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Coming soon: EntroSys motorcycle air conditioner

These days, with everything being untethered, it's strange to see a biker getting tubed up to his chariot. Then again, you'd do it, too, if you were stuck in traffic under the sweltering tropical sun. The idea of piped-in air conditioning on a motorbike isn't new. We caught wind of a prototype back in 2004, when Israeli physics professor Glen Guttman unveiled his compact A/C solution that rides pillion and siphons off the motorcycle battery to hose cold or heated air to a thermal vest worn under the motorcyclist's jacket. A wireless controller mounted on the bars controls the temperature.

Now it looks like the invention is finally moving out of cold storage, with trials being conducted that should lead to a commercial rollout. Marketed under Guttman's company EntroSys as BikeAir-1, it'll be interesting to see the cost of keeping cool on the road. Video after the jump.… Read more

Garmin Zumo 660 built to guide bikers

In addition to the Nuvi 885T, Garmin introduced the Garmin Zumo 660 at CES 2009, a GPS designed for bikers by bikers. It's one of the few motorcycle-specific portable navigation devices available on the market (TomTom also makes one called the Rider), and brings a much-needed update to the Garmin Zumo 550, which was released almost two years ago.

The Zumo 660 sports a sleeker design similar to the Garmin Nuvi series but keeps the ruggedized and waterproof casing. It also features a larger 4.3-inch touch screen and has oversize icons so you can still use the device … Read more

Stereo speakers for your handlebars

If this trend continues, handlebar stereos could become the next must-have accoutrement for bikers. Just the other day, we wrote of a frame-mounted MP3 player that's designed to withstand the elements. Then we saw a Ministry of Tech item about some handlebar-fastened portable speakers from Jisan Hitech. (One reader suggested that open-air music is preferable to headphones for reasons of safety and etiquette.)

As more gadgets are designed for bikes, the handlebar real estate is becoming a precious commodity. At this rate, bike handles may soon begin to resemble a jet instrument panel.

(Photo: Ministry of Tech)