And, we’re not joking! Who said you need just chrome to make your bike ‘bright and shiny’? From what we discovered EL-Wire Graphics is surely in – at least to make bikes ‘Brighter and Shinier’!

These multipurpose lights come in just any shape and color that one can imagine, apart from the ready made artistic kits that resemble flames and tribal patterns.

So, ready to add an extra glow to your ride? head straight to WorldAglow

Source: AutoMotto

The technology was demonstrated today for the first time, at the CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium event which takes place over two days at the Opel Test Track in Dudenhofen, Germany. The demonstration exhibits the interoperability of the Honda life-saving system with other systems.

Honda has been a member of the CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium since 2005 – part of Honda’s commitment to making the world a safer place for everyone and enhancing the joy of mobility – and has worked together with eight other vehicle manufacturers to enter a new era of road safety and efficiency where vehicle communication systems share vital information to aid safety and increase road-users’ awareness of what’s happening around them.

This work has resulted in the ‘Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication’ system, which utilises wireless LAN technology to link vehicles within a defined radio range and establish an ad-hoc network. Each car or motorcycle can also send information to vehicles farther afield. The system continuously monitors the position, speed, distance and direction of surrounding road users, even in conditions of darkness and poor visibility.

Data on the location of cars and bikes, information on accidents, obstructions or congestion is centralised and then sent to drivers and motorcyclists to warn them of traffic conditions ahead or possible dangers.

Motorcycle riders can view information on a display, and receive safety warnings through advanced interfaces such as an in-helmet audio system. Drivers can view information and receive warnings, for example, on their navigation system display.

In 1999 an EU funded research project investigated the causes of motorcycle accidents. Data was collected on 921 bike accidents across five European countries and it was found that the majority of accidents involving a motorcycle are caused by perception failures. 88% of the accidents were caused by human error, with 37% being caused by the motorcyclist and in 50% of cases, the driver of the other vehicle was responsible. By researching methods of inter-vehicle communication, it is hoped that these rates will be lowered in the future.

The development of inter vehicle communication is part of Honda’s ongoing approach to safety for powered two-wheelers and follows a number of Honda’s previous safety initiatives over the last 60 years, including the use and development of advanced braking systems, the first ever motorcycle airbag system on Honda’s flagship GL1800 Gold Wing, through to the latest developments in advanced braking with the specifically-for-sports-bikes designed Combined ABS, available as an option on the 2009 CBR1000RR Fireblade and CBR600RR. Honda’s Motorcycle Rider Trainer and Rider Simulator are further innovations, both of which are used for hazard perception training.

General Manager of Honda (UK) Motorcycles, Steve Martindale, commented, “Honda is proud to lead the way in the field of motorcycle safety and there’s no doubt that this is an area where other motorcycle manufacturers are increasing their focus as well. The Car 2 Car Consortium’s research and work, coupled with Honda’s latest safety innovation will result in a new era of road safety for all road users, where vehicle communication systems share vital information with the aim of helping to reduce the number of casualties on the roads. Honda fully supports the EU targets for traffic fatality reduction and we’re pleased to be able to further our commitment under the European Road Safety Charter with this latest vehicle communication safety system.”

Source: Honda

Two wheelers aren’t always considered safe in comparison to four wheelers. Consequently, to alleviate the misery further, what we have here is possibly the world’s first airbags for bikers. One of the new developed products to use in the near future are airbags to protect your neck. It should go a long way in improving the safety aspect for bikers. Just check out the video below to see how it works.

In this video you can find out how the T-RAPS or Taichi Racing Airbag Protection System will work when you crash. It’s still a prototype but together with your leathers, helmet and gloves, safety and protection will be also your keywords.

Source : Two Wheels Blog

Wrong. How,? the video should do all the explanation.

A regular visitor of Indian Autos Blog and Kuwait resident, 27 year old Debargha Mitra, is terrific and charming. Born and brought up in India, Debargha invariably desired to play Rossi on the tarmac once he grew up and began earning enough to pillar himself. His dream came alive, approximately a year and a half after he arrived in Kuwait to take up a job . His dream bike, a Honda CBR, found itself a home in Debargha’s garage. Let’s hear to what he has to say-

“Take the risk if u want to achieve something…. May be you will get more than what you want…”

In 2005 I got an opportunity to go abroad as I was given an irresistible offer by a reputed firm in Kuwait . I earnestly did not have any idea about this country as in India no person understands what Gulf countries are all about. What everybody relates to Gulf countries is money, but practically things are unlike. However, I’m only allowed to speak about my bike here, therefore I’ll stick to that!

Nevertheless, when I came outside the Kuwait Airport after a few hours of flight from India, straight away I saw Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Porsches, BMWs, the things that you find in kid’s bedroom walls in India. I stared at them for long enough to cause the taxi driver get annoyed and unwillingly walked across to the parking lot. There, things got even better. SUV’s, the size of Venezuela donning badges that read ‘GMC,’ ‘Chevrolet,’ ‘Dodge’ etc, stood all over the place, where I only habituated of Tata Sumo, Tata Safari and Mahindra Scorpio- the popular SUV’s in India, which were fifty percent their sizes.

So Debargha labored hard and finally the day came when his dream turned into reality-25th dec 2006, a day to remember, he says. A partly used CBR 1000 RR, dressed in a black attire, was now at his disposal. He paid 2600KD (roughly U.S. 9700), for it. How excited he was, he attempts to explain-

“I can’t explain or express to you guys how important 25th dec 2006 in my life was, as I realized my dream on this day … I can try but I cant tell u how delighted I was that day….”

So, one happy man he is. Debargha rides 214 kms to and fro everyday to his office. He’s been doing that for nearly two years now, and so we queried him a few question about his experience with the bike.

IAB- You ride 214 kms day to day, don’t you feel weary or doesn’t your back ache? You might have gotten used to it, but the comfort the seat offers and the riding position plays a large role, doesn’t it?

Debargha- The handling of this bike is really cool, and it is made for travelling at high speeds, not for comfort, which is the case with cruisers like Harley Davidsons. A cruiser bike is like a luxury car, while sports bikes like mine are like Formula cars. They shake you up when you feed the power in. Even so, you will at no time feel uncomfortable, as in your joints and muscles won’t ache after you learn to ride it well. But always rememeber, speed is entertainment only when you know how to shed it. Braking control, even if varies from one rider to another, is a vital thing to master, before you try and push the bike to high speeds.

IAB- Is owning the CBR 1000 a costly excersice? How much do you shell out at the service station every time?

Debargha- In order to avoid unscheduled maintenance, to save time and leave out headaches, one must learn to take care of his/her bike. Otherwise, maintenance is not much of a fuss. Maintenance also helps you get the highest performance from your machine. Here’s the schedule I follow for my bike- Same as the one prescribed by Honda.

Engine oil change after every 2500KMs
Brake oil change after 1000KMS
Brake shoe change after every 10000Kms
Tyre change after every 15000kms
Chain change after every 20000kms

If the aforementioned is followed properly, there won’t be much of a difficulty. All you need to do to apart from that is refuel and enjoy!

IAB- What are the safety equipements you armour yourself with, before climbing onto your bike?

Debargha- Some people get back onto their bike after a fall. Some don’t, while some can’t. Fate is something which we can believe in, but we need to ensure that we are fully protected, so that even in an occasion of an awful fall, we can reduce the damage on our body.

One must always wear gloves, helmet, jacket and shoes before riding a bike like the CBR. There are plenty of good and established brands in the market, but I personally suggest Alpenstars for gloves, AGV, ARAI, NOLAN for Helmets, and I have two types of riders jackets. The one I use in the summer is SWIFT, and for winter its ALPENSTARs.

IAB- Well, what you ride is no 50 cc moped. But we would still like to know what fuel consumption figures your bike returns. This one is for the Indian audience.

Debargha- Lol! Yeah, I can understand. As I ride most of that 214 kms on a freeway with little traffic or stop signals, my bike returns 14 to 15 kms/ltr. As this is the middle-east, and fuel is dirt cheap, I really don’t bother about gas mileage. Furthermore, as you said, this isn’t a moped, it’s a 1000 cc monster.

Here is my favourite , from Rossi

USAF style

That’s some cool blue chrome type gloss

Now that would turn heads where ever you go!

The perfect helmet for the Ghost Rider in you. Also makes a cool Halloween costume

Ah,the Las Vegas style!

Is that a rear view camera!?

So, which one did you like best?