Crave

The Zero DS

(Credit: Zero Motorcycles)

The all-electric Zero DS motorcycle from start-up Zero Motorcycles became available in the U.S. on Thursday.

For $9,950, U.S. drivers can ride both on and off-road free from carbon guilt.

In addition to running on a power pack of lithium-ion batteries, the all-electric motorcycle is made of 100 percent recyclable materials. The Santa Cruz, Calif.-based motorcycle manufacturer claims all the bike's materials are nontoxic and that even the battery pack is "landfill-approved."

The motorcycle has a range of 50 miles per charge, and can be charged from any standard 110- or 220-volt outlet, according to Zero's own specs.

The environmentally-friendly motorcycle has a top speed of 55 mph.

While it seems like a great alternative for getting around town, I'm not convinced the next biker band will be singing about a wild "C-Free Rider."

But one never knows. Zero has begun hosting a 24-hour electric motorcycle endurance race that could gain a following.

Jasmine France joins us as we cover a slew of unreadable watches, clocks and bulletproof watch winding safes. She also shows off her insane ability to read the faces of watches that no one else can decipher.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

EPISODE 147

Samsung claims its watch is world's slimmest

LG Watch Phone clears FCC

Turning a Power Mac G3 into a wall clock (Thanks, Nicholas!)

Pong clock (Thanks, Jon!)

Continue Time clock

Digital black-and-white clock is a milestone in minimalism

The Twilight Watch

Meet Flossie the headless motorcycle-riding robot. Judging by the name, we would have thought the bot was a she, but Castrol refers to Flossie as a he.

(Credit: Castrol)

Flossie is one tough biker dude. He can ride in extreme temperatures. He doesn't get tired or saddle sore, and he is totally unflapped by the bike's searing noise as its engine screams away at speeds up to 16,000rpm. Yep, Flossie could pretty much leave any motorcycle gang in the dust.

Castrol, a maker of motorbike engine oils, is leaning on this headless robot rider to test its products' performance under conditions like increased power or acceleration. Flossie can be fitted onto any bike or scooter and comes equipped with a self-learning mode that lets him know the vehicle's gear change pattern, clutch feel, and throttle response.

Castrol promises Flossie is a safe rider. Still, we wouldn't feel too safe putting him next to our favorite unicycle-riding girlbot. And we're glad Flossie is currently doing all his riding at the company's facilities in Pangbourne, England, and not roaring around on a highway near us. Watch the video below to see Flossie in action.

(Via Engadget)

Monday, we told you about a breakthrough in robotics that allows killer machines to be powered by compressed air. Now we've got this amazing video of a motorcycle that uses the same power source. The so-called Air Bike was created by engineering students in India as a prototype for a solution to the country's prevalent smog problem.

Sure, it only goes 11 mph now, but as a proof-of-concept vehicle it's pretty cool. I could imagine a smaller vehicle (bike? moped?) with the same gear that could go much faster as a final product, if it gets that far.

The only problem I see is that compressing air takes energy, and often air compressors are powered by the same gasoline that this cycle is meant to eliminate the need for. If they can find a way to use electric compressors only, then this concept is definitely worth pursuing.

(Via Newlaunches.com)

The B120 Wraith uses carbon fiber forks with integrated LED headlights.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Crotch rockets with bright farings may dominate the motorcycle world, but Confederate Motors takes a different direction. Opting for an ultraindustrial design, the company uses raw carbon fiber and unpolished aluminum to build its motorcycles. The latest example, on display at the 2009 New York auto show, is the B120 Wraith, a nasty-looking piece of work.

The three and a half gallon fuel tank is also the backbone of the bike, a thick aluminum tube welded to short, horizontal tubes, affording the kind of structural support that only a pipe can give. Carbon fiber front forks have a unique mono-shock on the steering column. Headlights are a row of LEDs integrated into the front of the forks. The wheels are also made from carbon fiber, and the brakes are from Brembo. The V-style engine puts out 125 horsepower and 130 foot-pounds of torque.

The Wraith has a unique industrial design using aluminum and carbon fiber.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Confederate Motors only plans to build 250 of the B120 Wraith, making it a rare bike to see on the road.

Is the future of electric motoring as close as your local Best Buy?

(Credit: Brammo)

Is Best Buy getting into the motorcycle business?

If speculation is correct, yeah, it is. But these aren't just your average hogs. Starting in May at five stores on the West Coast, Best Buy will be selling the Brammo Enertia, an all-electric motorcycle that has potential to become the Chumby of the motorcycle world (well, perhaps that's not the best metaphor...).

The Enertia's electric motor has a max speed of 53 mph.

(Credit: Brammo)

Brammo CEO Craig Bramscher told attendees at the Pacific Crest Clean Technology Conference that the bikes' electronics components include a built-in Web server, open-platform software applications, and possible add-ons like onboard cameras that could download images to travel blogs. "What we're selling is a lot closer to consumer electronics than to transportation," he said.

The Enertia draws power from a bank of six lithium phosphate batteries. Charging takes three hours on a standard electrical outlet and should yield a range of about 45 miles. After crunching the numbers, Brammo reckons that works out to 40 cents per charge or about 1 cent per mile to keep the Enertia running.

(Credit: Northrop Grumman)

Remember how Tom Cruise's flyboy character in Top Gun seemed as at home riding the roadways on a motorcycle as he was jockeying an F-14 in the air?

Maverick is probably the kind of guy Northrop Grumman had in mind when it came up with the "visual centerpiece" of its 20th anniversary celebration of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. Actually, the more immediate entertainment industry tie-in is with the TLC series American Chopper--Northrop tapped Orange County Choppers, the Newburgh, N.Y., motorcycle shop behind the TV show, to design and build a bike to do homage to the B-2.

The first flight of the B-2 bomber took place in July 1989, just a few years after Top Gun became a box office and home video powerhouse. Northrop plans to fete the aircraft throughout the year, so the B-2 Stealth Bike will be making the circuit of trade shows, air shows, and other events. Also, the 2009 premiere of American Chopper will feature an episode on the design, development, and production of the B-2 bike.

The defense contractor didn't offer up any details about the bike's engine or its road-handling ability. Its focus was on the design elements. For instance:

Its gas tank and extended front cowling are shaped to resemble the B-2's unique cockpit and fuselage; major components are painted to match its color.

And the less obvious:

Each side of each wheel contains five machined aluminum B-2 models positioned in the shape of the Air Force star, each model engraved with the tail number of one of the 20 B-2s in the current fleet.

All in all, a bit cheesy, really. But hey, I drive a Camry, watch HBO, and served in the Army, not the Air Force.

Over at Wired's Danger Room blog, Noah Schachtman rightly cracked wise about the bike: "Forget the Blackwater cufflinks and the attack helicopter Hawaiian shirt. The contest for most awesomely bad defense trinket is official over."

See also: "Photos: A brief history of stealth aircraft"

The Spyder turns like a car but drives like a motorcycle.

(Credit: CNET)

What gets 35 miles per gallon and goes from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds? You might suggest a motorcycle, but you would only be 66 percent right.

BRP's Can-Am Spyder uses three wheels, two in front and one in back. The Spyder isn't exactly a motorcycle, a trike, or a three-wheeled car. BRP suggests calling it a roadster, but that designation is a stretch as well.

We got our first chance to ride the Spyder this week, when BRP brought a few of them to our offices.

A BRP representative gives me instructions on driving the Spyder.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

The learning curve was fairly quick--the BRP representative explained the controls, then we shot off down the street. Actually, we were only going about 20 mph, but it felt fast, as we're used to looking at the world through a wide expanse of safety glass.

Within the hour, though, we were speeding along at 45 mph with no fear. The Spyder uses a traditional motorcycle-style gear shift, down by your left foot, and a clutch lever over the left hand grip. Similarly, the throttle is on the right hand grip. But you activate the brakes on all three wheels with a pedal at your right foot. And unlike most motorcycles, the Spyder has a reverse gear.

The fact that it has three wheels makes parking particularly easy, as there is no kickstand to worry about. But you can't lane-split, like you can with a motorcycle.

The steering dynamics are also more car-like, as you have to turn the handlebars instead of leaning, as you would on a motorcycle.

The Spyder has handlebars similar to a motorcycle.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

The Spyder offers a variety of car-like safety gear, as well. It uses an anti-lock braking system, along with traction and stability control. Sensors detect when either the rear drive wheel is slipping, or when one of the front wheels leaves the ground. In the former case, the Spyder retards the engine spark, slowing down the big belt that transmits power to the rear wheel.

For stability control, the Spyder retards the engine spark, but also applies light braking to the front wheel that's still on the ground.

This safety tech makes the Spyder practical for every day driving. During our relatively short drive time, we tried out the brakes and found them well-tuned. They weren't grabby and we could stop the Spyder quickly, with no loss of control.

Steering felt a little awkward, as we had to stretch our arms far out for tight turns. The Spyder accelerates quickly, in keeping with BRP's claim of 4.5 seconds to 60 mph. With a 990cc Rotax V-twin engine, the Spyder is legal on all roads. And in a number of states, including California, you don't need a motorcycle license to drive the Spyder. But you do need a helmet, and gloves; and a good motorcycle jacket is a good idea, too.

The Spyder offers some storage space under the front hood, suitable for a laptop, suit jacket, and any other work necessities. BRP claims 35 mpg with the Spyder under normal driving conditions. With its 6.6 gallons, it should have a range of about 230 miles.

CNET Editor Brian Cooley comes buzzing up the alley.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

One thing we noticed while driving the Spyder was that it attracts a lot of attention. The unique styling had people coming over to where we parked, wanting to ask questions about it. Cars would match our speed so they could look over the Spyder as we rode along.

The Can-Am Spyder is available through outlets selling recreational vehicles, such as Sea-Doos and ATVs. The base price is $15,500.

Check out our photos of the BRP Can-Am Spyder.

(Credit: Peraves)

Anyone who saw Craver Brian Cooley's video of this bizarre vehicle at last year's Geneva Auto Show will notice that something is conspicuously absent from the photo above: There are no training wheels. The reason that the "MonoTracer" needs those is that it has only two wheels--something else that may not be entirely clear at an initial glance.

Though it may look like an anorexic car, this futuristic vehicle from Germany's Peraves is an enclosed motorcycle that is supposedly far more aerodynamic than its naked counterparts. Even so, when it's taking sharp corners on city streets, it sometimes needs a little help (hence the training wheels). On a straight route, however, the MonoTracer--technically known as a "cabin cycle," according to Dvice--can reach speeds of 155 miles per hour, thanks to a 130-horsepower BMW K1200 bike engine.

Finally ready for consumption, the uber-cycle is scheduled to hit the market this year with prices starting at $82,350--perfect for the speed freak who doesn't like to have his hair messed up.