‘ E’ BRIEFS
It is reported that Bosch has invented a“ carbon neutral” synthetic hydrocarbon based fuel. It is likely to be some time before the chemistry involved proves to be scalable or for production of sufficient quantities to be commercially viable, but should it prove to be so, it could take the transport emissions debate in an additional new direction.
Microsoft is reported to have teamed up with fellow American company Baidu Inc. to take the technical development and adoption of autonomous driving worldwide. As a member of the socalled“ Apollo Alliance”, Microsoft will provide global scale for Apollo( outside of China) with the Microsoft Azure cloud. The plan sees the data captured by vehicles combined with Microsoft’ s“ AI, machine learning and deep neural network capabilities to accelerate the work already being done to make autonomous vehicles safer”.
Founded earlier this year, Salt Lake City, Utah, hybrid truck manufacturer Nikola Motors’ powersports division has unveiled designs and specifications for the Nikola Zero UTV – an all-electric, 400- volt plug-in, off-road and, potentially, street legal fourwheeler. Production is presently forecast to commence in January 2018 and starting at $ 35,000, there will be two performance options – 415hp and 3,675 ft. lbs of torque and 555hp with 4,900 ft. lbs torque – and 75kwh, 100kwh and 125kwh battery options. The larger of the three is said to deliver 200 miles range in 4x4 off-road mode. Speeds of up to 0-60 in 3.9 seconds with four passengers inside are being quoted.
The United States has another new multi-line motorcycle manufacturer with San Francisco based Alta Redshift SM, having put its Supermoto E-Bike into production alongside the Redshift MX it started to produce two years ago. Earlier this year Alta secured a $ 27m funding round; the new model will be up against KTM’ s Freeride E-XC, which has just recently started shipping to U. S. dealers.
Bigger Barber
The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and Barber Motorsports Park at Birmingham, Alabama, has made major facility improvements. An additional 85,000 sq ft of space has been added to the Barber Museum, making it more than a quarter of a million sq ft in total – said to be the largest motorcycle museum in the world, housing the largest collection of motorcycles in the world( over 1,400 and counting), the museum drew 270,000 visitors last year. Two new pedestrian bridges give access to the infield areas within the 16-turn, 2.38 mile, 45-foot wide race track, and a newly constructed Barber Proving Grounds complex includes a multi-configurable track, classrooms, wet / dry skid pad, obstacle course and 50-acre off-road course. With its creative architecture and great attention to detail, the museum showcases over 100 years of motorcycle production. More than 650 bikes can be seen on any given day, and 200 different manufacturers from 20 countries are represented in the collection— from Harley-Davidson, Honda and Indian to Showa, DSK and Cagiva. The motorcycle collection started with the first acquisitions in 1988 and includes around 100 Harleys, with 99 percent of all the bikes in the collection said to be able to run within an hour of prep; the only machines that do not run are the wood and unattainable replicas.
The 2.38 mile, 45-foot wide road racing track
Credit: Mark Bondarenko
The 880-acre Barber Motorsports Park, housing the 2,300 sq ft Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
Efforts are made to restore each machine to its original specifications. Some machines bear period modifications –“ with the diversity of the collection, some inconsistencies are inevitable, yet we continuously add to our research library and discover and correct inconsistencies. At any one time, more than 600 motorcycles are on display in the museum –“ we have many bikes in storage, and museum guests can view
Proving Grounds track with wet skid pad and classroom overlooking the track
Facilities include 25,000 sq ft of meeting space and a 74-seat multimedia theatre
this area of the collection during large events and when purchasing a Premium Museum Tour, which includes the Restoration Level.“ There have been over 2,500 bike manufacturers around the world since 1900. We have purchased from as far away as Australia, New Zealand and Sweden, and we have 216 different manufacturers represented from 20 different countries.“ The vision for the museum began as a car collection and then took on the role of motorcycle collection. But cars were never forgotten. The museum has focused primarily on Lotus race cars, although other cars are exhibited.” The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum is a 501( c) 3 non-profit, with proceeds going to local and national charities, to generate positive publicity for the region and to attract visitors to Birmingham, Alabama, from across the country and around the world.
www. barbermuseum. org
16 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER- NOVEMBER 2017 www. AMDchampionship. com