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...
There have been cases where I have frantically tried to stop a runaway program and repeatedly pressed Ctrl-C. The result is that the terminal gets into an undefined state whereby it does not react properly to any input, that is when you press the various keys. For example, pressing the enter key may not bring you to a new line (which it normally should do). If you try executing a command, it's possible to command is not executed properly, because the system has not identified the enter key correctly. You can return your terminal to a "sane" condition by inputting:
stty sane Ctrl-J
The Ctrl-J character is the line feed character and is necessary as the system does not recognize the enter key.
Is this a joke? Please tell me Linux does not randomly have "runaway programs" going into "undefined states" whereby I have to type the "sane" command to get programs to "execute correctly".
THIS is the Great Linux Hype I have been hearing about? You have to be kidding me... this is pathetic... truly sad. Linux appears to be a joke of a toy OS, only - with no toys (games) and the joke just isn't funny. Well, maybe a little. If you work at Microsoft.
KENADA!!!!
Its not what it is, its something else.
10 reasons why the US are is hated.
1. The US has started (and "encouraged") more wars and murdered more
humans in a 50 year period than anyone else before in recorded
history.
2.The world constantly watches images of starving children whilst in
the US people are dying of over eating.
3. The US boasts that it has spent billions on being able to bomb
anyone, anywhere on the planet. Meanwhile starvation, and premature
death continue to affect millions of people worldwide whose only crime
was being born where they were.
4 The US makes virtuous speeches about fairness, liberty and justice
then continues to enact policies designed to keep a third of the world
in a state of constant starvation. For example, The US purposely
stopped the supply of cheap non-brand Aids drugs to Africa just to
placate the drugs industry. As a result millions will die who could
have been saved.
5. The continual support by the US of regimes that oppress their
people so that other US parties can gain an economic foothold.
6 The American belief that profit is all. People don't count.
7. American hypocrisy. ( I feel most of us in this NG could write a
book on this one but I'll keep it short)
Virtue, honesty, truth. None of these mean anything when US economic
advantage is at stake. We have watched the US invade and murder
thousands all in the name of "regime change" or "protecting US
economic interests" in various countries. If they haven't been there
pulling the triggers you can be sure they paid for one sides (or both)
weapons.
There isn't a continent on this planet that the US aren't killing
people directly or indirectly. Even their own yet the US tells the
rest of the world that they cannot have weapons that kill
indiscriminately. ( the US has once again refused to stop using
cluster bombs and uranium tipped shells) and is the only country to
have used nuclear weapons and poison gases to kill thousands of
people.
8. The continual military support of Israel and it's attempted
genocide of the Palestinian people. Once again, humans die to protect
US economic advantage.
9 The insane belief that most Americans in this NG espouse that we
(the rest of the world) are jealous. That somehow we are not affected
by the murder and slaughter committed by US troops all over the globe.
That somehow, other humans , i.e us, should not criticise the US govt
for the same reasons Americans don't. WRONG. We are not blinded by
your flag If anything the US has taught us a lot about the dangers of
blind loyalty backed only by a flag. Your govt kills innocents then
hides behind the flag and you idiots buy it all.
10. The worst criminals in all this are the US electorate because they
are the only ones who can stop this slaughter but they refuse to
acknowledge their govt has done any wrong. Even with 90% of the world
screaming for the US to stop killing , the electorate do nothing. You
just sit there, hiding behind the flag or using any excuse your govt
has given you to justify the continual slaughter of innocents.
So don't ask me why America is so hated. I find it more interesting
to know how the world will respond eventually to a country that is
nothing but evil. And respond we will.
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?
"Image Found At www.animelab.com. DONT [sic] STEAL BANDWIDTH! REMOVE THIS IMAGE!"
There's just too many comments I could make about this, Slashdot, the Slashdot effect, inept submitters, and lazy editors. I don't know where to start.
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
motorbikes make you gay!
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
Looking at the new movie I go the friend of some person John's of our local cinemaplex good news tonight. Vaguely with the movie as for me in order approximately is, to decide doing the plug thing of a little top of the theater liven. Unknown to my friend, I eat the plural balls of the grain, the milk first and I am the non- magnanimous lactose basis. It is some grain and the milk where in this boils to ferment with my intestine, really approximately 2 I those after the hours to give the vulgar gas to me. It is good, binary gas attack happens with schedule, I advance starts shooting stench on the theater of SBDs! There is the oriental couple on my side, the girl in my next door is sat down in seat right. It was in as for her the U of harmful smoking obtaining ahead densely, gassed she "WANNA MOMMY HOOOOOME in her mother who goes slurping with damage and yell 30 minutes later of the thing which is obtained with me and" crying. As for that it was everything which can make because it maintains from explosion from the thing which I laugh. Naturally, even in order to say dissatisfaction concerning stench is possible the fact that you inquire about that it sits down in rear before me and to the people. Isn't life magnificent?
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
If you're gonna troll, you gotta customize your piece for your audience. (Hint: This is not a newsgroup.)
they trying to tell us to fuck off or something in japanese?
http://www.neo-fukuoka.com ??
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
The hell with that. Give me old-school Basic/Expert D&D any day. That's the *real* D&D, not what some Magic The Gathering "let's change the rules every year" collectible-card business wants to push.
...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.
Does it come with poor animation and an incomprehensible plot line?
ride that in the
nuke zone (./ article).
without the corporate decals on it. I want one!
bash: rtfm: command not found
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.
...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.
Yeah, let's let them use offensive military force so they can rape Nanking again. Killing every human being in an entire city, including repeatedly raping every young girl until they die, and then denying that anything happened is not a good track record. Nicely planned.
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.
Um, didn't the Akira cycle use a twin rotary engine? What's with this four pistons crap?
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.
It looks like one of these with a lot of plastic cladding stuck on.
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.
Apparently all this happened before 911 :-)
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."
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.
Anyone else notice this important missing piece? Are the Japs trying to say something here?
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.. :)
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.
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.