The Phoenix rises: Mission R returns, and now it's road-legal

San Francisco-based Mission Motorcycles has unveiled two brand-new electric bikes which it bills as the most advanced on the market: the Mission RS and Mission R. The track- and road-ready RS is produced in an ultra-limited edition of 40, but the R will be manufactured in larger quantities at a cheaper price, while still retaining the key specs of its edgier sibling. However, if the name Mission R seems familiar, well that's because it is ...

What's in a name?

The Mission RS is a direct descendent of the Mission R prototype race bike that snagged Mission Motors a win at Laguna Seca’s 2011 FIM/TTXGP electric-vehicle race event. It’s sold in a run of just 40 to celebrate the 40-second lead that rider Steve Rapp enjoyed when crossing the finish line.

However, confusingly, this original Mission R was produced by Mission Motors, not Mission Motorcycles – so what's going on here? It's more than a name-change, as Mission Motorcycles is a wholly new, independent company that's taken the technology developed by Mission Motors and ran with it.

Whoever is in charge, the result is a bike that looks much the same as the one we were drooling over back in 2010, but with updated 2013 specs.

Infinite Drive

Both the RS and R bikes are hand-built in the US, and sport a custom electric drivetrain, labelled "Infinite Drive." This provides 133.4 ft lb/180.9 Nm (0 – 6400 RPM) torque, and over 160 hp (150 kW), to push each machine to a top speed of around 150 mph (241 km/h). Acceleration from a standstill is similarly healthy, with 0 - 60 mph (96.5 km/h) clocking in at three seconds.

The Mission RS and R are powered by a 17 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which offers a 140-mile (225 km) range, though lower-capacity 12 kWh and 15 kWh iterations are also available for the Mission R to enable a lower retail price.

The on-board charger is the same for both models and is reckoned by Mission Motorcycles to be "the most advanced on-board charger ever designed for two wheels." PR spiel aside, the optional twin charger systemdoes offer impressively quick charging times, and can have the bikes fully-juiced within two hours.

Mission OS

The Mission RS and R both feature a fully digital instrument cluster with an on-board computer system dubbed "Mission OS." That system makes use of a touchscreen-based UI to offer turn-by-turn navigation, communications, ride telemetry data, and track-mode setup.

There’s also GPS and Bluetooth integrated within the dashboard, and support for a heads-up-display (HUD). The unit receives free automatic over-air software updates, via free cellular data.

Arriving next year

The flagship model Mission RS will begin shipping in mid-2014, and prices start at a U$56,499, depending on which extras you choose to splurge on. The Mission R is said to be slated for release soon after the RS has sold out, and will in turn be available from $29,999 – though be aware that both quoted prices are based on a US tax credit reduction of $2,500.

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The Vyrus 987 C3 4V

The name Vyrus may not be familiar to motorcycle enthusiasts when they begin reading this article, but by the end of it, there’s every chance it will be at the top of their list of “dream bikes.” The small Rimini-based Italian company is currently best known for producing the Bimota Tesi 2D, but the company's new, top-of-the-range, Vyrus 987 C3 4VV naked superbike is just about to propel it to even greater world renown, leapfrogging past a gaggle of superbikes to become the most powerful production motorcycle in the world. It's more powerful than Ducati’s Desmosedici RR, MV Agusta’s F4 312RR, Suzuki’s Hayabusa or Kawasaki’s ZZR1400. The hub-centre-steered Vyrus runs a 211 bhp supercharged 1198cc 1098R Ducati engine, weighs just 158 kg and costs EUR 65,000 (US$91,700).

The 4VV is the lightest and most powerful of four Vyrus variants.

The base model 984 C3 2V comes with a 100 bhp two valve 1000DS air-cooled Ducati engine, weighs in at a featherweight 150 kg and sells for EUR 33,400 (US$47,000). Just to put that weight in perspective, a MotoGP bike weighs 148 kg.

Next up the ladder is the 985 C3 4V, which weighs in at 157 kg, uses a 155 bhp 999R water-cooled Testastretta Ducati engine and costs EUR 50,000 (US$70,500).

Second from top is the 155 kg 987 C3 4V which sells for EUR 55,000 (US$77,500) and uses a water-cooled 1098R 1198cc Ducati engine producing 184 bhp

Finally, the range-topping 987 C3 4V V takes the 987 C3 4V and adds EUR 10,000, a supercharger, three kilograms, 27 bhp and, of course, the title of being the world’s fastest production motorcycle.

Take a close look at the Vyrus in the photo gallery and you’ll see the machine is full of innovation and incredible attention to detail, and very much a production of Vyrus’ owner, Ascanio Rodorigo.

The essence of the Vyrus brand is adequately encapsulated by this short outline from Rodorigo which explains his passion for detail:

I was a young boy, at the airport of Rimini the Ferrari Team came with a tester and a F40 to make brakes homologation. My father, a jet fighter pilot, was invited to participate and was inside the car. Happy and excited by the adventure. I walked around the car and looked at every particular. Lights, dashboard, internal equipment, everything did tell me, "I’m a race car, only race sensation, rude but efficient", I thought that was the best thing I could see at that time, the enthusiasm of my father become virulent because his approval of noise, velocity, real sensations and feeling. What a beauty!

My dream was a production of little series of bikes that could give me the fantastic sensation of a Race GP motorcycle but with lights and lateral stand!

The rear swing arm hand bended and welded to be the strongest and lightest possible, the special bolts machine worked to save 3 grams each, the seat with 8 mm foam to have the best feeling in drive, the carbon fibre everywhere, the fuel tank cap screw type, the bleeding system of fuel and engine vapour running in carbon fibre canisters, injection and ignition controlled by the most advanced computer, cable wiring almost invisible but the most complicate available, Racing style dashboards, the best brakes. All the best for a “Championship with a license plate”: the dream became true with Vyrus. I never had compromise since was young boy, why should I change now?

So what’s it like to ride?

The most experienced, knowledgable and best known motorcycle road tester in the world is Brit Alan Cathcart. Cathcart rode the unblown Vyrus and his report is available online here.

Vyrus it's a little workshop, and production is limited and highly exclusive and production of the 987 is currently sold until June. A four month wait seems a small inconvenience to pay for such exclusivity.

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Honda to market electric motorcycle by 2010

December 19, 2008 Honda has been quick to signal some radical changes in direction to enable it to endure the tough times expected in 2009. Following news that it is cancelling all F1 racing involvement and development, and likewise with the successor to the NSX sports car, the company has announced it intends to pursue ever cleaner automotive technologies and the most exciting of its announcements is that it will have an electric motorcycle on the market before the end of 2010. Honda’s original core product was the motorcycle and history shows that motorcycle sales remain strong in difficult times – the Honda announcement of an electric motorcycle is likely to spur rivals Yamaha and Suzuki into action, with both having shown fantastic electric bikes already, and both afraid to give Honda a head start in what will surely be a massive market.

With more people likely to show interest in the motorcycle in a harsh economic climate, Honda plans for a game-changing electric motorcycle are the signal that the era of the electric motorcycle is about to begin – Honda’s brief statement pointed out that the characteristics of electric power can be better utilized in the area of motorcycles, which are often used for short distance travel.

Honda's toughness in negative business environments comes from its almost recession-proof motorcycle business. The motorcycle business has since given way to a global business foundation around three axes - motorcycles, automobiles and power products – but Honda knows it can rely on its original core product and the cost-efficiency of a plug-in electric bike could attract a huge new customer segment, particularly in the emerging emerging economic regions of Asia and South America. Motorcycles are replacing bicycles for everyday transportation in these markets, and long-term and steady market growth is expected for the motorcycle business despite the economic conditions.

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Honda unveils six cylinder sports motorcycle prototype

September 27, 2007 Honda will unveil a series of show motorcycles at this year’s Tokyo Motorcycle Show, headed by a radical six cylinder prototype to be known as the EVO6, which will be based on Honda’s six cylinder Gold Wing engine, but in a form far from its long-distance tourer guise. Seemingly aimed squarely at the Suzuki B-King muscle machine which was unveiled at this show four years ago, the 1832cc engine is much lighter and sportier than its touring brethren and is housed in an ultra-modern lightweight frame and is clearly designed for very rapid acceleration.

The bike cuts a dashing figure with its slimmed and sculpted, but clearly muscular horizontally-opposed six cylinder engine, and one of the most significant changes is that it now has one throttle body for each cylinder, compared to it’s tourer sibling’s one on each bank of cylinders. There’s also a five LED headlight, with the lights arranged in a Y-shape, giving it an alien robot façade and with lots of matt-finished alloy, and a medusa-like tangle of three exhausts on each side, it really does look quite distinctive and nothing like anything that has been before it, from any manufacturer.

With Honda’s move to show a six cylinder machine at Tokyo, the trend is beginning to distinctly move towards six cylinder machinery on two-wheels. Suzuki’s six cylinder Stratosphere concept is not yet in production but isn’t far away, Benelli is apparently working on a V6 superbike, and rumours persist that BMW has a six cylinder touring machine in development.

The six cylinder configuration enjoyed a brief period of popularity in the seventies when Kawasaki built the humungously large Z1300 and Honda produced the delightfully balanced CBX, while Benelli added two cylinders to what was basically a Honda CB500 motor to produce the Benelli Sei. All ultimately failed in the market and Honda’s Gold Wing has been the only six cylinder machine on the market for some time.

Several other machines are slated to go on show with the EVO6 in Tokyo, including two variations on an air-cooled CB1100R machine with distinctly retro styling - one harking back to the endurance racers of a quarter century ago, and the other somewhere between the original CB750 of 1969 (the original superbike) and the CB400 which launched a thousand racing careers. There's also an all-new Forza Z scooter, though no details have been released.

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Kawasaki's ultimate high-speed tourer

Saturday October 11, 2003 Kawasaki has shown a concept machine at the Milan motorcycle show which may yet turn out to be a landmark machine in that it can be changed into different modes. Kawasaki's ZZR-X concept machine is billed as the "ultimate high speed tourer", offering high speed comfort and brilliant handling performance.

Mode-changing mechanisms allow the rider to select the riding position and functionality to suit the conditions for example, it can be a low or high speed touring machine and there's even a full-on sports mode where the adjustable fairing and screen takes on its most aerodynamic profile. Borrowing from many exclusive automobiles which offer varying aerodynamics dependent upon speed, the Kawasaki ZZX-R has speed sensitive fairing components which change position depending on speed too.

Some other firsts on display within the concept machine include cone-shaped, rim-mounted disk brakes which are designed for maximum cooling efficiency, and a centrally-mounted fuel tank which is designed to centralise the mass on what is obviously a very large machine.Ample storage capacity has been designed into the machine, with a capacious storage area in front of the seat. Yet another first is the muffler which is built into the bodywork.

Details on the machine are purposefully vague - no weight, no engine details and no power figures have been released, which indicates Kawasaki was attempting to float the concept rather than indicate a specific machine. Perhaps even more significant than the machine which was shown, were the sketches which accompanied the showing. They clearly illustrate a line of thinking which involves an all-purpose bike with different panelling to be clipped on for different purposes - with the add-ons ranging from expandable panniers through to a roof.

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Kawasaki releases the 160 bhp Ninja ZX-10R Supersport

Saturday August 30, 2003Kawasaki Heavy Industries dropped several bombshells on the motorcycle world this week with the announcement of the 160 bhp Ninja ZX-10R Supersport and a 2053cc version of its Vulcan V-twin cruiser. The heavily-race oriented ZX-10R is aimed directly at the supersport one litre Yamaha R1 and Suzuki GSX-1000R and will almost certainly take to the racetracks next year. 

Kawasaki is already claiming the best power-to-weight ratio in the class, although weight has not yet been specified and only one source is prepared to be quoted on power - 160 brake horses is the figure according to UK-based Motorcycle News.Unlike most other Kawasaki machines, the Ninja ZX-10R design started with chassis simulations according to Kawasaki. The engineers wanted an extremely lightweight and compact chassis that would offer superb handling and stability. The combination of a short wheelbase with a long swingarm is a configuration also seen on the Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP bike, though given the distinctly lack-lustre performance of that machine, we're surprised Kawasaki would be promoting this fact. The chassis is all-aluminium frame with 600-class dimensions mated to a long and highly rigid gull swing-arm, which Kawasaki claims offers very nimble handling. The lightweight and very compact all-aluminium twin-beam frame is a composite structure of castings and pressings. The frame's thin walled die castings are a mere 2.5 mm thick for maximum strength with minimum weight. 

The in-line 998 cm3 four-cylinder engine is a liquid-cooled, DOHC, 16-valve with a bore and stroke of 76 x 55 mm and a number of considerations were made to avoid compromising the desired chassis dimensions; use of a one-piece cylinder/crankcase, a compact rear-mounted generator and "stacked" transmission kept the high-spec power unit lightweight and compact. Other engine features include a new fuel injection system, a close-ratio transmission with a back-torque limiter clutch, and magnesium engine covers. The adjustable back torque limiter fitted to the clutch helps prevent rear-wheel hop under rapid deceleration. The engine is fed by 43 mm throttle bodies fitted with dual throttle valves and automotive-type fine-atomising injectors which improve performance, fuel economy and emissions. While fuel spray from conventional injectors has a droplet size of 120 microns, Kawasaki claims the fine atomising injectors have a droplet size of approximately 70 microns. Highly rigid 43 mm inverted fork is fully adjustable and features settings that are biased towards track riding. Both front and rear suspension are fitted with top-out springs for stable suspension performance.

Because the top-out springs regulate suspension elongation, the rider will also experience less nose dive feel under heavy braking after hard acceleration, as well as greater stability when getting back on the gas after hard braking. An all-titanium exhaust system and oval-section muffler with titanium internals and a 1 mm thick aluminium cover designed for light weight.The Ninja ZX-10R is the first supersport bike to feature petal brake discs. This unique disc shape improves cooling and helps prevent disc warp. It is also lighter than conventional discs. Front discs are 300 mm. Radial 4-pot opposed piston callipers deliver impressive stopping performance with excellent feel at the lever. 

The ZX-10R has a lightweight instrument cluster featuring a perimeter LCD tachometer, digital LCD speedometer, adjustable shift indicator lamp, and stopwatch-style lap timer. The shift indicator has three settings: Off, Low and Bright. Not much is known about the Vulcan VN 2000 at this point in time - more details as they appear.

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Brammo reveals pricing for Empulse electric motorcycles

Brammo has revealed pricing and release details for its new Empulse and Empulse R electric motorcycles. Both models are specced at an impressive 100 mph (160 km/h) top speed and 100 mile (160 km) range.

Both Empulse models employ a 10.2 kWh lithium-ion battery, 6-speed gearbox, and a permanent magnet AC motor generating 40 kW (54 hp) @ 8,200 rpm and maximum torque of 63 Nm. This translates to a 100 mph (160 km/h) top speed and 100 mile (160 km) range, or more specifically, an estimated city range of 121 miles (195 km) and an estimated highway range of 56 miles (90 km). Charging time is 8 hours, although a fast charging option will reduce this to 3.5 hours and Brammo estimates that (based on 13 cents / kWh for electricity) the cost of getting around town is just one cent per mile while highway jaunt will cost you two cents per mile.

While the 2012 Zero S matches the Empulse in range terms it maxes out at a top speed of 88 mph (142 km/h), meaning that the combination of range and speed figures quoted by Empulse are, to the best of our knowledge, unprecedented in a production electric motorcycle.

The difference in the two Empulse models is largely in the bodywork. The Empulse has semi adjustable front and rear suspension and its body work is all plastic, while the Empulse R features a carbon fiber headlight shroud, front and rear fenders, top panel and the rear light housing.

Pricing for the Empulse has been set at US$16,995 while the Empulse R will cost $18,995. Brammo has stated that production for the Empulse R will take place first with "limited availability in June 2012 and in volume by Q3 2012." The Empulse is expected to arrive in early 2013.

So is this an attractive proposition for those looking to make the switch to zero local emissions two-wheeled transport? We think so, but we'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.

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