Concept motorcycle

One of the nice things about having two young sons, is that you get to relive your childhood through their toys. I was admiring one of my sons fighter jets recently, and started to wonder why modern motorcycle design is well, so old and boring.

Why don't motorcycle riders demand that their bikes look as styled as modern cars? Or even look like a fighter jet?

The result of these musings was a design for a reclining, aerodynamic, agressive motorcycle concept. New market segment - new generation of riders that want more security than traditional motorcycles, wouldn't be seen dead riding a baby-boomer sixties throwback Harley (it's only pot-bellied retires that buy Harleys these days), still want excitement, but also want double the fuel economy and three times the acceleration of a Prius.

Some of the design ideas (hard to read the scribblings on my sketch)...

- Supercar style (or fighter jet intake) air intakes either side of the rider

- Aluminim rollcage goes provides visual cue of strength and safety

- Fuel tank at the back above the wheel

- Very low CG due to the rider being reclining in front of the engine.

- Utilize existing bike mechanicals as much as possible

- Lockable, integrated storage behind drive and in front of the fuel tank

- Aluminium box frame gives visual cue to strength

- Optional 'Targa' top fits over driver for more enclosed feel

- Partial door gives sense of security while maintaining a bike feel

As far as I know, only the Swiss have been venturing into this market niche with the slick and very expensive Monotracer. The Monotracer actually has quite a long history, most of them horrifically ugly from design perspective. The new one is very contempory, but priced way out of range except for possibly the Knomes of Zurich on their weekends.

My design is a lot more close to existing motorcycles - semi exposed rather than completely enclosed. Exposed engines and mechanics are really part of motorcycle magic, as is fresh air. Also, having the rider be able to put their feet down gets around the tricky problem of retracing stabilzer wheels that fully enclosed motorcycles will always need to solve.