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Two Wheel Drive Sportbikes from Yamaha...


Yamaha, together with the Swedish suspension specialist Ohlins, has developed two-wheel drive dirt bikes. Sportbikes are probably next.

According to several sources, a two-wheel drive Yamaha R1 has already been tested, and developed.

The benefits for the road are similar to those found in the dirt, i.e., improved traction everywhere together with more confidence/control while cornering. While some systems operate only when the rear tire loses grip, a full-time, two-wheel drive system has also been developed.

Every manufacturer is looking for a performance advantage in the sportbike category. This might be one way a manufacturer can break away from the pack. Yamaha would likely be the first manufacturer to make two-wheel drive available for the road.

I do see the advantage for a dirt bike but not sure that I see it for a highway machine that is constantly driven at legal speeds.

I could see it as a safety benefit, but I think that Yamaha/ohlins' Hydraulic setup in it's present form is rather ponderous for a sportbike. I don't think it will fly for the same reasons you don't see ABS on sportbikes.

Man that'd be so freaky badass to see a motorcycle take off next to you and smoke the front wheel as it lifts off the pavement.

Keeping in mind that 99% of all street riders are unable to fully exploit the technology built into any current single-wheel drive sportbike, two wheel drive just doesn't make a lot of sense. The gains in weight and complexity would offset any incremental gains in traction for just about any street rider. Traction has limitations that can't be controlled by a driven wheel, and the contact patch is going to support only so much side force and simultaneous driving force before giving way. The same rules of physics regarding rear wheel traction in corners will apply to the front wheel also.
In spite of that, it will probably be in showrooms soon. People love new technology.

I'm with you, John. Look at how many R-1, CBRR, ZX-10, ect they sell now that are way more than 90% of buyers can handle. 2 wheel drive is just another sales gimick, like giving a stock bike 175 HP. They can't use 1/4 of what the bike can deliver, but they want it anyway. Good for bragging rights at the local burger joint, though.

two wheel drive, with a bias towards the front tyre, should allow you to accellerate, with reduced wheelies

Nibblet99 wrote:two wheel drive, with a bias towards the front tyre, should allow you to accellerate, with reduced wheelies

And why would you want to reduce wheelies? I'm not following the logic here......

I've already had a bad experience with a two wheel drive dirt bike, this kind of makes me steer towards the idea that it wouldn't be so great. Though.. on paper, two wheel drive sounds good, like many things, but in truth, it's not so great. Just another reason for the manufacturers to make a profit.