Now, to answer what we're sure is a burning question on the minds of all of our readers... yes, it is possible to ride a Segway on a supercross track. Well, it's a burning question if you happen to be AMA Supercross Champion James "Bubba" Stewart, that is. As you'll see in the video we've conveniently pasted after the break for your viewing pleasure, for the rest of us, probably not.

From the looks of things, this particular Segway is one of the brand's off-road models and has some specific modifications to help improve its chances on Stewart's own personal supercross track. For instance, note its deeply lugged side-by-side tires, and, most importantly, the Renthal dirtbike-style handlebar complete with appropriate padding for safety.

Kids, don't try this at home. Now, how long till we see this replicated on MythBusters?

[Source: JS7 via Hell For Leather]

Sure, the Segway Personal Transporter is cool and all, with its self-balancing technology and lack of emissions from the vehicle, but is there a way to make it greener? At least one enterprising inventor thinks so, and by subtracting the electric motors, computers, batteries and all of the associated techno-bits, he seems to have succeeded. The invention is called the Legway.

This isn't expected to be a real form of transportation, but it's undeniably cool. Bicycles have long been considered the most efficient way to get around, sometimes even more so than walking. So, combining the side-by-side wheel arrangement of the Segway with the pedal-for-yourself nature of a bicycle strikes us as a winning idea. Best of all, you are free to make one for yourself.

Click here to see the full set of Legway instructions on Instractables. It's doesn't look too difficult, it's made from parts that are commonly available at your local Home Depot and there are only 8 steps. What's stopping you?


[Source: Instructables via Carscoop]

Please hold a moment while we check our calendars. Nope, it's definitely not April 1st. That must mean the stories circulating the internet tonight of a GM tie-up with Segway must be true. The Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project (P.U.M.A. for short) will reportedly seek to develop a self-balancing 2-wheeled vehicle that's capable of reaching speeds of 25 miles per hour, well above the Segway's 12 mph top speed.

Instead of the more common single track of a motorcycle, this electric vehicle will borrow the side-by-side arrangement popularized on the original Segway Personal Transporter. A lithium battery will store enough charge to allow the vehicle to travel for up to 25 miles on a single charge. Another interesting feature would be the ability for each machine to communicate with vehicles around it, avoiding accidents and regulating the flow of traffic.

Cost isn't yet set, but initial projections would place the total cost of ownership for the two-passenger autonomous vehicle at about a quarter of the price of a traditional automobile. The P.U.M.A. project will make its official debut at the New York Auto Show this week. Click past the break for the press release.

The Segway may be many things, but a sales success it is not. When the little machine was first announced, its inventor, Dean Kamen, proclaimed that it would relegate the car to horse and buggy status. Reality hasn't been quite so kind, and its future looks to be in question as Kamen is contemplating whether or not to finally call it quits. None of this is to say that the Segway is a poor product, as the truth is quite the opposite. We firmly believe that it's often unnecessary to jump in a two (or more) ton vehicle equipped with a honkin' gas engine to get where we need to go. So, what's the problem? Pricing, for one. There are few instances when a Segway is actually more practical than an electric bike, yet it costs significantly more. Plus, being launched with so much fanfare probably didn't do it any favors.

[Source: CNN]

Dean Kamen and his inventions are often mentioned on these here pages, probably most often for the creation he is arguably best known for, the Segway. More recently, the inventor has begun tackling vehicles with twice the number of wheels. Using a Stirling external combustion engine to help generate electricity that powers secondary systems and can recharge the battery, Kamen's DEKA Revolt is based on an old Ford Th!nk electric car and can reportedly travel about 60 miles on a single charge of its lithium ion battery. If you happened to live on your own island, as Kamen does, that distance would always be plenty. In fact, Kamen considers himself Lord Dumpling, head, as it were, of the three acre North Dumpling Island that he calls home. He's planning to run again for the head-position next year, and we're pretty sure he's a lock considering he's both the only candidate and the only voter.

That island was recently cut-off the grid by the powers-that-be, which miffed Kamen a bit, as you might imagine. The good thing is that the inventor took the opportunity to make the entire country of Dumpling energy independent. Kamen's past inventions are proving handy, with electric Segways the most-used method of transportation, a custom water filtration system to clean the water and a methane-powered Stirling engine just for added coolness. We don't want to know where the methane is from.

[Source: Yahoo News]

Click above for more images of the Saturn Flextreme concept

Apple co-founder Steve "the Woz" Wozniak loves his Segway. In fact, that should be plural, as he has multiple self-balancing two-wheelers. He also likes his hybrid Toyota Prius, enough to test its 104 mph top speed on multiple occasions. "I'll tell you, a hatchback is a really efficient car," says Wozniak. "You want things smaller but you want them to do a lot." The fact that the Prius has a good-sized boot is certainly a good thing for Steve. When traveling, Woz couldn't possibly leave his beloved Personal Transporter home, so he carries two of them in the back of his Prius hatchback.

We have an idea of what Wozniak would like to see for his next car... how 'bout the Saturn Flextreme which was shown off last Janurary as a concept in Detroit. It's the perfect vehicle for the man - as General Motors was kind enough to include two Segway scooters neatly tucked into the back already. Maybe Steve and Bob Lutz should get together, ride their Segways and talk about getting Mr. Wozniak a proper Segway-carrier.


[Source: Wired]

Every year after the summer break, the first assignment given in English class seems to always be a short essay entitled "What I did on my summer vacation." Well, maybe not this year. Instead of enthralling classmates with tales of visiting some far off exotic destinations and engaging in cooler than cool activities, some kids may have to be extra inventive with their verbiage in order to somehow convince their peers that their "staycation" spent driving around their hometown on rented Segways with their parents was somehow stoopid awesome.

Because of the rising cost of fuel and to a lesser extent, environmental concerns, lots of folks have turned their family vacations into staycations, what people used to call not going on vacation. In June alone, Americans traveled something like 12 billion fewer miles than the June before. Of course, the price of gas has gone down 50 cents since then and some people with short memories are out pricing SUVs again, but I digress. Companies are turning their marketing efforts to locals to make up the shortfall in visitor traffic. Case in point, is City Segway Tours in beautiful downtown Atlanta. This company is hoping to lure staycationers to come with them on guided tours of their fair city, featuring such hotspots as the Centennial Olympic Park, the Aquarium and, of course, the "World of Coke." Cynicism aside, staycations can be a great idea but we think it would be nice if you can get out of town at least far enough to hike a trail or paddle a canoe down a river. Enjoying a little bit of the natural environment might help to inspire efforts to save it.

[Source: City Segway Tours]

Click above to watch a video of the crash-test

German authorities have crash-tested the Segway and found that it's unsafe. Well, unsafe when running head-first into a parked car at nearly ten miles per hour that is. Uh, were we supposed to be surprised at this result? We'd be willing to step out on a limb and imagine that running into a building, concrete barrier or telephone pole at this same speed on a Segway would also prove dangerous. Clearly, we need to do something, right? While we are at it, why not legislate unicycles off the road. If we're already doing that, bicycles should clearly be next, followed by any human who's moving at anything over a walking pace. Oh, and helmets for all pedestrians.

Alright, fine... that last paragraph was sarcasm. The fact is that transportation is dangerous. Every year, people are killed driving cars, in airplane crashes and on bicycles. At some point, anybody who gets in or on a vehicle of any sort is taking a risk, and the Segway is no exception. While we have some issues with the Segway (ahem, the price), its supposed lack of safety isn't really one of them. If anyone speaks German and wants to translate any of this, feel free in the comments. Thanks for the tip, overengineered!

[Source: Spiegel Online]

In a move that's sure to knock the Segway world off balance, Toyota has introduced its new "personal transport assistance robot" called the Winglet. Actually, there's three of them. One with a tall handle that could be seen as more practical and two other sportier models featuring supports gripped by the legs. They offer the same ease of use as the Dean Kaman-invented precursor but with a lot less bulk and a smaller footprint. They can reach speeds over 6 mph but they won't be cruising American sidewalks anytime soon. The devices are to undergo more consumer testing this Fall at a Japanese airport as well as a seaside resort. Early 2010 is the target date given for their earth-wide unleashing. Look them over in the gallery below in detail before hitting the jump for 3 videos worth of Winglet gone wild action as well as the official press release.


[Source: Toyota / YouTube / Engadget]

Click on the image above for more shots of Lutz and the Vectrix

Bob Lutz, GM's formost Volt-pusher, loves himself some electric vehicles. As the owner of four (that's right... dude's got four!) Segways and a Vectrix Scooter, he's surely gotten used to the charging ritual. Still, accidents happen, and Mr. Lutz apparently found himself stranded after a faulty charge gauge left him thinking he had nearly twenty miles left before his batteries were dead. A few miles later, though, the Vectrix rolled to a stop and would move no further.

"When you are out in the middle of nowhere with an electric vehicle, and you have no back-up powerplant, you are truly, truly screwed. You can't go to the nearest wall outlet and bring back five gallons of electricity," Lutz says. Of course, with the Chevy Volt, the driver would need to both run his batteries dry and continue to run his gas tank dry before being stranded, though that distance may come a bit quicker than was initially planned.



[Source: Auto Observer]