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Russian defense firm tests heavy motorbike at Formula One race track in Sochi

The motorbike can accelerate to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds
Heavy motorbike Izh  Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS
Heavy motorbike Izh
© Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS

MOSCOW, November 17. /TASS/. Russia’s Kalashnikov Group, part of state hi-tech corporation Rostec, has tested its heavy motorbike Izh at the Formula One race track in Sochi. The relevant video was posted on the Kalashnikov Media website on Friday.

"The test of the Izh concept bike has been held at the Formula One race track. The heavy motorbike developed by the Kalashnikov Group was for the first time unveiled at the Army-2017 forum," the company said in a statement.

The motorbike can accelerate to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. It has 2900x940x1250mm dimensions and a weight of 510 kg. The concept bike can develop a maximum speed of 250 km/h and has a torque of 180 nM and an engine capacity of 110 kW.

This motorbike developed for the Cortege project of building a family of cars for Russia’s top officials was earlier shown to Russian President Vladimir Putin. As Rotec Director for Special Commissions Vasily Brovko said at the time, the first batch of motorbikes will be produced already in the first half of 2018.

The Kalashnikov Group has already demonstrated several of its electric motorbikes. As the company said, these motorcycles have a maximum capacity of 15 kW and a run of 150 km on a single charge. Kalashnikov Group CEO Alexei Krivoruchko later said that the Russian Defense Ministry had already started testing these motorcycles. Besides, several motorbikes were transferred to the Moscow police in late August for tests.