Tuesday Afternoon Moto Design News - Custom Builds, New Wheels and More

A well-to-do kid helps out his family business, moves to a new town and then sets about pursuing his dream. It does help that he had the backing of his parents, but his ideas are good. Tony Johns opened Motorcycles of Bend in 2006. He lets customers purchase their bikes in parts and then assembles them in his shop. It is the only shop of its kind in the Oregon city of Bend. Check it out...

http://tinyurl.com/yehhb82

Along the same lines, but with a more environmental bent, is a new design from Lawless Motorcycles. It is a hybrid motorcycle which allows the rider to switch from full electric to gas-power as needed or wanted. This is the bike which Orange County Choppers was building with help from Schneider Electric. It will be revealed on national television later this week. For more information, take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/ye34vuj

http://tinyurl.com/yk322fb

Next on this list is another air-powered motorcycle design. This one is from Matthew Perez, a Mechanical Operations Technician for the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, and he calls it the AirHead. It will do about 20 miles and the air is contained in four standard SCUBA tanks.

http://tinyurl.com/yzuogxd

Now there is yet another new creation from the tire geniuses at Michelin. They have two versions called the Active Wheel and Motor Wheel. The Motor Wheel contains one motor which is used for propulsion, and the Active Wheel has two motors, one for propulsion and one for suspension. So far, both Peugeot and Renault are testing with it currently. Of course, the interesting aspect of this to us is the motorcycle designed by Keegan McClain of Lafayette, LA. Take a look to see the future of transport.

http://tinyurl.com/yz9equ4

Mid-Day Thursday News - Christmas Eve Edition

Yep, it's already more than halfway through Christmas Eve now and there is some news...

First of all, the usual drama of Orange County Choppers is getting even more complex. Paul Teutul, Sr., is suing his son over some stock options and it gets more complicated the further you dig. This family is mostly motivated by $$$, though, so this could be more than just a publicity stunt.

http://tinyurl.com/ybrf2lt

An article on the MV Agusta F4-1000R and its stature in the motorcycling world. It is a bike which many dream to own, thus making it a true 'dream machine'. Many feel they are lucky just getting to take one around a track, and it is a bike worthy of that praise.

http://tinyurl.com/ydofxrq

We also have an interview with one of the more original builders in the custom chopper market. Mark Daley of Thunder Struck Custom Bikes is interviewed and his company's history discussed in this piece and I highly recommend that you head on over and have a look. It's nice to see that someone can move beyond the standard chopper silhouette and into creativity. His Sniper bike (shown here) won the 2009 Las Vegas Bikefest...

http://tinyurl.com/ye8auay




It is from a forum, but we also have an interview with Tim Prentice of the 2010 Triumph Thunderbird design. He is an American who work on the new model with Triumph engineers in the U.K. Considering the impact of this new cruiser in the motorcycle industry, it is a great chance to learn more from a great designer!

http://tinyurl.com/ydtj3lk

There is also a great design idea from Australian Dan Anderson of what he calls the Triumph Bobbeville. It is a customized Bonneville which looks fantastic and really pulls together the post-war bobber movement into out time. The bike is very well built and I bet it would be a great ride!

http://tinyurl.com/yc8y6xe

The Siemens Smart Chopper is Destined for Where?

Well, that is for you to decide. You probably remember a few weeks back when Siemens and Orange County Choppers partnered up to create an electric chopper for charity...right? Well, even if you do not, you should go and check out what the dysfunctional family at OCC has turned out this time...Judge for yourself...

http://tinyurl.com/yad8zo8

The Abu Dhabi Police Department Now Has Paul Teutul Original

They had this machine built by Orange County Choppers in order to help them with a community outreach program they have planned. The idea is to get attention from young people whose heads are usually turned by a Ferrari Enzo or a gold-plated Mercedes Benz...I think it will work well for them.

http://tinyurl.com/yzbqlel

Orange County Choopers to Build First Hybrid Chopper

Schneider Electric has joined with OCC to build the bike, which will have both a gas-powered engine and an electric motor - and will contain some very high-tech components. Schneider hopes to show the bike as an example of what their components can do for future design of such machines. From a press release:

http://tinyurl.com/qjseq6

Even the Teutul's of Orange County Choppers Build Electric Motorcycles

Check this out - Siemens and Orange County Choppers get together to offer the Siemens Smart Chopper.

http://tinyurl.com/ltgg47

(No photos at this link, though; just go to http://www.orangecountychoppers.com for more info)