Horrors and successes. Here are 6 examples of when a car manufacturer dares with motorcycles

It seems that the maxim of the design studio founded in 1972 by Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche in Stuttgart, “if the function of an object is analyzed, its form often becomes evident”, is completely valid for the world of design. motorcycle, as long as its function or functions are: to throw you off the motorcycle even with the slightest breeze of air or head off with the screen that it mounts in that position, which seems specially designed to hit your corneas.

Actually, it seems that this function would come to fulfill another idea, that of getting as little dirty as possible thanks to fairing wheels and engine, and thus not being a dirty biker but a pristine motorized snob. A premise that would make any self-respecting biker laugh out loud.

Luckily, the years go by and with time other ideas come to us from the world of automobiles for motorcycles. This Porsche 618 is inspired by the 911 Turbo.

Ferrari motorcycles

The Italian brand has linked to its image several (unofficial) bastard concepts about the motorcycle world, clearly sponsored by who it is, as well as a few rumors of projects and patents, the result of collaborative projects or commissions to its design department. At the time they unleashed the imagination of some designers.

The best-known Ferrari concept bike design is the one created by Amik Glinik at the end of the first decade of the 21st century, the Ferrari V4 Superbike Concept. A red slide with a V-four engine, with airplane controls and formula one buttons. A design that the Israeli engineer had to discard after the problems with the Italian firm due to its occurrence.

Another story is the only official Ferrari motorcycle there is. An authentic motorcycle. Built with the authorization of the firm, and far from extravagant forms, by David Kay in the 90s. It had a multi-tubular steel chassis, an aluminum semi-fairing whose rear part is full of the typical gills used by Ferraris, a handmade exhaust, panel digital instrument cluster, inverted fork, Brembo discs, 17'' Astrallite wheels and WPS rear shocks.

Kay built a four-cylinder 900 cc engine with 105 horsepower that was built by hand. The bike weighed about 172 kilograms and had a top speed of about 265 km/h. It was sold through an auction house in 2012 for just over 90,000 euros. Previously they made an attempt to jerk off someone for just over a quarter of a million euros. They didn't get it clear.

Lamborghini Design 90

The same thing happens to the Bolognese bull brand as to its direct competitor. It has, and always will have, many bastard designs, more so now that the design is practically virtual. Thus, we have design exercises like that of the Romanian designer Laurentiu Trifescu with his Lamborghini Caramelo.

The only real official two-wheeler from Lamborghini is the Design 90. In 1986 Lamborghini, the French company Boxer Bikes and the engineers Claude Fior and Thierry Henriette joined forces to create this 180-kilo motorcycle that was eventually manufactured less than 40 units.

They started production with the idea of ​​competing with the most exclusive motorcycles in the world, an idea they quickly discarded when reality hit them. They created a sophisticated aluminum chassis, a special suspension for the bike and a complete fairing that concealed the Kawasaki four-cylinder engine that powered the Design 90. First it was the 115 horsepower Kawasaki GPZ 900R, and later they replaced it. for that of the Kawasaki GPZ1000RX with 16 valves and 120 hp of power.

Dodge Tomahawk

The Dodge Tomahawk is a four-wheeled monstrosity developed by two Chrysler Group employees Bob Schroeder and Dave Chyz and was unveiled as a concept at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show (North American International Auto Show). It supposes to the world of two wheels what a blunt 'axe' would do to the Native Americans at the time of the war against the Yankees (although its name comes more from the side of the famous North American missile).

Widely criticized, the Tomahawk was powered by a Dodge Viper V10 8,277cc engine with 507 horsepower, which along with a monocoque chassis, two-speed ratio and parallelogram suspension similar to what today's three-wheeled motorcycles was what most characterized it. The concept was seen again recently although in another way in the Lazarez LM 847 with a V8 engine from Maserati.

The American group finally manufactured nine units of it through subcontractors at a price that exceeded half a million dollars. He gave two speeds in his data sheet, the Tomahawk could reach a theoretical speed of 675 km / h, but he would also say in that data sheet that its speed would finally be estimated at more than 482 km / h. From the firm itself they would say years later that nobody has ridden one at more than 160 km/h.

With such a displacement, power and a capacity to carry only 12.7 liters of fuel for a huge consumption, you could start it and take a walk around the block at most, but not urban but an apple of fruit!

Ariel Ace R

The Ariel Ace R has meant a tour of the world of two wheels by the British firm. Although at present the most striking thing for which it is known is its Ariel Atom hypercar, and they had already manufactured motorcycles before, we can include it as a brand of sports car manufacturers.

The concept bike was presented at the 2014 Cologne Motor Show, the Ace R finally saw the light of day very recently in a very short print run: 10 units. Powered by a 1,237 ccy 173 hp engine that comes from the Honda VFR1200F, it has been characterized above all by the choice of technology and components that the brand has given its lucky customers when ordering. To taste.

From the paint to various bodies, fuel tanks from 14 to 21 liters, conventional transmission or Honda DTC, the tires, the front suspension (it could be a conventional fork or a parallelogram one created by themselves) and others. Everything in the Ariel Ace R has been choice. Brands like Öhlins and Nissin signing its components and electronics with ABS and traction control closed this coveted work of art.

Lotus C-01

The Lotus C-01 is something totally different and much more modern that has finally seen the light of day in a very limited series. The exclusive superbike devised by Daniel Simon and the sports car manufacturer Kodewa for the most part (the Holzer group, co-owners of Kalex, was also involved) under license from Lotus, but marketed by the historic British brand, also wears a continuous fairing quite complete carbon fiber that covers everything.

Made with materials such as aeronautical steel, titanium or carbon fiber for its chassis, the 181 kg Lotus C-01 is powered by an evolution of the Austrian engine of the KTM 1190 RC8R, a 1,195 cc twin with 200 hp of power. The Lotus has a fuel capacity of 10.5 liters. Man, it's pretty, but with such an engine and such benefits, it's not like you're going to get there with it. We have already been able to see it in action, as in the Glemseck 101 amateur race, at its controls: Troy Corser.

The Lotus C-01 with a look between muscle bike and dragster also mounts 19-inch and 17-inch wheels that have brakes signed by Brembo, double 320 mm front discs with four-piston calipers and a 220 mm rear one with two-piston caliper, a suspension in charge of a double Öhlins rear shock absorber and an inverted fork covered by some protectors, which together with the fairing contribute to complying once again with the pattern of leaving little in sight. Of course, this time with a totally different result, very elegant.