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from the and-you-thought-Hogs-were-loud dept.
Hoverbike Makes Its US Debut at Detroit Auto Show - ExtremeTech:
XTURISMO is the latest development out of AERWINS, a Japanese air mobility startup. While the hoverbike's center indeed looks like a street bike, it's surrounded by large fans, lending the vehicle the overall appearance of a massive, rideable drone. The 300-kilogram (661-pound) hoverbike is powered by both an internal combustion engine and a battery, which together lend XTURISMO its 40-kilometer (24.8-mile) cruising range. XTURISMO can zip around at speeds up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour while carrying payloads (AKA drivers) up to 100 kilograms, or 220 pounds.
[...] Though XTURISMO's range and speed are undoubtedly lower than some aspirational hoverbike drivers would hope for, the technology has to start somewhere, and mild freeway speeds aren't a terrible place to start. Of course, none of that matters if you're turned off by XTURISMO's $777,000 price tag...and its lack of availability in the US. Because Japan doesn't consider XTURISMO to be a type of aircraft, special licenses aren't required to drive it there, and Japanese residents can begin buying and driving the hoverbike as soon as they wish.
(Score: 2) by stretch611 on Thursday September 22 2022, @07:56PM
At only 100kg max, it could not even lift off the ground with me on the seat. Not to mention not even having the room for groceries from the store. (And TBH, how is it going to sell without the ability to "pick up chicks"?)
It sounds like a lawnmower. Only the most die hard rednecks will race those.
3/4 million dollars for something that looks like a moped with fans.... good luck selling that.
Also odd is how something that can't be sold in the US has all those US flag stickers on the bike.
COMPLETE FAIL
Now with 5 covid vaccine shots/boosters altering my DNA :P