We rarely happen to see a concept motorcycle that features no frame whatsoever, but when we do it reminds us of John Britten’s revolutionary motorcycle from the early 1990s, the Britten V1000. This concept right here actually pays tribute to the original frameless motorcycle and it is called the Britten V1000E. It was designed by Selwyn Shadbolt and it even gets hubless wheels in order to stick to the theme.
The actual engine would be a single large capacity electric one transmitting power to the rear wheel through a shaft drive, but it is the unique shape of the bodywork which attracts our attention. In order for that to be achieved, the fairings must be molded from polyethylene, while the green color should make it stand out as being environmentally-friendly if it ever gets done at least as prototype.
Full story
The M-Org (yes, from organic) is a concept chopper belonging to Russian designer Michael Smolyanov, who thinks of it as to an eco-friendly timeless machine and who is not afraid of showing it as the bike’s green and yellow color combination reveals.
The designer claims that the grown organic materials used for the frame, suspensions and even the steering components are lighter and stronger than classic ones, making the Organic Bike a very special chopper to park on your lawn in the future.
Full story
Designer
Marc Senger has recently presented his latest concept, the Audi LSR land speed record motorbike. A superbike of the future, the Audi rocket is scheduled for the 2031 Bonneville Speed Week trials and, judging by the way it looks, this streamliner is a winner already.
Full story
Colin Fruze is a 30-year-old British plumber and scooter rider who, sick and tired of drivers cutting him up, decided to accessorize his shiny red scooter with a flamethrower that is capable of firing 12ft flames.
The thing fires up with a single touch of a button on the handlebar, making this the closest thing to a Bond scooter as the Brit himself admits ’It’s a lot of fun and firing the flames makes me feel like James Bond.’
Sadly for Colin, the unique accessory makes his scooter a bit illegal, but at least he won’t be able to take revenge on ignorant drivers by setting their cars on fire.
Designer Vicky Petihovski is the brains behind this lawnmower scooter concept that we find rather interesting for bringing in the satisfaction factor where before it was just boring work with a conventional lawnmower.
The ride-on mower is powered by a small electric motor, which also activates the grass-cutting blades, so users can enjoy their lawn ride and get the chore done with the least of effort. It sure beats a conventional lawnmower, but we have a hunch this thing requires several recharges until the whole garden is picnic-ready.
Full story
Remember the Yamaha monocycle concept and the Rollersphere? This is kind of the same thing only that the rider isn’t protected by the elements like in the previously mentioned cases. What makes the Hornet, as it is called, special is the fact that it is the closest concept to a one-wheel superbike and this turned it into winner of the VACC competition.
Designed by Liam Ferguson, the Hornet single-wheeled concept superbike is powered by two in-wheel hydrogen fuel-cell six-phase Neodymium-Iron (Nd-Fe) electric motors developing a claimed 74 hp. Also considering its 388 lbs weight and that of the rider’s, the listed top speed is of 146 mph.
But this concept has its fair share of ingenuity too. For instance, it balances gyroscopically when parked thanks to two side-by-side small wheels and tilts forward to run on the central wheel when accelerated. Also, the bike features a series of computers that examine data such as attitude and rider input in order to always offer stability regardless of rider weight and vehicle momentum.
Although the basic working principle is like that of the Segway, we have to admit this is a much better scenario imagined as the single wheel (which is actually made out of two parallel wheels) allows for extreme slow speed maneuverability. Ok, so why would you list an unrealistic top speed in this case?
Full story
This may not look like a student’s regular scooter concept, but more like an ingenious mean of short distance commuting inside airports. It is called Nexus and designer Francisco Lupin thought at everything to make it happen: two electric engines fed by four 12V batteries will supposedly be capable to power what we like to call the suitcase scooter to a top speed of 15 km/h (9.3 mph) while carrying a maximum load of 110 kg (242.5 pounds). It will go like this for two hours before emptying the batteries.
The Nexus can also be used as a regular suitcase when the batteries are empty and as long as it will fit in the overhead compartment, I’m buying one as soon as they start making it…if it ever happens, of course.
Full story
The Skeletor is a truly unique custom made motorcycle by Vardenchi Customs from India and guess what. It doesn’t have a V-twin engine or much chrome to make it shine as it is ridden down the freeway, but its builder declares: “I’ve never got so many stares on a motorcycle before.” That is most likely because after hours and hours of hard work, the Skeletor motorcycle looks like it just rode out of a graveyard in a MJ-like music video.
The scary looking thing was actually ordered by a Mumbai celebrity and it took Vardenchi Customs three months to complete. It looks like the very demanding customer isn’t craving for an impressive horsepower figure, just a way to stand out furthermore from the crowd.
Based on a Vardenchi Classic, the Skeletor features the shop’s regular frame and two-arm-swinger, while the fork meets the frame at a rake angle that helps making it look like engaging in a some sort of attack position. On top of the original frame, this custom gets a bone-like look with a metal matte silver paintjob. Okay, this isn’t a prety sight in your rear view mirror, but it will sure let paparazzi know when their target is on the move.
Full story
New kinds of motorcycles are born when different makers think at combining this and that to achieve what they believe the market asks for and when it comes to downhill riders, we usually don’t expect to hear an engine roar, but we’ve come to find that someone did thought at using the power from a 125cc four-stroke single on a light bike – 125.6 lbs (57 kg) – in order to get across high ground with greater ease. The bike is called FX Mountain Moto and it is the only engined downhill two-wheeler that we know about.
Light and nimble as a mountain bike and enough powerful to put it up against your everyday dirt bike, the FX Mountain Moto is a very successful combination coming from New Zeeland. In fact, this thing is claimed being the world’s lightest adult-sized dirt bike. Does that motivate you to pay $5,040 (€3,700) for it?
Full story
Although it wears the BMW badge, this is a concept bike created by a group of design students at ISD of Valenciennes, France. Called the “BMW HP Kunst”, the whole concept spins around the idea of hydrogen power, so it features the fuel cell where you’ll normally find the internal combustion engine on a regular motorcycle, a 20-liter cryogenic tank and a lithium polymer battery pack for electrical energy supply.
The French students do offer a glimpse in the ecological future of motorcycles, but the thing still had to look good and perform even better. Being asymmetric, dynamic and featuring electronic brakes and controls as well as electromagnetic suspensions, we believe this is an overall great concept motorcycle with good chances to hit production if BMW ever thinks to turn their research effort on hydrogen into something profitable.
Full story
