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Thoughts on motorcycle design

By Rain Noe - March 6, 2008

in Object Culture

In an article on Oliver Neuland, a design consultant now teaching Industrial and Transportation Design at Massey University's Auckland School of Design, the former BMW Motorcycles designer reflects on some differences between car and bike design: "[With motorcycles] the separation between body and inner technology is not so clear. For motorcyclists--who are even more emotionally attached to their machine--the mechanics are a core part of the beauty of their vehicle."

Might that trend be changing?

The 1988 anime blockbuster Akira was the first time many of us saw a bike with enclosed mechanics (and an articulating canopy); alas, it only existed on the silver screen, though fanatics have hacked working replicas.

Twenty years later Swiss designer Franco Sbarro's Pendolauto concept bike has completely enclosed mechanics, and two extra wheels to boot. It'll be on display at this month's upcoming Geneva Auto Show.

To the bikers out there, what do you guys think? Do designs that obscure the motorcycle's inner workings detract from its "suchness," as the author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance might say?

sources: 1, 2, 3

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Merken

13 years ago

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First of all, that book was way of the chart..

If to look at a bike as a line of the industry, I can't argue with the aptitude the convey of bike design from "mechanical" as it's known to some kind of "aviation" even futurism is way to relative.

But bikes like the horses at the times, differed from the other transportation options, are another topic because they are more than transportation, so they are still based on conventional technology for the same reason. Emotional experience from riding a bike should not to be shadowed by relative design previsions. Futuristic previsions may be better and the weapon-of-choice for those times riders since future peoples emotional structures-aestetics standards would differ. But as for now, I think that mechanical-fairing-conventional balance is just alright.
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Shadow

13 years ago

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Depend on the bike and the design in my opinion. Design is a tricky business and you have to walk a fine line between function and beauty.
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agung

14 years ago

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so wonderful imagination.... bravo motorycle

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Bunny way

14 years ago

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These two motorcycles are the coolest I've ever seen!!
When I get Rich I'm so going To get myself the top one!!
i hope they start selling them in the us
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kayne squires

15 years ago

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hi i was just searching custom choppers and this beautiful
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Luis

16 years ago

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I agree that the essence of the motorcycle emotion is the direct relationship with the machine and its dynamics, like it was previously between rider-horse. As long as that essence is conveyed in the design and function of the machine, the appearance can vary according to the specialized use and rider preference. I love mechanical design an one of the attractions of motorcycles is that those bits are in plain view but still you can achieve good designs while covering most of it, one of those examples is the Tamburini designed Ducati Paso, 20 years later and it is still a beautiful machine.

In some instances designers have been toying with 4 wheeled motorcycles which I don't think have those correct dynamics and will never be able to equal either a motorcycle or a car, mainly due to their extremely short distance between the tire contact patches on the wheels in the same axle, then they resort to pivoting hubs that alter camber, etc. resulting in a complex and heavy machine that simply does not work and does not convey to the user that raw mechanical connection and emotion that a motorcycle gives. I have never been much of a fan of Sbarro's overdone and sometimes not very tasteful work (that as stated above borders on toy-like and sometimes impractical) and for 20 some years have been riding, sketching and designing bikes to know the difference. 3 and 4 wheelers probably can attract a segment of the population that is not adept or coordinated enough to ride on 2 wheels, and if that is all they can handle fine, for me, give me only 2 wheels please.
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thomas

16 years ago

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The time is right for a enclosed,cabin type motorcycle.The Ecomobile and now the Monotracer are nice,but the high cost,excessive weight,somewhat bad ergonomics[entry and exit]and the manual control of the retracts which stable the MC at low speeds and stops are less than perfect for most of us that would purchase one.
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j

16 years ago

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yea honestly- a motorcycle has 2WHEELS, not four. That being said- motorcycles come in all different flavors. The super sport bikes are practically all covered- and then you have cruiser Harleys that still depend on air cooling and exposed mechanics. I happen to think they're all beautiful and all stay true to what motorcycling really is- experiencing the open road as fully as possible. (except that damn gold wing someone else mentioned...once a bike has reverse and air bags, something has gone terribly wrong).
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T_Bax

16 years ago

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I find it rather problematic to discuss motorcycle design on an 4-wheeled vehicle even if it belongs more to the bike than the car category.

Swinefactory is right, an electric driven bike is different from an combustion engined one.

In the interview I pointed this out. With new alternative power sources there has to come a different design language, because the feeling of riding it will change as well as the proportion of its components.

The current image of an motorbike is very much defined by the proportions and location of engine and (former) fuel tank. (With the former fuel tank area becoming mainly the air-box it became already obvious, that this area is rather treated as a symbol. You could change this whole area. But people would not accept it. - apart maybe from some niche products like trail bikes)

The beauty of the mechanic of bikes derives mainly from its tangibility. This is somehow a romantic view and approach. It will be hard to make the average rider to change.

In a world which becomes more virtual, immaterialized and complex, a motorbike gives many people back an object which is still rather easy to understand and sensible. - Fuel runs into carburetor, carburetor makes inflammable gas, gas explodes in the cylinder, burned gas goes into exhaust. This is very visible in a classic motorcycle layout.
To turn this into something which belongs in the world after the digital revolution, with all its hard to understand indirect relations will be quite a challenge.

Oliver Neuland
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Grimble

16 years ago

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Oh and that 4 wheeler is NOT a motorcycle. Thats like calling a Lazyboy a dining chair.
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Grimble

16 years ago

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I don't know that covering the mechanical bits is anything new to motorcycles. If you look at race/race inspired motorcycles, the fairings basically cover all the "workings" The Desmosedici by Ducati is a stunning machine, but almost all of the mechanicals are enclosed. That said I'm a fan of the classic cafe racer, naked and raw.
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Gerard

16 years ago

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Having spent time in Italy designing motos in the mid 90's, I would have to say that there is a fine line between showing and not showing. Sport/Super bikes mostly have their mechanicals hidden behind fairings but they do not loose the 'aura' of the moto.

To me it's when a designer over designs a bike so that it morphs into some sort of open car, that the spirit is lost. Goldwing anyone? The spirit of a bike is more than the mechanics, it's also about the nimble freedom and face in the wind feeling it affords its rider.
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SD. Wodinsky

16 years ago

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I have been a fan of Mr. Sbarro's works for over 20+ years now (amazing designs), right up there with Colani, Zender, Rinspeed, Koenig, Zagato, Pinninfarina, etc. As far as the design of this cycle goes, it has a lot of design-ties to the Chrysler Tomahawk (except the V10 was quite visible, and the finish was different). Like a lot of his other works, Mr. Sbarro challenges what we accept as normal designs concepts, and creates masterpieces that are far from what we normally see in the automotive world. I think it is unique, a fantastic PR leverage model, works of automotive art, and also he isn't afraid to try something new and bold. Premium design ideation!

Regards,
SD. Wodinsky,
AComm,eBM,BComm
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slippyfish

16 years ago

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The beauty of a motorcycle is the combination of force and structure, in a minimal package that somehow fits a rider. H-Ds are much more about engine and force; the custom choppers play up these aspects.

On the other hand, Sport bikes have extensive fairings simply because the riders need to overcome the wind. On the Sbarro concept, the fairings have turned into body panels, like a car. It looks like a toy. There is no provision for shielding the rider. Maybe its electric powered and goes only 15 mph like a SegWay!!! Ha ha ha (evil moto laugh)
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Swinefactory

16 years ago

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Hm... I always had the impression that Kaneda's bike in Akira had an electrical drive system, which is to say that it had electric motors at each wheel (supported by the blue arcing electricity exhibited at the wheels at various points in the movie, and the fact that it can zippily drive in reverse - Kaneda backs out using a 2-point turn at one point in the film). If it is an electrical system, then it makes complete sense to enclose it - there's nothing terribly romantic about circuitboards and batteries and wires... at least not in the same hoses-and-pistons sort of way.
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Kyle

16 years ago

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I don't believe the trend is changing as much as the 1993-2000 designers thought it should. Plastic Overran sportbikes of that era, and ever since, designers have been attempting to reclaim the beauty. Brakes and front suspension are hidden in your images, whereas most sportbike today sroudly show these.

I think when it comes down to it, designers use plastic to hide not mechanics but lazy ownership. I wish I were less lazy about bike maintenance, but when I come home from a long ride, I don't feel like cleaning around my chain...with my plastics, I don't have to.
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