Fuel-Cell Bike Lacks A Certain Something

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-03-17 11:04pm

Revolutionary bike 'too quiet'

The world's first purpose-built hydrogen-powered bike could be fitted with an artificial "vroom" because of worries its silence might be dangerous.

A prototype of the motorbike, which could cost more than $8,300 (£4,500), was unveiled in London on Tuesday.

The problem with the "fuel cell" bike, which produces no polluting emissions, is that it is too quiet.

But anti-noise campaigners said they welcomed the prospect of a motorbike without the usual excruciating roar.

For their part, manufacturers said the fake engine noise device, which could be switched off, would help alert road users.

The motorbike, known as an Emissions Neutral Vehicle (ENV), has a top speed of 50mph (80km/h), a range of at least 100 miles (160km) and can run continuously for four hours before the fuel cell needs recharging.

Its water-vapour emissions are so clean that they are drinkable, according to its designers.

Mobile energy source

But with a noise emission equivalent to an everyday home computer, motorcycle enthusiasts thought the "exhilaration" factor was missing.

"They can add all the noise they want, it will still lack the va-va-voom serious motorcyclists look for," Jeff Stone of the British Motorcyclists Federation told the BBC.

Concerns were raised that the motorcycle was too silent and might not be noticed by other traffic and pedestrians.

Harry Bradbury, chief executive of the bike's British manufacturers Intelligent Energy, said: "What we are doing is introducing flexibility into it, so that you can have ambient noise that is tolerable - low-level noise sufficient for safety reasons - but which can be switched off when desired."

Peter Wakeham, director of the Noise Abatement Society, who said motorbikes were among the worst noise offenders, welcomed the idea of a quiet bike.

"But it kind of defeats the purpose of designing a silent bike only to then add an artificial noise device," he said.

Dr Bradbury said the bike's detachable briefcase-size cell filled with high pressure hydrogen, or "core", could eventually be used as a mobile energy source, with the same cell used to power different objects.

He said the prospect of producing mobile hydrogen energy from a variety of sources, including crops such as soya or sugar cane, could benefit remote communities or developing countries, where large electric grids were not economically viable.

If it had a better range and top speed, I'd not mind having one. But I'd still rather go for a fuel-cell car, hopefully the bio-battery models are being perfected now and able to run off ethanol rather than troublesome hydrogen.

Zor · Post by **Zor** » 2005-03-18 12:58am

There will most likely be a "Vroomer" Option for them.

Zor

Lone_Prodigy · Post by **Lone_Prodigy** » 2005-03-18 01:14am

Buy one of these, a good baclava and some dark clothes, and you have the perfect prankmobile. Silent and deadly.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2005-03-18 02:13am

Zor wrote:There will most likely be a "Vroomer" Option for them.

Which... is what the article states.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2005-03-18 02:28am

"Safety" and "motorcycles" are not exactly two terms that are normally associated, and to be honest, I don't hear motorbikes in highway traffic anyway. I don't see how a silent motorbike is significantly more dangerous than a normal one; on the highway, I only hear a motorbike if it's accelerating full-throttle, and I don't even listen to the radio on high volume.

Like it or not, silent motorbike owners are going to have to assume that car drivers don't notice them, just as the smart ones do already. Any motorbike owner who drives with the assumption that car drivers hear and notice his presence is an idiot.

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2005-03-18 03:44am

Yuck, thats all I can think of, now I must go hug an ICE.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-03-18 04:12am

Having your headlights on all the time is usually a better idea since sound really isn't that bad most the time.

SPOOFE · Post by **SPOOFE** » 2005-03-18 04:13am

on the highway, I only hear a motorbike if it's accelerating full-throttle

Not many Harleys in Canada?

Dark Primus · Post by **Dark Primus** » 2005-03-18 05:13am

I could imagine to actually buy one of those things, but I think I wait till the prices goes down a little (hopefully).

WyrdNyrd · Post by **WyrdNyrd** » 2005-03-18 05:57am

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Having your headlights on all the time is usually a better idea since sound really isn't that bad most the time.

Headlights on for bikes is a legal requirement here in South Africa. As is wearing helmets (which I believe is still optional in some/most US states). And not using a cellphone while driving.

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2005-03-18 07:02am

Darth Wong wrote:"Safety" and "motorcycles" are not exactly two terms that are normally associated, and to be honest, I don't hear motorbikes in highway traffic anyway. I don't see how a silent motorbike is significantly more dangerous than a normal one; on the highway, I only hear a motorbike if it's accelerating full-throttle, and I don't even listen to the radio on high volume.

Like it or not, silent motorbike owners are going to have to assume that car drivers don't notice them, just as the smart ones do already. Any motorbike owner who drives with the assumption that car drivers hear and notice his presence is an idiot.

I think the bigger concern is pedestrians...they tend to be able to hear approaching motor vehicles after all.

Melchior · Post by **Melchior** » 2005-03-18 07:59am

AFAIK, around here electric veichles already have a speaker that makes a "bip" every second for the safety of pedestrians.

Queeb Salaron · Post by **Queeb Salaron** » 2005-03-18 10:04am

Okay... this might be me being stupid... But if the thing comes with a horn, why do you need it to make noise?

aerius · Post by **aerius** » 2005-03-18 11:46am

Keevan_Colton wrote:I think the bigger concern is pedestrians...they tend to be able to hear approaching motor vehicles after all.

Just put a horn or bell on it like with bicycles.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2005-03-18 04:31pm

SPOOFE wrote:
on the highway, I only hear a motorbike if it's accelerating full-throttle
Not many Harleys in Canada?

Japanese bikes seem to be more common, perhaps because of the outlandish cost of Harleys. But even a Harley isn't so loud that it makes you take notice on a crowded highway; drivers primarily take their cues from visuals, especially if they're listening to the radio.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-03-18 04:39pm

Darth Wong wrote:
SPOOFE wrote:
on the highway, I only hear a motorbike if it's accelerating full-throttle
Not many Harleys in Canada?
Japanese bikes seem to be more common, perhaps because of the outlandish cost of Harleys. But even a Harley isn't so loud that it makes you take notice on a crowded highway; drivers primarily take their cues from visuals, especially if they're listening to the radio.

Your noise ordinances may also be different. Because I can definitely testify to being able to hear ear-rattler Harleys coming from literally over half a mile away while in the midst of the Sunday rush running back from Vegas to LA. Those fuckers are LOUD and distinctive, and a real bitch if you've got somebody trying to sleep in the bunk behind you, because they go ripping down that road all Sunday long, pulling their lanesplitter bullshit.

Darth Servo · Post by **Darth Servo** » 2005-03-18 04:52pm

I STILL say the "medical term" for motorcycles is most appropriate--donorcycles.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2005-03-20 01:55am

Darth Wong wrote:"Safety" and "motorcycles" are not exactly two terms that are normally associated, and to be honest, I don't hear motorbikes in highway traffic anyway. I don't see how a silent motorbike is significantly more dangerous than a normal one; on the highway, I only hear a motorbike if it's accelerating full-throttle, and I don't even listen to the radio on high volume.

Like it or not, silent motorbike owners are going to have to assume that car drivers don't notice them, just as the smart ones do already. Any motorbike owner who drives with the assumption that car drivers hear and notice his presence is an idiot.

We notice them, but only when they travel in large packs....

then we hope they don't decied they want our Signifigant others, beer, or other things....

mind you that might be interesting, Hydrogen powered Angels.....

Arrow · Post by **Arrow** » 2005-03-21 12:04pm

The Yosemite Bear wrote: We notice them, but only when they travel in large packs....

then we hope they don't decied they want our Signifigant others, beer, or other things....

mind you that might be interesting, Hydrogen powered Angels.....

Yeah. Then they can steal your signifigant other and beer when your not looking!

Jawawithagun · Post by **Jawawithagun** » 2005-03-21 01:13pm

Queeb Salaron wrote:Okay... this might be me being stupid... But if the thing comes with a horn, why do you need it to make noise?

Because you have to actively sound your horn to warn someone, you don't always see the pedestrians requiring the warning engine noise and it is not the function of a horn to constantly announce you're coming through.

Quadlok · Post by **Quadlok** » 2005-03-21 02:13pm

Tell me someone else is reminded of that episode of Bsbylon 5 where Lenir puts that wierd crystal powersource in Garibaldi's Kawasaki Ninja. Someone must remember that.

As to the bike itself: its too slow to be a real motorcycle and too expensive to be a scooter.

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » 2005-03-21 02:16pm

Saw a couple stories on this thing on the BBC in London last week.

What it lacks is .... emissions.

Basically it seems like a hell of a lot more practical personal transportation than the Segway ... except for the lack of hydrogen refilling stations.

But give me a solar-powered hydrogen cracking plant at my house that only needs water, and I'm off the Arab grid .... someday, someday.