News from motorcycle manufacturers: Izh-2018, Minsk-2018, Ural-2018

I thought for a long time whether to write about this miracle of engineering or not. The new heavy Izh motorcycle was tested on the Formula 1 track in Sochi.

Earlier, this Izh motorcycle was demonstrated to Russian President Vladimir Putin during an exhibition.

The Kalashnikov concern is developing a new model of the Izh motorcycle, which is part of the Cortege project.

I was outraged that they shamelessly trumpeted that they were trying to object to the legendary brand and their engineers created a completely new motorcycle for this. Judging by the design, they took some kind of pattern from the late eighties. B

I have never seen more elaborate motorcycles. Who will ride it, Judge Dredd? This design was relevant 30 years ago, for example, the legendary rotary IZH looked very cool and modern for its time.

Will there be buyers for such a miracle in 2022? Judging by the weight of 510 kg, buyers must be real athletes, or FSO employees, because this bike was developed for them.

The fairings are made of armor, where does this weight come from? The legendary Honda Gold Wing weighs 369 kg. Exactly! I thought for a long time what this IZh motorcycle reminds me of, but it’s the GL1800 F6C Valkyrie.

Handsome guys have covered Honda with scary plastic and claim that this is a breakthrough. Where's your boxer twin? Even an untrained person will notice from the cylinder head cover that there is more than one cylinder, so why lie.

In normal reality, enterprises are actually financed by the state through taxes, but in our country, it’s exactly the opposite, some senseless state-owned companies are created, into which budget funds are senselessly pumped.

They announced that the cost of a new IZH motorcycle would be 4 million rubles, but they went completely crazy there. Once again, 4 million rubles

!
Who needs it for that kind of money? Why pump our taxes into such projects at all; they won’t even pay off in theory. Read also: What is hydrocracking oil?
If you have a budget, then why not create something that has at least the slightest chance of success. Without government injections, all this will quickly go bankrupt. We have already passed by, the same Izh, Moskvich, ZIL. Nobody needed their products. VAZ would also go bankrupt if billions were not poured into it every year.

The new Izh should be like the KTM 1190-enduro-street-sport-tourist, all rolled into one and will easily travel along all roads and directions of the Russian Federation.

Moto concept

26-year-old Russian designer Igor Shak has developed a high-tech hybrid motorcycle concept in honor of the famous Soviet motorcycle Izh-1 (1929).
The concept has a V-twin engine with a displacement of 849 cm3. It produces 140 hp. More than 50% of the motor is made of heat-resistant and durable plastic. In addition, the engine has such a layout, which leads to its minimum weight.

The engine operates with a smart variable fuel system that is tuned to minimize fuel consumption. In addition to the conventional internal combustion engine, the Izh-1 concept is equipped with a 60 kW electric motor. It is mounted in the rear wheel along with a small two-speed gearbox. The electric motor is powered by lithium-sulfide batteries (lately only lithium-ion batteries are installed on electric cycles). Presumably in hybrid mode, the Izh-1 will consume 2.9 liters of fuel per 100 km.

Izh-1 is equipped with a six-speed gearbox that can operate in automatic mode, as well as magnetic brakes with a hydraulic backup system. Brakes, gas and clutches are controlled electronically.

In addition to all the advantages, the Izh-1 has a carefully thought out safety system. Airbags are made for the passenger and driver, which absorb up to 50% of the impact.

The concept is equipped with an adjustable radar that works in conjunction with a front-mounted camera. Other systems that improve safety: advanced traction control that automatically adapts to ice, an accelerometer - a system that turns the headlights along with the steering wheel, vibration stabilizer and an advanced ABS system. Izh-1 can operate in three modes: sport, comfort and standard.

There is an HD camera with night vision installed on the front. It displays high-quality images in real time, allowing the pilot to be more aware of hazards, especially at night.

Igor Shak has interestingly thought out how to work with mobile devices that can be controlled through the main display. Izh-1 can work with any mobile OS: iPhone, Windows, Blackberry, Symbian, Android, etc. The system is configured so that you can only answer a call while on the move. When completely stopped, you can use all functions of the mobile device: SMS, video, applications, etc. Of course, such a high-tech motorcycle is equipped with all types of communications: GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi and 4G.

We've seen so many concepts at Bike Post. Hundreds. But I have never seen such an advanced and clearly described project. Every detail is methodically worked out and described. I am glad that in Russia there are such talented people as Igor Shak.

News from

The first brainchild of the IZH plant is already 85 years old. Mass production began in 1946. Today, road motorcycles "Junker" are produced.

Road motorcycles "Junker".

Equipped with a two-cylinder, two-cylinder, 350cc engine. see, they can reach speeds of up to 115 km. hour. The teardrop-shaped tank, high-mounted handlebars and forward-facing footpegs embody the American style of the motorcycle.

The company continues to produce the legendary IZH Planet - 5.

A motorcycle for honorary escort, which is being developed by the Kalashnikov concern, will go on sale.

But the commercial version will not enter the market under the Aurus brand, under which cars created on the Unified Modular Platform (UMP) will be sold. Since Kalashnikov owns the Izh brand, it is under this brand that the two-wheeled monster will be sold. And not only in Russia, but also abroad.

The motorcycle is planned to be freely sold; it will enter the market under the Izh brand. This brand has been known since Soviet times; now it belongs to our Kalashnikov concern, which is working on the new machine. It is still difficult to say whether the motorcycle will exactly replicate the motorcade. But it will definitely use solutions - design and technical - that are used in the motorcycle for the Cortege project,” TASS quotes the head of the Rostec concern Sergei Chemezov.

The Kalashnikov concern presented the motorcycle concept last year. The declared technical characteristics are impressive: a boxer engine with a power of 150 hp, acceleration to hundreds in just 3.5 seconds, a top speed of 250 km/h. True, it is still unclear how much the motorcycle weighs. The developers indicated a mass of 510 kilograms. If we are not talking about the total permissible weight, but about the curb weight, then the Izh really turns out to be a very heavy motorcycle.

However, so far Kalashnikov has only published an advertising video dedicated to this motorcycle: no one has seen the prototypes, no riding tests have been carried out. Sergei Chemezov previously said that the motorcycle of the “Cortege” project will be ready no earlier than 2022.
The fact that motorcycles will again be made in Izhevsk became known in July last year from Sergei Chemezov, the head of Rostec (the state corporation that is the main shareholder of the Kalashnikov concern).
In August 2022, Kalashnikov presented the Izh electric motorcycle for police and special forces.
Last year, the concern showed a working prototype of a flying motorcycle.

Photo: Sergey Krasilnikov/TASS, Kalashnikov Concern

Electric motorcycle "Izh-Pulsar"

One of the new products of the Army-2019 military-technical forum held at the end of June was a civilian lightweight version of the Izhevsk electric motorcycle Izh-Pulsar. A new version of the serial electric motorcycle, intended for use in the city, was developed on the basis of the version for the Russian Ministry of Defense, which was first shown to the public back in 2022. The new motorcycle from Izhevsk is distinguished by the presence of a lightweight battery with a higher capacity and a new, improved frame geometry. In general, the ergonomics of the Izh-Pulsar model have become better; the motorcycle has an effective braking system and an adjustable suspension.

Presented civilian version of the Izh-Pulsar motorcycle

"Izh-Pulsar" and its capabilities

The public first became acquainted with the new Izhevsk motorcycle in August 2022.
The premiere also took place at the Army military-technical forum. The motorcycle has the following main characteristics: the maximum speed is limited to 100 km/h, the power reserve is about 150 kilometers. The heart of the motorcycle is a Chinese-made brushless DC motor, the motor develops a maximum power of 15 kW (20 hp). When charging, the electric motorcycle engine consumes only 10 kW/hour of electricity. According to the developers' calculations, in comparison with motorcycles equipped with gasoline engines, the Izh-Pulsar costs the owner about 12 times less. The Kalashnikov concern emphasizes that they have been thinking about creating a new Izha in the capital of Udmurtia since the closure of motorcycle production in 2008. Work began directly on the Pulsar model in Izhevsk in December 2016. At the same time, the bet was immediately placed on a model with an electric motor, since the future lies with such technology. The main global trend in recent years has been electric motors and electric cars, everyone is trying to switch to electricity. According to the concern's experts, sooner or later Europe will come to the point where all internal combustion engines will be prohibited at the legislative level; this could happen in the near future - within 10-15 years. That is why creating a new Izh motorcycle with a gasoline engine was pointless from all points of view: both financial and technological.

At the same time, the advantages of electric motorcycles are obvious and we are talking not only about the fact that they do not harm the ecology of our planet. First of all, this is the low cost of their operation. According to the developers, every kilometer of road traveled by a Pulsar motorcycle is 10-15 times cheaper than on a motorcycle with an internal combustion engine. Given rising fuel prices, this is increasingly relevant. At the same time, fully charging an electric motorcycle will cost less than 50 rubles. In addition, such equipment is significantly cheaper to maintain, since the standard maintenance of any motorcycle is changing filters and oil, and the Izh-Pulsar has neither one nor the other.

At the same time, in Izhevsk they especially emphasize that they developed a new motorcycle with an eye on the whole country and driving not on the best, “non-Moscow” roads, which prevail throughout Russia. It’s hard to argue with this, considering that the motorcycle was originally developed specifically for the Ministry of Defense and law enforcement agencies. On the videos of the Kalashnikov Concern you can see how the Pulsars confidently plow snow-covered dirt roads. During the development process, the motorcycle was improved, so the new versions differ from the one that was presented in the spring of 2022; they received a changed weight distribution, a stiffer suspension and many other new elements.

The Izh-Pulsar motorcycle is equipped with an original power plant. The heart of the model is a Chinese brushless DC electric motor produced by Golden Motor, which develops a maximum power of 15 kW (20 hp). In the future, Kalashnikov expects to switch to a domestically produced electric motor, work on which is currently underway. The certification of the new Izhevsk motorcycle specifies three types of traction batteries: lithium-ion, lithium-polymer and lithium-ferrophosphate. One main battery is installed above the engine; another one or two batteries can be placed in specially designed cases. The capacity of the main battery can reach 38-100 Ah, auxiliary batteries – from 20 to 30 Ah. The total battery capacity can reach up to 160 Ah, and the motorcycle's power reserve according to OTTS (Vehicle Type Approval in Rosstandart) can range from 50 to 250 kilometers. The OTTS has registered special-purpose versions for the needs of the army, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the FSB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Guard, the Ministry of Justice, etc. and a civilian version. A special version of the Izh-Pulsar motorcycle can be additionally equipped with safety arches, flashing beacons, side and rear panniers, and a trunk. It is for this reason, and also because of the different battery options, that the curb weight of the electric motorcycle varies from 165 to 245 kg, and the permitted total weight of the Pulsar ranges from 300 to 320 kg.

Do Izhevsk motorcycles have “Chinese ears” sticking out?

Back in 2022, the popular Russian publication AutoReview expressed some skepticism about the Izhevsk new product. The publication doubted that this was the Kalashnikov Concern’s own development, a motorcycle entirely of Russian origin. Indeed, motorcycle production in Izhevsk was completely curtailed back in 2008, and all equipment was sold out. At the same time, the Izh-Pulsar is very similar in appearance to the Irbis TTR250 off-road gasoline motorcycles presented on the Russian market. Bashan BS250 motorcycles, which are assembled in Chongqing, China, are sold under this designation in our country.

Irbis TTR250

The Kalashnikov concern monitors the media reaction to its new products, so they could not miss such comparisons. After the presentation of the first version of the new motorcycle, many comparisons and statements appeared about the external similarity of the Pulsar with the Irbis TTR250 motorcycle. The concern believes that such comparisons are primarily due to the fact that the same headlights were used in Izhevsk. Otherwise, the motorcycle developers note, it is not very clear why the Russian press noticed the similarity with the Irbis, and not, for example, with Yamaha motorcycles. The concern believes that talking about any external similarity between the models is, to say the least, strange.

Moreover, the main element of the Pulsar motorcycle is truly made in China. The concern notes that the engine of the current versions is Chinese; it satisfied the developers with a set of characteristics. Currently, work is underway to create our own electric motor for the Pulsar. The first models have already entered the testing stage, so in the future, new Izh motorcycles will receive Russian engines, which will help to abandon the use of a Chinese engine.

Izh-Pulsar motorcycles are already in use by the police

Back in June last year, the Kalashnikov Concern handed over the first 30 Izh-Pulsar electric motorcycles to Moscow police. All motorcycles went to work at the Moscow Department of Transport and Road Infrastructure Development. New models of motorized vehicles were widely used during patrolling of city streets and forested areas of the capital during the FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Representatives of the Russian military police are also mastering new Izhevsk motorcycles.
So in April 2022, the first 4 Izh-Pulsar electric motorcycles produced by the Kalashnikov Concern were transferred to the VAI (military automobile inspection) of the city of Moscow. According to the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, by the end of 2022, the Moscow Military Aviation Institute will purchase another 16 electric motorcycles made in Izhevsk. It is already known that after a generalization and comprehensive analysis of the experience of using the first VAI unit on electric motorcycles in Moscow, it is planned to form their own motorcycle units in another 16 VAI. VAI notes that the new motorcycles are excellent for creating mobile rapid response teams, going to accident scenes within the city, as well as monitoring compliance with traffic rules and ensuring road safety when moving military vehicles in urban environments. The military department especially emphasizes the relevance of motorized transport in cities with high traffic intensity and density, which, of course, includes Moscow and other Russian millionaire cities. Indeed, an electric motorcycle is the type of transport that feels more confident in city traffic; a motorcycle is able to go where a regular car cannot go, and can successfully get through even many kilometers of traffic jams.

Civil version of the Izh-Pulsar electric motorcycle in photographs

Igor Shak and his Izh 2012 motorcycle concept

Born in Vladivostok, but living in Japan since the age of five, Igor Shak draws simply amazing motorcycles. Last year he presented his first work - a remake of the 2015 Honda CB 750, and this time he decided to please with an even more stylish and thoughtful concept 2012 Izh-1. Both of these motorcycles were very popular at one time, but if Igor had been entrusted with developing and releasing their remakes, then each of them would have become a bomb!

Each of us (some better, some worse) imagines what a Honda CB750 is and how popular this motorcycle was. But a very small percentage of motorcycle enthusiasts remember that in 1929, the Soviet Defense Plant launched the production of the Izh-1 motorcycle with a 1200 cc V-twin engine (23 hp) with a transverse arrangement (in the Moto Guzzi style). The first Izh was equipped with a 3-speed gearbox, cardan transmission and a very interesting frame, the lower rear part of which served as a muffler! Since 1927, the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant has produced about 11 million motorcycles - this is a truly impressive result, which allowed the USSR to be in honorable second place in terms of the number of motorcycles produced (after Japan) until the early 90s.

Given the difficult economic situation of the Soviet Russian brand today, according to Igor, very soon (by 2012) we will be able to assemble modern hybrid motorcycles using high-tech materials. An 850 cc V-twin combined with a 60 kW electric motor should be sufficient for any needs of the average Russian and beyond. Four times more capacious than Li-ion Li2S batteries (based on lithium sulfide) will be located very low behind the engine to lower the center of gravity. An electric motor located on the rear wheel with a built-in two-speed drive will help the internal combustion engine in moments of heavy load, bringing average fuel consumption to 2.9 l/100 km. So, complete with the Izh 2012 motorcycle you will find: airbags (Igor is awaiting a patent for them), a radar for automatically tracking an object moving ahead and the appearance of sudden obstacles, an alarm for the rider through the miraculously vibrating steering wheel handles, an automatic change in the direction of the headlights when turning using an accelerometer, advanced traction control and ABS systems, a night vision camera, GPS navigation, and much, much more. An interesting feature of the new generation Izh motorcycle will be the control of any type of handheld computer through the main screen on the dashboard: be it iPhone, Windows, Symbian or any other. For safety reasons, while the motorcycle is moving, the rider will only be able to answer calls. But as soon as the owner of Izha stops, any media services, SMS, video communication and the Internet will become available to him. The entire set of high technologies (Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, 4G, GPS), of course, will be included with the motorcycle.

The management of the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant can be advised to save money in advance to buy out a patent related to airbags, and they can handle the rest themselves. Well, no one forbids you to dream. But to be honest, the 2012 Izh is a well-developed project, and I didn’t see any shortcomings, except for a very low ground clearance. We are waiting for Igor’s next work - BMW Motorrad 2030, which he promised to present a little later this year.

Thanks to Denis for the tip igorchak.com

A motorcade on two wheels: what the new Russian motorcycle will be like

August 17, 19:20 2022 by AMSRUS
The Moscow Motor Show will be stingy with premieres from world brands, but Russian ones will unfold in all their glory. Lada will have many new products, but perhaps more interesting than the VAZ stand is the exhibition of cars from the “Cortege” project. The opportunity to look closely at luxury domestic cars will be presented to the general public for the first time.

Let us remind you that the vehicles built on a single modular platform received the trade name “Aurus”. The models were christened in honor of the Kremlin towers: “Senate” (limousine and sedan), “Arsenal” (minivan) and “Komendant” (SUV). All except the last one can already be called conditionally serial. The first collected specimens were transferred to the Special Purpose Garage and are working in the presidential motorcade. An SUV is on the way, and it is this one, according to marketers, that should become the most popular model.

But the “Cortege” project also envisages the creation of a motorcycle. Considering that it will not belong to the budget segment at all, and the Russian market for new bikes is extremely small in volume, it is still a big question whether the two-wheeled participant in the “Cortege” will be able to outsell at least the “Aurus Arsenal” (we sell minivans almost worse than motorcycles).

In addition, domestic bikers forgot about Russian brands a long time ago. “Urals” are inadequately expensive for their technological level and workmanship. In addition, the lion's share of them goes for export, and there are no other representatives of the motorcycle industry left. Foreigners rule the roost.

According to official statistics, in the first six months of 2018, 5.5 thousand new motorcycles were sold in Russia. BMW is in first place, occupying a share of more than 20% in our market. Harley Davidson was second, and Chinese Racer finished only third, with a share of about 10%. Next are Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha. It will be extremely difficult for the Izh motorcycle to win back customers from them.

The main job for the motorcycle, of course, will be accompanying government motorcades. Of these, it should displace the BMW R1200RT bikes currently used in official riding. It is not yet clear to what extent the civil and motorcade apparatus will be unified.

We believe that the differences between them will be insignificant. They want to sell the new Izh both in Russia and abroad. Also a dubious idea. “Urals” are loved in the USA, Europe and other parts of the world for their uniqueness - retro style and the absence of other motorcycles on the market with a factory sidecar. And “Izh” will simply get lost against the background of its more popular counterparts. They also have a reputation and developed service support.

It must be admitted that in the photographs the prototype of the motorcycle presented earlier looks very decent. Stylistically, it is close to the Honda Gold Wing. The dimensions of the motorcycle are 2900 by 940 by 1250 millimeters. “Japanese” is 325 millimeters shorter, 15 narrower and 180 higher. True, the last parameter is given taking into account the full-size windshield included in the Gold Wing package, which is not yet available on the Izh.

The technical characteristics of the bike have so far been revealed only in fragments, but this is enough to draw parallels with the same Honda. And here thoughts about family ties are already appearing! Judge for yourself. Gold Wing in both the previous and current generations is powered by a 1.8-liter flat-six engine. “Izh” too! The Japanese engine in the previous generation produced 140 hp, in the new one – 126. For the domestic one, 150 hp is stated. If some borrowing does take place, then this is probably not bad: an excellent example was taken as an example to follow.

But the announced dynamic parameters of the Izh look more like they were taken out of thin air. Let's start with the fact that the motorcycle has a stated weight of 510 kilograms. Compare: loaded with panniers and comfort attributes, the Gold Wing weighs 379 kilograms! Most likely, our developers had in mind the gross, not the curb weight. Then the figure is similar to the truth. But even if the Izh weighs about the same as the Honda, it’s impossible to believe the 3.5 second acceleration to hundreds and 250 km/h top speed. For this, 150 “horses” is clearly not enough. However, what if there is some kind of surprise in the design of the domestic bike?

Work on the device is almost complete, it is undergoing final tests, the source writes. Serial production will begin in 2022. The first motorcycles, of course, will go to GON, and only then they will be sold to everyone. A Honda Gold Wing with a manual transmission costs in Russia from 2,149,000 rubles, a closely related BMW K1600GTL – from 1,814,000 rubles, the current “motorcycle” BMW R1200RT – from 1,332,000 rubles. We believe that they will ask for at least 1.3-1.5 million rubles for Izh.

Rostec head Sergei Chemezov at a meeting with President Vladimir Putin Fr. The head of state responded to this: “It must be better.” Let's wait for the production sample and find out if it worked.