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Electric Motorcycle Inventor Crashes at Wired Conference

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the egg-on-face dept.

not5150 writes "The inventor of the electric 'KillaCycle" motorcycle was taken to the hospital for x-rays after demonstrating the vehicle to reporters. Bill Dube, a government scientist during the day and bike builder at night, attempted a burnout in front of the Los Angeles Convention Center during the Wired NextFest fair. Fueled by the "most powerful" lithium-ion batteries in the world, the bike accelerated uncontrollably into another car. There's a video interview (thankfully before the crash) and footage of Dube crashing."

79 of 337 comments (clear)

  1. Electric Motorcycle + Wired by deniable · · Score: 5, Funny

    My first thought was that he ran over the extension lead.

    1. Re:Electric Motorcycle + Wired by iamhassi · · Score: 2, Informative

      Remember kids: wear your helmet!

      --
      my karma will be here long after I'm gone
  2. 0-60 in less than a second by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 2

    And a top speed of 158mph?

    At that rate of acceleration, you'd be at the top speed in less than 3 seconds. Then what? Then the engine gives out? Governor kicks in? The tires blow up?

    As for the driver in question. Stupid is as stupid does.

    1. Re:0-60 in less than a second by Colin+Smith · · Score: 3, Informative

      It's a drag bike. After you do the quarter mile you slow down & stop.

      --
      Deleted
    2. Re:0-60 in less than a second by RuBLed · · Score: 5, Funny

      0-60 in less than a second


      and vice versa
    3. Re:0-60 in less than a second by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Well its not like you can only apply the power gradually like a petrol engine.

      Of course you can. Do you have an electric fan? Does it always run at full speed? Or is there a little switch that lets you adjust the fan speed?

      My understanding is that when you turn an electric engine on, that's it, full power full torque.

      No. Electric motors can do that (which is nice in many applications), but they don't have to do that. It depends on how much voltage/current goes to the electric motor, and it's pretty easy to control voltage & current.

    4. Re:0-60 in less than a second by somersault · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Remember aerodynamics too, 60-120 won't be as fast as 0-60 even with the same torque being applied. It does sounds awesome though, even if the inventor can't ride it

      --
      which is totally what she said
    5. Re:0-60 in less than a second by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      You're erroneously assuming a constant acceleration: real-world dragstrip acceleration-time plots are anything but linear.

      As to the time, 0-60 in 1 second is standard for drag cars or bikes running in the 7s on the quarter mile.

      1/4 mile times like that are pretty good for an electric vehicle though.

    6. Re:0-60 in less than a second by dwater · · Score: 4, Funny

      what? less than a second in 0-60??? what does that mean?

      --
      Max.
    7. Re:0-60 in less than a second by mpe · · Score: 5, Informative

      Well its not like you can only apply the power gradually like a petrol engine. My understanding is that when you turn an electric engine on, that's it, full power full torque.

      You can vary the amount of power sent to the motor, it is also possible to have motors with switchable windings to give different torque and speed settings. In the case of a vehicle such as a car or motorbike an electric motor can be connected via the same sort of gearbox you'd use with an internal combustion engine. Indeed the only real difference between a regular motorcycle and an all electric one is that the latter wouldn't need a starter.

    8. Re:0-60 in less than a second by SharpFang · · Score: 5, Informative

      Yes and no.

      You can't easily apply gradually more power with high-power engines running on AC.

      There are numerous tricks like switching configuration of the coils, using high-power thyrystors etc. You can't just put some resistance because it would be enormously wasteful. Some railway engines use "convert 1-phase AC from the wire to DC, then convert back to three-phase AC of desired frequency" making them actually more efficient than running on 1-phase AC straight from the wire.

      But not in this case. The batteries produce DC. They can be switched one at a time to limit voltage(->torque) if it's a DC motor, or the conversion to AC can be freely configured providing frequency (->RPM) just as desired if the motor is AC.

      (also note using all kinds of resistors, pots and other "power drains" for limiting current/voltage when such powers are in use, are useless - they would have to dissipate (and waste) enormous amounts of power. Devices that limit the "average" voltage by dutycycle method ( x% of a milisecond on, 100-x% of a milisecond time off => x% power) are much better but not every kind of end-target device can accept this kind of power, plus it generates lots of electromagnetic noise from all the instant on-off action )

      Simply put, getting limiting voltage by a half in a 5V 10mA DC configuration is trivial - wasting 0.25W of power is not a problem. In 500V 10A DC configuration is very tricky. Dissipating 2500W is not really an option.

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    9. Re:0-60 in less than a second by Jeek+Elemental · · Score: 3, Insightful

      if its a 3 phase short circuit engine, which is likely, the torque goes down quick as rpm goes up. When rpm=0 its basically a short circuit condition, it will pull whatever power it can get (and handle for a short period of time).

    10. Re:0-60 in less than a second by codepunk · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually most applications use PWM (Pulse width modulation) for dc motor control. Banks of high amperage switching transistors feed the dc motor with a high frequency on off pulse. By varying the
      pulse width you increase or decrease the speed of the motor.

      --


      Got Code?
    11. Re:0-60 in less than a second by s-meister · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Dear Richard Hammond,

      If those wacky producers and Clarkson ask you to test ride a motorbike, JUST SAY NO.

      Regards,

      A Friend

    12. Re:0-60 in less than a second by jsiren · · Score: 2, Interesting
      This will depend on your definition of "easy"... if it means "in less than five passive components", then you may be right.

      Anyway, you mentioned the railway engine's AC-DC-AC drive. Now, to run on DC, just skip the first rectifier: you can run the inverters directly on DC. In fact, many railroads do just that. There are lower-powered inverters and motors available for lighter-duty applications. Did you know your average "brushless DC" CPU fan is in effect an induction motor with an integrated drive?

      So, if you have a 500 V battery pack capable of 10 A, just slap a 5 kW drive with a suitable control input and a 5 kW induction motor on it and you're basically done. (Select ratings to suit application and products.) Ask your supplier for more information.

      --
      Usage: km/h for speed (kilometers per hour); kph for very slow impulses (kilopond hours).
    13. Re:0-60 in less than a second by Hognoxious · · Score: 4, Funny

      I dunno. Probably something about parsecs.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    14. Re:0-60 in less than a second by cayenne8 · · Score: 3, Insightful
      You know...I've thought it would be pretty cool to own an electric car like the Tesla. But, I've also lamented that the lack of 'sound' would be a drawback. I mean, a high powered car, is fun not only due to the torque and acceleration, but, that noise coming off a finely tuned exhaust is part of the thrill.

      Taking that in mind when I read this...I thought "Ok, I could maybe get by with a fairly silent car, but, NO WAY would this make a motorcycle fun"!!

      I mean, that IS a huge part of the fun of a big cruiser bike. I'm not talking about straight pipes here...I know those annoy some people. I like loud things, but, I do try to respect my neighbors. But, really, first thing I think of when I get a new bike...is what aftermarket pipes I'm gonna get...to give me that rumble as I drive it.

      I think an electric bike would be kinda boring in that respect. Sure, I guess you could sync some mp3's of good engine/exhaust notes with the motor...but, still.....something would be missing.

      Hell..many people buy the Harley JUST for the "potato...potato...potato.." engine note and rumble. Didn't they even try to patent that?

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    15. Re:0-60 in less than a second by Dare+nMc · · Score: 2, Informative


      Ke= M* (V^2)
      so it takes 4* as much energy to go from 0-120, as to go from 0-60. Assuming constant power wouldn't 1 sec 0 to 60, would be 4 sec 0 to 120.

      Traction limit would go up (same torque*2 speed, ie twice the power allowed through the tire, but 4* needed to maintain accell rate), which was probably his limit to 60.

    16. Re:0-60 in less than a second by polar+red · · Score: 2, Informative

      1/4 mile times like that are pretty good for an electric vehicle though. I don't think performance is the problem with electric vehicles (show me a train that can hit 575kph(360mph) that is petrol-powered ...)
      It's storage that's the problem, and on such short distances ...
      --
      Yes, I'm left. You have a problem with that?
    17. Re:0-60 in less than a second by navyjeff · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I have to disagree for the most part. I can't count the number of times motorcycles have been able to come up behind my car on the highway without me hearing them. These were not quiet bikes either: they were modded Harleys with big engines and straight pipes.

      With the direction of the exhaust pipes on bikes going straight behind them, nearly all their noise is projected back and to the sides, especially at highway speeds. Plus, when they're cruising or decelerating they put out much less noise than at wide-open throttle.

      Ergo, I still get the "Holy shit, where did he come from?" effect when they go by me, unless I first saw them in my mirrors. So I think the "safety" reasoning for the noise is erroneous.

    18. Re:0-60 in less than a second by Firethorn · · Score: 2, Informative

      I'd tend to say that you have more to worry about than electric cars. Most modern cars are far quieter today than they used to be. Engine noice is no longer significant.

      An electric car at high speed is still going to emit a fair amount of noise. Modern gasoline and even diesel engines are very quiet even at low speeds.

      For the motorcyclist's 'being noisy is safer', well, you still have to worry about deaf people, even half-deaf elderly who are running around in a relativly soundproofed car. With the radio turned up.

      --
      I don't read AC A human right
  3. some pictures by juventasone · · Score: 4, Informative

    While the slashdot effect kills the video, there's some pictures and comments at gizmodo

  4. More seriously, though by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As a professional stuntman, I can't stress enough how dangerous it is to perform these kinds of antics without appropriate training, preparation, and room.

    The fact that he hit a parked minivan tells me quite a bit about the kinds of stupid risks he was taking. He's lucky that he's the only one that got hurt.

    1. Re:More seriously, though by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Performing burnouts on a motorcycle is not difficult. There's a little something called a clutch that makes it pretty safe. In the video you can hear him (or someone) say 'it actually stuck on', which I assume means he couldn't cut the power to the wheel.

      In fact, the only stupid risk he took was not wearing a helmet. What sort of a dick rides a bike without a helmet? (Hint: 'a freedom loving dick' is not an acceptable answer.)

    2. Re:More seriously, though by FireFury03 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      There's a little something called a clutch that makes it pretty safe.

      I suspect, being electric, this wouldn't have a clutch.

      In fact, the only stupid risk he took was not wearing a helmet. What sort of a dick rides a bike without a helmet?

      To be fair, he was attempting a burnout - going over the handlebars at high speed isn't usually a big hazard when you're stationary with the back wheel spinning.

      --
      http://blog.nexusuk.org
    3. Re:More seriously, though by heinousjay · · Score: 4, Funny

      A dick who makes his own decisions and deals with the consequences.

      I'm aware that's a synonym for freedom loving.

      --
      Slashdot - where whining about luck is the new way to make the world you want.
    4. Re:More seriously, though by SmokeyTheBalrog · · Score: 2, Insightful

      There was wet patch, but he rolled off it when he made his first mistake.

    5. Re:More seriously, though by pyat · · Score: 4, Informative

      You can have slip within the electric motor, so it can behave like an electromagnetic clutch. This can be pretty handy:

      On diesel railway locomotives, they have a diesel engine that generates electricity, which is then used to power electric motors on the wheels. One reason for this arrangement is that using electric motors like this means you don't need a clutch and it's more compact than a fully mechanical transmission for such huge power would be.

    6. Re:More seriously, though by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      A dick who makes his own decisions and deals with the consequences.

      And who drives up insurance costs for the rest of the riders who do wear helmets.

    7. Re:More seriously, though by Lloyd_Bryant · · Score: 4, Insightful

      In fact, the only stupid risk he took was not wearing a helmet. What sort of a dick rides a bike without a helmet? (Hint: 'a freedom loving dick' is not an acceptable answer.) I take offense at your usage of the word "dick". To me, a "dick" is a person who, through malice, indifference, or stupidity, adversely affects someone else.

      So someone who permits a 10 year old to ride with him without a helmet is being a "dick". Someone who decides for himself not to wear one is at worst a "fool".

      --
      Don't tell me to get a life. I had one once. It sucked.
    8. Re:More seriously, though by mabinogi · · Score: 5, Funny

      I must say, I've never seen a slang nazi before.

      --
      Advanced users are users too!
    9. Re:More seriously, though by tgd · · Score: 4, Funny

      As a professional stuntman, Wow, that preface to a statement must be great for picking up women.

      And yes, I'm serious, not mocking.
    10. Re:More seriously, though by bradinthehouse · · Score: 2, Funny

      How about that! The first slashdot poster to have a chance at a woman...

    11. Re:More seriously, though by something_wicked_thi · · Score: 2, Funny

      Can we all just agree that he's a dick, and then everyone else can argue about why he's qualified later?

    12. Re:More seriously, though by LSD-OBS · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Internal combustion engines need a clutch for two major reasons.

      1. If you had direct gearing from the shaft to the wheel, the engine would need to be able to accelerate from 0 RPM. Combustion engines cannot turn at less than certain speeds while still maintaining ignition. In English this means you need a clutch to pull of from standing.

      2. Combustion engines have relatively low ceilings on maximum RPM. So you need to change gears to go faster. This is why manual drive cars have that third pedal - you have to disengage the drive in order to slot in the new gear.

      Electric motors are pretty much free of the above two limitations, so they require therefore only a throttle control.

      --
      Today's weirdness is tomorrow's reason why. -- Hunter S. Thompson
    13. Re:More seriously, though by rah1420 · · Score: 5, Funny

      What sort of a dick rides a bike without a helmet?

      They call that sort of dick "organ donor."

      --
      Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens.
    14. Re:More seriously, though by neiko · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I'm not in the insurance game, but I've heard myths that insurance rates are higher because of people who wear helmets. A $5,000 funeral is a hell of a lot cheaper than a $50,000 hospital bill from the same accident. Don't know how true that is...

    15. Re:More seriously, though by cayenne8 · · Score: 3, Informative
      "And who drives up insurance costs for the rest of the riders who do wear helmets"

      Complete myth. I can attest to this. We used to be free in Louisiana to choose to wear a helmet or not. New Gov. Blanco (aka Blank-Stare after katrina) repealed the law.

      We now have to wear helmets. However, the insurance rates for motorcycle riders (or even auto) did not go down one cent.

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    16. Re:More seriously, though by LSD-OBS · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Thanks, I forgot to specify the type of combustion engine. However Wankel/rotary style engines still only operate up to 2 or 3 times the RPM of a reciprocating piston engine, whereas an electric motor in the same context spins an order of magnitude faster quite easily.

      Point being, you *still* need gears using a rotary engine in a car, so both points still stand 100%.

      --
      Today's weirdness is tomorrow's reason why. -- Hunter S. Thompson
    17. Re:More seriously, though by lavaboy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      first rule of riding bikes: Dress for the crash, not the trip.

      --
      Steve -- If you have to call it a system, you don't know what it is.
    18. Re:More seriously, though by krbvroc1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You are missing the fundamental 'Law of Insurance and Gas prices'. Rising costs are quick to be passed on the consumer, but when costs go down, the savings are pocketed by the company as long as possible.

    19. Re:More seriously, though by HardCase · · Score: 3, Funny

      You're searching for dicks?

      Not that there's anything wrong with that...

    20. Re:More seriously, though by operagost · · Score: 2, Informative

      What sort of a dick rides a bike without a helmet?
      Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks.
      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  5. KillaCycle? by kooky45 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does what it says on the tin.

  6. Finally by sc0ob5 · · Score: 3, Funny

    A product that can actually live up to it's name.

    1. Re:Finally by Strawser · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah, it may be funny, but the very fact that this event occurred gives him media coverage. Probably unintended side effect, but well deserved! I, for one, had never heard of the Killacycle. This is seriously cool stuff !


      Plus, when looking for a crotchrocket bike, you want to be sure it's fast enough to kill you with little difficulty. Otherwise, it's no fun. I think he just uped his stock a few points. "Wow. That thing's bad-ass. You could die on that! . . . Where do I get one?"
      --
      The louder he talked of his honour, the faster we counted our spoons. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
  7. Idiot by infonick · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As a scientist, he should have known better than to not wear a helmet....

    --

    You are confusing me with someone who cares.
    1. Re:Idiot by mpe · · Score: 5, Funny

      As a scientist, he should have known better than to not wear a helmet....

      Calling the thing "KillaCycle" probably wasn't the smartest of ideas either. It sounds more like the title of a low budget horror movie...

    2. Re:Idiot by clickety6 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Balls... and heart where his mouth is and all that.

      Thankfully it wasn't that bad a crash ! :-)

      --
      ----------------------------------- My Other Sig Is Hilarious -----------------------------------
  8. Is it just me? by spazmonkey · · Score: 2, Funny

    Is it just me, or did everyone get the motorcycle clip from "PeeWee's Great Adventure" stuck in their heads upon reading that description?

  9. Just needed stiches by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    from the comments on the linked page:

    I wasn't wearing a helment, because we did not intend the bike to even move!

    We were spinning the tire in soapy water. The tire unexpectantly gripped, (water ran out?) and launched the bike. I couldn't get it shut down as quickly as I would have liked. I had to release the front brake to fully untwist the throttle. I then managed to slow it down to about 20 mph.

    The positive message here is that when we crunched the battery pack, NOTHING happened. No smoke. No flames. Not even sparks. Not only are these cells more powerful, they are are the safest possible for automobiles.

    Also, there was NO ONE in front of the bike or in the possible trajectory of the bike.

    Bill Dube

    1. Re:Just needed stiches by jd · · Score: 3, Funny

      No sparks? No flames? Dudew, you should have added some pyros to the bike, even if you never intended it to move, to give people something to photograph. Same reason early computers were dressed in lights. Sheesh, talk about a missed opporutinity.

      --
      It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
    2. Re:Just needed stiches by Woy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You can't both claim there was no one in the possible trajectory as a safety measure and wear no helmet. You either considered the bike could move or not.
      Cool bike, man!

      --
      "If God created us in his own image we have more than reciprocated." - Voltaire
    3. Re:Just needed stiches by Supergood-ape · · Score: 2, Interesting

      "I wasn't wearing a helment, because..."

      There's nothing you can say here that will justify not wearing a helmet.

      I recently put a new seat on my Ducati. I wanted to test it, but I was only taking to the end of my street and back. As I left the driveway, I hit an acorn (yes a fucking acorn) that had been smashed, lost the front, and went down. Low speed, no problems, but I banged my head pretty hard, hard enough to send me to the hospital.

      That is, if I had been dumb enough to listen to the inner voice that said "I don't need to wear a helmet because...". Luckily, I'm not that dumb and I did wear my helmet, so I got up and walked away.

    4. Re:Just needed stiches by ahoehn · · Score: 3, Informative

      The fact that you can run thie Lithium battery pack into the side of a car and have nothing happen to it is quite impressive.

      The Slashdot crowd is already familiar with exploding laptop batteries, and electric RC news groups are filled with horror stories of houses and cars burning down from LiPo batteries that "randomly" burst into flame. Just this weekend my brother-in-law and I flew our electric RC planes with LiPo packs in them. On the way back into the house, he dropped a battery pack on the sidewalk from about 3 feet in the air. It instantly started spewing smoke and flames, and kept going for about a minute. We were lucky that it was sitting on concrete.

      The moral of the story is, I wouldn't trust anything as volitile as the LiPo's that I use for RC sitting between my legs or in the trunk of my car. While the injury is unfortunate, the publicity of a safe LiPo might do good things for the KillaCycle.

      --
      Mod my comments down. It'll be fun.
  10. In other news by iamacat · · Score: 4, Funny

    The motorcyclist was using Sony cells and also suffered a bad burn to the groin.

  11. Free press? by Alystair · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is actually very good free press for them, hope he recovers quick. Media loves accidents.

  12. GLAYVIN! by Mad+Martigan · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's why Professor Frink's motorcycle flies through the air -- no cars to hit.

    -----

    Frink tests his new flying motorcycle.

    Frink: Hello, son. You want to try the flying motorcycle I just invented?
    Bart: No time.
    Frink: Okay.

    Later, Bart loses his skateboard in the wet cement.

    Bart: I could sure use that flying motorcycle now.

    Frink flies by.

    Frink: You had your chance. Whoa-hai.

    -----

    --
    ... turning to the 3-D map, we see an unmistakable con
  13. Quote of the Video by adamkennedy · · Score: 5, Funny

    "I'm normally the crew chief and the owner, I don't ride it."

    I was already going "oh dear..."

  14. Killa-Minivan by Nymz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It doesn't matter if it'a KillaCycle, motorcycle, bicycle, or even a small car, because none of them are safe as long as they share the road with vehicles that are relatively so much more massive. If we want to realistically promote more efficient modes of transportation, then we should work to make the current hostile enviroments into safer ones.

    Before you flame, I'm aware he wasn't wearing a helmet, was showing off with a burn out, was riding an prototype vehicle, and that the minivan was a parked. But instead of addressing the rare occurance this incident was, I wanted to address a common occurance, and provide a solution that we could actually take steps toward achieving.

    1. Re:Killa-Minivan by Omnifarious · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I agree pretty strongly with you on this. From what I've read massive vehicles aren't any safer for the people riding in them, and a lot more dangerous for everybody else. Not only that, but a lot of people who drive them drive them because they think they're safer, then drive like idiots because they think they can't get hurt. Also, many people who get them are just generally really insecure about their ability to drive which will make them bad drivers even if they don't feel invulnerable.

      --
      Need a Python, C++, Unix, Linux develop
    2. Re:Killa-Minivan by TheJodster · · Score: 5, Informative

      I don't know if you can make the roads safe for motorcycles of any kind, unfortunately. I was a long time rider and cycle enthusiast. I had lots of good safety gear, lights all over my bike, etc. I had taken safety courses with hands on crash avoidance scenarios. Last year an idiot woman in an SUV launched herself from a side road like she was on a suicide mission to get across the four lane divided highway where I was riding. She crushed my leg which they nearly had to amputate; broke my ribs which consequently punctured my lungs; ripped a hole in my small intestine; tore my abdominal wall to the point where I now have a piece of kevlar mesh holding my organs in on the right side. It's been a year and a half and I almost walk normally now. I was wearing a full face helmet that hit the ground repeatedly as I flew through the median.

      I got a twelve day stay in an ICU, four major surguries, four months in the hospital, a year of rehab, more than a half million US dollars in medical bills, and pain that I would never wish on anyone. She got a ticket for failure to yield right of way and a new SUV.

      If you want to ride a bike on the highways in the U.S. beware that the consequences of the bad judgement of the drooling idiots you share the road with is extremely high. The helmet will ensure that you remain concious throughout the ordeal... if you are lucky... and if you aren't, at least your wife, kids, parents, or whatever will be able to have an open casket funeral.

      --
      A little misunderstanding? Galileo and the Pope had a little misunderstanding...
    3. Re:Killa-Minivan by TheJodster · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Lawsuits are only effective when the knuckle head behind the steering wheel has money. This woman had a minimum wage job and lived in a rented trailer house. She had the minimum insurance required in Texas which is $20,000 of bodily injury. Technically, most health insurance policies stipulate that they get reimbursed before you do. If she breaks your arm and you get an ambulance ride to an ER for a cast, I'll guarantee you that you will likely exceed that money. Hell, I probably exceeded her $20K in the first hour.

      I could sue her. I would win the case within an hour. My wife took photos of all the metal hardware they bolted onto my leg from the outside, the chest tubes, all of the machines breathing for me and all that other crap. The problem is that it would cost me at least $3000 or $4000 and all I would have at the end of the day is a judgement that she will never pay. I got a lawyer and am trying to get what little there is from the auto insurance policy. My lawyer just did a case for some kid who was out drinking and got hit on his bike later that night. The kid got several hundred thousand dollars. It all depends on who hits you. Murphy's law says that it will usually be some slobbering idiot with a busted up car and little or no insurance as was my case.

      I really didn't have time to dwell on that, though. I was focused on getting out of a wheel chair and onto a walker. Then getting off the walker onto two canes. I finally got down to one cane and thankfully don't have to use it anymore either.

      Whoever said that I was lucky above was absolutely right. I had all of these bad ass doctors coming in from the level 1 trauma center to check out all of the handy work. One of the motorcycle victim reconstruction surgeons told me that he had never seen a human being hit that hard and live to tell about it. When a motocyclist gets hit like that, the only way to see the bodily injury is to take a trip to the morgue. They couldn't figure out how my brain didn't get scrambled. I told them I was crazy to start with so there is no empirical way to discern further damage.

      I'm not riding any more. She screwed up my knee bad enough that I probably can't. Besides, who the hell wants to lay in a hospital bed for months on end taking morphine and vicodin to get through the day? If I never see an IV needle, or a 20 inch incision with staples all over it ever again, I'll be a happy guy! I'll seek my thrills elsewhere.

      --
      A little misunderstanding? Galileo and the Pope had a little misunderstanding...
  15. Other Videos by gbickford · · Score: 5, Informative
    Here is a mirror of video of the crash: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2984983237984172859.

    There are a lot of videos of the thing in action at http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=KillaCycle. The thing is clearly not a scooter

    It's really a bummer that he decided not to wear a helmet.

    1. Re:Other Videos by neochubbz · · Score: 2, Informative

      FYI, the crash starts at about 3:00 into the video.

      --
      Charming man. I wish I had a daughter so I could forbid her to marry one. -Arthur Dent
  16. Electric has grown up. by Futselaar · · Score: 5, Funny

    For a while, we have had electric cars and motorcycles that could go fast and reasonably far. Being able to crash them stupidly was probably the final thing needed to make them a success. And now that electric bikes have grown up to this level, linux on the desktop cannot be far off, can it?

  17. hmm. by apodyopsis · · Score: 2, Interesting

    sure as hell emphasizes the difference between an inventor, scientist and engineer...

    ..and a professional stunt man who will ensure adequate clearance zones, safety margins, appropriate safety gear and at least apply a basic safety audit before carrying out a start stop on such a potentially powerful bike.

    I'm still waiting for my live action Akira bike
    http://www.burningart.com/meico/moto/akira/
    http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fplusd.itmedia.co.jp%2Flifestyle%2Farticles%2F0404%2F02%2Fnews040.html&langpair=ja%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF8
    http://negatendo.net/kmc/en_neo_fukuoka.htm
    ..that would be my number one fantasy vehicle from a movie. (or maybe a land speeder :-).

    And the eye candy who was hired to sit on the bike was quite nice. Sorry that's amazingly un-PC of me and I apologize. :-(

  18. May I be the first to..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    offer words of encouragement to our latest Darwin hopeful. There's always next year. If electric motors can't get the job done think...rocket engine.

  19. Best wishes, but come on buddy, common sense by fantomas · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Best wishes, I hope you get better soon.

    But come on buddy, a little common sense, and remember you're a role model. *You* might have known what you're doing but lots of idiot teenagers would have been watching the footage of you doing this gig and other ones similar to it. They might take home the message that it's ok not to wear helmet and body armour. The fact that something did go wrong showed that you weren't completely in control.

    Please, even if you're happy taking those risks, wear a helmet and body protection. You wouldn't use DIY power tools at home without safety gear so why take risks with your superbike? You seem like a nice guy, stick around for a bit longer so you can pick up your Darwin award and don't encourage idiot teenagers (or adults) to think its ok to do burns on stationary bikes without protection. You've just proved that it's not safe...

    1. Re:Best wishes, but come on buddy, common sense by Dr.+Cody · · Score: 4, Funny

      But come on buddy, a little common sense, and remember you're a role model. *You* might have known what you're doing but lots of idiot teenagers would have been watching the footage of you doing this gig and other ones similar to it. They might take home the message that it's ok not to wear helmet and body armour. The fact that something did go wrong showed that you weren't completely in control.

      Won't somebody PLEASE think of the CHILDREN!!!???

    2. Re:Best wishes, but come on buddy, common sense by Logic+and+Reason · · Score: 2, Informative

      The Anonymous Coward you responded to is NOT Bill Dube; he just quoted the man's comments. I'm pretty sure Bill Dube is not going to see your comments here.

      And your comment about being a "role model" is inane. Are you saying no one should take any risks because stupid people might copy them? Berate the man for endangering his own safety if you wish, but get off your high horse.

  20. Without a helmet!!! by hummassa · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Nothing else should be said. I loved this thing, but I wouldn't get _near_ a bike that makes 0-60 in less then a second without a reinforced helmet and heavily padded/armored clothes.

    --
    It's better to be the foot on the boot than the face on the pavement. ~~ tkx Kadin2048
  21. Wow, a "Drag" bike crashes on "TGVideo"... by StressGuy · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can't believe that got by my works proxy-server.

    --
    A goal is a dream with a deadline
  22. Killacycle by PadRacerExtreme · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Worse....
    Name.....
    Ever!

    --
    Just remember - if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.
  23. No helmet? by beavis88 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Seriously, this guy is smart enough to design and build this bike in his spare time, but not to buy a fucking helmet??

  24. Re:Dumbass by HikingStick · · Score: 2, Insightful

    And you probably would have ridiculed Benjamin Franklin had he received an enormous electric shock while experimenting with electricity.

    Most real innovations in the course of this (U.S.A.) country's history have been made by amateurs and hobbyists. Such "citizen scientists" have had a tremendous impact on most areas of science and industry and have only been supplanted (in their rate of discovery) in the past few decades by corporations and research labs associated with educational institutions. Instead of deriding the man for his lack of skill as a motorcyclist, why not laud his achievement in mechanical and electrical engineering?

    Had the Wright brothers and other pioneers of early flight listened to the detractors who called them foolish or unwise, modern flight may yet be a pipe dream. Had Dean Kamen left innovation to the "experts" when his uncle struggled to manage his insulin intake, he would not have invented the automatic insulin infusion pump while he (Kamen) was yet a teen.

    Since you're ridiculing this inventor, what are you doing to advance the science he promotes? What are you doing to extend battery life, create a more powerful electric motor, or develop more energy-efficient vehicles? There's an old saying that fits here [imo--and it goes for all the naysayers out there on all the threads]:

    PUT UP, OR SHUT UP!

    --
    I use irony whenever I can, but my shirts are still wrinkled...
  25. Re:Dumbass by MalleusEBHC · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Don't try to play this off as an inventor nobly accepting risk and forging onwards in the name of progress. This is about someone trying to show off and nearly killing himself because he was too stupid to factor in all sorts of safety concerns. Yes, this man has proven himself to be an excellent engineer, but that does not absolve him from acting like a total moron while riding his invention. Riding any bike without a helmet is plain stupid. Attempting to do a burnout on a powerful drag bike without a full-face helmet, leathers, and room for runoff is completely retarded. (Squid!) Besides, what the hell does doing a burnout prove? I could do a burnout on bikes that can barely do the 1/4 mile in twice the time of that electric bike. The power required is actually pretty minimal.

    When talking about his riding, this guy is no better than some asshole doing a stand-up wheelie in the middle of traffic on the freeway. Praise him for his engineering skills, but at the same time condemn him for his utter lack of riding skills and common sense.

  26. Re:Dumbass by initdeep · · Score: 2, Insightful

    exactly. As a motorcyclist for nearly 20 years, and someone who has to put up with all of the misinformation and idiocy of the uninformed "cager" crowd, this is not somthing that most in this community will appreciate at all. I'm pretty sure that were it someone doing something similar to prove the power of the latest "ninja" bike, and they had the same result, the tone taken by the media would be quite different. The ability to build and engineer this prototype vehicle is very impressive. The inability to act in a professional manner while displaying said vehicle to a crowd and ensure that any possible accidents could not result in damage to anything other than said vehicle is moronic at best, and criminal at worst.

  27. Key Phrase... by weinrich · · Score: 2, Informative

    Key Phrase from the video: "...I'm usually the crew chief, not the driver..."

    --
    Error: .sig not found, using /etc/passwd instead