Remember AWD Dirt Bikes?

[@johnnyblue4799]

Think about what can be done today, with an electric motor in the front hub, governed by the ECU, with all the sensors and software available in the modern bikes. Time for AWD version 2?

[@timshel1429]

Might even bring a bit of regen as a bonus :). Some AWD fat bikes appears to exist but not sure if it's just a gimmick or really useful.

[@aus-reviews8462]

it would still suck ass, the motor would output 2kw at best

[@krazed0451]

Hub motors are frankly the worst possible solution for electric power.

[@harrison00xXx]

@@krazed0451 Not really, its convenient and you dont need a belt, chain or any gearing at all. Basically direct drive or "motor wheel" however you wanna call it.

[@harrison00xXx]

Well, i ride a 2x1500W (2x2500W peak) dual motor e-scooter, we have also a custom 4000W (6000W peak) rear hub motor e-bike at home and i was riding some friends e scooters as well such as a 2x4000W e-scooter which also goes crazy strong in single motor. If i have much grip, i feel very confident pushing the front tires hard as well, but if grip goes a bit worse and you are cornering.... you dont really want any load, braking or accelerating on the front tire. Just yesterday, as the streets got a bit wet because the air was VERY humid (95%+), i pushed the throttle too hard on my dual motor scooter. Luckily i was fast enough to go off the throttle, otherwise i would have fallen with a slipping front tire due to too much acceleration. I rather want a slipping rear tire than on the front. If i could pick a scooter again, i would go for sure (if it ever exists...) for a lets say rear motor 5000W model over a 2x2500W dual motor. power on the front tire really feels "wrong" a bit. Yeah, in case of a "toy" such as my scooter, its for sure different as well, and i guess for slippy terrain this dual drive system has still some valid reasons to exist again on premium enduros and maybe even electric dirtbikes in the future? I done really know.... partially i LOVE both wheels powered, but on the other hand.... give me the same power but on the rear only and i might be even happier. At least i go offroading on slippy terrain more with single/rear motor.... MUCH MORE SAFER and its even more fun to ride. If a motorcycle needs AWD, you probably have the wrong tires for your usecase.

[@denisduquesnay3280]

I woke up this morning thinking "I wonder if they have 2 wheel drive motorcycles." Then youtube suggests this without me even typing it in the searchbar. Wtf youtube?😂

[@heliodango43]

google reading mainds now hahaha

[@KM-rk3ok]

These corps can read your mind, not really a secret

[@jonny1943]

@@KM-rk3ok Yeah sometimes i actually dont doubt that.

[@austinbaccus]

~140k have watched this video. Odds are one of them would've had that thought the day of. I guess you lot lucky 😛

[@enb3810]

Honestly I don't like it, happens a lot. Creepy.

[@nicholasdunn3499]

I had a 2017 Christini AWD 450 that I absolutely loved. It was a beast to ride. Even made it through the 2020 Mint 400. It never got stuck in any of the terrain I rode it through.

[@manitolas]

amazing 🤘

[@GL0BETREKKER]

Why did you end up getting rid of it?

[@icemaster-]

I discovered an awesome channel through this comment. You earned a sub!

[@Teemsever]

@@icemaster-what channel

[@icemaster-]

@@Teemsever The one that posted the comment we are on.

[@V8mudderboik]

It's not that AWD motorcycles have failed, just that no one has got it right yet - including my own 2x2x2 Dryvtech hydraulic AWD "Experimental" ( 13.43 in this video ). The high pressure / high precision hydraulics used in the 2TRAC was simply too expensive, but also didn't have enough torque to the front wheel. The Christini ( & Steve is a friend of mine ) has the same issue. For my latest AWD design, my design stipulations are that the front drive should take 100% of engine power, even if only for a couple of seconds - important in the typical "3 ruts row" Dakar crash scenario. I have dropped hydraulics and returned to mechanical drive - a gearbox & 2 chains. One party trick of my new design is that the front tyre traction automatically compensates for any affect on the front suspension. I just need to find the time ( & money ) to finish it......

[@justincoats7236]

That's awesome. It takes guts to take that kind of thing on. I hope you perfect it. Just think, the IPhone has had millions invested and they will have a new better model next year.

[@ItsDaJax]

That sounds pretty cool. I've always liked the idea of a 2wd or awd bike. Conventional bike design is part of the problem. The Rokon seems to be okay, though.

[@paradiselost9946]

need a differential between the front and back... better off running shaft drive with drive through the headset similar to "kingpin drive" as seen on most tractors now... as dajax says... the rokon style is a better approach, it isnt all about speed or racing. its about being able to go virtually anywhere.

[@whatthe9078]

You should document it via KZbin

[@jameson1239]

Maybe an electric motor?

[@tonyrdr7207]

I think people are missing a very important point. A 2wd system is great on an adventure bike. I was lucky enough to try one of Yamahas bikes and was very impressed with it especially in deep sand. All the disadvantages mentioned would not exist for an intermediate rider on a fully loaded adventure bike. I think the system is probably not much use to a gun rider most of the time. Having said this I spend a lot of time in deserts and remote snooty 4WD tracks but I have a feeling it would make some of the behemoth adv bikes much easier to handle off road.

[@spingel88]

I was thinking the same. I would love to have the front tire driven on my Tenere 700. I have a strong tendency to get into very "dirt bike" areas on my adventure bike and it'd be much easier to get back out again with both wheels driven.

[@richardprice5978]

not a bagger/goldwing( dad/uncle's are ) buyer as a gingerbread cruiser ( and former zoomer-gen KX125 owner and or missed the mixed-models experience ) buyer it added would also make me more safe feelings and Honda's does off road manufacturing models and on road street models in my 30's i look at but currently go nah as 30K usd or more ( my car was under 25k new/msrap in 2008 and it's got double the ect ) new and or depression-$$ and or winter's around here means that i store it plus paying for lot-rot or risk total'd-out/dumping it+hospital-trip-ect on slush and or city/suburban roadside

[@midgetman4206]

Exactly my thoughts. For high speed/skill requirements, the weight is always the main complaint for pretty much everything. For adventure riding, that isn't the focus. Weight and its effects are unavoidable in that style. The advantages are far more favorable. To add a bit more to it, solo riding would benefit the most since you could avoid situations that would've otherwise been more of a real hassle to deal with alone.

[@BadHarmonics]

Yup. The liter adv bikes are pigs, so much so they almost can't drive on many loose surfaces above idle speed without crashing out.

[@SpeedHero]

This was a really good 6 minute video stretched into 16 minutes. I loved learning about the bike, but many of the points were repeated multiple times. Thanks for the new info though!

[@TheGardenSnake]

I had no idea that Yamaha with that far trying to develop this thing. Great story. I wonder if maybe they’ll be some kind of future of 2wd with an electric bike using a small hub motor in the front. You’d have a lot more control over how it was operated. But then again you be carrying around some extra weight. Of course there has been some breakthrough and electric motors where they can get them really really small now, but those are still very expensive at the moment. All possibilities I suppose.

[@youreasnake4548]

Battery is the biggest problem for any electric motor, especially a hub motor, worth its salt in torque/kw numbers.

[@ianmayer8533]

Hi Jake! Love your MT-07 bolt on series videos!

[@justincoats7236]

There is no question AWD bikes will happen with electricity dirt bikes. The Stark Varg could add a motor in a few hours. I think once solid state batteries go mainstream, they are going to change motorcycles.

[@0xsergy]

@@youreasnake4548 Given that its not often used it wouldn't require a big battery though, just big enough for the short durations it would be needed.

[@martin-vv9lf]

@@0xsergy surely the same battery would be used for the front wheel as the rear? the only difference in weight is the wiring.

[@kepamurray1845]

I got to ride a 2-trac back in the day and it was amazing in the soft stuff, railed around corners and in the mud. It was a good system and I would love to see it make a comeback.

[@FoxWJK]

christini, im gonna buy one next summer

[@MrSkyentist]

This would be tech a lot of adv riders would do dirty things for. Easy fixes for the system are a nitrogen charged buffer system like remote reservoir shocks use. It would regulate large jumps in pressure and could include an electronically controlled regulator to prevent stalling on sharp turns when you wanna slide the rear end more. Total weight cost would be around 3 lbs. To disable the system, that same adjustable regulator could just enter a bypass mode allowing the system to just lose parasitic losses of the hydraulic pump spinning. The tech is well known and readily available to incorporate. Other side to this is in most ADV bikes, people throw on frame protection, hard cases, taller windscreens, and a bunch of other crap that adds weight on the regular. Adding 15-17 lbs for an optional selectable and adjustable awd system would be a huge selling point a lot of people would take.

[@garrycoates2147]

Agreed. ABS demonstrates how hydaulics can bypass pressure or be disabled.

[@DAndyLord]

@@garrycoates2147 Huh, I'd never thought about it that way. Neat. Thanks!

[@ububox2087]

Honestly I think the easiest way forward with this would be an electric hub motor. The entire system could be wired directly to ETC and switched on or off with a single button.

[@bloodspartan300]

"The less you build the more expensive you get" that's not how supply and demand works

[@stalliondave9338]

I remember seeing the Hydraulic front drive system in a magazine on the Yamaha and thought it was amazing. The problem with it being on something like a motocross bike, i raced most weekends from the age of 5 to 25 years old. You often do not want your front wheel to start spinning or pulling, it would throw everything off in mid or corner exit and likely result in a crash. You steer a lot with your rear, and you want your front wheel to grip and point you in the right direction. There are also times you will do things with the front wheel in the air and steer with your legs and body weight, at that point it becomes useless. I can imagine there would be some really good uses for it, like the Dakar and long sandy rides, probably snow as well, but it sounds horrible in my corner of biking. Thanks for the video

[@darekmistrz4364]

It would definetly help with faster starts from standstill

[@slowery43]

and anyone thinking that driving a front wheel drive car like a rear wheel drive car would be just as inorant... or a AWD car like a front wheel drive car same story. You should be smart enough to realize this... trying to use a spoon like a knife is just ignorant

[@hopebear06]

My local bike shop has a WR450 two wheel drive. Never been ridden from new. Very dusty but otherwise its still brand new.

[@StephenAR]

Where’s it at? Cheers!

[@slowery43]

which has nothing to do with this article

[@teamlithing]

my dad had a few of them and also did the dakar rally with it in 2006 and 2007 he loved it!!!

[@jazasaguma]

2:34 what an absolute gigachad

[@backcountyrpilot]

I kept my 2006 CRF302 with a Christini AWD kit and RPMs 302cc kit until 2018. It made me about 10% better in Motocross and 20% better off-road. The front wheel made ruts, boulders and deep sand feel like a groomed track. The only negative was about 15# of added weight, and a bunch of it was unsprung weight on the front hub. So, my dorks were not as plush as they otherwise could have been, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

[@tiagobelo4965]

the unsprung mass issue could probably be mitigated by using a high profile front tire, though I'm not sure how problematic that may get for handling on a motorcycle

[@dirtbike_viking]

I remember this type of shenanigans back in the 90's. Wass super cool seeing 2wd bikes as a young fella. Possibly something for the electric age with the ability to turn off or be more intuitive to the terrain.

[@DayumSonny]

Looking forward to the Christini story. The bigger ADVs would benefit so much from an AWD system.

[@serow6]

Christini did in fact build a 2WD system prototype for a KTM 1190. His shop is located in Philly (Old City) where he mostly services AWD mountain bikes.

[@davehawes8177]

UBCO A New Zealand electric motorcycle maker has for the past 15 or so years, made an electric 2WD farm bike. A utilitarian mount to be sure but they are well made, durable and are replacing gas bikes on NZ farms. Obviously with battery and electric motor technology improving exponentially, it's merely a matter of time before we go down this path. Think about battery tools and how they've taken over from corded and gas motors. You won't find a corded skill saw on a building site, now you have battery chainsaws, battery slide compound saws, demolition hammers and a whole lot more, all more convenient, quieter and more portable.

[@ShayeDeeeee]

The system was good. But not for a dedicated off-road racer. It works great in races like Dakar, loose sand, big straight lines, and big flowing corners. For everything else dirt bikes are used for like tight forest trails that require the rear tire to slip to make sharp turns or on a Supercross/MXGP track that requires lightweight and max power the system was useless or even a hinderance.

[@DonHogan-wi2yj]

A brushless with a helluva reduction on the front hub wouldnt weigh much and would offer enough torque to assist in tough spots or help keep front tire on top of deep sand or loose soil.

[@cr4zyw3ld3r]

I am actually in the market for a Christini 450 but specifically for long haul adventures. Reason being is that I cannot always have friends come along with on on outback trails especially long distance and so being able to self rescue is a must. Sure you could carry a manual/atv winch on your bike but that would add even more weight w/o as much of an advantage. Plus there is the hill climb capability that is added which is doubly useful when you are laden with camping supplies and survival gear. Ultimately I think it just depends on what you want. However even in a race setting i could see the system be improved to lose weight to the point where it would be negligible. Their chain and all gears could could be made from TI which would help reduce weigh massively and they could do the hub out of 3D printed Aluminum through generative design again saving weight in crucial areas. Their driveshafts could be made from CF to reduce the final weight even more yet again. So I think its too early to count them out!

[@fastinradfordable]

Front wheel is not goona pull you up a hill climb cause there is zero weight on it.

[@cr4zyw3ld3r]

@fastinradfordable depends on tje grade and how you shift weight, there are plenty climb videos of the Christini

[@FoxWJK]

their dirtbike isnt much heavier than a normal 450, a honda 450 is 249-289 pounts and christini is like 279

[@markjenkinson8940]

I’m a pretty bad rider on trails and dirt, but a few years ago I had the chance to ride a Christini Honda with a bunch of much more experienced riders. The confidence boost was miraculous and I was able to keep up with the group in very gnarly single track trails, water crossings, and mud. However I understand why better riders don’t need the advantage. Which makes me wonder why not put the system on ADV bikes? Bikes that are often ridden by less experienced older riders who haven’t been riding trails since they were teenagers (like me). A Tenere 700 with 2wd would be a dream

[@slowery43]

because the cost of R&D and manufacturing cannot be recouperated. There's simply not enough money in it same reason why you've not seen any advancements in decades in sport bikes, sport touring or dirt bikes there's just too little money in it today fewer people buying and there's mre competition with things like Razor buggies. We have slowly been entering a recession since the wave of plandemic cash has run it's course new RAzor's have dropped significantly in price as have RV's they will absolutely get crushed here in the resale market over the last few years same thing happened in 2010, 2001, 1999 it is cyclical

[@twowheelsabove]

i'm the all season rider, and AWD bike in snow and ice would be must have for some not cleaned streets thinking about lacing an electric motor into the bike rim

[@Hardys-Mods]

6:00 i thought the whole time about how they made this at first: is this an electric motor? - nah that cant be.. thats to heavy especially with the battery is it an hidden pivot system with driveshafts and gears? - nah thats impossible to hide so well.. atleast in the 90s. wait.. is this an hydraulic system? Thats insane.. i cant really belive it but maybe. And then u say its an hydraulic system. Im really impressed. I never knew hydraulics could be used efficiently in that way. I only know it from some Lego Technics models that some people build. Or in slow form for excavators etc. Öhlins really put a lot of thought into this 11:47 makes me wonder how this idea would work out with modern technology! where they can use carbon-titanium composites, 3d AI printing and other super durable components and fluids. 14:37 and i wonder how crazy a street bike/ drag bike version of this would be. Bikes are so superior due to their weight when it comes to 0-300 drag racing. only thing holding them back is the grip of the rear tire. But with a light AWD system those superbikes would launch like a slingshot and make launching easier and safer. or imagine if someone puts such a system in his 1000hp Boss Hoss with twin turbo V8! or in those crazy hillclimb bikes! i think there is lot of potential use cases for such a system if it works well and isnt to heavy.

[@drd1449]

2 wheel drive only makes some sense in offroad bikes. On tarmac most bikes already make enough grip to lift the front tire.

[@Badbell45]

In around 2006-7, my dad was in St Claire Pa, and Christini was there debuting a 250. My dad got to test ride it and ever since has always wanted that bike. He said the way it pulls around corners was a new experience. Hopefully I can buy him one soon!

[@KapteinFruit]

Very cool in theory, but I agree with you when it comes to the fact you would rarely need/want it. I miss innovation like this. Everything these days seems like upgrade upon upgrade, but everything is the same product essentially.

[@ianrobertson3419]

They've come a long way since the Rokon trailbreaker. Cool vid!

[@someguy9520]

Having a somewhat beefy electric scooter with 5.6kw of peak combined power and 2wd it makes a lot of sense It's not even an offroad model with knobbies, but going 2wd when i go on some slippery wet fireroads, the extra traction is incredible On the road, the feeling of gettong absolutely catapulted is also quite addictive

[@zurirk]

Still have ours, we love it!!! Absolutely horrible to to work on the front end but we got it down, hands the hard Australian desert like a champ, but is getting hard to find OEM parts but our Yamaha dealer helps a lot

[@JagLite]

Very interesting! Thanks for another excellent story to think about.

[@edwardharris9810]

We're going to star seeing 2wd electric dirtbikes more and more and hybrid imagine how useful it would be to be able to engage a motor in the front wheel whenever you need some extra traction useful in rally raid, enduro adventure riding..

[@victordragano8863]

So, I haven't experienced any "quirky" issues with my Christini 450. They are expensive in comparison to standard bikes, and I believe that is the reason it doesn't have larger appeal. I love how it handles personally. Its literally equatable to driving a 4x4 v. a 2WD vehicle in most conditions. It both rips fast and climbs easy as desired.

[@larrymacdonald4241]

About 15 years ago I built a 2 wheel drive ebike, with 10,000 watt motors :) Crystalyte 5304 front and a 5403 rear... no not a type, the front motor was at least 5 years older than the rear... anyway... 3 phase brushless hub motors, direct drive...luckily both motors had the same windings, constant power to the front wheel on any surface in any weather is a huge bonus... that bike could beat anything off the line and for about the first 100 feet, 1100 CC motorcycles included, and I was using small 40 amp controllers @ 36v 750 watt per HP, it was about 24 Hp total... I was one of the first to build a 2 wheel drive ebike, now I have a 2 wheel ebike with a 2 wheel drive trailer... so 4 x 4 :) this way the trailer carries it's own load, climbs over stuff much easier, no trying to " bump it " over the tree or curb or whatever. Electronic braking with a back up mechanical system on trailer, this way the trailer loaded with 300 .lbs does not push you through red lights... been there done that, changed my shorts... almost a hood ornament for a city bus... :) So long story short.. 2 wheel drive with constant power to front wheel... will roxors your boxors ! and yes, I have a video of it, in the winter, with studded tires, 4 battery packs with 3 different chemistries cause it's all I had to work with heh, SLA, Lifepo4, Li-ion

[@heisenburgeronthetoilet]

how was the steering? had some friends who tried out yamaha two track bikes and all of them said steering was hard. and that had 15%(?) of power to the front wheel.

[@alby1o1]

I had a 2004 WR 450 2Trac it was a backup bike for the 2004 Australian Safari wish I still had it . Word of advice for the young men out there if a woman tries to convince you to sell a bike , car , realestate or boat get rid of her .

[@lubomirfundarek6993]

Would love to hear about the christini bikes next time. I love these super niche videos, keep at it.

[@rfiskillingussoftly6568]

I never even heard of this bike! However, in Ontario Canada the system would pay for itself every December, January, February, March, and April" great video man! 🤙Braap!

[@mokujin29]

Paynfornitself? Bruh its 2 wheels not 4

[@christiaanventer8183]

I'm sure today the best alternative today could be an electric hub motor with a very small + powerfull battery (or capacitors), and a beastly alternator to charge it up. This could probably have a switch to turn the feature on or off leaving you with some additional weight on the front but nowhere near what a hydraulic system would be. But at its root this is a specialized system that has very few use cases and won't be needed by the mass markets around the world who mostly use flat, hard roads.

[@gavinearls2935]

Great video and reporting ! loved this story

[@AJK-R14]

Great educational video. Always wondered why only Rokon had an all wheel drive motorbike. Maybe this niche market design will make a comeback in the future. Yamaha has tried some different futuristic designs and found out that when in production they were a flop as the riders did not want these oddball designs. The depreciation on one of these new bike was too much when it got discontinued after only a couple of years in production. Consumers are stuck with an odd duck boat anchor that only a collector or museum woulod appreciate.

[@yeluripati]

Hopefully yamaha will bring it back in near future 😊.

[@rooramblingon895]

One of my favourite videos is Martin Brundle's top ten cars. He drove the Murcielago 4x4. It had a Haldex centre diff., which put power to the front when that back was losing grip. This sounds great, until you push hard and then the system keeps interfering with the front power. This means there's NO CONSISTENCY at the front. NOT what you want with so much power and speed. When driving or riding, you want to know what the vehicle will do. ALWAYS.

[@KRANKiT]

I need to look up that video...

[@jeffryan7439]

Yamaha tried a lot of versions of 2nd, it was pretty successful in Dakar at one time, interesting they never tried to put it in production I knew some people that rode the pre production bikes

[@bitiberg]

I really enjoyed this video! All the info was so detailed. Great job 👏

[@Rutherfordium2023]

they gave a motorcycle understeer

[@johnnywishbone831]

Not mentioned in the vid but I can see it for sure.

[@The_RC_Guru]

Any I saw were able the freeroll forward to avoid that.

[@scottydouglass1892]

In 1979 a company in the Seattle area called keystone developed a hydraulic driven front and rear yz250.

[@marchofthecontraption8060]

Great video, maybe worth also that deep dive into the Christini AWD setups too! I hear they've been floating around in some of the bigger rallies...I wonder if we will see a revival of this concept with more electrification, a single small hub motor with sub 1kw battery that is more tied in with the all the new IMU / traction control hotness. Kia did a version of the system as described in a prototype Kia Soul a few years ago!

[@pistonburner6448]

One small correction: Audi never dominated rallying. Ever. It was actually one of the biggest embarrassments and worst performances of a factory team in motorsport history. Great video, all the best!

[@KKMultes]

If you think about cars, the majority of the cars are not AWD, but there's a place for them in the market, maybe someday will be like that for Bikes

[@kingarron3]

3:53 i was ready to skip the ad lol. liked

[@The-Urban-Goose]

04:40 Christ that's a scary shot! That chopper must've been less than 15m away from him!

[@sergiorg222]

Great video, as always!!!

[@garrycoates2147]

I am going on memory here but I do not believe David Frétigné used the 2 Trac system in every stage. It put 8kgs on the front wheel which was a real problem in soft sand. Expert riders value weight saving very highly. The early stages that David did well were wet. I vividly remember the front pulling him out of a highside in one of his wins.

[@jamesfernick3741]

its so weird that this came into my youtube feed, i just finished building an awd 3000w ebike this week, i started with a folding 1500w fat tire ridstar h26, but i added a second 1500w motor, battery and controller to the front wheel, the right hand does the rear throttle and brake and the left hand does the front throttle and brake, its crazy how easy it it to go over obstacles with instant torque control to each individual wheel, and as an added bonus i can ride it in the park and through bike lanes in traffic without arising suspicion "im just another bicycle" (as long as i dont ride like an asshole)

[@BurnerJones]

I've wondered for years why nobody ever tried this and somehow never learned about it until now.

[@illusiveelk2558]

Voice like these still exist, they're just made by lesser known companies like christini. There are also conversion kits that you can buy. Some of them are a little janky from what I hear and can shut the all-wheel drive off in certain gears. It also adds a learning curve as your steering the opposite way to maintain a corner.

[@yeahdark4282]

I saw a yamaha wr 450 2takt just a few days ago and that thing looked like a beast!

[@thanhcolam1308]

Would this trend return in the time of electrification ? 🤔 with 2 on-hub motors on each wheel

[@johnnywishbone831]

Think I agree. This system would be 1% useful on a ride for the average advanced rider. Like you said it maybe a good tool for the learner. I know it would have helped my front end confidence whilst learning. Cheers

[@0xsergy]

I've been in exactly one scenario in 6 years of riding and 40,000kms where having awd would have got me out of a situation. Other than that one time i preferred rwd as it helped with the ability to turn a heavy adv bike on loose surfaces.

[@LostInADV]

Really enjoy your topics, excellent job on doing something different.

[@philip6027]

Man your videos are so great!

[@Glockcoma1]

Try any powerful 2 wheel drive electric bike out there.They're great going straight.But if the front wheel spins applying power in a turn,you're going down. If 2 wheel drive bikes worked well, they would be everywhere.

[@SeniorBillzy]

Needs to be toggleable

[@hemingwaybromfield3722]

You never apply power entering a corner. Ever. Regardless if it's rwd, awd, fwd. Power always reduces available grip. Be smart, learn how to trail brake.

[@Glockcoma1]

@@hemingwaybromfield3722 Never said anything about powering into a turn, you did. Relax, been riding almost 40 years.

[@Glockcoma1]

@@hemingwaybromfield3722 No channel content? Armchair expert?

[@gchampi2]

Possibly an idea whose time has come? Think about it, with modern battery tech and electronics, it should be possible to build a bike with 2wd, electric hub motors, and a hybrid powertrain. Say, a 125cc ICE running as a generator, feeding a battery pack & some clever electronics, in turn feeding a pair of hub motor/generators. With a built in G-meter, under acceleration the power could be directed to the rear, under braking, the front hub could be used for regen braking, and when the going gets tough, 2wd could be available at the touch of a button.With careful design, you could end up with a 125cc bike with the power (under acceleration) of a much larger bike, the fuel economy of a much smaller bike, 2wd, and the maintenance simplicity of a hybrid (change the oil periodically and maintain the suspension. That's it. No chain, no brake pads, no gearbox and no hydraulic lines.). Heck, make it a PEHV so it can be charged at home, and a 50 mile range as an EV, and it would be an almost perfect general purpose bike - EV when commuting, but with the option to go (much) further afield when you want to...

[@BiloSta-vb5td]

You are smart man!

[@firebladeboy.539]

There was a WR 2trac on eBay a few weeks ago, 2004 model year and it was just over £10,000 a very rare bike indeed.

[@KRANKiT]

That’s steep ... although I do see it possibly becoming a collectible at some point

[@davidkecskemeti7717]

i always wanted and still want one so bad. they were so expensive, and they just got even more expensive.

[@JL-cn1qi]

I did not know this. Good vid ! Could this not be done today tho, with an electric motor at the front. As long as you don't keep the battery there the weight should ok. Doesn't even need to be a big battery as long as the petrol engine keeps topping it up.

[@IanMainBliss]

that's actually how my 2005 honda crv awd system worked. well, it uses a hydraulic clutch but similar idea.

[@svedalawoodcrafts]

Good review/documentary. With todays tech and materials I think they could modify this system to work very good on dirt bikes.

[@ProfessorOfLogicAtUnvOfScience]

I think an awd bike changed the entire riding experience, which is probably fine for newer riders, but if youre experienced, it probably felt strange, unfamiliar and unpredictable. Just seems like a very niche application that probably works well in like hard enduro, or rally, but then again it adds another failure point. To me, power to the front seems counterproductive on a motorcycle.

[@DonHogan-wi2yj]

I had no idea yamaha invested so much and ohlins suspension too? Wow. Id like to ride one of these unicorn 450s.

[@Schmitzelhaus]

There is a production bike with AWD you can buy, BMW had it on at least one gen of the 1200 adventure bike.

[@tompapsax]

If you give even 1 or 2 hp on the front wheel you have torque steer.. they could make it selectable of course but the best thing would be to be removable somehow.

[@rustymustard7798]

I live up several miles of steep rough dirt road that varies in conditions from hardpack to frozen mud and snow. If my bike had 2wd i'd use it pretty much every ride lol.

[@Richard-r1x7d]

I would have one on an MT 12, hydraulic or electric. Battery space not a problem. Weight not a problem as I only weigh 140lbs.

[@or6060]

15:55 no that is definitely a story for THIS video. really bizarre that christini is a footnote when they're the #1 name in AWD bikes and have had the most success.

[@fenesancalin1073]

Amazing video, as usual!

[@ChiefRickyRC]

Seems perfect idea for cruiser bikes

[@RedRupert64]

Good vid. Thanks. I remember seeing adverts for that bike, but it was simply too expensive. Well done Yamaha for giving it a go. We have a lot to thank Yamaha for.

[@Jenuin]

An electric ⚡️ hub would do everything and give regenerative braking. ❤ plus different riding mods if controlled by an ECU

[@hamzazoghlami429]

why they didnt keep it only for racing?

[@maplemayhem1988]

In my eyes, it was great for what it specialized in but not good enough at what it wasn't specialized in. On top of that only an experienced rider could get the most out of it but only beginners where flexible enough to adapt to it.

[@andyarchitect]

Has hydraulic drive every been tried on a mountain bike as an alternative to a chain or belt drive? Are the losses in a hydraulic drive too high to make it viable? If it could work it would be an awesome solution to lowering maintenance.

[@exaltedone2799]

I Said hydraulic driven before you even showed the chain-driven front and was disappointed I was wrong at first

[@bryang9601]

Nice video and great system ❤❤❤

[@someguy325es]

I would love to try one on the silty and very often flooded trails we have where i ride

[@spiderwebber32]

is Christini legit? I have really wanted one of their bikes but can never see where to get one

[@youreasnake4548]

They seem to never be able to get a foot in the door in overseas markets. People are already paying well over $12k AUD for a new KTM 300, and adding an extra 4-5000 AUD to make it heavier in the front and lose almost all of KTM suspension geometry and weight distribution design just makes it not worth it. Especially when the KTM 300 EXC from the factory is an amazingly functional machine that 95% of the riders will never utilise to its full potential.

[@FoxWJK]

now i want something i cant have because its a collectors item, i want a yamaha 2 trac

[@cuconatparfour665]

Low-key wanna this kind of technology in a circuit bike

[@Ken-RicSki]

I think it’d be useful on a big wheeled type utility bike, like if Yamaha made there version of a Rokon but with more dirt bike engineering and less lawnmower like engineering

[@MrROTD]

I thought of this hydraulic system to make a 2 wheel drive bicycle back in 1989

[@blackmedia7075]

Maybe a modern hybrid bike with electric hub motor in the front wheel could be interesting

[@thedarkknight1971]

NOW... We have compact, lightweight but yet, powerful electric motors that could be fitted, fairly cheaply too! So, even modern bikes could have functional, mode customised 2WD bikes! 🤔😏👍 😎🇬🇧

[@Onewheelordeal]

These are some really cool machines but honestly just an extra feature that's not needed for most riders. The 1% of times AWD will be helpful isn't worth any negatives to the 99% of time a RWD dirt bike can already get through almost anything

[@philbro1829]

I just wanted to thank you for bringing this piece of cycling history back to to be examined... funny stuff brother, 😂thanks 🎉

[@mattmoore9042]

2WD is alive and well. I ride an UBCO all the time. It's not fast or a race bike or even an enduro but it's an awesome bike to ride. Can't get the smile off my face. Oh yeah, it's electric. I get 70 to 80 miles a charge (.79 per charge) and it makes almost no noise at all. I can ride year-round, I don't care if it snows. I've owned many bikes in my life and a couple of them were Honda Elsinore's and some 150mph monsters, but nothing makes me smile like a little 2WD trailbike. I'd love to ride one of those Yammies.

[@ProfessorOfLogicAtUnvOfScience]

I cant help but feeling like power to the front wheel is counterproductive for a motorcycle.

[@fastinradfordable]

150mph is not a monster lol

[@darekmistrz4364]

@@fastinradfordable Mr fancy pants, "150mph is not a monster lol". Guy might as well be 90 years old and might have gone 150mph on motorbike even before you were born. Have some humility

[@Early666]

@FortNine, please tell me ya'll can get your hands on one of these dirt bikes for a future video.

[@ThunderBird80085]

I remember seeing christini at hay days a few years ago and when i saw that they only offered black or flat dark earth coloring it was obvious they were gunning for military contracts

[@ianmayer8533]

well made, great video!

[@John-j8g]

But it did prove itself in the sand ! That was what it was made for in the first place. Now fast forward to today! Where a 450 can get 65hp. That's plenty of power to race the big races !

[@whyareyoureadingmyname5854]

Fully built 450s can make over 80whp

[@bogdandanailescu]

Please do the Christini too if you can :) Thx.

[@highwaltage]

yep remember it well. ive built hub motor powered bikes with the electric stuff. keen to do a hybrid

[@jasonheckenlively1172]

I've been building electric and 2 stroke bicycles for almost 2 decades. The AWD dual motor brushless, 2 stroke hybrid will be me swan song, my magnum opus 😂😂

[@cm2ral]

I Live in Florida and we have almost exclusively sugar sand AWD bike would be fantastic for me. But if I only had to pick one it would be RWD.