2-wheel drive Yamaha WR450!

[DebK]

Stopped in at Motorad in Wellington this morning for a quick looksee at an Aprilia RS250 (do I trade the scoot in or not?) and was shown the very sexy $30,000, limited production (250 I think) Yamaha WR450. "Watch this" the guy said as he turned the rear wheel... holy crap, the front wheel was also turning! My sister-in-law shrugged her shoulders (she thought all bikes where 2 wheel driven) but my husband and I had our mouths agap.

As soon as I got home did a Google on it and found this:
"After one hundred years of one wheel drive, Yamaha are to launch the revolutionary WR450F 2-Trac rally bike, a limited production competition machine featuring the world’s first production two wheel drive system for motorcycles. Based closely on the successful WR450F four stroke Enduro machine, the WR450F 2-Trac is the result of many years of joined development by Yamaha and Öhlins Racing AB. "

[Two Smoker]

WOW, that would be insane..... imagine both wheels spinning up

PS. go the RS250!!!

[DebK]

"In simple terms the two wheel drive system can be explained as follows: The gearbox output sprocket drives a short, fully enclosed chain to a pump, which in turn pushes the oil (not hydraulic fluid) to the front hub via the pipe and back via the parallel pipe. There's no drive at all until the rear wheel starts to spin and only a maximum of 15% of the power goes to the front at any time."

http://www.mcnews.com.au/Testing/Yam...trac/Page1.htm

[Blakamin]

As soon as I got home did a Google on it and found this:
"After one hundred years of one wheel drive, Yamaha are to launch the revolutionary WR450F 2-Trac rally bike, a limited production competition machine featuring the world’s first production two wheel drive system for motorcycles. Based closely on the successful WR450F four stroke Enduro machine, the WR450F 2-Trac is the result of many years of joined development by Yamaha and Öhlins Racing AB. "

I read an article on one... hydraulic...weird!

[marty]

YES YOU SHOULD TRADE THE SCOOT UP TO AN RS.

[Two Smoker]

"In simple terms the two wheel drive system can be explained as follows: The gearbox output sprocket drives a short, fully enclosed chain to a pump, which in turn pushes the oil (not hydraulic fluid) to the front hub via the pipe and back via the parallel pipe. There's no drive at all until the rear wheel starts to spin and only a maximum of 15% of the power goes to the front at any time."

http://www.mcnews.com.au/Testing/Yam...trac/Page1.htm

ah ok, no need to worry about that wheelspin then, maybe we should get F/F to buy one and let us have a go.......

[Mr Skid]

do I trade the scoot in or not?

I'd say keep the Italjet and get the RS as well!
Surely you'd be able to find enough room for one of each??

[Motu]

I'd certainly be keen to give one a try,but I'd not be able to figure it out,then get all grumpy and say the bike was crap.I love to get sideways - I presume you've driven a rear wheel drive rally car Deb...sideways big time,but an all wheel drive car it's totaly different,you don't get sideways as much,have to keep pointing into the corner - I'm always waiting to get crossed up big time,but it never happens.I wonder if a similar thing would happen on the bike - the tail won't go out as far,and yet you have to keep pointing into the corner,that would feel wierd to me...but hey,I'm open for the experiance,I don't mind making a fool of myself,kinda comes natural like.

I've seen several attempts at 2x2 on bikes and always wondered why no one used hydrostatic drive for it,just seems the logical thing to do - so finaly Yamaha caught on.Flash in the pan,or will these young fullas all be laughing at my old rear drive bike in a few years?

[Kickaha]

I've seen several attempts at 2x2 on bikes and always wondered why no one used hydrostatic drive for it,just seems the logical thing to do - so finaly Yamaha caught on.Flash in the pan,or will these young fullas all be laughing at my old rear drive bike in a few years?

Ohlins who're mostly owned byYamaha have spent 10 years developing the system used on it,they've also tested a 2WD R1

http://www.ohlins.com/mc_2wd.shtml

2wd R1
http://www.motobykz.co.uk/2x2/2x2-R1.htm
http://www.formula-xtreme.com.au:800...5?OpenDocument

[moko]

Dani Muller, works Yamaha supermoto rider, has an SM version for the Maxxis national championship,not sure if they`ve actually raced it yet but Supermoto mag tested it and you`d think the tester was describing his first sexual experience.(with someone else even)

[Firefight]

ah ok, no need to worry about that wheelspin then, maybe we should get F/F to buy one and let us have a go.......

I think theres one at Tony Rees shop in whakatane, if you want to buy it TS, I think you may well have more dosh than me .

F/F

[moko]

Yam`s works entry for the Brit Supermoto championship,2WD WR450,stuff your R1s,I want one of these

[Motu]

I don't know how the 2x2 would work on a street bike,for the off road bikes it only comes in when the rear wheel loses traction,just a normal day in the dirt,not something the average street rider gets into.I was working on hydrostatic drives in road construction equipment 25 years ago,it struck me with motorcycle aplications then,so it's been a long time coming.

On equipment the motor runs at a fixed speed and drive speed regulated by a hydraulic valve.I reckon we might see 2x2 in trials bikes next - how about two separate controls,each controling hydraulic flow to a wheel,independently - the speed is slow,and only a trials rider has the skill and delicate touch to control such a bike...