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Two Enthusiasts Podcast – Episode 16 – Chest Hairs Up

By Jensen Beeler 02/21/2016 1 Comment

Episode 16 of the Two Enthusiasts Podcast is another jam-packed show, for your aural pleasure.

Quentin and myself cover some of the moto-specific releases from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), such as BMW’s HUD helmet and laser-power headlight, along with the advances Yamaha is making with its MotoBot project, and the future of wearables and personal video.

We also dive into a weighty discussion on the use of quickshifters on modern sport bikes, and how their use can affect the life of a motorcycles transmission.

We also find out that Quentin is a sucker for a good IPA, that Corona will never sponsor the show, and that I have perhaps spent too much time (and money) in West Hollywood. Also, King Leopold II of Belgium was kind of a jerk.

As always, you can listen to the show via the embedded SoundCloud player, after the jump, or you can find the show on iTunes (please leave a review) or this RSS feed. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well. Enjoy the show!

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BMW Brings Laser Headlight Technology to Motorcycles

By Jensen Beeler 01/05/2016 16 Comments

Today is “pass off old news as new news” day in the motorcycle industry. In addition to re-discovering that Dainese is working on a space suit design (circa 2014), another story from 2011 is getting some play: BMW’s laser headlight technology.

The rehashing of this story comes about as BMW Motorrad is at the Consumer Electronics Shows (CES) today, showing its laser headlight technology now on a motorcycle. Cue your Austin Powers jokes, now.

Laser-powered headlights are already available on BMW cars, with the 7 Series and i8 electric car featuring the technology. Thus, the logical progression was to add the frickin’ laser beams to BMW Motorrad’s flagship model, the BMW K1600GTL, which is showing at CES.

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BMW is Developing a Laser-Powered Headlight

By Jensen Beeler 09/01/2011 7 Comments

Yes, you read that right — frickin’ laser beams. Prompting too many mainstream sci-fi culture references for our overly-geekish selves, our heads here at A&R are literally exploding like Alderaan right now over the idea of ~~sharks or~~ ~~ill-tempered sea bass~~ motorcycles using lasers as a headlight replacement.

Setting its BMW phasers to stun today, our favorite Bavarian company is already exploring ways to replace the brand-spanking-new LED headlight technology that is just now making its way onto premium automobiles.

BMW hopes that laser technology will not only make for a more advanced headlight in terms of features, but also one that is more energy efficient.

Admittedly the company is only exploring the technology initially for its automobiles, but we can only imagine the laser headlights will trickle down to motorcycles before we have to travel 88 mph and go back to the future.

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