All posts tagged: motorcycle

VinFast installing 150,000 electric motorcycle battery swap stations

VinFast installing 150,000 electric motorcycle battery swap stations

Published by skeptic

VinFast is making a bold push to electrify two-wheeled transport in Vietnam, with plans for a nationwide expansion of its electric scooter lineup alongside an ambitious battery swapping network that could reshape how riders think about charging. The Vietnamese automaker has already announced its plans to deploy up to 150,000 battery swapping stations across all provinces in the country, creating one of the largest such networks in the world. The rollout is currently underway, with thousands of stations already installed in major metropolitan areas like Ho Chi Minh City. That’s a staggering scale – potentially far denser than traditional gas station networks – and it highlights VinFast’s strategy of eliminating one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption: charging time. Alongside the infrastructure push, VinFast introduced new versions of its electric scooters designed specifically for battery swapping. These models use dual removable battery packs, each with a capacity of 1.5 kWh, offering up to around 85 km (53 miles) of range per battery under standard conditions. Advertisement – scroll for more content Instead of owning …

Music world rocked as country star Ronnie Bowman, 64, dies following horror motorcycle accident

Music world rocked as country star Ronnie Bowman, 64, dies following horror motorcycle accident

Published by Daniella Wilson

Bluegrass legend and country singer Ronnie Bowman passed away on March 22, aged 64, following a horrific motorcycle crash in Ashland City. The “Matterhorn” singer died from his injuries in Vanderbilt Hospital in Tennessee a day after the crash, and is survived by his wife, Garnet, and his daughter, Chassidy. “Ronnie was beloved by so many in our music community, whom he loved so dearly…and we are beyond grateful for all of the love & outpouring toward us already,” read a statement from the musician’s family. “Right now, as we process, we just covet your prayers. We have no words at this time, but thank you and graciously request that you honor our privacy while we try to put our heads around this and grieve.” © Getty Images for BMIRonnie passed away on March 22 in Nashville The North Carolina native, born William Franklin Bowman, rose to fame in the ’90s as a member of the Lonesome River Band, and also gained recognition for his solo work and songwriting skills. He won several International Bluegrass …

Ronnie Bowman death: Bluegrass music legend dies in motorcycle crash aged 64

Ronnie Bowman death: Bluegrass music legend dies in motorcycle crash aged 64

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the inside track from Roisin O’Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Ronnie Bowman, a country music and bluegrass legend, has died. He was 64. Bowman was hurt in a motorcycle crash Saturday in Ashland City, Tennessee. He died from his injuries at the hospital Sunday afternoon, according to Bluegrass Today. He is survived by his wife, singer Garnet Imes Bowman, and their daughter Chassidy Bowman. The songwriter’s manager did not immediately return The Independent’s request for comment. Bowman’s career spanned 45 years, starting when he joined bluegrass band The Los and Found in 1987. Bluegrass legend Ronnie Bowman, pictured with his wife Garnet, has died at age 64 (Getty Images) He earned acclaim performing as a member of the Lonesome River Band from 1990 through 2021, and was well known for his six solo albums. His 1994 album Cold Virginia Night won Album of the Year as well as Song of the Year from …

Honda’s new full-size electric motorcycle expecting deliveries soon

Honda’s new full-size electric motorcycle expecting deliveries soon

Published by skeptic

Honda’s upcoming WN7 electric motorcycle may have just picked up a prestigious Gold iF Design Award, but the real story here is more than the accolades it’s what the bike represents for the future of mainstream electric motorcycles from legacy manufacturers. For years, electric motorcycles have struggled with an identity problem. Many leaned too far into futuristic, almost alien-looking designs, while others awkwardly tried to mimic gas bikes with fake tanks and unnecessary styling cues. Honda seems to have taken a different approach with the WN7: just build a good motorcycle, and let the electric bits fit naturally. And that might be exactly why it’s getting attention. Officially launched for pre-order late last year, the WN7 looks more like a proper naked bike, albeit still a bit futuristic. The stance is familiar, the proportions are balanced, and it carries a silhouette that wouldn’t feel out of place next to Honda’s own CB-series streetfighters. But look closer, and you start to see how differently it’s been engineered. Advertisement – scroll for more content Instead of hiding …

The world’s first self-balancing electric motorcycle is now entering production

The world’s first self-balancing electric motorcycle is now entering production

Published by skeptic

A new electric motorcycle startup claims it has solved one of the oldest challenges in two-wheeled transportation: staying upright. Technology company OMOWAY has officially unveiled its new OMO X electric motorcycle and announced that the bike has now entered mass production, describing it as the world’s first mass-produced self-balancing electric motorcycle. At the heart of the new model is what OMOWAY calls its “OMO-ROBOT” architecture, a full-stack system combining sensors, software, and hardware designed to transform the motorcycle into what the company describes as a “two-wheeled robot.” The system integrates vision-based perception, high-speed computing, and physical stabilization technology to keep the bike balanced without relying entirely on the rider. The key hardware component enabling that capability is a Control Moment Gyroscope (CMG), a high-precision stabilization device more commonly found in aerospace applications such as satellites and spacecraft. By rapidly adjusting angular momentum, the gyroscope can actively stabilize the motorcycle and help keep it upright even at very low speeds or when stopped. In practical terms, that could address one of the biggest challenges for many …

Kawasaki patent reveals new electric motorcycle with clever frame

Kawasaki patent reveals new electric motorcycle with clever frame

Published by skeptic

Kawasaki may have taken its sweet time to slowly bring us the most basic level of commuter electric motorcycles, but a new patent shows that the company has quietly been working on more advanced designs that could signify a major leap in development for the company. It is important to note that most electric motorcycles are designed around their powertrains in a fairly integrated way. In some cases, the motor and battery pack become structural elements within the chassis itself, meaning the frame is effectively designed around a specific motor configuration. That approach works well for performance and rigidity, but it can limit flexibility if a manufacturer wants to create multiple models with different motors. Kawasaki’s newly published patent, as noted by Cycle World’s Ben Purvis, proposes a different idea: a modular mounting system that allows multiple motor types to fit within the same motorcycle frame. The basic design outwardly resembles Kawasaki’s existing Z e-1 and Ninja e-1 electric motorcycles, featuring a steel trellis frame with removable battery packs positioned between the frame rails and …

Pawn Stars’ Corey Harrison launches GoFundMe to help pay medical bills after motorcycle crash left him with horrific injuries

Pawn Stars’ Corey Harrison launches GoFundMe to help pay medical bills after motorcycle crash left him with horrific injuries

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Pawn Stars star Corey “Big Hoss” Harrison says he’s been left with more than $100,000 in medical bills and expenses after a serious motorcycle accident in Tulum, Mexico, in January. The reality TV personality, 42, spent 14 days in hospital after suffering 11 fractured ribs, a punctured lung, a concussion, and internal bleeding from the crash. Now, Corey is asking fans for help covering his medical expenses in a GoFundMe campaign launched by his friend Aron Chambers. In the page’s description, Chambers recalls a harrowing journey taking Corey to a cheaper hospital in Mexico, four and a half hours from where they were staying in Playa del Carmen. “In a heartbreaking moment that shook all of us to our core, Corey looked at us and said, ‘I’m just going to die out here. I don’t have the money to keep paying …

Royal Enfield’s first electric motorcycle spotted testing uncamouflaged, revealing new details

Royal Enfield’s first electric motorcycle spotted testing uncamouflaged, revealing new details

Published by skeptic

Royal Enfield’s first electric motorcycle is looking increasingly production-ready. The upcoming Flying Flea C6 (FF C6) has now been spotted testing in Chennai completely undisguised, giving us the clearest look yet at what appears to be the final design. While we’ve gotten great looks at the polished concept bike, including at its world debut in Milan at the end of 2024, test mules seen on the road have always been heavily camouflaged. But local Indian media is now reporting the latest sighting showing the bike out in public traffic wearing what looks like its finished bodywork. That’s usually a strong signal that a launch isn’t far off. As we previously covered, Royal Enfield is expected to release the Flying Flea C6 for sale in the first quarter of 2026. The Flying Flea name is a nod to Royal Enfield’s original World War II-era lightweight motorcycle, and the electric reboot leans heavily into that heritage. The undisguised test bike confirms that the production version remains remarkably close to the concept. Visible features include a circular headlamp, …

Why riding a motorcycle is one of the best ways to embrace mindfulness

Why riding a motorcycle is one of the best ways to embrace mindfulness

Published by Daniella Wilson

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Speeding along an open road on my motorcycle, flanked by the great outdoors, the engine hums and the noise in my mind disappears. Riding a motorcycle demands total presence. Focus isn’t optional. It’s a matter of survival. After all, a wandering mind could lead to disaster. But it’s not fear or panic that sharpens my attention. It is something else entirely. As a clinical psychologist, I understand fear well. I know how danger activates the fight-or-flight response. And yet, paradoxically, it is on my motorcycle that I feel most calm. This is where I experience the greatest joy. It is where I find what I would describe as a state of mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment, on purpose and without judgment. In psychological therapy, …

Honda’s new 50 MPH commuter ‘electric motorcycle’ rolls out with interesting battery choice

Honda’s new 50 MPH commuter ‘electric motorcycle’ rolls out with interesting battery choice

Published by skeptic

Honda has been releasing new electric two-wheelers at an impressive clip over the last few years, making up for lost time. The company’s latest model, known as the Honda UC3, is soon headed for the Vietnam and Thailand markets. But perhaps more interesting than the bike itself is Honda’s decision to use integrated batteries rather than its own in-house removable-battery standard. Rolling out of Honda’s motorcycle division, the UC3 falls under the definition of an electric motorcycle, even if most in the West would lump it into the scooter category (which is itself a segment of motorcycles, if we want to get pedantic). But no matter how you describe it, it’s clear that Honda has leveraged much of the expertise it has developed during the R&D of other electric motorcycles in its lineup to produce the UC3. Advertisement – scroll for more content The company announced this month that it will begin sales of the new Honda UC3 in Thailand and Vietnam starting this spring. The UC3 is positioned as the electric equivalent of a …