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28/04/2013

http://www.allpar.com/cars/concepts/tomahawk.html

The 2003 Dodge Tomahawk V-10 motorcycle concept car

28/04/2013

The Dodge Tomahawk Concept Motorcycle

The Tomahawk is a Viper V-10 based motorcycle, a 500 horsepower engine with four wheels beneath it. The engine breathes through twin throttle bodies mounted right up front (the two round things above the front tires are). While the Tomahawk has the same number of tires as a car, it keeps the motorcycle form factor otherwise.

Chrysler sold nine replicas through Neiman Marcus, for $555,000 each. The motorcycles cannot be driven on public roads. A spokesman told Reuters they were meant as rolling sculptures, presumably to avoid legal liability. They are driveable - just not (legally) on public roads.

The rear wheel drive machine uses monocoque construction; the engine is a stressed member. The body is made of billet aluminum.

The Tomahawk concept is an awesome-sounding machine; we saw it started and revved. Clouds of blue smoke vied for attention with the throaty rumble of the mighty V-10, and hitting the gas visibly opened the twin throttle body blades up front where the headlight would normally be. Though deeper and more rumbling than most motorcycles, it did not seem to be louder overall - just deeper, with no shrill overtones.

Wolfgang Bernhard, Chrysler's first mate at the time, was said to be enthusiastic about that project, so much so that hundreds were projected to be built at under $200,000 each (probably below breakeven). They reportedly cost Chrysler over $100,000 to build (the work is outsourced), not including engineering costs.

The Dodge Tomahawk can reach 60 miles an hour in about 2.5 seconds, and has a theoretical top speed of nearly 400 mph. Each pair of wheels is separated by a few inches and each wheel has an independent suspension. Bernhard said four wheels were necessary to handle the power from the engine.

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Is it a motorcycle?
Donald Poindexter, Jr., noted that the Tomahawk isn’t really a motorcycle; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proclaims that a motorcycle can have no more that 3 wheels on the ground during normal operation. Donald wrote,

“For the Tomahawk to have been sold in the U.S. for road use, it would have had to pass all of the automobile safety standards. Had the engineers replaced one of the tire pairs (either front or back) with a single tire (for a total of three), it would have been a motorcycle, although I think the lights might have been in violation of the regulations.”

The Tomahawk, then, was a concept motorcycle, but does not meet the legal requirements to be classified as a motorcycle by the U.S. government, or to be driven on the street — which may be one reason why it was never produced, save for nine copies sold by Neiman-Marcus for use only on private roads (or, as they phrased it, as automotive sculpture).

Viper V10 engine

500 bhp (372 kW) @ 5600 rpm (60.4 bhp/liter); 525 lb.-ft. (712 Nm) @ 4200 rpm
10-cylinder 90-degree V-type, liquid-cooled, 505 cubic inches (8277 cc)
356-T6 aluminum alloy block with cast-iron liners, aluminum alloy cylinder heads
Bore x Stroke: 4.03 inches x 3.96 inches (102.4 x 100.6)
Two pushrod-actuated overhead valves per cylinder
Roller-type hydraulic lifters
Sequential fuel injection with individual runners
Compression Ratio: 9.6:1
Max Engine Speed: 6000 rpm
Fuel: Unleaded gasoline, 93 octane (R+M/2)
Dry sump oil system takes 8 quarts of oil
Cooling: Twin aluminum radiators mounted atop engine intake manifolds, force-fed from front-mounted, belt-driven turbine fan. Takes 11 quarts of antifreeze.
Exhaust: Equal-length tubular stainless steel headers with dual collectors and central rear outlets
Suspension, brakes, tires, and wheels

Front suspension: Outboard, single-sided parallel upper and lower control arms made from polished billet aluminum. Mounted via ball joint to aluminum steering uprights and hubs. Five degrees caster. Single, adjustable centrally located coil-over damper (2.25-inch coil with adjustable spring perch); pullrod and rocker-actuated mono linkage. Center-lock racing-style hubs.

Rear suspension: Hand-fabricated box-section steel inboard swing arms, incorporating hydral-link lockable recirculating hydraulic circuit parking stand. Single adjustable Koni coil-over damper (2.25-inch coil with adjustable spring perch); pushrod and rocker-actuated mono linkage. Center-lock racing-style hubs
Front brakes: 20-inch perimeter-mounted drilled machined stainless steel rotors, one per wheel. Two four-piston fixed aluminum calipers per wheel (16 pistons total), custom designed. Blue anodized caliper finish. Hand-activated.

Rear brakes: 20-inch perimeter-mounted drilled cast-iron rotors, one per wheel. One four-piston fixed aluminum caliper per wheel (8 pistons total), custom designed. Blue anodized caliper finish. Foot-activated.

Tires and wheels: Billet aluminum discs, asymmetrical, twin 20x4 front, twin 20x5 rear, with custom made Dunlop symmetrical tires (P120/60R20 in front, P150/50R20 in back).

Performance

0-60 mph: 2.5 seconds
Top Speed: 300+ mph (est.)

Electrical

Alternator: 136-amp high-speed
Battery: Leak-resistant, maintenance-free 600 CCA
Lighting: Headlights consist of 12 five-watt LEDs, front, with beam-modifying optics and masked lenses. Eight LEDs, rear. Headlamps articulate with wheels.

Transmission

Manual, foot-shifted, aluminum-cased two-speed, sequential racing-style with dog ring, straight-cut gears
Gear Ratios: 1st 18:38; 2nd 23:25
Clutch: Double-disc, dry-plate with organic friction materials, hand lever actuated with assist
Final drive: Dual 110-link motorcycle-style chains

Front Sprockets: 14 teeth
Rear Sprockets: 35 teeth

Steering

Dual-hub center type steering. Linkage uses rocker arm and push/pull rod with roller bearings. Billet aluminum steering yoke with aluminum grips and billet levers. Steering Lock: 20°; Lean Angle: 45°

Dimensions

Length: 102” • Width: 27.7” • Height: 36.9”
Wheelbase: 76”
Seat Height: 29”
Weight: 1,500 lb • Weight Dist: 49F/51R
Track: Front: 8.75” • Rear: 10”
Fuel: 3.25 gal
Also See:

Concept cars
ME-412
Dodge Charger
Dodge Viper
Viper V-10
New Hemi V8
426 Hemi V8
Tomahawk video

Original is at Dodge Tomahawk motorcycle concept car in review http://www.allpar.com/cars/concepts/tomahawk.html
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18/04/2013

Hydro R rim brakes match powerful control to light action

This article was originally posted on BikeRadar.

The SRAM Red 22 road group has three brake options: mechanical, hydraulic disc and hydraulic rim. We rode all three 11-speed options over a few days just north of Los Angeles. We'll focus here on the Hydro R hydraulic rim configuration, with reviews of the other two coming tomorrow.

Compared to the SRAM Red 2012 group, there are two major changes with Red 22: an 11-speed cassette and optional hydraulic shift levers and calipers. While the derailleurs, cranks and chain have been calibrated for 11-speed and given a cosmetic lift, the fundamental designs are the same (though Red 22 parts are not backwards-compatible).

Little lever force is needed for quick, well-modulated stops.

Hydro R brakes: better braking means faster descending

We tested Red 22 with Hydro R rim brakes on a Cannondale SuperSix Evo shod with Zipp’s wide, all-carbon 202’s on a test route that included a super-twisty, hairpin-strewn, 1,800ft descent through Malibu Creek State Park.

Initial impressions before the descent were good; it feels like a very well sorted mechanical system in normal conditions. If anything, the action feels lighter and easier to actuate than a cable system. The integrated barrel adjuster atop the neatly styled brake offers a huge amount of adjustment, making it simple to have minimal pre-movement before the brake starts to act, or a huge amount. The function and form is familiar to anyone who has operated a cable-actuated barrel adjuster on a brake caliper, but with a larger barrel.

A look inside the Hydro R rim caliper. The quick release sits underneath the barrel adjuster.

It’s when the road starts to fall, and the speed starts to rise that the HRR (Hydraulic Road Rim) really starts to impress. With the lightest of touches, a single finger is more than enough to scrub masses of speed. As our confidence grew we found ourselves leaving it later and later to slow our velocity on entry to a corner and make significant improvements in overall speed. For example, the previous day's ride on mechanical brakes gave a max speed on the same descent of 42.8mph. On the hydraulic set-up we clocked 47.8mph.

Plenty of criticism has been leveled at the distinct, tall-block shape of the Hydro R levers. Whilst we aren’t enamoured by the look, we liked the increased height especially when holding the hoods, which are otherwise the same shape as the mechnical levers. On the climbs it’s almost like having something to push against and the increased contact area is welcome, too.

Compared to a standard brake system, the HRR is hugely impressive.

The Hydro R levers' hydraulic cylinder necessitate the tall profile.

Red 22 derailleurs, cassettes and cranks: more room for chain line cross

SRAM is quick to describe the new standard as 22-speed and not an 11. It’s a marketing exercise to push the message that SRAM's unique Yaw front derailleur allows for a highly crossed chain line with the minimum of chatter or fuss. Although you can do this it doesn't mean you should, as putting more stress on the chain via an extreme chain cross (e.g. 39x11 or 53x28) can increase wear and reduce efficiency.

The extra sprocket on the rear cassette is a well-chosen addition, on the 11-25, 11-26 and 11-28 it’s a 16 sitting in the obvious gap between 15/17, adding a much smoother mid-range transition between power gears and the ascending end of the block. The wider cassette complies with the Shimano 11-speed standard's increased width, and uses a narrower-than-10 speed chain.

An added 16-tooth cog brings the rear to 11 options.

Out on the road it still retains the same quiet, smooth operation as the 10-speed Red 2012. Snappy shifts and superb ergonomics rule the day and of course SRAM’s impressively low weight figures - 280g for the shifters, 145g for the rear derailleur, and 69g for the front.

SRAM have also added another crucial chainring option in the form of a 52/36, which in our opinion is pretty much the best all-round combo. With 53/39, 50/34 and the ’cross-friendly 46/36 - each of which come on in standard or Quarq power meter cranks from 162.5mm to 177.5mm, it’s a comprehensive group.

The Hydro R rim calipers work on standard wheels and frames.

Rim brake highs: Adjustability is top notch; light action is metered perfectly with impressively powerful performance.

Rim brake lows: Fully integrated system means a much taller shifter unit, which isn’t the most visually appealing.