Slashdot Mirror
Real 'Akira' Motorcycle
News for nerds writes "At Tokyo Motorcycle Show in Japan (2/3/4 Apr.), the official licensed model of the motorcycle in the anime movie Akira (poster) is displayed. This Kaneda bike is not a mere replica, but a full working model (more pics at ITmedia) with twin-steering system and 249-998cc water-cooled 4-cycle engine, and on its cockpit is DVD-navi-system + trackball & ten-key + custom computer-controlled LED meters - all licenced by the author and the publisher of Akira. Though at the show only miniature figures are sold and real price or release date is unclear, you can check out the manufacturer's website for later info."
I'd like to be the first to say, "TETSUO!"
And it goes:
a aaa....
Kaaaaaaaaaaaaa...
neeeeeeeeeeee....
DAAAAAAAa
Oh, shush, someone had to do it...
KENADA!!!!
Its not what it is, its something else.
I would absolutely hope there is an ample shield on that seat in case the rube-goldberg-ish chain came off. Otherwise cool.
Comparing it to Windows will be a moot point, since El Dorado is going to have a 40% larger code base than XP.
Does it leave neat glowy trails in the air? And what about the background music? I want to hear drums and people yelling "DAH... DAH... DAHDAH!" in the background whenever I crank this baby up.
If you like it so much, then steal one for yourself like I did!
...
has enough bicycle chains on there to make the Wright Brothers proud
What?
Wow... I wonder what the price tag will be.
If only I could afford it!
Wish I spoke Japanese.
Assume I was drunk when I posted this.
...on its cockpit is DVD-navi-system + trackball & ten-key + custom computer-controlled LED meters...
Yeah...that's, uh, a great investment for a motorcycle.
This is THE Holy Grail, until someone builds an EVA .... God, how I am glad I am entering the job market this year! All that cash, burning a hole in my pocket! Where do I sign for one?
is it that bad seein a hot chick again? if i see a hot chick walkin down the hall i dont say "repost"
It's a shame their server wasn't as fast as that motorocycle.
Anyone got a mirror?
- Sherman
This is why the japanese should build up a military. We'd have mechs walking around and defending tokyo from alien invasions in no time. Except they'd have to be piloted by children who were finicky and subject to teen angst.
Geoff "Mandrake" Harrison
Some Random UI Hacker
That's badass and all....but how does it handle? Does it take cornering well?...etc.
Or, is the bike merely for show with crappy performance and sluggish control?
Life is not for the lazy.
Mirror of the motorcycle
;)
Another mirror of the motorcycle, but a different pic
Play nicely with the mirror now
I've been watching American Chopper and just dreaming of the day I could have enough cash to order a custom light cycle.
It would be the PERFECT thing to go with my TRON costume: TRON Costume by BaumSquad
Until I can make that happen, I'll just have to save up for this thing! Kaaannaaaaeeeedddaaaaa!!!!
Ok after this ill be one millitary issue laser rifle short of living out my childhood dreams of hunting down psychic ex-best friends.
I am Jack's complete lack of surprise. -Fight Club
...that bike would chew you up and spit you out!
(Also: wow. Nice.)
sure, but does it transform into a giant robot? i'm not buying one unless it can jump and shoot. the garland-cycle from megazone 23 did this three years before akira.
All of those 1980's wedged surfaces are fugly.
;P
Besides, the nerd factor of riding any sci-fi reproduction pretty much means you will never get laid again...Ever.
Already taken a wicked slashdotting... Anyone grab the pics? Also, anyone have a rough translation of the site that isn't down? This is really cool, kinda reminds me of that concept peugeot did that was a warthog from halo. But when can i get one of these?!!
"Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
I'm guessing it's around 2.5 liter. Can anyone shed any illumination?
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
If all you do is ride a sci-fi reproduction, the girl has to know something about either motorcycles or sci-fi to suss you out.
Where the nerd factor comes in is the nasal bragging about the animation director's signature on the cowling. That keeps you from getting laid. Also not showering for days before or after riding in your reproduction sci-fi leather riding suit. Ewwww....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Malda
It has been a looong time since I saw that movie, but I seem to remember the bike being an electric vehicle, and this is not one.
"Weapons should be hardy rather than decorative" - Miyamoto Musashi
I think that goes for OS's too
...a reverse gear? static lightning on it's wheels? liquid cooled brakes?
in this age of communication i'm just not getting through
Ok I've seen this in car commercials. The last time I checked DVD mean't "digital video disc". How can you navigate with this?
Dodge's working concept seems to have some much cooler design cues:
Dodge Tomahawk
The *concept* of the Akira bike seems cool, but the implementation leaves a bit to be desired. They should buff up their implementation by stealing some designs from the Dodge - particularly the two-tire look back & front which looks amazingly great.
ride that in the
nuke zone (./ article).
without the corporate decals on it. I want one!
bash: rtfm: command not found
"Burned". "Burned", not "bured", dammit.
Add some comments about my lazy proofreading to that list.
http://erichv.com/akira-bike/news040.html.htm
bash: rtfm: command not found
I actually do ride motorcycles, including a sidecar outfit -- the most evil-handling form of vehicle mankind has so far invented -- a triked superbike (ZZR1100: incredibly fast in a straight line, terrifying in corners) and even a recumbent bicycle (Linear LWB) in city traffic.
From this, and from reading reports of earlier home-made customs in the style of Kaneda's bizarre feet-forward bike, I believe that thing is going to handle like an utter, utter pig. Looks like a fish, moves like a fish, steers like a cow.
Despite this, I want one desperately, right now.
Liam P. ~ "Intelligence is a lethal mutation." (me)
That Canon sticker is the Shiznit. I want one with ALL THE STICKERS!
That's right. All your base.
All i want is someone to start producing that cool ass jacket with the pill on the back.
Actually I think that is a standard don't link to my image from off site type image.
...but you need your fucking eyes checked if you think Akira has poor animation.
It was leagues beyond anything else at the time of its release, and still is more impressive than most disney films.
New animation techniques had to be created for it to be made.
Now, the plotline, yeah, I agree. That's what happens when you try and condense an absolute tome of a manga down to an hour and a half.
I am otaku! I need TP for my bung hole!
...they begin selling anime monocycles with the one big ass wheel and all that other cool stuff that anime monocycles with the one big ass wheel all have.
Guaranteed! This comment 100% Anthrax free!
I have to say that Akira is such a cool movie that I'm surprised Disney hasn't ripped off the way they ripped off Kimba the Jungle Emperor when they made The Lion King.
Uh-oh, did I just jinx it? Is there going to be a Disneyfied ripoff of Akira on the way now?
You are in error. No-one is screaming. Thank you for your cooperation.
Of course, I could always pair up with the Chernobyl gal...
Mooo!
Slashdot sucks. You swallow.
This is very safe.
Custom which "is similar to the Kanada motorcycle well" motorcycle "STINGRAY", the consumer request type incoming order production shopping sight "it is you swallow", with there is a case which is sold, but this to the last those of non official recognition. Is, but the concept model which this time it is referred is exhibited obtained the acknowledgement of the Ootomo ocean person of the AKIRA writer and Kodansha publishers, Ltd. etc. which is the publication cause, it has become the "official recognition Kanada motorcycle".
Any bike that involves a not just a BJ, but "swallowing", as part of the transaction is really more of a lifestyle accessory.
I realize this is trying to capture the spirit of the bike from the movie and all... but this thing just looks cheesy! Big red plastic globes on the wheels, ultra super-duper shiny red gloss paint... it looks like a big-wheel on steroids!
I'll just take a regular old boring Honda CBR954RR or Yamaha R1, save some money, and not get laughed at while riding...
You may flame when ready Gridley...
- The auditors said to secure the server... hand me that duct-tape -
I always worry when they start to put too much technology into something that is inherently better the simpler it is. I can just see it now, the media coverage about how it is now illegal to watch DVDs while biking because some idiot gave it a try and killed himself.
That really is my homepage, no kidding.
I have a question for you Mr/Ms AC. At exactly WHAT point in time can you stop holding a government's transgressions against it?
That was nearly 70 years ago. There's a difference between REMEMBERING the past and living in it. You, like many others, unfortunately, cannot tell that difference. I encourage you to grow up and to move on with your life. Remember it, revile it. Don't hold it against the current generation.
Alito: A vote for Alito is a punch in the eye to put that bitch back in her place!
Um, didn't the Akira cycle use a twin rotary engine? What's with this four pistons crap?
My copy is a poor DivX rip, so you're probably right. I will concede this point to you. But we agree on the incomprehensible plot line. Mods: vote me up, yo. ;p
i commented below about the drivetrain specifics, but i
forgot to add these notes:
if anyone is doubting the stability of a "recumbent" design
such as this needs to look at Dan Gurney's Gator(see his
website:
http://www.allamericanracers.com
it's been tested by a couple of the mtorcycling mags with
generally favorable reviews.
"...that's as white as it gets; all the bits are on..."
The Akira motorcycle always reminded me of the lightcycles from TRON. Tre-cool!
ttyl
Farrell
CAN-CON 2019 - Ottawa's only book oriented Science Fiction Convention! October 18-20, Sheraton Hotel, Ottawa, Canada h
How many articles will it take before slashdot implements a simple mirror?? It could be automated as part of the publishing process.. just do a simple static mirroring of the image or page linked from a story. If a server becomes unavailable or otherwise in error, add the mirrored links.
Sure, some sites might love all the hits of a "slashdotting". But obviously there are many others that die under the load, or get disabled by bandwidth limiters, or various other problems.
If the site owners want to know the stats of how many hits they got, you could include stats for mirror hits.
This is not rocket science.. This problem occurs every day. In the current story, the server for the main article is barely responding, and the link for the image is responding with a "don't steal bandwidth" message.
Uh... yeah, I know.
It looks like one of these with a lot of plastic cladding stuck on.
Actually, the problem is they are blocking the links from slashdot. Open a new window and past the link into it and it works. I forget what it is that allows that to happen, but the link is correct.
Fly me to the moon Let me sing among those stars Let me see what spring is like On jupiter and mars
IANAM (Motorcyclist), but I would like to see a picture or some footage of someone actually driving this thing... it looks like it would be really difficult to balance and steer... maybe it's just me
I'd heard a while ago that "they," where they is some random Japanese corporation, was going to or was at least considering making a live-action version of Akira, a la the live-action Eva that's supposedly coming out some time. Did anyone else hear this? Is it true? That would be freaking cool...and they'd even be able to get the motorcycles right, with this.
The link worked for the submitter, it's when you tell the other site, "Hey, Slashdot said to send me this image sans your ads, links to your store, and anything else you're using it for. KTHXBY"
Please adjust your French Q by +1, and have a bite of cheese that smells like old people feet.
And you have half the geeks in the world dying (happily, but still dying) of lust.
thad
I love Mondays. On a Monday, anything is possible.
So, anyway... I was watching American Chopper a while back, and I got to thinking:
- "I wonder what would happen if I went to OCC with one of the turboshaft engines that MTT uses for their bike, a copy of Akira, and asked Paul Jr. to replicate the Kaneda bike..."
And then I remembered... they're artists. They're not really engineers. Making that bike work would require so many engineering challenges to be overcome that, well... they'd have to outsource a lot of it.But I'd sure love to watch them build one!
(Too bad I can't afford it... anybody else want to join in and start a pool? We could have the 'Slashdot Bike' built! (Anyone remember the 'Slashdot PT Cruiser'?) Too bad the .com boom is well and truly dead, or we'd be looking at a fleet of the things!)
The version in the article... it looks a bit fat and heavy. I don't know how much fun it'll be to ride. As much as I like the appearance, it's just pointless if all it does it look pretty.
"...America's great minds of today, teaching America's great minds of tomorrow. Poor bastards." -- A Beautiful Min
Try this out instead. Looks better, almost definitely lighter, and it seems to have better cornering clearance. Plus it stands a good chance of making it to mass production for under $10k.
Am I the only one that thinks it looks too big, bubbly and plasticky?
I would envision something more metallic and a little tighter...
is the closest we will see in our lifetimes clicky
I don't care if they are right next to each other, 4 wheels in my book is a car.
"Thanks to the remote control I have the attention span of a gerbil."
must have.
A dyslexic man walks into a bra.
when you could be riding one of these
Ronald said nothing. He flung himself from the room, flung himself upon his horse, and rode madly off in all directions.
Yeah, after all, most Jewish professionals I know drive one of two cars, BMW or Mercedes. They're both German designed and built.
Apparently all this happened before 911 :-)
I believe it is called "referrer logging". In any event, Opera users can press F12 at any time to enable/disable referrer logging.
Godwin's law, biatch!
Networks around the world suffered varying degrees of damage today as 20 million geeks achieved simultaneous orgasm.
Anonymous Luddite: "What do you think of the dehumanizing effects of the Internet?"
Andy Grove: "Not Much."
Shit... Germany is now the safest place on Earth for Jewish people to live. That's gotta say something.
Even I'm part Jew, and I'm not bitter about what happened. I drive an Audi and I like Rammstein, and I speak a little German.
(going a bit off topic here)
The fact is, Jewish people, like pretty much all people will forgive others for even the gravest things. The memory of their people is long, though, so it shouldn't come as a suprise that any group of people that are as chronically abused as the Jews are going to throw down and kick ass.
Israel vs. Palestine is mostly the result of the Muslims collectively picking on the Jews, and not letting them forgive. It's like a bully that's been picking on a nice spirited high schooler for so long it's driven him mad. Sooner or later the poor kid's likely to go Columbine.
The light cycles were designed by people at one of the early New York computer graphics houses, I forget which one. They were implict surfaces/constructive solid geometry models. The solar sailer was a polygonal model done at III (Information International) in Culver City, CA.
Yes, but you killed Jesus!
Anyone else notice this important missing piece? Are the Japs trying to say something here?
Yeah, I know. They are blocking links from any site that is not them. This is common practice. When you click a link, the browser tells the linked site the address of the linking site. So, the server sees "slashdot.org" and thinks "that's not us". When you open a new window and paste the link, your browser does not send the referring URL, so the site lets you in, not knowing that you came from Slashdot.
If the site doesn't want people linking to their pictures, then Slashdot should not be linking to their pictures. It's surprising that neither the submitter nor the editor thought to click on the link to make sure it worked.
But you can learn more about the real Fukuoka city. I was there last summer and I have to say it's pretty cool. Well, maybe not as cool ask the bike. :-)
I guess that would be one of those variable displacement engines that we were promised along with space travel and flying cars.
I am I missing something?
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" - BF
Not long ago, (some months maybe) I saw a short news article in a newspaper about a humongously cool bike being on display on a moto-show and it reminded me of the Akira bikes. Eversince I've been trying to find info about it. I think it was an european manifacturer that made it, maybe BMW? And it said that they had to lower the power of the bike because they wouldn't be allowed to sell it. The model was a working prototype and if I'm not misstaken it had _4_ wheels - the were positioned in two very close pairs. Anyone who can help me find more info about it!?... Pliiiix.. :)
I didn't kill Jesus. He's my hispanic gardner!
it prolly worked when it was first out up. The sysadmin can claim self defense.
But for the rich and truly stupid ride the Y2K Superbike (since they were gay and decided to go with flash, click on motorsports.)
But with 320Hp at 52,ooo rpm, on a 500lb bike that can hit 227 MPH (365 KPH), you might want to have a buddy epoxy you on to it before you take it out for a spin.
No it's not. There's lots of violence against Jews in Germany and France committed by Arab gangs. Their govt blames it all on neo-Nazi skinheads, but they commit only a small fraction of those crimes.
if (_)(_) is good surly (____)(____) is better?
Well, it looks a lot better on the manufacturers website, out of the bright lights. There's still a lot of shine from the body though.
I think the problem here is that in anime, or any animated feature, things have to be made bigger than life, even in the ones with a more realistic style. Here though, they have tried to make it look exactly like it does on the screen, whereas it should have been toned down a bit. (can you imagine what concpet cars would look like if they were actually made as bright and bold as they were on the designers scetches?)
Front and rear forks are too short anyway, and the tyres aren't big enough. Draws too much attention to those hub-cover things.
Now I want to see some real life version of some of the cycles in the game Full Throttle. Ben's bike/chopper would be wicked.
Good piece. Hear hear.
Mmm, didn't that bike from Akira (movie) have 2 wheel drive?
Just my thought.
if I could understand something on that manufacturer' site..
Ever since the late 80's, I have always dreamed that someone will make this bike real.
I officially offer $500,000 for it (if it is fully operational).
Posting this will not make up for the fact that your mother never loved you and your daddy touched you in places that felt funny.
Indeed. Recumbant bikes do work fairly well, being near enough your really big hog too.
What I find interesting is that this version of the Akira bike is a kludge. It was articulated in the centre point in the film, what they've done here is made it look like that but actually just mounted shitloads of body work onto the front forks.
BRTakes a lot of what made me scared of the handling away from it.
The Quasar was and remains a very remarkable motorcycle. I doubt if more than a handful of Slashdotters have even heard of it.
This bike could cruise all day at 100mph providing comfort and economy (around 80mpg). BMW did produce something that seemed to be influenced by it.
http://www.quasarworld.plus.com/
http://motobykz.co.uk/Quasar.htm
My hyperlinks aren't worth the paper they're printed on.
From the looks of the photos, that bike will suck. The most telling is the frame shot. Firstly, tubular frame. They made bikes like that in the 80's. When you went around a corner, the bike would wobble because it wasn't stiff enough.
Secondly, it looks like it has a single front fork - but that *has* to be parallax error from the photo because I cant imagine how that would work (it would have to look like a monoshock and it look like a REALLY raked single fork). Also, the forks aren't directly connected to the clipons - this thing would handle like a pig.
Thirdly, the ground clearance looks worse than a harley - and thats saying something.
Basically, the thing looks larger than a goldwing and has a smaller engine. Its going to be expensive and handle like crap.
not to be a dumbass, but as a rider I support the lack of helmet laws, and speeding through traffic at 95. I always wear a helmet, and pretty beefy safety gear because I enjoy my jaw, but if someone else wants to kill themselves, let them.
The most important point is that that guy going 95 in traffic is no danger to anyone but himself. I've never heard of a motorcycle accident where the biker caused injury to people in a car (pedestrians are a different issue, but there usually aren't any on the freeway), whereas how many drunk car/bus/truck/subway driver stories have you heard of?
It is however, irresponsible to not have excellent health insurance, because certainly the public shouldn't have to bear any of the injury cost.
About the strickness of motorcycle and car driving tests in Japan: it's retarded. I just took my car and bike license tests in Tokyo last week, and I can say it's complete crap. The test is based on how perfectly you can memorize the course and the rules, and not how well you can drive. I don't know about anywhere else, but in California you have to drive your own car around the city for a few minutes with the instructor, and if you drive normally, you pass. In Tokyo you have to drive around a driving course that is modeled like a fake city, except you're all alone. No cars, buses, scooters, bicyclists, kids, or stupid small dogs getting in you way, which makes the test useless as a gauge of your actual driving skill in Japan. In fact, about 70% of streets in Japan aren't actually wide enough for two cars to pass without driving outside the white lines, yet the driving test course is mostly full width streets.
Why are all futuristic motorcycles designed to only go in a straight line? That's what cars are for.
I am a motorcyclist and *the* most fun thing about bikes is the way you can go round corners are utterly insane speeds and unfeasably low lean angles, footpegs, exhausts scraping on the ground. *That* thing would just ground out and slide into a ditch... Much like a Harley actually.
Government of the people, by corporate executives, for corporate profits.
It'll double your chain life and you'll never have to adjust or oil the chain manually again.
Or get a BMW F650CS. It has a belt that's rated to last up to 75,000 miles. Much better than the 15,000 you usually get out of a manually lubed chain.
Government of the people, by corporate executives, for corporate profits.
You're going to end up on your arse the first time you try to take a corner. All show.
Government of the people, by corporate executives, for corporate profits.
yes for the anime: testuo reads Number... something (the little baby-lady)'s mind to get Akina's location. Though to shove so many pages of the manga into the anime they didn't make it so obvious.