Driving at blistering speeds while spending minimal dollars on gas is possible only on a motorcycle. Many drivers have opted for motorcycles, as it allows the rider to circumvent the traffic and show off the leather outfit. Although riders are cognizant of the inherent danger of riding a motorbike, they are prepared to take that risk for the thrill that a motorbike provides.
Motorbike manufacturers have vied for consumer attention by designing fancy bikes that look and feel futuristic. The strategy has worked, as consumers are looking for motorbikes that look like a ride that Robocop or Batman would own. The futuristic design that motorbike manufacturers have deployed is the same as what automakers are doing with supercars, but the key difference being that the motorbike manufacturers are limited with the design and feature adjustments that it can make.
Due to those and other restrictions, motorbike manufacturers have been hesitant to release certain concept models. After gleaning the sublime concept motorbikes of some manufacturers, we wanted to give the bikes the exposure that they deserve. Although the manufacturer has little to no intention of producing the concepts, we thought that not showcasing the brilliant concepts would be a waste of the design.
20 Dodge Tomahawk
Move over, Terminator, as there is a new, bad boy in town. At least, there should have been if Dodge had mass produced the Tomahawk. The concept looked like a ride that the Terminator would have loved to get on, but the bike was a non-legal street concept that never took off.
Dodge fitted the mean machine with a 10-cylinder automobile engine, which the manufacturer claimed could reach a top speed of 300 mph. The bike's engine and four couple wheels made most people question whether the Tomahawk was a motorcycle. The design informed the public that Chrysler was unafraid of taking design risk.
19 Ducati Dragster
While some motorbike enthusiasts speculate that Ducati will produce the Dragster, the bike remains a concept. Ducati used the XDiavel cruiser as the basis for the design and ensured that the bike lived up to the manufacturer's reputation of providing powerful motorbikes by fitting it with a 1262cc engine that was capable of pumping out 156 horsepower, according to Top Gear.
The Dragster's performance makes this a cruiser bike that wants to drag race. Ducati swapped the Dragster's suspension and brakes from the Panigale.
18 Kawasaki J-Concept
Will it be or won't it be? That's the big question on many riders' minds about the J-concept becoming a reality. At the moment, the bike remains a concept. The manufacturer introduced the concept at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show but decided to tease fans with it again last year by posting a video of the bike.
The three-wheeled motorcycle can communicate with the rider and carries several riding modes that provide a complete change on the bike's characteristics. The most fascinating characteristic of the bike is its ability to change to a three-wheeler in upright mode, according to Bikes Republic.
17 Ferrari V4
Ferrari enthusiasts who were hoping that the manufacturer would venture into producing motorbikes got their wish but for a short period. When Ferrari unveiled the V4, most of the brand's enthusiasts thought that the bike would become as popular as the 458 Italia.
Amir Glinik, an industrial designer, was responsible for the design of the V4, which provides great performance and aerodynamics. Glinik adapted the hands controls from an F-16 Fighter Jet and based the buttons on the Formula 1 racers. Ferrari dampened their fans' mood when it announced that the bike would remain a concept.
16 BMW Motorrad Vision Next 100
One of the biggest reasons that drivers don't opt for purchasing a motorbike is the inherent danger of riding a motorcycle. BMW recognized the consumers' priority for safety, so the manufacturer designed a concept that would settle the nerves of the jittery consumers.
According to Mens XP, the BMW concept bike is so safe that riders don't need to wear a helmet. BMW stated that it would use advanced artificial intelligence to eradicate the need for safety gear, especially a helmet. The manufacturer designed the bike as a celebration to mark BMW's 100th anniversary.
15 I.Care
Consumers who wanted to purchase a motorbike that looks like a ride that Batman would be proud to own would have opted for I.Care. The sleek design and the black paint make this motorbike the ideal ride for a vigilante. Although the bike is a concept, the bike functions and would catch the eye of bystanders.
The bike fosters a six-cylinder 1.8-liter Honda powerplant and a dual exhaust. The only drawback of the I.Care is that riders won't get a chance to take it for a spin. If most bikes had a similar design to the I.Care, more drivers would opt for riding instead.
14 Mach Ness
Once I took a proper look at this bike, I surmised that if Michael J. Fox were to ride a bike instead of driving the DeLorean in Back to the Future, the Mach Ness would have been his obvious decision.
Arlen Ness is responsible for designing the concept and fitted this futuristic bike with a gas-turbine helicopter engine. To make the bike look more sci-fi, Arlen Ness made the outer shell of aluminum and hand-shaped the body. If you were wondering why the manufacturer won't produce the bike, read the previous sentence.
13 Wojtek Bachleda
Bachleda wanted to design a motorcycle that the world had not seen before, so he designed a motorbike that was light, powerful and cheap, according to Auto Evolution. He desired to design a futuristic motorbike that could perform better than the latest models but was cheaper.
Although Bachleda was a design student at the time that he brought the concept to life, the motorbike marks his achievement to produce vehicles that consumers want without breaking the bank. Maybe, motorbike manufacturers should have a word with Bachleda to collaborate so that the world experiences the bike.
12 Jaguar M-Cycle
When a Jaguar fan decided to produce a motorbike, the best way he knew how was by making a statement with an original design. The designer of the bike used the Jaguar logo to manufacturer the bike. According to Go Motoriders, the bike is eight feet long and has an ebony lacquered fiberglass on top of the stainless steel.
The Jaguar M-Cycle is the brainchild of Barend Massow Hemmes and boasts a 1200cc V-twin engine, with 17"rims and Jaguar mouth headlights. Although Jaguar won't mass produce the bike, Hemmes deserves credit for the unique design.
11 Yamaha Tesseract
Taking a first glance at the Tesseract, one would believe that the motorbike was a science fiction concept. Although Yamaha didn't mass produce the Tesseract, the concept is rooted in the projects that led to the production of Tricity and Niken tilting three-wheelers. The Tesseract has four wheels, instead of three, and a different tilting suspension system.
Although the Tesseract won't see the light of day, Yamaha has stated that it hasn't ditched the idea of producing a leaning four-wheeler. The firm revealed that it worked on a four-wheeled tilting bike, dubbed the OR2T.
10 BMW Urban Racer
Autowise has described the BMW Urban Racer as a post-apocalyptic masterpiece. Jans Slapins, a London based 3D modeler, was responsible for incorporating an old and a new look to produce the Urban Racer. Slapins designed the bike to foster a 120cc, capable of pumping out 115 horsepower.
Although the performance of the bike was important for Slapins, he wanted to provide riders with safety, so he fitted the bike with Brembo brakes. The bike also has a single-sided swingarm and is perfect for quick tire changes.
9 Ghost
Riders who are obsessed with getting every bit of extra performance from a motorbike should have a peek at the ghost. The manufacturer designed the Ghost to have incredible speed. Although the bike looks like a regular production bike, the manufacturer based the design on the Ghost Rider.
The styling depicts the bike as aggressive, and the bike puts the rider in an aerodynamic position to reach the bike's optimal speed. The chrome paint makes the bike more appealing. The bike looks amazing, but we won't see it on the roads.
8 Bugatti Type 100M
Bugatti fans who wondered how a motorbike would look if the supercar manufacturer designed one will find the answer to be the Type 100M. Romain Gauvin designed the four-wheeler and incorporated black, white and blue colors to feature a capsule, in which the tech parts are enclosed, with the brand's signature C-shaped line on the side.
The covered cockpit covers the rider, who has a holographic rear view mirror, streaming from the camera located on the outer body. The bike is a hybrid and features an electric drive, as well as a battery under the seat.
7 Digimoto
The designer of the Digimoto wanted to produce a future bike experience, so the team placed sensors and cameras, recording all the bike's information. The bike translated the generated data into rider-relevant information and displayed it on the visor of the rider's helmet. Hence, the display elements on the bike become superfluous, and the concept allows streamlining.
The designer implemented stringent reduction to key components to ensure the bike had the highest level of functionality. Zanzotti designed the Digimoto and received the 2014 German Design Award as Best Newcomer.
6 Suzuki Stratosphere
Although Suzuki brought back the Katana brand, it should have focused more on producing the Stratosphere. In 2005, the manufacturer unveiled the concept and ensured that the bike provided a lot of performance since it fitted a 1100cc straight-six engine, a format that was unfamiliar in the industry since the demise of the Kawasaki Z1300 until it returned with the BMW K1600 in 2010, according to Visor Down.
Although Suzuki planned to produce the Stratosphere, the 2008 financial crisis dampened the manufacturer's plans.
5 Sachs Beast
Sachs might not be an automaker that makes the front covers of magazines, but the unveiling of the Beast in 2000 got everybody's attention. Target Design was responsible for the styling, which was the same firm that designed the Katana for Suzuki in 1979. The main feature of the bike that most enthusiasts boasted about was the complete lack of frame that promised to make the bike lighter.
The bike featured the 60-degree Folan V-twin engine that provided power to the Swedish Highland motorcycle range. Instead of the Beast, Sachs manufactured the Sachs B805.
4 KTM Ion
Is it a bicycle or a motorbike? That is the question on most people's mind when they look at the KTM Ion for the first time. KTM designed this electric motorbike for city streets and featured a distinctive exo-structural frame that provides the bike with precision and strength.
The company's idea for the concept design was to blend the power of a fixie bike with the technology of an electric motorcycle. The bike offers an extreme riding experience in urban environments, and the manufacturer designed it to become a lifestyle product.
3 Moto Czysz C1
Michael Czysz was the man behind the design of the Moto Czysz. Try to pronounce his surname and see how far you get. Czysz wanted to create a motorbike that the world had not seen. When Czysz unveiled the C1, the bike had patented contra-rotating twin crankshafts and 2D suspension elements.
The bike boasts a four-cylinder engine that's divided into equal halves with two crankshafts that rotate in the opposite direction. The two-contra rotating crankshafts cancel each other's torque and gyroscopic forces, thereby reducing the bike's vibration.
2 Suzuki Falcorustyco
Many motorcycle enthusiasts have debated if the Falcorustyco is the greatest concept bike designed. Suzuki debuted the Falcorustyco at the 1985 Tokyo Motor Show. When Suzuki unveiled the bike, the audience at the Tokyo Motor Show was in awe. The bike featured a 500cc square-four, four-stroke engine, as well as a hydraulic pump two-wheel drive, hydraulic steering, and electromagnet-actuated brakes.
The front and rear swingarms bolted to the engine, eliminating the need for a frame, while the hydraulic steering eliminated the need for a steering linkage on the front.
1 Tesla Model M Electric Motorcycle
According to Inside EVs, there was a lot of hype surrounding this brilliant concept - so much so that Musk was actually asked about it at a shareholders meeting. Many wondered if Tesla might storm into the motorcycle gamUnfortunatelyely, the answer wasn't a positive one.
According to Musk, this is just a concept and he doesn't plan on going in that direction. Musk amdited that he loved to ride dirt bikes when he was younger but due to the dangers attached to riding, he would eventually give it up. Seems like he also gave up on creating innovative bikes as well.
Sources - Auto Evolution, Visor Down, Top Gear & Mens XP