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TPW-JAN16

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32 nJanuary 2016n www.thunderpress.net we've seen so far is Yamaha's motor- cycle-driving robot named Motobot. Introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show in October, the goal for the "learning" robot was, in 2015, to ride 62 mph on a straightaway and in 2017 to ride a motorcycle on a racetrack at 125 mph. The prototype has been supplied with a robotic voice that challenges MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi by stating, "I was created to surpass you. I am improving my skills every day." The company claims that further out in the future, it will use the technology to "deliver new value from Yamaha to our customers," whatever that means. But we can't wait to fi nd out. A wheelie good time This past August, British stunt man Gary Rothwell competed in the 2015 World Wheelie Championship during a Straightliners Top Speed event at Elvington Airfi eld near York, England. He hit 197.879 mph on his 540-hp turbocharged Hayabusa, but it was not enough to break the prior world record. So Rothwell paid a return visit to the airfi eld the following month for the fi nal Top Speed event of the year. This time, he smashed the record by achieving 209 mph for a distance of slightly over one kilometer, keeping the front wheel in the air the entire time. Rothwell's feat still needs to be verifi ed by the Auto-Cycle Union, the internationally-recognized national governing body for motorcycle sport in the British Isles. And it was only one of many interesting, unique stunts performed that day. Records were set for the world's fastest motorized shed (88.068 mph), world's fastest jet-pow- ered shopping cart (61.18 mph), and a motorcycle breaking a chain at about 210 mph. Still, this wasn't Rothwell's fi rst foray into the record-breaking busi- ness. Back in 1999, he broke (or per- haps actually set) the Guinness World Record for Fastest Speed Dragged Behind a Motorcycle at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in Leicester, England. He wore boots soled with 2 mm of titanium while being dragged by a motorcycle traveling at 156.3 mph which he controlled via a brake and throttle system he rigged near the back Riding on autopilot We've all heard of the research and development being conducted to create autonomous automobiles. Well, now there are efforts to come up with an autonomous motorcycle. An indus- trial designer from Thailand that is residing in London has conceptualized Chance, a self-piloting motorcycle that loosely resembles the Batpod from The Dark Knight. Chance sports large ball-shaped wheels that make it easy for the vehicle to lean and change direction and features an auto-pilot system that allows the driver to specify the level of engagement desired. The goal is for Chance to act like an extension of the driver while preventing over- and understeering, maintaining balance and basically never allowing a pilot- triggered accident to occur. Another idea we've heard about takes this concept even further by pro- posing a drone called the Interceptor, a driverless police motorcycle. The Interceptor would patrol streets, initi- ate pursuits and ticket lawbreaking drivers via electronic means, without even stopping the offending vehicle. But the coolest yet creepiest artifi cial intelligence moto concept Stylin' for safety A 34-year-old motorcyclist was saved from serious injury when his Harley-Davidson was struck from behind by a pickup truck. It seems that the truck driver had taken his eyes off the road and didn't see that the rider had stopped to make a left turn. The biker was thrown off his Harley and onto the pavement, but suffered only some road rash on his right arm. According to the local fi re chief, the rider's "man bun" cushioned his fall, preventing a potential head injury. Who knew that a fashion statement could save lives? The man bun is a hairstyle where- by a long-haired, trendy male sweeps his hair up toward the back of his head and secures it there using an elastic hair tie or scrunchie. Many people believe that actor/musician Jared Leto, who rides a Ducati Monster, invented the man bun, but even before that, soc- cer star David Beckham, also a motor- cyclist, rocked the bun beautifully both on-fi eld and off. Actually, the man bun of the bike. To say that sparks fl ew for the entire run was an understate- ment, and once the run was success- fully completed, he had to run over and jump in a shallow pool of water to cool down his hot shoes. We just want to know why the Brits get to have all the fun. dates back to the time of Buddha, and has continued to be worn through the years by the Samurai, Sumo wrestlers and many cultures in general. But those hairstyles had a functional rea- son, usually to keep one's hair out of one's face when executing important tasks. Now all you have to do is head to L.A. or Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to see this fashion statement in the fl esh… along with lumberjack boots, rolled-up jeans and plaid fl annel shirts. Hipsters can even buy clip-in man buns if they haven't grown their hair long enough to create the style using their own manly tresses. Before we get too carried away, note that Jared Leto is now rocking a man braid. Wait a minute—male motorcyclists have been wearing braids for years. Is this a case of art imitating life, or are bikers the new hipsters?

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