VFR1200 Tourer: The World's safest bike?

[Jonathan in Hiram]

http://www.gizmag.com/vfr1200-tourer-worlds-safest-bike/13201/


I had one of the original VF700 Interceptors many years ago, it was a great bike.

To me it's fascinating that Honda is designing a motorcycle to help keep the rider as safe as possible.

Unusual styling isn't just for show – it's there to keep you alive The oddball styling of Honda's forthcoming VFR1200T tourer isn't just the result of a designer's whim; the shape is designed to radically reduce rider injuries in the most common sorts of accidents. The appearance of the touring version of Honda's fourthcoming V4 has already been revealed in design patents which copyright the bike's styling, but for the first time we've managed to dig beneath the skin and discover that the looks aren't simply there to catch buyers' eyes. In fact, they've been dictated by the technology underneath.

The most attention-grabbing element of the new machine's appearance is the elongated "chin" beneath the headlights – a design cue that harks back to Honda's X-Wing concept bike of 1999, and one that was originally believed to be created for aerodynamic reasons. But the true reason for its existence is that it's the first ever car-style crumple-zone to be incorporated into a motorcycle.

(snip)

When a conventional bike's front wheel hits an object like the side of a car, the bike's natural tendency is to pitch forwards, as it's center of gravity is higher than the impact point. As a result, the rider is thrown forward. If you get lucky, you'll be pitched over the car, but all too often that means the rider hits upper part of the car almost as soon as the impact occurs, with very little of his momentum being absorbed by the bike.

Honda's solution means that when it hits an object like a car, the bike won't pitch forward; the new upper crash structure acting as a brace to keep the bike level with the rear wheel on the ground. So instead of being thrown upwards, the rider will continue traveling straight forward. On a normal bike, that would simply mean you'll go straight into the fuel tank and bars, a prospect that's no more attractive than being thrown over the top of them. But that's where Honda's next safety innovation – in the form of the company's second-generation motorcycle airbag system – comes into its own.

More at the link..