From there, counter-rotating drive shafts mounted on each fork leg route power down to the front wheel. All-wheel drive adventure bikes? Game changing? Another topic for Tech Talk Taco Tuesday. Posted by Dirtbiketest. Power is transferred to the front wheel only when the rear wheel loses traction. The system can be easily disengaged, returning the bike to normal function.
The big KTM adventure bikes make a lot more horsepower than other Christini-equipped bikes, so the system incorporates a heavy duty slipper clutch that will break free under excessive loading.
The entire system adds about 10 pounds to the weight of the bike and there is a disengagement switch that completely releases the system for RWD operation. The front wheel is under-driven in relation to the rear, so it will only engage when the rear wheel loses traction. As the rear spins, the front grabs and begins to pull the bike forward. That, in turn, makes it easier for the rear to find grip.
The design has a lot of rider benefits including increased traction and stability, faster acceleration and improved cornering. As you might guess, two-wheel drive also turns a bike into a hill-climbing beast.
On a KTM adventure bike, added traction should translate into more confidence off-road. The is no lightweight, so having the pull of an extra wheel may be the difference between taking it places it was meant to go and just riding it to the coffee shop for some riders.
The driveshaft pierces the head tube and turns a bevel gearset, which in turn spins shafts that drive stepover chains in the fork crown. A sprocket at each side of the crown turns a telescoping driveshaft in front of each fork leg. Finally, a ring and pinion gearset rotates power ninety degrees to turn the front wheel. The setup adds roughly 12 pounds to the weight of the bike, and Christini says the system saps just 0.
The AWD can be retrofitted to older bikes, but a custom gas tank must be fitted that allows space for the driveshaft. The system is durable, waterproof, and Christini offers all replacement parts. The Ride: We rode both Christini motorcycle configurations—the four-stroke and two-stroke—on sandy trails in New Jersey before Hurricane Sandy's wrath rolled in. On the , with the handlebar-mounted lever flipped to all-wheel-drive and the throttle twisted to the stop, it feels like the bike is bogging down.
In reality, the front wheel is using the power that would have produced a big boost. The driven front wheel benefits the rider in ways beyond pure acceleration. AWD makes it possible to get started on a muddy climb rather than having to dismount and push.
In sandy corners the front doesn't dig in or wander. And since the front wheel keeps turning, the bike tracks exactly where it is pointed. Army has ordered a batch of 90 Christini bikes. An AWD motorcycle simply takes less mental and physical effort to ride on difficult terrain.
When we pushed the thumb lever that disengages the front drive, the bike suddenly felt distinctly rear-wheel drive—the rear wheel would spin up on loose surfaces, and the back end would come out in the corners. We realized that every other motorcycle we've ridden hard constantly exceeds available traction, tearing up trails and shredding rear tires.
Christini claims that rear tires last more than twice as long on an AWD bike. The AWD system comes with some disadvantages, starting with 13 extra pounds. It takes more effort to loft the front wheel because the extra weight of the AWD system sits ahead of the countershaft sprocket. And the system adds complexity to the bike: There are three more chains and several more gears, though Christini includes a grease gun with purchase and Zerk grease fittings make it easy to keep everything running smoothly.
During our factory tour last year, we saw that the quality of the AWD parts is top-notch and the additional complexity is more than offset by the bike's on-trail competence. Whether you're roosting your friends on a rocky uphill climb or riding happily through deep sand, AWD makes it easier to go fast or slowly off-road.
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