Issue 014 - Bike Business Magazine Home Page

n e w s
Pursuing the concept of “harmony with people”
Honda has developed a new personal
mobility technology and unveiled U3-X,
a compact experimental device that fits
comfortably between the rider’s legs, to provide
free movement in all directions just as in human
walking - forward, backward, side-to-side,
and diagonally. Honda will continue research
and development of the device including
experiments in a real-world environment to
verify the practicality of the device.
This new personal mobility device makes it
possible to adjust speed and move, turn and
stop in all directions when the rider leans the
upper body to shift body weight.
This was achieved through application of
advanced technologies including Honda’s
balance control technology, which was
developed through the robotics research of
ASIMO, Honda’s bipedal humanoid robot, and
the world’s first omni-directional driving wheel
system (Honda Omni Traction Drive System, or
HOT Drive System), which enables movement
in all directions, including not only forward and
backward, but also directly to the right and left
and diagonally.
In addition, this compact size and onewheel-drive
personal mobility device was
designed to be friendly to the user and people
around it by making it easier for the rider to
reach the ground from the footrest and placing
the rider on roughly the same eye level as other
people or pedestrians.
Doohan was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame
Australian motorcycling legend
Michael Doohan was inducted into the
Sport Australia Hall of Fame at the 25th
anniversary induction and awards dinner
held at the Crown Palladium Ballroom in
Melbourne in October this year.
Membership of the Sport Australia Hall
of Fame is regarded as the highest honour
for Sports people in Australia, and Doohan
joins an illustrious list of approximately 500
Australian Sportsmen and Sportswomen,
including only six other motorcycle racers,
who share the honour of being a Member.
Road Racing competitors Kel Carruthers
and Wayne Gardner also share membership
of the Hall, while Speedway riders Arthur
‘Bluey’ Wilkinson, Jack Young and Lionel
Van Praag are also Members.
Doohan was one of eight people
inducted as a Member, alongside Kevin
Sheedy (AFL), Peter Montgomery (Water
Polo), Liz Ellis (Netball), Luc Longley
(Basketball), George Gregan (Rugby Union),
Simon Fairweather (Archery), and Shane
Warne (Cricket).
Doohan won the 500cc Motorcycle
Grand Prix World Championship for five
consecutive years from 1994-1998, and he
was presented with a medal and certificate
at the ceremony by another great Australian
motor racing competitor, Sir Jack Brabham.
In other awards presented on the
night, Pole Vaulter Steve Hooker captured
his second consecutive ‘Don’ Award for
his performance in winning the World
Championship earlier this year, while Kieren
Perkins’ swim in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
was honoured as the memorable Hall of
Fame ‘Moment’.
The night was a resounding success with
close to 1000 people attending the black tie
dinner, and concluded with Australia’s first
modern Olympian, Edwin Flack, and Tennis
great Ken Rosewall, both being honoured
with the prestigious status of Hall of Fame
‘Legend’ - a title now shared by only 30
Australians.
For more information about the Sport
Australia hall of fame, visit the SAHOF
website at www.sahof.org.au.
Melbourne’s motorcyclists kick in for the Salvos - for the 32nd time
The annual MRA Toy Run is practically
an institution in Melbourne. Ever since
1978 when forty motorcyclists met to pass
on some toys to some of the community’s
less privileged via the Salvation Army,
more than 100,000 motorcyclists have
taken part, and the Toy Run phenomenon
has spread to communities across the
globe.
The Motorcyclist Rider’s Association
(Vic) will be conducting the Run again
on 13 December 2009 with a small twist,
recognising just how big the event has
become.
MRA (Vic) President John Karmouche
said that the Melbourne Toy Run had
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b u s i n e s s t o b u s i n e s s
6 Nov - Dec 2009
become something of a victim of its
own success. “Over the years the Toy
Run has grown to the extent that finding
the resources needed to run it from
one central location was becoming
increasingly costly,” he said.
“With the numbers that wanted to take
part, particularly at its peak, the police
needed to close roads and coordinate
traffic.”
“This year we’ve decided to decentralise
the Toy Run, and create four different
departure points which will make it easier
for everyone involved and be much less of
a financial burden on the organisation.”
Riders can join the Toy Run in
Melbourne’s North, East South and West
and travel in smaller groups.
The departure locations are in Melton,
Eltham, Cranbourne and Werribee.
Karmouche says the idea is that
everyone rides to the Commonwealth
Reserve at Williamstown to celebrate
the 32 nd Toy Run and contribute their
donations. “Having the four separate rides
also means that we can stagger arrivals,
too which will also be less disruptive of the
folks at Williamstown,” Karmouche said.
Motorcyclists who want to take part
should consult the MRA Toy Run website
www.toyrun.org.au for departure locations
and times.