Even the feminists would agree that the more macho a bike, the better it looks. Just take a dekko at the two new design models from the Minnesota based mobike manufacturer Victory and you will know what we are talking about. The Cross Country and Cross Roads are powered by a 106 cubic inch V-Twin and they both deliver 92 hp and 109 ln-ft torque. The 5.8 gallon fuel tanks have a reserve of 1.0 gallon which allows the rider to enjoy a carefree ride.

The developers inform that Cross Country is more touring oriented and retails for $18 K. Its large fork mounting has all sorts of digital multifunction display instrumentation as well as an analog speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, battery charge meter and an iPod ready audio system. Again, its’s seat is 26.6 inch high, which apparently is the lowesr in its class.

On the other hand, the Cross Roads costs $16 K and it comes flaunting a removable Texan windshield that helps in minimizing and buffeting. Apart from the new razmatazz, the two bikes also feature Four-piston, dual 300-mm disc brakes and their saddle bags can accomodate 21.3 gallons, a figure 70% more than Yamaha Startoliner and 25% more than Harley Davidson Street Glide.

Via popularmechanics

If you are a Street Fighter fan, you would love the Gen-Ryu’s proposal for a hybrid motorcycle. It is based in genesis, the famous motorcycle launched by Yamaha. It comes with the latest electronic control techniques and comes with a really sophisticated technology and electric motor.

The idea is to provide the user an experience that brings the advantages of a scooter with the handling of a motorcycle. It is made of die-cast lightweight aluminium and runs at a power which can be compared to other 1,000cc class motorcycles. The idea behind the motorcycle may not be Ryu, the eponymous hero of Street Fighter.

However, it is fine for the handsome Ryu to take on this bike and go fighting all the baddies on the streets of wicked and bad ass cities. It is still a concept and there is no information about either the price or availability and I would be glad if it is made available anytime soon!

Via: ASZOZO

The National Association of Music Merchants, NAMM, is the most popular music products trade show by far, held in the first month of every year at Anaheim, California. The NAMM show this year sizzled not just with great music products but one of the most popular ladies of the music world, Alicia Keys.

Alicia was present at the show to promote Alicia’s Keys, her new digital keyboard. With the intention of designing a keyboard that can attract musicians from different backgrounds and made available at an affordable price, Alicia collaborated with sound engineers and programmers to create a keyboard that can digitally reproduce the exact sound desired by the musician. Though favouring her own baby, Alicia also took time to play the Yamaha AvantGarde electric grand piano which resonates with sound when played making the music physically palpable.

The AvantGarde’s digital samples have been recorded by the Yamaha CFIIIS concert grand which create the tactile vibrations via three resonators. Alicia referred to the AvantGarde as a friend and you could strike a bond with it in July. If you have $20,000, that is.

Via: DVice/PrWeb

We had heard of the concept of a little ambient room within a room. And now we are hearing of My Room II from Yamaha, which is nothing short of a human-sized vault!

As the name suggests, this tiny room is an improved version of the previous model. It is designed to fit in an apartment offering complete soundproof privacy for watching TV, confidential meetings and for practicing karaoke. So, in less time you get more comfort.

A huge hit with parasite-single adult children still living at home, stressed out moms and now the retiring baby-boomer salarymen generation, you too can get Room II and escape into a world of your own.

Yamaha has another product along the same lines. Called Cefine it is designed for home music practice; by the way this is the original application for which the concept was developed.

And it definitely does not come cheap. A 1.5 tatami mat-sized My Room II retails for $6,500 while a Cefine II of the same size comes for $10,000-$15,000. USed ones are up for rent at the rate of $100-$200 per day.

Via kiliannakamura

The Skycar project by a team of explorers and motorheads from London is really grabbing the attention of the world for more than one reason. Apart from creating a flying car that aims to run from London to Timbuktu on a route that mixes both land and air, the Skycar uses both biofuel which is considered great for the planet and can switch between land and air within a matter of just 3 minutes. The flying car aims to complete the journey from London to Timbuktu starting this January and the 6000 km trip will be the perfect test run for this future car.

The team has already spent over £130,000 on the project and this machine that combines a modified 140bhp Yamaha R1 superbike engine with the gearbox of a snowboard vehicle and a fan of a swamp boat is really a cool combination between air and road transport. It can accelerate up to a speed of 170 mph on land and its acceleration can match that of any sports car on land. In air, it is expected to reach an altitude of 2000-3000 feet and a top speed of well over 100mph.

The Skycar will use the giant fan and the parachute to move I air and when stuck in traffic, a car like this would be invaluable indeed. There is no way all the money can buy you that sense of freedom, but if the test run succeeds you might be able to get a Skycar for £35,000 and £40,000 for a standard model and £60,000 for a high-performance sports version. Air-lifting out of traffic- Stuff of dreams indeed!

Via: Timesonline

Yamaha’s latest FX Cruiser SHO layered in platinum and crimson-red-metallic is an elite offering. Driven by a 1.8-liter supercharged engine and weighing 25% less than earlier models, it offers a memorable ride. Credit goes to the usage of the nanotechnology while developing its skeleton. But one wonders about the USP of its integrated cruise-control feature. That, in recital with its 19.8-gallon cooler and self-draining brew holders, just begs for casual Corona-fueled contests.

It has a built-in industry’s first remote controlled transmitter that enables it activate and deactivate the FX Cruiser SHO’s digital security system via a touch of a single button.

More pics:

Check out the gallery:

Via MenStyle

Raising eyebrows is obvious when Pianos seem to go digital. A Yamaha grand measuring 5 feet, 3 inches long is available in longer versions as well as there are models costing up to $150,000. The Disklavier Mark IV is the world’s first piano with an integrated Internet connection. On lines of preceding cohorts of Yamaha’s self-playing pianos, the Mark IV is the latest entrant offering a luminous, elegant, splendid presence in your living room. The only signal by which one can capture about something going bizarre is the power and Ethernet cords niggling out from beneath and a 2-inch-tall control panel peeking out from underneath the lower-left skirt of the device.

I am sure by now you must have witnessed digital player pianos in a hotel lobby or mall, singing holiday tunes all by themselves with keys and pedals frantically going up and down. Some important specks: History reveals that the established owners of these Disklavier pianos bought numerous floppy disks or CDs with recorded recitals by renowned pianists. Each album is priced at $30-$35 and a new twist is added via its feature of Internet connectivity. It lets you subscribe to live piano “radio stations.” At a mere drop of $20 a month ($200 a year), you can jingle into conduits like Classical, Broadway or Rock.

The Yamaha store is not less than the iTunes store, equipped with a 30-second foretaste of each song with only difference that an individual plays the songs live.

Via NYT