motorcyclistonline.com | 47As regular as the SilentHawk appears, it includes some unique technology. The self-contained hub motor in the front wheel, for one.
The next version will likely have a control screen rather than old-school switches.in BMW’s i3 electric car, which has
an option for a two-cylinder engine
to pump out electricity and keep the
battery charged. Where the i3 is two-
wheel drive, the SilentHawk employs
a nifty trick to become all-wheel drive.
It uses an independent hub-powered
front wheel that is controlled by the
bike and can deliver up to 7 hp to
the front contact patch. It’s a self-
contained unit, driven separately from
the Alta motor and rear wheel, and can
be turned on or off by the rider.
ADV types will appreciate that there
are auxiliary plugs for equipmentstrewn all over the bike. It was
designed for charging communica-
tion and navigation equipment for
military use, but then again the same
goes for civilian riders. Another inter-
esting slice of the hybrid technology
on the SilentHawk is its ability to
automatically charge its batteries and
gear when it’s parked. Again, designed
for military use (mostly as a commu-
nication beacon) so that the bike can
recharge without being ridden or
turned on. Phase two of this project
is set to include an air-cooled rotary
engine that’s smaller and lighter, aswell as updating all of the power-
generation hardware to be more
compact and efficient.
The potential application for civilian
use is clear to see. A hybrid motorcycle
that weighs 350 pounds, with a range
of around 170 miles that will recharge
itself and anything you leave plugged
into it while it sits in your parking lot at
work is a pretty attractive proposition.
Not to mention a little more fuel would
add range and still be well underweight
for most motorcycles on the road today.
Who knows what else they might have in
the basement? —Zack CourtsMCY1017_INSIGHT.indd 47 7/25/17 2:08 PM