Christini is a USA based company making 2 wheel drive motorcycles.

Christini 2 Wheel Drive Motorcycle

If you are heading off-road in a car, you would likely use a 4 wheel drive. If you need a road car that will provide superior traction in all weather conditions, you may want an All Wheel drive car.

But if you ride a motorcycle, you have drive through the rear wheel only. While there have been a few 2 wheel (or All Wheel) drive motorcycles produced over the years, almost every motorcycle from sports bike to motocross is one wheel drive only.

Noticeable exceptions over the years include the balloon tyred Rokon of the 60’s and 70’s – the brand survives till this day – and the hydraulic drive Yamaha 2 -Trac all wheel drive that uses a hydraulic pump and motor as found in earthmoving equipment to power the front wheel.

The other alternative is the Christini All Wheel Drive bike. Philadelphia USA based Christini Motorcycles is producing a pair of 2 wheel drive motorcycles, a 300 Gas Gas powered model, and a 450 4 stroker, both with 2wd.

Founder and President Steve Christini is a mechanical engineer who spent ten years developing a two wheel drive pushbike, before a light globe moment saw him adapt the technology to off-road motorcycles.

Offering first a kit to convert various model dirt bikes to the two wheel drive system, Christini have now moved on to producing a complete ready to ride motorcycle. Powered by both wheels.

The Christini 450 AWD

Christini says the AWD system  dramatically improves cornering and straight-line stability on all surfaces, and the system makes the motorcycle noticeably easier to ride.  A substantial reduction in rider fatigue, allowing you to ride faster for longer periods of time, is another reported benefit.

The AWD system can be turned on and off with a flip of the engagement switch.  Power that would otherwise be lost due to wheel spin is transferred immediately to the front wheel. The system adds less than 7kgs of additional weight and has a power loss of less than 1/10th hp.

How it Works

Christini’s patented mechanical All Wheel Drive system delivers power from the motorcycle transmission to the front wheel through a series of chains and shafts. (see images below)

The lightweight all-mechanical system works similar to that of AWD systems found on four wheeled vehicles. The AWD system powering the front wheel is driven at a slightly slower rate than the rear wheel -approximately 80%. Under optimum traction conditions, the rear wheel is actually driving faster than the front AWD system.

One-way clutches within the front hub allow the front wheel to freewheel under these conditions. At this point, the AWD system is effectively passive. Though the front AWD system is turning, it is not actually transferring power to the front wheel. When the rear wheel loses traction, the drive ratio, relative to your forward speed, changes. The AWD system engages, transferring power to the front wheel until traction is reestablished at the rear wheel.

The way the front system works is like pedalling a bicycle down hill. You are pedalling, but because of gravity (acting like the rear drive) the bike is travelling faster than you are delivering power. When you get to the bottom of the hill and slow down – similar to what happens when the rear wheel spins –  you will begin to power the bike again.

An added benefit of AWD is that the front wheel does not want to wash out. When a front end tucks, the wheel stalls, stops turning, and begins to push. With the AWD system, as soon as the wheel begins to stall, power is delivered to the front wheel, forcing it to turn. With the front wheel under power, it is nearly impossible to wash out the front end.

Power runs via chain from the secondary countershaft sprocket up to a gearbox located on the frame. Power is converted to a drive shaft running under the tank to the modified steering head.

Counter rotating bevel gears located within the head tube transfer power to the lower triple clamp. The lower triple clamp contains a small chain and sprocket system that drives two counter-rotating drive shafts.

The specially coated drive shafts are telescopic and incorporate linear ball spline bearings. They are counter rotating to eliminate torque effect. They run the length of the fork to the front hub. The Christini AWD front hub is equipped with one-way clutches allowing the wheel to transfer power when needed, and freewheel when not in use.

The Bikes

Two models will be available: A CHRISTINI AWD 450 model  and a CHRISTINI AWD 300 model featuring a Gas Gas 300 engine and other high-end racing components.

The new CHRISTINI AWD models are priced and configured to compete in the market head-to-head with products offered by the major OEMs. Each unit will be final assembled in the CHRISTINI AWD Philadelphia USA facility with frames and AWD drive system components designed by Christini and supplied by established industry manufacturers.

Steve Christini, founder, President and the inventor of the AWD technology: “We have been planning the launch of our own branded AWD factory models for years and believe the new price points will provide the opportunity for every motorcycle enthusiast to experience the quality and improved benefit of AWD. We presently sell our custom AWD motorcycles in the US and more than 20 other countries and fully expect the availability of a complete factory CHRISTINI AWD model to dramatically increase the market reach.”

“Our AWD system is race tested, extremely durable and has been ridden with great success in US and international races over the past 4 years” explained Steve Christini. “We look forward with great enthusiasm to the worldwide commercial launch our branded CHRISTINI AWD factory products.”

At this point we aren’t aware of plans to sell the bikes in Australia, but will keep you updated if that changes. Till then you could contact Christini via their website, which has many more images and lots of detail on the bikes and Christini’s history.

CHRISTINI AWD 450 SPECIFICATIONS:

• Twin Spar Aluminum Frame
• 450 cc Liquid Cooled Four Stroke
• 5 Speed Wide Ratio Transmission
• Electric and Kick Start
• Suspension: 12″ Front & Rear
• Link Suspension
• Ground Clearance: 14″
• 21″ Front Tire
• 18″ Rear Tire
• 2.6 Gallon Tank
• Seat Height 37.5″
• AWD Drive Ratio 0.64:1
• AWD Engagement Switch

CHRISTINI AWD 300 SPECIFICATIONS:

• Steel Frame
• 300 cc Liquid Cooled Gas Gas Engine
• 6 Speed Wide Ratio Transmission
• Kick Start
• Hydraulic Clutch
• Twin Cooling Fans
• Suspension: 12″ Front & Rear
• PDS Rear Shock
• Ground Clearance: 15″
• 21″ Front Tire
• 18″ Rear Tire
• 2.8 Gallon Tank
• Seat Height 39″
• AWD Drive Ratio 0.64:1
• AWD Engagement Switch

Video of Steve Christini at the launch of the new bikes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7uNOx__cnQ