Concept Bikes

[Disco Dan]

Whats up and coming in years to come?

What does the future hold for motorcycles?

What are your picks of the concepts?

These few here caught my eye:


One-track mind
the Baal treaded motorcycle design concept from the 2006 Michelin Design Challenge, currently being held at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Along with the similar Hyanide concept, these bike-like vehicles combine a single tank tread with a bike-like riding position.
Since there's no front wheel to turn, I'm curious about how one steers them. The Michelin site says both hands and feet are involved, but exactly how is unclear.

Vision 800
According to Victory, the Vision has an 800cc, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, parallel twin engine, and, like many concept bikes these days, its constantly variable transmission means there's no need to shift gears. Also, much of that bulky-looking front section is empty storage space, letting riders pack lots of gear without extra cases or saddlebags.

The Vision is quite different from the Harley-style cruisers Victory has turned out to date, but I really like that front-heavy, powerful look.


The rMOTO electric superbike concept was developed by Robrady design in Florida, the rMOTO uses technology and expertise derived from several of Robrady's clients. When the first design sketches of the rMOTO were released on the company web site in April, interest in the concept was so great that the project was approved for construction and a prototype is to be constructed for unveiling in January 2006.

[Dino]

Nice pictures.
Wouldn't want to be paying for a new tyre for the first one though.

.

[Steam]

Concept bikes are just PR masturbation by motorcycle companies.

They look pretty but they may as well just turn the company artists loose to draw any old whiz-bang thing they like and call it a concept bike. None of it gets made and actually ridden, so they don't have to think about practicalities or engineering.
Can anyone name any concept bikes that have made it to production?

EDIT: Oh, people below have named heaps, so I withdraw and apologise.

They're about as realistic as this concept bike below.

[Aiolos]

Can anyone name any concept bikes that have made it to production?

The B-King.

[Steam]

The B-King.

Nice try, but in my opinion the B-King wasn't a true concept bike. It is just a tarted up, hacked-about Hayabusa with extra flashing doodads and plastic bodywork. It's very cool and a blast to ride, but it's not a concept bike. It's a repackaged product.

Maybe the Carver and that funny BMW Ecomobile qualify as concept bikes that made it to production... hmm...

[betti]

honda threatening to produce this soon..ish

[idb]

....
Can anyone name any concept bikes that have made it to production?

Honda Rune?

[idb]

Ducati MH900e?

[scumdog]

Concept bikes are just PR masturbation by motorcycle companies.

Seems to work with car world - look at the new Thunderbirds, Mustang, Camaro etc - and don't forget the Plymouth Prowler, the Chev SST etc - all derived from 'concept-cars' the public took to in a big way

I can't think of any in the bike world but there would be a few that started as radical concept bikes.

[Finn]

Concept bikes are just PR masturbation by motorcycle companies.

Spoken like a true left wing hippie.

[Steam]

Yeah, all right I admit it, there are quite a few concept bikes around that are in quite large production.

[hazard02]

Ecosse Spirit ES1:

The bike is intended to represent F1 on two wheels, high end development, engineering and materials, carefully thought out ergonomics and a drag coefficient that's 25% less than most superbikes.

from http://garethowens.blogspot.com/2008...ake-three.html

Some neat design, but for £76,000 - £380,000 I don't think it'lll take off.

[Skyryder]

Nice pictures.
Wouldn't want to be paying for a new tyre for the first one though.
.

Or try and do U turn. Mind you just the thing for the Brass Monkey

Skyryder

[T.W.R]

Ecosse Spirit ES1:




from http://garethowens.blogspot.com/2008...ake-three.html

Some neat design, but for £76,000 - £380,000 I don't think it'lll take off.

If that chain broke then it's goodbye to the family jewels

funny how so many of these current concept bikes all bare a resemblance to the Suzuki Nuda geesh thats was done 20yrs ago

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/at...0&d=1134417327

[Bren]

every bike was a "concept" in one form or another...