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Personally, I have always been keenly following the development of technologies that allow both wheels of a motorcycle to be driven. The benefits in road-holding and handling (especially in low-traction conditions) and in the ability to negotiate adverse off-road conditions make 2WD pretty attractive. And added to that is the obvious engineering challenge of transmitting power to a wheel that moves along all three axes.
Numerous methods have been tried and things have been steadily moving. The pioneering concept was put up by Rokon Motorcycles (link here) that used a small engine with a narrow powerband always running at or around the maximum power rpm providing drive to both the front and rear wheels through a CVT. Yamaha also did lots of work with hydrostatic drives on a dirt bike. So have other manufacturers. Some, like Christini, have chosen a different path and opted for mechanical power transmission thorugh a complex system of chain/sprocket drives, bevel/cycloid gears coupled with telescoping drive shafts and free-wheeling clutches. (see the link here).
The latest in the series is a system developed by the famed suspension people, Ohlins. And they have developed, installed, tested and given for testing a 2 wheel drive system for a motorcycle no less than the legendary Yamaha R1.
Motorcycle News tester Trevor Franklin tested the Ohlins 2 wheel drive Yamaha R1 at the remote Karlskoga Track in Sweden, in the wet, and came away thoroughly impressed by the manner in which the 2 WD system expands the limits of ttraction even for a bike as taut, fast and powerful as the R1. Read the full test report by clicking on the link below:
Yamaha R1 Ohlins 2WD Review - Yamaha Sportbike Motorcycle Review - Motorcycle USA
This technology could be a part of the motorcycles we ride sooner than we expect it to.
OF
Numerous methods have been tried and things have been steadily moving. The pioneering concept was put up by Rokon Motorcycles (link here) that used a small engine with a narrow powerband always running at or around the maximum power rpm providing drive to both the front and rear wheels through a CVT. Yamaha also did lots of work with hydrostatic drives on a dirt bike. So have other manufacturers. Some, like Christini, have chosen a different path and opted for mechanical power transmission thorugh a complex system of chain/sprocket drives, bevel/cycloid gears coupled with telescoping drive shafts and free-wheeling clutches. (see the link here).
The latest in the series is a system developed by the famed suspension people, Ohlins. And they have developed, installed, tested and given for testing a 2 wheel drive system for a motorcycle no less than the legendary Yamaha R1.
Motorcycle News tester Trevor Franklin tested the Ohlins 2 wheel drive Yamaha R1 at the remote Karlskoga Track in Sweden, in the wet, and came away thoroughly impressed by the manner in which the 2 WD system expands the limits of ttraction even for a bike as taut, fast and powerful as the R1. Read the full test report by clicking on the link below:
Yamaha R1 Ohlins 2WD Review - Yamaha Sportbike Motorcycle Review - Motorcycle USA
This technology could be a part of the motorcycles we ride sooner than we expect it to.
OF
?? Interesting technology though.
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