Future Motorcycle

[Rogue]

Ever try to imagine how a future motorcycle would be designed and what it would mean to you as the rider?  

I'm not talking about 10 years from now, I'm talking 40-50 years from now (yeah after most of us are gone).  This is what I imagine:

Powertrain-
Fully electric with a single electric motor/generator developing at least 100 rwhp - aircooled.
Power will come from a Lithium-Polymer battery pack mounted below main motor for a low COG.
2-speed transmission (Intermediate for city/mountains; High for highway).
Zero maintenance Belt drive.  

Chassis-
The main motor will be located in the center (like today's engines).  No Hub motors-too heavy to be placed back there.  The motor will have a carbon fiber shell, which doubles as the main chassis spars for the front & rear suspension to mount to.

Carbon Fiber will take over where machined aluminum once occupied.  So the front and rear single sided swingarms will be CF.  Rear suspension will be SS with a single central bolt holding the wheel in place.  The front suspension will also be SS and will be similar to today's Bimota Tessi.  It will have a single spoke mounted disc (like the Buells) with a single 8-piston caliper.  Steering will be via push/pull CF rods.  

A single Coil-over shock will be used front and rear with electro-magnetic damping.  Ride height/sag will be set at the factory, then be electronically maintained no matter what the load.  Damping will automatically compensate for changes in spring pre-load.

Wheels will be CF with 6 spokes to hold the rim mounted brake rotor up front.

Tires will be airless.  It will use synthetic rubber and a skeleton "frame" inside to maintain shape and offer tire compliance.  

CF will be used for the front cowling and rear cowling.  These pieces will bolt directly onto the main chassis/motor and components such as lighting, seats, etc., bolt directly onto them.  There will be no rear subframe or front cowling stays.  

The main electrical control unit will be mounted where today's fuel tanks are.  It will be aircooled.


Rider to Bike Interface -
Brake, throttle, transmission shifter by wire.
Keyless Operation.
Active Cruise Control.
Fully adjustable Ergos (seat height, peg/foot brake levers, handlebars, windshield height/angle).
Wireless information system:  
  Bike sends signal to rider's helmet.
  Helmet displays vital info via helmet mounted display-no need to look down at instruments.
  Display includes rear view via wide angle camera at rear of bike, eliminating side mirrors.
  Reduced visibility Visual aids (thermal) overlayed in helmet visor for night riding/adverse weather.


Other Future Goodies-
Climate controlled riding suit (that actively cools or heats).
Crash protection will be velcro mounted Exo-skeleton for knees, elbows/forarm, shoulder, & hips.
Airbags at collar and back to protect vertebrae.
Knee/ankle/elbow/wrist over-extension protection.
Fully integrated helmet that is also climate controlled and features the following:
  Active ventilation (tiny fans inside).
  Light adaptive shield.
  CF aerodynamic outer shell for lightweight and smooth airflow.
  Built in Speaker System with Active Noise reduction and enhanced vital sound hearing (emergency    vehicles, etc).
  Built in microphone that amplifies user voice for outside conversation.
  Wireless interface to communication/navigation devices.
 
 

[Sport-Touring]

[bizarro]

I'm seeing something without wheels.

[Scratch33]

"I don't need no wheels, I don't need no gasoline
"Cause the wind that is blowing is blowing like a smoke machine"

[timmybob4]

...and it won't be available in the U.S.

[Mr Sunshine]

carbon fiber won't be replacing metals in any time soon.  They have a very bad way of failing vs metal.

[Johnny Monsoon]

It'll be a big red baloon with airbags that dispenses granola, rainbows, and kittens.

[Against The Wind]

I'm going to guess that 40 years from now motorcycles will be illegal.  

But I enjoyed your post.  

[ToadRide]

It'll be a big red baloon with airbags that dispenses granola, rainbows, and kittens.

Lol. Only if Hillary gets in.

[Cpl Punishment]

This is the future and past of biking.

[Dr Gil]

 

[goldylocks303]

2nd the motion on CF NOT replacing metal.  It's not as easy to work with as people think.  Plus it won't hold up well to impact (even little rocks at highway speed).  I'm expecting new super alloys.  

But I like where this is headed.  I'd like to see hub mounted motors though, but not one...  that's right bitches, two wheel drive.  Hub mounted electric motor, both front and rear.  The motors can't be that big can they?  If you split the power up the motor should be pretty small right?.  It's the battery feeding the motors that's huge.  

This is a total Akira rip-off but I'd like to see a bike that pivots in the middle.  Not for simple entry/exit, like in the movie, but for differences in riding style.  When cruising down the highway I'd rather be up high so I can see traffic way down the line.  When in the twisties I'd like to be lower to the ground for cornering ability.  The wheels with stretch out when lower (longer wheel base) and come close together when higher.  It'd be like going from a Buell to a slammed and stretched sport bike.  Plus it could automatically drop to the ground when it detects hard braking to keep unwanted stoppies from occuring.

HOD display in the helmet will have radar to warn when cars are close or approching fast, specifically from the rear.  

Automatic kick stands for parking un uneven surfaces.  Automatically lengths or shortens to give perfect lean angle.  It sounds like a small thing but I can't tell you how often I have to move my bike around forever to find a place that doesn't lean it too far or have it too upright.  Pain in the ass.  

Proximity alarm (noise and lights) to keep asshats in minivans from knocking over a parked bike.  

That is all.  

eD

[Rogue]

I'm seeing something without wheels.

How I wish this could be so.

But in order for us to have this, it must be something that is very, very reliable, and not based on air cushion.  Something like those in the Star Wars world--magnetic levitation.  Then, in order to do this, you would need a very powerful electrical magnet and power supply.   Then, we will need a source of propulsion that is outside the realms of turbojets and rockets.  Finally, we would need to have a multi-level invicible highway in the sky.

It will happen.  But not in 50 years.  Maybe 150-200 years.

[Rogue]

2nd the motion on CF NOT replacing metal.  It's not as easy to work with as people think.  Plus it won't hold up well to impact (even little rocks at highway speed).  I'm expecting new super alloys.  

Disagree with you and Mr. Sunshine on this due to two reasons:

1)  Aircraft aluminum has now been superseded by Carbon fiber.  There are lots of airplanes that are wholely or partially using carbon fiber fuselage and wings flying today.  That includes military jets and civilian general aviation aircraft.  Boeing's Dreamliner will be constructed using CF.

2)  CF is already being used today in motorcycles.  Wheels and body parts for example.  Bimota is now using CF for their rear "subframe/cowling" for their upcoming DB7.  CF eliminates the aluminum skeletal structure and therefore saves weight.  CF is also lighter and stronger and dissipates heat quickly.  CF can be shaped into a variety of smooth shapes.  

Modified to add, the military's Blackhawk helicopter uses a very strong CF composite main rotor that can withstand hits up to .50 caliber.  That's strength!

[Rogue]

I'd like to see hub mounted motors though, but not one...  that's right bitches, two wheel drive.  Hub mounted electric motor, both front and rear.  The motors can't be that big can they?  If you split the power up the motor should be pretty small right?.  It's the battery feeding the motors that's huge.  

I thought about this a lot.  And from current future designs of automobiles, this seems to be where the direction is headed.  However, if you put hub motors, how do you overcome unsprung weight?  Not only that, having all that spinning mass front and rear will create a gyroscopic effect that may resist turning.  

As far as 2-wheel drive, yes for dirt oriented bikes.  For street bikes, you have to deal with front wheel torque steer.  

[Rogue]

YES!  Now that's what I'm talking about!

But not in 50 years.  The technology to do this doesn't exist yet.

Now, if you add a Co-Axial rotor wing on top (two helicopter rotors spinning in opposite directions), then yes.  Already being done today.  http://www.airscooter.com/

[goldylocks303]

As far as 2-wheel drive, yes for dirt oriented bikes.  For street bikes, you have to deal with front wheel torque steer.  

Alright, I'm not afraid to claim ignorance.  What the hell is front wheel torque steer?  Is it anything like when you shift a shaft drive bike while leaned over in a turn?  

eD

[Johnny Monsoon]

2nd the motion on CF NOT replacing metal.  It's not as easy to work with as people think.  Plus it won't hold up well to impact (even little rocks at highway speed).  I'm expecting new super alloys.  

CF is super easy to work with, and generally requires a lot less energy to form and cure as well.  It isn't an ideal material for armor, however it is pretty durable from impact.  Layered CF is quite impact resistant; but you generally don't get that benefit from most of the CF products available today due to the primary use of weight reduction.

The downfall to CF, at least for a lot of applications, is how labor intensive it is.  I'm sure you could get robots to reduce a great amount of that, but if you're going to be showing naked, CF, it requires some personal attention.

I used to manufacture parts for racing bikes at Buffalo Carbon Designs out of Albuquerque, NM.

[bizarro]

How I wish this could be so.

But in order for us to have this, it must be something that is very, very reliable, and not based on air cushion.  Something like those in the Star Wars world--magnetic levitation.  Then, in order to do this, you would need a very powerful electrical magnet and power supply.   Then, we will need a source of propulsion that is outside the realms of turbojets and rockets.  Finally, we would need to have a multi-level invicible highway in the sky.

It will happen.  But not in 50 years.  Maybe 150-200 years.

Hey man, it's my fantasy.

[Johnny Monsoon]

Alright, I'm not afraid to claim ignorance.  What the hell is front wheel torque steer?  Is it anything like when you shift a shaft drive bike while leaned over in a turn?  

eD

Touque wheel steer is only found in transverse mounted engines where the power is applied to the wheel via use of CV arms.  It would be an absolute non-issue in an internally mounted motor (as in this example).  You can find torque-steer in lots of cars like VW Rabbits and similar.

[Rogue]

I read a CW review of two types of Bikes with 2WD.  They mentioned torque steer.  Anyway, power to the front wheel was routed via hydraulic fluid in one type, and gear/cable (I think) on the other.  The power was concentrated at the hub where the gear drive was.  It should be similar to the way a hub motor would transfer power to the front wheel.

I'm not an engineer so I'm not entirely sure if this would be an issue.  It sounds very plausible though.