The SilentHawk is a DARPA funded motorcycle for special forces.
What makes the bike so good for special forces is the hybrid electric engine. For normal use, traveling far from sensitive areas, the bike can use diesel, gasoline, or jet fuel, scavenging fuel as need be on missions far from base. When needed, the electric part of the engine ensures that the bike runs silent—or nearly so. DARPA’s goal is for the silent mode to ring in at 55 decibels. That's quieter than a normal conversation. The bike's louder mode could reach up to 75 decibels, which is slightly louder than the average vacuum cleaner.
SilentHawk is based on Alta Motor’s RedShift MX bike. Last year, Logos tested RedShift bikes with their new hybrid-electric engine. Now, for Phase II of testing, Logos says they plan “to proceed with an aggressive Phase II program plan, with the goal of developing and testing the first operational prototype in only 18 months.”
Special Forces toyed with the electric Zero MMX external link concept a couple years ago, but ditched it due to battery concerns
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What makes the bike so good for special forces is the hybrid electric engine. For normal use, traveling far from sensitive areas, the bike can use diesel, gasoline, or jet fuel, scavenging fuel as need be on missions far from base. When needed, the electric part of the engine ensures that the bike runs silent—or nearly so. DARPA’s goal is for the silent mode to ring in at 55 decibels. That's quieter than a normal conversation. The bike's louder mode could reach up to 75 decibels, which is slightly louder than the average vacuum cleaner.
SilentHawk is based on Alta Motor’s RedShift MX bike. Last year, Logos tested RedShift bikes with their new hybrid-electric engine. Now, for Phase II of testing, Logos says they plan “to proceed with an aggressive Phase II program plan, with the goal of developing and testing the first operational prototype in only 18 months.”
Special Forces toyed with the electric Zero MMX external link concept a couple years ago, but ditched it due to battery concerns
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