Collaborations are always a big part of the auto and motorcycle industries. One company does this while the other does that. It’s a simple formula that has yielded a lot of positive results. But every so often, a certain manufacturer decides to do it differently. Instead of tying up with another company, it goes through its own separate industries to build something that, for better or for worse, will get a lot of attention.

Yamaha recently took that route with Project AH A MAY. In case you didn’t notice, that’s “Yamaha->ke301” spelled backwards. Anyway, Project AH A MAY is an undertaking that allowed two of Yamaha’s divisions to build something of the other’s expertise. That’s exactly what Yamaha did with Yamaha Corporation, which specializes in building musical instruments, and Yamaha Motor Co., the division that specifically builds motorized vehicles, including motorcycles, ATVs->ke459, and boats.

The basic gist of Project AH A MAY is for both divisions to build something that the other typically builds without any constraints related to production. In other words, they could let their imaginations completely go overboard if need be. Well, from the results of this endeavor, Yamaha Corporation certainly did that with its interpretation of what a Yamaha motorcycle would look like.

The result is called the Yamaha √. Don’t be confused at the use of the mathematical symbol because that’s exactly what Yamaha Corp. did. In simpler terms, the bike is called the Yamaha Root and yes, the design is unlike anything we’ve ever seen from Yamaha Motor Corp, or any other other motorcycle manufacturer for that matter.

Click past the jump to read more about the Yamaha √, or Yamaha Root in case you're still confused about the use of the symbol.

Why it matters

You know when somebody comes up with a completely ubiquitous design and the only thing you can do is scratch your head and wonder what the rationale behind said design was? That was my thinking upon seeing the Yamaha Root.

The bike is essentially an MT-07->ke4425, which is probably the only thing normal about this creation. Everything else is straight out of someone’s jagged imagination. For starters, the seat has been positioned in a rather weird angle, and that may even be putting it lightly. I’m not quite sure how a curved leather board would feel like when you’re trying to take the bike out for a spin. Oh, and did you notice that the board - or plank - completely obstructs the view of the instrument panel?

According to Yamaha Corp., that particular design was inspired by the idea that when you take the instrument panel off the rider’s view, “it would enable him or her to become a “part of the passing scenery.”

Well, great, right? But how exactly will the rider know how fast he’s going or how much fuel is left on the tank if he can’t see those pretty important information? Fortunately, everything else about the bike seems to be in their proper place. It’s got two wheels, which is nice. The handlebars seem to be angled properly, too. Great job on that. Even the inner mechanicals, including the engine, the suspension, and the exhaust appear to be of the right size and function.

But that seat? Good thing this project is, as has been described, free from the prejudice of commercial viability. I don’t think I’ll be going out on a limb by saying that Yamaha Motor Corp. won’t be sending this bike to production anytime soon.

In case you want to see the Yamaha Root in the flesh, you can do so at the Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Etienne 2015, from March 12 to 22, 2015 in Saint-Etienne, France.

Just don’t get any ideas about wanting to ride the bike. I don’t think you’re going to be able to do that anytime soon, if ever.