Power Steering for your bike?

[Skywagon]

Yamaha developing power steering for motorcycles - Adventure Rider (advrider.com)

[dirtrider]

34 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

Yamaha developing power steering for motorcycles - Adventure Rider (advrider.com)

Afternoon David

 

Now THAT seems like a waste of  engineering time. It's not like you turn the bars very far to ride & parallel parking is probably not something most do. 

 

To me that adds more unneeded weight up high than it solves any steering concerns.

 

Now, maybe on a motorcycle with a V-8 engine and a snowplow hanging off the front it might be a good option.  

 

Just getting decent feedback feel with electric steering is difficult at best.

 

Possibly it is just a foot into the electric motorcycle steering systems that will be needed for hands-free cruise control, lane assist, or for fully autonomous motorcycles.  

 

BMW tried "power brakes" & we all know where that one went!

[Skywagon]

I was hoping you would weigh in.  They seemed to think this would be good for dirt.  I can't imagine.  Steering dampner maybe, but way over kill for even a dampner.  Maybe it is early beta for hands free steering.  Lord knows you can't take your hands off of my RT very long.

[dirtrider]

9 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

I was hoping you would weigh in.  They seemed to think this would be good for dirt.  I can't imagine.  Steering dampner maybe, but way over kill for even a dampner.  Maybe it is early beta for hands free steering.  Lord knows you can't take your hands off of my RT very long.

Afternoon David 

 

Dirt eh? They might be right, on a motorcycle with hydrostatic 2 wheel drive and a front end loader it just might help.

 

For me in the dirt, I typically want to remove weight from the front, not add it. 

[TEWKS]

Yamaha seems to spend a lot of time and money on developing things we don’t really need, or want. How bouts, getting that Tenere 700 into dealerships to at least look at…
 

i.e. (actually I kinda like this)

You would think this might already have PS. 

[JamesW]

Simplicity has gone out the window be it autos or MCs.  For proof just look at the new BMWs.  Gadgets and gimmicks and gimmicks and gadgets.  Stuff like digital readout speedometers that many people view as a technological advancement are a good quick example.  In reality they are just cheaper to manufacture and don't result in a cost savings for the consumer.  To that you can add smart cruise and crap like lane drift warning and the list goes on and on.  Power steering on a motorcycle??  They would have to pay me big time to ride junk like that and even then I'd have to think about it. Grrrrrrr.....

 

Give me a '56 Ford Crown Vic with a continental kit any day. Oh, and throw in a thunderbird V8 for good measure.  Now that's class.

 

 

[dirtrider]

2 hours ago, JamesW said:

 

Give me a '56 Ford Crown Vic with a continental kit any day. Oh, and throw in a thunderbird V8 for good measure.  Now that's class.

 

 

Afternoon James

 

Some progress is good.

 

Give me a '56 Ford Crown Vic-- Are you SURE you would like to go back to vacuum windshield wipers, 6 volt headlights, nylon or rayon non-radial tires, drum brakes, oil dripping road draft tube, 10,000 mile tune ups, 20+ fittings to grease, am radio, manual windows, manual door locks that needed EACH door locked individually, no A/C, no seat belts, etc? 

 

 

[Cap]

A friend let me ride his Kawasaki Concours 14.  I came away thinking that it handled like a freight train.  Maybe it could benefit from power steering?

[Hosstage]

42 minutes ago, Cap said:

A friend let me ride his Kawasaki Concours 14.  I came away thinking that it handled like a freight train.  Maybe it could benefit from power steering?

It could benefit from proper rake and trail dimensions more than likely.

[JamesW]

5 hours ago, dirtrider said:

Afternoon James

 

Some progress is good.

 

Give me a '56 Ford Crown Vic-- Are you SURE you would like to go back to vacuum windshield wipers, 6 volt headlights, nylon or rayon non-radial tires, drum brakes, oil dripping road draft tube, 10,000 mile tune ups, 20+ fittings to grease, am radio, manual windows, manual door locks that needed EACH door locked individually, no A/C, no seat belts, etc? 

 

 

 

Hi D.R., Agreed, some progress is good.  The reason I like the '56 Crown Vic is because '56 was the year Ford went from 6V to 12V ignition systems and yup...tires and all else you mentioned are for sure worthy improvements.  What I refer to is all the whistle and bell gizmo gadgetry found on vehicles of today that passes for improvements that so many mindless social media geniuses think they just can't live without.  Nonsense, just pure nonsense!

 

Got my second booster today.  Might have effected my mental faculties.  What few I have left.

[Calugo]

I really think a lot of the tech incorporated in motorcycles today is very beneficial and makes riding safer but at a cost in weight and price but if traction control or another safety device saves you from going down then the extra weight and cost are worth it. I absolutely love the TFT display, easy to read for my aging eyes and provides a wealth of easily accessible information at the push of a button or twist of the wonder wheel. Will power steering on a bike be beneficial to riding....who knows and only time will tell if it's a worthwhile pursuit or an exercise in futility. 

 

With that said despite the fact manufacturers are packing bikes with all the latest and greatest technology many also produce bare bones bikes for those that don't care for or need all the safety features you find in tech laden bikes. BMW has the R9T, all of Royal Enfield bikes are low tech, all the Japanese brands produce retro style bikes with a minimum of tech and then there's Triumph that has some nice low tech retro bikes so there's something for everyone who rides.

[JamesW]

Hello Calugo, You want safety?  Sell your bike(s) and drive your car then look how much more safe you will be.  Complexity for the sake of complexity?? You can have my share.

[Calugo]

Hey JamesW, I just added a second motorcycle to my stable so I won't be selling either of my bikes anytime soon. There's a certain amount of risk associated with riding motorcycles and technology helps to reduce and mitigate some of those risks which makes riding safer and more enjoyable. Who can't see that ABS, leaning ABS, traction control, shift assist, and other electronic safety features make riding safer but for those riders that frown upon the amount of technology incorporated in today's motorcycles you can opt to purchase bikes with a minimum amount of technology. Today is the golden age of motorcycles, you can buy a bike with all the best electronic wizardry available or you can buy a bike with little to no electronics, just buy whatever fits your riding style. From my experience I've found that today's motorcycles are complex but it's not just for the sake of complexity because the technology either makes the bike safer to ride and while some features aren't safety related they do add a bit more convenience to the riding experience.

[RPG]

On 4/4/2022 at 11:05 AM, JamesW said:

Simplicity has gone out the window be it autos or MCs.  For proof just look at the new BMWs.  Gadgets and gimmicks and gimmicks and gadgets.  Stuff like digital readout speedometers that many people view as a technological advancement are a good quick example.  In reality they are just cheaper to manufacture and don't result in a cost savings for the consumer.  To that you can add smart cruise and crap like lane drift warning and the list goes on and on.  Power steering on a motorcycle??  They would have to pay me big time to ride junk like that and even then I'd have to think about it. Grrrrrrr.....

 

Give me a '56 Ford Crown Vic with a continental kit any day. Oh, and throw in a thunderbird V8 for good measure.  Now that's class.

 

 

I actually think the new TFT displays look pretty good on the new BMW's.  I still love analog gauges, but I think they did a nice job on those.

 

 

[John Ranalletta]

On 4/4/2022 at 7:34 AM, TEWKS said:

Yamaha seems to spend a lot of time and money on developing things we don’t really need, or want. How bouts, getting that Tenere 700 into dealerships to at least look at…
 

i.e. (actually I kinda like this)

You would think this might already have PS. 

 

 

When buying my first BMW, a '97 RT, the GTS was the "other" bike I was considering, but the seller and I couldn't make a deal.  Good for me, huh? Sometimes, things just work out for the better.

 

[fourteenfour]

1 hour ago, RPG said:

I actually think the new TFT displays look pretty good on the new BMW's.  I still love analog gauges, but I think they did a nice job on those.

 

 

 

If BMW motorcycles supported Apple Carplay and Android Auto I would agree more. As it stands now all that riders have is the crappy BMW app

[Hosstage]

5 minutes ago, fourteenfour said:

 

If BMW motorcycles supported Apple Carplay and Android Auto I would agree more. As it stands now all that riders have is the crappy BMW app

... Said in a thread discussing the added complexity of systems on motorcycles....

[fourteenfour]

21 hours ago, Hosstage said:

... Said in a thread discussing the added complexity of systems on motorcycles....

 

Still stands, the issue is that BMW is that complexity is reduced by supporting Apple or Android solutions as many drivers and even some riders expect any vehicle with a large display to support this software. This in turn reduces the learning curve of using the vehicle as you wish.  Instead BMW created their own app and the mess that comes with it.  Harley, Honda, and Indian, all support Apple Car Play and BMW cars support it as well.

 

 

[JamesW]

Hi John,

In reference to your "kinda like" of the new Yamaha I kinda like it also.  Looks like it has a belt drive.  Now if it comes with or without the power steering I would really like it, I think...maybe.  I kinda like my FJR but I've never been able to quite get the ergonomics right for me.  Ergonomics is really about the only thing left I like about BMW especially my R1100RSL.  

 

Then we have these new Beemers with, of all things, a computer screen right smack in your face %$#@^&!!  Talk about bad ergonomics.