Hasta La Gadget!

I’ve been driving around a Super Motard motorcycle for the last six months, and let me tell you, it’s extremely loud, so loud that my neighbors have asked me to start it outside the courtyard where it’s usually parked. One friend said that it sounded like my bike had eaten another one for breakfast. While all this racket is a fun part of having a motorcycle, you can imagine how this would be problematic for military motorcycles.

Note: Bike Shown Here is an Earlier Design by ZERO Motorcycles

With that in mind, DARPA has commissioned the development of a stealth motorcycle, which would allow soldiers to ride for long periods of time without emitting much noise. The bike, would use an extended-range hybrid-electric engine, and will be built by BRD and Logos Technologies. In addition to its stealthy operating capabilities, the bike will have all-wheel drive to help tackle difficult terrain.

Electric and hybrid bikes also make sense for commuters, especially in city traffic. Switching over to electric drive would mean no shifting and reduced noise, and of course lower fuel costs. Also, I’d probably not get any complaints from neighbors either.

[DefenseTech via The Verge]

When I was a kid, if you wanted to spruce up your bike, you just put a baseball card in the spokes. These days kids have all kinds of cool features on their bikes. Take the Phantom Frames kids’ bike. It is made from sturdy polycarbonate, which is cool, but the main feature here is the bike’s cool glowing effect.

This illumination is achieved through an array of LEDs set inside the bike’s translucent frame. It subtly stands out during the day time, and at night it gets all wild and crazy. The “pipeline” technology of the Phantom Frames bike allows the design to have working LEDs inside its frame, powered by AAA batteries.

There are two different versions of the frame: The smoked Ghost Frame and the Ice Frame which is completely clear.

You can help fund the Phantom Bike on Kickstarter now through 1/3/14. And check this out. You can get an entire bike with all the LED lighted frames with a pledge starting at $165. Before you get too excited though, the bike is just available in kids’ size.

[via Damn Geeky]

Cyclists who happen to be carrying something like a bag or some delicious chinese food have had to rely on a small basket propped at the front of their bike in order to get anything transported. We’re not sure just how long bicycles have had baskets on the front of their handles, but we think it’s about time bikes get a modern-day upgrade. That’s where the Transport comes in. (more…)

This Bicycle Uses A Hubless Front Wheel As A Storage Compartment original content from Ubergizmo.

Is your bike 3G-enabled? Wi-MM thinks it should be, and the startup’s Bike+ BPU-100 anti-theft and cycling computer system is the way it hopes to help cyclists keep track of their metal steeds. Built in partnership with Verizon’s Innovation Center in San Francisco, Wi-MM – “Wireless Machine-to-Machine”, and not to be confused with the Google-acquired […]

It can be pretty dangerous riding a bike these days what with all of the texting, drunk, or just plain bad drivers on the road. Many of the accidents happen when a cyclist is hit from behind when taking turns or slowing down. Here’s a little gadget that may be a big help in improving biker safety.

Rearviz has introduced a simple solution. A wrist-mounted convex mirror accessory. It allows the user to see what’s coming up from behind and when it is not in use it automatically collapses into a wristwatch like base.

Just being able to see behind them easily will certainly help bike riders to stay alert and keep safe without bulky mirrors sticking off of their handlebars. RearViz comes in a removable arm band kit with a rotatable, collapsible, convex mirror. The Rearviz will sell for about $23.50(USD) for the standard model, or $37.50 for the “Classic” – which offers a more durable mirror as well as a medical ID tag pouch inside the armband.

[via Damn Geeky]