The best and worst part about robots is the fact that they can be purpose-built to perform any task at hand. Oh sure, they can be built to kill, or they can built to test motorcycles without risk to our feeble (yet tasty) meat-sacks. Introducing Flossie, the Castrol-developed test rider thats threading a Fireblade between its "legs" in the shot above. The robot features a self-learning mode that enables it to get a feel (throttle response, clutch drag, gear shifting patterns, etc.) for any stationary bike upon which its perched -- right, stationary... hes no Murata Boy. Still, as the ultimate precision rider that never tires, Flossie allows Castrol to evaluate its lubricants as effectively as possible. See it in action after the break.
