opportunities, and am relieved to know that all riders and passengers sustained only minor injuries.
So, let’s delve into the details of this incident, and see what we can learn from it.
Following on from Motorcycle Awareness Day, which was held on the 11th of this month at the Ace Cafe, London, the London Fire Brigade launched a new initiative and training scheme to help riders deal with a crash on two wheels.
What is Biker Down?
Biker Down! is a free nationwide scheme that was devised to provide the tools to help bikers if they’re involved in a crash.
The scheme is in partnership with London Ambulance Service, Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police.
Take a look at the blog. Notice anything different? I bet not. Yet, I have spent the last month or so working feverishly to completely alter the way Motorcycle Mastery is produced.
This is going to be a short departure from scooter-related material, and it’s going to be just slightly technical. However, I thought my readers may like to take a look into the world of producing blogs, and some of the technical issues involved.
It should come as no surprise that a site dedicated to motorcycle safety would be in favour of helmet use. One of the often-cited arguments against them (together with freedom of choice and limit of vision), however, is that they offer no protection against Cervical Spine Injury, or CSI. Some claim that they even exacerbate this problem.
A team of researchers in Wisconsin recently set about investigating these claims. They reviewed the charts of 1,061 patients who had been injured in motorcycle crashes and treated at a single Level 1 trauma center in Wisconsin between January, 2010, and January, 2015.
Come on, let’s admit it. Us bikers can be a bit old-fashioned, resistant to change, leery of new concepts.
I’ve heard it all so many times:
“Automatics? Pfft. Not a real bike.”
“ABS? Not for me. I like to be in control.”
“Traction control? As long as I can disable it.”
“Electric bikes? Ugh. Just get a Prius.”
Well, if any of that sounds like you, you may wish to turn away now, and work out some frustration by kick-starting your 500cc thumper (don’t forget to turn on the fuel tap, and give a tug on that manual choke). For I’m going to make a bit of a bold prediction here: I think we’re going to see an uptick in three-wheeled motorcycles.
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I must admit to being on the wrong side of the fence with this particular issue. I never use earplugs when riding, and never have. It’s not because I have anything against them. I just never think about it.
I may have to rethink this after having looked over the unsettling figures that came out of a study recently conducted in Germany.
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Today, I’m going to be talking about an invaluable technique for safe motorcycle riding called Limit Point Analysis.
