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...
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!
...
Wow... I wonder what the price tag will be.
If only I could afford it!
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
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....
Lots of motorcycles are chain drive. A thin aluminum frag-guard would keep the driver perfectly safe in the (unlikely) event of a chain failure.
That's not a nelly little bicycle chain. Motorcycle chains are stout stuff.
Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
Well not if its going to be sold in Japan, there is a 500cc limit on motorcycles, hell it take many,many years to be even allowed to ride the 500cc big iron, you have to start at 5cc, liscences are issued accordingly, its funny they cant buy the big bikes they sell abroad new, BUT there is a lookhole that allows them to re-import used bike > than 500cc, I solg my 83 GPZ 1100 to a broker that specalizes in exactly doing that he made a million in the late 80's early 90's doing that.
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)
Actually several chains on mororcycles is not uncommon, Harleys have in some case 2 , a Primanry and a Secondary, I can think of several vintage brit bikes that had 2 and 3 .
Losing a chain is not the danger , not even getting whacked with a broken chain at 60-70mph, a chain guard will stop almost all damage, it hurts but its not too bad with no chain guard like when my race bike let loose..
The REAL problem, and I give you this from a lot of riding and racing experience is when a chain catches in the back wheel/brake assy, one of my WORST ever accidents was due to exactly this, I had laid the bike down earlier and apparently bent the rear sprocket. I lost the chain at 50 or so mph, it catapulted me over the handlebars , then the bike ran over me, I was OK when I first hit the ground but the bike running over me broke 4 ribs, my jaw, my left elbow and my right wrist. I was 16 I walked home the rest of the way (1/4 mile) leaving the bike in the ditch, collapesed on the couch and called my mom and said mom im really f***ked up and hung up , she got home in like 10 minutes flat (normally a 30 minute drive) came in saw me bleeding all over and writhing in pain and said "OH Thank GOD I thought you were f****ed from drugs or something"
tetsuo is seen muttering about the mecanicals of of the bike, something like:
"...ceramic, double-rotor two-wheel drive, computer-controlled anti-lock brakes, 12,000 rpms"..."
so i believe there's an electric motor(s) in each wheel hub
and a battery(ies) underneath the bodywork, probably under
the seat. remember that this movie was made in 1987, so a
ceramic rotor electric motor wasn't quite practical yet.
a fan page is here: http://www.bbakira.co.uk/kanbike/bike.htm
googling for "anime akira motorcycle" nets you 6,960 hits,...
many sites think that there are any number of working prototypes
and an even larger number of non-working models.
i can't wait for the real deal!
"...that's as white as it gets; all the bits are on..."
Of course, I could always pair up with the Chernobyl gal...
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.
A thin aluminum frag-guard would keep the driver perfectly safe in the (unlikely) event of a chain failure.
That's not a nelly little bicycle chain. Motorcycle chains are stout stuff.
I've broken a couple. It is annoying, since it tends to strand you and/or lose races, but I have never been hurt or seen anyone hurt as a result. Can't say the same for any number of other component failures (coolant hoses for instance). For me the worst thing about chains is the constant lubing and adjusting. I'd like to see more kevlar drive belts (no adjustment necessary) like Harley-Davdson uses.
That said, some olde tyme designs had three chains: one timing (to the cam), one primary (to the gearbox) and one final drive. But I have never seen a motorcycle cam or primary chain break through a case.
It is cowardly, and a betrayal of whatever it means to be a Jew, to act as a white man
-James Baldwin
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
Actually my step-brother was a stoner. She was deathly afraid of me following in his footsteps. Whats really sad is right now hes worth about a cool 5 million, and I cant find a #%$@^ job.
I had a primary drive chain fail on a old Honda 400 Four under full throttle while banked over somewhat in a low-ish speed bend. It didn't break through the case, but the engine sure stopped fast. The 10ms before I pulled in the clutch, and almost getting high-sided afterwards were one of those slow-motion moments I won't forget in a hurry. Fortunately no injuries other than a few pulled muscles from putting my foot down at 40mph.
I'm sure it would have been very interesting at a higher speed.