This is an awesome, must-see behind-the-scenes look at how Shoei produces some of the world’s most advanced motorcycle helmets!

SOURCE: SHOEI Helmets

Shown here is the “Super Accent Ogano Woody Super Cub50″ by White House, Japan. The seat looks like it’s upholstered in leather and really cool retro-classic Honda logos have been fitted. I’m not sure if it’s really made from wood or metal painted to look like wood. Sure is cool though, don’t you think?

More pics below!

continue reading "WHITEHOUSE WOODY: CUSTOM HONDA SUPER CUB"

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. held a ceremony, July 21, 2008, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Super Cub sales which began in August 1958. The ceremony for associates was held at Honda’s new Kumamoto Factory where Super Cub is produced in Japan. The Honda Cub is the motorcycling world’s equivalent of iconic, world champion cars like Volkswagen’s Beetle, the Mini or Citroen 2CV. The Cub has been described as the world’s greatest motorcycle, ever!

“The reason we have been able to continue producing and selling Super Cub for 50 years, which is quite a long time, is because of our customers who enjoy using Super Cub every day,” said Takeo Fukui, president & CEO of Honda Motor Co, Ltd. “I would also like to thank Honda associates who have supported the history of Super Cub. Super Cub has continuously advanced to accommodate the needs and preferences of people throughout the world, and cumulative worldwide production of Cub series motorcycles reached the 60 million-unit milestone in April of this year. Moreover, in this year of the 50th anniversary of Super Cub, a new motorcycle plant has been built at this Kumamoto Factory, and the transfer of motorcycle production to the new plant will be completed within this year. I expect Kumamoto Factory to serve as the global leader of Honda’s motorcycle production operations around the world and to continue providing our customers with products that create new value.”

Since the introduction of the first Super Cub C100 model in 1958, Super Cub has been a long-selling product sold in more than 160 countries* to date, and customers around the world enjoy using Super Cub every day. Production of Super Cub in regions outside of Japan began in 1961 in Taiwan, with production based on component parts sets provided from Japan and was expanded to other countries based on Honda’s commitment to “build products close to the customer.” The Honda Cub series is currently being produced at 16 plants in 15 countries around the world.

* Honda’s internal data

KEY MILESTONES OF HONDA SUPER CUB SERIES
August 1958 Sales of Super Cub C100 began (air-cooled 4-stroke, single-cylinder OHV engine, 49cc, 4.5 horse power) Production site: Yamato Plant (later became Saitama Factory Wako Plant)
1959 Exports to the U.S. began
1960 Production at Suzuka Factory began
1961 Cumulative production reached 1 million-unit milestone
Production based on component parts sets began in Taiwan (first production outside of Japan)
1964 Sales of Super Cub C65 (the first OHC engine) began
1966 Sales of Super Cub C50 (OHC engine) began
1967 Cumulative production reached 5 million-unit milestone
1974 Cumulative production reached 10 million-unit milestone
1983 Fuel consumption of 180km/liter (30km/h constant-speed test value) achieved (Super Cub 50 Super Custom)
1988 Sales of Press Cub began
1991 Production was transferred to Kumamoto Factory
1992 Cumulative production reached 20 million-unit milestone
1997 Sales of Little Cub began
2005 Cumulative production reached 50 million-unit milestone
2007 An electronically-controlled fuel injection system, Honda’s PGM-FI, was installed on Super Cub 50, Press Cub 50 and Little Cub.
2008 Cumulative production reached 60 million-unit milestone (April)

バイカーブードゥー

Stereophonics guitarist Richard Jones, took delivery of a brand-new Suzuki B-King muscle bike last week, just in time to appreciate the use of two wheels on National Ride to Work Day, taking place tomorrow (Wednesday 16th July).

The bass guitarist, from the legendary Welsh rock group, decided on the 1340cc Suzuki B-King for his regular trips through London to the recording studio and record company after falling for its futuristic styling and impressive performance.

Talking about the B-King, Jones, who has owned numerous bikes over the years commented, “I’m delighted with the B-King. It looks out of this world and despite its imposing size and power it’s actually incredibly easy to ride. I’ve been using it to get to the recording studio, and it’s dramatically dropped my journey times across town compared to the car, while being great fun too.”

As well as riding the B-King while he’s working in the UK, Jones will next be appearing on stage in the B-King’s homeland of Japan, as the Stereophonics play in Tokyo next week, before a return to the UK at the V Festival next month.

For more information on the Stereophonics visit www.stereophonics.com

National Motorcycle Week Info:
National Motorcycle Week is the annual campaign that demonstrates to the public, media and politicians the importance and popularity of motorcycling in the UK, and emphasises the important point that owners are from all walks of life and that riding has social, environmental and economic benefits.

Ride to Work Day on 16th July is the day when all bike and scooter owners are encouraged to ride to work and, if they can, take a friend or colleague with them. The day will highlight that motorcycling cuts congestion, pollution, journey times and is convenient and flexible.

バイカーブードゥー

Kawasaki’s KSR110 is a fun little 111cc Supermotard bike which is quickly gaining popularity around the world, especially in Japan and South-East Asia. A number of tuning companies have cropped up, catering for the KSR like Takegawa, Kitaco, Striker and others.

Carrozzeria of Japan, which manufactures Ohlins suspension for popular Japanese motor vehicles, has introduced the Ohlins Type 36HRCL rear suspension strut for the KSR110. The KSR’s cornering speed in racing helps improve lap times, making it a critical part for victory in events like KSR Cup one-make races. In addition, general roadgoing maneuverability of the KSR110 in both urban and highway situations due to its wide range of possible settings. The Ohlins Type 36HRCL (Part No. SR-SU60-R) features an external reservoir for damper settings for damper pressure adjustment and an adjustable spring perch for height adjustment. This tasty looking Ohlins setup will cost you about US$1030 (RM3,334).

バイカーブードゥー

Kumamoto Plant Exterior

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced that production has begun at the new motorcycle plant it has constructed within the property of Honda’s Kumamoto Factory.

The new plant was built with the concept of a “people-friendly and environmentally-responsible plant” and emphasis on “light, wind and water.” Employing Honda’s state-of-the-art high efficiency production technologies, the new plant will serve as the global leader of Honda’s motorcycle production operations around the world. In addition, Honda sought to reduce any impact on the surrounding environment, as the plant is located near the base of Mt. Aso, as well as achieve a further improvement of the work environment. The plant employs environmental initiatives from various perspectives, including the installation of a solar panel system and utilization of natural light. As a result, the new plant is built as a “green factory” which will achieve a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the existing motorcycle plant at Kumamoto Factory.

Kumamoto Overhead View

While maximizing use of existing facilities and equipment, new equipment and technologies have been introduced based on the ideas of Honda production associates, such as automatic lifts and lift assist devices, that help associates in processes involving heavy components. Through these measures, the new plant achieves ergonomic improvements in production processes and a better work environment, as well as improved production flexibility.

Further, the motorcycle production line from the existing motorcycle plant at Kumamoto Factory gradually will be transferred to the new plant, with the transfer expected to be completed before the end of 2008. Motorcycle engine production will also be transferred to this new plant from Honda’s Hamamatsu Factory before the end of 2009.

Once the process of consolidating motorcycle production is complete, the new plant is scheduled to produce a full range of motorcycles from the 50cc model, such as Super Cub to medium and large-sized motorcycle models. Honda Motor has invested approximately 33 billion Yen into this plant, which has a capacity of about 500,000 units per annum, including ATVs.

バイカーブードゥー

Whitehouse (yes, only in Japan!), famous for replicas of the ‘KWAKA‘ Main Force Police (MFP) Kawasaki KZ1000 seen in Mad Max. Now they’ve gone and built what I believe to be a very cool pair of Honda CB750 Cafe Racers. More images below.

continue reading "HONDA CB750 CAFE RACERS BY WHITEHOUSE"

Some of us may remember Akira, a 1988 Japanese anime film version by Katsuhiro Otomo, which was based on his original manga comic story. The story is about characters in post-nuclear war 2019 Tokyo, where Neo-Tokyo is filled with protestors, teenage bikers, soldiers and street gangs.

Central character Kaneda, a biker who attends reform school battles with his Capsule Motorcycle Club against the Clown bike gang and rides a really cool (how can he afford it!?) bike which has been the subject of the manga, anime and several attempts to produce 1:1 scale Akira-influenced bikes. Bandai also made a highly detailed model, which I recently acquired (and will review here later). McFarlane Toys had earlier made a plastic version whereas the Bandai version seems to have a metal subframe and lots of options to remove and add on bodywork.

In the anime, the sound of the Kaneda bike was produced by mixing the sound of a 1929 Harley-Davidson with the sound of a jet engine! The design was supposedly by a former Honda R&D engineer who left Honda to work for White House, a Japanese custom bike company. The manga showed the Kaneda bike with a Honda logo whereas the anime had a (sort of) BMW logo.

The Kaneda bike has become something of a motorcycling icon, despite being a work of fiction! Thousands of moped riders in Malaysia and elsewhere proudly placed ‘Akira’ stickers on their helmets, and the bike has embedded itself in the psyche of bikers everywhere. In addition to the manga, anime, toys and DIY replicas, an upcoming live action movie is in the works. More on that later.

バイカーブードゥー

Kawasaki recently introduced the D-Tracker and KLX250 (Off-road version of the same bike) in Malaysia and BikerVoodoo has also presented information on Military bikes, but here is something that I’m sure you’ll find interesting – the JGSDF Military Kawasaki KLX250!

The USMC now uses the M1030M1, a Diesel variant of the Kawasaki KLR650 based motorcycle, but in earlier times also used the KLR250D8.

The military Kawasaki KLR250, predecessor to the KLX250, was in production for about 20 years and has been used by a variety of personnel for duties as mundane as domestic base courier services, all the way to in-theatre communications, scouting, special forces use, and even airborn troops. The KLR250 was used by the USMC, US Army, USAF and also the Canadian military. It has seen action in Grenada, Panama and Desert Storm. In spite of the military success achieved by Kawasaki in North America, Japanese Ground Self-Defence Forces (JGSDF) has utilised the Honda XLR250R as a military motorcycle but in recent times, the JGSDF has turned to Kawasaki for their KLX250 instead.

The militarised KLX250 is equipped for reconnaisance and also equips artillery units. In addition to being set up for all-terrain use, the KLX is painted Olive Drab all over, and the powerplant is blacked out. Racks for stowage of equipment, radios and packs are fitted, along with black out taillamps, and protective bars for the front and rear lights.

SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 2,135mm
Width: 885mm
Height: 1,210mm
Weight: 117kg
Max. Speed: 135km/h
Crew: 1
Manufacturer: Kawasaki Heavy Industries

バイカーブードゥー

The HFT-equipped DN-01 (exhibited at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show)

I just reported that Honda Motor Co., Ltd. recently launched the DN-01, which was equipped with the new Honda Human-Friendly Transmission (HFT), a new automatic transmission system for motorcycles using Honda’s own infinitely variable hydraulic mechanical transmission. Easy to operate, the HFT provides outstanding relaxed riding comfort, riding feel with direct response and excellent transmission efficiency. The HFT was first installed on the DN-01, which was unveiled at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show in 2007.

HFT, the infinitely variable hydraulic mechanical transmission system

But just how does the HFT work? The HFT is Honda’s own infinitely variable hydraulic mechanical transmission. This innovative new transmission comes in a lightweight and compact configuration, which makes it ideally suited to motorcycles. To meet a wide range of rider needs, HFT offers a selection from two fully automatic shifting modes:
a) D mode for ordinary riding
b) S mode for a sporty riding experience
c) 6-speed manual mode, which gives riders the option of riding with a manual transmission feel

The HFT provides easy operation, from relaxed, laid-back riding right up to nimble and sporty riding with direct throttle response. Being something of a pioneer in the automatic transmission motorcycle arena, Honda launched the Super Cub C100 in 1958, equipped with an automatic centrifugal clutch mechanism, which allowed riding without the need of clutch operation. The 750cc Honda Eara, released in 1977, was the first large-sized motorcycle featured a torque converter in Japan. In 1980, the Honda Tact was released, a machine equipped with the Honda original continuously variable transmission, the V-Matic. The HFT is the latest in this line of innovative automatic transmission offerings for motorcycles.

CHARACTERISTICS OF HFT

HFT configuration – who would have thought stirring up oil would control torque and speed?

HFT powertrain – now it becomes so clear

The HFT is a compact and highly efficient infinitely variable transmission system, with a wide range of functions in a single unit. These encompass functions for starting, power transmission and shifting, all on a single shaft. The basic configuration of the system consists of an oil pump for converting engine power into hydraulic pressure, and an oil motor for converting the hydraulic pressure back into power for output. Both are made up of multiple pistons, a distributor valve and a swash plate for piston operation, while the cylinders are integrated into the output shaft, forming the characteristic structure of the HFT. Honda believes its HFT has the worlds first lockup mechanism for an infinitely variable hydraulic mechanical transmission. The lockup mechanism minimises transmission efficiency losses when cruising, contributing to better fuel economy.

FUTURE TRENDS
Automatic transmission motor scooters have now become commonplace, you could even say the norm these days. Also, since the advent of the Aprilia Scarabeo, lots of scooter/moped hybrids like the Yamaha Ego, and more recently the Honda Click have begun to flood South-East Asian markets (This begs the question – Mo-Oter or Scoo-Ped?). These scooter/moped hybrids are all equipped with CVT (Continuously Variable) transmissions. Are we now seeing the same thing happening with larger capacity motorcycles?

バイカーブードゥー

This is an awesome, must-see behind-the-scenes look at how Shoei produces some of the world’s most advanced motorcycle helmets!

SOURCE: SHOEI Helmets

Shown here is the “Super Accent Ogano Woody Super Cub50″ by White House, Japan. The seat looks like it’s upholstered in leather and really cool retro-classic Honda logos have been fitted. I’m not sure if it’s really made from wood or metal painted to look like wood. Sure is cool though, don’t you think?

More pics below!

continue reading "WHITEHOUSE WOODY: CUSTOM HONDA SUPER CUB"

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. held a ceremony, July 21, 2008, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Super Cub sales which began in August 1958. The ceremony for associates was held at Honda’s new Kumamoto Factory where Super Cub is produced in Japan. The Honda Cub is the motorcycling world’s equivalent of iconic, world champion cars like Volkswagen’s Beetle, the Mini or Citroen 2CV. The Cub has been described as the world’s greatest motorcycle, ever!

“The reason we have been able to continue producing and selling Super Cub for 50 years, which is quite a long time, is because of our customers who enjoy using Super Cub every day,” said Takeo Fukui, president & CEO of Honda Motor Co, Ltd. “I would also like to thank Honda associates who have supported the history of Super Cub. Super Cub has continuously advanced to accommodate the needs and preferences of people throughout the world, and cumulative worldwide production of Cub series motorcycles reached the 60 million-unit milestone in April of this year. Moreover, in this year of the 50th anniversary of Super Cub, a new motorcycle plant has been built at this Kumamoto Factory, and the transfer of motorcycle production to the new plant will be completed within this year. I expect Kumamoto Factory to serve as the global leader of Honda’s motorcycle production operations around the world and to continue providing our customers with products that create new value.”

Since the introduction of the first Super Cub C100 model in 1958, Super Cub has been a long-selling product sold in more than 160 countries* to date, and customers around the world enjoy using Super Cub every day. Production of Super Cub in regions outside of Japan began in 1961 in Taiwan, with production based on component parts sets provided from Japan and was expanded to other countries based on Honda’s commitment to “build products close to the customer.” The Honda Cub series is currently being produced at 16 plants in 15 countries around the world.

* Honda’s internal data

KEY MILESTONES OF HONDA SUPER CUB SERIES
August 1958 Sales of Super Cub C100 began (air-cooled 4-stroke, single-cylinder OHV engine, 49cc, 4.5 horse power) Production site: Yamato Plant (later became Saitama Factory Wako Plant)
1959 Exports to the U.S. began
1960 Production at Suzuka Factory began
1961 Cumulative production reached 1 million-unit milestone
Production based on component parts sets began in Taiwan (first production outside of Japan)
1964 Sales of Super Cub C65 (the first OHC engine) began
1966 Sales of Super Cub C50 (OHC engine) began
1967 Cumulative production reached 5 million-unit milestone
1974 Cumulative production reached 10 million-unit milestone
1983 Fuel consumption of 180km/liter (30km/h constant-speed test value) achieved (Super Cub 50 Super Custom)
1988 Sales of Press Cub began
1991 Production was transferred to Kumamoto Factory
1992 Cumulative production reached 20 million-unit milestone
1997 Sales of Little Cub began
2005 Cumulative production reached 50 million-unit milestone
2007 An electronically-controlled fuel injection system, Honda’s PGM-FI, was installed on Super Cub 50, Press Cub 50 and Little Cub.
2008 Cumulative production reached 60 million-unit milestone (April)

バイカーブードゥー

Stereophonics guitarist Richard Jones, took delivery of a brand-new Suzuki B-King muscle bike last week, just in time to appreciate the use of two wheels on National Ride to Work Day, taking place tomorrow (Wednesday 16th July).

The bass guitarist, from the legendary Welsh rock group, decided on the 1340cc Suzuki B-King for his regular trips through London to the recording studio and record company after falling for its futuristic styling and impressive performance.

Talking about the B-King, Jones, who has owned numerous bikes over the years commented, “I’m delighted with the B-King. It looks out of this world and despite its imposing size and power it’s actually incredibly easy to ride. I’ve been using it to get to the recording studio, and it’s dramatically dropped my journey times across town compared to the car, while being great fun too.”

As well as riding the B-King while he’s working in the UK, Jones will next be appearing on stage in the B-King’s homeland of Japan, as the Stereophonics play in Tokyo next week, before a return to the UK at the V Festival next month.

For more information on the Stereophonics visit www.stereophonics.com

National Motorcycle Week Info:
National Motorcycle Week is the annual campaign that demonstrates to the public, media and politicians the importance and popularity of motorcycling in the UK, and emphasises the important point that owners are from all walks of life and that riding has social, environmental and economic benefits.

Ride to Work Day on 16th July is the day when all bike and scooter owners are encouraged to ride to work and, if they can, take a friend or colleague with them. The day will highlight that motorcycling cuts congestion, pollution, journey times and is convenient and flexible.

バイカーブードゥー

Kawasaki’s KSR110 is a fun little 111cc Supermotard bike which is quickly gaining popularity around the world, especially in Japan and South-East Asia. A number of tuning companies have cropped up, catering for the KSR like Takegawa, Kitaco, Striker and others.

Carrozzeria of Japan, which manufactures Ohlins suspension for popular Japanese motor vehicles, has introduced the Ohlins Type 36HRCL rear suspension strut for the KSR110. The KSR’s cornering speed in racing helps improve lap times, making it a critical part for victory in events like KSR Cup one-make races. In addition, general roadgoing maneuverability of the KSR110 in both urban and highway situations due to its wide range of possible settings. The Ohlins Type 36HRCL (Part No. SR-SU60-R) features an external reservoir for damper settings for damper pressure adjustment and an adjustable spring perch for height adjustment. This tasty looking Ohlins setup will cost you about US$1030 (RM3,334).

バイカーブードゥー

Kumamoto Plant Exterior

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced that production has begun at the new motorcycle plant it has constructed within the property of Honda’s Kumamoto Factory.

The new plant was built with the concept of a “people-friendly and environmentally-responsible plant” and emphasis on “light, wind and water.” Employing Honda’s state-of-the-art high efficiency production technologies, the new plant will serve as the global leader of Honda’s motorcycle production operations around the world. In addition, Honda sought to reduce any impact on the surrounding environment, as the plant is located near the base of Mt. Aso, as well as achieve a further improvement of the work environment. The plant employs environmental initiatives from various perspectives, including the installation of a solar panel system and utilization of natural light. As a result, the new plant is built as a “green factory” which will achieve a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the existing motorcycle plant at Kumamoto Factory.

Kumamoto Overhead View

While maximizing use of existing facilities and equipment, new equipment and technologies have been introduced based on the ideas of Honda production associates, such as automatic lifts and lift assist devices, that help associates in processes involving heavy components. Through these measures, the new plant achieves ergonomic improvements in production processes and a better work environment, as well as improved production flexibility.

Further, the motorcycle production line from the existing motorcycle plant at Kumamoto Factory gradually will be transferred to the new plant, with the transfer expected to be completed before the end of 2008. Motorcycle engine production will also be transferred to this new plant from Honda’s Hamamatsu Factory before the end of 2009.

Once the process of consolidating motorcycle production is complete, the new plant is scheduled to produce a full range of motorcycles from the 50cc model, such as Super Cub to medium and large-sized motorcycle models. Honda Motor has invested approximately 33 billion Yen into this plant, which has a capacity of about 500,000 units per annum, including ATVs.

バイカーブードゥー

Whitehouse (yes, only in Japan!), famous for replicas of the ‘KWAKA‘ Main Force Police (MFP) Kawasaki KZ1000 seen in Mad Max. Now they’ve gone and built what I believe to be a very cool pair of Honda CB750 Cafe Racers. More images below.

continue reading "HONDA CB750 CAFE RACERS BY WHITEHOUSE"

Some of us may remember Akira, a 1988 Japanese anime film version by Katsuhiro Otomo, which was based on his original manga comic story. The story is about characters in post-nuclear war 2019 Tokyo, where Neo-Tokyo is filled with protestors, teenage bikers, soldiers and street gangs.

Central character Kaneda, a biker who attends reform school battles with his Capsule Motorcycle Club against the Clown bike gang and rides a really cool (how can he afford it!?) bike which has been the subject of the manga, anime and several attempts to produce 1:1 scale Akira-influenced bikes. Bandai also made a highly detailed model, which I recently acquired (and will review here later). McFarlane Toys had earlier made a plastic version whereas the Bandai version seems to have a metal subframe and lots of options to remove and add on bodywork.

In the anime, the sound of the Kaneda bike was produced by mixing the sound of a 1929 Harley-Davidson with the sound of a jet engine! The design was supposedly by a former Honda R&D engineer who left Honda to work for White House, a Japanese custom bike company. The manga showed the Kaneda bike with a Honda logo whereas the anime had a (sort of) BMW logo.

The Kaneda bike has become something of a motorcycling icon, despite being a work of fiction! Thousands of moped riders in Malaysia and elsewhere proudly placed ‘Akira’ stickers on their helmets, and the bike has embedded itself in the psyche of bikers everywhere. In addition to the manga, anime, toys and DIY replicas, an upcoming live action movie is in the works. More on that later.

バイカーブードゥー

Kawasaki recently introduced the D-Tracker and KLX250 (Off-road version of the same bike) in Malaysia and BikerVoodoo has also presented information on Military bikes, but here is something that I’m sure you’ll find interesting – the JGSDF Military Kawasaki KLX250!

The USMC now uses the M1030M1, a Diesel variant of the Kawasaki KLR650 based motorcycle, but in earlier times also used the KLR250D8.

The military Kawasaki KLR250, predecessor to the KLX250, was in production for about 20 years and has been used by a variety of personnel for duties as mundane as domestic base courier services, all the way to in-theatre communications, scouting, special forces use, and even airborn troops. The KLR250 was used by the USMC, US Army, USAF and also the Canadian military. It has seen action in Grenada, Panama and Desert Storm. In spite of the military success achieved by Kawasaki in North America, Japanese Ground Self-Defence Forces (JGSDF) has utilised the Honda XLR250R as a military motorcycle but in recent times, the JGSDF has turned to Kawasaki for their KLX250 instead.

The militarised KLX250 is equipped for reconnaisance and also equips artillery units. In addition to being set up for all-terrain use, the KLX is painted Olive Drab all over, and the powerplant is blacked out. Racks for stowage of equipment, radios and packs are fitted, along with black out taillamps, and protective bars for the front and rear lights.

SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 2,135mm
Width: 885mm
Height: 1,210mm
Weight: 117kg
Max. Speed: 135km/h
Crew: 1
Manufacturer: Kawasaki Heavy Industries

バイカーブードゥー

The HFT-equipped DN-01 (exhibited at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show)

I just reported that Honda Motor Co., Ltd. recently launched the DN-01, which was equipped with the new Honda Human-Friendly Transmission (HFT), a new automatic transmission system for motorcycles using Honda’s own infinitely variable hydraulic mechanical transmission. Easy to operate, the HFT provides outstanding relaxed riding comfort, riding feel with direct response and excellent transmission efficiency. The HFT was first installed on the DN-01, which was unveiled at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show in 2007.

HFT, the infinitely variable hydraulic mechanical transmission system

But just how does the HFT work? The HFT is Honda’s own infinitely variable hydraulic mechanical transmission. This innovative new transmission comes in a lightweight and compact configuration, which makes it ideally suited to motorcycles. To meet a wide range of rider needs, HFT offers a selection from two fully automatic shifting modes:
a) D mode for ordinary riding
b) S mode for a sporty riding experience
c) 6-speed manual mode, which gives riders the option of riding with a manual transmission feel

The HFT provides easy operation, from relaxed, laid-back riding right up to nimble and sporty riding with direct throttle response. Being something of a pioneer in the automatic transmission motorcycle arena, Honda launched the Super Cub C100 in 1958, equipped with an automatic centrifugal clutch mechanism, which allowed riding without the need of clutch operation. The 750cc Honda Eara, released in 1977, was the first large-sized motorcycle featured a torque converter in Japan. In 1980, the Honda Tact was released, a machine equipped with the Honda original continuously variable transmission, the V-Matic. The HFT is the latest in this line of innovative automatic transmission offerings for motorcycles.

CHARACTERISTICS OF HFT

HFT configuration – who would have thought stirring up oil would control torque and speed?

HFT powertrain – now it becomes so clear

The HFT is a compact and highly efficient infinitely variable transmission system, with a wide range of functions in a single unit. These encompass functions for starting, power transmission and shifting, all on a single shaft. The basic configuration of the system consists of an oil pump for converting engine power into hydraulic pressure, and an oil motor for converting the hydraulic pressure back into power for output. Both are made up of multiple pistons, a distributor valve and a swash plate for piston operation, while the cylinders are integrated into the output shaft, forming the characteristic structure of the HFT. Honda believes its HFT has the worlds first lockup mechanism for an infinitely variable hydraulic mechanical transmission. The lockup mechanism minimises transmission efficiency losses when cruising, contributing to better fuel economy.

FUTURE TRENDS
Automatic transmission motor scooters have now become commonplace, you could even say the norm these days. Also, since the advent of the Aprilia Scarabeo, lots of scooter/moped hybrids like the Yamaha Ego, and more recently the Honda Click have begun to flood South-East Asian markets (This begs the question – Mo-Oter or Scoo-Ped?). These scooter/moped hybrids are all equipped with CVT (Continuously Variable) transmissions. Are we now seeing the same thing happening with larger capacity motorcycles?

バイカーブードゥー