A D16, or...

[enzo]

your $70k alternative:

http://www.ridemission.com/index.shtml

[Spidey]

That thing better have *wicked* traction control.  There's pretty much no way to keep your tires on the road with immediate power of an electric engine.  What happens when you crack the throttle mid-turn?  Yikes.

[mostrobelle]

Is it so ugly that they can't show a photo of the whole bike at once? 

[Cynic]

Is it so ugly that they can't show a photo of the whole bike at once? 

seriously.... that thing... is not pretty. My new bike looks twice as good and it's a BMW 

[enzo]

That thing better have *wicked* traction control.  There's pretty much no way to keep your tires on the road with immediate power of an electric engine.  What happens when you crack the throttle mid-turn?  Yikes.

"max torque at zero RPM"  Now that's the bike I want at the Richmond Bridge toll booth!

...and I think it looks good.  Unique, yes, but simple and very clean lines, well crafted.  A nice departure from the busy, inflated, boastful looks of today's sportbikes.

[Desmostro]

I just want to say, I told you so!   


My prof designed it. Yves Behar @ fuse project







This is a full scale concept model. As in, it may be a little fru-fru still until they work out the details costing, market, manufacturing, all that. So don;t gett your panties in a bunch about ... No, go ahead, get your panties in a bunch. It's fun to hear what peeps think.

There's a little bit of weirdness that I can't quite... It needs a little practical real-world layer on it. The omnidirectional grid of the vents - hu? A little Victorian. A little hard to clean. I dig the headlights / tail lights though.

[Vindingo]

The headlights and tail lights are pretty cool, but I'm not feeling the side view.  I agree that the "vents" are odd and they just dont look right.  The "tank" also looks very tall.  I wonder if the interanls actually dictated that shape, or if it was strictly aesthetic.

[enzo]

The vents make sense to me.  Not only are the perforations well integrated with the paneling of the bodywork design, the triangular shape of the openings inherently adapt to the complex shape of the tank while projecting a sense of strength and efficiency.  Clean and functional.

[Desmostro]

like a wall vent in a queen ann.      doe!   -it slipped out. 




It is different though, and I'm all about different. 

[enzo]

Maybe, but the triangle is integrated, rational and functional as it is applied here, and therefore modern.  

Back to the bike, it looks like all the heat from the motor, which I'm guessing is considerable even with an electric motor, is directed to the rider...

also:
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2009/02/mission-motors.html

[Popeye the Sailor]

It's a perfect example of form following function.



I just never knew before that "ugly" was a function.

[johnc]

i'm not slamming the design ... just pointing out that the tail light reminds me of a smiling max, the blue meany in yellow submarine ...

[johnc]

and in keeping with the electronics theme ...

on the positive side, this would make an awesome track bike ... especially for laguna.  no worries about pissing off the sound nazis with this puppy.

on the negative side, i just don't think tee shirts printed with the slogan "loud piezoelectric ceramic elements saves lives" will have the same visceral effect as tee shirts with " loud clutches saves lives".

[Vindingo]

The vents make sense to me.  Not only are the perforations well integrated with the paneling of the bodywork design, the triangular shape of the openings inherently adapt to the complex shape of the tank while projecting a sense of strength and efficiency.  Clean and functional.

I agree that triangulations do inherently adapt to complex geometries and organic shapes, hence their use generative design ad nauseum.  Where I think the use of a this regular geometry (the triangle) is lacking is on the side panels that are neither concave or convex.  The surfaces do not call for the use of triangulation in order to adapt to a complex shape.  The use of the regular pattern on a flat surface gives the impression that it is an aplique - like a wall vent.     
 
  Thinking like this only reminds me of school and makes my head hurt.  Maybe the designer just "liked" how it looked  [moto]

[EEL]

Anyone else notice the huge sprocket on the back? I bet a sprocket change could get 180ish top speed with very usable torque left over.