During the Tokyo Motor Show this week, Yamaha released something very unique – the MotoBot.
The prototype MotoBot is a humanoid robot that is being developed to pilot a motorcycle competently on a racetrack. The Yamaha Motobot’s first task was aboard the YZF-R1M, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer’s flagship superbike.The Yamaha Motobot rides the YZF-R1 M in a straightline, the bike currently donning training wheels. The MotoBot actually has to twist the wrist for throttle, use the brakes and shift the transmission. The ultimate purpose of this project is to have the Motobot ride on a world-class MotoGP track at speeds well over 120 mph.Yamaha obviously has high hopes for the MotoBot – the video above shows the MotoBot taunting Yamaha’s star MotoGP pilot – nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi.Following is from the brief Yamaha explanation of its new MotoBot:This is an autonomous motorcycle-riding humanoid robot built around a fusion of Yamaha’s motorcycle and robotics technology. R&D is currently underway with the goal of developing the robot to ride an unmodified motorcycle on a racetrack at more than 200 km/h. The task of controlling the complex motions of a motorcycle at high speeds requires a variety of control systems that must function with a high degree of accuracy. We want to apply the fundamental technology and know-how gained in the process of this challenge to the creation of advanced rider safety and rider-support systems and put them to use in our current businesses, as well as using them to pioneer new lines of business.Yamaha MotoBot
Hello everyone and welcome once again to Ultimate Motorcycling’s weekly Podcast—Motos and Friends.
My name is Arthur Coldwells.
This week’s Podcast is brought to you by Yamaha motorcycles. Discover how the YZF-R7 provides the perfect balance of rider comfort and true supersport performance by checking it out at YamahaMotorsports.com, or see it for yourself at your local dealer.
This week’s episode features Senior Editor Nic de Sena’s impressions of the beautiful new Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST that is loosely based around the original FXRT Sport Glide from the 1980s. Hailing from The Golden State, these cult-status performance machines became known as West Coast style, with sportier suspension, increased horsepower, and niceties including creature comforts such as a tidy fairing and sporty luggage.
In past episodes you might have heard us mention my best friend, Daniel Schoenewald, and in the second segment I chat with him about some of the really special machines in his 170 or so—and growing—motorcycle collection. He’s always said to me that he doesn’t consider himself the owner, merely the curator of the motorcycles for the next generation.
Yet Daniel is not just a collector, but I can attest a really skilled rider. His bikes are not trailer queens, they’re ridden, and they’re ridden pretty hard. Actually, we have had many, many memorable rides on pretty much all of the machines in the collection at one time or another.
From all of us here at Ultimate Motorcycling, we hope you enjoy this episode!
