Tag Archives: handlebars

Is Kawasaki planning to axe handlebars?

Kawasaki could be planning to axe conventional handlebars and replace them with a fixed bar, according to a patent design they have filed for an electric motorcycle.

Instead of a moveable handlebar for counter steering inputs, the rider holds on to fixed bars with a throttle and simply leans.

The patent application says electronic sensors and accelerometers will detect what the rider wants to do and will steer the bike accordingly.

This is definitely not a design for lazy riders!

We’re also not sure how it would work at low speed when the rider doesn’t lean.

The patent drawings also show front and rear steering with the wheels supported by mono shock suspension and electric motors in the hubs.Is Kawasaki planning to axe handlebars?

Planning for the future

Like Honda, Kawasaki has been busy filing patent applications for all sorts of strange inventions.

None or all many eventually come to market.

It seems they are just planning for the future and trying to protect their intellectual property, no matter how zany the idea.

Some of the other recent planning ideas for which Kawasaki has filed patent applications include:

planning patent
Kawasaki hybrid patent

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Handlebar petition needs signatures

A petition to relax motorcycle handlebar height rules is falling short and is in need of more signatures before its closing date on 4 October 2019.

Petition organiser Jason Gilks, Gold Coast handlebar manufacturer Burleigh Bars Australia, says they have only 3000 signatures and need 10,000 for the issue to be debated in Parliament, otherwise it will be disregarded.

He says their original “Change” petition to relax motorcycle handlebar rules last year attracted nearly 15,000 signatures.

“So clearly it is an issue with riders as the rules do not consider rider comfort or lane filtering riders hitting car mirrors.

Motorcycle handlebar petition goes federal signatures

The Federal Government ignored the informal Change petition, so the organisers went to a lawyer to draft a formal Federal Parliament petition.

Click here to sign the petition to scrap the arbitrary ADR limit of 380mm above the seat.

Bid for signatures

“We need last-ditched urgent effort to get more signatures,” Jason says.

“People are not getting the news that this is a new petition. It’s frustrating as we had 15,000 before.

“We need at least 10,000 to show we have support or the Government will just say go away.

“ADRs are hard to change from the outside.

“If we get the signatures they will have a debate it in Parliament. If we can’t show signatures, they will drop it. Then we have to start all over again.

“People don’t want to keep seeing this in their feed, but we can’t give up.

“If it fails, we may have to set up a motorcycle industry company group and get every shop, dealer, manufacturer to put into a slush fund to donate to the LNP to gain a lobbyist as that seems to be the only way they work.”

Lift restrictionshandlebars petition Burleigh Bars Adrian Reynolds signatures

Burleigh Bars spokesman Zane Waldon says they would like to see no restrictions as in 31 states of the USA and 10 provinces and territories of Canada or even a shoulder height as in 10 USA states and British Columbia.

“Shoulder height would be ideal as it is based on the rider’s height and makes far more sense to me,” Zane says.

“But we are thinking it would be easier to get them to go back to the old rule (380mm above the attachment, not the seat) than to try and make a new rule.”

He says the arbitrary handlebar height restrictions have created an excuse for police to conduct a witch-hunt to harass riders.

Click here for examples of the witch-hunt.Motorcycle handlebar petition goes federal

Federal plea

The new Federal Government petition (Number EN0950) asks the House to “consider changes to the national legislation and the ADR(57) to alleviate vexatious regulations regarding motorcycle handlebar heights”.

“It is our submission that laws should be unified as they relate to vehicles manufactured pre and post 1988; specifically that the current compliance height of 380mm be measured from the point of attachment to the vehicle rather than the uppermost surface of the riders seat,” the petition says.

“It is our belief that the reformation of these laws will lead to greater rider wellbeing, increased freedom of modification and the subsequent benefit to industry, reduced cost impost on motorcycle manufacturers and consumers without reducing safety.”

The petition seeks amendments to the Motor Vehicles Standards Act, the National Code of Practice for Vehicle Construction and “aid in the amendment of the Australian Design Rules pertaining to motorcycle construction”.

“Specifically to effect laws requiring all mopeds, motorcycles and motor trikes, regardless of manufacture date, to comply with a handlebar height of 380mm measured from the point of attachment to the vehicle, as per the current legislation pertaining to vehicles manufactured prior to June 30, 1988.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle handlebar petition goes federal

A “Change” petition to relax motorcycle handlebar rules last year attracted more than 11,000 signatures, but was ignored by the Federal Government.

So now the petitioners have gone to a lawyer to draft a formal Federal Parliament petition to elicit some action.

Click here to sign the petition.

Gold Coast handlebar manufacturer Burleigh Bars Australia started the online Change.org petition to scrap the arbitrary limit of 380mm above the seat.

They claimed the rules did not consider rider comfort nor lane filtering riders hitting car mirrors.Motorcycle handlebar petition goes federal

Petition rejected

Spokesman Zane Waldon says the change.org petition was given “no merit as far the Federal Government was concerned”.

“So, after a year we have hit the next stage,” he says.

“I’m not too sure how many signatures are required; our lawyer has taken care of setting all this up.

I believe it all depends on numbers as to whether it will go before the House of Representatives for debate.

The petition will only be active for the next four weeks, sop hopefully we can achieve the number required in that time.”

So far, only about 1200 have signed.

Lift restrictions

Zane says they would like to see no restrictions as in 31 states of the USA and 10 provinces and territories of Canada or even a shoulder height as in 10 USA states and British Columbia.

“Shoulder height would be ideal as it is based on the rider’s height and makes far more sense to me,” Zane says.

“But we are thinking it would be easier to get them to go back to the old rule (380mm above the attachment, not the seat) than to try and make a new rule.”

He says the arbitrary handlebar height restrictions have created an excuse for police to conduct a witch-hunt to harass riders.

Click here for examples of the witch-hunt.Motorcycle handlebar petition goes federal

Federal plea

The new Federal Government petition (Number EN0950) asks the House to “consider changes to the national legislation and the ADR(57) to alleviate vexatious regulations regarding motorcycle handlebar heights”.

“It is our submission that laws should be unified as they relate to vehicles manufactured pre and post 1988; specifically that the current compliance height of 380mm be measured from the point of attachment to the vehicle rather than the uppermost surface of the riders seat,” the petition says.

“It is our belief that the reformation of these laws will lead to greater rider wellbeing, increased freedom of modification and the subsequent benefit to industry, reduced cost impost on motorcycle manufacturers and consumers without reducing safety.”

The petition seeks amendments to the Motor Vehicles Standards Act, the National Code of Practice for Vehicle Construction and “aid in the amendment of the Australian Design Rules pertaining to motorcycle construction”.

“Specifically to effect laws requiring all mopeds, motorcycles and motor trikes, regardless of manufacture date, to comply with a handlebar height of 380mm measured from the point of attachment to the vehicle, as per the current legislation pertaining to vehicles manufactured prior to June 30, 1988.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Honda patents variable riding position

Honda has been going crazy with some equally crazy patents lately but the latest patent applications for a variable riding position and drum brakes are both brilliant and bizarre.

Recent Honda patent applications include:

Variable riding position

We think the idea of a variable riding position is absolutely brilliant.

Cars have had multi-adjustable seats and steering wheels for years to cater for all sizes, but most motorbikes have very little adjustment.

Brands such as BMW and Harley have optional seat heights, while the Kawasaki Vulcan S Ergo-Fit system offers handlebar, seat and footpeg adjustment.

Kawasaki Vulcan S seats variable riding position
Kawasaki Vulcan S

Now Honda’s patent drawings show a CBR1000RR Fireblade that can convert from a sports bike with a crouched riding position to a street bike with an upright position.

It would be great for ageing riders who want a sports bike but can no longer bear the intolerably uncomfortable riding position.

honda patent drum brakes variable riding position
Adjustable bars

The clever Honda patent features clip-on handlebars that can be raised along extendable tubes at the touch of a button.

It also features an adjustable windscreen.

Many bikes have powered adjustable screens that move up and down.

However, this is attached via a scissor-style mechanism so it not only rises, but becomes more upright.

honda patent drum brakes variable riding position
Adjustable windscreen

The patent drawing also shows that the bike is fitted with their “climate” seat.

It’s a shame the seat doesn’t also adjust for height.

Drum brakeshonda patent drum brakes variable riding position

This is where Honda’s patents get weird.

Drum brakes faded out on most bikes years ago just as drum brakes faded under excessive use from heat build-up.

However, hipsters have sparked a new love for old-style bikes such as the popular Yamaha SR400 with its rear drum brake.

SR400 exhaust pipes are coated with Yamaha's SixONy film position
Yamaha SR400 with drum brake

This latest Honda patent drawing shows a single-cylinder bike with drums both front and rear.

There doesn’t seem to be any extra cooling to mitigate fading and no reference to linking the brakes or ABS as now required by law.

Maybe this is a patent for a small-capacity bike for countries south East Asia and Africa where those safety technologies are not yet mandated.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com