Features

MOTORCYCLE – Cycle Digest

Triumph Reveals Three ’06 Models
Triumph unveiled three new motorcycle models during the company’s annual North American dealer conference, Sept. 18 in Phoenix.
The first of the three new rides is the Rocket III Classic. Designed with a focus on rider and passenger comfort, the Rocket III Classic comes with operator footboards, pull-back bars and a stitched touring seat as standard. Also available: Two two-tone paint schemes, pinstriped by hand; and a deep-chromed cam cover that contrasts with the black-finished engine.
A new take on Triumph’s past, the all-new twin-cylinder Scrambler adds a new twist to Triumph’s Modern Classics range. Designed to resemble its relatives from the 1950s, the bike has styling cues that include a flat seat, small headlight, knobby tires and upswept pipes.
Triumph says the Scrambler is easy and unintimidating to ride, with or without a passenger. In fact, the company describes it as a bike for riders who “aren’t interested in riding fast and are not motivated by performance or other benchmark figures.”
The third bike scheduled for release is the Daytona 675 Triple. The first three-cylinder middleweight, the Daytona 675 features a compact torque-filled three-cylinder, 12-valve motor linked to a stacked, close ratio, six-speed gearbox, Keihin closed-loop fuel-injection system and a free-flowing exhaust with an underseat silencer.
Other features include an open-back, aluminum cast frame wrapped over the top of the motor; a USD front fork and piggy-back rear shock fully adjustable for spring preload and rebound and compression damping; four-piston brakes; and five-spoke wheels.

Moto Guzzi Up on Sales in Italy
Piaggio executives say the company’s Moto Guzzi brand sold 4,550 motorcycles during the eight-month period from January through August, up from the 4,000 motorcycles retailed during the same period in 2004. However, sales in Italy accounted for 2,200 units.
Company officials talked with reporters during the launch of the new Griso 1100 in Milan.
“Our objective was selling 5,000 units in 2005 but now we think that we could sell as many as 6,000,” said Moto Guzzi CEO Daniele Bandiera. He said he expects the Griso to further increase brand awareness boosted by the company’s Breva.
Part “naked” bike and part cruiser, the shaft-driven Griso 1100 is powered by a V-twin. To be made available in black, red, yellow and blue, the bike is scheduled to be available in Europe in October at a cost of Euro 11,990 (approximately $14,700).

Honda Completes Development of ASV-3 Advanced Safety Vehicles
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has completed development of its ASV-3 Advanced Safety Vehicles, units equipped to exchange positional information with other vehicles using Inter-Vehicle Communication technology. It’s technology Honda says could be implemented in mass production vehicles.
Honda has participated in Japan’s federal Advanced Safety Vehicle (ASV) project since Phase 1, April 1991-March 1996, and released a previous generation unit, the ASV-2, in 2000.
The recently completed ASV-3 vehicles – a scooter and car – are equipped with image recognition technology used to analyze images captured by on-board cameras, and radar technology used to detect obstacles in the road.
Using a 5.8 GHz communications equipment, an Oncoming Vehicle Information Assistance System exchanges data such as vehicle type, position, direction and speed between moving vehicles. Motorcycle riders can view information about vehicles near them on a display, and can receive information through an in-helmet audio system.
Designed strictly for motorcycles, the Intersection Stop & Go Assistance System analyzes images from the camera mounted on the front of the motorcycle to detect stop signs and either line markings or road markings. If the rider does not slow down when approaching an intersection, a warning appears on the motorcycle’s display screen, and an audio warning sounds in the rider’s helmet, prompting the rider to decelerate.
In addition, once the motorcycle has come to a stop, the Inter-Vehicle Communication System detects the position of any approaching vehicles, assisting the rider in determining whether it is safe to proceed through the intersection.
Another feature of the ASV-3 motorcycle is the Rear View Assistance System, which monitors the status of vehicles approaching from behind via a rear-mounted camera wired to the bike’s display. The system helps make maneuvers such as changing lanes safer by providing riders with information about vehicles approaching from the rear that are not easily seen in a rear view mirror.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button