Vrooooom… goes the two-wheeled vehicle akin to a bicycle. There is no better pleasure than the one derived from driving a motorcycle against the wind blowing in your face, pushing past everything.
Motorcycles descended from those bicycles with equally sized front and rear wheels where the mechanism of a pedal crank helped drive the rear wheel. Sylvester Howard Roper, in 1867, came up with the first ever motorbike that was powered by a steam engine and not a gasoline engine.
The first ever gas engine motorcycle was introduced by Gottlieb Daimler in 1885, wherein the engine was attached to a wooden bike. But most of the inventors during the nineteenth century moved on to develop automobiles and other inventions. In 1903, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company was launched by Arthur, William Harley, and Walter Davidson. Their only competitors were new ventures like Pierce, Merkel, Indian, Excelsior, etc. Even though the company introduced it as a transport vehicle, the engine of the bike was of a good quality and hence the bike was apt for races.
The sale of motorcycles started to see an improvement during World War II where men and women returning from the war were looking forward to doing more than just settle down in life. But the real increase was noticed during the 1960s and in 1962 Honda came up with a motorcycle campaign that was a huge success. And today, the motorcycle industry is dominated by Japanese manufacturers including Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda, and Kawasaki.
The present day sees the variance in the motorbike manufacturing. One can choose from a range of standard, sports, touring, choppers, cruisers, off road motorbikes, etc. And it has become a trend these days to bring in the retro look in product manufacturing.
Lately, Belgian designer Delussu Bruno has come up with a concept of a futurist motorcycle. He gained his inspiration from Daniel Simon, the German concept designer and a futurist in the automotive department. His visionary book, Cosmic Motors got him more than just fame. Bruno’s latest concept has earned the name ‘Snake Road’ since it bears resemblance to a cobra.
The bike has a completely closed form of body which improves its interaction with the atmosphere while in movement. The fiberglass finish of the bike gives it a sturdy look and is actually lightweight. But what gives the bike the above said retro look is the traditional speedometer and an engine that is internal combustion. The bike is designed such that the rider needs to lie on the body like on a racing bike rather than sitting upright. Also the rear wheel is twice as thick as the front wheel which gives it a very monstrous look which is what the youth prefer. The one and only disadvantage noticeable is that the bike has no space for a pillion rider.
But even with the constant and ongoing hike in fuel prices the Snake Road Motorcycle would definitely be a show stopper for any avid biker with an assurance of a powerful ride.
If you are passionate about bikes, don’t forget to check Weird Motocycles and Futuristic Motorcycle Concepts.
Via: Thedesignblog
