BMW has an unbelievably strong brand in both cars and motorcycles, but the two rarely meet. That could be about to change with reports that BMW’s new i3 luxury electric citycar will get a range-extending engine borrowed from BMW Motorrad. Where else would be better to look for a powerful but compact engine than from BMW’s own motorcycle range?

While the BMW i3 is set to be an electric citycar, a range extender motor would make it a more flexible option for those doing short commutes, and therefore it could be a more attractive model. Currently the engine is said to be available as an optional extra, and it will possibly be borrowed from the BMW F series bikes.

Alternatively, you could just actually purchase an F series bike and enjoy the 798cc, 75-hp engine anyway. More fun? Most likely, and probably more economic, too. Let’s see if other car manufacturers won’t have a similar inspiration - could we see a Mercedes AMG borrow some Ducati technology in the future?

Source | Cars UK

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If you’ve been reading HFL lately, you will have seen Wes Siler’s link to his own article on Wired.com about riding bikes vs cars. It’s an old debate but one of the most important things to come out of his rather long gripe is just how much car owners would save themselves and the planet in terms of fuel costs, by switching to motorcycles.

Still, let’s say you’re a motorcycle owner who wants to find out exactly what your bike runs off all the same - or you’re planning on buying a new motorcycle and want some comparable motorcycle fuel consumption data - where do you go? To Total Motorcycles and their Motorcycle Fuel Economy Guide.

In the motoring world, both cars and bikes, the released fuel consumption figures from manufacturers aren’t exactly the most trustworthy in the mind’s of consumers. Total Motorcycles lists data from bike owners themselves and has been five years in the compiling of the list. The guide includes more than 5,000 models listed by year and make, and they’re sharing the data for free.

If your bike isn’t there, you can add to the guide by sending in your information as well. We guess there are a whole lot of stories behind the collection of this data, but the guide is easy to use and has plenty of models in there - a few European bikes are missing so guys on the old continent might want to consider getting some info across. Consumption is listed both in mpg and l/km.

Source | Motorbiker.org

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The Nissan GT-R seems to be the current car of choice to compete against motorcycles in the car vs bike debate. This time around we get a Suzuki GSX1300R in a drag race against the car across a mile-long course. The video claims 198 hp for the bike and a whole 850 for the car. That’s a big difference but a mile is a long way and the bike is agile and fast. We won’t spoil the ending for you (and it will probably ruffle a few feathers), but check it out in the video above.

In the meantime, you can view the Nissan GT-R in the following videos: against the Ducati 1098, against the BMW S1000RR and more recently against the Aprilia RSV4 APRC.

Source | Autoblog.com

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We’ve seen literally hundreds of these type of videos, motorcycles vs cars and lately they seem to involve BMW’s S1000RR more than any other sports bike on the market.

Whatever the reason that goes behind these type of ‘tests’, it’s always fascinating to see four wheels pitted against our favourite mode of fun and transportation, and which is faster.

Check out this video and find out for yourselves who won.

Source | aspahltandrubber.com

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Another bike vs car video, the usual BMW S1000RR but this time it’s pitted against the $1.700,000 Bugatti Veyron that is considered the second fastest street legal sports car on the planet.

We all know that the BMW superbike pours out a massive 180bhp, but can it compete against this quad-turbocharged 16 cylinder that claims at top speed of 253 mph+?

We know that it’s a rather useless comparison, but watching high performance machines in action is always a pleasure.

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After seeing the Survolt and Agni Z2 take to the track, here’s a bikes vs cars video for the petrol head in you. Watch the BMW S1000RR take on the Nissan GTR at Brands Hatch. The BMW needs no introduction, while the Nissan GTR has even managed to compete on equal terms with Porsche of late. These bike vs car comparisons are not really all that useful, but we still like them. Thanks to the guys at BikeChannel for the video after the jump.

Continue reading: BMW S1000RR vs Nissan GTR: video

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I was witness to an unpleasant motorcycle accident on the weekend when a motorist pulling onto the provincial highway near where I live, ran into a motorcyclist who finished against the guardrail (which frighteningly runs alongside a railway line but this doesn’t have to be any more dramatic than it already is). I was shopping with a friend at the time and there was a sickening feeling that while we were out buying shoes, someone could be dying just 50 metres from us.

My friend is totally against motorcycles as forms of transport. He reckons they are extremely dangerous, cars are much safer and motorcyclists always do silly things. Our opinions differ, although on the last point I’ll say that motorcyclists often do silly things and take risks that they probably shouldn’t, just because a bike is nimbler than a car. But not always.

My philosophy is often to take the reverse approach to solving a problem. I believe that as humans, we are very set in our ways and like to move with trends, and this is a mentality that holds us back. In the case of the bikes vs cars debate, my friend would argue that bikes need more limitations and that it would be better for everyone if there were less on the road. I go with exactly the opposite argument, saying that we actually need more riders on the road and drivers should be much more aware of interacting with other people - be they bikers, cyclists or pedestrians - while driving.

Continue reading: Bikes vs cars: taxes, traffic jams and sharing the road at the MotoGP

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The age-old war of four wheels vs two was taken up again with a guest post from Paul Crowe at the Kneeslider, over on car blog Jalopnik (which is also the day job of Wes Siler from Hell from Leather, as an aside). If you’re a petrol head, you’ll pretty much appreciate anything that’s mechanic and that goes fast, but eventually you’ll have to pick: the motorcycle or the car.

Crowe points out everything from maximising space and fuel efficiency, to performance, tuning, price, safer riders and as a cute ending, the fact that no motorcycle has so far ever been recalled for accidental acceleration. The comments clearly fill in the other side of the coin, citing weather problems, trips to the hardware store, road rash, and all sorts of more intimate reasons to do with the nether regions of the body (backseats and vibrations being pros and cons). See ‘Ten reasons motorcycles are better than cars’ at Jalopnik.com.

Photo | Flickr

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