Fastest Man on Earth -Glenn H Curtiss

Posted on February 24, 2012 by melwin23

In 1907, Glenn Curtiss became known as the fastest man on earth. His home-built, air-cooled V-8 powered motorcycle took him to a speed of 136.3 miles an hour in Ormand Beach, Florida on January 24th.

Curtis began his career as a builder of bicycles but quickly moved on to motorcycles. In 1901, he started creating bicycles with single-cylinder engines fashioned from tomato cans. In short order, he was building V-twins and inline-four engines for his motorcycles.

The lightweight 8-cylinder record breaker came just a few years later. By that time, Curtiss had began an interest in building aircraft and particularly aircraft engines. The motorcycle became the test bed for his new, powerful aircraft engine designs.
His 4000 cc engine was strapped to a frame with skinny tires and a questionable braking system. A shaft drive drove the rear wheel. The 90-degree engine design was fed by twin carburetors that Curtiss also designed and built. The entire machine only weighed 275 pounds.The land speed record set by Curtiss would stand for another 11 years. It was beat by an automobile. It wasn’t until 1930 that the record was beat by a motorcycle.Curtiss pretty much lost interest in motorcycles after 1914 in favor of the new frontier that was aviation. He was the first person to earn a pilot’s license, developed the first airplane to cross the Atlantic Ocean, and the first to carry a passenger in a sea plane. Curtiss also was the inventor of the twist-grip throttle, the Hammond biplane, and the aircraft carrier. Eventually, the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company became the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world with over 20,000 employees.source

[Motorcycle.com | Air and Space Smithsonian]

superhero motorcycles

Posted on February 3, 2012 by melwin23

MOSCOW – Drawing three-dimensional design is cursory to be similar to Smolyanov Mikhail Harley Davidson Road Glide stretchy version. On the other hand, the model is also similar to Robin’s Redbird mounts in the film Batman & Robin (1997).

However, there are two things that are memorable from the motor design called “BBT” this. First, the trellis rarely extending from the front engine to the ends of the rear wheels. It’s like a puff-puff of wind that is in the test chamber aerodynamics.

Second, the V8 engine dragster-style complete with air funnel.

However, Mikhail is an architect from Moscow, Russia, it did not mention the source of his inspiration. To be sure, he pinned the engine, chassis, until the chains like a fish in the unity of invisibility.

Listening to the legs, the wheels do not grip a fork like a conventional motor. Front wheels turn a little tricky to use the system, relying on a small shock absorbers and leg brace with a very horizontal angle. Angle of shock absorbers for the wheel 90 degrees and use a slug.

With footrest without the other lever, could guess that this bike is probably the automatic transmission.
Back to the top, perhaps we would be hard to find the speedometer there. Do not be sought. You see, Mikhail did not pair the device. Breaking the rules? Not. Mikhail explained that the data speed, engine rpm, fuel and other records will be visible in the glass helmets.

Sophisticated indeed. For that also, he wished that the motor is there some kind of wireless system transmitter of data from the motor to the helmet.

Hope you enjoyed the article ? If yes do click the image below to subscribe with us for Recent updates

The Ducati V8 -Wirthwein

Posted on February 2, 2012 by melwin23

Even those two launches did not fully prepare me for coming across the Ducati V8 of German engineer Dieter Hartmann-Wirthwein, who is very much a “can do” kinda guy.

Just four years ago, Dieter undertook his first motorcycle project – creating a four valve-head for a vintage R50 BMW racer – people who know the bike will know the problems. It worked. Next up, Dieter had an idea for creating a compact four cylinder engine from a single cylinder engine using just one conrod. The video contains an animation of his fascinating system which I can guarantee will fascinate anyone who has ever had grease under their fingernails. The system is ingenious, and his next step was to build one

So he took a Honda single cylinder 125 engine, and made it a four cylinder 125, which he installed in a monkey bike for testing. once the engine had worked reliably and powerfully, he decided to take concept and doing something very cool with it – like taking a Ducati 900 V-twin and turning it into a V-8.

The name of the motor is a derivative of the Ford Mustang GT 500 in the film “Gone in 60 seconds” and the entire motorcycle is now nearing completion as an 868cc V8 Ducati – the engine looks a treat, but it’s the workings that mesmerize me. The system he uses to achieve such an astonishingly compact road bike is just fascinating and I am certain these pages will review further engineering astonishment from Dieter in the year’s to come.

The desmodromic valve system has been lost, and Dieter says he’s not seeking massive horsepower from the bike – his aim is to build a fine roadbike, not a racetrack brute.

Related articles

47238_Semi-Annual Sale - Save Up To 40% Off at PUMA

Lazareth’s 250 hp, Ferrari-powered Wazuma V8 quad for sale

Posted on December 28, 2011 by melwin23

In my part of the world, quad bikes (or ATVs) are everywhere. They’re great for dropping in and out of the fields to check the vines, as well as hitting the road or dirt track for a bit of well-earned fun. Although there are quite powerful examples, for the most part quads are unlikely to generate the same kind of drool as, say, a Ducati superbike. That’s certainly not true of Lazareth’s Wazuma V8F – which is built around a 250 horsepower Ferrari 3 liter V8 engine, features a BMW gearbox and sports customized Brembo braking and Momo rims. As you’ve probably already worked out, though, this unique beast of a quad doesn’t come cheap.
Based on the company’s Wazuma R1 (which was built around a Yamaha R1 1000cc engine), the Wazuma V8F has two spaced front wheels and two attached/closed wheels at the rear – somewhat blurring the obvious lines between Spyder-like trikes and Venom Evil-like quad bikes. Built as a company showpiece and first displayed at Top Marques 2010 in Monaco, Ludovic Lazareth’s one-off creation features a Ferrari 3.0L V8 engine that’s capable of delivering 250 horsepower, a handlebar-controlled six-speed sequential gearbox from a BMW M3, and four made-to-measure horizontal shocks made by EMC.

The Ferrari-red-colored V8F quad weighs just 650 kg (1,433 pounds) and benefits from electric power steering, modified 18-inch Momo (+Power) rims with slick tires and Brembo calipers on four 324mm disc brakes. It’s said to incorporate the injection system of two sport bike engines, electronically-controlled by a Sybelle system. There are eight intake funnels for 4 exhaust outlets and a huge cooling radiator. Engine management can be modified via a computer.

Custom car and motorcycle maker Lazareth – based in Annecy, France – is no stranger to demanding top prices for its custom creations, and has quite an exotic vehicle pedigree that includes designing and building the FZR Turbo motorcycle for the film Babylon AD and the supercharged Buell XB12S that impressed us back in 2007.The company’s Wazuma V8F is now up for sale for the asking price of EUR 200,000 (US$261,000), which is only a few thousand Euros less than the quoted European price of the forthcoming Ferrari 458 Spider sports car (EUR 226,800 in Europe/US$257,000 in the U.S.), but with the latter you’ll get a 4.5 liter V8 engine, a top speed of just under 200 mph (320 km/h) and protection from less-than-dry weather conditions in the shape of an automated folding aluminum hard-top roof.

Before you jump in with checkbook in hand, though, you might want to get in touch with your local transport authority to make sure that the V8F is road legal where you intend to ride it. Lazareth has clearly already done so on its home turf, as you can see from this very brief video of the Wazuma V8F on the road: