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Joey Ruiter Outdoes Himself with "Moto Undone"

By Ray Hu - September 8, 2011

in Cars

Joey Ruiter (a.k.a. Jruiter) of "Super Minimal City Bike" fame is back with another uniquely reimagined transportation concept.

Where the City Bike was stripped down in terms of functionality—by gutting the drivetrain and axing those pesky triangles for a more minimal frame—to arrive at a rather unconventional (and uncomfortable-looking) concept bicycle, the "Moto Undone" is more of an exercise in aesthetics, the result of "ignoring what makes motorcycles interesting."At jruiter I.D., we want to re-set the definition of a motorbike, stripping away historical attributes that make them so great. It's hard to imagine a motorcycle without fancy paint, overpowered motors, exposed mechanical genius, and sweet exhaust tones.

Still, contrary to Jruiter's best intentions to create "pure generic transportation" and create an "invisible" machine—one that he cheekily characterizes as "not very cool"—the "Moto Undone" is definitely a sweet ride.The motorbike references are small and when someone is riding they are all you see. The bike almost disappears. The rider just floats along the streets silently.

As for what's actually under the "hood"? A 1000W, 48V electric hub motor that gives it a range of 90 miles (that's three hours into the future, in layman's terms).

But wait, there's more: all of the ride-related data, including speed and GPS, is displayed on the riders' smartphone through downloadable apps... putting the "pocket" back in "Pocket Rocket."

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James Christian

12 years ago

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This is an interesting fabrication of a motorcycle, but as a statement about aesthetics or making a bike that isn't "cool" it falls completely flat.

A motorcycle is more about the function than the form. The seats must be comfortable and designed in a way to allow movement across the seat that then stabilizes the bike. The tank is designed to allow leg room and free range of movement. The design of the front end of a motorcycle is also an evolution of aerodynamics. The rounded headlight or faring that is usually found on most bikes creates a small pocket of wind protection when the rider is crouched down on the tank.

This is not radical. This is not controversial. It is pure urban attention seeking engineering.
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bird

12 years ago

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....the shiny stuff always makes the blog rounds, how long till it overheats?
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Mark M

12 years ago

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See BOXX. It is an actual product!. Looks like its the original. 2009, and has patents on this vehicle format.

Also note.. part of the reason BOXX is designed the way it is.. is to be SEEN... the surface area makes highly visible but yet compact. Its not to be made invisible.

BOXX appears to also be built from the ground up... integrated design.. more than just a shell on an existing bike.

BOXX has been under radar since 2009 by its designer. Patent images were the first to leak in early 2010.
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James

12 years ago

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This is probably one of those cases that just because you can, does not mean you should. Any bike rider would see so much flaws with the design. A stunt, yes. A new direction, hell no.
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Lew

12 years ago

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Well, it was probably fun to build; riding it, probably not so much.

But without rear-view mirrors, headlight, tail and brake lights it is not street legal; a "motor vehicle" requirement in virtually every state that has been overlooked. I suspect "omitted" is the more correct term ... minor details too messy to include in such "pure generic transportation".
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Alex

12 years ago

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Who needs side mirrors? So mainstream.
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Timo Architect

12 years ago

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Ha ha ha. "Ignoring what makes motorcycles interesting, useful, comfortable, or safe...". Well, at least he can cook a hotdog on it on a sunny summer day while gazing at his own reflection through welding goggles.
The joke, apparently, is on us, folks!
But I do like the drilled case and the minimalist seat.
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DocRuss

13 years ago

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In the box in the new out of the box! A greatly provocative design. I see a drilled aluminium case (macbook pro style) for the next incarnation. Hats off to breaking out of old trends. With electric drivetrains, batteries, bluetooth and GPS, jRuiter is making a well timed statement that new concepts must now 'fill in the box'. Bravo.
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Adam2

13 years ago

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"ignoring what makes motorcycles interesting.".......what a great quote to include in the opening statement. He didn't even do that, I believe he just put a shiny box on wheels.
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Dick Babcock

13 years ago

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Adam - your flair for missing the obvious exceeds even my wildest hopes and dreams!
Im sure your local elementary school needs some extra crossing guards - why don't you scoot on over there and apply that sensibility where it's needed and let the adults enjoy an interesting exercise in design. Thanks! :)
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trimtab21

13 years ago

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It's beyond "thinking outside the box" it's being the box. I LOVE IT!!!!
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CB-Martin

13 years ago

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I agree with "A Designer" completely. Its very interesting, not ground breaking. I would like to see it a centimeter above the ground rather than seeing the 4-6 inches of wheel.

Bus first and foremost - if its doesn't have gears that needed to shifted by the rider and/or its electric - its a Scooter, not a motorcycle. I'm a designer, and in my spare time building a '71 cafe racer and that scene, and it seems like an insult to call this a "Motorcycle" despite how original it is.
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Hamish

13 years ago

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Correct me if im wrong, but isn't this design less 'stripping down the concept of a motorcycle and redesigning it' and more 'putting a giant, heavy, un-aerodynamic and uncomfortable box over an existing electric bike'?
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M4RK

13 years ago

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reflections would blind other drivers... jk jk

but really yeah i agree with A designer, it's not really in line with an object being 'undone', is looks my like an enclosure project, or a box with a motor bike inside it....
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A designer

13 years ago

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like most designers, I definitely appreciate minimalist, exploratory design thinking -- in product design, architecture, packaging, etc.

But I think this is a misguided, failed design.

It's minimal, but ornate in its execution. It's stated purpose is to deconstruct the accepted givens of a motorcycle, yet the design doesn't truly reinvent or question the general layout, proportion/dimensions, or ergonomics of a motorcycle. It doesn't deconstruct/reconstruct anything -- it's barely a new packgaging of an old idea.

As an object d'art -- it's interesting. As a design, though, it's not very.
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K'

13 years ago

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Not to sound like a troll, but this concept suffers from a lot of hangups. While dedicating itself to being a not-motorcycle, it goes too far in forgetting a few basics.

Say, like speed and fuel/energy data or access to the workings should mechanical failure occur.

Any great design is just as practical as it is conceptual. This design is just "good", if even that.
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stanislas

13 years ago

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http://www.nonobject.com/portfolio/nucleus/
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andy

13 years ago

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Wow it looks so much like non-objects motorcycle. It's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVYYBKO6FD0
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Kim1

13 years ago

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Pretty close to non object project:
http://www.nonobject.com/portfolio/nucleus/
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Noah Webster

13 years ago

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Joe's pure creativity has been intriguing me for years and years, well done on yet another truly original concept.
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Jerry D. Elmore

13 years ago

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wow...dare I say this looks more futuristic than the Tron motorcycle?

I totally would get one of these...especially if it came with a deployable photovoltaic charger.
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Dustin

13 years ago

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Very nice!
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Adam

13 years ago

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Aside from it looking uncomfortable (which to be fair, almost all interesting looking bikes are), why would I want an invisible motorcycle? Cars can't seem to see them now when they are painted amazingly neon colors... I don't want to know what will happen when bikes start blending into the surroundings.

Also: helmets save lives, and leathers save skin.
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