Vanguard Moto Inc. is a combination of two fellows: Motorcycle designer Edward Jacobs (whom I briefly overlapped with at Pratt's Industrial Design program) and entrepreneur and supply chain expert Francois-Xavier Terny. Together the two have devised a unique vehicle: The Vanguard Roadster, a frameless, modular motorcycle that targets the premium market without breaking the bank.

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As Jacobs and Terny explain, "The premium motorcycle segment is a $3 billion market worldwide characterized by growth, high margin and resilience." But what they found is that "the market is not properly addressed by incumbents who essentially soup-up their mass models and sell them at premium prices (between $25 and $40k)." To that end, they've designed the Roadster to come in at $30,000, but instead of being an incrementally-improved existing model, their bike has been designed and engineered afresh from the ground up:

Modular Construction

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The key to the Vanguard motorcycle is its modular design. Its patent pending modular assembly process has redefined motorcycle manufacturing. The modular design allows Vanguard to create three different motorcycles from one common platform.

Unitized Crankcase

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Unitized crankcase with an integrated exhaust system with advanced heat shielding, swing arm with shaft-drive and encapsulated rear suspension.

Rotating Tank

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The tank on the Vanguard Roadster is designed to rotate around a single point, to allow for easy access to critical engine components while providing a under the hood experience lacking in the motorcycle industry.

Digital Dashboard

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The Vanguard Roadster is designed with a fully digital dashboard, allowing for keyless PIN code access to the motorcycle and the integration of a first in class rear view camera.

Mass-producing a bike from scratch of course isn't cheap, and Jacobs and Terny are currently crowdfunding the development costs at $8 per share. You can learn more here.