With all these awesome electric motorcycles sprouting up everywhere, you’re gonna need a sweet looking helmet to go with your new bike. French designer Jérôme Coste has shown interest in crash helmet design since surviving his sixth cranial fracture. Jesus, you’d think you’d quit around three or four cranial fractures, but no, Coste just keeps on biking.

Made from carbon fiber and detailed with chrome-plated trim, these helmets are directly inspired by science-fiction films and as a result, if you fall from a flying car, you’ll be thankful you had one of these stylish cranial casings on your head. Otherwise you’re getting fucked up.

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If you’re like Vince and I, competitive bikers and participators in the Tour de France, then you’ll be happy to know that the bike company Trek is pioneering the forefront in vending machines for bikes called “Trek Stop.” It’s the cycling convenience center that provides nearby stranded bikers all the needs (without the know-how) for bike repair.

At the moment, there is only this test unit, which will be set up for a month outside of Machinery Row Bicycles in Madison, Wisconsin. So, if you just so happen to be in the area and get a flat or need a spare water bottle, stop by the vending machine and take care of it. If you’re no where near Madison, Wisconsin, you’re shit out of luck, brahski.

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Everyone loves to help keep the Earth clean. It lets us sleep better at night knowing we did our part for that particular day. I’m sure that Snickers wrapper you picked up and chucked in the trash can will save the ice shelf. Riding this concept bike called the Rabbit is kind of like that. Sure, you’re helping the environment out but you still look like a retard when you’re riding this thing. Don’t complain to me, complain to creator Felipe Tolomei.

The final design is supposed to have two small electric engines to power this three-wheeled monstrosity. Hopefully it won’t end up looking like a rabbit mixed with something out of Blade Runner or it’ll get two seats so I can pick up prostitutes with it. After all, isn’t that the most necessary application of a personal transportation vehicle?

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For those looking to ride where no man has ridden before, take a look at this U.S.S. Enterprise-inspired bike. Photographer Alan Light took this shot at the 1982 San Diego Comic Con and while it may not be fresh it certainly is fresh looking. Check out how huge that horn is! I bet it can blast the opening theme of Star Trek so loud that Geordi La Forge would be able to see the sound waves.

It just goes to show that not much has changed in 26 years. Nerds will be nerds.

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Nothing is sweeter than a good, solid bike ride. Sometimes, it can be fun to bring your child on a bike ride around town or to the local market. However, most people choose to ride with their kid attached to the back of the bike. The Zigo puts your child in the front, directly in harm’s way. Did that teenage douchebag with the ‘97 Honda Civic just pull in front of you? Why risk damaging a $600 bike? Plow full-on into that bitch and let junior take one for the team.

I’ll see you in hell.

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I’ve always wanted a motorcycle but I don’t think I’m responsible enough to ride open-air-style down a highway at 120 MPH. Ben Nelson, however, is more of a risk taker. The lucky sonofabitch got a 1981 Kawasaki KZ440 motorcycle for a mere $100. He swapped out the (broken) motor and was able to add four huge batteries for $160 and a $500 Etek motor. Two weekends of work later, Ben has a new hog.

It’s probably not as fast or badass-sounding as the original motor but you can’t beat this kind of mileage. While it can only do 45 MPH and run for 20 miles on a charge, Ben’s motorcycle hack is the perfect answer for beating the oil game, going green and having a fun project to work on. Besides, it’s ten times cooler than that ugly electric motorcycle those high schoolers made.

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A group of young minds at the Saint Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, MN have constructed from scratch a lithium phosphate ion-powered motorcycle that can travel at speeds of 60 MPH for 50+ miles before needing to be recharged. Safer than any Vespa you’ve taken for a ride, this electric bike has been built with the driver’s safety in mind.  Implemented in its design are “crush zones” formed by compressible materials to protect the driver by keeping him/her inside the vehicle during the event of a collision.

The bike is going to be shown at MIT next week and the team plans on inventing a solar-charging station to make the electric bike truly carbon free. It seems like eco-friendly motor bikes are the way of transportation in our greener future.
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Imagine you had two unicycles with handlebars. You take a big metal bar, about four-feet long and weld the two unicycles together. Essentially, you now have a Bi-Cycle, a bike built for two dumbasses with a lot of money to spend. apparently it works just fine if you trust each other and pedal/steer carefully.

I’d like to see a pro rider like Mat Hoffman tear it up on this thing (900, anyone?) Better yet, how about the guys from Jackass. I could totally see them whipping up something like this for a stunt considering that you’d have to be a total jackass to ride it.

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So, it’s “Bike To Work” day in Japan on June 11th. I was under the impression that most workers in Japan already biked to work due to an insane population on such a tiny island. I guess not, because surely enough, it’s going on while I type this.

The crew over at Treehugger.com have brought to my attention Bridgestone’s new bike gadget: The “emeter,” is a meter which can be used to record the number of kilometers cycled in one day. It doesn’t end there however; it also records the total CO2 savings made versus car travel for the same distance.  Not only do you get great exercise from cycling, but your emeter tells you how many pounds you’re shedding as well as how much CO2 you’re conserving by staying away from your automobile.
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Half-motorcycle, half-Prius, the Enertia motorbike is bound to turn heads. With a striking design reminiscent of some Harley-Davidson and Triumph models, this bad boy only does 50 MPH top speed, which may disappoint some. Then you’ll realize it’s a 100-percent electric bike with a bunch of batteries, right as you pass that Sunoco gas station with premium hitting $4.73 a gallon.

With a charge time similar to the Tesla Roadster (three hours) and the ability to plug in pretty much anywhere, the Enertia certainly seems worth the $12,000 price tag that puts it in the league of BMW and Ducati bikes. I wonder if it’s liquid-cooled though…

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